e-Docs: Preselecting Staggered Port Check In Time

[LegalCat]

From NCL email I received a few minutes ago:

 

Beginning with the Norwegian Dawn sailing on November 21, 2014, Norwegian guests will now experience staggered check-in times. Please notify your clients that when they complete their Online Check-In, they will be asked to select the time that they would like to arrive at the pier. This information will then be printed on their eDocs for reference. Clients that are Platinum Latitudes members, staying in The Haven or a Suite, or who have purchased air or transfers directly from Norwegian will be exempt from having to select an arrival time.

[Sauer-kraut]

Hmm.....so what happens if you pick any time and then decide to show up whenever. I can't imagine they have a waiting area for those who come earlier than their "selected time".

[roger001]

Hmmmmm.....I never thought check in was that big of an issue. Will be interested to see how this works.

[LegalCat]

I know, I had the same thought, what if you pick 1 PM and then show up at 11:30... they won't let you on? I've never had a problem at check in either... Although we normally arrive early as we like to be on the ship ASAP... Maybe its more of an encouragement to arrive at your chosen time but if you show up its fine too.... Maybe they are trying to reduce the amount of staff on hand all day if they can get people to spread out as far as check in they can reduce the amount of agents?

[Pattilabelle73]

I'm not sure how this is going to work if they continue to make some services (ie Vibe/Posh passes, Spa passes) available on a "first come, first served" basis. I hear that people show up early so that they can be in the 1st group to get them.

[LegalCat]

I guess you'd have to chose the first check in time, but I'd assume they are going to put some kind of limit per check in window or something....

[DGP1111]

Hmm.....so what happens if you pick any time and then decide to show up whenever. I can't imagine they have a waiting area for those who come earlier than their "selected time".

 

You get assigned a short shift as an Apprentice Porter . . . just without the gratuities.

It's an adventure! :D

 

REALLY enjoyed meeting and spending onboard time with you recently. Take care!! :) . :)

 

.

[Sauer-kraut]

You get assigned a short shift as an Apprentice Porter . . . just without the gratuities.

It's an adventure! :D

 

REALLY enjoyed meeting and spending onboard time with you recently. Take care!! :) . :)

 

.

 

Oh great! Just think what a great workout that would be.... pump up and get fit before boarding, imagine the selling point to that. :D

 

It was nice meeting you too! Have a great time on your December getaway on the Getaway! :)

Edited November 6, 2014 by Sauer-kraut

[Sauer-kraut]

I'm not sure how this is going to work if they continue to make some services (ie Vibe/Posh passes, Spa passes) available on a "first come, first served" basis. I hear that people show up early so that they can be in the 1st group to get them.

 

They might have to take a cue from Carnival. Open up the total number of Vibe passes and put them on the excursions board to pre-purchase. Only 2 per cabin booking available, something like that.

 

OR NCL could be looking at the Carnival Faster To The Fun program which means purchasing priority boarding, dedicated line at the guest services desk (no waiting) and priority tender boarding.

[mpk218]

Hhmmmmm...... Select your time for arrival ?????

Me smells a new way to sell prefered time slots in the future...:p

 

Next ??? Private entrance deck 5 for the discerning cruise passenger ;)

[Laszlo]

They might have to take a cue from Carnival. Open up the total number of Vibe passes and put them on the excursions board to pre-purchase. Only 2 per cabin booking available, something like that.

 

OR NCL could be looking at the Carnival Faster To The Fun program which means purchasing priority boarding, dedicated line at the guest services desk (no waiting) and priority tender boarding.

 

Better yet, have an option to buy a Vibe pass when you book your room

[dexddd]

DCL went that way a little bit after they brought out the new ships as it was filling up the waiting area too much.

 

Is this just for the Dawn or all ships? My guess is they will try to make money somewhere like Carnival FTF. RCCL has a 10 minute curb to ship program I heard a little bit about - not sure if that is free but that was my understanding.

[ClarkBHM]

While I don't doubt that they may try to make money on it in the future, my guess is that it is much more of logistical planning. Consider that they have thousands of people descending on the port in a short two or three hour time frame. If they can encourage some of those people to come later by assigning them a later time slot, they can reduce the crowds at embarkation. Even a 10% shift of people could move hundreds of people to a different time slot.

 

I don't know how closely they will enforce the time slot, but I think that many people, seeing the time that they chose, will try to follow it. In the end, it could result in smaller crowds and shorter lines at embarkation.

 

If it works amazingly enough, they might try to make a buck off of it, but for now, I think it's a low cost way to reduce the congestion at embarkation.

 

If NCL is listening, another way to reduce the congestion is to shift some of the onboard only passes (such as Vibe) to online pre-boarding purchases so that people don't feel that they have to be first on board to buy a pass. If you've already bought a Vibe pass, you no longer feel like you have to rush to guest services, and may be more likely to pre-pick a later boarding time.

 

Just my two cents.

[alishac]

Disney already does this, and if you show up at a time that is different from what you were assigned it is not a big deal. I don't think they even look at that at the port.

[coscab]

When you print your cruise ticket does that mean you have checked in on line? If that is the case wouldn't most of the people on the Dawn Nov. sailing already be checked in, I have already printed my ticket for my Dec. sailing, if this is a stupid question please forgive me, I had a long day:)

[bear3412]

As stated DCL has been using this process for a while.

 

You pick a Port Arrival Time(PAT) in 15 minute increments online at a determined time ahead of your sail date which will correspond to your boarding #(time). So if you pick the earliest PAT time offered and show up at or close to your chosen PAT, you will have a low(est) boarding time. If you end up with a later PAT and show up first thing you will still receive a later boarding time and be waiting. So the PAT is directly tied to your boarding time.

 

All of this is relevant and applicable up until open boarding is called. On DCL this is usually around 12:30 and the platinum and suite pax board first around 11:15. So with DCL it still isn't a long wait if you have a late PAT.

 

It will be interesting to see how NCL implements this new process.

Edited November 6, 2014 by bear3412

[njhorseman]

When you print your cruise ticket does that mean you have checked in on line? Yes

 

If that is the case wouldn't most of the people on the Dawn Nov. sailing already be checked in, Yes

 

I have already printed my ticket for my Dec. sailing, if this is a stupid question No...it's a stupidly worded email please forgive me, I had a long day:)

 

See my reply in red, above.

Edited November 7, 2014 by njhorseman

[wdowns9]

We are sailing on the Dawn on 11/30 and I just printed out my docs as we completed the check-in process several weeks ago. There is nothing stating about a check-in time. We are going to show up like we normally do. There hasn't been any problems in the past with NCL or Carnival at NOLA when it comes to arrival. Worse case scenario is that we get put in the naughty room for showing up early.

[Clay Clayton]

FWIW, on Princess, they suggested a checkin time....maybe by your deck locations? The descrption said it was to reduce wait times. We paid no attention took it as just a suggestion and arrived at our usual time and encountered no issues.

[beerman2]

Printed EDOCS for the Epic in January and didn't say/list anything about a specific time.

 

We are usually early to Port, might as well board ASAP and start to enjoy the Ship.

[rvsullivan]

Seems to me that by printing the time on your e-docs it will allow them to "hold" you in a staging area or assign your boarding pass based on that time. Good move on NCL's part. As soon as folks find out that ignoring it will just incur a wait, folks will then start arriving when scheduled. Get rid of the mad dash to be first on board. NCL has already timed arrivals to be no earlier than 12-12:30 and people ignore it and come at 10:30, maybe by enforcing the times, boarding will improve?

[cruisin from vegas]

Just printed edocs for Getaway 11/22...nothin about checkin time.

[mistshar]

We go early to the port because we might as well sit there as anywhere else. I am disabled and not able to go shopping or do much of anything else. Since we must leave the hotel, that leaves the port. It is just easier anyway because there is less traffic than later. It is just a matter of preference.

[HistoryGirl4Ever]

I just printed mine and only saw which terminal to use. Will go over it closer later though. If anyone else has seen it in their e-docs, can they let us know? Thanks. :-)

 

 

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[punkincc]

Seems to me that by printing the time on your e-docs it will allow them to "hold" you in a staging area or assign your boarding pass based on that time. Good move on NCL's part. As soon as folks find out that ignoring it will just incur a wait, folks will then start arriving when scheduled. Get rid of the mad dash to be first on board. NCL has already timed arrivals to be no earlier than 12-12:30 and people ignore it and come at 10:30, maybe by enforcing the times, boarding will improve?

 

Maybe while they're at it, they could just go back to assigned dining times, and assigned disembarkation times as well. Much more efficient, right?

 

There are many reasons people arrive at the port when they do. Hotel check out times and flight times being two obvious ones. We have arrived both early and late due to these reasons, usually early, but never was it a mad dash. Usually a pretty smooth process as is debarkation when people are allowed to behave as competent adults and choose for themselves.

 

I sincerely hope NCL does not change to assigned boarding times. Seems a very regimented way to start a "Freestyle" cruise, IMO.

Edited November 10, 2014 by punkincc