NATURI - A Sound Installation & Performance. If you subscribe to the theory that time is money, then you definitely want to arrive to your embarkation port early. If you dont have extra room in the budget, the first point in this article will help the most. Youll also find a free printable cruise packing list! However, the earlier your arrival time, the sooner you are usually able to embark on the ship. Prepare For Your Cruise: Departure Day - Norwegian Cruise Line We will also provide tips for scoring the earliest boarding time on Royal Caribbean based on our recent experience on the Oasis of the Seas at the cruise terminal in Port of Miami. That means if a couple buys The Key for a 7 day cruise it will cost at least $350. 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! Ideally, you want other staterooms on either deck and not public venues like pools, restaurants or other public venues. This buffet wasnt crowded at all during these early hours, and it offered a large variety of food for our big travel group. Booking a suite has more advantages than you may think. All rights reserved. One of my favorite benefits was having access to an amazing restaurant that was reserved for suite guests only. . Here are 7 proven ways to board your cruise ship faster on embarkation day. 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. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Powered by Cruiseline.com. 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. Thanked the person politely and hung-up. 90% refund of cruise credits if you Cancel for Any Reason. Read More Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbeans Junior SuitesContinue, Read More Honest Review of Perfect Day at CocoCayContinue, Read More Free Printable Cruise Packing List (with Tips)Continue, Read More Guide to Royal Caribbean Ship Classes (2023)Continue, Read More Easy Guide to Royal Caribbean Online Check InContinue, Read More Honest Review of Oasis of the SeasContinue, Your email address will not be published. Unless you've really got money to blow, don't know how people make the decision to go to Caribbean/offshore schools anymore.Foundation year 1 (FY1) doctors told The BMJ that they had asked the trust to consider increasing medical locum shift pay rates from 24 an hour for social hours and 29 for unsocial hours to match those provided for . Porters are available to assist with your luggage. After we completed this check-in procedure, our family sat in the waiting area until it was our turn to board the ship. Check-in opens up 45 days before your cruise begins. You can use it to check-into your cruise (more on that in the next tip), book entertainment, shore excursions and packages. Its important to note that these times that you choose during online check-in are only port arrival times. One of the best mantras for cruise planning is book as early as you can in order to get the lowest price. After all, if you want to jump in that pool as soon as you get on the ship you might as well be prepared. Would rather get to port early and board than hang out in a hotel room. This was super fast and easy as the Muster Stations were all clearly labeled and close to where we walked onto the ship. You'll want to do this as early as you can in order to get an early check-in time and avoid wasting time in the cruise terminal. Please plan your arrival accordingly to avoid the possibility of not being permitted to sail. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may receive a small compensation at no extra cost to you. Check out Intelligent Cruiser here for a better cruise vacation. Adventure Embarkation - Royal Caribbean International - Cruise Critic I wrote about this in the post on 19 things you should do on embarkation day. r/royalcaribbean - Is Royal Caribbean strict about boarding times? Do When I tried to check in for my May 2022 cruise, this step was the only glitchy part of the whole process. 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. VIP access to shows in Main theater, Aqua Theater, Studio B, and Two70, Surf & Stream high-speed internet package, Special breakfast on debarkation day and choice of departure time, Dedicated phone number for guest services, Expedited water shuttle from ship to shore, Daily Complimentary Standard Room Service Breakfast, $50 Spa Discount per person (Port Days Only). Look up your specific cruise line to see exactly how early you can check in and then set an alarm or reminder on your phone for that date. For some folks, that may sound like lunacy to plan a vacation up to two years in advance, but the fact of the matter is employing this strategy is the key to getting a really great price. Check with the Windjammer wait staff for a schedule of options. 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. Onboard Shows and Tickets FAQs | Royal Caribbean Cruises 2011-2023, Cruise Fever . In that case, keep in mind the luggage tags you will be provided with can be swapped out at Guest Services for a luggage tag with an earlier disembarkation time. Taking the time to purchase anything onboard does not take very much time, but every little bit helps, and some purchases on the first day of the cruise can require waiting in a line, such as drink packages. 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. The earliest that guests can board a cruise is between 4-5 hours before the ship is scheduled to sail away. Things like hats, coverups, important paperwork and more would be ideal. Since your luggage isnt guaranteed to arrive in your room before dinner, youll want to make sure you have everything you need ahead of time. Depending on the length of your sailing, you can get up to $250 onboard credit. 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. In addition to that you get to the best locations on the ship, personalized service, exclusive amenities, and other complimentary perks. 30 New Things For Families To Do In March 2023 In Singapore - BYKidO This is the perfect time to make dining changes/requests, book activities and specialty restaurants, secure shore excursions, etc. When we say "early", we mean booking your cruise 12, 18 or even 24 months before the sail date. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. Lets look at what some of these early-access programs offer. Fax: +1 345 946 8825. If you get on the ship early you will find this is one of the best times to enjoy the cruise ship pools without any crowds. Generally speaking, the best price for a Royal Caribbean cruise can be found when booked many months in advance. Not only are the dress codes quite liberal, you can also re-use the same clothes on the same sailing. If you are wondering what time constitutes, "early", we are talking about sometime between 10am and 11:30am. 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. All E-Docs will be available up to 21 days prior to departure, provided full payment has been received and Online Check-In has been completed. Once you get onboard and connect to the ship's wifi, it will ask you if you want to just use the app. 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. 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? If you choose to fly ChoiceAir, Royal Caribbean automatically displays only the airline schedules that will enable you to meet your cruise. Guests should arrive at the terminal within the arrival time slot you selected during Royal App check-in. ", "When is the best time to book a cruise?" These are the times of year when demand is less for cruises to certain regions. 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. The plan offered is called the Royal Caribbean Travel Protection Program, and it provides the following coverage: $25k Emergency Travel Medical Insurance. The FCC . #4 Check into your cruise as soon as you can Royal Caribbean now enforces its check-in times, so be sure to check-in for your cruise as soon as check-in opens. In that post, we provide tips for staying organized and packing for your trip. Here are some of the benefits included with this program: Carnival Cruise Line: Faster to the Fun (FTTF). By having a reservation, you will be seated faster. Check-in opens up 45 days before your cruise begins. 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. Note that boarding did come to a stop at one point. Whether it is a show, a ride on North Star or the tenders to CocoCay, the absolute key to avoiding waiting in any semblance of a line is to arrive before these activities are scheduled to open/operate/perform. Royal Caribbean's suite accommodations include a variety of VIP perks, some of which overlap with The Key. For obvious reasons the early times are taken first. (Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean) You are staying in a suite. 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. There is no question that if you want to get the lowest price on a cruise, book it as early as you can. Is Royal Caribbean's "priority access - Maximize your travel. You really do not want to bethat personin the airport losing their mind because the latest delay means the entire vacation is in jeopardy. 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. In the weeks leading up to your cruise, be sure to complete online check-in. Questions are often worded like, "How do I get a deal? In general, on a cruise with RCI, you can change 1 bane, no problem, as long as at least one original guest stays . Previously, Royal Caribbean permitted a maximum of two 750-milliliter bottles per room. Royal Caribbean typically allows cruisers to choose arrival times in thirty-minute blocks as shown in the image below. Tasks such as repricing, making special requests, dealing with weather events and more are why I use a travel agent every single I book a cruise. HOW EARLY CAN I BOARD THE SHIP? But I have a helpful suggestion. MSC Cruises has three experiences to choose from: Bella, Fantastica, and Aurea. Don't worry, you don't need to buy an internet package to use the Royal Caribbean app. Norwegians priority access program includes: Other cruise lines have some sort of priority-access program as well. Guests can choose boarding times in the afternoon or earlier times of 10:30 or 11:00. When you make purchases onboard your cruise, at the end of the cruise you get a final bill with all of the charges tallied up. (He was right!) In many cases, Royal Caribbean promises a discount on select pre-cruise purchases compared to the price onboard. Aurea is the most expensive options and could cost anywhere from $150 to $600 more than the lowest cost experience. Members also get invitations to special events, like behind-the-scenes tours of the ship. If you dont plan on using the pools, you may not need nearly as many items as we do. This frees up storage space in your closets and drawers for other things. If youre still not satisfied you can pay extra for the priority access some cruise lines offer. Priority access off the ship to the shore in port. So the best way to learn about what is offered on your cruise is to check out a past Cruise Compass. Because so many guests are just getting onboard and acclimated to the new ship, many guests are unaware of where the headline attractions are or that they are open on embarkation day. How early can I board my Royal Caribbean cruise? And in that case theres nothing you can do but sit back and make the best of it. Too many parents are unaware of the open house and waste time signing their kids up as the evening session is set to begin. Your loyalty status doesnt reset at the end of the year. Then, we walked right into the suite waiting area. If you're on the fence about buying a Royal Caribbean drink package, keep in mind you can use them at Royal Caribbean's private islands. If you can cruise during these times, there are some truly low prices to enjoy. (Sponsored). Children between the ages of 0-5 are complimentary and ages 6-12 are $10 per child at any specialty restaurant. Laundry costs extra, but it may save you money compared to paying to check an extra bag at the airport. 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. Bermuda supreme court legalised same-sex marriage last year. Hi there! Some families prefer to arrive in the afternoon, so they dont have to navigate crowds at the terminal. Keep in mind that other factors may effect your boarding time. An intangible benefit to pre-purchasing anything is it saves you time onboard from doing the exact same thing, which means more vacation time back to you. But once youre approved you will get a 5% discount on any future MSC sailing along with some other discounts on ship amenities. I wont go into every perk these loyalty programs offer, but you can check out our comparison of the loyalty programs on 8 different cruise lines. If you want to find the best prices for the spa on your cruise, consider booking things on port days, or early in the morning or late at night for the best prices. Want to know one of the best tips for avoiding the worst cruise ship cabins? (+1 345) 244 2431. Guests should arrive at the terminal within the arrival time slot you selected during Royal App check-in. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Today, we, While I absolutely love cruising and traveling, we all know that sometimes things dont go exactly as we planned., We all make mistakes, including when on a cruise ship. Naturally everyone thinks of the main dining room for dinner, but did you know it is often open forlunch (and breakfast) too? At 11:00, crew members instructed all of the suite guests to form a line. Be sure to check it. Did you know Royal Caribbean offers extra onboard credit if you own at least a certain amount of Royal Caribbean Group stock?