Cabins now ready on embarkation

[balf]

What happens about people travelling by coach or train. The chances are that everyone will have different boarding times but they will all arrive at the same time. P&O do not know how you are travelling unless you are their nominated coach partner, which at the moment is Intercruises.

 

Brian

 

 

All the coaches whether Intercruises or others are given slots and would be refused entry if they don't comply.

 

David.

[balf]

There is only one place with enough room to "store" the passengers and that is on the ship, the bottleneck at the moment is security clearance, so it would better to increase capacity there and zoom passengers through as quickly as they can.

 

It works fine for the smaller ships as it is, so it only needs a little bit of tweaking for the biggies.

 

 

The tweaking would be the installation of more security lanes, not a cheap option given the expense in equipment and staff. Unlike airports which handle many times more passengers a day than a cruise terminal, the equipment would be idle for most of the time. And who would pay, the passengers.

 

David.

[balf]

To sum up, if they want to run an airport style embarkation system, with say 'decks' replacing 'flights' they are going to need an airport style terminal.

 

Yes and there is no chance of one ever being built. If we look at the cruise ships in Southampton in January there are weeks when no big ships embark. So all the outlets and facilities that we find in airports would be closed. No one would be mad enough to think of opening there, and there would be little business for them even when a big ship was in.

 

As I said previously. Big ships you may love but don't expect an easy time boarding.

 

David

[davecttr]

I suppose the OP's email was a P&O attempt to 'scare' people into more staggered arrivals despite that travel circumstances may dictate otherwise.

 

What WOULD irritate me is P&O getting 'stroppy' about this. I am two cruises away from reaching that exalted status where i get the free champers and nosh. If the freebies are available between 12 and 2 I will take a VERY DIM VIEW of any check-in time later than about 1 o'clock :eek:

[Presto2]

Why can't an earlier boarding time be part of a perk as someone paying a Select Fare?

We always stay in Southampton overnight. Really don't want to be hanging around waiting to board until 3.30pm this year. I want to get on board and explore. Am happy to wait for the cabin. Surely they can make more money letting people on re the sale of drinks etc etc.

We sail soon so will watch this thread with interest

 

:)

[P&O SUE]

Why can't an earlier boarding time be part of a perk as someone paying a Select Fare?

We always stay in Southampton overnight. Really don't want to be hanging around waiting to board until 3.30pm this year. I want to get on board and explore. Am happy to wait for the cabin. Surely they can make more money letting people on re the sale of drinks etc etc.

We sail soon so will watch this thread with interest

 

:)

 

Plan to get there for about 12 - you will be fine. I was on Azura beginning of June and it was easy, onboard within half an hour of arriving. At that time the buffet isn't too horrendous either!

[Presto2]

Plan to get there for about 12 - you will be fine. I was on Azura beginning of June and it was easy, onboard within half an hour of arriving. At that time the buffet isn't too horrendous either!

 

We really don't care about the buffet -- just can't wait to get on the ship !

We are more than happy to spend money in the various eating places.

 

We are a bit edgy now to be honest ----- but this may be what P&O want!

[jeanlyon]

Why are you edgy? Nothing has changed yet. Just plan to arrive at your allotted time. What's difficult about that? Last time we were allocated 1400. We arrived at 1315 in our car. By the time we had stopped, got rid of the luggage, handed the car over, it was about 1345. Simples!

[Presto2]

Why are you edgy? Nothing has changed yet. Just plan to arrive at your allotted time. What's difficult about that? Last time we were allocated 1400. We arrived at 1315 in our car. By the time we had stopped, got rid of the luggage, handed the car over, it was about 1345. Simples!

 

Our allotted time is now 3.30pm so we are not happy. We are staying over night and like to get on the ship in plenty of time to discover the ship before Muster. We booked last March 2014 so think that paying a select fare should give us the benefit of boarding early

 

We have only arrived at our allotted time on our first cruise -----

 

I suppose we are edgy because people seem to imply that the system has changed. We are staying in Southampton on the Friday and would prefer to board the ship, not wander around the town for 4 hours before we board

 

Can't put in words how much we loooovvvveee out embarkation day. It would be sad to have to get on board late.

[Host Sharon]

3.30 is very late anyway as the check-in desks close at 4 I believe - I would be edgy too.

 

The new improved Mayflower terminal has increased the number of security desks and changes at the Ocean Terminal have also meant an increase in desks - although annoyingly not all were manned!

 

With the increase in the number of huge ships - Royal Princess, Britannia, Anthem of the Seas etc, everyone has been looking at streamlining embarkation (and disembarkation). Although I dislike big ships, I have sailed on two of these just to experience them and both boarding and disembarking was probably the easiest I have done.

 

Princess crew used a handheld scanner just past security which stopped that hold-up at the top of the gangway whilst your cards are scanned. RCI allow you to choose your embarkation time online (but DO enforce it) and let you upload your own id photo all reducing what needs to be done at the terminal. There are no check-in desks for Anthem - just roving people with iPads who catch you as you enter the terminal and check you in in minutes - then you walk straight to security and on board literally.

 

There is no need for airport-style waiting IMO, just more innovative thinking around the issues.

Edited June 27, 2015 by Host Sharon

[P&O SUE]

Our allotted time is now 3.30pm so we are not happy. We are staying over night and like to get on the ship in plenty of time to discover the ship before Muster. We booked last March 2014 so think that paying a select fare should give us the benefit of boarding early

 

We have only arrived at our allotted time on our first cruise -----

 

I suppose we are edgy because people seem to imply that the system has changed. We are staying in Southampton on the Friday and would prefer to board the ship, not wander around the town for 4 hours before we board

 

Can't put in words how much we loooovvvveee out embarkation day. It would be sad to have to get on board late.

 

 

This is what I was trying to say above, don't know what ship you are on but for Azura on 1st June this year my time was 2pm, we got there at 12 - no problems at all. No other places to eat but the buffet but I did notice the costa coffee place was open and quiet - you have to pay for the coffee but cake is free!

[KaththeTaff]

Kath - dont know where you are staying but if in the town itself, you just tell Hotel reception what time you want the taxi and they oblige! We spent a very pleasant couple of hours strolling around Southampton in May, after a late breakfast, being very good P & O people and stuck to our embarkation time.;) All our luggage was still in our car, but others left theirs with the hotel left luggage facility.

Many hotels will also be quite happy to give you a later check out time without charge if you ask them.

 

Thanks, mysticalmother. We prefer to have a wander around before going tot he terminal anyway. The one time we got there early we had to wait anyway, while when we've got there at 1 or 1,30 we have always breezed straight through.

 

We are staying at the Mercure Dolphin. We've stayed there before but we've always booked it ourselves. This time we've added it to the cruise through P&O, so I admit I had visions of having no control over when the transfer would happen!

[Mysticalmother]

Thanks, mysticalmother. We prefer to have a wander around before going tot he terminal anyway. The one time we got there early we had to wait anyway, while when we've got there at 1 or 1,30 we have always breezed straight through.

 

We are staying at the Mercure Dolphin. We've stayed there before but we've always booked it ourselves. This time we've added it to the cruise through P&O, so I admit I had visions of having no control over when the transfer would happen!

 

We were at the Mercure in May (and will be again in July) - we found them very helpful and the taxi transfer service worked really well.

[Presto2]

3.30 is very late anyway as the check-in desks close at 4 I believe - I would be edgy too.

 

 

It gets better and better for us ---- we have checked this morning and it now says that we need to check in at 4pm !!!!!! We have sailed on Celebrity 3 times and the Silhouette isn't that much smaller than Britannia. No problems with arriving early there and embarkation was very smooth --- and that was in Italy.

 

Its not rocket science for them to say that the earlier you book you get the slot you want to check in - you can book it there and then. Is it me, but in this technological age surely that isn't too difficult for someone to invent a program that does this....:confused:

 

We will arrive at noon and take our chances. We really are not happy with the 4pm slot. If we wait in the terminal we wait in the terminal ...... we really don't fancy trying to kill 4 hours from checking out of the hotel, particularly when we are arriving in Southampton on the Thursday afternoon to give us a day and a half to enjoy the City pre cruise. (Before anyone says anything about arriving early in Southampton or changing the booking, we booked the hotel at the same time as we booked the cruise (March 2014) and it is all paid for.)

 

Will stop being miserable now and go on line to book an excursion !!!

[silver service]

Who started this scare story? A friend of mine is on check in in southampton.

She knows nothing about this,(asked her today). Also agreed the idea

Wholly impractable. With lots of people, the idea is to process them,

And get them on the ship, trying to avoid congestion in the terminal.

[balf]

I don't think the check in staff have any idea what time slot you have.

 

David.

[Presto2]

Who started this scare story? A friend of mine is on check in in southampton.

She knows nothing about this,(asked her today). Also agreed the idea

Wholly impractable. With lots of people, the idea is to process them,

And get them on the ship, trying to avoid congestion in the terminal.

 

I don't think the check in staff have any idea what time slot you have.

 

David.

 

That's good to know - I imagine they just want to keep things moving.

We will aim for the 12 noon check in and let you all know what happens. ;)

[Britboys]

For anyone that does have some time to kill in Southampton, there is an interesting exhibition on at the City Art Gallery until 5th September, celebrating Cunard's 175th Anniversary. Worth a look if you like the whole classic ocean liner history. The gallery is right at the top of the main shopping street, behind the clock tower and Sea City Museum. Entry is free.

[Presto2]

For anyone that does have some time to kill in Southampton, there is an interesting exhibition on at the City Art Gallery until 5th September, celebrating Cunard's 175th Anniversary. Worth a look if you like the whole classic ocean liner history. The gallery is right at the top of the main shopping street, behind the clock tower and Sea City Museum. Entry is free.

 

Sounds great - we will do this on the Friday :)

[Josy1953]

Don't the American ships kick you off some very early time in the morning.

I am sure when I wander over to their boards sometimes you get kicked of 6-7am in the morning.

Is that how they get people boarding earlier. Get the last lot off earlier.

 

Yes they do, we left Celebrity Eclipse this morning at 7 am the ship was scheduled to have cleared all departing passengers before 9 am. Self disembarking passengers could leave at 6:30 am.

[molecrochip]

A few points re Britannia in short hand I'm afraid. It does not debark until after 7 and most between 9 and 11. P&O have sold a lot of day visits to Britannia that board mid to late morning. Part of the aim is to regulate traffic in Southampton. Boarding begins at 1 now for Britannia and loyalty lunch does not start at 12, it starts at 1pm. It was suggested that those eligible for loyalty lunch can use priority embarkation to skip queues.

 

System worked well.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[davecttr]

A few points re Britannia in short hand I'm afraid. It does not debark until after 7 and most between 9 and 11. P&O have sold a lot of day visits to Britannia that board mid to late morning. Part of the aim is to regulate traffic in Southampton. Boarding begins at 1 now for Britannia and loyalty lunch does not start at 12, it starts at 1pm. It was suggested that those eligible for loyalty lunch can use priority embarkation to skip queues.

 

System worked well.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Not if you got there at 11.30 it didn't :rolleyes:

 

So P&O have decided to inconvenience real passengers so they call sell day trips to potential passengers. Brilliant marketing :rolleyes:

 

All those people who arrive well before noon are going to be mightily impressed if they have to sit there until 1pm. Especially if they see all those check-in desks not being used.

[louthebowler]

. P&O have sold a lot of day visits to Britannia that board mid to late morning. Part of the aim is to regulate traffic in Southampton. Boarding begins at 1 now for Britannia and loyalty lunch does not start at 12, it starts at 1pm. System worked well.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

 

I would not be happy if my cruise had day visitors on beforehand. apart from the security aspect, I can just imagine the scenario where one day visitor hasn't left the ship so nobody can board until they have been found! After all, how many times have ships been waiting for missing passengers only to find their cards hadn't scanned and they were on board already.

[Florry]

Is this any different to the rest of the fleet? You can book a lunch and tour of any ship on certain dates through the year, also the crew are allowed guests for lunch when in Ston. We did a tour of Adonia last year but seem to remember we were off at about 12, I don't recall seeing passengers. I suppose the sheer size of Britannia has been putting a strain on the local infrastructure although you would have thought it no different to when there are multiple ships in. I suppose a 1pm boarding results from a combination of factors.

Edited June 28, 2015 by Florry

[davecttr]

If you are not going to start boarding until 1pm would it not be a good idea to inform passengers in advance that there is no point turning up before 1pm as boarding starts then? In my experience the Ocean terminal seating area can almost fill up by about noon.

 

Then of course if you have told everyone that boarding started at 1pm it WOULD NOT BE A GOOD IDEA to start boarding early as passengers would not be happy to find that they COULD have got there early and boarded. The fiasco will just end up with everyone turning up at 11am as normal :rolleyes: