Before you can sip that first cocktail or soak in the endless views of the ocean on your next cruise, there’s one important step: boarding the vessel. The question is, when is the best time to board your cruise? Testimonies from a variety of sources make it clear that the best time to board is in the early afternoon, between 1 and 2 p.m. This sweet spot is also known as midday boarding.
An early afternoon boarding time usually means shorter lines at security and check-in, which allows you to get on board swiftly. “If you want to avoid crowds AND be able to have access to your cabin as soon as you get on the ship chose a late check-in time, after 1 PM,” advises a passenger on the Cruise Critic forum. Many others shared similar views, with one writing that people should elect to board at “1:00 or later for less crowds. You can also usually go straight to your cabin and drop off any carry-one.”
As staterooms are usually ready by the early afternoon, guests who board at that time will be able to drop off their luggage immediately without having to wait around or cause more chaos. During this time, dining areas are open but are usually less crowded, as many first-comers have already eaten while waiting. This time is ideal for those looking to ensure embarkation day is as smooth as possible, even if you’ve arrived a day early to your cruise port to prevent any hiccups. Keep in mind that each ship has its own boarding process, so be sure to check with your cruise line in advance, as many cruise lines now make it a requirement to check in online and even choose your preferred boarding time.
Why you shouldn’t arrive early, or late, to your cruise port
The enthusiasm of starting your trip can make you arrive super early, but is that the best way to start your trip? Passengers in the Cruise Critic forums say that if you board too early, you’ll likely be bored. “Other than eating there’s not really much to do when you first get on the ship anyway,” said one user, “and if you board early you have to lug around your carry-on items until you can get in your cabin at 1:30.” It’s understandable to want to get to the buffet early, especially if you’ve booked one of the cruise lines with the best food, but do you really want to have to walk around with your luggage until your room is ready?
Cruise ships usually do not start boarding until everyone has disembarked the vessel from the previous trip, which could be around 10 a.m. at the latest. That’s why from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., you should expect to see long lines at check-in, security, and boarding gates. During this time, according to passengers on the Cruise Critic forum, many staterooms might not even be ready, which only leads to guests having to wait in public areas. Dining areas will be overcrowded with early passengers.
As usual, there are late boarders trying to avoid cruise ship crowds and even taking the risk of missing final boarding if there are any travel delays. While the queues are usually smaller, making check-in and security a whole lot quicker, late boarding is still risky and leaves less time to explore the ship before departure. So aim for that early afternoon sweet spot for easy boarding.
