The embarkation process for the next cruise onboard Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas will be delayed – but guests can rest assured that the extra wait is minimal and won’t impact their cruise beyond the boarding process.
The voyage in question is a round-trip 8-night sailing out of Southampton, England, that is due to set sail on October 2, 2024. The itinerary calls for stops at Vigo, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Bilbao, Spain; and La Coruna, Spain.
Royal Caribbean informed soon-to-be guests of the Quantum-class ship that there would be a slight change of plans to the embarkation and boarding process so that they can plan accordingly.
Per the family friendly cruise line’s update, embarkation will begin 30 minutes later than planned, starting around 12:00 p.m. local time instead of 11:30 a.m., to allow for routine maintenance and cleaning.
It’s unclear what specifically will be accomplished in that half hour, but sometimes the crew onboard need extra time to complete more complex cleaning jobs or routine checks of equipment onboard.
Meanwhile, some online are speculating that the delay is actually for the cruise terminal – although this has not been confirmed.
“Prior to boarding, Anthem of the Seas will conduct a routine cleaning and maintenance. During this time, the terminal will not be open for embarkation, and we will experience boarding delays,” reads a letter from Royal Caribbean.
This means guests may need to arrive later to help the boarding process go smoothly. Those with the earliest 11:30 a.m. arrival appointments will need to pick a later window, while all other arrival times can proceed to the cruise terminal at their selected time.
“All guests currently scheduled to embark at 11:30 AM must arrive after 12:00 PM to ensure a smooth boarding process. For all other arrival times, stick to your selected arrival window,” continued the update.
The 4,905-passenger vessel is still expected to embark on time at 5 p.m. GMT.
Switching Terminals and Benefits to Arriving Later
Another slight change for Anthem of the Seas’ next cruise is that the ship will be embarking out of a different terminal than initially planned – and it’s not the first time this has happened.
The 168,666-gross ton vessel was originally supposed to embark and disembark out of City Cruise Terminal (Berth 101). However, the new plan requires the ship to embark from Horizon Cruise Terminal (Berth 102).
Luckily, the terminals are less than half a mile apart from each other and are well within walking distance, so this shouldn’t cause too much inconvenience for guests.
View of Southampton Cruise Port (Photo Credit: Ssisabal)
Read Also: The Essential Guide to All Southampton Cruise Terminals
However, guests with disabilities that may make walking difficult may want to adjust their transportation plans to and from the port – and those who pre-booked parking through ABParking will want to look out for an additional email with updated details.
Between the swapped terminal and slight embarkation delay, the cruise line emphasized that there could also be boarding delays, especially when the terminal first opens to guests around noon.
Royal Caribbean highlighted the benefits to arriving later in its email to impacted guests – which will help ease congestion within the terminal.
“Arriving later will result in the smoothest boarding experience, with shorter lines at the Windjammer, and quicker access to your stateroom!,” wrote the cruise line.
It’s worth noting that the terminal will remain closed while the routine maintenance and cleaning is completed – and guests who arrive earlier than their pre-selected arrival times may be turned away.
However, guests are asked to arrive no later than 3 p.m. to be onboard by 3:30 p.m.
In the meantime, excited guests are encouraged to sign up for their arrival appointment on Royal Caribbean’s app if they haven’t already. This step needs to be completed prior to heading to the cruise port.
With the sailing just about a day away, now is also a great time to make sure necessary documentation, such as passports, are accounted for and will be easily accessible during the check-in process.
Source: Cruisehive.com
