on-line check-in

[aussielozzie18]

Last year, I booked my first cruise with a bricks & mortar ta and the online check-in was done by my ta and she printed out all the docs and handed me all the paperwork with the lanyards.

 

This year, I booked with an online ta and I need to do the online check-in myself.

 

Just curious, as to which is the norm? Being a newbie, I quite like the idea of the ta doing it all but is rare?

[dancinman66]

The norm nowadays is you do your online check in

 

 

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[Aussieflyer]

I have never had a TA do my checkin; even if I have used one to book the cruise I always access my cruise personaliser and complete the online checkin then print out the passes. You do not need to do it in one hit - you can add some information then go back later so I always start early. It is very easy.

[MicCanberra]

I have never had a TA do my checkin; even if I have used one to book the cruise I always access my cruise personaliser and complete the online checkin then print out the passes. You do not need to do it in one hit - you can add some information then go back later so I always start early. It is very easy.

 

Likewise, I always put in the basic information and then update the rest as needed.:D

[The_Big_M]

I have never had a TA do my checkin; even if I have used one to book the cruise I always access my cruise personaliser and complete the online checkin then print out the passes. You do not need to do it in one hit - you can add some information then go back later so I always start early. It is very easy.

 

Same, the OP may have been fortunate, or maybe the TA thought the help would be appreciated.

 

It's the norm to get the customer to do it all themselves now.

[Miamia65]

I do input some of the information into the online check but my TA prints everything and puts it all in a travel wallet and gives me lanyards. I like this service.

[tillydog]

We always book with a TA, but our Online Check-In has always been filled out by me. However, the TA has always printed out our passes for us as we dont have a printer.

[Flipper133]

Doing it yourself online also gives you the chance to alter things if circumstances change...eg: Credit Card details; Travel Insurance details or even 3rd party contact details.

 

For my upcoming trip I have made a number of changes...esp. to the Credit Card details.

 

cheers

[MicCanberra]

Doing it yourself online also gives you the chance to alter things if circumstances change...eg: Credit Card details; Travel Insurance details or even 3rd party contact details.

 

For my upcoming trip I have made a number of changes...esp. to the Credit Card details.

 

cheers

 

I do not recall ever having the TA do this or even offer, however, I use online agents or I book direct.:D

[Brisbanelionsfan]

My TA has offered to do this, but I prefer to do it myself.

 

Cheers:)

[kate59]

I do all of ours and we book direct or sometimes thru a TA - I have never yet got the paperwork from a TA - but did get a nice bottle of wine to take on Princess once.

[goodycruising]

It would seem smart to me for a bricks and mortar to do it all and print it out. The last thing they should want is for you to learn where to go to do the research and book yourself. Similar with an online to a lesser extent, but I guess if you could find them online you can do all the rest too. If they don't offer something then they are not trying to keep you, in my opinion.

 

We had an online TA that was organised by a relative for our first trip and they had done nothing, and we didn't know we should check in online either. So they printed it all out at the OPT and the porters did the luggage tags etc. It seemed like a long time for checking in, as so many people seemed to be doing the same thing.

 

Then we used the same online TA the second time, and they didn't tell us about C&A loyalty etc., and we sat in the Fremantle terminal on a 37C day for hours waiting to get on, only to find we would have had a quicker check in if we had joined the loyalty program. I know you should work these things out, but it would have taken a few minutes on the phone when we booked the second trip to tell us the benefits.

 

They have not been bad, but they gave us no incentive to come back to them, except for their lanyard and luggage tags, which I refuse to use to advertise for them. They are just processing agents, probably with time frames and quotas to achieve per hour.

[dancinman66]

Yes some Tas do nothing to keep you

 

 

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[aussielozzie18]

Ok, so the online check-in was easy except it wouldn't accept the spelling of the first name of my emergency contact. Had to add another letter to the name for the computer to accept it which was weird.

 

Anyways, all the boxes are ticked but it says the set sail pass is being processed. How long does it usually take for the set-sail pass to be ready to print? I realise there is no urgency at this point but just curious as to what is the normal length of time is.

Edited September 20, 2014 by aussielozzie18

[Aussie FF]

When your full payment has been made.:)

[aussielozzie18]

Doing it yourself online also gives you the chance to alter things if circumstances change...eg: Credit Card details; Travel Insurance details or even 3rd party contact details.

 

For my upcoming trip I have made a number of changes...esp. to the Credit Card details.

 

cheers

 

I have had travel insurance for both my cruises but I wasn,t asked for details of it by my TA last year and the online check-in did not ask for it this time either.

Is this just a RCI thing where they don't need the info?

[aussielozzie18]

When your full payment has been made.:)

 

ok, so full payment was made on Friday and the ta sent me the invoice confirming this with a link to the online cruise check-in which I completed last night. I guess I should expect to be able to print them out sometime next week then.

[The_Big_M]

I have had travel insurance for both my cruises but I wasn,t asked for details of it by my TA last year and the online check-in did not ask for it this time either.

Is this just a RCI thing where they don't need the info?

 

A few more lines than just RCI don't need that info.

 

Don't worry, the main thing is you have it, not that they know about it. ;)

[fishtaco]

I have never had a TA do my checkin; even if I have used one to book the cruise I always access my cruise personaliser and complete the online checkin then print out the passes. You do not need to do it in one hit - you can add some information then go back later so I always start early. It is very easy.

 

It was only a few years ago, 5 I think? that P&O were still posting out cruise docs with a blue folder to everyone! T/A.s would receive them from P&O and issue them by post or if booked direct P&O would post them to your home. there was no option to print your own cruise docs and T/A,s sometimes threw in a lanyard with the blue folder.

 

My last T/A used was for a P&O cruise and I had to go and pick up my cruise docs the day I flew out from Perth to Sydney as they hadnt sent them to me! I called P&O and they told me all cruise docs had been sent to T/A more than a week ago.

 

This was the last time I used a T/A as I realized they just want your money and dont want to do anything more for you as they are too concerned with getting new bookings.

[fishtaco]

Last year, I booked my first cruise with a bricks & mortar ta and the online check-in was done by my ta and she printed out all the docs and handed me all the paperwork with the lanyards.

 

This year, I booked with an online ta and I need to do the online check-in myself.

 

Just curious, as to which is the norm? Being a newbie, I quite like the idea of the ta doing it all but is rare?

 

Your original T/A would have just done it the old fashioned way! After all not all cruisers have a computer and or internet access to do this themselves

 

With an on line T/A you need access to a computer and internet so there is no need for them to provide the same service as your original T/A did:)

[fishtaco]

I do all of ours and we book direct or sometimes thru a TA - I have never yet got the paperwork from a TA - but did get a nice bottle of wine to take on Princess once.

 

Possibly you only started cruising after the online check in and print your own Doc,s service was introduced?

 

If using a land based TA then the TA should fill in your CP details and issue all cruise docs same as if you book a package holiday or flights with a TA, the option to fill out CP and print your own Docs is your option not the TA,s :)

Edited September 20, 2014 by fishtaco

[Cruise_me_Crazy]

We have used the same TA 2x now. A big online oz agency really not impressed with their efforts other than price. We are yet to recieve lanyards after 2 bookings (one sailed already) even though there notes say they have sent them out 3x :rolleyes:. I couldn't give 2 hoots for a free lanyard, but if you are going to say you've sent them, then do it, don't lie about it.

 

We have changed to a large US based TA for 2015 bucket list cruise. They focus on cruises and vacations. Service has been ok, but a pain to covert US back to AU etc. they will match price drops though, so will see how I go with them. :)

[kate59]

Possibly you only started cruising after the online check in and print your own Doc,s service was introduced?

 

Probably since only cruising since 2010, but do remember our first overseas trip in 2008 they did print our doc (the TA).

[fishtaco]

Probably since only cruising since 2010, but do remember our first overseas trip in 2008 they did print our doc (the TA).

 

Yes its so simple to forget that T/A,s used to issue an actual airline ticket in a folder with luggage tags and all other required info instead of just a printed A4 piece of paper you could do at home yourself :D

[OzKiwiJJ]

Yes its so simple to forget that T/A,s used to issue an actual airline ticket in a folder with luggage tags and all other required info instead of just a printed A4 piece of paper you could do at home yourself :D

 

And they were just the tickets, you still had to check-in at the airport and get your boarding pass.