Elite & Newbie - which check in line?

[snoodqueen]

I am doing a B2B in November. The friend I am sailing with will debark in FLL and my husband will embark. I am planning on coming off the ship to meet up with him to keep him company during check in. He is not new to cruising but this is his first cruise on Princess, while I am Elite. Which way will we likely be directed at check-in - the preferred or regular line? I will already have received my new card for the second cruise so I suspect we will need to go through the regular lines. Sometimes they are shorter than the preferred lines! Just curious...

[bdjam]

[quote name='snoodqueen']I am doing a B2B in November. The friend I am sailing with will debark in FLL and my husband will embark. I am planning on coming off the ship to meet up with him to keep him company during check in. He is not new to cruising but this is his first cruise on Princess, while I am Elite. Which way will we likely be directed at check-in - the preferred or regular line? I will already have received my new card for the second cruise so I suspect we will need to go through the regular lines. Sometimes they are shorter than the preferred lines! Just curious...[/quote]
[COLOR=black]I think you'd probably be directed to the regular line too - since the only person with a boarding pass would be your husband - and it's not a preferred boarding pass. Although if you wave your black card at them, they may change their mind :)[/COLOR]

[DrivesLikeMario]

That's a good question! Do you know for sure that you'll have clearance from your previous cruise by the time he's at the terminal waiting?

[caribill]

[quote name='DrivesLikeMario']That's a good question! Do you know for sure that you'll have clearance from your previous cruise by the time he's at the terminal waiting?[/quote]

She can get off the ship as soon as the first passengers can disembark (although that would be hours too early for new passengers to check in).

The ship will be cleared of the disembarking passengers by 10 or 10:30, so when checkin starts, the ship has been cleared.

She can reboard anytime after the ship has been cleared.

He needs to wait until boarding for new passengers has started, so I suspect she will wait for that.

[DrivesLikeMario]

[quote name='caribill']She can get off the ship as soon as the first passengers can disembark (although that would be hours too early for new passengers to check in).

The ship will be cleared of the disembarking passengers by 10 or 10:30, so when checkin starts, the ship has been cleared.

She can reboard anytime after the ship has been cleared.

He needs to wait until boarding for new passengers has started, so I suspect she will wait for that.[/QUOTE]

Yes - that's my point. She may have to go outside in the line (if he's early) and wait with him there until they start allowing passengers into the terminal. A couple cell phones with good coverage will really help them find each other.

[snoodqueen]

I have been mulling over whether I reboard, relax awhile and then meet hubby around noon/1:00p.m. at the terminal entrance. Plan B is that I get off the ship and meet him at his hotel, maybe do a little shopping and then head back together. Not being the avid cruiser that I am, he might bolt if I don't escort him to the ship!:rolleyes: Already stockpiling the Gravol! Cell phones to communicate with are not an option. He has a Blackberry from work with an embarrassingly poor coverage area, never mind tossing in long distance. We'll be in touch via email so connecting up that day shouldn't be a problem.

I guess I'll see when I get to check in what happens and where we wind up. I'm patient. No matter what line we get in, they all lead to the ship!

Thanks everyone!

[Essiesmom]

Did you book together on the second leg? If so, his boarding pass (and yours, if you printed it) would have your status on it . In fact, print out your boarding pass for the second leg and take it with you, and have him carry a copy, too. Meet him wherever you want...you can decide after you have checked in on the first cruise and decide where would be best. then you can email him with details. EM

[snoodqueen]

[quote name='Essiesmom']Did you book together on the second leg? If so, his boarding pass (and yours, if you printed it) would have your status on it . In fact, print out your boarding pass for the second leg and take it with you, and have him carry a copy, too. Meet him wherever you want...you can decide after you have checked in on the first cruise and decide where would be best. then you can email him with details. EM[/quote]

We are booked together but our boarding passes are different. His is blue across the top and mine is green. I'm leaning towards just meeting him at the terminal entrance. I'll confirm a time once I know what the debark procedure will be for B2Bs. I could just let him check in on his own but it'll be our 31st anniversary & I want the 'Welcome Aboard' photo with him. Cheesy, I know, but that's me!

[caribill]

[quote name='snoodqueen']I'll confirm a time once I know what the debark procedure will be for B2Bs. [/quote]

The debark SOP for B2Bs on the middle turnaround day is that you can leave the ship as early as the first passengers who are disembarking for good.

You can also leave any time later before about 10 AM.

Or you can stay on the ship until those in your situation meet around 10 AM to go through US immigration after which you can immediately get back on the ship or stay off if you wish.

[OldSeaDog]

[quote name='snoodqueen'] I'll confirm a time once I know what the debark procedure will be for B2Bs.[/quote]

You will get a new cruise card and a paper card which says "In Transit" the evening before you reach FLL. On turnaround day, you can either stay onboard and meet with all the other B2B passengers mid-morning in one of the lounges so security can take a new photo with your new cruise card, or you can leave the ship whenever you like. If you leave the ship, you use your old card to leave and they will take your photo when you re-board with the new card. The "In Transit" pass lets you skip the check-in lines and board directly.

[snoodqueen]

[quote name='OldSeaDog']You will get a new cruise card and a paper card which says "In Transit" the evening before you reach FLL. On turnaround day, you can either stay onboard and meet with all the other B2B passengers mid-morning in one of the lounges so security can take a new photo with your new cruise card, or you can leave the ship whenever you like. If you leave the ship, you use your old card to leave and they will take your photo when you re-board with the new card. The "In Transit" pass lets you skip the check-in lines and board directly.[/quote]

I've done B2Bs before but always with the same cabin mate so meeting up wasn't an issue. I'm sure I'll hum and haw over this many more times before I make a decision No matter what I choose to do, he'll make it on board one way or the other, escorted or not.:rolleyes:

Thanks for the reminder on the 'In Transit' card! A handy piece of paper.

[PurpleHays]

[quote name='snoodqueen'] I could just let him check in on his own but it'll be our 31st anniversary & I want the 'Welcome Aboard' photo with him. Cheesy, I know, but that's me![/quote]

Not cheesy! I would do the same thing.

DH and I cruised NCL's Epic this spring. My aunt and uncle went with us. Epic had two boarding gates, so of course we were at opposite terminals. We went to the first one and asked if we could board together since we wanted a group "Welcome Aboard" photo. They let us, but it took longer because they had to make up new cards for me and DH.

Congrats on your 31st anniversary.