Cunard boarding times?

[Wheats24]

Can anyone please clarify Cunards boarding process? Is it by stateroom, ie Grills, Britainnia Club, etc? Cannot find any clarity.

[BigMac1953]

You will be allotted a time.

 

However, when it comes to actually boarding, it's QG, PG, Club, Diamond then Platinum.

[Fisherwoman]

We are boarding soon in Vancouver.  Our boarding time is 14:15.   Do they let you on earlier?  We usually arrive before lunch.

 

[Winifred 22]

I have never heard them call Club for priority in Southampton. I have only heard QG , PG , Diamond then Platinum. 

[BigMac1953]

3 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

I have never heard them call Club for priority in Southampton. I have only heard QG , PG , Diamond then Platinum. 

 

From Cunard's web site:

 

"Your Britannia Club Balcony stateroom features a desk, a seating area and king-size bed, plus a spacious balcony with table and chairs for you to relax in the ocean air. Enjoy elevated features such as priority embarkation and disembarkation"

[Winifred 22]

I stand corrected. I will listen more thoroughly in future. I usually just wait until Princess Grills are called and get ready to be called next. !! 

[LadyL1]

Just more chaos, with more priority boarders than can be possibly handled.

Interestingly on the P&O threads, there are many mentions of not being allowed to enter terminal early: queueing outside!

[Winifred 22]

On QM2 recently I arrived about 15 mins late for my boarding time so went straight in but the queue for security was very long. I was 1 15 arrival time but could see there were many in the queue with arrivals times over an hour later round 15:00 and later etc.. 

[Windsurfboy]

When everyone has priority no one has priority. 

 

Security is the bottleneck. 

 

In the old days used to issue coloured cards, which made it easier to control boarding now more of a free for all

[Slc334]

Is it not that you have priority embarkation, so don’t have to queue for the time you are given. In the past we have shown priority boarding and have gone to the front of the queue. Not sure I’m explaining this well! 

We did grill last year and had an early boarding time. 
Mum is diamond and I am platinum and not going grill this year and been given 3:45 boarding, last boarding 4pm! So hardly think the world club status has worked there! We have a normal balcony booked. 

[PAMJP]

We were on QV October 2022 and at the time gold and in Brittania Club. Boarding started early and we were on board for lunch.We were told to sit with priority and when it was announced, to go through  with Princess Grills guests, as we were told they don’t normally mention club. In grills for next month’s cruise, also now Platinum, so waiting for our boarding time to see what we are assigned.

[Bell Boy]

On 6/26/2023 at 5:22 PM, LadyL1 said:

Just more chaos, with more priority boarders than can be possibly handled.

Interestingly on the P&O threads, there are many mentions of not being allowed to enter terminal early: queueing outside!

Well that is common sense  considering a couple of their NEW  ships have up to 5/6000 - can't compare that to the Vic or the Lizzy . 

[Jack E Dawson]

On 6/26/2023 at 10:41 AM, BigMac1953 said:

"Your Britannia Club Balcony stateroom features a desk, a seating area and king-size bed, plus a spacious balcony with table and chairs for you to relax in the ocean air. Enjoy elevated features such as priority embarkation and disembarkation"

Thank you BigMac1953. Was totally unaware of this even though we have traveled in Club previously. We will be boarding the QE in LA on August 22nd and are booked in Club. Curious to see what happens. For sure I will take a screen shot of that page of the Cunard web site and have it on my phone. At the end of the day we are at the mercy of the terminal staff who may or may not know the finer details. 

Though we have only made 3 voyages on Cunard, I have yet to see any rhyme or reason to the assignment of boarding times. On a Crossing last year we were assigned a 3:00PM boarding time. We are Gold status and traveling in an unobstructed Britannia cabin. Our friends, making their first Cunard voyage and traveling in a Sheltered Cabin were assigned a 1:30PM boarding.  

Jack

[Winifred 22]

Boarding is allocated by deck so if your friends were on a different deck that’s why there was a difference. Non priority boarding does not take into account loyalty status. 

[david,Mississauga]

On 6/26/2023 at 11:13 AM, Fisherwoman said:

We are boarding soon in Vancouver.  Our boarding time is 14:15.   Do they let you on earlier?  We usually arrive before lunch.

 

 

From my most recent experience in Vancouver (20th June) it seems it doesn't matter about the arrival time. (I don't mean to be picky but the times given on the boarding passes are not boarding times.)  There was no apparent screening of passengers entering Hall C of the convention centre for check-in. Because the Canada Place terminal can be as bad as an airport, we have requested a wheelchair for my wife for these voyages.  

 

This was the third time we have boarded the QE in Vancouver and it was the latest we have boarded. The check-in opened about 11:30. There was one desk handling "assistance passengers" and it seemed all the rest had priority. It was taking a while so I walked over to the Intercruises employee standing by the priority queue. I explained that we were in Queens Grill this time and asked if it would be quicker if we went through the priority area. She pointed to what seemed like hundreds of people and said they were all priority.  

 

I'm not sure when boarding started, but by the time we completed check-in, security and the US border control we went straight on board at about 12:30. There was no-one waiting in the seating area.

 

Last year we were processed earlier and waited for boarding to commence. It was by the usual order: QG, PG, (Britannia Club was not yet on the list) Diamond, Platinum then everyone else. No-one looked at the arrival time on the boarding passes.

 

In 2019 we were in Britannia but had priority because of the wheelchair. When we finished the formalities we were taken straight to the gangway and were on board at 11:20. By no means were we the first to board and there was no-one waiting.

 

I hope it works well for you.

[BklynBoy8]

On this past sailing a week ago we were on the QM2 and assigned for BC to report to the pier at 12:45PM. In 12/17 we were assigned to report to the pier at 12:15PM.

 

In last September 2022 we were in Princess Grill and were assigned to report to the pier at 12:15PM.

 

Both at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.

[Slc334]

We have the worst boarding time ever for July- 3:45… with the next box on the boarding pass saying “last boarding 4.”

we are diamond and platinum members and got a BB balcony- disappointed to say the least! 
I mean it’s practically sail away time! 

[Pear Carr]

What deck are you on? I believe they are currently boarding by deck, regardless of loyalty status, and the higher the deck the later the embarkation.  We found this to be the case on our QV cruise in June being on Deck 7.

[BigMac1953]

18 minutes ago, Pear Carr said:

What deck are you on? I believe they are currently boarding by deck, regardless of loyalty status, and the higher the deck the later the embarkation. 

 

That'll be a first.

[Kynance]

We had 1.30 on QV in June for deck 7 forward,  which I was quite happy with.  (We were in Britannia & are Diamond/Platinum in WC status.)

In September we are in Club on QM2, deck 13, so I’m intrigued as to what arrival time we will be given for this voyage. Bit of time to wait though! 

[Slc334]

59 minutes ago, Pear Carr said:

What deck are you on? I believe they are currently boarding by deck, regardless of loyalty status, and the higher the deck the later the embarkation.  We found this to be the case on our QV cruise in June being on Deck 7.

Deck 11…. Guess that could be why so late… not impressed at all! 

[Pear Carr]

Anyones guess then - we are platinum, we were mid ship deck 7 and given  3.15.

[Wheats24]

We are on the Fjords Cruise 6th Aug and today have just been given our arrival time of 1300. We are first time Cunard passengers and are staying Princess Grill deck 8, from what I have read this arrival times seem to be completely random.

[exlondoner]

5 minutes ago, Wheats24 said:

We are on the Fjords Cruise 6th Aug and today have just been given our arrival time of 1300. We are first time Cunard passengers and are staying Princess Grill deck 8, from what I have read this arrival times seem to be completely random.

No, you are in the Grills, so should expect some priority. And you want to board in time for lunch which usually starts at 1.

[LadyL1]

25 minutes ago, Wheats24 said:

We are on the Fjords Cruise 6th Aug and today have just been given our arrival time of 1300. We are first time Cunard passengers and are staying Princess Grill deck 8, from what I have read this arrival times seem to be completely random.

Do not be concerned. Boarding is slightly later these days, with QG appx 12.45ish directly followed by Princess Grill.

Once you have been to your room and deposited bags, go to the PG restaurant (which is in a delightful location) on deck 11 and start to enjoy.