Is this possible? Anyone ever done this?

[jasbo49]

Man, I don't want to be a world class curmudgeon, but how can this be anything other than cutting in line?

 

Jim

[elliair]

When we were blue card, gold card holders, we had to wait our turn to board the ship.  We would never have asked to board with friends who were platinum/elite just to get on board with them.  I agree with the others, wait with your friends and board together.  There's nothing wrong in boarding with them at their given time.

[capriccio]

Sometimes you don't need to even ask.  We (DH and I are elite) were boarding the Ruby Princess in Seattle last summer with our 2 adult kids, their spouses and our toddler granddaughter (all Princess newbies).  DH and I planned to board with the newbies.  The lines had already started boarding before 11 am (cabins weren't ready until 1 pm).  We went to the priority line 9actually there were no check in lines anywhere to speak of) to check in, the kids and families went to two regular lines and we all met up within a few minutes.  Only one of our group (daughter's family) had been given a group number and as we stood around discussing this (did the other family need one?) a Princess staffer came by and asked if he could help.  I explained that some of us didn't have a group number card, would that be a problem if we all boarded on that single card?  He looked at my cruise card and said, 'no you can all board right now at the end of the current group' and inserted us into the line.  That was about 4 groups ahead of the number given my daughter's family (IIRC we boarded right after group 4 and they had a card for group 9). 

[Potstech]

We just go by what the people running the check in area tells us to do. Who cares what any other passenger has to say as they have no authority to do anything about it. Follow what the boarding area people tell you and enjoy your cruise.  By the way we have been told many times to take other passengers that were Blue, Gold and Ruby with us to the Platinum waiting area. And we did.  Most likely will happen again in January on our next cruise.

[XBGuy]

19 hours ago, pms4104 said:

I wonder if Club Class passengers know that all they need do is ask ... to include their entire entourage in Priority Boarding

 

Or the Club Class dining room.

[voljeep]

6 minutes ago, XBGuy said:

 

Or the Club Class dining room.

'what!!!!!!!'

[Potstech]

1 hour ago, XBGuy said:

 

Or the Club Class dining room.

They are not allowed in CCDR unless in a CC cabin.

[littlecruise]

A couple years ago we cruised out of Houston on princess, we were Platinum and a couple traveling with us were 1st time cruisers. We asked as we entered the Priority line if our friends could also go with us. Yes, they could and they did.  About 30 people in our line about 150 in the general check in line.  We all went aboard together.

 

[sherryf]

It sounds like things may have changed at Pier 91 in Seattle, but 5 years ago the answer was NO.  We were newly Platinum, but sailing with my 3 teen/adult children who were only Gold.  My sons were 18 and 21, but my daughter was only 15.  They were allowed to check in at the Priority counter with us, since we were all booked together and I was putting my credit card on their accounts. When we were done checking in, we asked if they could go to the Priority waiting area with us, and we were told a very definitive NO. I pointed out that my daughter was a minor, and that I would prefer to keep her with us.  They said it would be fine for her to wait in the regular line with her adult brothers, or we could choose to join all of them in the regular line.  That's what we chose to do, since I would rather stay with my family than board alone without them.

Edited May 11, 2019 by sherryf

[Ombud]

On 5/8/2019 at 3:53 PM, Coral said:

If every priority person brought 2 others........

I brought 6 others .... 4 grandkids, son, dil. All checked in with me, walked right on after getting cards. Had 3 rooms. 

[kywildcatfanone]

You would have no issue with them boarding with you. 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

 I thought you could only board together under those circumstances if you were staying in the same cabin?   If anyone can board early during platinum/elite boarding time then what’s the big deal of reaching that level? Kind of kills the specialness of it, doesn’t it? 

[Potstech]

You can board in the order at at the time that the boarding staff allows. Sorry but this is the way they allow it.

Edited May 12, 2019 by Potstech

[sunsetbeachgal]

Maybe it depends on each port.  Last year we were traveling on a British Isles cruIse out of Southampton, two Elites and four other family members not Elite.  After we checked in I asked at the Elite lounge waiting area if we could bring guests in and she said yes.

 

it never hurts to ask, nicely and respectfully! 

Edited May 12, 2019 by sunsetbeachgal

[XBGuy]

10 minutes ago, sunsetbeachgal said:

Maybe it depends on each port.  Last year we were traveling on a British Isles cruIse out of Southampton, two Elites and four other family members not Elite.  After we checked in I asked at the Elite lounge waiting area if we could bring guests in and she said yes.

 

it never hurts to ask, nicely and respectfully! 

 

I think SBG has a handle on it.  The policy in one port may not be the same as the policy in another one.  Also, it may depend on who is on duty that day.  Keep in mind that the port personnel are not Princess employees.  They are contracted to facilitate the boarding process.  One day they are wearing a Princess jacket.  The next day they can be wearing a Celebrity jacket.  If today is somebody's first day on the job, and they are instructed that the priority boarding process must be strictly enforced, then he/she will strictly strictly enforce it.  If another person has been doing the job for a while and knows that there is no consequence resulting from "bending the rules," he/she might be casual about enforcement.

 

SBG's last sentence is excellent.  Courtesy goes a long way.  If you are granted permission, thank the agent and quickly move on.  If permission is not granted, thank the agent and wait with your companion travelers.

[donaldsc]

They may although  they shouldn't.  What is the point of priority status if they let 25 of your closest friends who don't have status board w you. Assuming that your clueless friends are not totally clueless,  I am sure that they can figure it out.

 

DON

[Reina del Mar]

It can be done..but makes a mockery of all those who have paid many thousands of pounds/ dollars to become Platinum/ Elite. There are very few 'perks' as it is.

 

If you are that concerned about them, join their line and be 'fair' to those who have achieved priority boarding.

[pms4104]

1 hour ago, XBGuy said:

Courtesy goes a long way.  If you are granted permission, thank the agent and quickly move on.  If permission is not granted, thank the agent and wait with your companion travelers.

As to the courtesy angle ... wouldn't it be more courteous to fellow suites/elites/plats (who have either earned or paid for the privilege) to explain the boarding process to travel companions and not even put pier people in an awkward position by asking for special treatment?

[XBGuy]

12 minutes ago, pms4104 said:

As to the courtesy angle ... wouldn't it be more courteous to fellow suites/elites/plats (who have either earned or paid for the privilege) to explain the boarding process to travel companions and not even put pier people in an awkward position by asking for special treatment?

 

You are correct.  I should have stopped my post before I said that.

[Potstech]

1 hour ago, pms4104 said:

As to the courtesy angle ... wouldn't it be more courteous to fellow suites/elites/plats (who have either earned or paid for the privilege) to explain the boarding process to travel companions and not even put pier people in an awkward position by asking for special treatment?

And if you have explained it to them before getting to the port and then port personnel tells them to go with you to the Platinum area what do you do?  Just tell them the the port personnel have no idea what they are talking about? Or maybe have them argue with the port personnel and tell them they are not supposed to be going there and that they do not know what they are talking about. Most likely not.

[kywildcatfanone]

1 hour ago, pms4104 said:

who have either earned or paid for the privilege

This here is what I don't concern myself with it anymore.  It's not really a loyalty perk if you can purchase the privilege. 

[Ombud]

5 hours ago, sunsetbeachgal said:

two Elites and four other family members not Elite.  After we checked in I asked at the Elite lounge waiting area if we could bring guests in and she said yes.

Maybe it's because they're family? in our situation 3 of the grands lived with / near me from birth (now 13, 18, 22) and couldn't have more than blue status until adults. [Their status was reflected properly on Carnival (gold) but each line is different]

 

I will be travelling with 2 (5 & 13) who will board with me. 

[capriccio]

6 hours ago, XBGuy said:

 

Keep in mind that the port personnel are not Princess employees.  They are contracted to facilitate the boarding process.  One day they are wearing a Princess jacket.  The next day they can be wearing a Celebrity jacket.  If today is somebody's first day on the job, and they are instructed that the priority boarding process must be strictly enforced, then he/she will strictly strictly enforce it.  If another person has been doing the job for a while and knows that there is no consequence resulting from "bending the rules," he/she might be casual about enforcement.

 

To clarify my post #28.  It was definitely Princess staff - in uniform - not the contracted port personnel who inserted us into the line.  I know the difference.

[Ep010835]

2 hours ago, Ombud said:

Maybe it's because they're family? in our situation 3 of the grands lived with / near me from birth (now 13, 18, 22) and couldn't have more than blue status until adults. [Their status was reflected properly on Carnival (gold) but each line is different]

 

I will be travelling with 2 (5 & 13) who will board with me. 

 

I cannot imagine anyone taking issue with juveniles (5 & 13) boarding with the adult who is accompanying them on the cruise.

 

But full grown adults being afforded the same line jumping privilege? Where is the line drawn? 

[xDisconnections]

On 5/8/2019 at 6:53 PM, Coral said:

If every priority person brought 2 others........

When everyone has priority, nobody has priority.