Jburrows Posted July 30, 2017 #1 Share Posted July 30, 2017 has anyone had any experience with Princess boarding by what deck you're on? They say it expedites boarding. It doesn't make sense to me . So a person who arrives on an early flight might arrive at the pier at 1 o'clock but because of he deck they're on, may not be able to board unti 4. But someone arriving on a later flight might not get to the pier until 3o'clock and their deck boarded at 1 so now they're boarding with the people who have been waiting around. Doesn't make sense to me. We are sailing on Princess Regal in August and we're on Caribe deck. We're told we're boarding at 4. The ship leaves at 6. Hardly enough time to make the muster drill, let Alice be get any lunch!! Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capriccio Posted July 30, 2017 #2 Share Posted July 30, 2017 I've never read on cruise critic of Princess ever enforcing staggered boarding nor have we ever experienced it in our 17 cruises on Princess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtb55 Posted July 30, 2017 #3 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Just board, they won't stop you. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmaasher Posted July 30, 2017 #4 Share Posted July 30, 2017 I have been on cruises where it hasn't been enforced and one where it was. This is in Australia though. But usually after the elite/platinum boarding it is first come first serve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheezedr Posted July 30, 2017 #5 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Just board when you arrive. This is something they really do not follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warrior Princess Posted July 30, 2017 #6 Share Posted July 30, 2017 We are on Crown soon and our boarding just says 12.30 to 4pm on one sheet and 12pm on another we have priority as platinum but does not give us a slot. Our daughter is elite and she has a specific time on hers.:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Kinkacruiser Posted July 30, 2017 #7 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Folks who visit CC would know not to pay any attention to staggered boarding, but those new to cruising might....well, at least until they discover this after their first cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinsonm Posted July 30, 2017 #8 Share Posted July 30, 2017 We were given the same instructions you're describing when we cruised Princess out of Fort Lauderdale last year. We arrived well before our scheduled boarding time and asked the local staff. They reacted like they'd never heard of staggered boarding, told us that we'd need to wait for Platinum/Elite, then we could board. We were aboard in under an hour (and about 2 hours earlier than our scheduled boarding time). I'd recommend you just try to board as soon as you arrive. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skynight Posted July 30, 2017 #9 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Agree, it's a passenger unfriendly statement that Princess makes. It is never ever followed. When you arrive at the pier check in and you will be placed in a group according to your arrival time. Boarding begins around noon and once it begins it goes fairly quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky TGO Posted July 30, 2017 #10 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Just board when you arrive. This is something they really do not follow. I agree with you. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towhee Posted July 30, 2017 #11 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Princess started staggered boarding several years ago in an attempt to spread out the boarding process. However, as most of us have found out, it isn't enforced, so go ahead and check in when you arrive at the port. Having said that, when we sailed in May we didn't get to the port until 1:30 (150 mile drive with bad traffic). We checked in and then just walked on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Cruise Raider Posted July 30, 2017 #12 Share Posted July 30, 2017 I've never read on cruise critic of Princess ever enforcing staggered boarding nor have we ever experienced it in our 17 cruises on Princess. They did enforce it a few years back for us in San Francisco. We were elite at the time and they still made us wait for our deck to be called. What a disaster and not just for us. Standing in line and boarding took 6 hours .... I think they dropped the enforcement of it shortly after that. I am sure there were many complaints about the Port Authority in SF that led up to them dropping it. We had gone a few months later and while still crowded, they honored our priority boarding and let us move right along .... a definite improvement to say the least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colo Cruiser Posted July 30, 2017 #13 Share Posted July 30, 2017 has anyone had any experience with Princess boarding by what deck you're on? They say it expedites boarding. It doesn't make sense to me . So a person who arrives on an early flight might arrive at the pier at 1 o'clock but because of he deck they're on, may not be able to board unti 4. But someone arriving on a later flight might not get to the pier until 3o'clock and their deck boarded at 1 so now they're boarding with the people who have been waiting around. Doesn't make sense to me.We are sailing on Princess Regal in August and we're on Caribe deck. We're told we're boarding at 4. The ship leaves at 6. Hardly enough time to make the muster drill, let Alice be get any lunch!! Jan It's a suggestion. We always arrive around 10:30, boarding starts around Noon. When you get there early you can get in one of the first boarding groups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagsfan Posted July 30, 2017 #14 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Every Princess cruise I've been on, we've checked in on arrival (early), gone to the seating area we qualified for (now Platinum), and when boarding starts, it's based on your loyalty level. I've never seen check in or boarding by deck. We ignore the suggested times. I'm sure Princess thinks enough people will take them as gospel thereby staggering arrivals. Arrive at your convenience. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easyboy Posted July 30, 2017 #15 Share Posted July 30, 2017 It is not implemented. You can go to the terminal at 10:30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffeeluvr05 Posted July 31, 2017 #16 Share Posted July 31, 2017 We boarded immediately upon arriving at the terminal. There was no obvious reason not to. We were in a suite and had priority boarding according to suite benefits. But the person at the counter directed us to sit in a section of seats and wait to be called. I think we were misdirected. Regardless, there was no line and no reason to wait and no one said anything at any stage as we moved through security, etc. Not sure what "VIP Prioirity Embarkation" means to princess. To me it meant no wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridalover5623 Posted July 31, 2017 #17 Share Posted July 31, 2017 If they did enforce it they would literately have hundreds of people clogging the terminal outside & it would only slow down the whole process even further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorreen Posted May 11, 2018 #18 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Greetings fellow cruisers from New Zealand. Not long now until the adventures begin. we are looking forward to meeting many of you from 21st July on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Cruise Raider Posted May 11, 2018 #19 Share Posted May 11, 2018 I've never read on cruise critic of Princess ever enforcing staggered boarding nor have we ever experienced it in our 17 cruises on Princess. They definitely have enforced this in the past ... it was an all out disaster and so many people complained, I think they finally dropped it several years ago. Thank goodness!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrak Posted May 11, 2018 #20 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Greetings fellow cruisers from New Zealand. Not long now until the adventures begin. we are looking forward to meeting many of you from 21st July on! This needs to be posted in your roll call thread. If you need assistance locating that thread let us know what ship you are sailing, when you are sailing, and where you are sailing. The roll call is where to meet others who will be on your cruise. Welcome to Cruise Critic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jba2 Posted May 11, 2018 #21 Share Posted May 11, 2018 We'll be taking our first cruise on Princess so no status. Does anyone know how long it takes to board in Barcelona? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSWP Posted May 11, 2018 #22 Share Posted May 11, 2018 These days there are many, many Elites and Platinums who qualify for priority embarkation, thus the terminals/check in are always very busy from 10am. Personally, for a 4pm sailing we get to the port about 2.30pm, not too bad at that time, irrespective of the port location.:halo: Before 2.30pm it is a Zoo, even with Priority Check in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haboob Posted May 11, 2018 #23 Share Posted May 11, 2018 I had a vague recollection of seeing something about "staterooms on deck xxxx will not be ready until" rather than "you may not board until". Went to look at my "Travel Summary" for a Dec '18 cruise and, lo, where it used to say whatever it used to say about Progressive Boarding? Just "Your ship begins boarding at 01:00PM on Dec 04 and sails at 04:00PM on Dec 04". Could be just too far away. Could be a real change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caribill Posted May 11, 2018 #24 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Went to look at my "Travel Summary" for a Dec '18 cruise and, lo, where it used to say whatever it used to say about Progressive Boarding? Just "Your ship begins boarding at 01:00PM on Dec 04 and sails at 04:00PM on Dec 04". And as we all know, boarding will really usually start by noon. Princess gives the 1 PM time in hopes of reducing the early crush of passengers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caribill Posted May 11, 2018 #25 Share Posted May 11, 2018 We'll be taking our first cruise on Princess so no status. Does anyone know how long it takes to board in Barcelona? Boarding should start by noon. By 12:30 anybody who had already checked in should be on board, even first time Princess cruisers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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