Ship boarding

Can anyone who has been on the new sailings out of Baltimore provide any embarkation info.  Any tips? What time were you able to board?  Any insight is appreciated.  I sail June 20th and am curious how embarkation went with this being a new port and all.   Thanks!

I am also interested in any information on this ports embarkation. I think the first cruise went out Monday, April 27th. We should hear something by early next week. My cruise is Sept 20.

Thanks!

Rebecca

I just returned yesterday from Pride's inaugural sailing out of Baltimore.  Since the ship came in empty some in my party were able to board as early as 12pm, my family got there at 1pm.  Now I have to say those leaving after we got back yesterday would definitely not be boarding that early.  We did the self assist debarkation and didn't get off the ship until 12pm and then they still had to get those folks off that had checked luggage through the general debarkation.

Hopefully the port staff will catch on quickly as check in was a little bumpy.  They blamed it on being the first time they've used the Carnival computers, so after a few more sailings it should get smoother.

Thank you jennyann2!

Yes they will get better and better at embarktation!!

I will be sailing on Sept 20! I am so excited!

Rebecca

I am cruising out of Baltimore on May 30, if I decide to get to the port early, is there anywhere for passengers to wait with their belongings? Do we have to stand outside or is there a place inside a building where you check in?

I just got back on May 10 and here is my imput on the boarding and debarking process.

We got to the port to board at 11:30am on our day to embark. They began checking people in at 12.

There is an indoor waiting area so you will not have to sit outside.

After the check-in process we had to wait in a waiting area to board. The check-in process of waiting in the line to getting everything complete took about 15 minutes and the people working the check-in process were obviously new to the process so they took a bit longer than was necessary, but that will improve as they get used to it.

Boarding the actual ship did not happen until 2pm due to them still unloading the passengers from the previous trip. The lines to check-in were never more than 20 minutes long all day so I would suggest you arrive at the port around 2pm, otherwise you will just be sitting and waiting to board. If you arrive around 2pm you will be able to walk right onto the ship.

I dont forsee boarding any earlier than 2pm even in the future. The problem is not the port or the ships process, its the passengers. Everyone who wanted to self-debark decided at 10am to jamb the hallways, stairways and lounges instead of waiting for their deck to be called. It was noon before the self-debark group finally finished and they began unloading people who checked their luggage the night before. Im sure that made the process even slower causing the next group of vacationers to board after 2pm.

Also, room weren't ready until around 3pm due to the housekeeping staff cleaning and preping for the boarding passengers.

So my recommendations for boarding:

1. Show up a 2pm. Check-in will take about 20 minutes and there will be no wait after the check-in process to board and you will be able to go right to your room.

2. Check your big luggage. It will be outside your room by the end of dinner.

My recommendation for debarking:

1. Check your luggage the night before and wait for them to call you. Relax, have lunch and let the last day be stress free. No point in standing in a hallway with your bags for 2 hours waiting to get off of the ship.

Me and my husband sail out of Balto also on the 20th. so far 5 people have connected with me that have 4+ kids going too. sounds like adults will be the minority. We are sailing alone and I don't know a soul who going. We are on veranda deck. Don't even know where the ship dock is yet. We live in northern Balto county and will be dropped of by a friend.. I'll let you know if I hear anything-Cherie

wE JUST GOT BACK ON jUNE 13TH. wE DIDN'T EVEN GET OFF OF THE SHIP UNTIL 12 NOON. wE GOT INTO PORT AT 9AM

CUSTOMS DON'T COME ON BOARD UNTIL 10 AM. No USE GETTING THERE BEFORE 1PM.  

Any idea how a two day "fun at sea" would be in Jan from Balto? With teens?

bettyboop:

Any idea how a two day "fun at sea" would be in Jan from Balto? With teens?

Hi Betty,

Fun Days at Sea are usually the best part of a cruise unless you're going to Alaska, Hawaii, or the Mexican Riviera. After you've been to Cozumel 5 or 6 times, unless you're going to Tulum to visit the Mayan Ruins and the second most beautiful beach on Earth, there's hardly any reason to get off your Fun Ship. We enjoy hanging out at the pool, eating breakfast twice (once early, once late), doing all the trivia games, playing Bingo, going to Tea Time, hitting the casino once or twice, playing Scattergories, watching games like the Marriage Game, taking a nap before dinner, then staying up until midnight or later after dinner in the show lounge or the casino. A two-day Cruise to Nowhere on the Pride would pretty much be like two days in Heaven. Since my girls are 29 and 24, my son-in-law is 30, and my grandsons are 7 and 6, I have no info on the teens aspect.