Boarding time question

[Sheep Flavour]

Hello all,

 

currently in Southampton drinking a beer before I head towards the docks to get on the Iona cruise today. As a side note I live in a city myself but how pricey is Southampton for drinks? But maybe I am getting old and grumpy 😂

 

but we chanced our arm at being let on board early. Our time to get on was 3:30 but every other time they have let us on early last year was on just after 12. This time we chanced our arm and was turned away. No issue with that at all. But question is that the case that the more expensive room you book the better entry time to the ship you get or is it completely random? 

[david63]

8 minutes ago, Sheep Flavour said:

But question is that the case that the more expensive room you book the better entry time to the ship you get or is it completely random?

Boarding times with P&O is a "black art" and if I told you how it works you would not be allowed to cruise - ever🤣🤣

[Sheep Flavour]

2 minutes ago, david63 said:

Boarding times with P&O is a "black art" and if I told you how it works you would not be allowed to cruise - ever🤣🤣

😂😂

 

If it involves me as a grown man going up to the chap in charge and crying and begging and losing my dignity…….I’m in 😃

[molecrochip]

Each deck has allocated times between 12&2 and 3&4.

 

Coach parties typically get 2-3.

 

Priority boarding typically up to 12.30

[jeanlyon]

5 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Each deck has allocated times between 12&2 and 3&4.

 

Coach parties typically get 2-3.

 

Priority boarding typically up to 12.30

That's interesting.  We are nearly always Deck D on Aurora and I have always had 1300, 1330 or 1400.

[Cloudyrain]

Penninsular club level also affects things: we had 1.30 for a balcony and an inside (separate bookings) and our neighbour had 3.30 for a balcony. We are level 1 loyalty, and they didn’t have any loyalty. 

[besberry]

I've got a 12:00 boarding on Saturday next week.  My cabin companion has 13:45.  Go figure.  I'll fight my case on embarkation, if I have to.

[jeanlyon]

17 minutes ago, besberry said:

I've got a 12:00 boarding on Saturday next week.  My cabin companion has 13:45.  Go figure.  I'll fight my case on embarkation, if I have to.

So are you a very high tier in Peninsular and your companion lower?  We are Caribbean, but usually get 1330.

[besberry]

11 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

So are you a very high tier in Peninsular and your companion lower?  We are Caribbean, but usually get 1330.

Yes I’m Baltic, it’s his first P&O cruise.

[jeanlyon]

Just now, besberry said:

Yes I’m Baltic, it’s his first P&O cruise.

Then I guess that's why.  I would turn up together.

 

[majortom10]

P&O will tell you if you are Caribbean and above you have priority boarding and to ignore what time it states on boarding pass. It applied to us on Iona in March and there was no problem. Also this week received my boarding pass for Cunard cruise in a fortnight and states 13-45. Contacted my TA who rang Cunard and told them I had priority boarding and they said ignore boarding pass and turn up anytime after 12-30. It seems that both P&O and Cunard have a problem with priority boarding passes.

Edited April 29, 2023 by majortom10

[solentsam]

do they i have never been told that,  we are Caribbean for a while now. our boarding times have been between 12:00 13:00

Edited April 29, 2023 by solentsam
times

[majortom10]

9 minutes ago, solentsam said:

do they i have never been told that,  we are Caribbean. our boarding times have been 12:00 13:00

I am not sure but it is written somewhere to ignore boarding time if you have priority on P&O. Cannot remember if on boarding pass or somewhere else.

[yorkshirephil]

41 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

I am not sure but it is written somewhere to ignore boarding time if you have priority on P&O. Cannot remember if on boarding pass or somewhere else.

This is from the web page, Peninsular tier has always trumped the given time on the boarding pass/eticket since we started cruising P&O. 

You will be allocated an arrival time for embarkation on your boarding pass. To ensure we keep congestion and queues in the terminal to a minimum and get you on board as soon as possible, we kindly ask that you adhere as closely as possible to your allocated arrival time. If you are unsure of your arrival time, please go to my.pocruises.com to print out your boarding pass, or ask your travel agent for assistance. In the spirit of fairness, we will be giving priority to those who arrive at their allocated arrival time. As part of our Peninsular Club benefits, Suite and Ligurian tier guests will be automatically allocated the earliest possible arrival time. Baltic and Caribbean tier guests will be allocated the next early arrival time. If you are travelling on our official partner’s coach service, you may notice that your arrival time doesn’t match your coach’s arrival time. Don’t worry; in this case your coach’s arrival time will override the time on your boarding pass.

[daiB]

2 hours ago, besberry said:

I've got a 12:00 boarding on Saturday next week.  My cabin companion has 13:45.  Go figure.  I'll fight my case on embarkation, if I have to.

Are you not Ligurian/Baltic giving you the early time for boarding?

[Bill Y]

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

I am not sure but it is written somewhere to ignore boarding time if you have priority on P&O. Cannot remember if on boarding pass or somewhere else.

https://www.pocruises.com/content/dam/po/pdfs/P19-008 Peninsular Club Booklet_FINAL.pdf

[Bill Y]

5 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Each deck has allocated times between 12&2 and 3&4.

 

Coach parties typically get 2-3.

 

Priority boarding typically up to 12.30

Are we still in the position where in the past the allocated boarding time has not reflected this?

https://www.pocruises.com/content/dam/po/pdfs/P19-008 Peninsular Club Booklet_FINAL.pdf

I believe that this has recently caused refusal to honour the priority boarding based on loyalty level?

[david63]

Simple answer is to book a suite then nothing else matters😄

[molecrochip]

I believe that the boarding time correctly reflects your loyalty tier now.

[majortom10]

3 hours ago, yorkshirephil said:

This is from the web page, Peninsular tier has always trumped the given time on the boarding pass/eticket since we started cruising P&O. 

You will be allocated an arrival time for embarkation on your boarding pass. To ensure we keep congestion and queues in the terminal to a minimum and get you on board as soon as possible, we kindly ask that you adhere as closely as possible to your allocated arrival time. If you are unsure of your arrival time, please go to my.pocruises.com to print out your boarding pass, or ask your travel agent for assistance. In the spirit of fairness, we will be giving priority to those who arrive at their allocated arrival time. As part of our Peninsular Club benefits, Suite and Ligurian tier guests will be automatically allocated the earliest possible arrival time. Baltic and Caribbean tier guests will be allocated the next early arrival time. If you are travelling on our official partner’s coach service, you may notice that your arrival time doesn’t match your coach’s arrival time. Don’t worry; in this case your coach’s arrival time will override the time on your boarding pass.

Yes I know but as Bill Y has kindly pointed out on post #16 I know there are as somewhere stating that of your e-ticket doesn't give you a priority timing but a later one then ignore it and go early. Which is what I was referring too.

[majortom10]

Just now, molecrochip said:

I believe that the boarding time correctly reflects your loyalty tier now.

No it doesn't ours didn't in March on Iona our boarding pass stated 1345 and we are Caribbean. Contacted P&O and they said ignore time and just turn up early and there will not be a problem, which thankfully there wasn't.

[molecrochip]

1 minute ago, majortom10 said:

No it doesn't ours didn't in March on Iona our boarding pass stated 1345 and we are Caribbean. Contacted P&O and they said ignore time and just turn up early and there will not be a problem, which thankfully there wasn't.

Was that before or after they scrapped the e-ticket?

 

My understanding was that the e-ticket was often wrong but the boarding pass generated at online check-in should be correct.

 

That said…. Carnival IT….!

[majortom10]

3 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Was that before or after they scrapped the e-ticket?

 

My understanding was that the e-ticket was often wrong but the boarding pass generated at online check-in should be correct.

 

That said…. Carnival IT….!

It was a boarding pass I received and printed off in March for Iona with no priority boarding time and like I said stated 1345.Also in last few days downloaded boarding pass for cruise in May and that was wrong and didn't show priority boarding. Carnival UK and their incompetent IT department is still very much alive and kicking.

Edited April 29, 2023 by majortom10

[Megabear2]

I've just had exactly the same with Cunard.  I'm Diamond but shown as red never sailed on my boarding pass. Had to call yesterday to get it sorted. I now have a boarding pass with WC number and 12.30 priority. The lady said the systems at Carnival House had virtually melted down on Thursday with the new sales and the Cunard Coronation cruise.

[majortom10]

40 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

I've just had exactly the same with Cunard.  I'm Diamond but shown as red never sailed on my boarding pass. Had to call yesterday to get it sorted. I now have a boarding pass with WC number and 12.30 priority. The lady said the systems at Carnival House had virtually melted down on Thursday with the new sales and the Cunard Coronation cruise.

They have never got the priority boarding times on e-tickets/boarding passes for years way before COVID so cannot blame new sales this week. Carnival UK IT department has been useless for a considerable amount of time. In fact it is that long ago cannot remember whenever it worked properly.