Improving Checkin at Pier

[ckfred]

In very few instances does RC control the terminal. Miami is an instance where the facility is under RC control, so the facilities are configured as RC wants.

 

At Seattle, Boston, Miami, and Port Canaveral, the security checkpoint is between baggage drop-off and the check-in desks, while at Harwich, security is after check-in (and despite what the sign says, express line for suite guests only, the red cards are handed out to Platinum and above).

 

The only major problem we've had was at Boston. Power went out in the terminal, right as the Jewel docked. So, disembarkation was delayed, which then delayed boarding. The cruise terminal wasn't designed to hold as many people as were waiting to board, when boarding started around 12:30.

 

In my mind, what would improve boarding (and is done on some ships) is having two lines, one for the boarding picture and one without.

 

What might also improve boarding is having multiple gangways. If you are at an airport where A380s operate, there are normally 3 jetways used for boarding.

 

When we departed London-Heathrow in August (after a cruise out of Harwich), BA boarded a 777-300 using 2 jet bridges.

 

So, putting 2000 or more people on a ship with only 1 gangway, even over the course of several hours, doesn't make a lot of sense.

[rtazz17]

If is not broken don't fix it

 

Yes I agree but some ports ARE BROKEN... Ive gone out of new orleans and it was a disaster...Now the bigger ships like oasis class Ive never ever had a complaint.. Smooth

[impatientlywaiting]

Yes I agree but some ports ARE BROKEN... Ive gone out of new orleans and it was a disaster...Now the bigger ships like oasis class Ive never ever had a complaint.. Smooth

 

We cruised on Serenade out of New Orleans over Christmas 2013 and it was the smoothest and fastest, both on and off the ship, that we've ever dealt with. It was awesome! Seattle also was another very quick and smooth port. Now getting off the Jewel in Los Angeles, a week ago, not so good. There were very few cabs available; the waiting lines out in the median were out in the hot sun with no shade. It's a wonder some of the older folks didn't have heat stroke standing out there waiting for so long. It was ridiculous. We had no issues when we boarded in Vancouver, B.C. at Canada Place though - very efficient.

[BillOh]

Improving Checkin at Pier

 

My personal opinion is, If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The closest thing I've had to a bad experience was waiting 30 minutes to board Freedom in Miami back in 2008 because a passenger who was doing a B2B wasn't on the right list. I've read a few horror stories, but my experiences has always been good. I know while in the technology field, even I can be intimidated by those automated check in kiosks, at least for awhile.

[reallyitsmema]

We cruised on Serenade out of New Orleans over Christmas 2013 and it was the smoothest and fastest, both on and off the ship, that we've ever dealt with. It was awesome! Seattle also was another very quick and smooth port. Now getting off the Jewel in Los Angeles, a week ago, not so good. There were very few cabs available; the waiting lines out in the median were out in the hot sun with no shade. It's a wonder some of the older folks didn't have heat stroke standing out there waiting for so long. It was ridiculous. We had no issues when we boarded in Vancouver, B.C. at Canada Place though - very efficient.

 

We had a completely different experience getting off the Jewel a week ago in San Pedro. Our number was called on time. Line to get off the ship was long but moved fine. Once in the terminal, our bags were together so we grabbed them and headed for the door. There was a very long line headed out to buses but we went down the side of that line and went out the door for private cars and shuttles. We had a minivan scheduled through Express by Execucar. We received a text saying car was on the way and to look for gray van #730. Many vans kept rolling in and ours arrived about 5 minutes late, not too bad. Express by Execucar is a little cheaper than Execucar since it is minivans instead of towncars but you can arrange private transportation with both.

[KiwiGal117]

IHowever, it may not be a bad Idea for them to research a hospitality desk at the airport in the baggage claim area (A step up from what they do now as far as only meeting transfers) to tag bags, print out a missing Set Sail pass etc. (They wouldn't be able to handle problems from the airport, just assist with things to make it more streamlined at the pier).

 

I think this is a great idea - they could look to what Disney does at MCO. Similar kind of set up - although I can't recall if you have to take your luggage off the belt yourself, or if it's specially tagged and redirected to Disney behind the scenes. Either way, it could be helpful in redirecting at least some of the flow away from the cruise terminal for those that fly in the morning of.

[rudeney]

They could look to what Disney does at MCO. Similar kind of set up - although I can't recall if you have to take your luggage off the belt yourself, or if it's specially tagged and redirected to Disney behind the scenes. Either way, it could be helpful in redirecting at least some of the flow away from the cruise terminal for those that fly in the morning of.

 

 

You do not touch your bags at the airport if you use Disney's Magical Express. You put special tags on them before checking them in at your departure airport, and you do not see them again until they are delivered to your Disney hotel room. Same when departing - tag them, give them to the Disney porter, collects them from your room, and you collect them when you arrive at your home airport. DCL also does this if you book a package through them with airport ground transfers. And they do this if you book a package that includes a stay at the Walt Disney World resort before or after the cruise.

[hitnronladalle]

Yeah, and they should come to my house and drive me to the port and pack my bag for me. Once you reach Emerald Status they can shop for a new shirt and tie for formal night. Come on people, it takes 10 minutes for the porters to take your bags and to walk into the terminal.

[John&LaLa]

You need to experience the new terminal in PC. Everything is under roof. Very nice

[KiwiGal117]

I guess the point some people are making is that sometimes it takes significantly longer than that, and isn't organized. I agree, sometimes it's pretty easy, but I've stood in line a good long time on occasion, which always seems longer because we are all dying to start our vacation!! LOL!!!

[AustinCruise]

Suggestion - rent bulldozer. Flatten Galveston terminal.

[BillOh]

You need to experience the new terminal in PC. Everything is under roof. Very nice

Even with a pre-sail wedding, this was a smooth departure. Look forward to sailing from there again.

[davekathy]

Yeah, and they should come to my house and drive me to the port and pack my bag for me. Once you reach Emerald Status they can shop for a new shirt and tie for formal night. Come on people, it takes 10 minutes for the porters to take your bags and to walk into the terminal.

 

10 minutes...must have been a slow day.

[knittinggirl]

Try sitting on the runway at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam for several hours with the plane locked down and no AC or even fresh air. This was in the late 1980's during a Europe-wide series of terrorist bomb attacks. They announced that there's been the threat of a bomb placed onboard and they'd decided to take of each and every piece of luggage to inspect it. Passengers weren't allowed to get off the plane while the search took place!

 

No, being cooped up in the cruise terminal as you were is no fun, but believe me, for every bad embarkation incident you can recount, I can think of an airport incident that I'd consider as bad or worse. :eek:

You're right! We had to wait about a couple of hours on the runway for American Airlines to get permission to fix something wrong with the wing. They applied Duct Tape, then painted over it. Then they took 30 minutes to fill in the paperwork (including part numbers). At least we knew we would have a 3 hour limit.

 

What really makes a mess w/ late disembarkation is that we drove to the airport, and couldn't enter our reserved parking lot, because it was filled with passengers that needed to disembark the ship first. But Galveston is Murphy's home port.

Edited October 5, 2015 by knittinggirl

[Fouremco]

You're right! We had to wait about a couple of hours on the runway for American Airlines to get permission to fix something wrong with the wing. They applied Duct Tape, then painted over it. Then they took 30 minutes to fill in the paperwork (including part numbers). At least we knew we would have a 3 hour limit.

 

What really makes a mess w/ late disembarkation is that we drove to the airport, and couldn't enter our reserved parking lot, because it was filled with passengers that needed to disembark the ship first. But Galveston is Murphy's home port.

I'm not sure which would be scarier, sitting on the tarmac with a possible bomb on board or flying on a plane that they've fixed with duct tape and a quick coat of paint! :eek:

 

I'll leave Galveston to you and your friend Murphy! :)