Embarkation Times - Recent Experiences?

[Zombatar]

We seem to be quite lucky with our boarding. We need to park the car for the duration of the cruise so we stay at the Grand Harbour Hotel the night before and leave the car with them. Next day we check out, leave the luggage with the hotel, walk into Soton, do a bit of shopping and have lunch. Back to the hotel, they provide the transfer to the ship and we aim to get there about 30 minutes before our boarding time. Then it's drop the luggage, join the queue and check in. No hassle, no stress, job done!! Last time we did this was last January boarding Ventura. Compare this with boarding Legend of the Seas in Brisbane which we did in February. We were all put into a great big building, somewhat like a large cowshed and made to wait whilst they made the ship ready for boarding. After an hour sitting in 30 degree heat with no air con we were allowed to shuffle on board but only after we had passed through border control and then the RCI inquisition about not taking booze etc etc on board. Give me P and O boarding every time!!

 

Peter and Jenny

[cruisenovice7350]

Apologies if this is a daft question or been answered but how do Royal Caribbean or Celebrity manage to handle so many more passengers with what seems to be more efficiency?

[terrierjohn]

No sorry the passengers are at fault most of the time. There has always been a mentality of never mind the time you are given just turn up when you like. These boards were rife with threads saying exactly that. Result chaos, chaos before the system changed and at times chaos now as in the example above.

 

P&O have done something and most of the time it works.

 

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You may well be right Dai as usual, but if other cruise lines can apply a more relaxed attitude to boarding at Southampton, with predominantly the same passenger mix, and not suffer the Supposed problems you say P&O encountered, then it must be P&O at fault since they are the only different variable.

A switch to security first, and starting embarkation at 11:00 or earlier would solve 99% of the so called problems and render this silly P&O boarding fiasco obsolete.

Its all down to customer service and the rules for this are and always have been The customer is always right.

[barriead]

No sorry the passengers are at fault most of the time. There has always been a mentality of never mind the time you are given just turn up when you like. These boards were rife with threads saying exactly that. Result chaos, chaos before the system changed and at times chaos now as in the example above.

 

P&O have done something and most of the time it works.

 

I partly agree with you Dai about the system working most of the time, however "we will have to agree to disagree" about the reasons for passengers turning up early, I clearly believe its an obvious "like to get there nice and early" situation and you clearly aint being moved by that.:)

 

Be a boring old world if we all agreed on everything.:cool:

[Presto2]

No sorry the passengers are at fault most of the time. There has always been a mentality of never mind the time you are given just turn up when you like. These boards were rife with threads saying exactly that. Result chaos, chaos before the system changed and at times chaos now as in the example above.

 

P&O have done something and most of the time it works.

 

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Now I'd normally find myself agreeing with you Dai, but not with this one.

 

We can only sail during the school holidays when the ships are full and I am guessing that, unlike you who may have priority booking, we have sat in the terminal (like a cattle shed) amidst the chaotic scenes of a lady with a broken microphone waving a board in the air trying to keep things organised when she couldn't be seen or heard. I imagine that in low season, when the ships aren't as busy (and less families queuing with young children) it would be calmer and probably not take as long.

 

Ok it may be sort of working sometimes, but it is leaving a number of passengers (like myself) disgruntled. If other cruise lines can come up with a better system to board more quickly then why can't they? As someone has said, and hit the nail on the head, it is about staffing. When we were amidst the chaos in 2015 there was hardly anyone on the many desks that were there checking people in ....

 

PS If you sail a lot in the holidays and don't get priority boarding apologies.

[scotshm]

As a first time cruiser I have been reading the posts concerning the system for boarding with interest. We have a boarding time of 2.30pm however we are travelling down to Southampton on the Friday and staying at the premier inn West quary. We have to be out of room at hotel for 12 , P&O quite clearly say on the questions and answers and on personaliser they know and understand some people need to arrive early due to travel or hotels. So we are going to head over between 12 12.30pm to terminal and wait there to board quite prepared to wait with a drink till we board at our right time as hubby says we would be sitting at hotel but with the case's anyway. Looking forward to the cruise

 

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[Presto2]

 

I partly agree with you Dai about the system working most of the time, however "we will have to agree to disagree" about the reasons for passengers turning up early, I clearly believe its an obvious "like to get there nice and early" situation and you clearly aint being moved by that.:)

 

Be a boring old world if we all agreed on everything.:cool:

 

I suppose we never saw any problems arise with the old system and don't understand why they had to 'fix it when it didn't appear to be broken'. The other cruise lines haven't changed to the P&O system and it still works well for them. :confused:

 

Oh well in 4 weeks time we go to Britannia again, but this time we are using the coach transfer. Will be interesting to see what happens here as we've never done that before.

[barriead]

Now I'd normally find myself agreeing with you Dai, but not with this one.

We can only sail during the school holidays when the ships are full and I am guessing that, unlike you who may have priority booking, we have sat in the terminal (like a cattle shed) amidst the chaotic scenes of a lady with a broken microphone waving a board in the air trying to keep things organised when she couldn't be seen or heard. I imagine that in low season, when the ships aren't as busy (and less families queuing with young children) it would be calmer and probably not take as long.

Ok it may be sort of working sometimes, but it is leaving a number of passengers (like myself) disgruntled. If other cruise lines can come up with a better system to board more quickly then why can't they? As someone has said, and hit the nail on the head, it is about staffing. When we were amidst the chaos in 2015 there was hardly anyone on the many desks that were there checking people in ....

PS If you sail a lot in the holidays and don't get priority boarding apologies.

 

I have to agree staffing levels do tend to be a bit of a issue, as Carnival staff from customer services are brought in to help at times it does beg the question "what is going wrong" at times...only P&O can answer that...I am not holding my breath though.

[barriead]

Apologies if this is a daft question or been answered but how do Royal Caribbean or Celebrity manage to handle so many more passengers with what seems to be more efficiency?

 

Hi cruisenovice, there are quite a few threads on this fine forum that have the answers you are looking for, if you trawl around and use search on this fine forum or just type your question into google you will find plenty of info.

 

 

Good luck with any upcoming Cruises.:D

[CCFC]

Apologies if this is a daft question or been answered but how do Royal Caribbean or Celebrity manage to handle so many more passengers with what seems to be more efficiency?

 

In my experience its down to online check-in (even down to taking your own photograph), pick your own boarding time understanding if you arrive early you wait, use of up to date technology (iPads at check-in) and security before you get into the waiting area.

 

Fastest boarding ever if you stick to the rules.

[Scriv]

Hello Presto - As your coach will have been given an arrival time which over-rides yours, you will most probably go straight through according to what has been happening so far. It will be interesting what time you are given. ( 2 30?) Unlike you, I did see many problems with the old system and being a non-suite passenger and of a low loyalty tier, I found it a very nasty scrum up in the buffet area once on board whilst waiting for our cabin as I have previously posted. I once got very unpleasantly verbally attacked by a passenger in the scrum for check in too. So for me, this new system is a big improvement and much more orderly and it has worked well for me. Admittedly I haven't had any experience of a better embarkation with another cruiseline, so may feel differently if I had - but like the above poster, I am interested to understand how these other cruiselines whose embarkation you all praise actually manage to do it? Does anyone know?

[terrierjohn]

Hello Presto - As your coach will have been given an arrival time which over-rides yours, you will most probably go straight through according to what has been happening so far. It will be interesting what time you are given. ( 2 30?) Unlike you, I did see many problems with the old system and being a non-suite passenger and of a low loyalty tier, I found it a very nasty scrum up in the buffet area once on board whilst waiting for our cabin as I have previously posted. I once got very unpleasantly verbally attacked by a passenger in the scrum for check in too. So for me, this new system is a big improvement and much more orderly and it has worked well for me. Admittedly I haven't had any experience of a better embarkation with another cruiseline, so may feel differently if I had - but like the above poster, I am interested to understand how these other cruiselines whose embarkation you all praise actually manage to do it? Does anyone know?

Yes Scriv, they believe in good customer service something P&O seem happy to ignore.

[Scriv]

Hi John - and what systems and actions do they employ to make their embarkation perfect and flawless for everyone ?

[daiB]

Now I'd normally find myself agreeing with you Dai, but not with this one.

 

 

 

We can only sail during the school holidays when the ships are full and I am guessing that, unlike you who may have priority booking, we have sat in the terminal (like a cattle shed) amidst the chaotic scenes of a lady with a broken microphone waving a board in the air trying to keep things organised when she couldn't be seen or heard. I imagine that in low season, when the ships aren't as busy (and less families queuing with young children) it would be calmer and probably not take as

 

WhPS If you sail a lot in the holidays and don't get priority boarding apologies.

 

 

First you are under a misconception about the ships being less full at non holiday times. Most cruises sail full holidays have little effect apart from the number of children. Secondly if there is a problem as you quoted above with the broken mic. Then all systems would struggle.

 

I know the turn up and wait system before mostly did not work.

 

Have I read you come by coach. If you do your experience should be much better as you get boarded as soon as you arrive.

 

 

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[daiB]

Yes Scriv, they believe in good customer service something P&O seem happy to ignore.

 

 

Hobby horse again.

 

 

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[terrierjohn]

Hobby horse again.

 

 

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It's the only reason I can think of as to why P&O do not do it better.

Scriv, search my posts on the subject, several give a detailed account of why I think the RCI\Celebrity system at City terminal allows them to give a much faster boarding process.

[Zombatar]

It does seem to me that there appear to be a lot of "professional" wingers on this thread. When I get on board, having had a reasonable embarkation nobody seems to be whining about how long it took them to embark. It does seem odd to me that people with arrival times in the afternoon expect to get on board at an earlier time.

 

After all if you had an appointment (lets say at the dentist) for 3:30 would you expect to turn up at 12:20 and get seen? If you had a flight at 3.30 would you expect to arrive at the airport early and get on an earlier flight? Do you arrive at a restaurant with a table booked for 7:30 and expect to get served at 5:30? If you have tickets for an evening performance in the theatre do you arrive for the matinee and expect to get in?

 

So why do you arrive early for embarkation and expect to get on board before your allotted time. Seems to me that is arrogance in that extreme. Just arrange to get there when you are expected to. Simples!!

 

Peter and Jenny

[AchileLauro]

Fact

We sailed on Aurora on Saturday 22nd April. We arrived 10 minutes before our allotted boarding time handed over the car to CPS and entered Mayflower terminal where we were given a card and directed straight to the line for checking in. Twenty minutes later we were on-board and sat down at the terrace bar with a cup of coffee. It simply couldn't have been easier or quicker, no fuss, no hassle and no preferential treatment. So the P&O system does work.

 

Incidentally the arrivals hall was full of passengers waiting to board who presumably had turned up early. We were in the lowest grade of cabin possible. We actually arrived in Southampton 3/4 of an hour earlier but decided to have a look around Decathlon first rather than go straight to the port to wait around.

[Presto2]

Hi Dai, sorry just thought that it was not as full. That is feedback from friends who cruise out of high season. have to admit that our first cruise on Oceana was manic when we boarded in the buffet and we have never bothered since on any cruise line. We were ushered there and didn't could just look around the ship!!!

I do think that it may be easier re the other lines as they make better use of the new technology and on line check in.

This is one of those treads where we'll never all agree .... just agree to disagree ;-)

 

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[Presto2]

Sorry' have no idea what happened here! Am useless at using the tablet on this forum so will stick to the laptop!!

[Scriv]

Presto - do you think that on-line check-in is the key?

[barriead]

There is a misconcetion imho on here that most people who arrive early are doing it just to get on earlier than their embarkation time slot....I just dont believe that...again I say most people will arrive early because its human nature to get to a destination point such as a Cruise terminal nice and early and avail themselves of the facilities, getting nice and settled and relaxed before they board.

 

Any tensions that may arise in the terminal are not driven by these people but by the terminal operations team who may be short of numbers and struggling to deal with what should be a very straight forward process.....dont blame the passengers its not their fault....blame the company that should be looking after them and making sure "the customer comes first" and that facilities and management are the best they could be given the loyalty of most passengers who use them time and again....most it must be said without complaint. I do agree that the system works well most of the time but when it does not to blame passengers for turning up early is just bonkers, using generalisations to try and justify a point is bonkers also, people just want to get on board and start to enjoy their Cruise and most have no problem waiting for a bit.....these mythical people who all turn up early to jump the queue just dont exist except in a tiny minority, the problems that do arise lay solely with those in charge of the operation...P&O.:)

[Mrs Tinkywinky]

It does seem to me that there appear to be a lot of "professional" wingers on this thread. When I get on board, having had a reasonable embarkation nobody seems to be whining about how long it took them to embark. It does seem odd to me that people with arrival times in the afternoon expect to get on board at an earlier time.

 

After all if you had an appointment (lets say at the dentist) for 3:30 would you expect to turn up at 12:20 and get seen? If you had a flight at 3.30 would you expect to arrive at the airport early and get on an earlier flight? Do you arrive at a restaurant with a table booked for 7:30 and expect to get served at 5:30? If you have tickets for an evening performance in the theatre do you arrive for the matinee and expect to get in?

 

So why do you arrive early for embarkation and expect to get on board before your allotted time. Seems to me that is arrogance in that extreme. Just arrange to get there when you are expected to. Simples!!

 

Peter and Jenny

Exactly.

And perhaps the moaners are the ones who come the shortest distance ( on the day );p

[Presto2]

Presto - do you think that on-line check-in is the key?

 

Definitely - and they are going to have to do something similar when that new ship arrives surely! I can't see how they are going to board 5,000 people in the time it is taking to board Britannia's passengers when that huge ship arrives !

 

Have just watched that youtube clip about boarding the Oasis of the Seas and it was incredibly fast and so much easier for passengers as there were no queues and no standing around. I would hate the ship, but the embarkation was impressive! (Must admit we wondered when they got their cruise passes though ...)

 

Having said that, we've never on line check in with Celebrity and it has always worked well. Then again, to be fair, they were fly cruises but most people were Americans who had flown in way before the embarkation day and wanted to get on the ship early on.

 

We are using the coach for the first time as hubby did not fancy driving down the motorway on Bank Holiday Saturday. It will be interesting to see how this works.

Edited May 1, 2017 by Presto2

[barriead]

As this is a discussion thread people do come on here to air their views and have a moan and also to praise, and I am one of them obviously:evilsmile::)

 

If any topic gets out of hand then the moderators will soon pull the thread, nothing wrong with expressing your view and trying to counter others opinions either and having a good old fashioned bun fight can be quite fun....so there.:p:D