Here what is written on my luggage labels:

[paulista1950]

Do not remove this label is for embarkation and disembarkation

 

Is this a joke or is Cunard trying to save paper????? :confused:

[cruiseluvva]

It said that on ours too a couple of weeks ago, but we were still told to remove them for disembarkation on board. And that was Wednesday.

[paulista1950]

"but we were still told to remove them for disembarkation on board."

[cruiseluvva]

"but we were still told to remove them for disembarkation on board."

 

Not any more - the new rules say they are SUPPOSED to be used for both boarding and disembarkation. However, on board they APPEAR not to know this!

Edited December 20, 2014 by cruiseluvva

[paulista1950]

ridiculous :D

[Midsomer Madness]

It's because they are running the old and new systems side by side for now until the new system is fully implemented, I presume very shortly.

[Underwatr]

Midsomer stole my thunder. I downloaded the old format luggage tags a month or so ago and now the new format is online in their place. I expect that anyone just getting access to their tags now will only see the new format (in the printed cruise book as well) so within a month or two the ship will be relying on the new tags and providing the disembarkation tags on an exception basis.

 

(Mario: We had some trivia games together on QV to Hawaii in 2012. Maybe again someday...)

[PunkiC]

Midsomer stole my thunder. I downloaded the old format luggage tags a month or so ago and now the new format is online in their place. I expect that anyone just getting access to their tags now will only see the new format (in the printed cruise book as well) so within a month or two the ship will be relying on the new tags and providing the disembarkation tags on an exception basis.

 

How do you envision that would work?

[Underwatr]

How do you envision that would work?

I'm not sure I understand your specific question but here goes.

 

As discussed in another thread, the new tags have information pertinent to the embarkation as well as disembarkation process - color coding seems to relate to the disembarkation group in particular, as well as a letter in a certain position on the tag. The new instructions say not to remove the tags after boarding since they're intended to be used for disembarkation as well. That much we know.

 

There are certain times that a passenger's embarkation tags might become inaccurate for disembarkation. Perhaps a passenger carried on a particular suitcase but decides to have it processed off on disembarkation and didn't attach a tag before carrying it on. Perhaps a tag becomes damaged. Or, as we did last year, a passenger might book an airport transfer during the cruise, placing them in a different disembarkation category than was the case when they boarded.

 

There needs to be a way to handle the exceptions such as the ones above. One way would be for the passenger to contact his/her room steward who is the source for disembarkation tags currently.

 

Since the pre-printed tags mailed to passengers only very recently switched to the new format (and passengers may still be boarding with old-format tags attached to their bags) they need to be prepared to give disembarkation tags to some passengers on an as-needed basis for the next month or so (or perhaps they'll still be providing them to all passengers until the cruises no longer use the old tags).

 

A specific example to clarify what I'm saying: I'm boarding in NYC on Monday. The book I received from Cunard with the tags in the back has the old-style tags in it. When I got the notification that my e-tickets were available to download, the online baggage tags were the old style, but more recently when I go to the Personalizer I see the new e-ticket and tags. I am free to choose either the old documents or the new documents so it's clear that some passengers will board on Monday with each style of tags. Based on when the new-style documents began appearing I'll guess that they timed it so that as of the world cruises (beginning around the 10th of January) only the new documents will be in use.

 

So that's my guess about how it will work - unless I didn't interpret your question correctly...

[PunkiC]

So they will require your disembarkation time before boarding?

[Georgina1]

So they will require your disembarkation time before boarding?

 

Hi again

 

The Embarkation time is on your ETickets and they will expect you to arrive for that time and we have been advised not to turn up early or late to the scheduled time!

 

The disembarkation time will depend on your status or onward travel arrangements and from what I understand from the new system is that the Colour within the coloured border is all to do with your disembarkation - ie the solid colour and the Deck Station No which for us us 1M.

 

Best wishes,

 

Dave

Edited December 21, 2014 by Georgina1

[Underwatr]

So they will require your disembarkation time before boarding?

I don't really understand your questions. But I will persevere.

 

To a great extent your disembarkation time is pre-determined before boarding.

 

If you're self-disembarking, the tags are irrelevant. Keep your bags and walk off.

 

If you're doing a normal disembarkation your disembarkation time is determined by your cabin category and deck. This is known ahead of time.

 

If you book a transfer during the cruise (which changes your disembarkation time) they would have to give you some alternate tags but this can be handled as part of the transfer ticketing process. Last year we booked a Brooklyn-EWR transfer during the cruise and received tags for the transfer in addition to the normal disembarkation tags that were given to every cabin. they just tell you "use these tags, not those other tags" and it seems to work.

 

If you're Platinum or higher you have priority disembarkation but that doesn't change anything about the tags they'd give in either system.

 

Perhaps if you explain your issues with my theory in more detail we might be able to discuss it better. I've cruised on Princess as I understand you mostly have and I don't think the disembarkation process is very different.

[DDBINK1]

I would think they are using the luggage tags just to put you bag in a pile to be picked over to find it as you get ready to take it to immigration.

Your cabin and or station (Class) or prearranged departure needs, will determine when you get off the ship. That could be communicated to you in a flyer on board or in the daily program.

[Underwatr]

Currently there's a correlation between your disembarkation group and which pile your bags land in. It also helps the crew prioritize which bags need to be in the baggage hall before other bags. I'd be surprised if that didn't continue.

[PunkiC]

After over 40 cruises, I can honestly say that I have rarely noticed embarkation or disembarkation times.

 

On our last cruise, out of Civitavecchia on the Queen Elizabeth, DH said we had an embarkation time of something silly like 2:30 p.m., but our checkout time from our hotel was 11:00 a.m., so we just checked out and walked down to the port. They gave us a #2 embarkation ticket and we were on the ship before noon.

 

We also get off when we are done with breakfast, usually about 10:00 a.m. and our checked bag is always waiting for us on the dock when we get there.

 

I can only remember two cruises where we had a need to disembark at a specific time and there were both out of Southampton. One was in August when we used Cunard transportation from Southampton to LHR and needed to catch the coach at 10:00 a.m., and the other was when we took an International Friends tour that left from Southampton at 8:00 a.m.

 

Generally speaking, I tend to be pretty loose when it comes to time, except when catching planes or trains, and it never seems to cause any issues.

[balf]

 

Generally speaking, I tend to be pretty loose when it comes to time, except when catching planes or trains, and it never seems to cause any issues.

 

Possibly not, but it would if everyone did it.

 

I can remember disembarking QM2 some years ago when seemingly half he ship decided that their allocated time didn't apply to them and the result was a crush of passengers and arguments that almost turned into punch ups.

 

Of course Cunard mustn't upset passengers so many with disembarkation stickers (the old system) an hour later were allowed off without a word.

 

David.

[paulista1950]

"There are certain times that a passenger's embarkation tags might become inaccurate for disembarkation. "

[newjoisey]

this thread is starting to look like a dress code argument.:eek::rolleyes::D

[PunkiC]

Possibly not, but it would if everyone did it.

 

I can remember disembarking QM2 some years ago when seemingly half he ship decided that their allocated time didn't apply to them and the result was a crush of passengers and arguments that almost turned into punch ups.

 

Of course Cunard mustn't upset passengers so many with disembarkation stickers (the old system) an hour later were allowed off without a word.

 

David.

 

 

I suppose if we were in a rush to get somewhere it could be an issue, but we try to avoid rush situations. When we need to disembark at a specific time we arrange that with the Purser's Desk before disembarkation.

 

Although I can dance, ski and walk, I can't stand for more that a couple of minutes. So, if I have to disembark at a popular time, I need to get a wheelchair or at least, on very good days, use a cane, in which case they usually rush me through pretty quickly.

 

I have never had a situation where it appeared that anyone cared when we boarded. There again, if there is a line, I have to grab a wheelchair or use a cane. I never travel without a cane and a TENS unit to control the pain.

[Underwatr]

I suppose if we were in a rush to get somewhere it could be an issue, but we try to avoid rush situations.

Even with the present situation you'd have to arrange for different tags if you needed to arrange an earlier disembarkation. Same thing here. Different tags are issued so your bags arrive in the hall earlier if you're going to be arriving in the hall earlier.

But for the great majority of passengers their disembarkation group doesn't change after boarding passes and luggage tags are issued.