Just Booked our first "Club Class" Mini-Suite

We are doing a Thanksgiving Cruise on Emerald Princess this year out of San Pedro.

What can I expect out of "Club Class"?

One of the selling points was priority embarkation. For those in the know, San Pedro embarkation can be a disaster.

Has anyone here done "Club Class" from San Pedro? Can we board anytime and basically cut in front of everyone?

How does the "Wine Setup" work? Any hints would be well appreciated! Thanks!! :D

We are doing a Thanksgiving Cruise on Emerald Princess this year out of San Pedro.

What can I expect out of "Club Class"?

Club Class Dining is the best and most important thing.

One of the selling points was priority embarkation. For those in the know, San Pedro embarkation can be a disaster.

There will be a priority check in line, which will be shared by other priority check in passengers. If you arrive around 11am you will check in and then be shown to a waiting area. Once boarding begins you will be some of the first to board. Boarding usually begins around noon, but could be a little earlier.

 

Has anyone here done "Club Class" from San Pedro? Can we board anytime and basically cut in front of everyone?

You can board any time after boarding begins. No you can not cut the check in line. There will be other passengers in the priority check in lines, lots of them. The staff will guide you to the proper line and you will get at the end of that line. Once you have checked in you will board when called. If you arrive at the pier after boarding has begun, for example 1pm, then after you check in you will proceed to the gate for boarding.

 

How does the "Wine Setup" work? Any hints would be well appreciated! Thanks!!

There will be two half bottles of wine in your cabin, one red, one white. They should be there when you board. If they are not there ask the cabin steward.

:D

see above

I haven't experienced Club Class but based on their description & photo of the Preferred Boarding it's the same boarding procedure that Platinum & Elite (and Suite) passengers get as a benefit of their Captain's Circle level in the same exclusive areas.

 

"Skip the lines with preferred check-in upon arrival and our exclusive disembarkation lounge during departure".

 

My experiences in their exclusive boarding & disembarkation areas have been that as many as 2/3 of the passengers are eligible for Preferred Boarding. We sail often from SP and after check-in there will usually be a separate waiting area for Elite passengers from Platinum passengers. I know that Elite passengers get a boarding card in different groups to minimize crowding.

 

I've never sailed in a Suite nor in Club Class but based on the Club Class benefits you'd join all of the other Preferred Boarding passengers who board in order of check-in time before general boarding begins for other passengers.

 

But you won't be able to cut in front of other Preferred Boarding passengers to board whenever you desire.

Edited May 28, 2017 by Astro Flyer

As sknight says, Club Class Dining is the most important thing as described on website:

http://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/club-class-dining/

 

 

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It won't work we group of 8 or more.It's mainly designed for 2-4 pax.

long cruiser

One of the selling points was priority embarkation. For those in the know, San Pedro embarkation can be a disaster.

Has anyone here done "Club Class" from San Pedro? Can we board anytime and basically cut in front of everyone?:D

 

 

From the cruise history you have listed how many times have you cruised out of SP?

We have cruised out of SP at least 20 times. I always thought it was one of the most efficient. :confused:

From the cruise history you have listed how many times have you cruised out of SP?

We have cruised out of SP at least 20 times. I always thought it was one of the most efficient. :confused:

Totally agree.

From the cruise history you have listed how many times have you cruised out of SP?

 

We have cruised out of SP at least 20 times. I always thought it was one of the most efficient. :confused:

I believe San Pedro is one of the better embarkation ports. You aren't required to stand outside in the heat waiting to get in like we experienced in FLL. You just go upstairs to wait in a seating area if checkin hasn't started. At checkin you receive a boarding card with a boarding group number. After you go through security you just sit down and wait until your number is called. One change a couple of years ago is that only Elite and Full Suite passengers can wait in the Embarkation Lounge with food and beverages. This is apparently because if the greater number of Elite passengers. Platinum passengers have a separate waiting area but no food or drink. That was the same as we experienced in FLL shortly after the remodel of Terminal 2.

 

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We sailed out of San Pedro for the first time on May 10th. We were in a full suite and we boarded after Elite, but in the same group as platinum and club class. Club class was allowed to check in prior to those sailing in full suites but had to wait until all elites had boarded the ship.

 

 

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It won't work we group of 8 or more.It's mainly designed for 2-4 pax.

long cruiser

 

Wha happened to you with a large group of 8 or more in Club Dining that lead to your conclusion? I would think Princess could very easily put together a few tables for large groups.

From the cruise history you have listed how many times have you cruised out of SP?

We have cruised out of SP at least 20 times. I always thought it was one of the most efficient. :confused:

 

I believe San Pedro is one of the better embarkation ports. You aren't required to stand outside in the heat waiting to get in like we experienced in FLL. You just go upstairs to wait in a seating area if checkin hasn't started. At checkin you receive a boarding card with a boarding group number. After you go through security you just sit down and wait until your number is called. One change a couple of years ago is that only Elite and Full Suite passengers can wait in the Embarkation Lounge with food and beverages. This is apparently because if the greater number of Elite passengers. Platinum passengers have a separate waiting area but no food or drink. That was the same as we experienced in FLL shortly after the remodel of Terminal 2.

 

I'm another passenger whose frequent SP experiences have all been good even before qualifying for preferred boarding. Only once when check-in was delayed until 3:30 for a deep cleaning of the terminal was it more crowded.

 

As said, the primary benefit of Club Class is the enhanced dining room experience but since I'm already eligible for the other benefits we'll never book a CC minisuite cabin. I recently checked a 7 day cruise from LA and CC was $550 per person more which we wouldn't pay for Club Class. But it's a good option for some passengers & glad that they have the option to pay for the extra benefits. :)

Edited May 29, 2017 by Astro Flyer

We sailed out of San Pedro for the first time on May 10th. We were in a full suite and we boarded after Elite, but in the same group as platinum and club class. Club class was allowed to check in prior to those sailing in full suites but had to wait until all elites had boarded the ship.

That's surprising to me because suite passengers have other elite level benefits & I had incorrectly thought it'd be the same thing for boarding the ship during embarkation. :confused:

We recently crossed the Atlantic in a suite and had Club Class dining, which was terrific, better than just about any other dining we've had on ships, including high-end lines. Food quality and variety were very good, service excellent by a dedicated staff who will get to know you. We were well taken care of. And we had some perks from priority boarding and leaving. If we sail Princess again (jury is out), we would only consider a suite and Club Class. So there you are.

From the cruise history you have listed how many times have you cruised out of SP?

We have cruised out of SP at least 20 times. I always thought it was one of the most efficient. :confused:

 

I agree with you. I'm Platinum now but even before that I thought boarding in San Pedro has been easy. Now, Miami is a different story. Yikes! I did two Royal Caribbean cruises from Miami. The biggest embarkation mess ever. However, I loved the two cruises. :):):)

OP here. Thanks for all of your responses. I had heard that San Pedro can be tough for large ships if for instance you are a lower tiered category and arrive too early, or sometimes when there are 3 ships in port simultaneously. Agreed, they do seem more efficient than most ports though. We only have two Princess Cruises under our belts, so limited perks. Princess is currently offering a BOGO deal wherein the 2nd passenger was 50% off, thus the upgrade from a standard mini-suite to a CC was minimal. The private dining seems well worth it! I want to hear more about the dining.

We recently crossed the Atlantic in a suite and had Club Class dining, which was terrific, better than just about any other dining we've had on ships, including high-end lines. Food quality and variety were very good, service excellent by a dedicated staff who will get to know you. We were well taken care of. And we had some perks from priority boarding and leaving. If we sail Princess again (jury is out), we would only consider a suite and Club Class. So there you are.

Can I ask what was so very different about your food options from the main dining room options? From prior reviews ice read, it's the same MDR menu wirh one or two extra options added, prepared tableside, or at least in general area... If food quality was so good for you, how/what was so different from MDR? Thanks...

I just finished a British Isles cruise aboard the Caribbean Princess and dined in Club Class. The menu was the same as regular dining room with one additional item at lunch and two at dinner. I had some wonderful pastas in Club Class as additional items. Sometimes the dish was non pasta. They made a terrific salmon dish. I would also say that the service was a slight bump up. It wasn't exactly as underused as Sabatini's at breakfast for suite passengers, but there were always tables available in Club Class. Servers were able to provide better service. A nice touch.