Jump to content

Newbie re. embarking/disembarking


Ginb56
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi! We're going on Azura in June and just need to pick your experienced cruiser brains please. We're staying in Southampton the night before and the whole embarking/disembarking thing is still a mystery at the mo. So we wonder how early we can drop off luggage, do the check in things and then board for lunch, exploring etc before the cabin is ready. Or do we have to be good newbies and stick to the time P&O give us? Thanks for any tips!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi! We're going on Azura in June and just need to pick your experienced cruiser brains please. We're staying in Southampton the night before and the whole embarking/disembarking thing is still a mystery at the mo. So we wonder how early we can drop off luggage, do the check in things and then board for lunch, exploring etc before the cabin is ready. Or do we have to be good newbies and stick to the time P&O give us? Thanks for any tips!

 

I would say aim to get there about 12 ish. The suite passengers, high loyalty club members , will be embarking first. So assuming you are not in one of those groups (former), you could be there for when they start boarding everyone else.

Cabins will not be ready until 2pm ish, so try not to bring too much hand luggage with you, unless it is on wheels, or you be carrying it around with you.

The buffet will be open for lunch.

Could you drop your main luggage of earlier at the hole in the wall (porters will be there taking luggage off people, to load onto the ship) I guess you make could , but could be a little trip to,from the terminal just to do that. No I would stick to 12 ish, dump main luggage then wait to board.

As long as you get there before all the coaches I have never found it that bad. As is always the way security is always the longest wait...nothing like airport security though.

Enjoy the first of many cruises.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Embarking is divided into two parts; getting your luggage on board and getting yourselves on board. The first part is straight forward the luggage guys tend to come and take your suit cases away and put them through a hole in the wall at the terminal. In order for this to take place efficiently you need to put luggage tags on each case. Your cases will not be available to you until a couple of hours after you board and then you will find them outside your cabin door. Some efficient stewards will move them inside cabin to free up the corridor access. Passports and e-tickets should be on your person and not in these suit cases.

 

Next you must enter the terminal and at some the staff will give you a code letter for checking in sequence other terminals just join the queue. Passengers are marshalled by the code letter or staff sub-dividing the passengers to the next available check-in clerk who will process your e-ticket and passport and take details of a credit card to settle you account at the end of the cruise. A health declaration regarding d and v plus possible previous Ebola contacts which people rarely have has to be made. Handy to have a biro in your possession. The staff check your documents and take a photo of you, this is electronically embedded into your "cruise card" so when you board your likeness appears on the security monitor. Next stage is to go through security screening similar to at airports but liquids are not as important. Once you have successfully passed through this process you will be moved on to board the ship. The cruise card has to be shown at the gangway and this happens whenever you embark/disembark throughout the cruise. You use the card for spending money on board as it accesses you personal on board account. Typically they give you the card in a wallet with a map of the ships layout and your cabin number is written on the folder this section is for tearing off and discarding once you can remember you cabin number.

 

Passengers are allocated a "Check in Time" but there is not normally a strict observance of these times. They are simply trying to spread the workload out over the time available to complete all the boarding administration.

 

Regards John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Disembarking, you can arrange a time good for you, it will be announced near the end of the cruise.

Night before pack main cases and put them out..remember to leave out the clothes you are wearing the following morning.

Have breakfast. You will have been told where to meet up to disembark. Go there..when told you go down to the gangway..and leave the ship...crying after a wonderful holiday.

Go to luggage hall, which is vast. Find your cases, arranged by deck..put something on your cases so you can clearly pick them out!!! Go through customs..and that is it..

Holiday over.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would suggest arrive around 1145. Drop your cabin luggage off outside the terminal (there will be many porters around to take it from you) and then walk into the terminal with just your hand luggage. You will be given a lettered card when you enter the terminal and you will be called forward to check in when your letter is called. There will be around 30 check in desks so it moves quite fast. At check in you will need your e-tickets (printed off once you have filled in all your details on your cruise personaliser), passports and credit card. You can have one credit card covering everyone in your group or each individual can register their own. Your photos will be taken and you will be issued with your cruise cards.

 

Once check in is complete, you go straight to security and then onto the ship. A buffet lunch is available in the self service restaurant. You will be directed there by on board staff.

 

An announcement will be made when cabins are available at 2pm.

 

You will be required to attend the emergency drill at around 4pm. Your muster station location is shown on the back of your cabin door and you need to take your life jacket with you.

 

After that you can enjoy the sailaway and the cruise.

 

Brian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, I wasn't expecting so much detail and your kind responses. Thank you so much! That makes it a lot clearer and am sure it'll be helpful to other newbies too. At least we now know what this 'hole in the wall' is that we've read about in the forum. Looking forward to our first cruise and have a feeling it'll be the start of a habit! Thanks again all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

John puts it very politely above. In my experience, cruisers tend to largely ignore times any times allocated by P&O. As an example, passengers were supposed to attend on-board border formalities in Bridgetown recently according to their flight time. By the time it opened at 7am the queues went for hundreds of yards and many on later flights were near the front. Passengers tend to arrive early for everything ... it's the nature of the clientele. Only my view of course.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...