I hate this 1 thing about cruise embarkation – here’s how I avoid it

Imagine yourself in a roped-off series of lanes, zigzagging back and forth as you shuffle along behind hundreds of other people. You listlessly juggle paperwork and other personal belongings as you creep forward at a glacial pace. All that’s missing is Ben Stein unenthusiastically mumbling “next” in his best “Bueller” voice.

No, I’m not talking about an afternoon at the Department of Motor Vehicles (though I could be). I’m talking about boarding a cruise.

This scenario — crowds, stop-and-go cattle chutes and perhaps even sitting around — isn’t an ideal way to kick off a vacation.

Few things can kill my embarkation-day buzz more quickly than being told to arrive at the cruise port at a set time and then having to wait in long lines — especially when I’ve already checked in online. Call me testy, but with how much cruisers pay for their fares and how smooth some cruise lines have made the boarding process, cruise lines and terminals have no excuse not to be efficient.

After all, if thousands of cruisers can plan their entire day around a single half-hour boarding window, why can’t cruise lines make sure it takes less than half an hour to usher us on board from the time we arrive at the port?

Until some of the smaller cruise lines and facilities catch up with the times, I’m forced to find work-arounds, including one that almost always ensures that I make it from curb to gangway in less than 10 minutes.

Want to know my secret? I’m happy to share.

When passengers check in, most cruise lines ask them to select a boarding time — the designated window during which they should arrive at the terminal. (Many cruise brands implemented this type of arrival system to cut down on large crowds when the industry restarted following the COVID-19 shutdown and left it in place when they found it to be effective for crowd management.)

If I don’t have priority boarding — which generally requires having a high tier of loyalty status, being booked in a suite or purchasing a package that includes the privilege — the one thing I do to avoid a “hurry up and wait” scenario, where the boarding experience is anything but smooth sailing, is to select the latest possible boarding time there is. If my line doesn’t ask me to choose a window, I simply show up one hour before the cutoff time listed for boarding.

When you arrive at the cruise terminal in the afternoon instead of when boarding begins, you’ll encounter hardly any traffic at the port, meaning you’ll be able to either park or be dropped off more quickly. If you’re traveling with large bags, you won’t have to vie for the attention of a porter to check them in for you; someone will whisk your bags away posthaste.

When you reach the terminal, most of the “me first” cruisers are likely to be on board already, which results in fewer lines at security and the check-in desk.

Plus, when you board a bit later in the day, you often won’t be met by the cluster of fellow passengers who tend to hang around the gangway entrance to the ship. Instead of congregating, they’ve moved on to have lunch, scope out their favorite bars or sunbathing spots, and check out their cabins.

Which brings me to another benefit of boarding later. Cruise ship rooms usually aren’t ready until the afternoon. If you’re set on being one of the first people on the ship, you won’t immediately have access to a private bathroom, a place to rest or a spot to store your carry-on luggage. Board a few hours into the embarkation period, and you can head straight to your cabin as soon as you’re on the ship.

“But wait,” you might be thinking. “Boarding late means I miss out on several hours of pool time.” This might be an unpopular opinion, but I’m happy to sacrifice a few hours on the vessel in exchange for even 20 fewer minutes standing in a line. Plus it means you won’t have to change in public restrooms if you want to use the pool or drag your carry-on belongings around with you all day.

Checking in later in the process is my secret to a speedier embarkation. But it’s not the only trick you can employ to maximize your chances for a smoother, faster and more efficient boarding process with fewer crowds. Check out our additional tips for expediting embarkation, which include recommendations like packing smartly and having your cruise documents ready.

Have more cruise questions? TPG has answers:

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• Man overboard: Why do people fall off cruise ships?
• What is baked Alaska, and why is it paraded around cruise ships?
• What are the largest cruise ships in the world?
• What is a gentleman host on a cruise?
• What is the Jones Act and how does it affect cruise ships?
• What is a lido deck on a cruise ship?
• What’s a cruise cabin guarantee and will it save you money?
• What’s the difference between a cruise concierge and a butler?