Boarding times

[gregwhates]

We are cruising on Azura in August from Southampton. This will be out first time with P and O, and are used to getting on board with Royal Caribbean at about 10 or 11am.

 

What time does boarding usually start with P and O? We booked the early saver if that makes any difference.

[Mysticalmother]

Boarding usually starts around 12 - 12.30. You will however be given a boarding time ( or check in time) on your e- ticket which is done in order to stagger the boarding times and avoid large queues . Most people ignore it and turn up early resulting in long queues to get on! And then they moan because there are long queues.....

If you turn up at 3pm you will walk straight on!

 

Your cabin will not normally be ready until 2pm whatever time you board .

 

There is also an unconfirmed rumour going around that P & O are going to make passengers stick to their allotted boarding time ..........hopefully this is nothing more than a rumour as there would be lots of even more unhappy passengers!

[the english lady]

I was going to suggest round about 1.30-2.00pm...by the time you have gone through security etc you may just be able to go straight to your cabin, drop everything off ,then go to the buffet for lunch.

Those that got there early and q'd to get onboard, and wandered round the buffet trying to find a table, would hopefully have gone to their cabins by then.

I think as long as you get there before the coaches start arriving you would be ok.

I can see them being able to stick to set boarding times either as all the people on the coaches would probably have different boarding times.

[Mysticalmother]

Can you imagine this scenario......

 

Select passengers - board at 12 - 1.30

 

Early saver passengers - board at 1.30 - 3.00

 

Saver passengers - boarding time 3 - 4.00

 

:D:D:D:D

[annieuk]

We have always arrived at the terminal for about 11.15 and been on board and having lunch by 12.15. Yes you can board later but I wouldn't recommend trying to get lunch at 2pm - much easier to have lunch early and then find somewhere pleasant to sit to wait for the cabins to be ready.

 

The trouble with allocated boarding times is that some people on coaches, for example, arrive when the coach arrives - they cannot keep to allocated boarding times. Do what suits you. Some people will have had long journeys and opted to stay overnight in an hotel. They are not going to be able to stay in their hotel waiting until, say 3pm. Nor are they going to wander around Southampton with all their luggage.

[gregwhates]

Thanks for the feedback. Timings seem about similar to we are used to, which makes for a good morning as we are only 20 minutes from the terminal!

[jeanlyon]

Fred Olsen do not board until 2pm and do not give lunch. I almost think it's easier, so I'm sure it will happen sooner or later. You can check in when you like, but you won't board until 2pm.

[Brayman]

Fred Olsen do not board until 2pm and do not give lunch. I almost think it's easier, so I'm sure it will happen sooner or later. You can check in when you like, but you won't board until 2pm.

 

That's why it's so important to have terminals designed to let you check in on arrival and then have a nice place to sit and wait until boarding.

[majortom10]

Fred Olsen do not board until 2pm and do not give lunch. I almost think it's easier, so I'm sure it will happen sooner or later. You can check in when you like, but you won't board until 2pm.

 

You can check in at any time after 1200 and go straight onboard the ship you dont wait in departure lounge with P&O. You then have the choice of lunch in buffet restaurant or those in higher tiers of Peninsular Club will go to designated lounge/restaurant for champagne buffet lunch. P&O used to not let you go aboard until 2pm but since the arrival of Azura and Ventura they do this to avoid crowds and the rush in trying to check in and board 3000+ passsengers in such a short time. Fred Olsen do not have this problem because they only have smaller ships so dont need to board until 2pm and provide no lunch. Can never see P&O returning to that system.

[magpieman]

Our last cruise was aboard the Aurora in January and we got there around 11.30, the checking in time was noticeably quicker than we have previously experienced we were onboard and having lunch just after 12.