Another luggage tag question

[robtulipe]

For what it's worth, we accidentally left every single document behind on a cruise out of San Pedro. I realized it as we were driving to the airport in a taxi. I quickly called RCCL's customer service from the cab, to determine if we needed to turn around.

 

They assured me I didn't need anything other than my passport and whatever means I wanted to use to secure my SeaPass with.

 

Sure enough, we got in the line, filled out our health forms and walked right in to the building. The two "gate keepers" we had to go through asked if I had my paperwork filled out. I told them yes, but I forgot it. They asked if I knew my C&A status, which I did... and they directed me to the correct check-in line.

 

Frankly, it took not one second more to check in. I gave the woman my name, my passport and my credit card. She looked me up in the system and it was all done.

 

Ann

So you're saying that you didn't have to sign a boarding document, that the agent would have needed to print up, which included that you accepted the cruise ticket contract and how you were going to pay for your onboard expenses. To my recollection I've always had to provide a signature for both on our boarding document for all cruiselines we've been on.

The following is part of our Sat Sail Pass information and if you don't have your printed Set Sail Pass they will print one out for you to sign.

"Remember: A copy of the SetSail Pass with the appropriate signatures will be needed in order to board the ship! All guests on the SetSail Pass must be present to board. Minors must be accompanied by an adult when boarding."

 

We leave for our Voyager cruise in two weeks and plan to check in early as our cabin deck has the earliest scheduled time to do that and we are staying in a hotel beforehand that is quite close to the Sydney Cruise Terminal. If it's not too busy I may try to check in without our set sail pass to see what results in doing so.

[macruisefan]

For what it's worth, we accidentally left every single document behind on a cruise out of San Pedro. I realized it as we were driving to the airport in a taxi. I quickly called RCCL's customer service from the cab, to determine if we needed to turn around.

 

They assured me I didn't need anything other than my passport and whatever means I wanted to use to secure my SeaPass with.

 

Sure enough, we got in the line, filled out our health forms and walked right in to the building. The two "gate keepers" we had to go through asked if I had my paperwork filled out. I told them yes, but I forgot it. They asked if I knew my C&A status, which I did... and they directed me to the correct check-in line.

 

Frankly, it took not one second more to check in. I gave the woman my name, my passport and my credit card. She looked me up in the system and it was all done.

 

Ann

 

Nice to hear, I was starting to feel like an island unto myself.

 

Look, this thread clearly got out of hand. All I'm trying to assert is that this is never something to stress about. Of course, I'm not encouraging everyone to espouse their sail pass and show up emptyhanded. The reality is that most people LIKE printing or receiving this information. I will confess I get a little excited when I look at it too.

 

I just want people to understand that there is no NEED for it. Should you forget it, lose it, whatever. Don't sweat it. Just go and enjoy.

 

Oh, and BTW, to the person talking about checking the manifest with thousands of names on it, that's about as dated a mechanism as using a phone book to find a number!:D

[macruisefan]

So you're saying that you didn't have to sign a boarding document, that the agent would need to be print up, which included how you were going to pay for your onboard expenses. To my recollection I've always had to provide a signature for our onboard expense account.

 

Of course she did, but like I said, it takes them no extra time to do so. And remember, when you give them your sail pass, they still need to swipe your card. After all, the only thing you enter on the website is the last four #'s. Kind of a mystery to me how that even helps.

[Let'sGo!]

So you're saying that you didn't have to sign a boarding document, that the agent would need to be print up, which included how you were going to pay for your onboard expenses. To my recollection I've always had to provide a signature for our onboard expense account.

 

Honestly, the process was identical to if I had handed them a stack of paper. I don't know if you've noticed, but on every cruise I have been on, you still have to hand them your CC, even if you fill out that slip of paper. And yes - I did sign it.

 

 

Nice to hear, I was starting to feel like an island unto myself.

 

Look, this thread clearly got out of hand. All I'm trying to assert is that this is never something to stress about. Of course, I'm not encouraging everyone to espouse their sail pass and show up emptyhanded. The reality is that most people LIKE printing or receiving this information. I will confess I get a little excited when I look at it too.

 

I just want people to understand that there is no NEED for it. Should you forget it, lose it, whatever. Don't sweat it. Just go and enjoy.

 

Oh, and BTW, to the person talking about checking the manifest with thousands of names on it, that's about as dated a mechanism as using a phone book to find a number!

 

Not really trying to get involved in the "discussion." Just relaying my real life experience. Trust me, I was uneasy the entire flight and during our pre-cruise stay, thinking about this. I probably wouldn never intentionally leave everything behind, especially if I took the time to print it.

 

But I want to ease the minds of those who are about to head out for their first cruise, or haven't cruised in awhile. It's not all that critical if you forget -- or don't print -- all that paperwork, INCLUDING your luggage tags.

 

And no -- there was no one with a massive clipboard with thousands of names on it that caused me to hold up the line. Trust me -- if you don't have a booking, you're not going to get on the ship!

 

On another note - I wonder if I could start a side business printing everyone's luggage tags and mailing them to them???? Seriously, if I charged even a little less than RCCL does for the service, I could come out ahead! Some people (me included) just love getting those things in the mail!

 

Ann

[robtulipe]

Honestly, the process was identical to if I had handed them a stack of paper. I don't know if you've noticed, but on every cruise I have been on, you still have to hand them your CC, even if you fill out that slip of paper. And yes - I did sign it.

Actually our experience has been some cruiseline agents ask to see your credit card to verify the information they have or to swipe it and other simply ask if there is any changes to the credit card information you have already provided while doing the online check in. The latter was case at the check in for our X Eclipse last month. If you haven't completed the online check in then you must provide a credit card if you want to use one for your onboard account. You also have the option of making your onboard account a cash one.

I don't hand the agent a stack of paper, just our passports and preprinted and signed Set Sail Pass which the check in agent that served you must have printed out for you to sign.

You may think the process was identical but in reality it wasn't because there were extra procedures the check in agent had to do to accommodate you not having an already prepared boarding document.

[macruisefan]

Actually our experience has been some agents ask to see your credit card to verify the information they have and other simply ask if there is any changes to the credit card information you have already provided while doing the online check in. The latter was case at the check in for our X Eclipse last month. If you haven't completed the online check in then you must provide a credit card if you want to use one for your onboard account. You also have the option of making your onboard account a cash one.

 

I'm a little confused by this. Every time I have done online check-in, be it RCI or X, they ONLY ask for the last four of the CC you are going to use. I have still always had to present the card at check-in, including my X Silhouette cruise last month. Is there a step I'm missing? Is there actually somewhere online where I can do this in advance and then I don't have to present the card?

[steveru621]

What don't I get? And exactly why am I being selfish? Enlighten me. If the new gold standard is "we must do exactly what RCI says on their website", then I think there won't be a need for a lot of the threads around here.

 

Look, I really resent being called selfish. In all my recent cruises, I have never ONCE bothered with luggage tags, and I no longer bother printing anything up. It has never cost me time or aggravation, and I have never had anyone even slightly intimate it was a problem. Cut me some slack, or show me the error in my ways.

 

Just because it has not cost you personally, believe me it does cause problems because porters writing out luggage tags takes some amount of time. Multiply that by 6,000 people on the Allure and then you have major backups.

 

Plus I'm willing to bet if everyone showed up without any documents some portion of those people will not even remember what their cabin # is and many more will give the wrong number. It WILL slow down the boarding process. I've waited in the pouring rain waiting for a porter to write luggage tags for a large group on a shuttle. Half the people didn't know what their cabin number was, and had to fish through documents. I was fuming because I'm standing in the rain waiting for these people.

 

My bottom line is you are incorrect. Documents are important. Your lack of documents has delayed others in the boarding process. All of your flip posts do not make your case.

[steveru621]

I'm a little confused by this. Every time I have done online check-in, be it RCI or X, they ONLY ask for the last four of the CC you are going to use. I have still always had to present the card at check-in, including my X Silhouette cruise last month. Is there a step I'm missing? Is there actually somewhere online where I can do this in advance and then I don't have to present the card?

 

I can only guess, but RCCL doesn't want to store your card number in another database. HACKERS...

[robtulipe]

I'm a little confused by this. Every time I have done online check-in, be it RCI or X, they ONLY ask for the last four of the CC you are going to use. I have still always had to present the card at check-in, including my X Silhouette cruise last month. Is there a step I'm missing? Is there actually somewhere online where I can do this in advance and then I don't have to present the card?

I guess I was WRONG again. :eek:

All I know is we did six cruises between Dec. 2012 and Dec. 2013, three on X and three on Princess, and for at least one cruiseline we provided full credit card information doing the online check in and our credit card didn't need to be scanned at check in since they had all the correct information already on file and on our signed boarding document.

You will have to twice sign the boarding document the cruiseline must print out for you if you haven't printed/signed one. One signature accepting the cruise contract and the second approving the billing arrangement for your onboard account. These are extra procedures that has to take the agent more time to have done, IMHO, that is.:p

[DrD]

I guess I was WRONG again. :eek:

 

That reminds me of the old Zen question:

 

"if a man speaks in the forest, and there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"

[Let'sGo!]

Seriously - all I was noting is that it's not all drama if you forget your SetSail Pass. The line is not going to get hung up just because of you. The ship is not going to sail without some poor schelp who got stuck behind you in line.

 

If you felt you were delayed two years ago on a cruise out of San Pedro, because the pier agent had to ask me to sign two pieces of paper, this is my public declaration of apology.

 

Sorry OP, this thread took a detour right off a cliff. I hope you got your original question answered.

 

Ann

[Ocean Boy]

Just because it has not cost you personally, believe me it does cause problems because porters writing out luggage tags takes some amount of time. Multiply that by 6,000 people on the Allure and then you have major backups.

 

Plus I'm willing to bet if everyone showed up without any documents some portion of those people will not even remember what their cabin # is and many more will give the wrong number. It WILL slow down the boarding process. I've waited in the pouring rain waiting for a porter to write luggage tags for a large group on a shuttle. Half the people didn't know what their cabin number was, and had to fish through documents. I was fuming because I'm standing in the rain waiting for these people.

 

My bottom line is you are incorrect. Documents are important. Your lack of documents has delayed others in the boarding process. All of your flip posts do not make your case.

 

Maybe RCI should have given that some thought before they discontinued sending them.

[robtulipe]

I agree you don't have to have print your own boarding documents and luggage tags to checked in and to board a ship. Things happen. I've misplaced or left at our hotel our preprinted and signed boarding documents once and had to check in without them. Also I showed up without luggage tags due to having our guarantee booking cabin assigned too late to get these.

What I disagree with is when someone says it a complete waste of time and paper, unnecessary and not having these doesn't delay the embarkation process.

The embarkation process is typically a zoo especially in the early afternoon for a 5-6pm sailing and it would much worst if all passengers required dock side luggage tags and boarding documents made up for them at check in.:(