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. You can read more about me here-Meet Shari. They come with a wide range of perks that are meant to maximize the value of your vacation through special privileges and upgraded amenities. 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. The entertainment offerings onboard Royal Caribbean ships are some of the best at sea. In comparison, a standard ocean view balcony is currently going for $1,988 per person. In addition to breakfast, Grand Suite (and above) guests are also offered private seating for lunch. (Make sure you watched and marked off the Safety video in the app the morning of your cruise.). You will also get complimentary VOOM, so you do not have to worry about being disconnected or paying extra for a Wi-Fi package! First, we recommend choosing your port arrival time before completing anything else during online check in. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's new cruise newsletter. When to Book Entertainment on Royal Caribbean. Your email address will not be published. This was super fast and easy as the Muster Stations were all clearly labeled and close to where we walked onto the ship. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. A couple in front of us said they had the Genie and she said well it's too late. You can then save this information and complete the rest of the check-in process at a later date. Below you will find a comprehensive list of all our suite benefits so you can choose the suite that best fits your cruise vacation. 30 Best Things to Do in Downtown Gatlinburg (2023), 35 Best Places to Visit in Tennessee (2023), 89 Free Things to Do on Oasis of the Seas, Best Things to Do in Labadee (from Beaches to Excursions), 53 Royal Caribbean Tips and Tricks You Need to Know. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. Wonder, however, does not have any 2-bedroom Grand Suites onboard. If your documents are not yet available, check back soon. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Our Junior Suites, Grand Suites, Ocean View/ Panoramic (No Balcony) Suites, and Owner's Suites all receive priority boarding, and our Royal Suite and Villa Suite guests are escorted onboard by an officer. We enjoy being on the ship early to take advantage of as much time on board as possible. A Grand Suite on a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise on Wonder of the Seas departing in June 2024 starts at $7,145 per person, based on double occupancy. Savings on in-flight purchases: Receive a 25% discount on in-flight food and beverage purchases when you use your credit card to . In short, purchasing The Key package comes down to your budget and desire for some exclusive benefits. Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Take one 10 night cruise solo in a JS and you will be. Tendering operations can often take hours to get all the passengers to shore, so this is a valuable benefit if your itinerary has multiple tender ports. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. 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. A 7-night Southern Caribbean cruise onboard Rhapsody of the Seas that also departs in August . If your clothing got wrinkled in your suitcase, you have the chance to get a complimentary pressing on your itinerary's first formal night. Certain hotels have resort fees. Required fields are marked *, document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a5bba5e9528c15d27c649f19a0dc456c" );document.getElementById("d5aa0859c9").setAttribute( "id", "comment" );Comment *. If you have a cruise booked with Royal Caribbean, you can typically check-in around 45 days before your sail date. The day your cruise begins is full of excitement, and naturally, you may be wondering what time you can board the ship. The big day is approaching, and youre finally getting ready to head to the cruise port and board your ship. Royal Caribbean Suite Perks Explained Royal Caribbean typically allows cruisers to choose arrival times in thirty-minute blocks as shown in the image below. 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. 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. Royal Caribbean Plush Bathrobes for Use Onboard. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. On the cruise they didnt enforce check-in times there was less than 1000 passengers on the ship. Purchases made onboard over the initi *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. Cabins are not open until 1:30 or so. In the last two months I took 3 cruises. Ocula932 4 mo. This buffet wasnt crowded at all during these early hours, and it offered a large variety of food for our big travel group. It is my understanding that with the exception of suite guest, who can check in up to an hour ahead of their scheduled time, priority boarding is not being used during COVID. Back whenfirst made Diamond in late 90's it meant something, Meet Capt and all Senior Staff each Sailing, was first on and off Ship with only Group before us was Wedding Parties. One of the Royal Caribbean suite perks is that suite guests are permitted to enter the terminal one hour before their official port arrival time. Apologies to everyone for going off topic a bit. By You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. Unfortunately the choices were all 10am. Check here before booking an award fare. Many terminals have a separate seating area in the terminal for Suites and Pinnacle if you arrive before the ship has commenced boarding. In fact, balconies on older ships are far less, too. All rights reserved. Its important to note that these times that you choose during online check-in are only port arrival times. *** Welcome lunch is open from 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm. It is a good question to ask, especially since some of Royal Caribbean's newest suites are only available on certain classes and/or ships. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. All suites in the Royal Caribbean Suites program have access to certain benefits. Royal Caribbean's Star Class guests also receive priority disembarkation, unlimited VOOM internet, and invitations to exclusive signature events. Try your best to adhere to the check-in time, but they will still admit you for check-in if you were to arrive later. Related: 27 cruise ship embarkation day dos and donts. From the Cruise Planner, click toedit your check-in: If there are no better times to select, just close out of the website -- all your existing information is saved. The intent was to give travelers VIP or suite-style benefits while on board. Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Basically, its your chance to get to the fun faster and receive VIP access to certain activities. Our check-ln time was 12:00 to 12:30. We didnt even have to get off the couch. We show you what the procedures on boarding day, as well as tips for a less-stressful check-in process at the cruise terminal, plus the top choices for lunch. How early can I board my Royal Caribbean cruise? Before you head inside, leave large bags with the porters, who will make sure theyre safely loaded onto the ship. We like to carry a backpack onboard the ship on embarkation day. They are larger, especially on the newer ships in the fleet. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. My 3 cruises have been less than 40% fill. If not, just leave blank. Normally, you get one Crown & Anchor loyalty point for each night of the cruise. Priority boarding from a TA usually means nothing. Im Shari. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. I always advise flying in at least one day before youre scheduled to embark, just in case you encounter any delays or cancellations. By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics, The Key, Royal Caribbean's Priority Program, 8 Reasons to Cruise on a Refurbished Ship, What to Expect on a Cruise: Boarding a Cruise Ship, 10 Things to Know About Cruising on Empress of the Seas, Priority check-in and boarding (with some exceptions), Ability to store carry-on luggage in the main dining room from boarding until 1:30p.m. when it's delivered to your cabin, Welcome lunch in the main dining room on embarkation day from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., featuring a menu from Chops Grille, Voom internet with Surf & Stream for one device per Key cruiser, Specialty seating at shows and events in the main theater, Aqua Theater, Studio B and Two70 (reservations needed for Oasis- and Quantum-class ships), Special access hours for onboard attractions, such as the zipline, FlowRider, rock climbing wall, Ultimate Abyss, North Star, iFly and the ice rink, Priority line at ship attractions and water slides during regular hours, Priority access off the ship to the shore in port, Exclusive a la carte breakfast from 6:30a.m. to 9:30a.m. on debarkation morning, Special Key luggage tags that put your suitcases in a special area in Customs when you disembark. I think the number of passengers determines how strictly they enforce the check-in times. The Key program is Royal Caribbean's initiative to give guests access to premier and exclusive cruise services and activities while on board for a small additional fee. Get there too early and you'll be fighting with the traffic for all those leaving the cruise that is disembarking (and all the other cruises disembarking at the other Miami terminals). Last time we arrived at 12 noon and stood in line for 21/2 hours. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. The answer to the first question depends on how far of a commute you have to the cruise port. However, once you finally arrive at the port and board the ship, all your worries are washed away. Our Junior Suites, Grand Suites, Ocean View/ Panoramic (No Balcony) Suites, and Owner's Suites all receive priority boarding, and our Royal Suite and Villa Suite guests are escorted onboard by an officer. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. (If youre someone who prefers to spend as much time as possible on board, you can elect to choose an earlier boarding time, but be warned that there could be long lines and wait times.). Suit guest had separate check-in area with a short line and it appeared they were letting them in the building. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Offer ends 5/3/23. Unfortunately, it can vary from port to port and ship to ship, but I prefer arriving in the early afternoon, usually around 1 or 2 p.m. By then, the morning rush of me first passengers has usually died down, and it allows enough time between your arrival at the port and all aboard, the cutoff for when all passengers and crew must be on the vessel. A 3-night cruise would get you 6 points, while a 7-night would get you 14. Went into a door that moved us ahead of that line but through the same security checkpoint as everyone else. How early is too early for the porters to be there? Our driver dropped us off with the porters at the terminal who checked that all of our bags held luggage tags, which we had printed from our online account. 5 minutes later, they included Jr suites also. Display as a link instead, Ships usually start boarding shortly after the final passenger has disembarked from the previous sailing, usually between 10 and 11 a.m. Adhering to your assigned embarkation time will help to keep the boarding process running smoothly. They will help with anything from booking shore excursions and dining reservations at specialty restaurants, to settling billing discrepancies, checking in for your return flight, and escorting you off the ship on disembarkation day. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. With 24/7 complimentary room service, you can order salads, pasta, quesadillas, burgers, and more whenever you would like without incurring the $7.95 delivery fee and 18% service charge. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. At both ports theywere doing the 2:30 people by 1:00 as the lines move fast. Edited September 9, 2021 by TheBucketLister. The Royal Caribbean junior suites offer extra room for cruisers without the hefty price tag of a full suite. Quote Done Members 534 Posted September 6, 2022 On 9/6/2022 at 4:33 AM, HeWhoWaits said: If your cruise vacation snuck up on you and you forgot to make reservations in advance, do not worry! Absolutely! Find the right card for you. Royal Caribbean's Junior Suites don't have many perks over a regular Balcony Stateroom. Royal Caribbean typically allows cruisers to choose arrival times in thirty-minute blocks as shown in the image below. First time cruisers: What time to get to the cruise port for your Royal Caribbean cruise? Since you will be one of the first people onboard, you can enjoy a leisurely lunch in the buffet and have shorter lines for any amenities that are open, like the FlowRider, water slides, etc. There are two problems with buying The Key for an early check-in. For our four-day itinerary out of Miami on Navigator of the Seas and a family of three, the total cost for our package (two adults) was around $159. If you are trying to cruise on a budget, staying in a Grand Suite is probably not the most economical choice, as you could devote that money to other experiences, such as shore excursions, specialty dining, etc. Once inside whether there continues to be separation for the Key depends on when you arrive. This pending amount is used to secure funds for anticipated onboard purchases. Export it as JPEG to use on the web. Buying The Key package instead of booking a suite is an awesome way to receive some VIP benefits at a more affordable price. Alternatively, if you have upper-tier loyalty status, youre booked in a high-end suite or youve purchased one of several perks packages (like Carnival Cruise Lines Faster to the Fun, Royal Caribbean Internationals The Key or Norwegian Cruise Lines Priority Access), you can arrive at any time to take advantage of priority boarding or special embarkation lounge access to make your wait more comfortable. Even if you have cruised before, never underestimate the benefits of a concierge. Is The White Lotus breaking up with Four Seasons ahead of Season 3? 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. Royal Caribbean suites provide a range of benefits that can greatly enhance your cruise experience, from an exclusive suites-only lounge to private dining experiences and priority embarkation. The only other way to get some of these amenities is to earn a high status tier in Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society loyalty program. I don't even ask, I go to the Suite line and stay there. . Whether The Key package is worth it depends on the type of traveler you are. How early is too early for the porters to be there? This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. 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. Royal Caribbean offers a wide range of autism friendly products and services, and they include: Priority check-in, boarding and departure Special dietary accommodations including gluten-free and dairy-free Adventure Ocean flexible grouping by ability for children 3 to 11 years old Adventure Ocean toilet-trained policy exception The moms in our group then ran errands to take care of some items. The perks include free WiFi, exclusive lounges, priority boarding, upgraded mattresses, in-stateroom coffee makers, and more.
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