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Boarding a cruise ship can be stressful.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people are trying to get to the same place, and the process has some quirks that are unlike checking into a hotel. The process is somewhat similar to boarding an international flight, with the added problem of having more passengers than any one plane can carry.
However, you can make the process easier if you know what to expect and do everything you can before boarding.
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First, it’s important to do three things before your cruise, which are the same across Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity cruises:
- Check as soon as possible: Each cruise line’s app will share the date that check-in opens. Mark it on your calendar because checking in early will give you a choice of times to board.
- Prepare your travel documents: It’s easier to travel with a passport, but most cruises from US ports allow you to travel with an original license and birth certificate.
- Fill out the health form: 24 hours prior to your cruise, a short health form will be available to fill out.
Next, here’s what happens on departure day — the day your cruise departs — before you board the ship.
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Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Celebrity all use a similar boarding process
Whether you’re disembarking at a cruise port or planning to park your car there, it’s important to know which terminal you’re sailing from.
Royal Caribbean and Celebrity share this information with you in various emails and cruise documents. They will also be displayed on the digital boards as you enter the port, but it is best to know this in advance as these boards are known to not always work.
In general, you should aim to arrive slightly earlier than your allocated boarding time, which you selected at check-in. If you arrive early, you risk having to stay out in the sun until your time comes.
Royal Caribbean offers flexible priority boarding only to suite customers (not junior suites) and Pinnacle members of its Crown & Anchor loyalty program. (This is the program’s top tier.) It also sells a card called Key, which provides priority boarding, lunch on the day of departure, Internet access, and some other perks.
Celebrity offers flexible boarding to people who pay for its VIP pass, a similar offering to Key. The cruise line does not have a dedicated boarding line for suite passengers at all ports, but states this on its website:
Embarkation (boarding) times will vary depending on port, itinerary and/or ship, and may vary by sailing date due to operational situations such as Coast Guard exercises, etc. Guests who complete online check-in, are members of our loyalty programs, or are booked into a Suite or Concierge (Celebrity) category can use priority departure lines at the dock station, where available.
Carnival sells a product called Faster to the Fun, which enables passengers to board early and provides priority check-in to select passengers.
“Carnival Priority Check-in is an exclusive service designed to provide VIFP Diamond, Platinum and Deluxe guests special boarding and disembarkation privileges on cruises from the U.S. and Europe,” the cruise line explains on its website.
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What happens in the cruise check-in line?
When you prepare to join the line to board the ship, have your cruise ticket and your passport or alternative travel documents readily available. Generally, your cruise ticket will be glanced at by an attendant as you enter the building.
Next, all guests will pass through a metal detector. Cruise lines will scan for contraband such as weapons, alcohol, irons and other prohibited items.
Once you pass this screening, you will be directed to a line where a station attendant will check your passport or check your replacement documents, and verify your cruise ticket.
The worker may also take a quick photo if you do not do so as part of the check-in process or if they believe your photo does not meet the requirements.
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You will then pass through security before having to show your ticket/boarding pass again and board the ship.
Once you’re on board, Carnival, Celebrity, and Royal Caribbean all use virtual muster drills. You can choose to watch safety videos on your phone and then check in at your station, or you can report to your station, see a safety demo, then check in.
Group workouts are mandatory and are best taken care of as soon as you board so you can then focus on starting your vacation.
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