Boarding time versus Departure Time

[Christie]

This now poses a question for me. I was told that as long as you put your flight times on your online boarding documents with RCCL, they will base the time you disembark on that. I'm asking because I've always booked my flight for later in the day but this time I had to book my flight for 10:30am to come back home. Am I going to have problems catching my flight?

[Myra]

Been there.
DO NOT BOOK your departure until late afternoon.
Ex. Our ship arrived at port 7:00am
you are called by group to depart. This is prioritzed by your transporation itinary which you submit a couple of days before arriving back to port. Keep in mind the passanger size of our ship matters! We had about 1500 . BY the time we departed it was 10am. We however, planned to stay over. you must keep in mind it takes time process through the airport. It is highly recommended you book your flight home after 1:00. Or stay over a night and enjoy the port! Also recommend you arrive a day early.
Passengers could not board before 1 date of our ship departure. We sailed at 5. I noticed that if booked directly through cruiseline people were allowed on earlier. We had not. BUT we saved alot through alterantive sites. Airtravel certainty is dependant upon weather conditions whether its from you home airport to your destination airport. Things happen.

[PA Steve Rocky Mount]

Get there as early as possible. They start boarding MUCH earlier than they say they will. Most cruise ships let youj on by noon. Lunch is waiting in the buffet! Do NOT..repeat...NOT get there with minutes to spare. They start prepping at least 30 minutes before. If it says the ship leaves at 4, that means at 4:00.01 they are pulling out!! And THEY WILL NOT WAIT FOR YOU!!! So get there in the AM!

[Christie]

Thanks Myra. The issue is i've already booked my flight to come back at 10:30am. I don't want to call and change it because i think that'll be an extra $50. However, if I just get to the airport late, they'll put me on the next available flight free of charge I think.

[Dwayne]

Christie, good luck with that strategy. I have found out the hard way, if you book your own, you are on your own.

I almost missed my cruise on Destiny out of PR because I was late due to fog here. Luckily for me there were 8 of us being late for various reasons and they held the ship for 3 hours. That does not happen often.

I know your question is about debarkation and flying home. Pay the $50 and change it. It is not worth the worry. Why end a great cruise with a worry. Ships can be late. Last year Elation did not even get cleared for us to even park at PC untill after 11AM, and the first ones off were about 10:15.

Just saying, why risk it..but I guess there are worse places to be stuck at

[sandy p]

Hi James Garner, Welcome. I DEFINITELY agree with everyone when they say fly at least 1 day earlier then the cruise.
I just had a bad experience in March, 2007. It was our first European Cruise, on Carnival Freedom. We booked our own airline (Alitalia)to fly non stop to Rome the night before our cruise, (not knowing about this site unfortunately for us). Our flight was cancelled and it ended up that 58 of us were stranded in N.Y. over night. I did inform Carnival of about 30 of us missing the ship in Rome.
To make a long story short, we got to Naples on the 2nd day of the cruise, Via Newark N.J., to Paris, Paris to Naples. It ended up that 58 of us were on that same flight.
We've also been on another cruise in which we didn't arrive at the port on time. Always leave yourself enough time for your flights.
Wish you Luck and Have a Great Time on your cruise.
Sandy p