Arrival and Boarding Times

[AussieVoyager]

My pre-cruise documentation for the 5 January 2011 TA on QV shows check-in time at Southampton as 3.00 pm with check-in closing at 3.45 pm. If I arrive early, will I have to wait until 3.00 pm or can I just join the queue and take my turn with everyone who's waiting?

[Cruachan]

My pre-cruise documentation for the 5 January 2011 TA on QV shows check-in time at Southampton as 3.00 pm with check-in closing at 3.45 pm. If I arrive early, will I have to wait until 3.00 pm or can I just join the queue and take my turn with everyone who's waiting?

 

In my experience they allocate boarding times simply in an attempt to ensure that everyone doesn't turn up at the same time and produce a queue stretching from the terminal to the West Quay shopping centre. If you arrive early you will be able to board ok but, again from my experience, the later you get there the shorter the queue - of course that little rule of thumb tends to break down if there are technical problems or if the ship has arrived late. At which terminal are you embarking?

 

J

[pepperrn]

My pre-cruise documentation for the 5 January 2011 TA on QV shows check-in time at Southampton as 3.00 pm with check-in closing at 3.45 pm. If I arrive early, will I have to wait until 3.00 pm or can I just join the queue and take my turn with everyone who's waiting?

 

Hi

 

Arrive any time you like after approx 1130/1200.

Some swear arriving early will mean fewer crowds and quick boarding before other passengers arrive.

Some suggest arriving late (as is suggested in your case) will mean less time hanging around before boarding as everyone else is on board already.

 

I will always arrive early so that I have lunch on board and have made a start on unpacking before the safety drill. If you've not been on QV before there are photos of her interiors via the link below.

 

Whatever you decide, have a great time, Bon Voyage! :)

[AussieVoyager]

Thanks to both of you, Cruachan and pepperrn. I thought that was the case.

 

My documents say I will be embarking at the City Cruise Terminal in Southampton - but they also say I will be disembarking at Red Hook in Brooklyn, which I know is incorrect and which is not what the NY Port Authoity website says! This is our first TA and first time on Cunard - our previous voyages have been in the Caribbean, and much closer to home in the South Pacific.

[Cruachan]

Thanks to both of you, Cruachan and pepperrn. I thought that was the case.

 

My documents say I will be embarking at the City Cruise Terminal in Southampton - but they also say I will be disembarking at Red Hook in Brooklyn, which I know is incorrect and which is not what the NY Port Authoity website says! This is our first TA and first time on Cunard - our previous voyages have been in the Caribbean, and much closer to home in the South Pacific.

 

I've only used the City Terminal on one occasion and it was a SNAFU from start to finish but I'm prepared to cut them some slack and write that one down to "technical difficulties" :D:D

 

J

[pepperrn]

I've only used the City Terminal on one occasion and it was a SNAFU from start to finish but I'm prepared to cut them some slack and write that one down to "technical difficulties" :D:D J

 

Interestingly I've only used the Ocean Terminal on one occasion (all others were QEII Terminal) and had a similar experience (which I'd also put down to technical difficulties as you did). Processing at entry to QV proper wasn't happening yet they kept feeding passengers into the glass "skybridge" from the lounge regardless. The result was a mess, the worst boarding process I've encountered. We were all cramed in and stood there for what seemed like 1/2 hour or more. I hope it's better next time.

[Cruachan]

Interestingly I've only used the Ocean Terminal on one occasion (all others were QEII Terminal) and had a similar experience (which I'd also put down to technical difficulties as you did). Processing at entry to QV proper wasn't happening yet they kept feeding passengers into the glass "skybridge" from the lounge regardless. The result was a mess, the worst boarding process I've encountered. We were all cramed in and stood there for what seemed like 1/2 hour or more. I hope it's better next time.

 

The problem at the City Terminal appeared to have arisedn because of a combination of a late arrival by QV that morning followed fairly rapidly by one or more bit of baggage handling equipment going technical.

 

By contrast our one embarkation through the Mayflower Terminal was fantastic. We arrived slightly later than our assigned time and walked more or less straight onto the ship with a brief pause to check in. The QEII terminal, on every occasion we have used it, was slow with longish queues, but it worked ok nevertheless.

 

To be totally fair though, the hold up at the City Terminal was only a SNAFU. Your experience at the Ocean Terminal sounds like a full blown FUBAR :D:D:D

 

J

[capnpugwash]

To show the other side, I have boarded and disembarked several times at the Ocean Terminal and never had a problem. I don't pretend to understand why the "skyramp" has so very many twists and turns, I would have thougt that three would cope with any situation rather than the five (I think) that there are. It helps you walk off breakfast but I do wonder if there is another purpose.

[Cruachan]

It helps you walk off breakfast but I do wonder if there is another purpose.

 

Or, in my case, it sharpens my appetite for my next breakfast !! :D:D

 

J

[rrunner]

Thanks to both of you, Cruachan and pepperrn. I thought that was the case.

 

My documents say I will be embarking at the City Cruise Terminal in Southampton - but they also say I will be disembarking at Red Hook in Brooklyn, which I know is incorrect and which is not what the NY Port Authoity website says! This is our first TA and first time on Cunard - our previous voyages have been in the Caribbean, and much closer to home in the South Pacific.

 

I have doubts that you will be disembarking at Red Hook. QM2 will be docked there. Hope so since our car will be parked in the lot.