Embarkation Virtuosa Query

[wirral36]

Hi, does anyone know the earliest you can arrive at the port for embarkation ? We’ve got a late embarkation time which is disappointing, I just wondered if anyone got on earlier that their allotted time ? We’re in yacht club if anyone has any experiences.  I also read somewhere that the car park won’t allow you in until 30 mins before you’re allotted embarkation time. I just wondered if this was true if anyone has any experience of this too ?  I don’t mind but being able not to get into the cabin but it would be nice to get on to enjoy the facilities. I was advised we should get an early time ad were in yacht club but this isn’t the case. 

[MarkusToe]

No experience at coronavirus time, before as a YC, don't care about timing

[ziggyuk]

18 minutes ago, wirral36 said:

Hi, does anyone know the earliest you can arrive at the port for embarkation ? We’ve got a late embarkation time which is disappointing, I just wondered if anyone got on earlier that their allotted time ? We’re in yacht club if anyone has any experiences.  I also read somewhere that the car park won’t allow you in until 30 mins before you’re allotted embarkation time. I just wondered if this was true if anyone has any experience of this too ?  I don’t mind but being able not to get into the cabin but it would be nice to get on to enjoy the facilities. I was advised we should get an early time ad were in yacht club but this isn’t the case. 

 

In a regular cabin there is no leeway at all, I know @kernow posted something about the YC maybe being more relaxed but I'm not sure, having tagged him I hope he can answer as I can't find the post now.

[wirral36]

Thank you. I really appreciate that. 

[CaroleC]

1 hour ago, wirral36 said:

Hi, does anyone know the earliest you can arrive at the port for embarkation ? We’ve got a late embarkation time which is disappointing, I just wondered if anyone got on earlier that their allotted time ? We’re in yacht club if anyone has any experiences.  I also read somewhere that the car park won’t allow you in until 30 mins before you’re allotted embarkation time. I just wondered if this was true if anyone has any experience of this too ?  I don’t mind but being able not to get into the cabin but it would be nice to get on to enjoy the facilities. I was advised we should get an early time ad were in yacht club but this isn’t the case. 

Not sure about early embarkation for YC but if you’re sailing from Southampton, when we arrived for our 24th May sailing, we drove straight in after the gate guard checked our parking pass. The pass for ABParking does not state your embarkation time, merely requests that you do not arrive more than 30 minutes prior.

[Malibustacey79]

We arrived at the later end of our slot, having had to travel to Liverpool a day earlier than we’d planned to travel to Greenock, so was all a bit of a rush. We literally didn’t queue AT ALL and were on unbelievably quickly, I think by just after 2pm having arrived around 1.40pm. 
 

I have read/heard quite a bit over the last week about just turning up at 11am, and was wondering whether to try earlier for our July embarkation in Southampton (if we get to go).

HOWEVER…we disembarked yesterday in Liverpool, at 11am, and the queues to get on were really big, growing all the time, and didn’t appear to be moving much. Whether there was an issue, or whether too many people had decided to chance it at 11am, or both, I don’t know. But it’s put me off trying any earlier next time. I’ll be there at 12.20 as instructed!

[kernow]

Our original tickets had an embarkation time of 11 am but when we upgraded to YC the time was later. We were never able to print the new tickets so used the old ones. However I don't think it would have mattered, as soon as we walked into the terminal someone was calling out for YC passengers and they took us to a separate desk. From then on in YC was completely separate, we were on the ship within about 15 minutes.

We arrived at the car park about 10.20 expecting to wait but they directed us straight in and there were already people there before us.

[hamrag]

2 hours ago, wirral36 said:

....We’re in yacht club if anyone has any experiences....

 

Arrive when it suits you, the YC butlers will whisk you aboard ASAP! 😉

[travellerin1984]

We have the same problem. We got 4 pm as a embarkation time for Grandiosa in July. It is so late, we cant have any lunch onboard… Do you think it is worth trying to come earlier? 

[wirral36]

The only issue is that if they don’t let us and we’re there 3 hrs before especially with kids, it’ll be a nightmare. I guess you could say there was no traffic and you sailed through (pardon the pun). I may try it and let u know how it goes. 

[wirral36]

I will try and be the last one off if we have to miss a few hours of the first day to make up for it 😂

[stuart2468]

I take it none of you have read the info from MSC stating DO NOT TURN UP before your alloted time?

 

Or you have and just choose to ignore it for what ever reason?

 

 

[wirral36]

10 minutes ago, stuart2468 said:

I take it none of you have read the info from MSC stating DO NOT TURN UP before your alloted time?

 

Or you have and just choose to ignore it for what ever reason?

 

 

I haven’t seen this information, no. Thank you for advising. Is this on the website/app ? 

[hamrag]

3 hours ago, travellerin1984 said:

We have the same problem. We got 4 pm as a embarkation time for Grandiosa in July. It is so late, we cant have any lunch onboard… Do you think it is worth trying to come earlier? 

Nope! 🙄

[kernow]

11 hours ago, wirral36 said:

I will try and be the last one off if we have to miss a few hours of the first day to make up for it 😂

You won't have any problem with that, as long as you clear your room you can stay in YC until the latest time if you like. 

[johnnylikely]

On 6/25/2021 at 7:33 PM, wirral36 said:

Hi, does anyone know the earliest you can arrive at the port for embarkation ? We’ve got a late embarkation time which is disappointing, I just wondered if anyone got on earlier that their allotted time ? We’re in yacht club if anyone has any experiences.  I also read somewhere that the car park won’t allow you in until 30 mins before you’re allotted embarkation time. I just wondered if this was true if anyone has any experience of this too ?  I don’t mind but being able not to get into the cabin but it would be nice to get on to enjoy the facilities. I was advised we should get an early time ad were in yacht club but this isn’t the case. 

Hi! Just got off the Virtuosa! I don’t know anything official but when embarking in Liverpool they had special signs and lines for YC (and mens in suits tending to ya!) waiting for YC peeps- both in the initial embarkation line AND in the second line for receiving ur key card etc so I think YC get priority and then some!

[wirral36]

12 minutes ago, johnnylikely said:

Hi! Just got off the Virtuosa! I don’t know anything official but when embarking in Liverpool they had special signs and lines for YC (and mens in suits tending to ya!) waiting for YC peeps- both in the initial embarkation line AND in the second line for receiving ur key card etc so I think YC get priority and then some!

Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to post a reply. I should imagine you had a wonderful time with only 1000 onboard. Sounds like a dream.  The last ship we went on was rci independence and it felt so packed in like sardines. 

[ziggyuk]

If you are in YC I'm sure you have a very good chance, they fall over themselves to assist, I think I would risk it if I had a YC cabin.

In the early threads it was clear they were making people with regular cabins wait outside the terminal building until their allotted time, I would certainly not bother trying with a regular cabin.

[johnnylikely]

42 minutes ago, wirral36 said:

Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to post a reply. I should imagine you had a wonderful time with only 1000 onboard. Sounds like a dream.  The last ship we went on was rci independence and it felt so packed in like sardines. 

Thanks for ur thanks! No probs- as I know there was huge uncertainty about it all as I’ve never done MSC before. I remember thinking I wish I was YC as they seem to have all the priortiy even if I was diamond lol

Overall v impressed, the ship is stunning! It’s one of my faves now. Food bit hit and miss, service was excellent overall- it felt like there were 20 staff at ur beck and call it was so quiet! Lol

[ziggyuk]

4 minutes ago, johnnylikely said:

Thanks for ur thanks! No probs- as I know there was huge uncertainty about it all as I’ve never done MSC before. I remember thinking I wish I was YC as they seem to have all the priortiy even if I was diamond lol

Overall v impressed, the ship is stunning! It’s one of my faves now. Food bit hit and miss, service was excellent overall- it felt like there were 20 staff at ur beck and call it was so quiet! Lol

 

As you just got off and mentioned you were diamond, have they sorted oy the card problem? I think the earlier sailings everyone was getting a regular card and needed to get it sorted out at customer service to get the right card and perks.

[kernow]

31 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

 

As you just got off and mentioned you were diamond, have they sorted oy the card problem? I think the earlier sailings everyone was getting a regular card and needed to get it sorted out at customer service to get the right card and perks.

I think this was sorted a while ago.No problems on our cruise a couple of weeks ago, card was correct and perks were all there for us and others we spoke to.

[johnnylikely]

1 hour ago, ziggyuk said:

 

As you just got off and mentioned you were diamond, have they sorted oy the card problem? I think the earlier sailings everyone was getting a regular card and needed to get it sorted out at customer service to get the right card and perks.

Good question! As it was first cruise I didn’t know any of that- I went for my comp meal at speciality restaurant and they had to check I was diamond lol! The next day the front desk called me and asked me to come and get a diamond card to replace the regular white one 

[ziggyuk]

26 minutes ago, johnnylikely said:

Good question! As it was first cruise I didn’t know any of that- I went for my comp meal at speciality restaurant and they had to check I was diamond lol! The next day the front desk called me and asked me to come and get a diamond card to replace the regular white one 

 

Thanks for that, I hoped they had fixed the cards by now as we are onboard Saturday.🤩

[CaroleC]

5 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

 

Thanks for that, I hoped they had fixed the cards by now as we are onboard Saturday.🤩

You hope!! 🤣🤣🤣

[ziggyuk]

46 minutes ago, kernow said:

I think this was sorted a while ago.No problems on our cruise a couple of weeks ago, card was correct and perks were all there for us and others we spoke to.

 

Thanks for that, it sounds like it might be pot luck with Johnnylickly's experience, or maybe just because it was Johnny's first MSC cruise.