Embarkation

[daiB]

Have you not read my signature Dai, "Rules are for the guidance of wise men, and the observance of fools", and I am definitely no ones fool.;p:halo:

 

 

No, but that leads to chaos.

 

The other interpretation is I will obey the rules I want to and those I do not like I will ignore.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[NSWP]

We have been into Southampton a few times over the years to board Arcadia, Oriana and Aurora, always turn up at our allotted time, if everybody did that the long waits would not happen.

 

Now onto the subject of Adonia, she takes about 700 pax, so can I presume that congestion would not be too bad at check in? We are on her next year, two cruises B2B.:halo:

 

I know when we embarked Pacific Princess in Sydney, same build as Adonia, we walked into the embarkation hall around 3pm at Darling Harbour Sydney and there were only a dozen pax there, everybody was on for the 5pm sailing, small ship, less congestion.

[jh1809]

We have been into Southampton a few times over the years to board Arcadia, Oriana and Aurora, always turn up at our allotted time, if everybody did that the long waits would not happen.

 

Now onto the subject of Adonia, she takes about 700 pax, so can I presume that congestion would not be too bad at check in? We are on her next year, two cruises B2B.:halo:

 

I know when we embarked Pacific Princess in Sydney, same build as Adonia, we walked into the embarkation hall around 3pm at Darling Harbour Sydney and there were only a dozen pax there, everybody was on for the 5pm sailing, small ship, less congestion.

 

 

I've only cruised on Adonia the once - though it would have been more times by now had P&O not temporarily lost her - and one of the many good things about her was how quick and uncongested the embarkation process was. It made the start of my holiday much more relaxing.

[h3rjp]

We took a coach to Southampton (not one of the official ones) so we arrived about 2 and half hours before our departure time.

 

We cooled our heels outside for 30 minutes, but as it was quite miserable we decided to go inside the terminal. We were expecting to be told to wait, but least it was warm and dry.

 

However we were given an embarkation letter and were on the ship in 25 minutes.

 

There had been quite a few accidents on the motorways so I think there was a definite lull in people arriving.

 

But the lesson here is, if you can find something to do beforehand; then it's perfectly good to turn up at your allocated time.

 

If by chance you are early, they may let you straight on, or may not. Be prepared to wait; but if circumstances are favourable you'll get on anyway.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Barnum42]

Four weeks to go and we've still not been allocated the guaranteed cabin or boarding time.

 

Past two P&O cruises, the plan was to turn up early - giving time for any traffic delays, which in one case turned out to be wise as the traffic around the port suffered after an incident, and had we been good boys and girls and waited until our boarding time - one the last we could have been stuffed.

 

Part of the plan was to check in the luggage and stroll into town for lunch and return at our allocated boarding time. For Ventura we were told not to do that and wait in the terminal - which was jam packed with no spare seats. To make sure we knew there were no spare seats, they kept announcing on the PA to find a seat and sit down in it. This was the worst organised embarkation we've experienced. Previously we'd been on Royal Carribbean and Princess where you turn up and board.

 

The last cruise was on Britannia, from a different terminal to Ventura. Again we were advised not to wander off but wait in the terminal. There were lots of seats, plus embarkation was handled more efficiently, boarding everyone in numerical order. When our number turned up (OK, for the more pedantic, they use letters) it was earlier than our board time and we happily boarded having waited for not all that long.

[Malcolm142]

Four weeks to go and we've still not been allocated the guaranteed cabin or boarding time.

 

Past two P&O cruises, the plan was to turn up early - giving time for any traffic delays, which in one case turned out to be wise as the traffic around the port suffered after an incident, and had we been good boys and girls and waited until our boarding time - one the last we could have been stuffed.

 

Part of the plan was to check in the luggage and stroll into town for lunch and return at our allocated boarding time. For Ventura we were told not to do that and wait in the terminal - which was jam packed with no spare seats. To make sure we knew there were no spare seats, they kept announcing on the PA to find a seat and sit down in it. This was the worst organised embarkation we've experienced. Previously we'd been on Royal Carribbean and Princess where you turn up and board.

 

The last cruise was on Britannia, from a different terminal to Ventura. Again we were advised not to wander off but wait in the terminal. There were lots of seats, plus embarkation was handled more efficiently, boarding everyone in numerical order. When our number turned up (OK, for the more pedantic, they use letters) it was earlier than our board time and we happily boarded having waited for not all that long.

 

 

Which terminals did you have to use for Ventura and Britannia.

We're using Mayflower next week

[Mysticalmother]

I've only cruised on Adonia the once - though it would have been more times by now had P&O not temporarily lost her - and one of the many good things about her was how quick and uncongested the embarkation process was. It made the start of my holiday much more relaxing.

 

 

We are on the first Adonia cruise following her return to P & O ....will be interesting to see how embarkation is handled..I will let you know! We are currently scheduled to embark at the QE ll terminal.....I have been from that one before but I am struggling to remember what it was like....:confused:

[Barnum42]

Which terminals did you have to use for Ventura and Britannia.

We're using Mayflower next week

 

 

I'm not sure for Ventura, either Mayflower or City (whichever P&O use). Britannia was from Ocean Cruise Terminal.

[Saltybaltiholty]

At the moment my October 15th cruise on Ventura is scheduled to depart from Ocean terminal.

 

Sent from my SM-G925F using Forums mobile app

[Malcolm142]

I'm not sure for Ventura, either Mayflower or City (whichever P&O use). Britannia was from Ocean Cruise Terminal.

 

Oh dear! I am sailing on Ventura from Mayflower next week. We used Ocean Terminal onto the Azura four years ago and it was excellent and speedy boarding..

We had previously used Mayflower and had no problems but that was 1998 and onto a smaller ship, Oriana.

Perhaps being an older and smaller terminal Mayflower can not handle 3000 passengers in one go.

We'll see how it goes next week.

[BrianI]

Mayflower terminal had a major revamp about two years ago to be able to handle the larger ships. There is a larger seating area, larger lifts, more check in desks etc.

Brian

[Saltybaltiholty]

Oh dear! I am sailing on Ventura from Mayflower next week. We used Ocean Terminal onto the Azura four years ago and it was excellent and speedy boarding..

We had previously used Mayflower and had no problems but that was 1998 and onto a smaller ship, Oriana.

Perhaps being an older and smaller terminal Mayflower can not handle 3000 passengers in one go.

We'll see how it goes next week.

We boarded Azura from Mayflower last October with an embarkation time of 2.30, we arrived at 1.25 and were more than happy to wait for our allotted time, there were plenty of seats to be had, but to our surprise a lovely lady handed us our coloured card and told us we wouldn't have to wait too long, she wasn't lying, we were on board by 1.45! [emoji2]

 

Sent from my SM-G925F using Forums mobile app

[daiB]

Oh dear! I am sailing on Ventura from Mayflower next week. We used Ocean Terminal onto the Azura four years ago and it was excellent and speedy boarding..

We had previously used Mayflower and had no problems but that was 1998 and onto a smaller ship, Oriana.

Perhaps being an older and smaller terminal Mayflower can not handle 3000 passengers in one go.

We'll see how it goes next week.

 

 

She has been changed and can now handle the large ships.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Selbourne]

Oh dear! I am sailing on Ventura from Mayflower next week. We used Ocean Terminal onto the Azura four years ago and it was excellent and speedy boarding..

We had previously used Mayflower and had no problems but that was 1998 and onto a smaller ship, Oriana.

Perhaps being an older and smaller terminal Mayflower can not handle 3000 passengers in one go.

We'll see how it goes next week.

 

We were on Ventura last week from Mayflower. Disembarkation of the preceding cruise (28 days) was behind schedule but we were on board (priority boarding) by 1215pm, which is even earlier than advertised.

 

Disembarkation at the end of the cruise was fine, we were off the ship in 5 minutes, found our cases within 2 minutes and in the car 5 minutes after. It was a short (4 day) cruise so some passengers had carried their own luggage off, but I wouldn't be at all concerned about any ship going from Mayflower.

[tartanexile81]

We were on Ventura last week from Mayflower. Disembarkation of the preceding cruise (28 days) was behind schedule but we were on board (priority boarding) by 1215pm, which is even earlier than advertised.

 

Disembarkation at the end of the cruise was fine, we were off the ship in 5 minutes, found our cases within 2 minutes and in the car 5 minutes after. It was a short (4 day) cruise so some passengers had carried their own luggage off, but I wouldn't be at all concerned about any ship going from Mayflower.

 

The reason it was behind schedule for the cruise before, Melbourne, was that the luggage took so long to unload. We should have been amongst the first to leave but we were 30 minutes late with a train to catch so we were in a panic. The first available time was 8:30 which was already later than it would have been at other terminals. There are cruises of this length throughout the year and it's never a problem at Ocean Terminal. We're also lucky enough to get priority boarding but we spoke to people over lunch and dinner that day who said boarding had been chaotic.

 

A big (n) to the Mayflower from us

[terrierjohn]

We will be embarking from Mayflower on Azura in May, our cabin is on C deck so I expect we will get a 3:30pm boarding time.

Don't tell Dai but we will probably arrive much earlier and hope to be on board before the coaches start arriving.;)

[daiB]

We will be embarking from Mayflower on Azura in May, our cabin is on C deck so I expect we will get a 3:30pm boarding time.

Don't tell Dai but we will probably arrive much earlier and hope to be on board before the coaches start arriving.;)

 

 

It's all right I have not read this.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Ginb56]

Has anyone had experience of embarkation time for F deck on Britannia please? It'd be interesting if folk have had similar times on its cruises or if times gets varied per cruise.

[Selbourne]

The reason it was behind schedule for the cruise before, Melbourne, was that the luggage took so long to unload. We should have been amongst the first to leave but we were 30 minutes late with a train to catch so we were in a panic. The first available time was 8:30 which was already later than it would have been at other terminals. There are cruises of this length throughout the year and it's never a problem at Ocean Terminal. We're also lucky enough to get priority boarding but we spoke to people over lunch and dinner that day who said boarding had been chaotic.

 

A big (n) to the Mayflower from us

 

That's interesting. Did they give any reason for the delay? The reason I ask is that when we arrived the Marshall said that your disembarkation had been delayed 'due to the luggage having been loaded on the wrong side of the ship'. We struggled to believe this because, given the volume of luggage, especially on a long cruise such as yours,, it probably spans the entire width of the ship and we have always known ships to dock in Mayflower with the Port side against the terminal (as was the case with your arrival). However, when we returned from our cruise we docked with the starboard side against the berth, which we have never known before! The disembarkation instructions issued the previous day had said that we would leave via the starboard side, which I had assumed was an error!