embarkation - Infinity
 

Never cruised before, hungry for any information. Sailing next Sept. Alaska I.P. We have been reading many conflicting reviews on embarkation procedures. We will be in Vancouver pre-cruise and can board ship early. When do we find out how early/or time we can board. Or do we just turn up at the terminal. Some people are saying the time is taking up to 2 hrs. and even an hour with Captains Club membership. Why does it take this long? If you have to wait in the terminal do they call your number, or do you stand in line? Also, how does the disembarkation work, if we have a flight to catch - are you given a time to disembark - are the lines long for both em/disembark? <BR>Can anyone who's sailed Infinity recently explain the procedures fully? Cheers! <BR> <BR> <BR>

You've asked some good questions and I hope that I can help. <BR> We've cruised to Alaska four times in the last six years. <BR>If your travel agent or whoever you booked through hasn't informed you about embarkation, that info. will come with the documents you receive from the cruise line before you leave home, along with a lot of other useful info. <BR>You didn't say whether or not you were traveling with a tour group. If so, all the arrangements will be made for you and all your questions can be answered by your tour company. <BR> We don't travel with tour groups to Alaska. <BR>We have never had to wait 2 hours in the terminal to board, it really depends on how many are in the terminal at the same time that you are, waiting to board. The longest we've ever waited was 20 minutes and that's when we were at the end of a fairly long line, the lines go pretty quickly and no, you don't take numbers, it's first come, first served as you stand in line and they usually have several of them. We are also Captain's members of Princess and we still have to wait in <BR>line. Years ago they had special lines for members but they've done away with that. <BR>Regarding disembarkation, the last night on the ship, you will have colored tag left in your stateroom that you attach to your luggage. There are different colored tags for each passenger or couples, if you're traveling together, and they designate which colors are called first according to early flights. So if you have an early flight, yours will be called earlier than some of the others. It only takes about 15 minutes from the time they call your color til the time you disembark. <BR>Sorry, I can't help you with questions about Infinity. <BR>Don't worry about anything, just enjoy the cruise and if you have any other questions that I may be able to answer for you, just send me an e-mail. I'll be happy to help if I can.

Thanks for your reply Lydia, its helped alot. We are not actually travelling as a tour group, just four of us from UK - but we will be in Vancouver prior to cruise, so we won't be arriving at terminal with huge groups. Our parents cabin is situated others ide of ship, will they know we want to disembark together?

We were on the Infinity last month. She is a beautiful ship. YOu will be so happy, I'm sure. AS for embarkation, we flew in the same day as embarkation. When we received our documents it stated that boarding would begin at 1 p.m. HOwever, it's my understanding that it actually may begin as early as noon. My recommendation to you would be to wait a little while, like until 2'ish because that's exactly when we arrived and there was hardly anyone! We probably had to wait a total of 15 minutes before boarding the ship. <BR>Embarkation ran so smoothly! But it was my understanding that those who arrived in the first groups, i.e., 11:30-1:00 had to wait up to 2 hrs. to board. <BR>I highly recommend waiting to check out of your hotel a little later, have a leisurely breakfast or something or lunch, and then embark the ship around 2:30 or 2. Then you avoid all that hassle.

Regarding disembarking, if your cruise line knows that you are traveling together with your parents you will probably disembark together especially if all of you have early flights back, but to be on the safe side I'd make sure that your travel agent knows that so that they can pass it on to the cruise line. We like to organize our trips as much as possible so that things go smoothly. We don't like any surprises!