Embarkation Ports

Embarkation Tips

Dress comfortably for boarding

You may experience long lines depending on the time you arrive and any delays in boarding, etc., will only make the wait longer.  You could be in line for as little as twenty minutes, or two hours.  An hour or more is fairly standard if you arrive at peak times. At the very least - wear comfortable and supportive shoes! Flip flops are NOT a great idea.

Once you're on the ship, you may begin suffering the  "elevator blues".  A condition that may come on suddenly or gradually, depending on your temperament. The condition may have you asking yourself if a cruise vacation is really a vacation.  It's like the feeling you get when you get up to the gate at the amusement park and you say to yourself, "my, I hope this isn't any indication of what it will be like inside..", ha!

Elevators on the first day are full with staff helping passengers and with large families or groups trying to stay together. And on occasion, luggage may be the only passenger catching a ride. We've learned to map out our cabin in advance and embark with as little carry-ons as possible. We use the stairs to avoid long delays. It's rare and can only be attributed to pure luck that you will get an elevator to stop on your floor, much less have room for you and your family to step on.  Usually, the only way to get an elevator on embarkation day (before sailaway) is to have a staff person assist you or you get one by chance.

After you drop off bags and other personal items in your stateroom, you'll want to discover the ship and grab a bite to eat. We recommend you use the stairs until dinner time if you are physically able to do so. Elevators will stay constantly busy until the sail-away.