Anyone Had Recent late check in experience for Arvia/Iona

[Megabear2]

Have just been allocated 4.00pm, last boarding 4.30pm boarding time for my Arvia May cruise. Not a major problem with that but currently I have some problems standing for periods in excess of 10 minutes or so as I get dizzy and start to feel sick - a side effect from my recent head injury - I've currently got a hidden disabilities tag from my GP to assist at the airport when I fly.

 

I have seen previously reports that check in has on quite a few occasions over run considerably and people have had to queue outside for very long periods which I would have severe difficulties with at present. Has anyone experienced any of these problems on the recent cruises departing Southampton and if so were people able to use seats for the waiting period or just left to get on with it?

 

It was suggested I call P&O as possibly i could get assistance which would ensure a seat while waiting but I'm unsure if I'd qualify? Any information/ideas much appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

p.s. just discovered the "wonderful" new AI voice assistant on the telephone at P&O.  My goodness that's scary and can't answer anything!  Has my friend ICF been asking P&O to add a new upgrade for those who love apps???

[Harry Peterson]

13 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Have just been allocated 4.00pm, last boarding 4.30pm boarding time for my Arvia May cruise. Not a major problem with that but currently I have some problems standing for periods in excess of 10 minutes or so as I get dizzy and start to feel sick - a side effect from my recent head injury - I've currently got a hidden disabilities tag from my GP to assist at the airport when I fly.

 

I have seen previously reports that check in has on quite a few occasions over run considerably and people have had to queue outside for very long periods which I would have severe difficulties with at present. Has anyone experienced any of these problems on the recent cruises departing Southampton and if so were people able to use seats for the waiting period or just left to get on with it?

 

It was suggested I call P&O as possibly i could get assistance which would ensure a seat while waiting but I'm unsure if I'd qualify? Any information/ideas much appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

p.s. just discovered the "wonderful" new AI voice assistant on the telephone at P&O.  My goodness that's scary and can't answer anything!  Has my friend ICF been asking P&O to add a new upgrade for those who love apps???

Megabear, I’d be absolutely amazed if after relaying that very specific information to P&O with a request for appropriate assistance they didn’t make suitable arrangements for you. It’s in everyone’s best interests.

[sandancer]

I recommend you complete an assistance form on the P&O website. My DH has conditions which prevent him from standing for long periods of time or walking up slopes (i.e. steep gangway). Once they know you need help you can go to the “assistance area” and they will have your name. A wheelchair will be provided, even if you don’t usually use one, and you’ll be escorted through the terminal. We found the port staff to be very kind, helpful and courteous. My DH was very against asking for help but after the first time he realised how much easier it made our embarkation. 

 

[molecrochip]

P&O are now trailing a number of check-in desks in the assistance area so you remain seated and get checked in then go straight to security bypassing the long line of desks.

 

I would complete the form indicating you want assistance and can’t stand for long periods. If you don’t need it on the day then just let them know.

[Megabear2]

30 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

P&O are now trailing a number of check-in desks in the assistance area so you remain seated and get checked in then go straight to security bypassing the long line of desks.

 

I would complete the form indicating you want assistance and can’t stand for long periods. If you don’t need it on the day then just let them know.

Thank you, that's very good to know.  I've spoken to P&O this morning and the lady is sending the form which takes 24 hours to get here so should be in the timeframe. I felt a bit guilty so good to know I can cancel if not needed - fingers crossed no overlong queues.  She did mention they are being very strict on boarding times but noted as I'm getting a lift and live nearby she thought arriving just after 3.00pm woukd be okay. She also said even if it's not a mobility issue per se they'd rather know in case of a real emergency as I might have a problem in queuing for muster which I'd never thought of, apparently even things like partial deafness is best to tell them.

 

As a matter of interest how do they allocate times once the "posh" have boarded?  My Iona real cheap very late booking inside deck 5  I have 12.30 time, yet this one select and upgraded to deck 9 I've got 4.00pm. 

[molecrochip]

Broadly:

priority boarding 11:30, 12:00

certain decks 12:30,13:00

coaches usually 13:30, 14:00 and 14:30

remaining decks 15:00, 15:30 and 16:00

 

There is a bit of flex, on busier cruises they also can use 15 min intervals.

 

Final boarding is listed usually as 16:30/16:45 come what May so that safety announcement can be at 5pm.

 

If you are there on time, you will get on even if checkin has to over run.

 

If you are running late and pushing final boarding, ring ahead. If the ship is due to leave at 5pm then you may be unlucky.

 

If ship is due alongside til 7pm but it’s just checkin that’s closing, there are possibilities although not guaranteed.

[Bill Y]

2 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Have just been allocated 4.00pm, last boarding 4.30pm boarding time for my Arvia May cruise. Not a major problem with that but currently I have some problems standing for periods in excess of 10 minutes or so as I get dizzy and start to feel sick - a side effect from my recent head injury - I've currently got a hidden disabilities tag from my GP to assist at the airport when I fly.

I assume that you are at least Caribbean level in the Peninsular Club,

 

The latest booklet online still states,

"Benefits at our home port Priority arrival time allocation You will be allocated an early arrival time of 1pm. Please note: your e-ticket may not reflect this. But rest assured, you’re welcome to arrive from 1pm and we’ll check you in as a priority", I did think it used to be earlier.

[jeanlyon]

We are Caribbean and I usually get 1330.

[Megabear2]

39 minutes ago, Bill Y said:

I assume that you are at least Caribbean level in the Peninsular Club,

 

The latest booklet online still states,

"Benefits at our home port Priority arrival time allocation You will be allocated an early arrival time of 1pm. Please note: your e-ticket may not reflect this. But rest assured, you’re welcome to arrive from 1pm and we’ll check you in as a priority", I did think it used to be earlier.

Thank you for your confidence, however I'm not yet Caribbean, my next cruise ticks me over.  A very large amount of my cruise history with P&O is marked not eligible I assume because my earlier cruises were 7 days under Portunus and as such didn't accumulate points. Most of my cruising until 6 years ago was Cunard and I am diamond with them.

[Bill Y]

4 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Thank you for your confidence, however I'm not yet Caribbean, my next cruise ticks me over.  A very large amount of my cruise history with P&O is marked not eligible I assume because my earlier cruises were 7 days under Portunus and as such didn't accumulate points. Most of my cruising until 6 years ago was Cunard and I am diamond with them.

Sorry I should not have made assumptions. However in the last ten years all nights have counted as far as I know apart from them at "mates rates", We obtained Caribbean in less then 6 years but we like longer cruises. May be worth logging in and checking your cruise history.

[Megabear2]

51 minutes ago, Bill Y said:

Sorry I should not have made assumptions. However in the last ten years all nights have counted as far as I know apart from them at "mates rates", We obtained Caribbean in less then 6 years but we like longer cruises. May be worth logging in and checking your cruise history.

Unfortunately I lost 2 years cruising in my six years like everyone else so really its 4 I suppose.  At the moment if I cruise on My History I just get taken to the Rewards Page so nothing shows.  However I know from a couple of weeks ago that I had six 7 night cruises not counting where it says not eligible - they go back about 13 years - but I think the points were lost when Portunus became Peninsular.  If I recall rightly you got thrown out of the club if you didn't sail P&O for x amount of years and as I say I was sailing mostly with Cunard (I was my mum's cruise companion for 8 years) at that time.  I also do a lot of transatlantic crossings on QM2 and use her as my bus home from visiting friends in Texas and Florida via lots of shopping and a show in New York!

 

Most of my P&O cruises are 14 to 25 days with the odd 7 nighter nowadays so I'm making inroads now the pandemic is hopefully past us.

[Selbourne]

10 hours ago, molecrochip said:

P&O are now trailing a number of check-in desks in the assistance area so you remain seated and get checked in then go straight to security bypassing the long line of desks.

That’s a positive development. I hope that’s in place when we go on Iona in August. 

[Selbourne]

10 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Broadly:

priority boarding 11:30, 12:00

certain decks 12:30,13:00

coaches usually 13:30, 14:00 and 14:30

remaining decks 15:00, 15:30 and 16:00

 

There is a bit of flex, on busier cruises they also can use 15 min intervals.

 

Final boarding is listed usually as 16:30/16:45 come what May so that safety announcement can be at 5pm.

 

If you are there on time, you will get on even if checkin has to over run.

 

If you are running late and pushing final boarding, ring ahead. If the ship is due to leave at 5pm then you may be unlucky.

 

If ship is due alongside til 7pm but it’s just checkin that’s closing, there are possibilities although not guaranteed.

I would assume from those times that 1130 is for Suites and Baltic customers and 1200 for Caribbean tier? Is that correct? Seems odd that Caribbean tier passengers are being given times as late as 1330, although I recall that in the 10 years or so before Covid (and I’m not exaggerating here) the boarding details always gave Caribbean customers the normal boarding time for their deck with a comment saying that those with priority boarding could arrive earlier and P&O were working on a fix to correct the boarding times 🙄

[daiB]

8 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Unfortunately I lost 2 years cruising in my six years like everyone else so really its 4 I suppose.  At the moment if I cruise on My History I just get taken to the Rewards Page so nothing shows.  However I know from a couple of weeks ago that I had six 7 night cruises not counting where it says not eligible - they go back about 13 years - but I think the points were lost when Portunus became Peninsular.  If I recall rightly you got thrown out of the club if you didn't sail P&O for x amount of years and as I say I was sailing mostly with Cunard (I was my mum's cruise companion for 8 years) at that time.  I also do a lot of transatlantic crossings on QM2 and use her as my bus home from visiting friends in Texas and Florida via lots of shopping and a show in New York!

 

Most of my P&O cruises are 14 to 25 days with the odd 7 nighter nowadays so I'm making inroads now the pandemic is hopefully past us.

No all your nights count no matter how short, 2/3/4 nights all count, with regard to losing nights if you had not cruised for a while, that was scrapped and to my knowledge all your cruises counted. Where people missed out was when the Portunus club started around 2001/2 and people moved from the POSH club, which you had to join, and pay a fee. I would call the Peninsular club and check.have a list of your cruises handy.

 

Gan Canny

 

Dai

[terrierjohn]

11 hours ago, molecrochip said:

P&O are now trailing a number of check-in desks in the assistance area so you remain seated and get checked in then go straight to security bypassing the long line of desks.

 

56 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

That’s a positive development. I hope that’s in place when we go on Iona in August. 

Is that different to what was happening in Ocean Terminal in Feb. and October. They had 2 check in desks where you completed all the booking in  then went straight to security?

[daiB]

44 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I would assume from those times that 1130 is for Suites and Baltic customers and 1200 for Caribbean tier? Is that correct? Seems odd that Caribbean tier passengers are being given times as late as 1330, although I recall that in the 10 years or so before Covid (and I’m not exaggerating here) the boarding details always gave Caribbean customers the normal boarding time for their deck with a comment saying that those with priority boarding could arrive earlier and P&O were working on a fix to correct the boarding times 🙄

Some cruises have a vast number of higher tiers especially on Aurora and Arcadia. Recently we have had in excess of 500 and up to 800.

[daiB]

3 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

 

Is that different to what was happening in Ocean Terminal in Feb. and October. They had 2 check in desks where you completed all the booking in  then went straight to security?

In March for Iona there was a separate desk by the point where my scooter was labelled just by the lift. We were then directed to go and wait to board.as we had priority as we got to the far end they had just started boarding. It was all very quick

[tring]

8 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Unfortunately I lost 2 years cruising in my six years like everyone else so really its 4 I suppose.  At the moment if I cruise on My History I just get taken to the Rewards Page so nothing shows.  However I know from a couple of weeks ago that I had six 7 night cruises not counting where it says not eligible - they go back about 13 years - but I think the points were lost when Portunus became Peninsular.  If I recall rightly you got thrown out of the club if you didn't sail P&O for x amount of years and as I say I was sailing mostly with Cunard (I was my mum's cruise companion for 8 years) at that time.  I also do a lot of transatlantic crossings on QM2 and use her as my bus home from visiting friends in Texas and Florida via lots of shopping and a show in New York!

 

Most of my P&O cruises are 14 to 25 days with the odd 7 nighter nowadays so I'm making inroads now the pandemic is hopefully past us.

 

We were Portunus members from November 2006 and all lengths of cruise collected points.  We also had half normal amount of points for Swan Hellenic, which we have retained.  You are right earlier on in the time we have been members, you lost points after a certain number of years without sailings, which could well have been your downfall.  We tinkered along, so did not loose points, but did most cruising with other cruise lines for varied itineraries.  We have done a lot of P&O post covid though so we will also reach Caribbean after a cruise we have booked in July.

 

Edited April 24, 2023 by tring

[Fionboard]

14 minutes ago, daiB said:

Some cruises have a vast number of higher tiers especially on Aurora and Arcadia. Recently we have had in excess of 500 and up to 800.

On this Aurora cruise there are over 1000 club members so needed 4 cocktail parties! 

[Selbourne]

3 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

On this Aurora cruise there are over 1000 club members so needed 4 cocktail parties! 

Have lunches for Caribbean tier and above returned for cruises of 14 nights of more? 

[Fionboard]

1 minute ago, Selbourne said:

Have lunches for Caribbean tier and above returned for cruises of 14 nights of more? 

Yes. On here 4 lunches and 4 cocktail parties. But this is Aurora! 

[Selbourne]

Just now, Fionboard said:

Yes. On here 4 lunches and 4 cocktail parties. But this is Aurora! 

Thanks. We know not to expect anything on Iona (7 days) but we have three 14 night cruises booked, two on Ventura and one on Britannia and these will be our first cruises since reaching the dizzy heights of Caribbean tier, so we are keen to experience the few extra perks that come with it 😂 

[Megabear2]

7 hours ago, daiB said:

No all your nights count no matter how short, 2/3/4 nights all count, with regard to losing nights if you had not cruised for a while, that was scrapped and to my knowledge all your cruises counted. Where people missed out was when the Portunus club started around 2001/2 and people moved from the POSH club, which you had to join, and pay a fee. I would call the Peninsular club and check.have a list of your cruises handy.

 

Gan Canny

 

Dai

That's very interesting, I'll look into it.  I had assumed following speaking to P&O last year they had just dropped out.  My aunt was Ligurian as they'd done 10 World cruises but as she'd not sailed P&O for 9 years when my uncle became ill and they lost a large world cruise deposit when I checked on her behalf I was told she'd gone back to Caribbean and her history shows exactly like mine with "not eligible" beside a swathe of sailings.  Strangely her Princess status still counts everyone of her P&o cruises and she still ranks as one of their highest nights onboard guests.

 

I cannot currently access my history on my account.  Clicking past sailings just takes me to rewards page. Once it sorts itself I'll screenshot it and speak to them, it's not a crises and I'm not too worried about the status although the extra discount would be welcome on my excursions, having just forked out  £305 for one in La Spezia!

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

That's very interesting, I'll look into it.  I had assumed following speaking to P&O last year they had just dropped out.  My aunt was Ligurian as they'd done 10 World cruises but as she'd not sailed P&O for 9 years when my uncle became ill and they lost a large world cruise deposit when I checked on her behalf I was told she'd gone back to Caribbean and her history shows exactly like mine with "not eligible" beside a swathe of sailings.  Strangely her Princess status still counts everyone of her P&o cruises and she still ranks as one of their highest nights onboard guests.

 

I cannot currently access my history on my account.  Clicking past sailings just takes me to rewards page. Once it sorts itself I'll screenshot it and speak to them, it's not a crises and I'm not too worried about the status although the extra discount would be welcome on my excursions, having just forked out  £305 for one in La Spezia!

I may have misunderstood the issue, but just to clarify a few things if it helps;

 

Our first P&O cruise was in 1996 and this doesn’t count towards our loyalty points. 
 

Up to and including Caribbean tier (250 nights) there are no requirements for cruise frequency, so you never lose points even if you don’t cruise for many years. 
 

Baltic requires 80-200 nights over the 3 preceding years. Ligurian requires 201 nights or more over the 3 preceding years. If you don’t meet these criteria you drop down a tier or 2, but never below Caribbean. 
 

I’ve just logged into my P&O account and, in yet another P&O IT glitch, when I click on the tab to view my cruise history it takes me to the generic page about loyalty tiers with no detail on my past cruises 🙄
 

Edit - I think they might have suspended the Baltic and Ligurian ‘disqualification’ criteria during Covid, but if your Aunt didn’t cruise for 9 years  that might explain the terminology as she would have dropped down to Caribbean? 

Edited April 25, 2023 by Selbourne

[Megabear2]

41 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I’ve just logged into my P&O account and, in yet another P&O IT glitch, when I click on the tab to view my cruise history it takes me to the generic page about loyalty tiers with no detail on my past cruises 🙄

Yes, that's what I'm getting at present.  I'm not too stressed about all this, it's just developed as BillY assumed I was Caribbean.  I think Tring is correct as she mentioned she too experienced the cruises not counting at one point.  As I say the older cruises do show (when I can get in!) but they are marked ineligible and as they are around the period I wasn't cruising with P&O it would appear to be the gap years as discussed above.  Although I cruise every year P&O were quite a away down my list at one point with Cunard, RCI and MSC featuring dar more because of my transatlantic crossings in particular.

 

I'm not one to get hung up on status, it will come around at some point.  Having said that I protect my Virgin Atlantic membership with gusto and wear my Cunard Diamond pin with pride!