Online check in actually opens 45 days before departure. Unfortunately because we are a large group we didn’t manage to check in until a few days later. But what I didn’t realise was that you could check in some of the group first and reserve that time slot and then check the rest of the group in later… lesson learnt!The biggest reason to check in early? Locking in your preferred time slot. These fill up fast, so the earlier you check in, the better your options.

What is the best time to check in for a Royal Caribbean cruise? Early bird or fashionably late? When it comes to checking in for a Royal Caribbean cruise, timing can make a difference. Some love checking in early so they can squeeze every moment out of day one—hitting the buffet, exploring the ship, and getting into holiday mode ASAP. And the good news is the Windjammer Market place buffet is open pretty much from when you board until mid afternoon. But bear in mind while you can check-in early, your cabin won’t be ready until at least 2 or 3 pm. And because of this, the public areas of the cruise ship will be heaving with people. And this is the reason why some people choose the later time.

So, what’s a smart move? If you’re keen to dive straight into the fun, you should pack your swimsuit in your hand luggage. The pools are open, and most people won’t have their swimwear handy - it'll have been check in. That means fewer crowds and more space to enjoy! It’s also possible the FlowRider might be available before everyone else has their swimsuit.

A few days after check was opened, these were the slots that were left. Looks like any morning slots (if there were any, they were gone already). We picked midday (despite the selection below showing us selecting 1pm) because we wanted to get on early and eat lunch on board. Why spend cash on food in Singapore when you've already paid up for the cruise, amiright?

Just when we thought we had everything sorted, Royal Caribbean gave us a last-"minute" surprise. About 30 days before embarkation, we received an email informing us that our original boarding time had been pushed back by an hour. The reason? Another large cruise ship was scheduled to dock at the same terminal on the same day—something you’d assume the port could handle. But they told us that part of the terminal was undergoing renovations, reducing the available space for processing passengers, though I never saw any real evidence of renovation. I would be concerned in the future if they tried to host more cruise lines.

So, instead of our planned midday arrival, they had told us to expect our boarding to begin at 1 pm. Not a huge delay, but something to factor into travel plans—especially for those arranging transport or eager to board early to enjoy the ship’s amenities. Honestly, we didn't care too much. However, the big change for us was that we decided to grab a bite to eat before boarded. As we were unsure how long the boarding process would take.