CruisePolicies

Getting on and off

What time can I board?

Online check-in opens on a set day and the earliest arrival windows go first.

Check-in & boarding by cruise line
Cruise lineCheck-in & boardingSource
Royal Caribbean InternationalOnline check-in produces a SetSail Pass and an arrival time
  • — You need personal information and identification document details for every guest you check in.
  • — Add your Crown & Anchor Society membership number during check-in if you have one.
  • — Cruise documents are available from your reservation dashboard in your Guest Account. Royal Caribbean emails you when they are ready.
  • — Check-in also sets your arrival time at the terminal.
Checked 2026-09-21
Carnival Cruise LineCheck in online the day before you sail
  • — Carnival's embarkation-day guide tells guests to complete online check-in the day before.
  • — Have all required documents on hand at the terminal.
  • — Hand your bags to a porter and keep a small carry-on with you.
  • — The page we read is a planning guide, so we have not recorded the formal check-in deadline.
Checked 2026-09-21
Celebrity CruisesOnline check-in must be done at least 3 days before you sail
  • — Sign in to your Guest Account on the Celebrity website. On mobile or tablet, open the menu at the top left, then Sign In.
  • — Online check-in must be completed for every guest on the reservation, not just the lead guest.
  • — Governments require cruise lines to file the final departure manifest at least 60 minutes before sailing, so late check-in causes delays.
Checked 2026-09-21
Princess CruisesArrival Groups — staggered check-in windows at the terminal
  • — Every guest either picks an Arrival Group or has one assigned automatically.
  • — Arriving inside your window reduces congestion and lets the crew assist each guest.
  • — Arrival Groups are only offered at participating ports. Princess publishes the port list and adds to it over time.
  • — You select your Arrival Group in the app or online, then confirm it.
Checked 2026-09-21
Holland America LineOnline check-in should be completed at least 30 days before departure
  • — You submit immigration forms, disembarkation forms and credit card registration.
  • — You need your full legal name, birth date, passport or visa or permanent resident card, home address, home telephone number and emergency contact.
  • — You can stop partway and return later to finish.
  • — Do not print your boarding pass until seven days before embarkation, so the boarding barcode has time to be added.
Checked 2026-09-21
Disney Cruise LineOnline Check-In gives you a Port Arrival Time
  • — Arrive during your designated Port Arrival Time. Guests who arrive early are asked to wait outside the terminal until their time.
  • — At your Port Arrival Time staff verify your citizenship documents and finish your check-in.
  • — You are then called to board by Boarding Group.
  • — No Online Check-In and no Port Arrival Time? Arrive between 90 minutes and 1 hour before the published All-Aboard time.
Checked 2026-09-21
Cunard LineOnline check-in opens 21 days before departure
  • — Use the My Cunard portal to enter passport details, pre-register a payment card for onboard purchases, and upload a passport-style photo.
  • — You do not have to finish in one visit. You can log back in and add details until 10pm GMT the day before your voyage.
  • — After check-in you receive a boarding pass. Bring it printed to the terminal. Cunard can print one there if needed.
  • — The boarding pass is required to board and can be used for onboard purchases until your card is active.
  • — If you booked a coach transfer, your coach arrival time, not the boarding pass time, decides when you board.
Checked 2026-09-21
Norwegian Cruise LineNot recorded yet.Not checked yet
MSC CruisesNot recorded yet.Not checked yet
Virgin VoyagesNot recorded yet.Not checked yet
VikingNot recorded yet.Not checked yet
Oceania CruisesNot recorded yet.Not checked yet

7 of 12 lines recorded. Blank rows are gaps in our data, not gaps in the line’s policy.