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Boarding Time


annieuk
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I wonder if anyone can help with my query about our Boarding Time. I have been sent our Cruise Ticket - one ticket for both my husband and me. It's not really a ticket, it's two A4 sheets with all the details of our booking, cabin etc. on it and it says on it Boarding 1.30 - 3.30pm. Recently we have sailed mostly with P&O and it's quite a few years since we've been with FO. We've been used to having an E ticket to download, one for each of us with a specific boarding time. So I phoned Fred Olsen and queried this and I was told no that was our cruise ticket, no E ticket. I'm confused after reading other past postings with people saying they've got a specific boarding time. We are in a Balcony Suite, don't know if that makes any difference.

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I wonder if anyone can help with my query about our Boarding Time. I have been sent our Cruise Ticket - one ticket for both my husband and me. It's not really a ticket, it's two A4 sheets with all the details of our booking, cabin etc. on it and it says on it Boarding 1.30 - 3.30pm. Recently we have sailed mostly with P&O and it's quite a few years since we've been with FO. We've been used to having an E ticket to download, one for each of us with a specific boarding time. So I phoned Fred Olsen and queried this and I was told no that was our cruise ticket, no E ticket. I'm confused after reading other past postings with people saying they've got a specific boarding time. We are in a Balcony Suite, don't know if that makes any difference.

 

I have just printed our tickets for the 3 night cruise sailing Fri 08 Sept and like you it does not specify a particular boarding time just 13:30 to 15:30.

 

Pugwash123

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I wonder if anyone can help with my query about our Boarding Time. I have been sent our Cruise Ticket - one ticket for both my husband and me. It's not really a ticket, it's two A4 sheets with all the details of our booking, cabin etc. on it and it says on it Boarding 1.30 - 3.30pm. Recently we have sailed mostly with P&O and it's quite a few years since we've been with FO. We've been used to having an E ticket to download, one for each of us with a specific boarding time. So I phoned Fred Olsen and queried this and I was told no that was our cruise ticket, no E ticket. I'm confused after reading other past postings with people saying they've got a specific boarding time. We are in a Balcony Suite, don't know if that makes any difference.

 

As suite passengers you will have priority boarding over all other passengers, so you will be able to board as soon as boarding commences. 3.30pm will probably be the latest check in/boarding time that anyone can arrive at the port and still get on the ship.

 

Is you cruise a one nighter? We did one of those from Greenock in June. There were only half the normal passengers, one sitting for dinner and everyone just checked in and boarded straight away, unlike other cruises, when there is a waiting area where you are expected to stay between check in and boarding.

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As suite passengers you will have priority boarding over all other passengers, so you will be able to board as soon as boarding commences. 3.30pm will probably be the latest check in/boarding time that anyone can arrive at the port and still get on the ship.

 

Tring,

 

Although as suite passengers we have benefited from priority Embarkation n the past, I cannot find any reference on Fred's web site to confirm that this is still the case. The only information on embarkation I have is that which was provided in the Oceans letter we received earlier in the year which you were kind enough to post on a previous thread.

I have copied the relevant information below.

 

"A gentle reminder of changes to our embarkation process

We would like to take this opportunity to highlight that embarkation at all UK ports is now completed in

deck order. All guests will have a check-in time slot issued with their tickets. We request that wherever

possible you adhere to the time given, early arrival could result in a lengthy delay. This change has been

put in place to reduce the waiting times for everyone"

 

Pugwash123

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Thanks for the reminder. I remembered about the changes and knew a lot of the priorities are no longer in place. As I thought though they are now talking about deck order, so I presumed that still means from the top down and most suites are at the top. Will be interested to hear of your experiences though.

 

Previously Fred had always given check in times to cover a period of time and lately (from what I have heard as well as our experiences), they seem to put different start times for check in though the latest time for everyone has been the latest check in time applicable to all passengers.

 

The difference with our recent mini cruise was that there were less passengers and they allowed everyone to board immediately after each had checked in. Not sure that will work at all ports with all cruises. We will no doubt hear in due course.

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Thanks for the reminder. I remembered about the changes and knew a lot of the priorities are no longer in place. As I thought though they are now talking about deck order, so I presumed that still means from the top down and most suites are at the top. Will be interested to hear of your experiences though.

 

Previously Fred had always given check in times to cover a period of time and lately (from what I have heard as well as our experiences), they seem to put different start times for check in though the latest time for everyone has been the latest check in time applicable to all passengers.

 

The difference with our recent mini cruise was that there were less passengers and they allowed everyone to board immediately after each had checked in. Not sure that will work at all ports with all cruises. We will no doubt hear in due course.[/quote

 

There looks to be plenty of availability on our mini cruise which hopefully will result in the ship being less crowded with quicker and better service in the dining room and bars. Was this the case on your mini cruise? This is our first mini cruise which we are taking to obtain our Oceans gold status prior to our golden wedding cruise next year.

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There looks to be plenty of availability on our mini cruise which hopefully will result in the ship being less crowded with quicker and better service in the dining room and bars. Was this the case on your mini cruise? This is our first mini cruise which we are taking to obtain our Oceans gold status prior to our golden wedding cruise next year.

 

Ours was a one night translocation from Greenock to Liverpool. I have been told elsewhere that Fred has decided not to fill the ship on such cruises, to make it easier for staff with the two change over days and also a better experience for passengers as minis always have busy bars etc. Fred withdrew our cruise from sale early (presumably for that reason) and it was always down as one sitting for dinner at 7pm - so no choice of dining time.

 

Embarkation was slick as I said, but the dining room was very busy and the waiters were not interested in offering to sell wine or even offer coffee after the meal (we knew we could expect coffee, so stayed put and asked for it and we got it). As a one night mini (otherwise often referred to as 'booze cruises' by staff), the bars and lounges were very busy and the show was not repeated of course (not that we go to the shows anyway). We spent the evening in the Lido lounge and a good party got going as we expected (well you can rely on Glaswegians and Scousers for that - I am in the latter group). I suspect what Fred took on drinks would have well compensated for the lack of passengers - especially when you consider the drinks pack is only available at £29.99 for that cruise so vast majority were paying for every drink consumed at full price!

 

We spoke to some people on board though who were first time to Fred and would definitely not repeat Fred after that cruise, given the lack of sedate service and a totally different atmosphere to what is usually encountered on Fred's ships. The three night minis see people take celebrations at a more sedate pace in our experience, though you may still get some groups of friends/extended families etc. From what I heard it is only the one nighters that Fred has decided to half fill the ship and I see no reason why it would happen for a three nighter, but dining time choice would be one way of finding out about that. Your cruise looks pretty well booked from what I can see though.

Edited by tring
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Tring, many thanks for the report on your one nighter. I will definitely not be booking a one nighter with Fred or any other cruise line for that matter. I have become somewhat disenchanted with Fred but my wife loves Braemar, so even though we have cruised with other cruise lines such as P&O, Celebrity ad Viking Oceans I always end coming back to Fred just to keep her happy. Hopefully the three nighter will no be as bad as the one nighter. If I were part of a ships crew I would hate the one night and three night cruises.

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I did not mean to make it sound all bad - we thoroughly enjoyed the party, which was part of our intention (and we are in our late 60's). The other advantage for us was the chance to try a cabin we were booked into for a future, much longer, cruise and make a special request for that cruise whist on board the ship (always an advantage). We went up by train and had a pleasant evening in Greenock and were able to just take a short journey home the next day and then rest up as we wished.

 

Actually we have upgraded that cabin, but info we were able to get whist on the ship from guest relations, helped with our choice of upgraded cabin. Win win situation all round for us.

 

I see yours is up the Seine - should be really good, would like to do that ourselves sometime. The real party cruises are shorter than 3 nights, but the one proviso I would make is not to have a cabin near the Coral, which is the late night venue on Braemar as you will know. I would do that for any cruise though, we like to party some nights, but sleep is very important to us as well.

 

We are also getting fed up with Fred's old boats, but not easy to find an alternative with unusual itineraries at a reasonable price and we have no interest in the run of the mill itineraries found on most cruise lines. Fred not as cheap as he was though, so doing more land hols and also land stays that can be combined with cruises.

Edited by tring
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We always book either cabin 7032 or 7027 on Braemar which are two of the cabins which were added when the ship was extended and have larger more modern bathrooms. We are in our seventies so not what you'd call party people. Not too worried about the age of the ships we sail on so long as the cruise experience is more traditional. We are taking our first Saga holiday next year and if this turns out OK I will seriously consider booking our 2019 cruise on one of the Saga ships. Like you we also take land based holidays but like to go back to cruising at least once a year.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Pugwash 123 - ''If I were part of a ships crew I would hate the one night and three night cruises.'' What's wrong with a 3 nighter please? This is our first Fred experience and are perplexed at your comments?

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Pugwash 123 - ''If I were part of a ships crew I would hate the one night and three night cruises.'' What's wrong with a 3 nighter please? This is our first Fred experience and are perplexed at your comments?

 

There is nothing wrong from the passengers point of view but think of the hard working crew who have to do two turn round days in a very short period of time.

Whether you will enjoy your first Fred experience or not will depend on what you expect of a cruise. If you want to experience traditional British cruising on a small ship where you will receive friendly service from the all the ships crew and stand a good chance of getting to know many of your fellow passengers, you will not be disappointed.

Are you on the same 3 nighter as us? If so perhaps we will bump into you on board, either way I hope you have a lovely experience, I know we will.

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Thank you pugwash... no, sadly we are not on the same one as you. We have cruised with P&O up to now and are really looking forward to sampling Fred. We've heard some great things, so look forward to our own experience. It's the first time for a River Cruise too. .... Yes, I agree re the pressure on the crew with the mini cruises. Have seen that on P&O.

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