Pride and joy

[FAB1]

Will it really be any different than now where times are already allocated but people arrive when it suits them. Surely people will still ignore the times allocated if their preference is no longer available.

 

I am not that familiar with the facilities at each terminal but are there not enough seats for people to wait till their boarding time if they arrive too early ?

[jeanlyon]

Dave, when you go with Fred, doesn't matter what time you check in - within reason - say 12 noon, but you simply wait in the terminal until boarding time which I think began at 1400, not 1430 as I said before. We found it fine for Balmoral, but actually I can't see the problem with a bigger ship. You just let them on board earlier and they get lunch. So if your checkin is 1400 and you arrive at noon, you check in and wait. What's the problem?

 

With Fred, they call passengers by Deck number, so that's how the allocation works.

Edited August 31, 2014 by jeanlyon

[gadabout60]

I am being negative about the way they are doing it. Introducing something that might irritate passengers and dressing it up as an 'improvement'.

 

someone suggested you get to choose your embarkation time if you buy select. Ok, what happens when 60% of the ship have bought select and they all want a 12 noon embarkation - a lot of unhappy customers!

 

Booking select doesn't mean you get everything you want - there is obviously still an option of first come first served. E.g. we can't all get the same cabin - once a cabin is booked you have to pick another one.

Edited August 31, 2014 by gadabout60

[davecttr]

consider fly cruises with that 'other' cruise line who have developed a pretty slick operation. My 6.10 am flight to Palma should get me on the ship before 10.30 local time. i will be then escorted to my cabin which is ready for occupation :)

 

as the company know the approxiamate arrival time of passengers they simply change the order in which the stewards prepare the cabins. P&O could do this. If the steward has say 18 cabins to process in 6 hours from 8am by 11am at least 9 should be available for occupancy.

 

Offering select bookers the chance to choose their arrival time with their cabin available for occupancy might be seen as a positive step.

[Lovemychoos]

What about the 'priority' boarders? Suite passenger and Caribbean plus tier members who may or may not choose to book late, but get priority boarding because of their status no matter when they book? Will they no longer have this?

[Presto2]

I don't think it is a bad idea and see no reason why it should not be a perk of booking early (but then again, we always book early and would say that!)

We always stay the day before and are ready to get on board by 11.30am.

 

Just wondering what will happen next year though :confused:if they introduce this and some of us have already booked for July 2015. How do we get a choice?

[Thejuggler]

A cruise terminal is not like an airport and I will be interested to say how it will work. Princess tried strict boarding times, but as they can't stop you getting to the terminal there were problems.

 

The only way is to check your ticket at the port gate and if you are too early turn you away. On a busy day that could be 10-15,000 passengers to check and manage the cars which are turning round.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Thejuggler

[top golfer]

What happens to people who travel by coach ? I can see problems with these people because they already cannot stick to their advised times. Yes, I know that they have a fairly reasonable idea of the time that the coach will arrive at Southampton but for those who have never traveled that way before my be surprised. I know that we were surprised by how much longer the journey was when we took the coach rather than the car.

 

i'm guessing Eavesway will be at the back of the queue :D

[tjwa]

What about the 'priority' boarders? Suite passenger and Caribbean plus tier members who may or may not choose to book late, but get priority boarding because of their status no matter when they book? Will they no longer have this?

 

Good point.

[jeanlyon]

Sigh!! They won't turn you away, they will check you in - you just won't be able to board until your allocated time. How difficult is this?

[Midsomer Madness]

I would think priority boarding will remain as it is, just turn up and you usually do..I doubt they would remove that..

[jeanlyon]

Yes agree, that's what they do on Fred.

[kevinyork]

Surely they are making hard work for themselves with this idea - and although I don't want to sound negative it's a potential Customer Service nightmare.

 

 

 

The basic rule of customer service is expectations. At the moment people get there when they get there and if they have to queue for a few hours they just get on with it, maybe grumble to themselves but that's it. However, if they are saying you can board between 12noon and 1pm people will start making complaints if they get there at 11.30am for their "slot" but don't get on board until 2pm. This is why big organisations generally book appointments for lengthy time slots - AM, PM etc - because they give the appearance of meeting the customers needs without putting pressure on themselves and their Key Performance Indicators.

 

 

 

The other factor is those that book a late slot thinking they won't be arriving until late, but then their circumstances change (or transport arrangements change) and they end up with a planned early arrival, but that it's too late to change their slot. This is especially risky for people travelling by plane where times aren't available a year in advance.

 

 

I totally agree. With Celebrity and RCI everyone can check in from around 11.30 onwards. With people coming from far and wide they cannot time their arrivals according to P&Os whim.

 

Yet another reason for me to look elsewhere......

 

 

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[tjwa]

Sigh!! They won't turn you away, they will check you in - you just won't be able to board until your allocated time. How difficult is this?

 

Yawn!!

[Thejuggler]

Sigh!! They won't turn you away, they will check you in - you just won't be able to board until your allocated time. How difficult is this?

 

Very. The cruise ship terminals aren't large enough to accommodate all the passengers, especially of the larger ships coming on line.

 

I speak from experience after queuing for 90 minutes outside QEII terminal, this after waiting an hour for CPS.

 

P&O are trying to micromanage the whole process. They should be stripping everything back. No times at all, just state anytime from 11.30am until 3.30pm.

[tjwa]

...but that's not what they do on Fred O - simples, sigh and yawn.

[Sealoveragain]

The trouble as I see it and I see it on all the cruise forums I read, is that P&O customers want cheap deals and still want everything to remain as it used to be. They want everything to suit themselves but as cheaply as possible. If anything changes and they think they may lose out it's just 'bleat' 'bleat' 'bleat.I really should stop reading cruise forums.:rolleyes:

[the english lady]

Very. The cruise ship terminals aren't large enough to accommodate all the passengers, especially of the larger ships coming on line.

 

I speak from experience after queuing for 90 minutes outside QEII terminal, this after waiting an hour for CPS.

 

P&O are trying to micromanage the whole process. They should be stripping everything back. No times at all, just state anytime from 11.30am until 3.30pm.

i was just trying to explain all the fuss being made on here about this to my BIL. He could not believe the fuss being made by some people.

if as seems everyone wants a free for all ,with the larger ships etc...then everyone will start queuing at 11.30am.....a very long q.

You then finally board after queuing for various bits 2 hours later...but at least p an o will not have told you when to arrive.

Would it help, if they followed Freds' lead and did not provide lunch the first day.

Would that stop everyone trying to get on board early, if they knew they would not be fed until the evening meal.

Thinking about it maybe that is the way to go,as people would have to factor in eating BEFORE they board..

[AndrewShooter]

Sealoveragain has got it so right! Except not "all" P&O customers..... But there are more than a few trolls out there who appear to take great delight in joining every Forum theme to winge, moan, knock and whatever whenever P&O or any Forum contributors make a statement of commitment or interest that is contrary to their own 3/4 empty glass opinion! They often hijack totally innocuous comment threads and join them apparently just to promote a knock P&O scenario. If I've ever had cause to challenge, complain, or even offer advice to a service supplier, and over the years there have been a couple with P&O, I do so on a one to one basis and get it sorted. I have never had need to escalate to for instance, Small Claims Court.

 

 

 

I'll sit back and wait now to be slagged off by the usual and predictable few ...... Hay Ho.

 

 

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[Midsomer Madness]

The trouble as I see it and I see it on all the cruise forums I read, is that P&O customers want cheap deals and still want everything to remain as it used to be. They want everything to suit themselves but as cheaply as possible. If anything changes and they think they may lose out it's just 'bleat' 'bleat' 'bleat.I really should stop reading cruise forums.:rolleyes:

 

What an excellent post! Totally agree!

[Midsomer Madness]

Sealoveragain has got it so right! Except not "all" P&O customers..... But there are more than a few trolls out there who appear to take great delight in joining every Forum theme to winge, moan, knock and whatever whenever P&O or any Forum contributors make a statement of commitment or interest that is contrary to their own 3/4 empty glass opinion! They often hijack totally innocuous comment threads and join them apparently just to promote a knock P&O scenario. If I've ever had cause to challenge, complain, or even offer advice to a service supplier, and over the years there have been a couple with P&O, I do so on a one to one basis and get it sorted. I have never had need to escalate to for instance, Small Claims Court.

 

 

 

I'll sit back and wait now to be slagged off by the usual and predictable few ...... Hay Ho.

 

 

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Again, an excellent post.....

[jeanlyon]

and me, big fuss about nothing. Stop lunch on the first day. Who needs it when you are going to be eating for the rest of the cruise!

[Somerset Cruiser]

What about the 'priority' boarders? Suite passenger and Caribbean plus tier members who may or may not choose to book late, but get priority boarding because of their status no matter when they book? Will they no longer have this?

 

I think 'priority boarders' is a misnomer. When we boarded Oceana in July we asked to be directed to Priority, however as there was no queue in standard check in we were directed there and were checked in immediately.

 

Also, although we are Caribbean Tier we were given a boarding time of 3.00, what is the point of having the benefit of a dedicated lounge with complimentary bubbly if they don't let you board until after it has closed. Btw we boarded at midday.

[daiB]

I think 'priority boarders' is a misnomer. When we boarded Oceana in July we asked to be directed to Priority, however as there was no queue in standard check in we were directed there and were checked in immediately.

 

 

 

Also, although we are Caribbean Tier we were given a boarding time of 3.00, what is the point of having the benefit of a dedicated lounge with complimentary bubbly if they don't let you board until after it has closed. Btw we boarded at midday.

 

 

Only suite and top tier peninsular passengers get early embarkation which is different from priority.

 

 

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[terrierjohn]

Only suite and top tier peninsular passengers get early embarkation which is different from priority.

 

 

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And wheelchair users.