Embarkation time

[rochdalepaul]

We are P&O first timers our e ticket informs us that our embarkation time is 16-00 at Southampton, not to arrive before or after this time, given that the ship is supposed to sail at 17-00, it doesn't give much time to board before the ropes are released ! If we arrive at the port early around 13-30 will they process us or make us wait till 16-00?

[Shamrock990]

Which boat are you going on? Our time was 12.30,we arrived about 20 past and was sipping cocktails by 1.it was a speedy process

 

 

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[Iron-Maiden's-No1-Fan]

I've read many posts re this and many people arrive about 12-1 and encounter no problems ☺

[wilson2579]

I do know that Britannia at the moment is sending out emails asking people to adhere to their embarkation time.:eek:

[Iron-Maiden's-No1-Fan]

I do know that Britannia at the moment is sending out emails asking people to adhere to their embarkation time.:eek:

 

That's interesting, they sail at 6 if I have read correctly. .I don't plan on arriving before 12 especially as we are staying in the premier Inn over the road ☺

[rochdalepaul]

Sorry we are on the Britannia 5 th September

[davecttr]

Arrive when you want to. they do not make you wait. When you arrive at the terminal they give you a lettered card and then call the cards in sequence, at which point you go to the check-in desks. When handing out the cards they do not ask to see your e-ticket or want to know your suggested arrival time. :)

[indiana123]

I think that almost all the people who are staying in hotels beforehand just go to the terminal after checkout. We certainly do. Not much fun hanging around or dragging around town with the cases.

 

No one has ever queried our arrival time.

[dsrdsrdsr]

If they want people to stick to arrival times, they shouldn't be stupid about it. 4 o'clock arrival for a 5 o'clock sailing is nonsense - you could be stuck in traffic for an hour at that time. If they make sensible rules, then follow them; but this, IMO, is not a sensible rule.

 

(Not that it has ever made any difference to me, because I come on the Eavesway or official P&O bus. It gets there when it gets there. My official arrival time has never been queried.)

[the english lady]

I've read many posts re this and many people arrive about 12-1 and encounter no problems ☺

 

Equally there have been posts on here from people going on board the bigger ships that as soo many people arrive early-to get on board- there tends to be a lot of people in the terminal in one go. These people have posted that it was quite chaotic, when a lot of it is their own causing.

Agree 4pm is a bit late-maybe about 3ish-when the I must be on board first -have got on board. Also going at the time you would be able to go straight to your cabin, and not had to join the bun fight in the buffet..which people also complain about ,as they arrive early and all want to eat at the same time.

[NSWP]

I have a 2.45pm embarkation time for Aurora on 17 Sept and will stick to it. The times are given for a reason - to reduce pax queues and for general order, but then we should all know that. As long as I make the 'Great British Sailaway' for a jolly time, I shall be happy. I just love those, I know some don't.

 

If you are embarking in Sydney, Australia, many cruise line check in staff will turn you away if you turn up early, I can assure you. The way it should be.

 

Stand by for incoming, can your bullets and shells reach this far? LOL.

 

Rule Britannia - God Bless Orstralia.

Edited August 11, 2015 by NSWP

[Iron-Maiden's-No1-Fan]

At the end of the day it's down to the individual.

[Mostonian]

I wouldn't leave it until 4 pm to embark, far too late in my opinion. Embark when you are ready. I would rather be early than late. As has been mentioned they never check on your nominated embarkation time.

[davecttr]

Things could get chaotic with a large ship if they run out of coloured cards :eek: I have seen red ones and blue ones but are there any green ones? If you have say 40 cards per letter a full set will cover about 1000 passengers, if everyone turns up at the same time on brittania they need a green set and a grey set as well :)

[daiB]

When people say there has never bee a problem with turning up very early, that may be true but we are dealing with a new situation. This has not been experienced before so what has gone on in the past may be irrelevant.

 

To me it is not unreasonable to turn up an hour before your time. Your time is for boarding, not arriving.

 

This is what we do.

[Dorset Cruiser]

I have a 2.45pm embarkation time for Aurora on 17 Sept and will stick to it. The times are given for a reason - to reduce pax queues and for general order, but then we should all know that. As long as I make the 'Great British Sailaway' for a jolly time, I shall be happy. I just love those, I know some don't.

 

If you are embarking in Sydney, Australia, many cruise line check in staff will turn you away if you turn up early, I can assure you. The way it should be.

 

Stand by for incoming, can your bullets and shells reach this far? LOL.

 

Rule Britannia - God Bless Orstralia.

 

They certainly made us wait in Sydney when joining Arcadia. We arrived early morning from Dubai. Had a 3.30pm time on our papers but thought they might take pity on us but they told us to go away and come back at that time. We eventually returned at about 2.00pm after dragging around the port area jetlagged and a bit cross and they were eventually persuaded to let us embark. Not even allowed into the port building until that time. If we ever join in Australia again we will make sure we do an overnight or get a day room if our flight arrives early morning.

 

 

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[Clodia]

I think that almost all the people who are staying in hotels beforehand just go to the terminal after checkout. We certainly do. Not much fun hanging around or dragging around town with the cases.

 

No one has ever queried our arrival time.

 

As I stay in a hotel the night before because of my long journey, there's no way I would turn up after 12 noon. I have never had any difficulty whatever my eticket says.

[Florry]

Hello, fact is: whatever your boarding time you can turn up from 11 and the process described by Dave kicks in. P&O currently operate no method of regulating the adherence to boarding times. There are lots of arguments about the rights and wrongs of this on numerous threads. They seem to start boarding before the earliest time issued on the e-tickets because after years of measuring statistics they know the pattern of arrivals and that many arrive early, just as some arrive late. As there is currently no holding lounge the procedure is to board you on arrival. I hope these facts answer your question, despite reading things to the contrary there were no emails or letters issued prior to boarding Britannia last month, this may have since changed.

Edited August 11, 2015 by Florry

[daiB]

Hello, fact is: whatever your boarding time you can turn up from 11 and the process described by Dave kicks in. P&O currently operate no method of regulating the adherence to boarding times. There are lots of arguments about the rights and wrongs of this on numerous threads. They seem to start boarding before the earliest time issued on the e-tickets because after years of measuring statistics they know the pattern of arrivals and that many arrive early, just as some arrive late. As there is currently no holding lounge the procedure is to board you on arrival. I hope these facts answer your question, despite reading things to the contrary there were no emails or letters issued prior to boarding Britannia last month, this may have since changed.

 

 

As I posted above this is new and what has happened in the past is no indication of what will happen from now on.

[davecttr]

They certainly made us wait in Sydney when joining Arcadia. We arrived early morning from Dubai. Had a 3.30pm time on our papers but thought they might take pity on us but they told us to go away and come back at that time. We eventually returned at about 2.00pm after dragging around the port area jetlagged and a bit cross and they were eventually persuaded to let us embark. Not even allowed into the port building until that time. If we ever join in Australia again we will make sure we do an overnight or get a day room if our flight arrives early morning.

 

 

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Aaargh :eek::eek::eek:

 

I am doing Sydney to Singapore on Aurora next February. The flight arrives at 10.45am and I would expect to check-in immediately after the transfer from the airport. I have no check-in time listed yet :confused:

[wilson2579]

Hello, fact is: whatever your boarding time you can turn up from 11 and the process described by Dave kicks in. P&O currently operate no method of regulating the adherence to boarding times. There are lots of arguments about the rights and wrongs of this on numerous threads. They seem to start boarding before the earliest time issued on the e-tickets because after years of measuring statistics they know the pattern of arrivals and that many arrive early, just as some arrive late. As there is currently no holding lounge the procedure is to board you on arrival. I hope these facts answer your question, despite reading things to the contrary there were no emails or letters issued prior to boarding Britannia last month, this may have since changed.

 

It has Florry. I received an email for embarking Britannia on Saturday.

[KarenR_UK]

As I posted above this is new and what has happened in the past is no indication of what will happen from now on.

 

Indeed - from my reading, they are trying to change things to make boarding easier for everyone - and they are starting with Britannia as her boarding process is more of a logistical problem & too many people are (presumably) arriving too early / at the same time.

 

The problem is, in every forum and every group, there are the people saying - its never been a problem before, do what you want to/ always do - eventually, if everyone keeps ignoring the requests, P&O will simply go the way of Sydney and refuse entry to the terminal building if you are too early regardless of excuses.

(though what they intend to do with those of us who are late is another question altogether - wait until the very end of check-in:eek: )

[Iron-Maiden's-No1-Fan]

I'd quite happily sit in the terminal for an hour or so if i arrived early. . As long as I can have a cuppa I'd be fine ☺

[Presto2]

We waited at least 90 minutes before they started boarding on Britannia. It was chaos as the PA system broke so it kept cracking up as she was talking. It was like a comedy programme. I did feel sorry for the lady trying to use it. Hope she got paid well for that one ... facing thousands of unhappy people giving our bad news is bad enough without that!

 

Most people turned up as they had in the past despite their boarding time (self included so we are guilty) but it isn't working the same as they are starting boarding later. They let Suite passengers on first for what seemed an eternity. It was frustrating to see lots of empty check in desks when there were so many people waiting to get on.

 

Lots of people around us were saying that boarding time should be a perk of a Select Fare and having experienced the 'new' system I think that this would be the fair way to go now.

[Iron-Maiden's-No1-Fan]

Will the boarding time be on my printed tickets or will it be on my cruise personaliser nearer the time of my cruise ☺