Windsurfboy

What was your experience

How do these companies manage to process more than the 1500 people an hour through security (less than 30 seconds per person) . If they can't do this then , like P&O they will need to ensure a steady flow of arrivals, at no more than 1500 per hour. If the amount of people arriving exceeds ability to process through security instant overcrowding. It's security not check in that's the bottleneck. Please let us all know exactly what they do to achieve this.

If like many do the OP checked the price on P&O website and compared it to TA price, they should know how good a deal they got. If this vastly cheaper and more than shareholder OBC, nothing to complain about. If not !

Protocols are designed for bigger ships which is where the problems occur. Yes they could theoretically have different procedures for each ship. However think of confusion, people arrive early and say we were allowed to come early on Aurora . Better to have one rule , come on time.

Security is the bottleneck, with 10 scanners in ocean , far less in Mayfair. P&O operates by far the biggest ships in Southampton. That is why they need strictest rules. With a full mega ship terminal have to process people through security in under 30 seconds a person continuously . This is right at the limit. It only works with a steady flow and has no spare capacity for early people. If people want to be able to turn up early and wait in terminal , then choose a cruise line with smaller ships. P&O problems are all due to size of ships and terminals which we're designed for 3000 not 6000. P&O can speed up check in, which they have. Security is laid down by authorities, so unless they can find room for more scanners, there is no room for unscheduled arrivals

It's so P&O can keep terminal free for those who turn up at right time. With up to 6000 on a full bigger ship and may be only a 1000 seats in terminal, people need to stick to times.

Plenty of comfortable coffee shops , restaurants , pubs to have something to eat whilst you wait. No need for sackcloth and ashes.

The "blurb" as you call it forms the basis for a legal contract between yourselves and Cunard. So whether it's Exlondoner tendering or ipads , Cunard are not doing you a favour by honouring it. They have a legal duty to honour it. The blurb should not be dismissed out of hand , just as binding as T&Cs

Tried booking airport for today they say full, so may not be a reliable last minute backstop

Good , that they've moved on. Hope this means Covid cannot be used as excuse for anything anymore. As it was for lack of books.

Once you find out how to do it , a lot better. Just out of pure interest looked at conservatory mini suites on my cruise, 50% sold on deck 9 , none sold on deck 8 not a single one.

That is assuming every thing works perfectly. The seats are after check in, as they manage the wait to get through security which is the bottleneck. Also there must be an allowance for people arriving slightly early. If the allowance is 30 minutes early this could be up to 750 people for a big ship. Which would be enough to almost fill the terminal. Anyway what is hard about arriving on time, if you are early stop for a tea or coffee, on road , at the station etc...

Having empty seats is a necessary part of making the system work. Starting from the proposition that those who arrive within alloted time should be able to sit down whilst waiting to be called. They need to keep empty seats for these. How many, one minutes worth , obviously to few. If they keep empty seats for only just 15 minutes worth of people turning up, that for a big ship is 375 seats. So it may look as if there are plenty of empty seats but that's just a sensible buffer If when ever there was empty seats they let early arrivals in , any hiccup and there would be absolutely no space for on time arrivals

What would you like to say to there companies

You can try long term parking at airport and get taxi

Triangle car park is a few hundred yards from ocean terminal. But you may have problems if terminal changed. Don't know if you can book it in advance Thank you , you have prompted me to pull finger out and book with parking4cruises

Apologies, when I just googled "Saga dining" , first entry was discovery. Never checked anything else. Confusing !

Sorry the website which applies to both ships makes it very clear, in the opening of the section on dining. "Fine dining is one of the biggest attractions of the ship, and you can look forward to a range of contrasting restaurants, all serving world-class dishes day and night. The main dining venues are The Grand Dining Room and more informal Grill, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here, open seating is the norm, so you can dine whenever you like within the opening hours. If you’d like a fixed table for the duration of your cruise, please call our cruise advisors to book one. Kindly note there is a maximum of 150 fixed tables available on each cruise."

I think two things are getting mixed up. But it's all simple. 1) Booking Speciality restaurants, which as said above by twotravellerslondon is very easy , must be done on board. Either ring the numbers given , or pop down to restaurant when open , or ask Pursers desk. Whichever you think easier. Not complicated. However on short/full cruises they do try to ensure everyone has a chance of a booking , so restrict multiple bookings. 2) Fixed table in Grand dining room for every night (but one can still go to speciality restaurants occasionally as you can get in). These have to be booked before you cruise, on a first come first served basis. There are fixed tables for only 150 people. They are popular and get booked early , so its unlikely you can get one after you board, you'd have to be very lucky. All as explained in brochure or website.

Thanks

The Britannia club has many benefits , but a fixed table is not one of them https://travel.saga.co.uk/cruises/britannia-club.aspx There are 150 fixed table places on a first come first served basis. So those that book first via preregistering are first in queue. Preregistering is open to everyone. Given that on most ships the vast majority of the passengers are repeat customers and Brittania Club members, giving all Brittania Club members the right to a fixed table is completely impractical.

Selbourne, fingers crossed the Epicurean is better next time. I know from your first entry you managed to do your speciality booking on App whilst waiting to board. Bur in the unlikely event that we walk straight on, was there someone at priority lunch to take bookings, or just use app once on ship. Have a great cruise.

I think the bottleneck ends up being security and only 2 X-ray machines, which is same for all ships. On the mega ships , with 6000 people in 4 hours, 25 people a minute , queue management , especially security checks must be a nightmare.

Logically the bigger the ship the more strict they need to be with timing. I'm sure that there will be no complaints if you are not held outside if things go well

What P&O should do is define exactly what is meant by too early. Some thing like , if you arrive more than X minutes before your stated arrival time you will not be allowed in the terminal and will have to join the too early queue. Whether X is 15 or 30 minutes should be made clear.