Cruise Parking - Iona

[Windsurfboy]

1 hour ago, 9265359 said:

 

Only if you have that many people arrive early, which never happened in the past.

 

And as those hundreds and hundreds of seats are never intended to be used again, presumably the terminal will be demolished just leaving a space for the check in queue and security.

 

 

They didn't have mega ships in past with 6000 passengers. The queues outside show many many people are/were arriving very early. 

 

If as I said those that arrive on time must be let straight in , if on time is within 30 minutes , then that's 750 people. The terminal would be effectively full with on time people. So never mind which way look at it just no room in terminal for those that arrive more than 30 minutes early.

 

As someone rightly said terminals are not fit for  ie big enough for mega ships. Only workable solution is for people to come roughly on time.

 

[cruising.mark.uk]

I'd amend the sentence 'terminals are not fit for i.e. big enough for mega ships a little' to read 'terminals are not big enough to process a mega ship load of passengers all at the same time'.  

 

I think that is because they don't have to.  A cruise terminal is very different from an airport terminal.  The latter is designed to get people through check in and security as quickly as possible so that they can spend money in restaurants, bars and shops.  The former is designed to get the max pax load checked in, through security and onto a ship, starting when the ship is ready to receive new passengers and spread out across the available boarding window to make the operation as smooth and convenient as possible for port staff, passengers and the ship.

 

I know that there have occasionally been problems caused by Customs / late debarkation etc, but other than that I haven't heard of Arvia / Iona routinely encountering problems in getting all their passengers onboard in the embarkation window.  If that is the case and these ships routinely depart on time or thereabouts, then the terminals can clearly handle embarkation / debarkation of these ships.  So, there is neither a need nor an incentive for the port / Carnival / P&O to invest more in (very expensive) staff and security and other infrastructure to speed the process up.  If it isn't broken, they don't need to fix it.

 

What can break it temporarily is thousands of people arriving at the same time.  So, they are trying to discourage that.  And it seems to be working.

[9265359]

25 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

If as I said those that arrive on time must be let straight in , if on time is within 30 minutes , then that's 750 people. The terminal would be effectively full with on time people.

 

Sorry but that just isn't the case.

 

When I sailed four weeks ago on Britannia and went into the terminal (on-time) there was nobody, absolutely nobody, sat down on the hundreds and hundreds of empty seats. 

 

To repeat, there was *nobody* sat down.

 

And yet outside there was a hundred or so people stood in a queue not being allowed into the terminal to sit and wait for their allocated time.

 

No matter how much you argue for this, this is obnoxious behaviour by P&O and such behaviour will be repaid to them.

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

P&O should issue an immediate edict, that anyone arriving on time and that should be clear that it means within 15 minutea of boarding time Must be let in. No question 

 

 

But 99% of passengers don't want to be allowed inside!! 🤔😊

[Windsurfboy]

Reading thread " live on K316", if you turn up on time you walk straight on.

 

But there was massive queue of early birds. 

[9265359]

47 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

But there was massive queue of early birds. 

 

And despite the queue of those standing outside, were 100% of the hundreds of seats inside unused as they were when I was there a month ago?

 

'The beatings will continue...'

[Windsurfboy]

 No beatings , but they had to write a 100 lines "If you turn up before your scheduled arrival time you may not be let into the terminal" .

 

 

[lindylooellalouise]

3 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 No beatings , but they had to write a 100 lines "If you turn up before your scheduled arrival time you may not be let into the terminal" .

 

 

You will NOT be allowed inside the terminal for a seat, cup of tea or toilet facilities 

[Selbourne]

4 hours ago, 9265359 said:

 

Is this going to get to be like some aircraft flights when on embarkation a significant number of the passengers seem to need a wheelchair and are boarded first with their families, but on disembarkation when assisted passengers have to wait until the end to leave the aircraft, then suddenly their have been multiple miraculous cures and they can get off and walk through the terminal unassisted.

 

https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/passengers-furious-at-southwest-airlines-for-wheelchair/454882

As the husband of a full time wheelchair user who is unable to even stand unaided, let alone walk, I can tell you with confidence that the assisted embarkation / disembarkation system is already abused. 
 

I don’t know if you noticed, but there were surprisingly few wheelchair users on our recent Britannia cruise and, other than the wheelchair and scooter users (again of which there were relatively few), everybody was walking around the ship and on and off in ports without issue. Yet, when it came to assisted disembarkation, the Limelight Club was packed with people waiting for assistance, no doubt thinking they would get off quicker. I took one look at the number of people there and did a 180 degree turn and just joined the queue to get off and was off the ship within 2 minutes, grabbing a porter to assist in the luggage hall. 

[9265359]

10 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

As the husband of a full time wheelchair user who is unable to even stand unaided, let alone walk, I can tell you with confidence that the assisted embarkation / disembarkation system is already abused. 
 

I don’t know if you noticed, but there were surprisingly few wheelchair users on our recent Britannia cruise and, other than the wheelchair and scooter users (again of which there were relatively few), everybody was walking around the ship and on and off in ports without issue. Yet, when it came to assisted disembarkation, the Limelight Club was packed with people waiting for assistance, no doubt thinking they would get off quicker. I took one look at the number of people there and did a 180 degree turn and just joined the queue to get off and was off the ship within 2 minutes, grabbing a porter to assist in the luggage hall. 

 

Yes I did notice, especially as on embarkation I was in a lift with one of the wheelchair porters and chatting to them they mentioned how many assisted embarkations they and their colleagues had done - and it was a lot, an awful lot.

 

And yet on the ship... surprisingly few wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, even walking sticks, compared to other cruises I have been on.

[9265359]

42 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 No beatings , but they had to write a 100 lines "If you turn up before your scheduled arrival time you may not be let into the terminal" .

 

"and if you turn up 15 minutes late then boarding may have closed and you have lost all your money"

[Ardennais]

I remember being told as a child that patience is a virtue (possess it if you can). What is it with people that they want to be the first on and then first off these ships?? 

[david63]

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

I can tell you with confidence that the assisted embarkation / disembarkation system is already abused. 

It has been for many years.

 

I remember one morning on disembarkation day having breakfast and the lady (I use term very loosely) expounding that although she did not need a walking stick that if she had one when embarking/disembarking that she would get on/off before anyone else.

 

Just a small point - although there could be many passengers needing assistance to embark/disembark and not many using mobility aids when on the ship, it is possible that some may not be able to negotiate the air bridge without help - and remember that some have hidden disabilities.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Ardennais said:

I remember being told as a child that patience is a virtue (possess it if you can). What is it with people that they want to be the first on and then first off these ships?? 

It's like climbing Snowden, it's there so it has to be done.😉

[Selbourne]

5 minutes ago, david63 said:

It has been for many years.

 

I remember one morning on disembarkation day having breakfast and the lady (I use term very loosely) expounding that although she did not need a walking stick that if she had one when embarking/disembarking that she would get on/off before anyone else.

 

Just a small point - although there could be many passengers needing assistance to embark/disembark and not many using mobility aids when on the ship, it is possible that some may not be able to negotiate the air bridge without help - and remember that some have hidden disabilities.

Yes, I’m aware of the hidden disabilities issue, but those folk managed the air bridge in Hamburg without difficulty (and that was a much bigger terminal as well) and anyone who uses assisted disembarkation to avoid crowds would have found that it backfired, as the assisted disembarkation lounge was the most packed place that we encountered the entire cruise 😂 

[Gettingwarmer]

10 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Yes, I’m aware of the hidden disabilities issue, but those folk managed the air bridge in Hamburg without difficulty (and that was a much bigger terminal as well) and anyone who uses assisted disembarkation to avoid crowds would have found that it backfired, as the assisted disembarkation lounge was the most packed place that we encountered the entire cruise 😂 

On Arcadia once we were allotted a disembarkation lounge and when we got there realised it was the assisted lounge. It was packed. They seemed to have used it as an overflow lounge. Disembarkation was delayed and crowds really built up until people were allowed ashore. 

[Ardennais]

51 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

It's like climbing Snowden, it's there so it has to be done.😉

I don’t about Snowden, but I can almost see Snowdon from here and I have simply no inclination to climb to the top! Why would I, when I could let the train take the strain?

[Megabear2]

7 hours ago, Selbourne said:

Yes, I’m aware of the hidden disabilities issue, but those folk managed the air bridge in Hamburg without difficulty (and that was a much bigger terminal as well) and anyone who uses assisted disembarkation to avoid crowds would have found that it backfired, as the assisted disembarkation lounge was the most packed place that we encountered the entire cruise 😂 

Interesting post from Victoria2 from her recent QV cruise mentioned this topic:

 

Quote

We have assistance onto the ship and that has changed somewhat and apparently, will change more in August. It’s still there but I get the distinct impression they are trying to weed out those who just turn up and decide it’s a quicker way onto the ship.

Our cabin number wasn’t on their manifesto although the name was and I had to take the  manifesto and point out our cabin name. Fair do's, the number was incorrect. Not his fault I know but I knew we were on the list. 
Moral here, make sure your data is up to date Cunard as we certainly didn’t need the added stress when trying to get on the ship with help.

The disabled 'pen' had far less passengers in than I would call normal. Could be a coincidence but I’ll wait and see what Sunday morning brings.

Bottom line, need assistance, FILL OUT THE FORM. Cunard are understandably wanting confirmation on who will need help if we strike an iceberg!

 

Unquote

 

That seems to indicate something on the horizon from Carnival House.

 

[Selbourne]

45 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Interesting post from Victoria2 from her recent QV cruise mentioned this topic:

 

Quote

We have assistance onto the ship and that has changed somewhat and apparently, will change more in August. It’s still there but I get the distinct impression they are trying to weed out those who just turn up and decide it’s a quicker way onto the ship.

Our cabin number wasn’t on their manifesto although the name was and I had to take the  manifesto and point out our cabin name. Fair do's, the number was incorrect. Not his fault I know but I knew we were on the list. 
Moral here, make sure your data is up to date Cunard as we certainly didn’t need the added stress when trying to get on the ship with help.

The disabled 'pen' had far less passengers in than I would call normal. Could be a coincidence but I’ll wait and see what Sunday morning brings.

Bottom line, need assistance, FILL OUT THE FORM. Cunard are understandably wanting confirmation on who will need help if we strike an iceberg!

 

Unquote

 

That seems to indicate something on the horizon from Carnival House.

 

In these days of discrimination claims and ‘hidden disabilities’, I think that companies are in a very challenging position and it must be extremely difficult for them to challenge people who are clearly trying to abuse the system. It’s a shame, as P&O are brilliant for wheelchair users and it’s probably the biggest single reason that we cruise.
 

When we eventually managed to get a lift down to the disembarkation deck (which, for a wheelchair user, is the worst part of a cruise, as every lift is full with people with hand luggage and 20-30 minute waits are not uncommon), there were two very healthy looking retired couples who looked at us and said “are you going to assisted disembarkation”, and when I said ‘yes’ they smiled and said “us too”. I had to bite my lip from asking them how on earth they had managed for the whole cruise, walking around a very large ship, disembarking and embarking in ports of call, and walking miles around places that we had visited, yet needed to be pushed in a wheelchair for the few hundred yards to disembark. That is why, when I saw how many people were in the assisted disembarkation lounge I turned around and walked straight off the ship and found my own porter for assistance in the luggage hall. It gave me some satisfaction that those who were trying to gain some advantage by abusing a system that is designed for those with genuine needs ended up taking much longer to get off than us!

[9265359]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

In these days of discrimination claims and ‘hidden disabilities’, I think that companies are in a very challenging position and it must be extremely difficult for them to challenge people who are clearly trying to abuse the system.

These days no company would ever go anywhere near the subject and will simply accept what people tell them.

 

To do anything else would risk bring down a huge storm of whipped up social media anger upon them. 

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

In these days of discrimination claims and ‘hidden disabilities’, I think that companies are in a very challenging position and it must be extremely difficult for them to challenge people who are clearly trying to abuse the system. It’s a shame, as P&O are brilliant for wheelchair users and it’s probably the biggest single reason that we cruise.
 

When we eventually managed to get a lift down to the disembarkation deck (which, for a wheelchair user, is the worst part of a cruise, as every lift is full with people with hand luggage and 20-30 minute waits are not uncommon), there were two very healthy looking retired couples who looked at us and said “are you going to assisted disembarkation”, and when I said ‘yes’ they smiled and said “us too”. I had to bite my lip from asking them how on earth they had managed for the whole cruise, walking around a very large ship, disembarking and embarking in ports of call, and walking miles around places that we had visited, yet needed to be pushed in a wheelchair for the few hundred yards to disembark. That is why, when I saw how many people were in the assisted disembarkation lounge I turned around and walked straight off the ship and found my own porter for assistance in the luggage hall. It gave me some satisfaction that those who were trying to gain some advantage by abusing a system that is designed for those with genuine needs ended up taking much longer to get off than us!

I sympathise on the access to lifts as I was my mother's carer.  

 

I am however surprised by this idea of early boarding for those with assistance.  As you may recall I registered for help on my last cruise as I was recovering from an accident and could not stand in line for long.  My boarding time was 4.00pm, the latest on that voyage.  When acknowledging my request P&O informed me my boarding time had moved to 3.30pm so not a lot of difference on boarding.  For disembarkation I was told to ignore my time and wait till the very end.

 

The problem with hidden disabilities is exactly that. Not everyone has a lanyard or wants to wear one. My husband has chronic fibromyalgia, ME and heart problems along with IBS.  No one ever queries him using a lift but all hell can break out if he uses the lavatories marked disabled.  Sadly everyone, able bodied or not judges everyone else.

 

[Selbourne]

12 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

I sympathise on the access to lifts as I was my mother's carer.  

 

I am however surprised by this idea of early boarding for those with assistance.  As you may recall I registered for help on my last cruise as I was recovering from an accident and could not stand in line for long.  My boarding time was 4.00pm, the latest on that voyage.  When acknowledging my request P&O informed me my boarding time had moved to 3.30pm so not a lot of difference on boarding.  For disembarkation I was told to ignore my time and wait till the very end.

 

The problem with hidden disabilities is exactly that. Not everyone has a lanyard or wants to wear one. My husband has chronic fibromyalgia, ME and heart problems along with IBS.  No one ever queries him using a lift but all hell can break out if he uses the lavatories marked disabled.  Sadly everyone, able bodied or not judges everyone else.

 

The irony is that you don’t actually get earlier boarding times using assistance, and they still board people in order of their normal stated boarding times (whether that be by loyalty tier or whatever), so people ‘playing’ the system probably don’t gain anything anyway! We have always taken the view that my wife’s disability shouldn’t give us a right to ‘queue jump’, but we do find that the majority of people are extremely courteous and will often stand back to waive us ahead of them. We always both make a point of saying thank you very much and showing our appreciation. 
 

I know what you mean about hidden disabilities and disabled loos though, hence why we never say anything. I was horrified once when we were waiting to use a disabled loo and a young chap came out and the person waiting behind us made a sarcastic comment, whereas I had noticed that he had a prosthetic leg. I suspect that poor chap gets those sorts of nasty comments regularly and I really felt for him. Conversely, on Britannia the other week my wife told me in the middle of our meal in Sindhu that she needed the loo. I immediately took her to the nearest disabled loo to find it occupied, and a chap stood outside said “my wife’s just popped in there because there was a queue for the ladies”. Another wheelchair user arrived whilst we were still waiting. As you will know very well from your experience, some disabilities result in a degree of urgency when needing to use a toilet and accidents in a public setting can be extremely traumatic. 

 

[Megabear2]

11 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

The irony is that you don’t actually get earlier boarding times using assistance, and they still board people in order of their normal stated boarding times (whether that be by loyalty tier or whatever), so people ‘playing’ the system probably don’t gain anything anyway! We have always taken the view that my wife’s disability shouldn’t give us a right to ‘queue jump’, but we do find that the majority of people are extremely courteous and will often stand back to waive us ahead of them. We always both make a point of saying thank you very much and showing our appreciation. 
 

I know what you mean about hidden disabilities and disabled loos though, hence why we never say anything. I was horrified once when we were waiting to use a disabled loo and a young chap came out and the person waiting behind us made a sarcastic comment, whereas I had noticed that he had a prosthetic leg. I suspect that poor chap gets those sorts of nasty comments regularly and I really felt for him. Conversely, on Britannia the other week my wife told me in the middle of our meal in Sindhu that she needed the loo. I immediately took her to the nearest disabled loo to find it occupied, and a chap stood outside said “my wife’s just popped in there because there was a queue for the ladies”. Another wheelchair user arrived whilst we were still waiting. As you will know very well from your experience, some disabilities result in a degree of urgency when needing to use a toilet and accidents in a public setting can be extremely traumatic. 

 

In some States in the USA it is an offence to use a disabled toilet if you are able bodied.  As such many Americans automatically will not question what appears to be an able bodied person using one and are more likely to offer assistance.  It certainly makes things more calm on arrival at a port or the airport when we arrive.

 

Sadly some British people have become very judgmental and see disabilities as black and white, ie no wheelchair you're able bodied.

Edited August 8, 2023 by Megabear2

[Windsurfboy]

I am very fit, able bodied, athletic, I exercise everyday , run, cycle, windsurf or go to gym in my shed if it's raining , so no outward signs completely the opposite.

 

However since having prostate cancer even though fully cured, I  sometimes need to go to loo quickly, a very small problem to pay for being alive. I will use disabled loos if necessary if others are full. I just try to ignore rude comments you sometimes get, but it more often dirty look and mumbling. 

[Fionboard]

13 hours ago, Ardennais said:

I remember being told as a child that patience is a virtue (possess it if you can). What is it with people that they want to be the first on and then first off these ships?? 

The same ones who have to stand up as soon as the plane touches down!