Embarkation times - experiences welcome !

[tring]

26 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

It looks like it is now called the Welcome on Board Reception, under the Benefits at Our Home Port heading.

 

Just searched for that now on the P&O website using my phone and found it.  Not sure where I was looking a couple of days ago, but pretty sure it was not mentioned there, but it was on the Baltic Ligurian lists and they were briefer lists.   I looked carefully a couple of times, as I had expected to see that.  It was saying it was a welcome on board Reception though.  

 

I seem to have made a mistake anyway, so thanks for pointing it out.  We will become Caribbean in June, so hope it does not change before then.  We have been near a change level.previoously and the required number of points required for each level.

 

 

Edited April 1, 2023 by tring

[yorkshirephil]

9 hours ago, tring said:

 

 

I believe the embarkation time will vary for Caribbean depending how many high level members are on the cruise, so the smaller ships and longer cruises will have later boarding times.

 

There would be some logic to that if a high level or Caribbean and above pax, however I am not sure that P&O technology would account for that, probably why it states "your e-ticket may not reflect this" when referencing your boarding time.

 

 

[amajaa]

9 hours ago, tring said:

 

We will be Caribbean before our August/September cruises and I looked up the perks a couple of days ago.  Baltic and Ligurian levels mention the embarkation lunch, but Caribbean does not but I thought people have mentioned that on here for Caribbean.

 

Perhaps a recent change?

 

I believe the embarkation time will vary for Caribbean depending how many high level members are on the cruise, so the smaller ships and longer cruises will have later boarding times.

 

I just looked up the Loyalty Tiers and it’s still saying Welcome Reception for Caribbean on the P & O links I went into 

[Camberley]

You can always chance your luck to get on early and it might work, as it does sometimes. But don’t bank on it. Earlier this year we noticed a family behind us who tried to check in about 2 hours earlier and were not allowed (fair enough: they have a time slot, it is there for a reason).
 

Yet the mum then kicked off big time, banging on about their kids being being bored in the terminal and wanting to explore the ship (honey, you had the boarding info - and they’re your kids, so deal with their boredom!), the holiday being ruined, not fair being so late to get on, how unfair some get on before them without kids etc….Had I popcorn on me I would have sat down and watched it all play out. 

[tring]

2 hours ago, amajaa said:

I just looked up the Loyalty Tiers and it’s still saying Welcome Reception for Caribbean on the P & O links I went into 

 

That was pointed out earlier and I answered that.  I did admit my mistake, (having seen the full details with that after seeing that post.

 

I do feel it was different on a shorter list I had seen a couple of days ago though as I had checked the lists carefully since I had expected to see that for Caribbean.   It is not unknown for P&O to publish conflicting facts, so quite possible that is the case, but not sure how I got into it previously, so cannot re check that. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by tring

[Son of Anarchy]

1 hour ago, Camberley said:

You can always chance your luck to get on early and it might work, as it does sometimes. But don’t bank on it. Earlier this year we noticed a family behind us who tried to check in about 2 hours earlier and were not allowed (fair enough: they have a time slot, it is there for a reason).
 

Yet the mum then kicked off big time, banging on about their kids being being bored in the terminal and wanting to explore the ship (honey, you had the boarding info - and they’re your kids, so deal with their boredom!), the holiday being ruined, not fair being so late to get on, how unfair some get on before them without kids etc….Had I popcorn on me I would have sat down and watched it all play out. 

You  didn't know how important they thought they were! 😀

[tring]

2 hours ago, yorkshirephil said:

There would be some logic to that if a high level or Caribbean and above pax, however I am not sure that P&O technology would account for that, probably why it states "your e-ticket may not reflect this" when referencing your boarding time.

 

 

 

I was meaning to quote Jean's earlier comment that she had had later embarkation times than others were reporting for, e.g. Iona, which Jean will not have been on, but had written it before I realised it and I was using a phone so could not cut and post to another answer and it was late.

 

I was thinking that we had an incredibly late embarkation time for the Aurora Caribbean last Nov, yet we had splashed out on a deck B deluxe balcony for that.  From what others had said, it seems it was likely because we had not reached Caribbean and that cruise sold out on launch day during covid, so chances are we were two of very few non Caribbean members.

 

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by tring

[Jazzytelly]

On 4/2/2023 at 11:09 AM, tring said:

 

That was pointed out earlier and I answered that.  I did admit my mistake, (having seen the full details with that after seeing that post.

 

I do feel it was different on a shorter list I had seen a couple of days ago though as I had checked the lists carefully since I had expected to see that for Caribbean.   It is not unknown for P&O to publish conflicting facts, so quite possible that is the case, but not sure how I got into it previously, so cannot re check that. 

 

 

 

 

 

We won’t be Caribbean until the cruise after next but do you just turn up for the Loyalty Lunch or do you get an invite. If the latter how do you get it as it can’t be left in the cabin as it might not be ready before you go. 

[tring]

39 minutes ago, Jazzytelly said:

We won’t be Caribbean until the cruise after next but do you just turn up for the Loyalty Lunch or do you get an invite. If the latter how do you get it as it can’t be left in the cabin as it might not be ready before you go. 

 

We are not Caribbean yet, either, one more cruise in June before we qualify.

.

[Son of Anarchy]

51 minutes ago, Jazzytelly said:

We won’t be Caribbean until the cruise after next but do you just turn up for the Loyalty Lunch or do you get an invite. If the latter how do you get it as it can’t be left in the cabin as it might not be ready before you go. 

An letter is delivered to your cabin telling you what date the lunch is due to be held.  You return the letter to the Loyalty Team indicating whether or not you wish to attend.  There's usually a drop box by the Loyalty Team area to do this.  A day or so before the lunch you get a invite, with your table number.

[Fionboard]

If you are talking about the embarkation lunch you just turn up. Ask where it is being held when you go to register at your muster station. 

[smokey01]

19 hours ago, Jazzytelly said:

We won’t be Caribbean until the cruise after next but do you just turn up for the Loyalty Lunch or do you get an invite. If the latter how do you get it as it can’t be left in the cabin as it might not be ready before you go. 

You do get an invite in the cabin but as you say the cabins are not normally ready until 1 or 2pm. So we just go to the restaurant and show our cruise cards (I think they have loyalty level on) if not the boarding pass does.

[Fionboard]

Boarding pass has loyalty level on it. Cruise cards are outside cabin door when ready.  They do not have loyalty level on.

[Dobbers]

Sailing on Britannia in 3 weeks and just been given a boarding time of 12.45. We’re Mediterranean level, cabin is mid aft deck 9. 
I could never figure the boarding🤪

[davecttr]

One niggle for me is despite having priority boarding of 12 noon and putting my case through the hole in the wall at 11.30 the case does not arrive at the cabin until late afternoon 😠

[daiB]

38 minutes ago, davecttr said:

One niggle for me is despite having priority boarding of 12 noon and putting my case through the hole in the wall at 11.30 the case does not arrive at the cabin until late afternoon 😠

Ah so they did get the message I sent. 🙂

[Angel57]

59 minutes ago, davecttr said:

One niggle for me is despite having priority boarding of 12 noon and putting my case through the hole in the wall at 11.30 the case does not arrive at the cabin until late afternoon 😠

Agree. First in the hole equals being at the bottom of a big pile of cases…🙄

[Cruisemeister2002]

Wouldn't have mattered on Ventura Caribbean and USA departure 02/03/23 as she had arrived 5 hours late due to a supposed refit. Which piece of carpet they had changed to account for this delay I am not sure, but apparently it was done in Germany ? But there were still British workers fitting carpets several days after departure as we meet them in a lift with buckets marked do not move on the lids and they explained they were about to fit carpets in the staff quarters. Suffice to say having to queue outside the terminal building along with thousands of others and baggage piled up everywhere. The complimentary lunch was extended to 3 p.m. but we still didn't make it in time. But if the fare dished up by the MDR throughout the cruise was anything to go by it was just as well we missed it as I can only recall 4 meals, 3 in Sindu and 1 in the Beach house that I would class as good. Ventura didn't set sail until 11.30 p.m. The cruise was frankly a nightmare. I am giving P&O one last chance next year on Arcadia. Then I will either cease cruising or go somewhere else.

[Cruisemeister2002]

On 4/6/2023 at 4:14 PM, Fionboard said:

Boarding pass has loyalty level on it. Cruise cards are outside cabin door when ready.  They do not have loyalty level on.

A couple I spoke to on Ventura N306 Caribbean/USA 02/03/23 got into their cabin and found rubbish under their bed and someone's clothes hanging in their wardrobe.

[terrierjohn]

38 minutes ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

A couple I spoke to on Ventura N306 Caribbean/USA 02/03/23 got into their cabin and found rubbish under their bed and someone's clothes hanging in their wardrobe.

I hope they reported this to housekeeping, it shouldn't happen but things wont improve if the management dont know about these problems.

[Cruisemeister2002]

32 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I hope they reported this to housekeeping, it shouldn't happen but things wont improve if the management dont know about these problems.

Yes they did report it. Unfortunately for myself and wife this cruise was a disaster. A letter is winging it's way to P&O. I hope and believe I am not just deemed as a whinger. However I do believe that P&O standards will continue to drop if they are not informed of problems. It does to me appear that everything is being pushed to having to pay to get decent food and by the looks of Iona and Arvia entertainment is going the same way. As wine waiters don't unless asked provide a wine list I ordered two 250 ml glasses of Souvignon Blanc and received an onboard bill of £19.00 for the privilege whereas I could have bought a bottle for £19.95. My fault I know but I do believe everything is getting more expensive and whether an all inclusive on Saga would be a better option ?