Keeping to boarding times

Hi,

Much to our surprise we have just had an e-mail from Celebrity about our cruise on Connie next Monday giving us times when certain decks should board. We've never seen this before and it reads as follows:

Dear Guest,

We are contacting you with important information regarding your upcoming sailing on Celebrity Constellation on August 20th, 2018.

We, Celebrity Cruises, want your vacation to get off on a wonderful start and in order to facilitate your check-in process, ask that you arrive at the cruise terminal according to the following designated times. This will help ensure a smooth embarkation experience so that you can begin your vacation as soon as possible. Celebrity would like to remind all guests Celebrity Constellation will depart at 4:30 PM. All guests must be checked in and onboard 90 minutes prior to sail time.

Deck 11: 11:00 AM

Deck 9: 11:00 AM

Deck 8: 11:30 AM

Deck 7: 12:30 PM

Deck 6: 1:30 PM

Deck 3: 2:15 PM

Deck 2: 2:45 PM

Suite Guests, as well as Captain’s Club Zenith, Elite Plus, and Elite members can check-in anytime at their convenience between the hours of 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM.

Just wondering if people do stick to these times? We were planning on arriving at about 11.30am and now have a time of 12.30pm. We are Concierge Class and thought we were given priority boarding if possible, so not sure how this works either.

If we arrive early what happens?

We've only just completed our on line check in and stated on there that we would be arriving at about 11.30am. Why ask us if they are then telling us what time we should embark?

Sorry, we've never had an e-mail like this before on a Celebrity cruise and not quite sure what to do or what most folk do

Thanks to anyone who can clarify this for us.

P.S. We are staying in Venice for 3 days before the cruise and have to leave our room at 11 a.m. - hence the fact that 11.30am arrival would be more convenient for us save hanging around for an hour.

This is common in ports with small terminals to reduce congestion. Don’t worry and go when you want.

By the way, priority embarkation refers only to the fact that you will find a designated check-in queue.

Suites, Elites, handicapped, Aqua and Concierge all have priority”. Sometimes 3/4 of the passengers qualify for “priority”.

It’s mostly advertising hype.

We're on the same cruise; no e-mail as yet, but our online boarding is showing as 1100-1500. We're also in Venice for four nights prior and so intended getting up there at around 1100. We're Deck 6 too....

Thanks both - I did think that the Concierge stuff was not like one you get for being Elite etc and in the past we have found that queues for the bog standard desks were shorter than the Concierge one :-)

We have just asked the Celebrity LiveChat on their website about the issue and were told that check in is from 11 until 3pm.

We will now stick to our original plans and if we have to wait, we wait. Really getting excited now as we haven't been on Connie and it is a long time since we were last on Celebrity:D

We're on the same cruise; no e-mail as yet, but our online boarding is showing as 1100-1500. We're also in Venice for four nights prior and so intended getting up there at around 1100. We're Deck 6 too....

Could you do us a favour please? Could you let us know if you get this e-mail please via this thread?

We are really confused as to how Celebrity has managed to e-mail us this information as they have used our new e-mail account and we are pretty sure that we always use our old one with them. Hubby not happy about the request to click on a link to reply ---- doesn't trust e-mails at all, but it is his job (I.T.) and he is rightly careful about what he opens and replies to.

Thanks

We're on the same cruise; no e-mail as yet, but our online boarding is showing as 1100-1500. We're also in Venice for four nights prior and so intended getting up there at around 1100. We're Deck 6 too....

P.S. Safe journey Thursday :-)

... Sometimes 3/4 of the passengers qualify for “priority”.

 

It’s mostly advertising hype.

I have personally witnessed a check in line (in San Juan) where the "general" line was EMPTY and the "elite" line had at least 30 people in it!

P.S. Safe journey Thursday :-)

Thanks, also if you are Concierge then you would miss the lunch in the MDR. I think it's probably a generic e-mail.

Almost ready to go now, Jet2 on Thursday; had an email from them tonight saying we can check in luggage tomorrow night. Ok if you are staying at an airport hotel!

We just ignore the suggestion and show up early. Never any issues checking in.

Thanks, also if you are Concierge then you would miss the lunch in the MDR. I think it's probably a generic e-mail.

 

Almost ready to go now, Jet2 on Thursday; had an email from them tonight saying we can check in luggage tomorrow night. Ok if you are staying at an airport hotel!

We are at the airport Thursday evening and fly out Friday :-)

Manchester - guess you are similar

Whatever, safe travels --- can I ask where you are staying? We have already chatted on here to someone staying at our hotel - Locando Arseolo - for 3 nights and flying out on the same flight !

Re embarkation --- after the replies here we are sticking to the 11.30am time and wont be bothering with the Concierge Lunch as the reviews are not good and we just want to get on the ship and 'get to know her' asap!

..!

Have a great cruise!

(I have always liked you town name...my name is Trent!)

We just ignore the suggestion and show up early. Never any issues checking in.

Thanks, never had a 'suggestion' before --- was a bit surprised and not sure what to do.

We do now

:-)

We asked the same question about our solstice cruise out of Sydney in March - we were staying pretty much right next to the cruise passenger terminal. It wasn't a problem - we arrived about 11am and dropped our bags off before having a walk around the pier / wharf for 45 odd minutes, then went straight to the check in line.... as long as you have your express pass and documentation with you it shouldn't be a problem

I've seen the suggested times before, but have always gone when we wanted. It's a suggested time to try to streamline the check in process and keep it from congestion. Have a great cruise.

We are at the airport Thursday evening and fly out Friday :-)

 

Manchester - guess you are similar

 

Whatever, safe travels --- can I ask where you are staying? We have already chatted on here to someone staying at our hotel - Locando Arseolo - for 3 nights and flying out on the same flight !

 

Re embarkation --- after the replies here we are sticking to the 11.30am time and wont be bothering with the Concierge Lunch as the reviews are not good and we just want to get on the ship and 'get to know her' asap!

We've got an AirBNB in the Castello district, time to chill for a few days....terrace with a view...

We are at the airport Thursday evening and fly out Friday :-)

 

Manchester - guess you are similar

 

Whatever, safe travels --- can I ask where you are staying? We have already chatted on here to someone staying at our hotel - Locando Arseolo - for 3 nights and flying out on the same flight !

 

Re embarkation --- after the replies here we are sticking to the 11.30am time and wont be bothering with the Concierge Lunch as the reviews are not good and we just want to get on the ship and 'get to know her' asap!

The embarkation luncheon in the MDR for concierge class passengers IMO is a lovely and relaxing way to begin a cruise. You may want to reconsider.