Caribbean Tier Members

[ravenscourt]

I think the key phrase here is 'at their time'. So if their time is 3:30 that is hardly priority boarding.

I have priority boarding with both Princess and Celebrity (after only 3 cruises !) and board as soon as I arrive or I did the last 2 cruises I have done with them.

 

More & more adverse comments are appearing on P & O's Facebook page ( visitors section ) regarding Chris Edgington's statement & new boarding arrangements which penalise Caribbean Tier members. Apparently P&O are under the impression that loyalty only works in their favour ! Caribbean Tier customers are waking up to this fact and are starting to jump ship !

[Florry]

More & more adverse comments are appearing on P & O's Facebook page ( visitors section ) regarding Chris Edgington's statement & new boarding arrangements which penalise Caribbean Tier members. Apparently P&O are under the impression that loyalty only works in their favour ! Caribbean Tier customers are waking up to this fact and are starting to jump ship !

 

 

Have you noticed P&O are deleting them though?

[Florry]

More & more adverse comments are appearing on P & O's Facebook page ( visitors section ) regarding Chris Edgington's statement & new boarding arrangements which penalise Caribbean Tier members. Apparently P&O are under the impression that loyalty only works in their favour ! Caribbean Tier customers are waking up to this fact and are starting to jump ship !

 

 

Have you got a link to the statement please?

[ravenscourt]

Have you got a link to the statement please?

I'm sorry but I'm not computer savvy enough to do this but Chris Edgington's statement ( P O's Marketing Director ) is buried amongst comments in the visitors posts. Believe that there are more than 115 posts on this subject. Don't believe that they are deleting them but they are not making finding them easy either !

[Big Foot]

Have you got a link to the statement please?

 

Here is the 'statement' .....

 

P&O boarding times.

 

Hi Everyone, it's Christopher Edgington, I wanted to come back to you all on this in person.

 

I can see from reading through all of your comments and concerns that we have to do a better job in telling you what we are doing and more importantly why. It is a fact that over the years the way we check in and embark our guests has changed several times, some of it planned and some has happened organically. Our ships have got bigger and the pressure to get you on board and start your holiday with us is greater than ever before.

 

There are occasions where we have had over half the ship arrive within the first hour of check in, leading to delays. The feedback we have been working to is "get me on board quickly and seamlessly and let me enjoy my holiday". We have been putting check-in times on our tickets for some time and the closer you arrive to that time the better and quicker your embarkation experience will be. Whilst these times are not being enforced, we are making sure that those with earlier check-in times are not made to wait longer as a result of those with later check-in times turning up very early. These are allocated according to the deck you are booked on.

 

I know from speaking with many of you that you like to arrive early or travel arrangements mean you have to arrive early and you can continue to do so. In the past it has not been unusual for some people to arrive up to seven hours earlier than invited, and whilst we will continue to check-in and embark these guests early, it would be unfair for those who arrive at the time we ask, to be put to the back of the queue. I hope you will agree. We have been implementing pieces of this process over the last few months on Britannia and whilst it has taken some time to get right I know you will see the positive benefits when you travel with us. We go live from Saturday on all our ships, so if you are travelling soon you will experience it first- hand.

 

I also have to say that this is part of a larger range of changes we are implementing to improve the experience at our home port. Some of these improvements include: increasing the number of guests we can handle at any time at security screening so it takes less time to get onboard,

speedier baggage delivery,

having all cabins ready earlier than ever before and

serving lunch throughout the afternoon until embarkation is complete.

These are just some of the improvements and we will continue to review the ways to improve the experience for our guests in the future.

 

A few of you have asked what these changes mean for your Peninsular Club benefits, I'm pleased to confirm that those guests who previously received 'Priority' Check-in, will continue to do so, however we've changed the concept slightly from a number of dedicated desks to a queue jump system which will ensure the wait to check-in is even shorter. Once you have checked in you will able to proceed straight to security and then embarkation, so there is no longer a need for the priority embarkation benefit. We recognise the existing embarkation lounge for our suite and Caribbean+ members closes at 2pm, so as a result of the improvements I am pleased to confirm this benefit will change to a welcome reception open from 1.30pm to 3.30pm, serving a selection of complimentary alcoholic and soft drinks, along with hot & cold canapés.

 

We are not doing this to put barriers up or to stop you getting on board, but to ensure that all guests board the ship comfortably without undue wait. I want to get you on board and into the bars and restaurants as soon as I can and not sat in the terminal!

 

Please do continue to give us feedback, we welcome any suggestion that improves your experience and we will continue to try really hard to make sure you have amazing holidays with P&O Cruises.

Thank you very much

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

Joan

[Florry]

Thanks [emoji106]🏼

[Florry]

I'm sorry but I'm not computer savvy enough to do this but Chris Edgington's statement ( P O's Marketing Director ) is buried amongst comments in the visitors posts. Believe that there are more than 115 posts on this subject. Don't believe that they are deleting them but they are not making finding them easy either !

 

 

Interestingly I can see posts if I go in via my FB page but not if I go into FB by P&Os website, maybe a glitch.

Edited October 5, 2015 by Florry

[ravenscourt]

Interestingly I can see posts if I go in via my FB page but not if I go into FB by P&Os website, maybe a glitch.

Requested call back from P&O's website & spoke to their Customer Services. Made it clear that I was unhappy with erosion of Caribbean Tier benefits & unlikely to book again with them in the future due to removal of Priority Embarkation & embarkation lunch plus allocated boarding times. I'm on C Deck boarding time 3.30 PM. Received the following reply from them ' Further to our conversation, please show this email to the Port staff at Embarkation and explain that we would like them to allow you to board at the earliest opportunity so that you can attend the gathering for Caribbean Tier members onboard which you would otherwise miss. While I cannot guarantee you precisely when you will be allowed to board, I'm sure everyone will do their best to accommodate you here.' Suggest anyone concerned about this to do likewise !

[ravenscourt]

Requested call back from P&O's website & spoke to their Customer Services. Made it clear that I was unhappy with erosion of Caribbean Tier benefits & unlikely to book again with them in the future due to removal of Priority Embarkation & embarkation lunch plus allocated boarding times. I'm on C Deck boarding time 3.30 PM. Received the following reply from them ' Further to our conversation, please show this email to the Port staff at Embarkation and explain that we would like them to allow you to board at the earliest opportunity so that you can attend the gathering for Caribbean Tier members onboard which you would otherwise miss. While I cannot guarantee you precisely when you will be allowed to board, I'm sure everyone will do their best to accommodate you here.' Suggest anyone concerned about this to do likewise !

 

' So there is no longer a need for the Priority Embarkation Benefit '. Taken from Chris Edgington's statement ( P&O's Marketing Director ).

[bee-ess]

Requested call back from P&O's website & spoke to their Customer Services. Made it clear that I was unhappy with erosion of Caribbean Tier benefits & unlikely to book again with them in the future due to removal of Priority Embarkation & embarkation lunch plus allocated boarding times. I'm on C Deck boarding time 3.30 PM. Received the following reply from them ' Further to our conversation, please show this email to the Port staff at Embarkation and explain that we would like them to allow you to board at the earliest opportunity so that you can attend the gathering for Caribbean Tier members onboard which you would otherwise miss. While I cannot guarantee you precisely when you will be allowed to board, I'm sure everyone will do their best to accommodate you here.' Suggest anyone concerned about this to do likewise !

 

Don't you think that this reply from P&O is a bit wishy-washy , it doesn't confirm anything, no guarantee etc, typical P&O response.

From everything I have read I think that Caribbean passengers will priority board within their timeslot, I think we have to accept that this benefit has gone !

Edited October 7, 2015 by bee-ess

[the english lady]

A few of you have asked what these changes mean for your Peninsular Club benefits, I'm pleased to confirm that those guests who previously received 'Priority' Check-in, will continue to do so,

 

Taken from Chris's statement.

According to this the priority check still remains. What is the fuss about.?

When you arrive instead of a dedicated check in you are given the next free desk (which has happened to us the last 2 cruises).

The separate lunch will be open until 3pm/3.30pm, and your cabin will be ready when you board or shortly afterwards.

Am I missing something?

[bobstheboy]

A few of you have asked what these changes mean for your Peninsular Club benefits, I'm pleased to confirm that those guests who previously received 'Priority' Check-in, will continue to do so,

 

Taken from Chris's statement.

According to this the priority check still remains. What is the fuss about.?

When you arrive instead of a dedicated check in you are given the next free desk (which has happened to us the last 2 cruises).

The separate lunch will be open until 3pm/3.30pm, and your cabin will be ready when you board or shortly afterwards.

Am I missing something?

 

Who wants lunch at 3pm/3.30pm ? Certainly not me.

[ravenscourt]

A few of you have asked what these changes mean for your Peninsular Club benefits, I'm pleased to confirm that those guests who previously received 'Priority' Check-in, will continue to do so,

 

Taken from Chris's statement.

According to this the priority check still remains. What is the fuss about.?

When you arrive instead of a dedicated check in you are given the next free desk (which has happened to us the last 2 cruises).

The separate lunch will be open until 3pm/3.30pm, and your cabin will be ready when you board or shortly afterwards.

Am I missing something?

 

Yes, the point is you will only be fastracked within your allocated embarkation slot. So if you are unfortunate enough to be on C deck your. embarkation time is 3.30. So you can forget about your lunch.

[Florry]

Yes, the point is you will only be fastracked within your allocated embarkation slot. So if you are unfortunate enough to be on C deck your. embarkation time is 3.30. So you can forget about your lunch.

 

 

I thought they changed the lunch to canapés but I'd have to go back and read it again. I agree with Ravenscourt, priority no longer means turn up and go straight through, it means turn up at your allotted time and go to the front of that queue, but no other.

[davecttr]

I thought they changed the lunch to canapés but I'd have to go back and read it again. I agree with Ravenscourt, priority no longer means turn up and go straight through, it means turn up at your allotted time and go to the front of that queue, but no other.

In which case there are now different sorts of Caribbean tier. Those who are given late arrival slots miss out on the snacks etc.

 

Obviously some whizz kid in HQ suggested all this as a way of getting a better xmas bonus, the result, a potential shambles, typical :rolleyes:

 

They should look at how other cruise lines do it and copy them.

 

Currently stewards are given 6 hours to do their cabin preparation. Why don,t they triple up the stewards on one deck and they could have the cabins ready by 10am etc etc :confused:

 

Can someone please tell me what order the decks are boarded in.

[BrianI]

I thought they changed the lunch to canapés but I'd have to go back and read it again. I agree with Ravenscourt, priority no longer means turn up and go straight through, it means turn up at your allotted time and go to the front of that queue, but no other.

Nowhere in the P&O statement does it mention your allotted time.

 

A few of you have asked what these changes mean for your Peninsular Club benefits, I'm pleased to confirm that those guests who previously received 'Priority' Check-in, will continue to do so, however we've changed the concept slightly from a number of dedicated desks to a queue jump system which will ensure the wait to check-in is even shorter. Once you have checked in you will able to proceed straight to security and then embarkation, so there is no longer a need for the priority embarkation benefit. We recognise the existing embarkation lounge for our suite and Caribbean+ members closes at 2pm, so as a result of the improvements I am pleased to confirm this benefit will change to a welcome reception open from 1.30pm to 3.30pm, serving a selection of complimentary alcoholic and soft drinks, along with hot & cold canapés

 

The Caribbean lunch has been hot and cold canopies for the last few years, so no change there. The only change seems to be they have put it back by 1.5hours, presumably to deter people from arriving early.

Brian

[BandBlady]

Nowhere in the P&O statement does it mention your allotted time.

 

 

 

The Caribbean lunch has been hot and cold canopies for the last few years, so no change there. The only change seems to be they have put it back by 1.5hours, presumably to deter people from arriving early.

Brian

 

If you go to The Peninsular club benefits you will see benefits at your home port .Arrive at the terminal at your designated boarding time to enjoy priority boarding .

That has always been the case .

[Florry]

Ahh ok so when he said no need for priority embarkation what he means is no need for a special desk - you just go straight to the front of the queue and go to the next available desk. I can see how that would work because they get to process regular passengers through desks which were once dedicated, which presumably is more efficient. To prevent a scrum of Caribbean members getting on in the short slot they are extending the opening lunch period to spread the load (same for buffet). Due to this they are no longer using the term 'priority' you probably just get on, say you're Caribbean, go to the front. Same for suites which is why they are no longer on black priority labels. Ok all makes sense now. Sorry for being dim.

Edited October 7, 2015 by Florry

[majortom10]

If you go to The Peninsular club benefits you will see benefits at your home port .Arrive at the terminal at your designated boarding time to enjoy priority boarding .

That has always been the case .

 

It hasnt always been the case because since its inception we have been Baltic/Caribbean in Peninsular Club and never had an embarkation time on e-tickets that meant we could enjoy benefit of lunch/drinks onboard which finished at 2-30 so we always went earlier and never had a problem getting onboard.

[Florry]

Do Carribean now have a time on their ticket?

[Nevleen]

We are Ligurian and have a time on our ticket now. Why all the fuss?

[Florry]

We are Ligurian and have a time on our ticket now. Why all the fuss?

 

 

I think people are just trying to figure it out as the statement was ambiguous in some respects.

[jeanlyon]

I thought it was perfectly clear. And I can understand why they are doing it. Recently we travelled on Fred Olsen. our friend is a Gold member so went to the Priority queue. We were the lowly ones who checked in normally. We went straight through and were on board 45 minutes before her! Reason was the number of wheelchairs and Gold members made the Priority queue 4 times longer than the others.

[Scriv]

Take care 'just going to the front' of the check-in queue though...

 

I was checking in once and our letter had been called. I went to stand where I was told to. My check in lady called us over and I was then promptly set upon by a man in the next desk queue who had been waiting for ages which I obviously didn't know. I was just doing what I was told.

 

He really went for me, saying ' I knew what you were up to as soon as you walked in that queue! I could see your type, the way you moved down there. I saw you'. I was really taken aback.

 

So wear protective armour!

[the english lady]

Take care 'just going to the front' of the check-in queue though...

 

I was checking in once and our letter had been called. I went to stand where I was told to. My check in lady called us over and I was then promptly set upon by a man in the next desk queue who had been waiting for ages which I obviously didn't know. I was just doing what I was told.

 

He really went for me, saying ' I knew what you were up to as soon as you walked in that queue! I could see your type, the way you moved down there. I saw you'. I was really taken aback.

 

So wear protective armour!

Me thinks I might have poked my tongue out and wiggled my fingers at the end of my nose at him.

Cheek.