Allocated boarding time?

[yorkshire1975]

We are going on the Ventura in October and have just received our boarding time of 3.45, we are travelling down the night before and have to be out of the hotel by 12. I understand our cabin may not be ready but will they allow us to board earlier or should we ring them and try and change the time?? I am not hanging round on the dock for 4 hours! Im guessing they just do this to try and spread everyone out.

[silver service]

This comes up almost daily. I wish that p&o and the rest would not

Offer these boarding times. To the novices, they really take this to heart.

It has been stated many times, if you arrive at noon, the official time

For check in time to commence, you will be processed, when you get to the desks. No problem. Sometimes, you can be on the ship before noon.

I have had this , quite a few times. Regards, mike.

[rabet]

Hi

We never adhere to the boarding time allocated. We drive down from London and arrive when we get there, preferably around 1pm in time for a long lunch before moving into our cabin. If you are staying overnight in southampton you will probably hire a taxi to take you to the terminal. If this is the case you can arrive any time after 11ish abd probably board shortly after. Have a great cruise.

[Presto2]

Hi, in 2 words 'ignore' and 'it' - we are on the Oceana in April and will stay in Southampton for 2 nights before hand. We plan to get there for 11.30am - if we have to wait half an hour so be it, but there is no way we are wandering Southampton waiting to get on for half the afternoon. :)

 

The last timer we were on Oceana we got there about 12.15pm to embark and the ship was heaving with people, so much so that we really struggled to find a space in the buffet restaurant.

 

:D

[jeanlyon]

I'm a bit surprised that the OP's boarding time is 1545? I'm sure that's the very latest boarding time. Mine says 1400 or shortly thereafter and latest boarding time 1545?

 

Agree with the others - get there when you want. We intend to arrive around 1230 to 1300.

[cruisefan2012]

I would do as somebody said and ignore the P&O suggested boarding time and get to the Ocean Terminal about 11:30am/12pm

 

You will have to wait to check in and then go through security and then you will board the ship

 

Last year I sailed on Azura twice and this year went on Ventura, As soon as I was on the ship I went straight to my cabin which was ready and waiting for me, My suitcase was outside the cabin so I just wheeled it in

 

Then go for lunch or explore the ship !!

[NSWP]

I always thought the British were very disciplined people who did as they were told..i.e. boarding the ship at the time given. Boarding times are done for a reason, to ease the flow. They often enforce boarding times at Sydney Cruise Terminals.

[silver service]

You would not have this problem in southampton. As all of us who go out

Of here often will agree.

[davecttr]

I just printed my e-ticket for Ventura this month. check in time 3.30. i will of course be at the Ocean terminal shortly after 11.15 and be aboard the ship around noon, as usual :)

[PeatSmoke]

I always thought the British were very disciplined people who did as they were told..i.e. boarding the ship at the time given. Boarding times are done for a reason, to ease the flow. They often enforce boarding times at Sydney Cruise Terminals.

 

You are of course right, the times are staggered to reduce the chances of problems occurring. However when people are excited about their holidays a degree of selfishness kicks in and everybody will have a valid reason to justify them getting on the ship first. It's no real problem unless boarding does become congested but we all just have to accept that it is of our own making if it happens.

I intend sleeping in a pop up tent at the terminal the night before our departure in order to make sure we get on the ship first. :D

[amajaa]

Nice one Peatsmoke, I have friends in Southampton who I am sure will bring you breakfast and a paper in your tent if you want.

[jeanlyon]

Actually the check in times are slightly ridiculous. We have a 2-3 hour drive depending on traffic and I'm sure other folk have double that. You wouldn't want to try and time your arrival for 3.30 only to be held in a traffic jam for an hour. Maybe they should stagger the boarding times depending on how far you have to drive?

 

On Fred Olsen, you do not get on board before 2.30, but there is no checkin time given. So you can arrive when the devil you like, you still won't get on board before 2.30.

[amajaa]

Actually has anyone had or know anyone who has ever been given an early boarding time. As everyone I know seems to be given times after 2.

[kersh]

We have had 12 noon in the past but more recently ate boarding times. We always arrive for 11am check in ASAP on bard ship and drinking champers by 12 noon ish.

 

Sue

[tillybilly321]

Actually has anyone had or know anyone who has ever been given an early boarding time. As everyone I know seems to be given times after 2.

 

 

We are off on a short cruise next week, and our embarkation time just says " after 12.00 ". Whether this is because it is only a 4 day cruise or they are giving up on allocating times I'm not sure.

 

We live less than an hour from Southampton so usually leave home between 11-12 whatever time we have been given.

 

One thing to remember though, is you may have to wait in the terminal for a while, as it is usually very busy earlier on in the day. One gentleman was being incredibly vocal about the "ridiculous" 45 minute wait he had already endured when we arrived at the terminal on one of our cruises. It really made me laugh when he tried to say that, as he got there 2 hours earlier than he was told, he should be able jump the queue :rolleyes:.

 

As far as I'm concerned, my holiday starts as soon as I get to the terminal, if I have to sit & wait for a while then that's fine by me :)

[NSWP]

I have a 10,000 mile journey to board Arcadia, you reckon they will let us on early? Well LA anyway, following a South America cruise.