Carnival will assign an Arrival Appointment to guests who fail to select an arrival time. This information will be emailed to the guest on the morning of departure. Arrival Appointments do not apply to guests starting their cruise in Barbados.

If you miss your selected arrival window for a Carnival cruise in 2026, you are generally still allowed to board, but you may experience delays. The arrival window is designed to manage terminal congestion, so if you arrive late, you will typically be directed to a "late arrival" line. However, the critical deadline is the Final Boarding Time (usually 60–90 minutes before departure). If you arrive after the final boarding call, the ship is legally required to finalize the manifest for port authorities and you will be denied boarding. In this case, you are responsible for any costs to meet the ship at its next port of call. For those with "Priority" status (Diamond, Platinum, or Faster to the Fun), the arrival window is more flexible, but for most guests, being on time is highly recommended to avoid a stressful start.