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Many guests are curious how early they can board a Royal Caribbean ship on embarkation day, so here is a guide for what to expect. For instance, with Royal Caribbeans app you can simply pick your check-in time, add some basic information and come back later to complete the rest. Instead of arriving to your departure city on the day of your cruise, get in early! Royal Caribbean does not post or publish Cruise Compasses for upcoming sailings in advance. While I do enjoy sailing on many different cruise lines and seeing how they compare, sticking with one line can get you those loyalty perks. They also re-wear their embarkation clothes since this first day is typically not dressy at all. You can bring soda, water, energy drinks and any other non-alcoholic beverages. Our $2,179.98 cruise has an insurance cost of $138 if bought through Royal Caribbean. Depending on the arrival time you chose during online check-in, you can show up at the cruise terminal as early as 10:00 am for your cruise vacation. Readers share: Whats the best piece of cruise advice you have ever received? Cayman Islands: Who's Who & Business Guide. Priority line at ship attractions and water slides during regular hours. But if you opt to drag your suitcases all through the terminal and onto the ship youre just slowing down the entire process. If you choose to fly ChoiceAir, Royal Caribbean automatically displays only the airline schedules that will enable you to meet your cruise. $50k Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. Carnival allows you to check-in 14 days before the cruise date, for Royal Caribbean its 45 days, and for Norwegian Cruise Line you can check in 21 days before a sailing. In addition to being able to use your drink package benefits nearly anywhere onboard your ship, Royal Caribbean also extends the benefit to Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas and Labadee in Haiti. If you dont plan on using the pools, you may not need nearly as many items as we do. When you get the receipt to sign, look for the line item that indicates if an automatic 18% gratuity is already included. Since 2021, Royal Caribbean has mostly been enforcing check-in times, so it's important to get a good time as early as you can. Jon can be reached at. How to Get on Your Cruise Ship As Early as Possible: 7 We hate spam as much as lounge chair hogs. You simply keep your luggage in your room (instead of placing it in the hallway on the last evening of the cruise) and then when the ship is cleared by Customs agents, you take your own luggage and disembark the ship. Most people go on vacation based around their school or work schedules. If you can check in using the cruise lines app or website the very first day you have a better chance of having an early boarding time. The exact benefits you get depend on which tier of Crown and Anchor Society you belong to. This frees up storage space in your closets and drawers for other things. These are not the times you actually board the ship. To be honest, your embarkation day usually starts . Here are some basic considerations. A number of factors affect when you can embark a cruise ship. But how early can you board the cruise ship? If you want to try Sky Pad, FlowRider, rock climbing wall or zipline, take advantage of lower waits on the first day of the cruise. If that statement does not make a whole lot of sense yet, check out the five steps we outlined in this post to demonstrate why being early will help you have a great cruise. The drink packages have become quite popular with guests, but Royal Caribbean rewards guests that purchase their drink package early with a discount. When we say "early", we mean booking your cruise 12, 18 or even 24 months before the sail date. Guests can choose boarding times in the afternoon or earlier times of 10:30 or 11:00. And the earlier check-in time you have, the sooner you get to get onboard the ship and start vacation. For instance, although medical marijuana may be legal in parts of the United States, it is not allowed in most part of the Caribbean, and therefore will not be permitted on the ship. The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. Royal Caribbean International has notified guests booked aboard several Allure of the Seas cruises to adjust their boarding times . Remember, if your suitcase will not fit through the x-rays at the security check-point you will have to employ the services of the porter anyway. But once youre approved you will get a 5% discount on any future MSC sailing along with some other discounts on ship amenities. The Windjammer is the go-to spot for most when they get onboard their Royal Caribbean ship for lunch, but there are good alternatives that are less crowded. Click on the person icon, and it should fire up the camera again. The Aurea experience provides much more than just priority access and luggage drop off, also including access to the Top Exclusive Solarium, access to the thermal suite, discounted drink package rates, free delivery of room service and more. Love Cruise Fever?Sign Up to Our FREE Newsletter! At 11:00, crew members instructed all of the suite guests to form a line. The price you pay for the cruise is the same whether you board at noon or 2pm, so you may as well get the extra two hours of fun! Each cruise line has their own list of prohibited items, so just make sure you follow those instructions and avoid being pulled to the side by security at the cruise terminal. As for Royal Caribbean opening up additional earlier times, it's not usually the case. If not, just leave blank, How being early is the secret to the best Royal Caribbean cruise, from start to finish, purchase the drink package of your choice online, 5 Royal Caribbean things you had no idea existed. There are plenty of ways to improve one's cruise, but if you remember a single mantra for your cruise, it should be simply to be early. Whether you cruise multiple times per year or you're new to cruising, the goal of Royal Caribbean Blog is for it to bea useful resource for keeping up to date with what's new and exciting with Royal Caribbean. Remington Premier Copper 12 Gauge 3 Inch 1550 FPS 1 Ounce . Be sure to pack these items in your carry-on luggage, and not your checked luggage. Once we walked to the entrance of Terminal Building A, we saw two separate lines: a LONG line on the left and a short line on the right. That is a question for Royal Caribbean. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Getting on the ship for us is also the point when the cruise 'starts'. The price of the September 13, 2024 cruise on the Serenade of the Seas ranges from $690 for an inside cabin to $1,963 for a suite. Set . Cruise lines offer several boarding times and can only allow for so many in each slot. Generally speaking, the best price for a Royal Caribbean cruise can be found when booked many months in advance. Many guests are curious how early they can board a Royal Caribbean ship on embarkation day, so here is a guide for what to expect. This includes accepting the cruise contract, answering the health questions, and choosing your boarding time. Our hotel (Intercontinental Miami) was a short 15-minute drive to the Port of Miami. By arriving early, you will beat the big crowds that descend upon the cruise terminal later in the day, and you also get the added benefit of having some extra time onboard the ship. Cruise ships will usually begin boarding approximately four hours before the scheduled departure time, typically around 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Plus, the agents at the port wont have to take the extra time to verify your birth certificate. What time to arrive at the port. In most cases, you should be able to save at least $10 per person compared to dinner (if not more). There is a lot that goes into a Royal Caribbean cruise vacation, from your cruise fare (and the slew of discounts available), to dining, shore excursions, air travel and more. Its important to note that these times that you choose during online check-in are only port arrival times. The cost is $129 for a 3-5 day cruise and $199 for a 6-9 day cruise with higher rates for longer voyages. Once you are ready to begin, completing the Royal Caribbean online check in takes very little time. After we completed this check-in procedure, our family sat in the waiting area until it was our turn to board the ship. Many newspapers also spread a false story on April Fish Day, and a subtle reference to a fish is sometimes given as a clue to . By pre-purchasing certain items, you can pay off parts of the cruise months or years in advance, allowing you to reduce the cruise bill at the conclusion of your cruise. Looking for the Best Cruise Deals? If you are wondering what time constitutes, "early", we are talking about sometime between 10am and 11:30am. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. A passenger can't sail from one U.S. port and get off at another U.S. port (even for the day) without the trip including a foreign port of call in the itinerary. Here are the 8 easy strategies I used to save money on my Royal Caribbean cruise that you can use too. Find answers to your questions about all the requirements to board a Royal Caribbean Cruise. The day your cruise begins is full of excitement, and naturally, you may be wondering what time you can board the ship. This online check-in is when you choose your port arrival time. When you get the terminal, be sure to tell the pier agent you are staying in a suite so you can be directed to the right place. Avoid a huge cell phone bill by putting your phone into airplane mode while on your cruise. Tipping hard working crew members is a must-do, but double check the bill that it's not already included. If you do not complete check-in online, you will be required to complete this process at the pier at least two hours prior to the published sailing time. Youll also find a free printable cruise packing list! So the earlier you book your cruise, the more stateroom inventory you will have and if freshman year high school economics taught me anything, it is that supply and demand plays a big part in pricing. Some specialty restaurants will cost less if you eat there for lunch. On a cruise, your vacation starts as soon as you set foot on your cruise ship. Things like hats, coverups, important paperwork and more would be ideal. By completing online check-in early, you will have the best choice of check-in times. But if you're at home, it's still a good idea to book as early as you can to lock in the lowest price. Keep in mind that other factors may effect your boarding time. The faster you get on the cruise ship on embarkation day, the sooner you can start enjoying your vacation. Arrived to the port at 10:30. Follow along on this incredible voyage! Unfortunately, there's no wifi coverage in Labadee. Too many parents are unaware of the open house and waste time signing their kids up as the evening session is set to begin. In general, on a cruise with RCI, you can change 1 bane, no problem, as long as at least one original guest stays . Sure, you can book a Royal Caribbean cruise on your own, directly through the line's website. The moms in our group then ran errands to take care of some items. Check with the Windjammer wait staff for a schedule of options. Be among the first to check in and it will feel like youre getting priority access at the terminal. DON'T assume your cabin is pristine and in working order, if you tend to worry about such things. One of the best cruise ship cabin hacks is to bring magnets with you on your cruise. While buying stock in any company should be based on solid financial planning, if you happen to own at least 100 shares of Royal Caribbean Group stock, you can qualify for bonus credit to spend on your cruise. So, anyone in the wrong line was asked to move. (Make sure you watched and marked off the Safety video in the app the morning of your cruise.). Instant Real Time Pricing Commonly it is expected to tip somewhere around $1-$2 per bag. . The result is far fewer guests in the pools, hot tubs and water slides than at any other time on your cruise. We have an entire forum dedicated to Royal Caribbean roll calls on our message boards that is totally free to use! And loyalty perks usually involve priority access to the ship. An unusual exit wound as a result of a shotgun suicide to the head. Search Now This was super fast and easy as the Muster Stations were all clearly labeled and close to where we walked onto the ship. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Royal Caribbean Blog. Note that boarding did come to a stop at one point. Each ship is packed with adventures . That's my quick take on the new boarding process for Adventure of the Seas -- the first Royal Caribbean ship to restart operations in North America.. From the moment I began the process on Saturday in Nassau, Bahamas, in advance of the vessel's first sailing in 15 months to the time I stepped into my cabin, almost exactly one . Previously, Royal Caribbean permitted a maximum of two 750-milliliter bottles per room. The open house is when you can go to meet the staff, register your kids, and ask any questions. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? And the price you paid for the cruise is the same whether you get onboard at 11am or 2pm, so may as well get the most time possible. If you want to have a hassle-free boarding process, its important to stay organized and keep all your important documents organized and easily accessible. Book entertainment and dining as soon as possible. Those who arrive early will not be able to begin boarding, and those who arrive late will need to wait until we are able to work them into another group. Cruise lines want you to be loyal to them, so ranking up your loyalty tier is a great way to get faster boarding times in addition to a ton of other perks. The person didnt even ask for the ship name or location and gave monosyllabic responses. The boarding process for the 1/8 Adventure of the Seas cruise to the S. Caribbean was horrible. Once at the Muster Station, you just scan your SetSail Pass. I pack sunscreen to apply before swimming, and we carry on other essentials that we need before dinner. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may receive a small compensation at no extra cost to you. Some days it's sunny, some days it's stormy, some days it's just . What you want to do is log onto the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's website and purchase the drink package of your choice online. So which food is included and which cost extra? Royal Caribbean shore excursions are fully refundable if your ship cannot dock at a scheduled port. We like to carry a backpack onboard the ship on embarkation day. Want to know one of the best tips for avoiding the worst cruise ship cabins? You should always let the cruise terminal porters take your large bags for you. Royal Caribbean typically allows cruisers to choose arrival times in thirty-minute blocks as shown in the image below. It has grown into a website full of information on family vacation tips, kid friendly activities, homeschooling organization hacks, and so much more! Each cruiser scanned his/her SetSail Pass (from the Royal Caribbean app) and was permitted to board the ship. In many ports, porters have a special line for Customs that allows you to get through it all faster. You have a lot more going on there than a basic name change for the cruise, and thus really need to talk to whomever it is you booked through. And from there the perks just kept coming. We'll walk you through a typical cruise embarkation day and the cruise ship boarding process, and give you some cruise embarkation tips to make sure your first day on the ship goes as smooth as butter. and the answer to them all is simple: book your cruise as early as you can. Please note:All guests must be checked-in and onboard the ship no later than 90 minutes prior to the published sailing time or you will not be permitted to sail. Required fields are marked *, document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a0f9c8c1261d574f1224454f4fa00eeb" );document.getElementById("d5aa0859c9").setAttribute( "id", "comment" );Comment *. Many people here, I think, . Due to government regulations requiring cruise lines to submit final departure manifests at least 60 minutes prior to sailing, guests are requested to complete Check-in no later than 3 days prior to their cruise. When a sailing is first offered, supply is at its highest because no one has purchase a cruise ship cabin yet. Royal Caribbean shore excursions guarantee your return to the ship, even if the excursion is delayed. There arediscounts, vouchers, and even freebies anyone can take advantage of once onboard. It wasn't nearly as easy as usual. These are the times of year when demand is less for cruises to certain regions. The Online Check-in Process is a 4 step process and Royal Caribbean will walk you through it step by step. This provides the ability to break up the total cost of the cruise. This means you can still be on Royal Caribbean's wifi and use the app, but avoid a huge bill. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. The biggest key is being prepared and knowing when you should or shouldnt pay extra to get on board faster. When you complete online check-in, you will be assigned a check-in time. This buffet wasnt crowded at all during these early hours, and it offered a large variety of food for our big travel group. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. All sent to your inbox. The rule is a thorn in the side of many travelers. But I have a helpful suggestion. This is by far the least crowded time to swim on the cruise ship. Then, the dads in our group took the kids to the pool so that they could swim in virtually empty swimming areas. This is not only a great opportunity for your kids to become familiar with the kids club, but also save time later so all you have to do when the club opens up is drop them off and be done. Our family chose to eat lunch at Windjammer Marketplace after boarding. All rights reserved. Also, since your cruise will likely take you to foreign countries, its crucial to have a passport with you. Depending on the length of your sailing, you can get up to $250 onboard credit. The earliest that guests can board a cruise is between 4-5 hours before the ship is scheduled to sail away. We fly in early enough to explore the port city if we want to prior to embarkation day. Whether you cruise multiple times per year or you're new to cruising, the goal of Royal Caribbean Blog is for it to bea useful resource for keeping up to date with what's new and exciting with Royal Caribbean. Guests who were sailing in Star Class and had access to a Royal Genie were permitted to move to the front of the line in order to receive the priority boarding that was included in their suite perks. Just one of the perks of being a suite guest on a cruise ship is having priority access. If you followed our previous advice about arriving to your port city early, then likely your hotel will have a check-out time in the early part of the morning, which is the perfect excuse to head to the cruise port. Now, if youre planning to embark on a closed-loop itinerary that starts and ends in the United States, you can use your birth certificate and legal name change documentation to board. So if youve been delaying getting your passport renewed and dont have a trip planned any time soon, Id recommend getting that taken care of. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. Plus, the Royal Caribbean app will have all of the activities for the day listed so that you can easily reference it during your sailing. When it comes to travel, there are always going to be certain factors involved in the trip that you have no control over: weather, canceled flights, flat tires, and Michael Poole. Talk to a few agents and feel them out for their knowledge of the product and when you find one that you are comfortable with, leverage their knowledge and expertiseand book with them. On my most recent cruise on Oasis of the Seas, my family and I had junior suites booked with a 10:30 am port arrival time. Booking a suite has more advantages than you may think. You're probably wondering what to expect on the day you board the ship. For Bahamian and Caribbean cruises, check-in registration begins at 11:00 am and embarkation begins at 1:00 pm. This way youre paying about half the price of a week-long cruise and you can test the waters. If you wait weeks or months to book a cruise onboard, the price of the cruise may increase and negate any savings you'd receive from the extra onboard credit. For assistance in navigating Online Check-in or questions on how to fill out the information - contact your travel agent or if booked directly, contact our Service Specialists at 800 327-5782, Monday through Friday, 9:00am-10:00pm ET and Saturday and Sunday, 9:00am-6:00pm . or "How do I get the lowest price?" You can save and come back to the process at a later time. While you can book shore excursions onboard your ship, the lines at the shore excursion desk can often be quite long and doing your research from home gives you plenty of time to compare different options and learn what each port offers. You may also want to pack a dinner outfit, especially if you . If getting onto your cruise ship as early as possible is important to you these tips above should help. Here are some of the benefits included with this program: Carnival Cruise Line: Faster to the Fun (FTTF). The same is true for beer . Royal Caribbean now enforces its check-in times, so be sure to check-in for your cruise as soon as check-in opens. Before you book a room, look at the ship's deck plans and look what is above and below your stateroom. On cruise day, everyone is excited to board. The price for The Key varies by sailing, but prices start at $25 per guest for each day of the cruise. 2023 Mom's Plan-it Vacation Blog - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP, Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbeans Junior Suites, Free Printable Cruise Packing List (with Tips), Guide to Royal Caribbean Ship Classes (2023), Easy Guide to Royal Caribbean Online Check In. All Oasis-class ships offer this option, but many guests are unaware that breakfast is served here, nor that it is included with your cruise fare (Johnny Rockets has a cover charge for lunch and dinner). Each excursion will list the price, details of the activity and any physical or age restrictions. Many cruise lines allow you to pay a little extra for priority access to the ship. Here are my tips for the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner. Smart cruise advice, cruise deals, and breaking news. Read more: 10 biggest tipping mistakes cruisers make. Bermuda supreme court legalised same-sex marriage last year. The earlier you arrive on embarkation day, the earlier you will board the ship. The first time I booked a suite was on Celebrity Silhouette. Norwegians priority access program includes: Other cruise lines have some sort of priority-access program as well. Set Sail pass states that boarding begins at 2:00 PM. Having an extra day or two provides a buffer to account for travel delays. You can view all the shore excursions available by logging into Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner and browsing the shore excursions by port. If you have a cruise booked with Royal Caribbean, you can typically check-in around 45 days before your sail date. Things I've tried on Royal Caribbean that I won't do again, The worst cruise mistakes our readers have made on a ship. If you subscribe to the theory that time is money, then you definitely want to arrive to your embarkation port early. Note: MSC Cruises has a status match program, so you can carry over some of the perks you have with another cruise line. If you have an adult in your room that does not drink (much) alcohol, you can get around this rule by calling Royal Caribbean and requesting that person get the Royal Refreshment package. NATURI - A Sound Installation & Performance. Additionally, a cruise vacation, like any other type of travel, poses a risk for trip interruption, delays, and other unexpected issues. However, if you show up just 10-15 minutes before these events, you will likely find few, if any, other guests waiting and first shot at even the most popular activities. Prior to sailing, guests may change or cancel their show reservations online up to 4 days prior to their cruise start date. Keep in mind the differences between Royal Caribbean's shore excursions and third party shore excursions. Can anyone who has recently been on the Serenade rec. Usually, guests who book The Key are allowed to check-in with the first group (an exact time will be emailed later). $250 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 14 or more nights, $100 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 6 to 13 nights, $50 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 5 nights or less. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), also known in short as Norwegian, is an American cruise line founded in 1966, incorporated in Bermuda and headquartered in Miami. For everyone's sanity, this rule does not apply to cruise ships. Since the online check-in time usually opens up at midnight (EST) 45 days before your cruise, youll want to login at this time. When I tried to check in for my May 2022 cruise, this step was the only glitchy part of the whole process. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. I pack my kids undergarments for them to put on after they swim. . Did you know if one adult elects to buy the unlimited alcohol package, all other adults in the same room have to get it too? Two brothers started Cruise Fever in 2011 when they decided they couldn't stop cruising so they might as well write about it. Most cruise terminals enforce the boarding times, but occasionally you find situations where a particular pier agent doesn't pay attention to the check-in time or say anything about it. Employees come over to make you show that you are in a suite. Posted January 23, 2012. Please check your email and click the link to confirm, and you're all set! Royal Caribbean's fitness center has separate showers for men and women that is complimentary to use. You will not have to start over! Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. By having them get the non-alcoholic drink package, you will save a lot of money compared to buying them the Deluxe Beverage package that costs much more. Club Orange by Holland America Line offers passengers priority access to exclusive perks and amenities, including priority check-in, stateroom upgrades, and an intimate dining venue on select ships. You can enjoy a lineup of adventures on a Royal Caribbean cruise from Day One, like the North Star observation capsule, ice skating and more. And again, this just slows down that quick embarkation process. But it wasn't a nightmare either. In short, to save time and money, use a good travel agent. Johnny Rockets tends to be not very crowded for breakfast, because many guests are unaware of this option, and it also has a large seating capacity (indoor and outdoor seating options). Get Cruise Savvy with our FREE Newsletter! This is the perfect time to make dining changes/requests, book activities and specialty restaurants, secure shore excursions, etc. First, if you miss The Key check-in window, you have to fall back to whatever time you had before. While frustrating to not have the rules enforced across the board, we still recommend adhering to the check-in time window to avoid any possible denial of boarding until later.