Azura - New Improved Embarkation Process

[finalstraw]

for all the hot air on here, I was talking to our pcc today and asked if there had been any feedback from those that have cruised so far.

She said no one had come back to her and complained at all.

Is all the hot air here and not at the actual terminal.

Or do we have to wait for those whose posts have been the most anti to cruise ,for them to come back and report chaos chaos chaos

 

I was on Azura sailing from Ocean Terminal on October 16th, it was my first cruise though so I have nothing to compare with.

 

My arrival time on the e-ticket was 2:30.

 

I'd already booked transport before getting a time so arrived at the terminal around 1:40, got handed a lettered card and got given medical form to fill out. At this point there were no seats available in the terminal, so quite a lot of people waiting and to be honest after travelling was quite happy to stand waiting anyway.

 

At about 2:05 our letter was called for joining the check-in queue, less than 5 minute waiting in line, check in ran smoothly. Waited about another 10 minutes for my mum who was checking in at another desk and ended up behind someone who ran into difficulties.

 

So 2:20 queue for security is about 6 people long, breeze through that and boarded just before 2:30.

 

So overall I was more than happy with the experience, far smoother than airports. However I guess for people who had a 3 or 3:30 arrival time, and turned up at 1 then spent a couple of hours sat there watching it all unfold maybe it could seem like chaos.

[Henderson1]

Surely P & O now need to let people know earlier what their boarding time will be so that appropriate travel arrangements can be made, perhaps on paying final balance. If as it has been sed boarding is by deck order then its easy to tell passengers what will be their boarding time or am I using too much common sense?

[terrierjohn]

Surely P & O now need to let people know earlier what their boarding time will be so that appropriate travel arrangements can be made, perhaps on paying final balance. If as it has been sed boarding is by deck order then its easy to tell passengers what will be their boarding time or am I using too much common sense?

Way more than the P&O management are capable of.:rolleyes:

[2irisheyes]

On our latest cruise with P&O (Aurora May this year) we were given quite a late disembarkation time. We had a train booked at 10.33 am. I tried to get an earlier time and the result was not much use. We eventually left the ship at around 9.30 am and had to wait ages for a taxi. The taxis were very slow in arriving. There were other ships in that day (with plenty of American passengers) and I assumed the taxi drivers preferred to go to them in the hope of better tips. I may be totally wrong here. We caught our train by the skin of our teeth. All credit to the taxi driver who drove like a man possessed after we asked him to hurry. On our upcoming cruise in December we will self-disembark as that was just too much hassle. As others have said, if disembarkation took place earlier then boarding could start earlier. Also it seems to me that many ships now depart Southampton at 4.30 pm (scheduled time) whereas a few years ago it was more like 6 pm. I don't know why this is.

[john watson]

The problem with boarding times being rigid, even if you know what they are, is that it is more difficult to arrive within a tight frame the further you travel to the terminal. This problem is exacerbated with people relying on mixed public transport or flights. Traffic can also be a problem. Nobody wants to spend a major amount on a cruise and turn up late missing the ship.

 

I see no problem with the cruise line allocating everybody a boarding time and then generally checking in passengers who have turned up within 15 minutes of that time on a priority basis then feeding in the other people as an when running the basic timetable permits.

 

This is more or less what I think they are trying to do. It is easy to understand why some people turn up well before their allocated time where an internal UK flight runs once a day to Southampton Airport or you are given 16.00 and told the ship sails at 17.00. People are happy to wait in the terminal if they can see progress is being made and you can get a cuppa, a light bite and there are toilet facilities.

 

Regards John

[jeanlyon]

On our latest cruise with P&O (Aurora May this year) we were given quite a late disembarkation time. We had a train booked at 10.33 am. I tried to get an earlier time and the result was not much use. We eventually left the ship at around 9.30 am and had to wait ages for a taxi. The taxis were very slow in arriving. There were other ships in that day (with plenty of American passengers) and I assumed the taxi drivers preferred to go to them in the hope of better tips. I may be totally wrong here. We caught our train by the skin of our teeth. All credit to the taxi driver who drove like a man possessed after we asked him to hurry. On our upcoming cruise in December we will self-disembark as that was just too much hassle. As others have said, if disembarkation took place earlier then boarding could start earlier. Also it seems to me that many ships now depart Southampton at 4.30 pm (scheduled time) whereas a few years ago it was more like 6 pm. I don't know why this is.

 

C ould you have self-disembarked? We did this on Oriana on October 1st. off the ship at 8.30 wheeling our suitcases. No having to find your bags. Perfect.

[2irisheyes]

C ould you have self-disembarked? We did this on Oriana on October 1st. off the ship at 8.30 wheeling our suitcases. No having to find your bags. Perfect.

 

Indeed we could have self-disembarked but we never dreamt that we would have such a long wait for a taxi. We had never had such a long wait before. We have self-disembarked before on P&O when we had to catch an 8.30 National Express coach. Only problem was getting a lift which were very busy with umpteen porters with wheelchairs (empty). They did not seem very pleased that we were trying to use the lift with luggage at that time - too bad. To finish the story off - the coach had broken down on its way to Southampton so we had to get the 9.30 one and missed our connection in London, hey ho. Hopefully it will be a doddle this time.

[kevinyork]

Which thread is it on as I am interested to read what is being said.

 

 

Quantum Class ships already have set boarding times. We were on Anthem last month. When you complete the online check in you select your preferred half hour slot. You input the time you expect to arrive at the port and it then shows you all available slots from that time onwards. The earliest slot is 11.15-11.45. We chose that one. You arrive and in the foyer people with tablets are waiting to scan your check in papers and check your passports then you walk through security and onto the ship. Takes a matter of minutes. You don't even have to wait for a cruise card as that is waiting in your cabin for you. Whilst they do adhere to the check in slots the big difference is the passenger chooses their own preferred slot, not being randomly allocated one by the cruise line.

 

 

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[davecttr]

Quantum Class ships already have set boarding times. We were on Anthem last month. When you complete the online check in you select your preferred half hour slot. You input the time you expect to arrive at the port and it then shows you all available slots from that time onwards. The earliest slot is 11.15-11.45. We chose that one. You arrive and in the foyer people with tablets are waiting to scan your check in papers and check your passports then you walk through security and onto the ship. Takes a matter of minutes. You don't even have to wait for a cruise card as that is waiting in your cabin for you. Whilst they do adhere to the check in slots the big difference is the passenger chooses their own preferred slot, not being randomly allocated one by the cruise line.

 

 

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That looks entirely logical and P&O should be able to do it. They could even add the improvement of select fare payers being able to online check in a week or so before the saver fares. They already do it for bookings and peninsular club grades.

[pete14]

Quantum Class ships already have set boarding times. We were on Anthem last month. When you complete the online check in you select your preferred half hour slot. You input the time you expect to arrive at the port and it then shows you all available slots from that time onwards. The earliest slot is 11.15-11.45. We chose that one. You arrive and in the foyer people with tablets are waiting to scan your check in papers and check your passports then you walk through security and onto the ship. Takes a matter of minutes. You don't even have to wait for a cruise card as that is waiting in your cabin for you. Whilst they do adhere to the check in slots the big difference is the passenger chooses their own preferred slot, not being randomly allocated one by the cruise line.

 

 

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Kevin

 

The thing that seems to take time for P&O is the photo they take when you check in which they use for security whenever you return to the ship in port. Did they not do that when you boarded Anthem?

[2irisheyes]

kevinyork - so the earlier you book the better chance you stand of getting your preferred time slot. If many want to board between, say, 11.30 and 1.30 when all those slots are taken later bookers (or later check-in onliners) will have to accept a later boarding time. Do all passengers have to check-in online?

 

re the question about photo taking on Anthem (pete14) - would the cruiseline be able to access your passport photo if they have the number. I wouldn't have thought so. Some friends on Azamara mentioned something about photo ID when checking in online.

[terrierjohn]

Re RCL photo, I believe you can take your own photo on your pc and attach this to your on line check in. Failing this they use their i-pads to take your photo.

But I don't think its the photo that adds time to the P&O check in, more the general inexperience of their check in staff as compared to the ones Celebrity use, and they still take your photo at check in.

Edited November 1, 2015 by terrierjohn

[FangedRose]

Quantum Class ships already have set boarding times. We were on Anthem last month. When you complete the online check in you select your preferred half hour slot. You input the time you expect to arrive at the port and it then shows you all available slots from that time onwards. The earliest slot is 11.15-11.45. We chose that one. You arrive and in the foyer people with tablets are waiting to scan your check in papers and check your passports then you walk through security and onto the ship. Takes a matter of minutes. You don't even have to wait for a cruise card as that is waiting in your cabin for you. Whilst they do adhere to the check in slots the big difference is the passenger chooses their own preferred slot, not being randomly allocated one by the cruise line.

 

 

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How do you get into your cabin without your cruise card? Are the cabins not locked? Do you have a separate key?

[Otter18]

How do you get into your cabin without your cruise card? Are the cabins not locked? Do you have a separate key?

 

Your cabin door key is in an envelope by the door, so you pick up your key literal seconds before you enter your room. Once inside the room you can pick up the WOW bands. These bands can be worn like a watch, and are waterproof so you can swim with them on. They unlock the door when held close to the contact point on the door.

[Jason12]

So all this talk of I can turn up when I want and get on a RCI and Celebrity ship by 11am is no quite true?

 

 

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[Otter18]

Kevin

 

The thing that seems to take time for P&O is the photo they take when you check in which they use for security whenever you return to the ship in port. Did they not do that when you boarded Anthem?

 

We were on Anthem last week. We registered online before leaving the house, that included uploading photos.

 

When we arrived at the Southampton terminal, staff had to re-take one of the photo's as it ha not uploaded properly. It took just over an hour from drop off to boarding the ship, although the staff did say it was very unusual as so many px had turned up at the same time. Normal embarkation is half that time apparently (this was our first RCL cruise). We were also in our room within 15 minutes of boarding., And all before 1pm.

 

Disembarkation was the smoothest process of all my previous cruises.

[FangedRose]

Your cabin door key is in an envelope by the door, so you pick up your key literal seconds before you enter your room. Once inside the room you can pick up the WOW bands. These bands can be worn like a watch, and are waterproof so you can swim with them on. They unlock the door when held close to the contact point on the door.

 

So what is to stop someone else 'claiming' your cabin, either mistakenly or otherwise? I'm sure staff will sort it out promptly, but still an unpleasant and/or embarrassing incident to start a cruise.

 

I'm not properly on board until I've established that I've found my cabin by the cruise card opening the door. With the system you describe I would not be settled until after dinner and I'm sure that I haven't got somebody else's cabin by mistake.

[jeanlyon]

How could you be in the wrong cabin if you know your cabin number?

[FangedRose]

How could you be in the wrong cabin if you know your cabin number?

 

Right number but wrong deck, not all ships indicate deck on cabin doors. Refusing to use specs and misreading numbers. Over confidence/arrogance in ones ability to navigate round the corridors. "I've memorised the deck plans and I know we are three down from the lift". Too many welcome drinks.

 

The reasons are endless.

Edited November 1, 2015 by FangedRose

[jeanlyon]

Blimey, I never knew I had all that to worry about! Ha ha. I've never had a problem finding the right cabin.

[the english lady]

Slighty more to the board Anthem when you like then..get on at 11.30 within minutes of getting to the terminal...

Problems with the pix you can so easily upload from home..as has been posted. Does not always work and the poster was an hour sorting it out. When they take my pix with P and O it is there/taken/can be seen, and is on the card in the twinkling of an eye.

Lots of people turning up at the same time....uh I thought that never happened on Anthem as the cheerleaders for them said you always got on board swiftly with no problem.

If people have a set boarding time with Anthem ...how do they manage to stick to it, when apparently if you have a set boarding time with P and O it is not possible to stick to it.

What happens to the people on Anthem who want to board at 11am and all those slots have gone ..do they stick to the time slot they are offered ,or do they turn up at the 11am slot they wanted.

[kevinyork]

Kevin

 

 

 

The thing that seems to take time for P&O is the photo they take when you check in which they use for security whenever you return to the ship in port. Did they not do that when you boarded Anthem?

 

 

 

kevinyork - so the earlier you book the better chance you stand of getting your preferred time slot. If many want to board between, say, 11.30 and 1.30 when all those slots are taken later bookers (or later check-in onliners) will have to accept a later boarding time. Do all passengers have to check-in online?

 

 

 

re the question about photo taking on Anthem (pete14) - would the cruiseline be able to access your passport photo if they have the number. I wouldn't have thought so. Some friends on Azamara mentioned something about photo ID when checking in online.

 

 

You upload a photo during the online check in process. You can do it on a PC but we did it using an iPad.

 

It's not obligatory to check in online but will slow the process for the individuals if they have not done so.

 

 

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[kevinyork]

How do you get into your cabin without your cruise card? Are the cabins not locked? Do you have a separate key?

 

 

One seapass is in the message holder outside the cabin, the other is inside the cabin plus your wow bands are inside which allow you to buy drinks etc without a seapass.

 

 

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[jeanlyon]

But it takes about a couple of minutes for P&O checkin to take your pic and give you your card. We went to the desk (3 of us) and were all done and off to security in about 10 minutes and that included two different credit cards and 3 pictures.

[kevinyork]

Kevin

 

 

 

The thing that seems to take time for P&O is the photo they take when you check in which they use for security whenever you return to the ship in port. Did they not do that when you boarded Anthem?

 

 

No, you upload a photo during online check in.

 

 

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