Embarkation Times - Recent Experiences?

[terrierjohn]

Andy does not appear to be a seasoned cruiser, if you look at his post history. P&O can do better, but I am not sure if Andy is the best one to make a judgement.

 

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You don't need to be all that seasoned a cruiser to realise that RCI group, or more specifically City Terminal, have embarkation procedures that are light years in advance of P&O.

From the unnecessary queuing waiting for CPS valet drivers, through having security in the wrong place, to the lack of sensible customer service throughout, P&O operate the slowest and worst embarkation process of anyone at Southampton.

[kevinyork]

You don't need to be all that seasoned a cruiser to realise that RCI group, or more specifically City Terminal, have embarkation procedures that are light years in advance of P&O.

From the unnecessary queuing waiting for CPS valet drivers, through having security in the wrong place, to the lack of sensible customer service throughout, P&O operate the slowest and worst embarkation process of anyone at Southampton.

 

 

 

Agreed. It can only be about cost. P&O must know that some are unhappy with their boarding and must also know there are better ways of doing it. However that would most likely increase their costs as longer check in hours would be needed, more check in desks and more check in staff would be required (could the terminal handle it? I'm sure P&O must have been involved in the design of the terminal and had an input into the number of desks).

 

I'm guessing the US lines are better at it as the Americans wouldn't put up with a poor boarding procedure.

 

 

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[daiB]

The same people saying the same things over and over again.

 

 

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[andyg9053]

4 times on Royal Caribbean. 3 on P and O and 1 on MSC. So I have a little experience. Shareholder with the company. However I feel they are missing many a business opportunity. It may keep GB senior citizens ompressed but there are far more people out there with money to spend. We thoroughly enjoyed a few of the evenings entertainment, Whitney being the best. However sea days missing climbing walls. Wave rider. Ice skating. Water slides....the list goes on. This ship is 2 years old and was designed by a 5 yr old...no stairs. Pillars in the Horizon restaurant. Not enough seating for the passengers. Engines that pump diesel exhaust on to the sun loungers. Constant vibration when trickling along at 16 knots. Adventure of the seas is 16 years old and is far superior.

 

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[BMT]

Hi Dai - you've been so quiet lately, I thought you'd gone on a cruise - with Celebrity just to see how its done!! Hahaha!

 

Well, after all these pages, it seems to come down to money and a lack of will to up their game.

 

We had breakfast one morning and the most 'unlikely' omlette arrived from the chef and a Manager took a look and laughed. I said that it wouldn't have happened on Cunard and he agreed. Turns out that he had worked on Cunard and he couldn't believe what was going on on Pando!! So why doesn't Carnivore do something about it and transfer some staff over? They must know!

 

Could be grounds for a revolution, as I believe that Pando don't have many nationalities on board - they are all mostly from Goa - I could be wrong though. So putting other nationalities in charge may not go down well.:eek:

 

Anyway, just so long as Dai is happy, all is well:halo:

[daiB]

Whatever you say.

[daiB]

4 times on Royal Caribbean. 3 on P and O and 1 on MSC. So I have a little experience. Shareholder with the company. However I feel they are missing many a business opportunity. It may keep GB senior citizens ompressed but there are far more people out there with money to spend. We thoroughly enjoyed a few of the evenings entertainment, Whitney being the best. However sea days missing climbing walls. Wave rider. Ice skating. Water slides....the list goes on. This ship is 2 years old and was designed by a 5 yr old...no stairs. Pillars in the Horizon restaurant. Not enough seating for the passengers. Engines that pump diesel exhaust on to the sun loungers. Constant vibration when trickling along at 16 knots. Adventure of the seas is 16 years old and is far superior.

 

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So go back to the water slides which P&O passengers do not want go back to RC ah but that's no good they have no central stairs either.

 

All of this rhetoric just because you did not get on the ship when you thought you should.. sums it up.

 

 

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[CCFC]

They do have a point about Royal Caribbean though, my second cruise on them had me on the 4,800 passenger ship within 15 minutes of getting out the car, on deck by 11:45.

 

That's quicker than Princess and I'm Elite with them.

Edited April 15, 2017 by CCFC
Punctuation

[barriead]

Could someone let me know roughly how long before you are allowed access to your Cabin when boarding with those lines that allow the "speedy check in and board", and also if in their eyes there are any niggles/annoyances that may arise from using this system.? I am genuinely starting to wonder what issues P&O may be trying to avoid using their present system of regimented times etc.

It is quite obvious the present system has its fans and detractors and also those who dont really mind/care about it at all (as long as they get on for their Cruise), but it does occur to me that everyone boarding as soon as they get there could possibly lead to some sort of onboard issues whatever they may be.

[andyg9053]

Dai B, just copied this from my last post on these forums. I give credit where it is due. However I also tell it as I see it when I think they have got it wrong. 'Sailed on 4 Feb on Brittania from St Lucia. Walked off plane onto a bus for 90 min drive to port. Tui Discovery was on town berth. We got taken round past the rum karaoke bar. Checkin was a 2 minute event on deck 5. Fastest and easiest checkin ever.:)'

 

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[Florry]

Could someone let me know roughly how long before you are allowed access to your Cabin when boarding with those lines that allow the "speedy check in and board", and also if in their eyes there are any niggles/annoyances that may arise from using this system.? I am genuinely starting to wonder what issues P&O may be trying to avoid using their present system of regimented times etc.

 

It is quite obvious the present system has its fans and detractors and also those who dont really mind/care about it at all (as long as they get on for their Cruise), but it does occur to me that everyone boarding as soon as they get there could possibly lead to some sort of onboard issues whatever they may be.

 

 

The cabins are generally ready when boarding starts. I think they just spread the boarding time out to make things more comfortable for everyone so there is less waiting around and the public areas don't become too congested. The only time it bothers me is on short cruises. I think on our last cruise we had a 3.30 boarding time, we were a bit early but went through before I could drink my coffee and were in the cabin within 15 mins of check in. We used to stay in a hotel the night before but since the new system was introduced we drive down in the morning. It is what it is, I tend to just go with the flow.

 

 

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[kevinyork]

The same people saying the same things over and over again.

 

 

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and yet you too are one of them, but without the experience of other cruise lines to make a valid or reasoned comparison. If you, and others, could board, when it suited without being told what time to arrive and there was no delay or waiting area surely that would be preferable? Royal and Celebrity manage it perfectly well.

 

 

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[daiB]

and yet you too are one of them, but without the experience of other cruise lines to make a valid or reasoned comparison. If you, and others, could board, when it suited without being told what time to arrive and there was no delay or waiting area surely that would be preferable? Royal and Celebrity manage it perfectly well.

 

 

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Yes Kevin.

 

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[kevinyork]

Yes Kevin.

 

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Dai, no need to be condescending. If you don't have a valid response then no response would be appropriate.

 

My opinions on boarding processes are based on multiple experiences of 2 other cruise lines apart from P&O. I appreciate you love P&O but your experience is restricted only to them.

 

 

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[terrierjohn]

Could someone let me know roughly how long before you are allowed access to your Cabin when boarding with those lines that allow the "speedy check in and board", and also if in their eyes there are any niggles/annoyances that may arise from using this system.? I am genuinely starting to wonder what issues P&O may be trying to avoid using their present system of regimented times etc.

It is quite obvious the present system has its fans and detractors and also those who dont really mind/care about it at all (as long as they get on for their Cruise), but it does occur to me that everyone boarding as soon as they get there could possibly lead to some sort of onboard issues whatever they may be.

My experience on Celebrity is that cabins are normally ready sometime around 1:30pm, which is about the earliest that non Caribbean tier members can board, so about the same.

Why would there be any niggles, during sea days the ship copes with the full passenger load, so why would embarkation day be any different, the majority of staff are still working to provide only part of the full services normally available, eg Buffet restaurant and limited bars.

Despite Dai's snide comments I can see no good reason that P&O could not provide the same boarding service as Celebrity, other than poor management,an inferior customer service ethos, and poorly planned boarding procedures.

Incidentally Dai, how do you know that ALL P&O passengers do not want flow riders, rock climbing walls and various other activities that family friendly cruise lines provide?

[daiB]

Dai, no need to be condescending. If you don't have a valid response then no response would be appropriate.

 

 

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Once again you are wrong. Where exactly have I made any comparison which is not a fact available for all to find.

 

But then again you clearly don't read my posts.

 

I only commented on the same people saying the same things over and over so in their own minds it is true.

 

 

 

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[Tarquin]

Having once been banned from a forum for suggesting that riders of mobility scooters could if they chose, park further away from the entrance to B&Q i'd best keep out of this debate ;)

[chris11256]

Just to add that with RCI a great deal of the check in process is online. My parents sailed on Harmony last May. They went from kerb to boarding within 10 minutes. They just met someone with an iPad who verified all the online info was correct. No being given a coloured card & wants ting to be called

 

If P&O want to speed things up, it could do a great deal by introducing online check in.

[brillo]

When the American lines can handle Caribbean cruise transfers and boarding half as well as P&O I might try them again !

[Mysticalmother]

If P&O want to speed things up, it could do a great deal by introducing online check in.

 

Now that statement I do agree with.

 

However.....P &O's (and Cunard's) IT systems and websites have always lagged behind their competitors. I would put money on that online check in will be introduced in the next 12-24 months....but until then, it is what it is.

 

I dont have high tier status, and dont usually travel in suites ( although did on my last cruise due to snapping up a bargain) but I have never had reason to complain about embarkation. The longest we have ever had to wait was about half an hour when boarding the QM2, and I remember a longish check in queue once in the old Mayflower days.....but it still beats airports hands down every time.

I will shortly going on Adonia...will be interesting to see how "small ship" boarding compares!

[CCFC]

There is a video of check-in on Royal Caribbean at Southampton here -

(Thank you Duncan if you are still on these boards!)

 

I think the lady says it should be done in 90 seconds.

[Selbourne]

There is a video of check-in on Royal Caribbean at Southampton here -

(Thank you Duncan if you are still on these boards!)

 

I think the lady says it should be done in 90 seconds.

 

Amazing. P&O could indeed learn a lot from this. Us Brits are far too tolerant of queues and long waits.

[terrierjohn]

Amazing. P&O could indeed learn a lot from this. Us Brits are far too tolerant of queues and long waits.

Some on here are very tolerant of others queuing while they enjoy priority boarding.

[daiB]

Some on here are very tolerant of others queuing while they enjoy priority boarding.

 

 

No queue if you turn up at your allocated time. Only when there is a problem do you have to wait. But that would happen with any system.

 

 

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[terrierjohn]

No queue if you turn up at your allocated time. Only when there is a problem do you have to wait. But that would happen with any system.

 

 

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Since you will have boarded before the rabble start to board your comments about normal boarding are all hearsay, which is inadmissible.