Embarkation Times - Recent Experiences?

In reply to my own question, based on today's experience on Azura, the answer appears to be that they are not adhering to advised boarding times.

 

I arrived at Ocean Terminal at 1240. My allocated check in time was 15.00. Was given a red card with letter L. Letter G had already been called. Letter L was called at 1305. Was aboard by 1335. Sitting in the buffet now having lunch.

 

The process proved to be much smoother than anticipated.

 

That's interesting and very encouraging. Some respondents on this thread and elsewhere had suggested that a 'red' card resulted in you being sent to the naughty corner, having arrived far too early. I note that you were at Ocean Terminal. Most of the long waits seemed to have been at Mayflower, where we shall be embarking in a few weeks time. It will be the first time we have embarked there without priority boarding priveliges since the new system. We do intend to arrive ahead of our allocated time in the hope that we might get on board for a late lunch which, for us, represents the start of a cruise. I shall try to temper any frustration with being kept hanging around for ages with the knowledge that it is providing me with good information for this forum and my cruise review!

Very interesting post, thank you. Disappointing to see that our next two cruise check-in times will be 15.30 when we booked over a year in advance at the Select fare. For us, lunch onboard was always the start of the holiday, but looks like that will not be the case in future. Annoying to think that people who paid less than us and only booked a few weeks before the cruise will be onboard at 13.00.

Very interesting post, thank you. Disappointing to see that our next two cruise check-in times will be 15.30 when we booked over a year in advance at the Select fare. For us, lunch onboard was always the start of the holiday, but looks like that will not be the case in future. Annoying to think that people who paid less than us and only booked a few weeks before the cruise will be onboard at 13.00.

 

Oh dear! It has nothing to do with what you paid nor when you booked. You pre-determined your check-in time when you chose your cabin!

Very interesting post, thank you. Disappointing to see that our next two cruise check-in times will be 15.30 when we booked over a year in advance at the Select fare. For us, lunch onboard was always the start of the holiday, but looks like that will not be the case in future. Annoying to think that people who paid less than us and only booked a few weeks before the cruise will be onboard at 13.00.

Why should it be annoying ? So what if you have paid less......

If you come by coach and have a suite or inside cabin , you embark at the same time, having consumed your butties , wine , champers for lunch en route. :D

Why should it be annoying ? So what if you have paid less......

If you come by coach and have a suite or inside cabin , you embark at the same time, having consumed your butties , wine , champers for lunch en route. :D

You're right Tinks it shouldn't be annoying, but it is.

On other lines you board at your convenience not the cruise lines and so you enjoy the boarding experience and end up a happy passenger, which is what good customer service should always strive to achieve.

You're right Tinks it shouldn't be annoying, but it is.

 

On other lines you board at your convenience not the cruise lines and so you enjoy the boarding experience and end up a happy passenger, which is what good customer service should always strive to achieve.

 

 

And the other lines can cope with 1000 people turning up all at the same time.

 

Of course not.

 

If you know before hand when you are to board why should you be annoyed.

 

Of course it's because so many people have ignored what they have been asked to do in the past and turned up as early as they can.

 

I say again those who shout loudest about the new system are those who want to get on first before anyone else. No matter what.

 

Nothing personal of course.

 

 

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I don't understand the annoyance at all. We have a three hour drive, so we usually get there around 1300, even if our checkin time is 1500. So if it's the late one, we stop for a coffee about an hour out. We bring a sandwich with us and if we have to wait that' fine. What a fuss about nothing. We have been on board as early as 1330 and as late as 1515. Doesn't bother us

And the other lines can cope with 1000 people turning up all at the same time.

 

Of course not.

 

If you know before hand when you are to board why should you be annoyed.

 

Of course it's because so many people have ignored what they have been asked to do in the past and turned up as early as they can.

 

I say again those who shout loudest about the new system are those who want to get on first before anyone else. No matter what.

 

Nothing personal of course.

 

 

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Never needed to be on first or to be on before anyone else, I just want the cruise line to go out of their way to allow everyone to board when they want to, that's what a company with customer service at the top of its priorities will attempt to achieve.

Sadly P&O have no idea what constitutes good customer service, but if you are happy with it, Dai and Jean, then thats fine with me, just don't expect me to agree with you.

It is annoying to get 15:30 almost every time that we board but we have learned to accept that if we want a cabin on C deck on Azura or Ventura then we will be given this time, we will be early and we will get on whenever P&O decide that they can let us board. We know that the ship will not leave while we are still sitting in the terminal. All of this however does not make us happy but we will live with it and continue to hope that P&O will look at boarding again come up with a better way of allocating boarding times, but I think that they will never please everyone.

It is annoying to get 15:30 almost every time that we board but we have learned to accept that if we want a cabin on C deck on Azura or Ventura then we will be given this time, we will be early and we will get on whenever P&O decide that they can let us board. We know that the ship will not leave while we are still sitting in the terminal. All of this however does not make us happy but we will live with it and continue to hope that P&O will look at boarding again come up with a better way of allocating boarding times, but I think that they will never please everyone.

 

So, you know C deck boards at 3:30 but you continue to book on that deck. Are you saying that C deck should board earlier just to suit those on C Deck?

We boarded Aurora on Saturday. Allocated 3pm. Arrived 2.40. Called at 3.05. Boarded 3.30. Quick lunch in Horizon before 4pm. Safety drill delayed to 4.15.

 

I will say they did not have every check in and security scanner open. Also the whole process did not seem as relaxed as in the past. A mass of announcements for four different coloured and lettered cards. A few staff pointing, beckoning and raised voices. More like an airport. Some staff still more personable as in the past.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

 

 

 

 

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We boarded Aurora on Saturday. Allocated 3pm. Arrived 2.40. Called at 3.05. Boarded 3.30. Quick lunch in Horizon before 4pm. Safety drill delayed to 4.15.

 

I will say they did not have every check in and security scanner open. Also the whole process did not seem as relaxed as in the past. A mass of announcements for four different coloured and lettered cards. A few staff pointing, beckoning and raised voices. More like an airport. Some staff still more personable as in the past.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

 

 

 

 

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It will be interesting to see how our experience (also Aurora from Mayflower) compares in a few weeks time. Those who fail to see no wrong with P&O will quickly point to the fact that the timings you quote would seem to indicate that the system works.

 

Those who favour the system adopted by other (American?) lines will easily be able to compare and contrast the experience you describe in your 2nd paragraph.

 

It seems to me that if you benefit from early boarding privilege's (as we have done on our last 3 P&O cruises) then embarkation is relatively hassle free and pleasant. If not, you either have to accept that you could be kept hanging around in not the best of environments (if you dare to arrive well before your designated slot) and/or you have a very late lunch and a rush for the safety drill and go to dinner feeling full.

 

I am quite a fan of P&O but would have to concede that their embarkation process is outdated and does not make the best start for a holiday, or the right first impression. I would agree with others that the focus appears to be on what suits P&O and not their customers. It's a very British thing to just be compliant and do as you are told. If P&O was a US based company I doubt that they would get away with an approach such as this.

So, you know C deck boards at 3:30 but you continue to book on that deck. Are you saying that C deck should board earlier just to suit those on C Deck?

We book C deck because that is where we like to be, the balconies are larger and part covered. We accept that because of our cabin choice we will have a late boarding time. For our next cruise in August we will be Caribbean so should be able to board earlier ( unless the Peninsula perks change in the mean time lol ). My point was that I understand people finding the system annoying as I do myself however I accept it and just go with the flow.

 

I do think that P&O should take another look at their system with a view to allowing people to request their booking time especially for those of us who book early on select fares. We have never had a problem with boarding on any other line that we have travelled with nor with P&O before the change.

Only problem with choosing your boarding time is that it does not get over the reason for for the change in system. People said via the questionnaire that they wanted access to their cabin on boarding. This cannot be achieved if people choose there own times. The boarding is be deck so cabins can be ready with luggage available.

 

 

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It could be done better. I am sure I remember comfortable chairs items with a coffee tables at Southampton. Now airport seating, airport yellow signs and a few staff treating you like you are at an airport. Saying that some airlines allow online check in (I am told). Eurostar have quite a good system too. A passport check and security scan is all that is really needed before boarding. Putting back safety drill (as they did) could allow the buffet to stay open a little later and everyone could get an embarkation snack.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

 

 

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I don't understand the annoyance at all. We have a three hour drive, so we usually get there around 1300, even if our checkin time is 1500. So if it's the late one, we stop for a coffee about an hour out. We bring a sandwich with us and if we have to wait that' fine. What a fuss about nothing. We have been on board as early as 1330 and as late as 1515. Doesn't bother us

Exactly :D

Only problem with choosing your boarding time is that it does not get over the reason for for the change in system. People said via the questionnaire that they wanted access to their cabin on boarding. This cannot be achieved if people choose there own times. The boarding is be deck so cabins can be ready with luggage available.

 

 

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We never go straight to our cabin. We go directly to lunch before it gets too busy (assuming that we board in time). We would much prefer to get on the ship and enjoy lunch and have a relaxing drink waiting for the cabins to be available than sitting in a busy waiting area in the port. I do wonder whether passengers genuinely wished for this arrangement or whether PandO did the usual marketing trick of asking a question in a way that is loaded towards the answer that you want, without stating the negative consequences.

When it was suggested earlier in the thread that people choose their boarding times i said if they couldn't get the one they wanted they would turn up early anyway. It was suggested that wouldn't happen. However bearing in mind pando brought this system in as they had half a ship..1000 plus arriving just gone 12, i think they will turn up earlier as they always seem to have done. I also still think that unless all the cruisers on the American ships are ALL British that you would have some arriving more spread out naturally..As they may be flying in from elsewhere.

But wait a minute. We like Deck C and we always have an inside cabin and I have been allocated 1300, 1330, 1500 all of which are fine for us, but never the same twice?

But wait a minute. We like Deck C and we always have an inside cabin and I have been allocated 1300, 1330, 1500 all of which are fine for us, but never the same twice?

It depends on the ship. Azura and Ventura definitely have C deck boarding at 15:30.

Just back from the Britannia and embarkation was diabolical. The worst we have experienced. We were allocated a 2.30pm slot. Arrived at the port in the CPS car queue approx. 1.30pm. We were processed really quickly proceeding to the cruise terminal to be met by a huge queue of very annoyed, cold, freezing passengers waiting outside in the wind. We had to wait outside for about 30 to 40 mins. Boy was it cold! We eventually got to the top of the escalator to be asked if we were on a coach? When we showed our E tickets we were fast tracked through which was literally minutes. Some people after us were an hour or so early and were told in no uncertain terms to go and wait until it was their boarding time. Not happy bunnies!

Just back from the Britannia and embarkation was diabolical. The worst we have experienced. We were allocated a 2.30pm slot. Arrived at the port in the CPS car queue approx. 1.30pm. We were processed really quickly proceeding to the cruise terminal to be met by a huge queue of very annoyed, cold, freezing passengers waiting outside in the wind. We had to wait outside for about 30 to 40 mins. Boy was it cold! We eventually got to the top of the escalator to be asked if we were on a coach? When we showed our E tickets we were fast tracked through which was literally minutes. Some people after us were an hour or so early and were told in no uncertain terms to go and wait until it was their boarding time. Not happy bunnies!

So you were asked to arrive at 2.30 but instead arrived at 1.30 and then had to wait 30 minutes. The time to moan is when you arrive on time and then have to wait.

We were quite happy to wait inside the terminal for 30 to 40 minutes not outside in the wind. we had already driven down the day before as we have a 5 and a half hour journey down. Stayed over night in Winchester and arrived an hour early as we weren't sure of the road conditions. we normally have to wait in the CPS queue but this time we were processed quickly. Its difficult judging times when you've a long journey to make and we would always try and get there a bit sooner rather than on the dot/late. I'm not advocating arriving at a ridiculously early time trying to jump the queue so to speak .

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We never go straight to our cabin. We go directly to lunch before it gets too busy (assuming that we board in time). We would much prefer to get on the ship and enjoy lunch and have a relaxing drink waiting for the cabins to be available than sitting in a busy waiting area in the port. I do wonder whether passengers genuinely wished for this arrangement or whether PandO did the usual marketing trick of asking a question in a way that is loaded towards the answer that you want, without stating the negative consequences.

</p><br><p>One of the issues before they staggered boarding times was the awful crowded buffet at embarkation . Far too many people in the buffet at any one time, not moving until the announcement that cabins were ready even if they had long finished eating, a rugby scrum for food and then trying to find somewhere to eat it whilst falling over hand luggage etc.  We hated it, so we now never bother with going to the buffet on embarkation. We make sure we have had sufficient to eat before we board. After all we arent going to starve. We try and take as little hand luggage as possible, which we dump in our cabin and then start to explore the ship. Maybe with a glass of something.....<img src="http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/images/clear.png?emoji-cool-1690" class="inlineimg" smilieid="6" border="0"></p>

We were quite happy to wait inside the terminal for 30 to 40 minutes not outside in the wind. we had already driven down the day before as we have a 5 and a half hour journey down. Stayed over night in Winchester and arrived an hour early as we weren't sure of the road conditions. we normally have to wait in the CPS queue but this time we were processed quickly. Its difficult judging times when you've a long journey to make and we would always try and get there a bit sooner rather than on the dot/late. I'm not advocating arriving at a ridiculously early time trying to jump the queue so to speak .

OK - I see your point about being outside.