Britannia crowds boarding

[daiB]

No they dont we are higher tier members of The Peninsular Club so therefore one of the perks is champagne lunch onboard on embarking but we always get an embarkation time of 3pm. We stay in hotel in Southampton night before means we have to leave hotel at midday so where are we supposed to go with all our luggage so we go to the terminal.

 

 

Well I have not heard or seen anyone else get a 12.00 check in time. We get one every time.

[davecttr]

We always aim to arrive around 1300. It's perfect. The mad lot who have to be on board at 12 noon have gone. We have never queued to check in, well not more than 5 minutes. I don't give a toss about the lunch. Quite happy to have a salad in the buffet.

 

It won't be long before they do what Fred does. Nobody boards until 1400. You can check in when you like, but you wait in the terminal for boarding.

 

Fred has small ships!

 

Can't be done. Not only do you have to check in thousands of passengers you also have to get them through security. There is no seating after security in the Ocean terminal, in fact there is only room for a couple of dozen people and then you are onto the boarding ramp!. Start the security checks at 2pm and you can say bye bye to a late afternoon departure.

[gadabout60]

We live about 1 hour 40 minutes drive from the terminal and get a taxi.

We always book the taxi for 10.30 to allow for problems on the A34. Wouldn't like to leave 2 hours later and get stuck

 

Once we arrive we have our luggage so no choice but to go on board.

 

Celebrity seem to handle check in well and its lovely to get on and get your glass of fizz then have lunch. Cabins always seem to be ready sooner on Celebrity too.

 

In an ideal world its good to get on, have a nice lunch, and unpack before the drill.

[groovechick]

IIRC on our last cruise (Azura) we were given a check-in time of 15.30. Sorry, but with the advertised sailing time being 16.30, that's cutting it a bit fine IMO, especially when you have to travel on the nightmare that is the M25 and the busy road down to Southampton. One accident and you're up the creek without the proverbial. Out of interest, what is P&O's policy about waiting for passengers who, through no fault of their own, are seriously delayed and late embarking?

[Zombatar]

We are on Britannia at the end of July and as we are staying ta a hotel the night before we will get to the terminal early no matter what our allocated time. In addition there are several other big cruisers leaving that day so I fully expect it to be chaos in the terminal and surrounding area. :eek:

 

We have one more cruise with P&O (Adonia next year so I don't expect any boarding problems there!!) and then that's us finished with them. From now on it's Celebrity or RCI for us. :p

 

Peter and Jenny

[brillo]

The problem with getting into the docks can be caused the number and size of the ships leaving that day,

On the 1/8/15 when we are on Azura, Anthem of the Seas and Caribbean Princess are also due to leave.

We will have to set out early in order to ensure arrival is on time.

 

There will be a minimum of 10,000 pax boarding and 10,000 pax leaving that day.

[jeanlyon]

Yes I agree Fred's ships are smaller, but we have never had a problem boarding Oriana either. She is smaller than Azura and Britannia of course.

 

I think the time will come when they will just make new areas in the terminal buildings, or build new ones and nobody will board until 1400.

[balf]

Yes I agree Fred's ships are smaller, but we have never had a problem boarding Oriana either. She is smaller than Azura and Britannia of course.

 

 

 

I think the time will come when they will just make new areas in the terminal buildings, or build new ones and nobody will board until 1400.

 

 

How will they get 3600 passengers through security by sailing time?

 

David.

[jeanlyon]

How will they get 3600 passengers through security by sailing time?

 

David.

 

you check in and go through security, then wait in the terminal building to be called - usually by deck. Just like they do it at airports. It will come I think.

Edited June 15, 2015 by jeanlyon

[davecttr]

you check in and go through security, then wait in the terminal building to be called - usually by deck. Just like they do it at airports. It will come I think.

so for Britannia you will need at least 1000 seats AFTER security and that still leaves them having to process another 2600 plus children after 2pm :eek::eek:

 

If you have 10 security lanes each processing 120 people per hour that is 3 hours minimum to process them!

[Presto2]

We've just been giving a boarding time of 3pm. We are staying over night in Southampton so we won't be keeping to that and will go earlier. If we sit in the terminal we sit in the terminal and wait a while.

 

Sorry, we booked last March 2014 on a select fare so not happy to be given such a late boarding time. Why don't they just make it a perk of the Select Fare ----- just a thought.

[Esprit]

I'm with you (in the terminal building too!)

 

We are staying in a local hotel on Friday night so we'll just go with the flow on Saturday and see how it all pans out.

[Host Sharon]

On other lines where you self check in and select your own boarding time, what happens when folk then arrive far earlier for whatever reason because their real desired time wasn't available (first come first served I guess)?

 

On Anthem of the Seas they were made to sit and wait in the terminal.

[Host Sharon]

you check in and go through security, then wait in the terminal building to be called - usually by deck. Just like they do it at airports. It will come I think.

 

It won't come with P&O, when they had a two-year or more Hotel Operations Project running. One of their tasks was to find ways to speed up and improve boarding - ie earlier, not later.

 

Other lines are already speeding it up. On Royal Princess they have done away with the gridlock when boarding where they scan your card as you enter the ship, and have officers with hand-held scanners immediately after security so you walk straight on board.

 

On Anthem you complete online check in days before so only have to have your seapass stamped by roaming staff with iPads and walk straight on board - cards are in your cabin.

 

In fact, only Saga and Fred seem to be stuck in the past with late boarding.

[Host Sharon]

I don't give a toss about the lunch. Quite happy to have a salad in the buffet.

 

.

 

I'm not bothered about the lunch - it's the free champagne I want ;)

[Mysticalmother]

Apart from the priority passengers, I believe P & O allocate boarding times by deck. But that is really unhelpful - both to those who travel down the night before and want to board early and to those who travel by coach and get there when the coaches get there!

 

What they really need is a modern computer system to facilitate self select check in and boarding times ( amongst other things) ....can anyone see that happening.....soon? :D

[Presto2]

Apart from the priority passengers, I believe P & O allocate boarding times by deck. But that is really unhelpful - both to those who travel down the night before and want to board early and to those who travel by coach and get there when the coaches get there!

 

What they really need is a modern computer system to facilitate self select check in and boarding times ( amongst other things) ....can anyone see that happening.....soon? :D

 

Sounds like a great idea -- any time soon --- perhaps not ;)

[Broomboy1948]

Everyone has differing views on boarding but this will be our first experince of P& O. Having been on RC and found everything runs smoothly.

 

Times are given by the companies to make sure boarding runs smoothly, if you stop overnight before departure it does not entitle you to board any earlier than your slot!

 

Granted early boarding would allow you to have lunch onboard, but this appears to be for the guests who have the higher priced cabins, so should not be taken as a granted by other passengers.

 

Perhaps, as has been suggested, a surcharge should be introduced for earlier boarding, as some companies do, as long as it is done before arrival on the day.

 

We all understand the importance of the vessel being cleaned properly, so we should abide by the rules of boarding! Missing the "free" lunch is worth it for the sake of a novo free trip!

 

Looking forward to the experience on Britannia next June!

[dgs1956]

We were on the Britannia 2 weeks ago. We got the coach from Woodall Services at 8.15 and arrived at Southampton at around 1.30. An easy journey with Cruise Connect. We were on the ship within an hour, despite the massive amount of passengers, and went to the buffet for lunch. Our cases arrived just shortly after our lunch.

I'm at a loss as to why people think the whole operation wasn't smooth. To my mind it was extremely well organised and very efficient.

If we had been flying we would have had to check in 3 hours prior and along with driving to the airport and parking it would have been much longer.

[kevinyork]

I really dont see the issue here. P&O gave us a 3.45 check in time for Britannia in March. We arrived at 11.30 and were on board by 12.00. Weve sailed on Celebrity Eclipse from Southampton 3 times and always been on board within 20 mins from parking up. Neither cruise line check your allocated time and both allow access onboard after their premium (suite etc) guests have boarded.

 

 

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[daiB]

I'm not bothered about the lunch - it's the free champagne I want ;)

 

 

I knew I would agree with you on something. Some people have just come from a hotel where they have had a big breakfast, which they have paid for. Do they need a lunch at 12.30? I have a couple of things but very little. On the other hand I do have the champagne. :) :) :)

[Mysticalmother]

Everyone has differing views on boarding but this will be our first experince of P& O. Having been on RC and found everything runs smoothly.

 

Times are given by the companies to make sure boarding runs smoothly, if you stop overnight before departure it does not entitle you to board any earlier than your slot!

 

Granted early boarding would allow you to have lunch onboard, but this appears to be for the guests who have the higher priced cabins, so should not be taken as a granted by other passengers.

 

Perhaps, as has been suggested, a surcharge should be introduced for earlier boarding, as some companies do, as long as it is done before arrival on the day.

 

We all understand the importance of the vessel being cleaned properly, so we should abide by the rules of boarding! Missing the "free" lunch is worth it for the sake of a novo free trip!

 

Looking forward to the experience on Britannia next June!

 

not quite right I'm afraid - apart from the suite passengers , the superior deluxe passengers on azura (deck d) usually have 3pm as their boarding time in my experience. Believe me, we've paid more than many others with earlier boarding times.

[sarah&steve]

We have never sailed before and are in the Britannia on 15 August. Having spent 26 years in the army we are accustomed to waiting around in cues. Not really bothered what time we board as long as the ship doesn't sail without us. If a late boarding means missing out on an extra lunch I think we won't starve to death if this happens. I'm sure P&O know what they are doing. I'd rather have a properly cleaned ship and board when it's ready. I'm sure some people will disagree.

[Mysticalmother]

We have never sailed before and are in the Britannia on 15 August. Having spent 26 years in the army we are accustomed to waiting around in cues. Not really bothered what time we board as long as the ship doesn't sail without us. If a late boarding means missing out on an extra lunch I think we won't starve to death if this happens. I'm sure P&O know what they are doing. I'd rather have a properly cleaned ship and board when it's ready. I'm sure some people will disagree.

 

"Like" :)

Lovely attitude . Hope you have a wonderful time.

[stocktonmackem]

We were on this cruise. We got an email from P and O on the Thursday morning telling us that because people had requested that the cabins were ready upon boarding they were doing a trial and requesting people to turn up at the terminal 45 mins later than the time originally given. We stay over in Southampton and have to vacate the room. We went to the terminal at 11.30 and had to wait until the check in desk opened for priority passengers.After priority passengers had got on it was our turn. We were on board by about 1 o'clock and sure enough went straight to our cabins. They are only trying to do what people ask. Nobody turned us away because our check in time wasn't until 2.00. There might have been delays later but it certainly wasn't a problem for us. We had a fantastic cruise and will definately use Britannia again.