Embarkation Times - Recent Experiences?

I do not understand how people can get uptight about at most a couple of hours at the start of their holiday.

 

We have never waited more than 45 mins to board at Southampton.

 

I would challenge any line to better POs boarding in Barbados !

POs boarding in Venice and Genoa --- superb both times. Faultless infact. ;)

 

Enjoy you cruise next week :D:D:D

Thanks, all packed now and can't believe we are sailing this time tomorrow !!! :eek:

Glad we aren't flying BA tonight !!!!

Thanks, all packed now and can't believe we are sailing this time tomorrow !!! :eek:

Glad we aren't flying BA tonight !!!!

I hope you have a great time !!

I hope you have a great time !!

I'm sure we will --- though we may moan about embarkation we always make the most of our holidays. :D

We just can not wait to get on that balcony tomorrow and just sit and look out on the sea.

We're so lucky to be able to cruise like this :)

I'm sure we will --- though we may moan about embarkation we always make the most of our holidays. :D

 

We just can not wait to get on that balcony tomorrow and just sit and look out on the sea.

 

 

 

We're so lucky to be able to cruise like this :)

Have a great time Presto [emoji847]

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I'm sure we will --- though we may moan about embarkation we always make the most of our holidays. :D

We just can not wait to get on that balcony tomorrow and just sit and look out on the sea.

 

We're so lucky to be able to cruise like this :)

We're off on Azura tomorrow to the fjords,,am finally all packed:cool: hate to be a doom merchant but have you seen the forecast Presto? Looks like it could be a very wet sailaway and an unpleasant sea day on Monday for the journey north:( we'll soon see I suppose!

We're off on Azura tomorrow to the fjords,,am finally all packed:cool: hate to be a doom merchant but have you seen the forecast Presto? Looks like it could be a very wet sailaway and an unpleasant sea day on Monday for the journey north:( we'll soon see I suppose!

Will wave to you - just about to leave for the coach now :-)

Weather in BOB not looking too bad for the week :-)

Have a lovely time

Hope you have a great trip - and be very grateful that you are not flying from Heathrow or Gatwick this weekend ;) ;) ;)

Just back from a fabulous cruise on Aurora and used assisted embarkation for the first time at Mayflower Cruise Terminal on Saturday 13th May.

We had a 2.30pm embarkation slot but arrived in the terminal building at 1pm. We had bought newspapers to while away the time as we weren't expecting to board until our allocated time. However, we were called at 1.40pm and were in our cabin, with all 3 cases already present, at 2pm. Very impressed.

What I wasn't impressed at was the blatant abuse of the assisted embarkation and disembarkation service by many fellow passengers who were either just elderly or had very minor disability issues and clearly see this as a way to short circuit normal procedures and gain some advantage. When we arrived at the assisted boarding waiting area, there were a lot of people there and we were struck by the fact that we were one of only two couples with our own wheelchair. It was fascinating to see the number of passengers who were able to walk around the ship and ports for 16 days with no difficulty whatsoever, at most aided by a walking stick (and that was only a small proportion), yet when it came to the 100 yards to get on to the ship needed P&O to provide a wheelchair and a pusher!

I was even more appallled at the behaviour of some fellow passengers at disembarkation yesterday (Monday 29th). We were assembled in Vandebelts and when the P&O shoreside assistant arrived to organise the process she was mobbed by passengers making the most spurious claims as to why they had to be the first off and dealt with as a priority. One lady proclaimed in a very loud voice that she had a 100 mile journey (I'm sure that the majority of passengers had to travel much further than that) and another insisted that she must be first off because she had been 'knocked about' once in the baggage collection hall. The P&O lady rightly questioned this and asked why she would be concerned if she had the protection of a wheelchair and a pusher, but she wasn't having any of it. She was going to be first off come hell or high water. I couldn't stop myself and suggested to her that the baggage hall would be at its busiest at this time and that she might be better to wait until the end as it would be much quieter then! You can imagine the response! I had a quiet chat with the P&O lady later who informed me that she gets every excuse under the sun.

Whilst my sympathy was initially with P&O, I was annoyed that the lady had asked if we could do 'self assistance' which would mean that I would push my wife in the wheelchair, not tying up a pusher, and get help from a porter in the baggage hall. In return, we would be allowed to go first. I agreed and was then irritated to see that she called a dozen or more other passengers before us, including all of those who had been kicking off, all but two of whom were not wheelchair users, other than for the convenience of rapid disembarkation.

So, in summary, I have no complaints whatsoever about the times that we emabarked and disembarked, but I would like to see P&O clamp down severely on those able to use the assistance service as it is being horrendously abused and gives genuinely disabled passengers who do really need the help a bad name.

Selbourne like yourselves we witnessed many abuses.On embarkation the passenger in front of us appeared to be totally helpless,he was almost unable to move. The assistant had to fill in his medical form for him and access his documents,only able to mumble.It went though my mind that this might be his final cruise and I felt sympathy for him. At breakfast [all cruise], in the Medina restaurant, he had no problem whatsoever in moving around and ordering and eating his breakfast and holding a conversation. No wheelchair needed. Also whilst queuing for the wheelchair minibus at Copenhagen we were told that there would be a delay, but that we could use the normal coach.

Most of the queue disappeared onto the coach, leaving just 6 of us behind.

We also disembarked ourselves, I was able to push the wheelchair and get a porter,also less hand luggage on the return. agree with you, Great Cruise

Is it the word "assisted" that gets people wanting this service? I can imagine people thinking "I would like assistance finding my luggage" but glad otherwise you both had great cruises.

I wouldn't be surprised if you get some abuse Selbourne, I was shot down in flames not long ago for commenting on the number of people who don't actually need assistance when getting on a ship. It really irritates me as you see it on every ship. Like you say it spoils it for the people who actually need help. Glad you enjoyed your holiday.

It was interesting on our recent cruise to see some people with significant walking difficulties managing to get about in the ports, and yet others who appeared far more mobile were using ships wheelchairs. I suppose it is possible that they had heart or breathing issues which meant they could not walk any distance, but many were quite overweight which probably accounted for their desire to be pushed.

I have to admit I have been very "impressed" by the lateral thinking demonstrated by many P&O customers in the way they try to manipulate processes to get a perceived advantage. Some are very good at it and have obviously been honing their skills over many years. It does usually involve being first but applies to all sorts of areas not just this one. It's sad but I try to remember I'm on holiday and not worry tooo much about what everyone else is doing as getting angry will usually not change much.

I embarked Aurora on 13th May at the Mayflower Cruise Terminal. I had been allocated a 3.00pm boarding time. I was staying at the Holiday Inn on the waterfront at Southampton the previous evening and was allowed a late check-out of 1.00pm. After checking out I sat in the lobby there to make a few phone calls etc and left their car park at 2.00pm. Traffic was fine and so the drive to the Cruise Terminal took about seven minutes. CPS Agents were immediately on hand to take the car away from me without any queue or waiting. On getting in to the Departure Hall, I was told that I could board immediately and was ushered straight into the check-in queue. This ran smoothly and I was in my cabin at 2.30pm - 30 minutes ahead of my allocated boarding time. A total of 30 minutes from Hotel to Cabin - well done P&O!

I have to admit I have been very "impressed" by the lateral thinking demonstrated by many P&O customers in the way they try to manipulate processes to get a perceived advantage. Some are very good at it and have obviously been honing their skills over many years. It does usually involve being first but applies to all sorts of areas not just this one. It's sad but I try to remember I'm on holiday and not worry tooo much about what everyone else is doing as getting angry will usually not change much.

I do not have the will to even give things like this a second thought...I just get there (takes me about 30 mins:D) "settle and wait".

Time to start thinking of my Azura July 9th Medi trip (15.00 check in)....have just got an upgrade on D Deck to more mid ships...trouble is I preferred my previous cabin that was more aft...but because I had put down upgrade if possible I could not revert back, so lesson learnt there.:D

Selbourne,

I am pleased that you had a good cruise.

Your experience does NOT surprise me at all, over the last few years I have noticed that more and more people who do not look as if they are disabled in any way are claiming preferential treatment by claiming to be disabled. I am just annoyed that they are doing this and giving the genuinely disabled people a bad reputation. Last year I was physically knocked to the floor at a craft show at the NEC by a "lady" who jumped off her mobility scooter to get to a stall and simply pushed those of us who were able bodied out if the way.

The fact is that most organisations dare not call them. on their behaviour because they are concerned that it could harm their reputation to do so.

You do see some thing funny things. I was at the reception desk on Aurora before disembarkation started in Southampton. A woman parked her scooter across the doorway to the gangway. Not in the door way but definitely in the way. She dashed across and sat on the wall by the water feature. An Officer came across of course. She insisted she had been told she should wait there and would be first off. I moved off so did not here how it ended. I would guess she got her way. She definitely had her plan worked out in advance.

In the luggage hall I saw a woman drop a bottle of what I assume was a spirit. It was in a carrier bag. A staff member came across to I suppose to help clear up. I did not hear the conversation but the staff member seemed to be getting some grief. She kept a smile but you could see the strain.

At embarkation there was a family with a small child. They had an enormous buggy. To me it seemed like a small car. The baby was being carried. On the buggy ever surface had multiple thing piled on it. Every possible place you could hang something had several bags. How it took it all I do not know. I heard one of the staff at security say not to send anybody to else to that scanner for fifteen minutes.

People do seem to find the start and end of a cruise very stressful. After many cruises I tend just to go with the flow where possible.

Best wishes, Stephen.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I haven't personally seen 'fake needs' and if people do this I would rather just except it than risk rejecting anyone who needed the service. Not all disabilities are immediately apparent to others. If there are people who do fake the degree of their need, I would think this a terrible and selfish thing to do, but it's on their conscience.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I haven't personally seen 'fake needs' and if people do this I would rather just except it than risk rejecting anyone who needed the service. Not all disabilities are immediately apparent to others. If there are people who do fake the degree of their need, I would think this a terrible and selfish thing to do, but it's on their conscience.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Sorry to disagree slightly and say this Florry but we have witnessed many "fake needs" on cruises over the years. Or perhaps we have witnessed true miracles of recovery and that P&O should name their next new ship the M.S. Lourdes. ;p

These people clearly have no consciences and make it that much more difficult for the genuine disadvantaged.

Sorry to disagree slightly and say this Florry but we have witnessed many "fake needs" on cruises over the years. Or perhaps we have witnessed true miracles of recovery and that P&O should name their next new ship the M.S. Lourdes. ;p

These people clearly have no consciences and make it that much more difficult for the genuine disadvantaged.

I agree,we took mother in law and her wheelchair on 6 cruises after father in law died.

We often got wheelchair priority for the 3 of us but in some cases there was familys of up to 12 going through with 1 wheelchair.

MS Lourdes...that is hilarious..thanks for the laugh.

MS Lourdes...that is hilarious..thanks for the laugh.

This reminds me when our family was in Rome about 10 years ago on cruise.We tried to cross a busy road to get to the Vatican as the Pope was outside.

All the traffic stopped and when mother in law ( she had angina and couldn't walk more than 40 yards) saw the Pope she jumped out of wheelchair and ran across the road.We joked Its A Miracle and the drivers looked on in disbelief.

I agree,we took mother in law and her wheelchair on 6 cruises after father in law died.

We often got wheelchair priority for the 3 of us but in some cases there was familys of up to 12 going through with 1 wheelchair.

We have also seen this at the airport, one small child for the pre boarding and a very large family going through with them. Why, they will all get a seat anyway and the plane won't go without them.

Does the assisted boarding mean that people get on a bit sooner? Are there other particular advantages? If not then I can't see the incentive to absue the system and slow up the process for those who really need it. It is shameful however if people do and I don't know how they can settle this behaviour with their own consiance.

I remember my first cruise. It was with p&o and we got the coach down. This was the days before forums. Well maybe not, it was 2009 but I didn't research holidays then like I do now.

We were so impressed that we put our luggage on the coach at the pick up point and didn't see them again until we were in our room. We were full of "oh this is so much better than an airport" type feelings and comments.

We had an amazing cruise. Loved it.

Disembarkation day we just assumed the same would happen. We put our bags outside our cabin, waited to be called to disembark etc. We thought we'd just walk off the ship and our bags would be on the coach waiting for us, our coach would all disembark together, we'd get on the coach and be on our way. Just like embarkation but in reverse. We hadn't been told otherwise.

We were really shocked when we got off the gangway into a big hall chock full of people and luggage and had to wait similar to an airport. In fact it felt busier and more chaotic. We were stood in a line of people not going anywhere not sure what was going on and after standing around for a while I turned to my partner and said

"This is ridiculous. Why not just let us take our own bags off if we have to collect them anyway. What's the point of having them collected just to walk a few feet and then have to wait to collect them like at an airport. Sigh".

The woman in front of me turned and let me know taking them off was an option. Not in a helpful way. She was quite patronising. She had me pegged as a serial grump from her tone. No doubt if she was on a forum she'd be coming on here or similar complaining about me being unreasonable or a grump etc.

My point is sometimes people just genuinely don't know what the correct system is. And we assume they are just playing the system or being natural born pessimists etc. Sometimes they are just lost and confused and frustrated.

(Now I know the system i do just go with the flow).

Another thing to add is my friend has MS (multiple sclerosis). She can walk flat surfaces or manage occasional kerbs with just her walking stick, albeit slowly. But walking up a gangway could be nigh on impossible for her. You might see her in a wheelchair sometimes, certainly at embarkation. At airports she uses one due to the often long distances to travel. But when she has arrived she prefers to avoid wheelchairs when possible. Someone might see her stood at a bar at one point when they've seen her being wheeled up a gangway in a wheelchair and make all sorts of assumptions and judgements about her.

My sister has fybromyalgia. The pain is often such that she can barely walk. As a result she has gained a lot of weight. She cruises on Arcadia when she can because the hydrotherapy can give her a few hours pain free. People might see her walking from the pool area one day and being pushed in a wheelchair or using a buggy in port another time and make all sorts of assumptions and judgements about her too.

I hope my post doesn't come across as accusatory it's just trying to add another perspective. We don't always know the person's story.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums