So why? Why do 4 or 5 star AND Neptune Guests board as the third group??

[iancal]

1 minute ago, KirkNC said:

Agreed, we are not suite folks but the differences with X appear sharp.

Neither are we usually.  Typically verandah customers.   From time to time we have compared loyalty programs.  For our preferences the HAL loyalty program is incredibly weak.  Probably because current or past base loyal customers.    At some point it time it will not work if 90 percent of the cruisers on board have priority this or that.  

[Florida_gal_50]

22 minutes ago, twodjs said:

No, you started the thread by asking why you were "demoted" to group C. Your choice of words suggests your perception that group C is somehow a lower ranking group of guests. It is not. Then you come back and suggest because you paid more than $1000 per night, you should have been in the A group. So explain logistically how all the 4 and 5 star Mariners and Neptune Suite guests should be in group A with covid spacing and get on the ship within 15 minutes. Can't be done. That's why a few top Mariners are in each group. You arrive, get to be in the express line and are on the ship within 10 or 15 minutes. We've been on 3 HAL cruises so far since Covid and if everyone follows the assigned times, the boarding is easy peasy, especially for top Mariners and Neptune Suite people. Weren't in group A most of the time - still got the express line within our time frame. And loved our cruise. Just chill and you'll have a good one, too.

 

Unfortunately there are too many people that cheat the system and don’t show up when they are supposed to and brag about it.  This has been stated by the person that works for the port of San Diego so I assume it’s similar in Fort Lauderdale.  If the op wants to get upset with someone put the blame squarely on the cheaters not people that have no say in the deal.

[iancal]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Unfortunately there are too many people that cheat the system and don’t show up when they are supposed to and brag about it.  This has been stated by the person that works for the port of San Diego so I assume it’s similar in Fort Lauderdale.  If the op wants to get upset with someone put the blame squarely on the cheaters not people that have no say in the deal.

We were on a Sun Princess cruise from White Cruise Terminal in Sydney a number of years ago. 

 

 Those who came early were not allowed to board until their allotted time.  As we were were checking in we overheard people who had showed up an hour or two early trying to board.  No go.    They were stuck sitting on benches, and at some point it became SRO.  Some people were clearly vexed.

 

We arrived near our time, waited five minutes for our number to be called.  How easy was that?

 

As I recall it was the same with an RCI cruise that we took from Sydney International Terminal.

 

I think this all about an entitlement issue.  We see it and hear it from time to time onboard, and in other travel situations,  from those who somehow  feel they are entitled  

Edited December 5, 2021 by iancal

[Ferry_Watcher]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Unfortunately there are too many people that cheat the system and don’t show up when they are supposed to and brag about it.  This has been stated by the person that works for the port of San Diego so I assume it’s similar in Fort Lauderdale.

Same is true in Seattle.  Different cruise lines handle arrival times in different ways.  Carnival is more strict about arrival times (and super strict about boarding groups).  Holland America, Princess, Celebrity, and Royal are more relaxed about dealing with passengers who show up early.  Basically, if it is slow, any passenger who arrives is welcomed in to start the embarkation process.  If everyone arrives at once, passengers will be let in according to their assigned arrival time.  

 

What has made a big difference this year (2021) with the embarkation process has been the introduction of the express check-in systems adopted across all the the cruise lines.  During the lost cruising year (2020), all the brands upgraded their check-in systems, and it's made a huge difference.  So as long as the passenger completely registered all needed information online, embarking is as quick as a swipe of their passport using a handheld device (after the vaccine and health check).

 

The other improvement was having the ships ready for passengers to embark as soon as they have been checked in, rather than having to congregate in large waiting areas in the terminal.  It did help this season that the ships were sailing under capacity. Passengers really enjoyed walking on to the ship right away.

 

Folks should be somewhat respectful of their arrival time, but shoreside staff will work to get passengers embarked as quickly and safely as possible,  while maintaining the social distancing protocols.  So if you have a 1 PM arrival time, please don't show up at 9 AM (it does happen).  And if you have a 2 PM arrival time, come a bit earlier, as 80% of the passengers are already onboard.

 

As someone who has check-in passengers, it easier to have a steady stream of passengers, rather than have to deal with 150 people who show up at their assigned 3 pm time for a 4 PM departure.  I understand that there are folks who will buck or game the arrival time assignment window, and brag about it. (It's annoying)  There are also passengers who arrive when they arrive due to flights or ground transportation, and want to start embarkation as soon as they arrive at the pier.  Sometimes it's easy, other times check-in can be overwhelming and a bit stressful for both passengers and shoreside staff.  But everyone gets on the ship, and the staff gets to go home and tell stories to family and friends.  In the end, it all works out.

 

 

 

 

[Ferry_Watcher]

Each port is different - Seattle is a bit more relaxed.  Brands vary as well - with Carnival being the most strict in Seattle.  Seattle tends to rate quite high in passenger experience satisfaction.

[Florida_gal_50]

53 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Same is true in Seattle.  Different cruise lines handle arrival times in different ways.  Carnival is more strict about arrival times (and super strict about boarding groups).  Holland America, Princess, Celebrity, and Royal are more relaxed about dealing with passengers who show up early.  Basically, if it is slow, any passenger who arrives is welcomed in to start the embarkation process.  If everyone arrives at once, passengers will be let in according to their assigned arrival time.  

 

What has made a big difference this year (2021) with the embarkation process has been the introduction of the express check-in systems adopted across all the the cruise lines.  During the lost cruising year (2020), all the brands upgraded their check-in systems, and it's made a huge difference.  So as long as the passenger completely registered all needed information online, embarking is as quick as a swipe of their passport using a handheld device (after the vaccine and health check).

 

The other improvement was having the ships ready for passengers to embark as soon as they have been checked in, rather than having to congregate in large waiting areas in the terminal.  It did help this season that the ships were sailing under capacity. Passengers really enjoyed walking on to the ship right away.

 

Folks should be somewhat respectful of their arrival time, but shoreside staff will work to get passengers embarked as quickly and safely as possible,  while maintaining the social distancing protocols.  So if you have a 1 PM arrival time, please don't show up at 9 AM (it does happen).  And if you have a 2 PM arrival time, come a bit earlier, as 80% of the passengers are already onboard.

 

As someone who has check-in passengers, it easier to have a steady stream of passengers, rather than have to deal with 150 people who show up at their assigned 3 pm time for a 4 PM departure.  I understand that there are folks who will buck or game the arrival time assignment window, and brag about it. (It's annoying)  There are also passengers who arrive when they arrive due to flights or ground transportation, and want to start embarkation as soon as they arrive at the pier.  Sometimes it's easy, other times check-in can be overwhelming and a bit stressful for both passengers and shoreside staff.  But everyone gets on the ship, and the staff gets to go home and tell stories to family and friends.  In the end, it all works out.

 

 

 

 

It is tough for some for sure that have no control like when you are landing, getting a taxi or if you have cruise transport.  That is totally different.  When someone says they want to make sure they get every second of their vacation, or every meal they are due that’s a totally different situation.  That type of person should be made to wait outside until everyone else is on board.  Hal is too much of a pushover to say anything to these types of inconsiderate people and that’s what that type counts on.

[Ferry_Watcher]

2 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

That type of person should be made to wait outside until everyone else is on board.

 

I understand what you are saying.  Even if these early birds get through the check-in process, it doesn't mean that they will be get on the ship any faster, especially the really early arrivals.  They still use boarding times, unless you are in a high level suite).  At some point "open boarding" happens (usually 60-90 minutes after the ship is ready for boarding.  Then as folks are checked-in, they just walk on to the ship.

 

The combination of the 'express check-in' (for HAL the introduction of the facial recognition kiosks), made check-in fast and simple.  It made all the difference for a quick and effortless embarkation.  As long as the ship was ready to board passengers, everything moved smoothly (and this was true of all the brands (with Carnival still being strict with times, except later in the day).

 

Hope you take an Alaskan cruise and experience what we offer in Seattle.

[cbr663]

Priority check in does not allow you to board before others.  It simply refers to your use of a separate 4 and 5 star priority check in line.  Presumably the separate check in line should allow a quicker check in process - but this isn't a guarantee and it certainly isn't always the case.  Sometimes the priority check in line is actually longer than the normal check lines.

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/mariner-society.html

[Florida_gal_50]

11 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

I understand what you are saying.  Even if these early birds get through the check-in process, it doesn't mean that they will be get on the ship any faster, especially the really early arrivals.  They still use boarding times, unless you are in a high level suite).  At some point "open boarding" happens (usually 60-90 minutes after the ship is ready for boarding.  Then as folks are checked-in, they just walk on to the ship.

 

The combination of the 'express check-in' (for HAL the introduction of the facial recognition kiosks), made check-in fast and simple.  It made all the difference for a quick and effortless embarkation.  As long as the ship was ready to board passengers, everything moved smoothly (and this was true of all the brands (with Carnival still being strict with times, except later in the day).

 

Hope you take an Alaskan cruise and experience what we offer in Seattle.

I’ve been to Seattle a few times and I really love it.  It’s a beautiful place.  I’ve taken Alaska cruises a few times and loved them but my heart is really with a warm weather cruise.  Living in a climate that is  cold 9 months of a year wears a person down. That said, I’m sure there are more Alaska cruises in my future.  I love hearing the perspective from people that actually work at the port.  It’s very eye opening so thank you for sharing.

[PGCruiser2]

6 hours ago, iancal said:

Neither are we usually.  Typically verandah customers.   From time to time we have compared loyalty programs.  For our preferences the HAL loyalty program is incredibly weak.  Probably because current or past base loyal customers.    At some point it time it will not work if 90 percent of the cruisers on board have priority this or that.  

Hate to mention it but at some point we are on our way out.We are all eventually heading in the same direction. In the interim enjoy every minute of every adventure. We usually cruise balcony and sometimes ocean view. Need at least a window. Hope to get a deal on a suite one day, just for the experience. We mostly cruise HAL but have cruised RCI, Carnival, NCL, Paul Gauguin which was our first cruise and remains the best cruise we ever had. But every cruise has been special.  We have lost count of the number of cruises we have been on but now love 20 plus days. We also love land vacations and incorporate many land extensions. We did 56 days in Australia and 26 days were cruise days. We have made many long term friends while cruising and have joined up again and again. Feel pretty lucky.

 

[NCTribeFan]

I had an email this morning saying my check-in time for next Saturday had changed.  Again.  I figured I was getting "demoted" back to a later time.

 

Nope.  I've now moved up to 12:00 Group A.

 

I'm suddenly so special!  Must be that I'm about to become 3* sailing in my interior cabin in steerage. 😁

 

As Diamond on Carnival, I think HAL's loyalty program is much better.  At least we get something for our onboard spending.  Carnival is # of nights, period.  Maybe suites get more but I have no idea.  Getting to 3* on HAL after/during my 5th sailing seems really great, to me.  I'm most looking forward to the discounts on wine packages and specialty dining when I sail my Alaska B2B in June.  

 

The only perk I take advantage of regularly on Carnival is priority boarding/tender.  I rarely use the laundry as I just don't wear a lot of cotton clothing that I trust to be washed/dried in those gigantic industrial dryers.  It will come in handy on my B2B2B Med/TA next year but with what I've spent to get to Diamond, I've paid a lot for a couple of bags of "free" laundry.  The line for the Service Desk is for Diamond, Platinum, and Faster to the Fun (the pay-for-perks program), which makes it not much of a benefit.

 

I'm Gold on MSC only because I was able to match (but I was only Platinum on Carnival at the time).  I know loyal MSC customers were not happy that so many people were able to match to Black status who had never even sailed MSC.  I don't blame them on that one.  I believe their matching program has been changed and that Gold is now the highest level to which you can match.

[Boatdrill]

On 12/2/2021 at 3:57 PM, Mosaic said:

So in FLL we are boarding as the Group C people, why not Group A or B.  We were Group A and were demoted to Group C, lol.  Anybody have a reason why?????

Thanks

FWIW, someone in the HAL Group Department told me the boarding times were assigned at random.

 

[Greysandy]

I was just bumped last night from group C, 2pm to group D, 2:20pm. Oh well, I'm just happy to be getting on the ship this year! I'll just have an extra cocktail on the package instead of lunch.

[SSKJ572]

On 12/3/2021 at 5:46 PM, KAKcruiser said:

Not exactly the same.  We are paying for the first day of the cruise and the sooner we get on the ship, the sooner we can begin to take advantage of our vacation. For example, lunch is usually served in the MDR between 12 and 1 or 1:30.  Having a later boarding time will cause you to miss the lunch.  Some people really enjoy this as opposed to the lido which is open later.

I agree with you. We are in Group A for our upcoming cruise and I'm relieved. I want to get on the ship asap and start enjoying my trip. 

[NCTribeFan]

I've always referred to the sailing as # nights, not days, because that's really what you're getting.  I'll get 12 nights starting on Saturday.  That will include a (sort of late, for me) lunch and dinner on embarkation day.  It will also include breakfast on the morning of disembarkation.  And 12 nights.

 

Perhaps if they were marketed that way, people wouldn't believe they were actually paying for # full days.

[Brentt_M]

On 12/4/2021 at 8:45 PM, cbr663 said:

Priority check in does not allow you to board before others.  It simply refers to your use of a separate 4 and 5 star priority check in line.  Presumably the separate check in line should allow a quicker check in process - but this isn't a guarantee and it certainly isn't always the case.  Sometimes the priority check in line is actually longer than the normal check lines.

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/mariner-society.html

Ding Ding Ding!  Absolutely this. Priority check in is not defined as boarding before others. It is having your special lines that are supposed to limit your wait (a  lot of times the priority line is just as long  or longer than the non-priority lin)

[canadarocks]

I have learned with Holland America that boarding time is "fluid". We show up when it's convenient for us. Sometimes we wait, but almost always we board quite quickly. I'm bemused by those who are more concerned about set boarding times than HAL is..... 😆

[Florida_gal_50]

5 minutes ago, canadarocks said:

I have learned with Holland America that boarding time is "fluid". We show up when it's convenient for us. Sometimes we wait, but almost always we board quite quickly. I'm bemused by those who are more concerned about set boarding times than HAL is..... 😆

These are covid times.  You are assigned a certain time so they can keep social distancing.  You can’t just show up when it convenient for you unless it’s later.  This is what is causing problems for people who do follow the rules.  

[canadarocks]

11 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

These are covid times.  You are assigned a certain time so they can keep social distancing.  You can’t just show up when it convenient for you unless it’s later.  This is what is causing problems for people who do follow the rules.  

Just posting what I've learned from many HAL cruises, and what I've learned from what our fellow CCers have posted  (including mid-COVID). Trust me, as a fellow Canadian,.. the whole "Rule Following" thing is never lost on me. LOL  

Edited December 7, 2021 by canadarocks

[Florida_gal_50]

6 minutes ago, canadarocks said:

Just posting what I've learned from many HAL cruises, and what I've learned from what our fellow CCers have posted  (including mid-COVID). Trust me, as a fellow Canadian,.. the whole "Rule Following" thing is never lost on me. LOL  

I’m sorry I still don’t understand.  I realize that you aren’t sailing at San Diego but technically they don’t start boarding until 1. All sorts of people are showing up at 11:30.  Someone that works at the port says there is no incentive for them to change to make it earlier because these people are showing much earlier than their time.  It’s been posted on cruise critic so now it’s ok to do so? I must be the only idiot that listens to rules.  Hal should start enforcing times and if people have to stand outside for 2 hours, oh well.

[*Miss G*]

I had taken @canadarocksmeaning to be the same as mine.  After reading her response I’m obviously wrong.  My take on “convenient for us” is having a leisurely breakfast, maybe some last minute shopping, a late checkout, and then off to the terminal.  I’m not a hurry-up-and-wait/join-the-throngs kind of person.  I’m on vacation!

[Florida_gal_50]

11 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

I had taken @canadarocksmeaning to be the same as mine.  After reading her response I’m obviously wrong.  My take on “convenient for us” is having a leisurely breakfast, maybe some last minute shopping, a late checkout, and then off to the terminal.  I’m not a hurry-up-and-wait/join-the-throngs kind of person.  I’m on vacation!

When canadarocks says sometimes we wait but almost always we board quickly doesn’t sound like someone that waits.  I just don’t get the whole I don’t care what hal says, I do what I want.  I don’t think that should be encouraged.  If people keep doing this hal will eventually wake up and enforce what people should be doing.

[BobbiSox]

There's one in every crowd. The one who is miserable because he/she feels she/hs has been slighted in some way. And It does happen, and has happened more than once to me. Depending on the magnitude of the slight, I may let it slide like water off a duck, or I may (on rare occasion) report it to an agent at the customer service desk, who pretends to care. It's most annoying when a problem happens on embark day, and some look upon it as an omen of things to come. My attitude, after 25 years of consistant sailing: it's no biggie. Even if it IS a biggie. As the kids say S--T happens. Take a deep breath, fix what you can fix, and move on. The buffet awats, and you can alway write a letter to the powers- that- be once you get home. 

[NCTribeFan]

There was absolutely no attempt at distancing when I was at Port Everglades on 11/16.  We were packed into a van going from the hotel to the pier.  The line to enter the terminal/document check had no spacing other than luggage being dragged behind.  Checked in and walked right on, so I don't know what seating inside the terminal may have been like.  If I think of it, I'll try to pay attention when I board on Saturday.

 

I think "social distancing" can be removed from the equation, at least at Port Everglades, Pier 26!

[FlaMariner]

IMO, cruising will not be comfortable for the folks who are into all the social distancing, masking and basically being highly concerned that the virus will get you folks....(trying to be nice in the words I choose).  If the virus is a top concern for you, staying inside at home to limit your exposure (and stress) is probably best (and safe).  Again, my opinion only.  

 

As far as boarding times, when we arrived in October around 11am, the social distance crowd would feel very comfortable....people seemed to arrive randomly and they scooted them/us thru the check in lines and waiting area very efficiently.  (We even had to get a pier Covid test then)

 

Later in the day, when the strict Covid safety boarding times people arrived, I heard there was more of a crowd (but did not witness that as I was unpacking after a leisurely and uncrowded lido lunch).

 

We understand and accept the risk.  We choose to show up when we want and we understand that if we are early, HAL can tell us to go away, sit on the curb or come on in and start the boarding process.  We are fine with whatever. 

 

Boarding times are a non issue unless you want them to be an issue.

 

Smooth Sailing to all.......................