Wait to get in room

[pms4104]

3 minutes ago, skynight said:

The DR was open from noon until 1:30 on all cruises we have done in the last year including those of Feb/Mar 2019. All the other dining options were also open, I.C., Pool Side, Buffet. I don't think it's as negative as you make it sound.

My comment did not reflect the current dining options ... simply what could happen if passenger behavior interferes with the turnaround day process.

 

What's so hard about respecting Princess' directive?  Don't know ... I'd hope that those who go to their cabins before Princess says to do so would explain that.

 

I also understand the 1pm thing may not be on every ship at every port ... but posts above lead me to believe that some of us see the Princess directive (when and where it is announced) as being for everyone else.

 

[floridalover5623]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

It was not this way on the Emerald. We just finished three b2b's. No doors were shut and we had access to our cabin the entire morning. When Princess shuts doors it makes it difficult for b2ber's to access their cabins where all their belongings remain. Princess sells b2b's and should not deny access to passenger cabins for those so booked on turn around day.

So what did they tell you after you proceeded to open the door & go to your cabin?

I suspect nothing. 

[Colo Cruiser]

1 hour ago, floridalover5623 said:

So what did they tell you after you proceeded to open the door & go to your cabin?

I suspect nothing. 

Come back at 1:00pm.

[Thrak]

I think they have just increased the number of rooms the stewards have to tend so it has become increasingly difficult for them to have the cabins ready early like they used to. We would greatly prefer to be able to head straight to our cabin (and, so far, haven't encountered the issue being discussed) but won't have a problem with it if we are told we have to wait. We're getting to cruise!

Edited March 16, 2019 by Thrak

[Times Prince]

5 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

The fire doors have been closed on the cruises we have boarded in the last 10 months or so.

I have no issue with it. I am glad for the most part they now allow us onboard around 11:00am.

Stewart has 18 cabins to take care of in a short period of time. Having passengers continually interrupting is not right.

What is he/she going to say if you ask? Of course he/she is going to say yes. Last thing they need is a PO'd passenger complaining before the cruise even starts. 

 

A miserable way to start a cruise?  Life is so tough.

They provide an attended bag check for those that do not want to carry stuff around.

That's good to know they are providing a bag check.   It has been our experience that many elevators have been reserved during boarding, so using the limited other elevators while still carrying bags has been problematic.

 

The stewards, seeing our Elite card in hand, have quickly known that we know the drill and how to stay out of their way with minimum disturbance (they do have a job to do and we respect that).

 

The misery we experience on Royal Caribbean was exacerbated by a knee problem, and a very crowded poorly laid out buffet seating area, which was the only dining venue open at the time.

 

[kywildcatfanone]

We had that on our last cruise.  It would be nice if they would let you go to your room and drop your carry on bags, then leave.  I would be glad to do that. 

[getting older slowly]

Just off the Golden ... we were told cabins open from 1.00 pm.... in November last year it was as soon as you boarded...

 

Not a problem  had a very nice lunch in club class.... before going to our cabin.... no big deal

 

We only carry a shoulder  bag and camera bag  ( no kitchen sink ) as carry on.

 

Cheers Don 

[Mike45LC]

I think it is rude and disrespectful to barge into the cabins after being told not to do so.  I simply kept my carry-on bags with me during lunch.  Whilst we were dining, the ship's announcement that "the cabins are now available" was made, so after we finished lunch, we went to our cabin to drop off the carry-on bags.  No sweat, no huhu, and we did not interfere with the cabin steward who presumably had been busy working while we were having a wonderful lunch.

 

I am sorry that some people feel so entitled that they don't think the rules apply to them.

 

[Daniel A]

2 hours ago, Times Prince said:

It has been our experience that many elevators have been reserved during boarding, so using the limited other elevators while still carrying bags has been problematic.

 

The misery we experience on Royal Caribbean was exacerbated by a knee problem, and a very crowded poorly laid out buffet seating area, which was the only dining venue open at the time.

 

Misery?  I'll know now to stay off Royal Caribbean. 

 

It has been my experience on pretty much every Princess cruise that they will only operate a couple of elevators to take you up to the Pool/Horizon Court Deck until the cabins are released for occupancy.  I really don't understand folks who say the went to their cabin by bypassing fire doors.  On my cruises, the crew member operating the elevator wouldn't stop on any deck that had cabins.  Plaza Deck to Lido Deck nonstop (meaning they won't stop in between.)  The only explanation I have is if they are staying on Lido in the first place, otherwise they wouldn't even stop at my deck.  My big complaint on embarkation day it Princess cramming everybody through the only two elevators they are operating.  No self service...

[OCruisers]

33 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

I think it is rude and disrespectful to barge into the cabins after being told not to do so.  I simply kept my carry-on bags with me during lunch.  Whilst we were dining, the ship's announcement that "the cabins are now available" was made, so after we finished lunch, we went to our cabin to drop off the carry-on bags.  No sweat, no huhu, and we did not interfere with the cabin steward who presumably had been busy working while we were having a wonderful lunch.

 

I am sorry that some people feel so entitled that they don't think the rules apply to them.

 

 

Exactly!

 

[Cyn874]

Question about the bag check for carry-on bags on embarkation day. How are bags retrieved later? Are they closely secured, meaning are you given some sort of ticket that you have to turn back in to pick up your bag? I'm going to have a laptop in mine and very nervous about leaving it in some random room if anyone can come in and take it.

 

As it is, we do leave our luggage unattended outside our cabin doors the last night, so it's not crazy to me to presume bag check is just a 'self serve' situation.

Edited March 16, 2019 by Cyn874

[Colo Cruiser]

1 minute ago, Cyn874 said:

Question about the bag check for carry-on bags on embarkation day. How are bags retrieved later? Are they closely secured, meaning are you given some sort of ticket that you have to turn back in to pick up your bag? I'm going to have a laptop in mine and very nervous about leaving it in some random room if anyone can come in and take it.

Crew stay there until they are picked up. They give you a claim ticket.

[Thrak]

I have a small backpack that I use as a "shore bag" in ports. My wife has a big "purse like" bag she carries on the plane. Not being able to drop our stuff really isn't all that inconvenient and we definitely wouldn't need to leave it with the baggage person. We travel with two bags that (barely) fit in the overhead and one bag that has to be checked on the plane. We drop all of those with the porters at the pier. Why hassle with luggage if one doesn't have to do so?

[waltd]

7 minutes ago, Cyn874 said:

Question about the bag check for carry-on bags on embarkation day. How are bags retrieved later? Are they closely secured, meaning are you given some sort of ticket that you have to turn back in to pick up your bag? I'm going to have a laptop in mine and very nervous about leaving it in some random room if anyone can come in and take it.

 

As it is, we do leave our luggage unattended outside our cabin doors the last night, so it's not crazy to me to presume bag check is just a 'self serve' situation.

I'm wondering how comfortable you would be leaving your carryon in your cabin if the doors were still left open before 1 pm if the cabin steward was still working on the cabins.    If something was taken who's fault would it be?

[Sailaway John]

On 3/16/2019 at 2:56 AM, rollingjay said:

We were on the Ruby in December and were allowed to board the ship but had to wait in and around the Horizon court until 1:00 to go to our room.  Has anyone been on recently and are they still making people wait till 1:00?

You usually get a letter or email to tell you when to be at the wharf and at what time for your deck loading. If you arrive early then you have to wait as your room may not be quite ready, and you want your room nice and clean, don't you?

 

[Cyn874]

20 minutes ago, waltd said:

I'm wondering how comfortable you would be leaving your carryon in your cabin if the doors were still left open before 1 pm if the cabin steward was still working on the cabins.    If something was taken who's fault would it be?

 

I would never do that, for the exact reason you said. Even if it was allowed.

[Cruise Raider]

Fire doors were all closed and locked up on the Grand last Sept.  There was nowhere to check carry on luggage as far as we could tell ... but they did allow us to store it in one of the unused sections in the MDR for the duration of the embarkation lunch.  Announcements that the rooms were ready were made around 1 PM.  We were just finishing up lunch at the time and waited a little longer to avoid the crowds on the elevators.  I like to unpack and then head to lunch ... but this worked out ok as well.  

 

 

[4cats4me]

On 3/15/2019 at 9:00 AM, cheeseclan said:

I have been on 38 Princess Cruises, with the last being the Crown in January, and have never had to wait to go to our cabin.  Wondering if this is something new??

 

Weve been on 20 Princess cruises and never had to wait to go to our cabin for all other cruises,  until four years ago when we started sailing the bigger ships like Regal and Royal. Every time we’ve been told or handed a card at check in That  staterooms won’t be ready until 1:00 pm.  However, once, last year on Royal, we decided to “sneak” to our room at 12:30 and it had been cleaned already.  Other  times, there was no way to access the rooms before 1:00, as they were all closed off entirely. 

 

 

[capriccio]

3 minutes ago, 4cats4me said:

 

Weve been on 20 Princess cruises and never had to wait to go to our cabin for all other cruises,  until four years ago when we started sailing the bigger ships like Regal and Royal. Every time we’ve been told or handed a card at check in That  staterooms won’t be ready until 1:00 pm.  However, once, last year on Royal, we decided to “sneak” to our room at 12:30 and it had been cleaned already.  Other  times, there was no way to access the rooms before 1:00, as they were all closed off entirely. 

 

 

Accessibility obviously varies between ship and itinerary.  When we embarked on the Royal Princess in October 2017 in Civitavechhia we arrived before 11 am and boarding was already in process and we went directly to our cabin. 

[donswife]

Last September we boarded the Star Princess at about 11:30am. Crew were trying very persistently to get us on an elevator to the Horizon Court, however we insisted on going down to the IC instead, where we relaxed with lattes until the MDR opened for lunch. By the time we were done, cabins were ready.

[caribill]

6 hours ago, Sailaway John said:

You usually get a letter or email to tell you when to be at the wharf and at what time for your deck loading. If you arrive early then you have to wait as your room may not be quite ready, and you want your room nice and clean, don't you?

 

 

The times on that letter/email have nothing to do with when the cabins will be ready. The deck loading times are in the letter just in the hopes that passengers will arrive at the terminal evenly throughout the check-in process, not all show up at the same time.

 

Those times are 98% of the time only a suggestion, not a requirement. They do not force passengers who arrive at the airport at 7 AM to have to wait until 3 PM to check-in for the cruise.

[jondfk]

On Grand last month we were boarded at just after 11:00 but were told cabins wouldn't be ready until 1:00.  We didn't test that by going to our room, instead we grabbed a seat in IC, had a coffee and waited for the MDR to open, went for lunch about 11:45 (the earlier lunch start at 11:30 instead of 12:00 was helpful here).  We had a leisurely lunch finishing just about 1:00 and proceeded to our cabin without incident. 

 

Perhaps we could have gone and dropped bags at boarding but we decided to go with the flow.   I can imagine (but didn't check) that Horizon Court might have been quite chaotic by 1:00 if most headed up there, staked out a table and waited for an hour or more.  We so look forward to MDR lunch on embarkation day and are always perturbed by the staff posted near the MDR actively turning people away.  If the compromise Princess is suggesting is "enjoy a nice lunch on board, but leave your steward alone until 1:00" I'm more than happy.  

[voljeep]

We get on, get a beer and a pina colada at the plaza bar - then head up to HC, bypass that on our way to the

Outrigger Bar - get 2nd beer - then head down the pool stairs to the back door leading to our aft cabin on

the Riviera Deck to drop our carryons ... maybe

[Daniel A]

6 hours ago, caribill said:

 

The times on that letter/email have nothing to do with when the cabins will be ready. The deck loading times are in the letter just in the hopes that passengers will arrive at the terminal evenly throughout the check-in process, not all show up at the same time.

 

Those times are 98% of the time only a suggestion, not a requirement. They do not force passengers who arrive at the airport at 7 AM to have to wait until 3 PM to check-in for the cruise.

Princess has a Progressive Check in Policy.  The check in instructions on your itinerary states: " Please do not arrive prior to the start of cruise check-in as your cabin will not be ready. Once onboard, enjoy a meal at Horizon Court which remains open throughout the day to serve you. 1:00 PM - Baja & Caribe Decks: Cabins on these decks begin with B & C 1:30 PM - Dolphin Deck: Cabins on this deck begin with D 1:45 PM - Emerald Deck: Cabins on this deck begin with E 2:30 PM – Aloha Deck: Cabins on this deck begin with A 2:45 PM - Plaza & Fiesta Decks: Cabins on these decks begin with P & F "

 

Please take note that the instructions start the check in process at 1PM.  Gee, isn't 1 PM that same time the cabins are usually ready?  Princess isn't going to deny you boarding if you show up earlier than instructed but you've got to love all these people who disregard the instructions, show up at 10:30/11AM and then go on here to whine about their cabin not being ready!  If Princess made PAX strictly adhere to the Progressive Check In Policy and you showed up at the pier two or three hours early, you would still be lugging around your carry-ons on the pier... 

 

Full disclosure: DW and I will show up early to check in.  We don't try to sneak around to get to our cabin and we don't whine that the cabin wasn't ready.

 

Also note that their posted policy doesn't offer lunch in the MDR either - they only offer Horizon Court.  So why are people perturbed when they are denied entry to the MDR or it closes at an early time?

Edited March 17, 2019 by Daniel A

[voljeep]

17 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

Princess has a Progressive Check in Policy.  The check in instructions on your itinerary states: " Please do not arrive prior to the start of cruise check-in as your cabin will not be ready. Once onboard, enjoy a meal at Horizon Court which remains open throughout the day to serve you. 1:00 PM - Baja & Caribe Decks: Cabins on these decks begin with B & C 1:30 PM - Dolphin Deck: Cabins on this deck begin with D 1:45 PM - Emerald Deck: Cabins on this deck begin with E 2:30 PM – Aloha Deck: Cabins on this deck begin with A 2:45 PM - Plaza & Fiesta Decks: Cabins on these decks begin with P & F "

 

Please take note that the instructions start the check in process at 1PM.  Gee, isn't 1 PM that same time the cabins are usually ready?  Princess isn't going to deny you boarding if you show up earlier than instructed but you've got to love all these people who disregard the instructions, show up at 10:30/11AM and then go on here to whine about their cabin not being ready!  If Princess made PAX strictly adhere to the Progressive Check In Policy and you showed up at the pier two or three hours early, you would still be lugging around your carry-ons on the pier... 

 

Full disclosure: DW and I will show up early to check in.  We don't try to sneak around to get to our cabin and we don't whine that the cabin wasn't ready.

 

Also note that their posted policy doesn't offer lunch in the MDR either - they only offer Horizon Court.  So why are people perturbed when they are denied entry to the MDR or it closes at an early time?

Since boarding day is officially day 1 - which we paid a full day price for, as well as having the PBP to start on - we like to  get on board as early as we can,

knowing that the cabins may or may not be ready - we'll just go with the flow - carry our carry on backpacks , and see the rest of our luggage whenever it is delivered - no big deal to us - but it may be to others who wheel their complete cruise luggage on board ... that's just not for us