Staggered Boarding

[jocap]

Hi All,

 

In my experience of sailing from mostly Southampton and several ports in N. America, arriving earlier, later and on time the queues are worse in N.America they just don't seem as efficient. We tend to cruise on the larger ships. The last time we cruised from Southampton in May on the Allure we were on the ship within 15 minutes of parking the car. In October we sailed on the Grand Princess from San Francisco and it took over an hour from getting out of the taxi.

 

I don't think arriving at your alloted time makes much difference and I very much doubt they would enforce times as all they want to do is get you onto the ship as quickly and easily as they can.

 

Pete

P&O have just started enforcing the times...like many, we've always turned up early, but now, if you're boarding from the vast Ocean Terminal (Carnival Co. ships) you're not allowed to board until the main throng has disappeared. The time between 1-2.30pm is still reserved for all the coaches arriving; people coming at that time with a 3.30 time given will have to sit and wait. Whether Cunard will follow the rest of the major lines remains to be seen, but they only have one large ship to handle.

[navybankerteacher]

P&O have just started enforcing the times...like many, we've always turned up early, but now, if you're boarding from the vast Ocean Terminal (Carnival Co. ships) you're not allowed to board until the main throng has disappeared. The time between 1-2.30pm is still reserved for all the coaches arriving; people coming at that time with a 3.30 time given will have to sit and wait. Whether Cunard will follow the rest of the major lines remains to be seen, but they only have one large ship to handle.

 

If they are serious about enforcing the assigned boarding times they should make it very clear to passengers - not only will such specific notification helpeople avoid the frustration of prolonged waiting, it will make enforcement easier by reducing the number of people showing up too early.

[Enforcer]

P&O have just started enforcing the times...like many, we've always turned up early, but now, if you're boarding from the vast Ocean Terminal (Carnival Co. ships) you're not allowed to board until the main throng has disappeared. The time between 1-2.30pm is still reserved for all the coaches arriving; people coming at that time with a 3.30 time given will have to sit and wait. Whether Cunard will follow the rest of the major lines remains to be seen, but they only have one large ship to handle.

 

Hi,

 

So if there aren't that many people waiting to board and you turn up early they will still process you?

 

Pete

[davecttr]

Hi,

 

So if there aren't that many people waiting to board and you turn up early they will still process you?

 

Pete

 

Yes but apparently not until near the time of your designated arrival slot. If you have a 3pm slot and arrive at 2.45 they will process you if there are check in desks free and they have processed the 2.30 slot people etc.

 

If you are in a suit or have a high peninsular club rating you get an earlier slot, carribbean level for example get 1pm.

 

I have usually turned up at 11am and been aboard around noon but this new system applies on my next cruise. I have a 2pm slot and will leave the hotel shortly after one :)

[lisiamc]

If they are serious about enforcing the assigned boarding times they should make it very clear to passengers - not only will such specific notification helpeople avoid the frustration of prolonged waiting, it will make enforcement easier by reducing the number of people showing up too early.

 

I wonder what the hotels are going to think about this. Some want us to check out as early as 10 am. Can you imagine the lobby of a popular hotel near the port with 100 cruisers camping in the lobby for hours?

[jocap]

I wonder what the hotels are going to think about this. Some want us to check out as early as 10 am. Can you imagine the lobby of a popular hotel near the port with 100 cruisers camping in the lobby for hours?[/quote

It was no problem when RCI first tried this with Independence OTS, after her TA, May 2014. We were in a hotel almost in her shadow- check out a mid-day-and we walked our luggage across to the drop-off as soon as the gates opened at 10 30am. Returned to the hotel for coffee, and chatted to other cruisers who had earlier slots, until it was almost 12.15pm, when we strolled across again. Others wandered into town for last minute shopping. Getting rid of the luggage was the best idea, though.

[Enforcer]

Hi Davecctr,

 

I will bear this in mind if we ever sail P&O again.

 

Just noticed that I put Allure (that was last year) I was on about the Anthem.

 

Pete

[Hidden Minnie]

Disney used to go by a "first come first served" system in Port Canaveral, but since the Dream and Fantasy came online with a couple thousand more passengers each, DCL started doing staggered times to try to control building capacity.

 

When you do your online check in for your cruise, you select what is called a Port Arrival Time or PAT. These start at 10:30 or 11 depending on sailing, and go up in 15 minute increments. This is the time you anticipate arriving at the terminal. Platinum and Gold members get to check in online days before Silver, with new customers checking in last. Some people like to get the earliest possible time, others prefer to wait until later to avoid crowds.

 

When you check in at the terminal, you are given a boarding group number. Platinum and Concierge are group #1 and board first. From there, your boarding number is tied to your PAT. If my PAT is 12:30 and people with that PAT are assigned to boarding group 18, even if I show up at 10:30 and they let me in, I will still get a little card at check in that says boarding group 18, and I will have to wait. If my PAT is 10:30 and I am assigned boarding group 2, if I am delayed and show up at 12 instead, I will go right on after check in. People who take Disney transportation to the port do not need an assigned time.

 

Theoretically, if the building is crowded enough and you show up before your PAT they could keep you outside. The sticklers will tell you it can happen, but I have never seen it happen, and have never heard any tales of folks forced to perch on the hot sidewalk until their time rolls around. You'll just end up checking in early and waiting in the terminal for a while. I think the early birds and the wait 'til laters balance each other out in the long run. By 12:30 or so, the crowds are generally light enough that open boarding is declared and you just board when you arrive.

 

It has been long enough now that Disney folks just take the staggered times in stride - waiting in line and shoving to get on seems strange to us now.