Does your Celebrity "status" help with early boarding?

We are Select with Celebrity and was wondering if that gives us an opportunity for priority boarding. We are doing a b2b in October and our first leg starts in New Jersery and we would like to board early if possible. I know you cannot access your room early but we have a very early flight from Boston to NJ and it would be nice to board as early as possible and hang out on the ship. Our second cruise is from San Juan but since it is a b2b and we are not changing rooms early boarding isn't an issue.

We will have enough points after our first week to become "Elite" for the second cruise but am not sure if that will be active then since it is a b2b.

Thanks!

In theory, yes. Its one of the "perks". In reality though, some time sit does not mean much. With so many folks have "priority" I have seen the lines for those without priority actually shorter.

You can start boarding at the same time as everyone else, but status may let you get through the line faster. (There are different lines for the different status levels which may or may not move faster than the "everyone else" line.)

We are Select with Celebrity and was wondering if that gives us an opportunity for priority boarding. We are doing a b2b in October and our first leg starts in New Jersery and we would like to board early if possible. I know you cannot access your room early but we have a very early flight from Boston to NJ and it would be nice to board as early as possible and hang out on the ship. Our second cruise is from San Juan but since it is a b2b and we are not changing rooms early boarding isn't an issue.

 

We will have enough points after our first week to become "Elite" for the second cruise but am not sure if that will be active then since it is a b2b.

 

Thanks!

We were on a btob and on the 2nd cruise we became Elite. When we received our cruisecards they had made us Elite. If they don't do it for you I would go to guest relations and ask why not.

Unless you are in a port like Vancouver heading to Alaska. There it is simply stand/shuffle/sit/grumble in line until all 10,000 people in port that day get through customs. Only then does your 'status' count with the cruise line.

From our May trip from Vancouver - time to get through customs = 3 hours, time to get through check-in with Celebrity - 3 minutes.

They will not let you on the ship earlier than anyone else. Generally that is between 10:30 - 11am but can be affected by when the last cruise arrived, if there is some issue they need to address or if your cruise is scheduled to leave late in the evening. So you cannot expect to show up at 8am and board, if that's what you mean. They have to get all prior cruisers off, then process any B2B from the previous cruise, and then let new cruisers on.

Become Zenith then status will allow for true priority boarding. Us peons have to travel with the masses.

Let the Captain's Club host know on your first week that you will be Elite after that week. She will confirm and make sure you get the right coupons, etc. for the second week.

Unless you are in a port like Vancouver heading to Alaska. There it is simply stand/shuffle/sit/grumble in line until all 10,000 people in port that day get through customs. Only then does your 'status' count with the cruise line.

 

From our May trip from Vancouver - time to get through customs = 3 hours, time to get through check-in with Celebrity - 3 minutes.

Sorry you had such a bad time getting through customs in Vancouver. Please do not give Vancouver a black eye because of this. It is the fault of the US Customs. They simply do not put enough staff on to process the multitudes embarking.

Regarding priority boarding, keep in mind that on some popular itineraries, as many as 2/3 of the ship qualify -- Elites, Elite Plus, Suites, Aqua, Concierge, Handicapped, Select, and yes, maybe a Zenith or two. If nearly everybody has "priority", then the word becomes kind of meaningless….

Sorry you had such a bad time getting through customs in Vancouver. Please do not give Vancouver a black eye because of this. It is the fault of the US Customs. They simply do not put enough staff on to process the multitudes embarking.

I concur, they do the same down here in Galveston too!

I Vancouver, both the cruise port and the airport

Many thanks to all who responded. My husband (who as back issues along with most other travelers!) was hoping that once the boarding process started we may be able to board due to whatever they consider appropriate for our "status". I agree that our arriving very early to NJ is our problem and would not expect to board that early - just hope that maybe getting there early and in line we can move along with boarding easily.

I also realize that although it took us a while to achieve our Select Status there are many many more with higher status and it is what it is.

Personally I would rather wait a while in a line to board a cruise ship than wait in line at the grocery store or any other place !

Thanks also for the tip about checking our new status at the start of our second cruise. We are hoping to do a Transatlantic maybe next year and this "new" level will be appreciated.

Happy Sailing . . .

Sorry you had such a bad time getting through customs in Vancouver. Please do not give Vancouver a black eye because of this. It is the fault of the US Customs. They simply do not put enough staff on to process the multitudes embarking.

Well I will never cruise out of Vancouver again. I don't care whose fault it is. I cannot stand on line that long and survive.

Well I will never cruise out of Vancouver again. I don't care whose fault it is. I cannot stand on line that long and survive.

 

What time did you arrive?

We have taken 4 cruises out of Vancouver and have waited between 30 minutes and an hour for the line to start moving. We generally arrive early, have a coffee at the terminal, drop off our luggage and proceed to immigration and check in. The only time we had a problem we had to wait for Celebrity head office staff to clear and board first.

The city is worth the occasional hiccup. The sail out of port is one of the most beautiful anywhere.

....Thanks also for the tip about checking our new status at the start of our second cruise........

Instead of waiting to check at the start of your second cruise, I would advise you to follow the excellent advice posted previously by AlbertaCruisers and notify the Captain's Club host/ess onboard early in your first cruise that you will qualify to be Elite on the following cruise.

That is what we, and others, did when we were in your situation.

Nothing else was necessary.

When we returned to our cabin on the turnaround day, we found our Captain's Club Elite coupons and invitation to Elite events already laid out on the bed, waiting for us.

Instead of waiting to check at the start of your second cruise, I would advise you to follow the excellent advice posted previously by AlbertaCruisers and notify the Captain's Club host/ess onboard early in your first cruise that you will qualify to be Elite on the following cruise.

 

That is what we, and others, did when we were in your situation.

Nothing else was necessary.

 

When we returned to our cabin on the turnaround day, we found our Captain's Club Elite coupons and invitation to Elite events already laid out on the bed, waiting for us.

 

 

This is a wonderful suggestion - thanks for mentioning ! This trip will be great - our first b2b AND being upgraded half way through . . .ahh life is good! We took a 2 week cruise to Hawaii about 10 years ago on Carnival that was wonderful but for some reason this b2b seems so luxurious to us - I guess the thought of staying on the ship and in our cabin while others are ending their cruise is a kick for us!

Unless you are in a port like Vancouver heading to Alaska. There it is simply stand/shuffle/sit/grumble in line until all 10,000 people in port that day get through customs. Only then does your 'status' count with the cruise line.

 

From our May trip from Vancouver - time to get through customs = 3 hours, time to get through check-in with Celebrity - 3 minutes.

We had same bad experience on X Alaska cruise from/to Seatle.

We will have enough points after our first week to become "Elite" for the second cruise but am not sure if that will be active then since it is a b2b.

 

Thanks!

It happened to us - go see the Captain's Club host on the first leg and he/she will take care of it for the second leg.

You can start boarding at the same time as everyone else, but status may let you get through the line faster. (There are different lines for the different status levels which may or may not move faster than the "everyone else" line.)

It also depends on the embarkation port, whether the "status" will help.

Hi -- Anyone know how boarding is going on with Venice departures?

It happened to us - go see the Captain's Club host on the first leg and he/she will take care of it for the second leg.

All the B2B passengers are handled in the same fashion for the next cruise, as far as disembarking and returning. It is a group thing. Fast and painless :D

Sorry you had such a bad time getting through customs in Vancouver. Please do not give Vancouver a black eye because of this. It is the fault of the US Customs. They simply do not put enough staff on to process the multitudes embarking.

What happens in Vancouver is you have to go through Canadian customs, then United States customs as you are going to Alaska, Hawaii or down the US coast to Seattle. Then Celebrity check in.

Sorry you had such a bad time getting through customs in Vancouver. Please do not give Vancouver a black eye because of this. It is the fault of the US Customs. They simply do not put enough staff on to process the multitudes embarking.

I agree. One time it took us 3 hrs. to get thru immigration at YVR in May, but in Sept., it only took 45 mins. Each day is different and varies greatly, mostly depending on how many massive planes have landed at the same time as you from Asia.

What happens in Vancouver is you have to go through Canadian customs, then United States customs as you are going to Alaska, Hawaii or down the US coast to Seattle. Then Celebrity check in.

Why would you have to go through Canadian customs? You already did when you arrived in the country. You may be confusing it with security.

Sorry you had such a bad time getting through customs in Vancouver. Please do not give Vancouver a black eye because of this. It is the fault of the US Customs. They simply do not put enough staff on to process the multitudes embarking.

Sorry, I didn't mean to denigrate Vancouver. It is a beautiful city, and we had a wonderful time during the three days we spent there. I would love to visit again, but I won't sail out of there again.

Oh, and all the customs stations were open, the facility was simply too small to accommodate the 10,000 people boarding that day (# from a newspaper article that morning). If the cruise companies won't control that, the cities can. Some already have - for example Venice and Savannah. In the long run it will make for a better experience for both cruisers and local citizens., and be better for the longevity of the cruise industry in port cities.

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