Elite/Suite priority line at embarkation

[Guest ldtr]

13 hours ago, EvilGrandpa said:

Does anyone have info on the San Francisco setup with Princess.   We're on the Ruby leaving Sept 4th in a suite (first time in one) and we're supposed to get priority boarding.   i saw elsewhere that we might be able to get onboard as early as 1030am, though I dont' see that really happening.   

San Francisco is kind of notorious for long lines getting through security.  They tend to have lines form before security opens and followed by even longer lines outside of the building.  I have found if you get their early and get in line before security open you can make it on board pretty quickly.  Have been on board there by 11.

[Thrak]

22 minutes ago, trbarton said:

In San Francisco, my main boarding port, there is a separate waiting area for Elite/Platinum, but even if you're the 1st in the terminal, people are crowd around the boarding door, so from my experience it doesn't really matter when you board as people have entered 45 minutes after I did & still boarded first.

 

Suggestion from my experience, in San Francisco, is to get there before they open up the terminal & I've never experienced a long line into the terminal as others have had boarding later.

 

Tom

 

Sooo.... When does the terminal open? We may be able to be there early but will be depending on my wife's sister to get us there and she will be late for her own funeral...

[Guest ldtr]

8 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Sooo.... When does the terminal open? We may be able to be there early but will be depending on my wife's sister to get us there and she will be late for her own funeral...

I tend to get there between 10 and 10:30.  Normally have seen then letting people into security about 10:30.

[trbarton]

30 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Sooo.... When does the terminal open? We may be able to be there early but will be depending on my wife's sister to get us there and she will be late for her own funeral...

Usually around 10 - 10:30 am & I'm usually there around 9:30 am & there is usually a line formed.

 

Tom

Edited August 13, 2023 by trbarton

[Knickearth]

In San Francisco, went to get medallions and then just walked onboard.  No lines etc.

[cr8tiv1]

10 hours ago, jimd909 said:

When I sailed out of San Pedro in July, it was a mess finding the suite / elite lounge.  Someone gave us each a card that said suite on it.  Different people told us to go different directions.  Finally someone said to go sit over there (platinum).  I looked around and saw the elite.  I went in there.  When someone came around checking cards they said it must say elite.  I showed them mine and they said that's fine and continued on.

 

I have a cruise booked out of Galveston next year and wondering how it's going to be there.  I'll be sailing in a suite again.

 

Out of all the terminals I have been to, I feel that San Pedro is the most organized and efficiently run.
 

One fast moving line through the terminal doors,

Up the escalator (or elevator)

Separated for check in (this may change due to “new” rules)

Walk down to security (multiple lines)

Elite/Suite room.  Platinum seating area.  Wheelchair assist section.  General boarding.  
 

Boarding:  In-transit, suite/elite, platinum, general boarding starts around 11:15. Terminal is generally cleared by 12:30.  Slow down is boarding security posts. 

[wallyj]

2 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Out of all the terminals I have been to, I feel that San Pedro is the most organized and efficiently run.
 

One fast moving line through the terminal doors,

Up the escalator (or elevator)

Separated for check in (this may change due to “new” rules)

Walk down to security (multiple lines)

Elite/Suite room.  Platinum seating area.  Wheelchair assist section.  General boarding.  
 

Boarding:  In-transit, suite/elite, platinum, general boarding starts around 11:15. Terminal is generally cleared by 12:30.  Slow down is boarding security posts. 

I boarded Emerald for July 22-29 Coastal in San Pedro, there was a separate check in line for Elites and it was very quick , even if you did not have Medallion , arrived at pier around 10:45, done in 5 minutes.

 

Boarding for August 5 at San Pedro, new protocols, only Green line if you already have Medallion, else everybody else is Blue and it was a long line. Took just over 40 minutes to get to front of line. There was another separate line for ‘special assistance’. Arrived around 10:30. By the time I received my Medallion, elite boarding had already started, so I was able to board right away.

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, wallyj said:

I boarded Emerald for July 22-29 Coastal in San Pedro, there was a separate check in line for Elites and it was very quick , even if you did not have Medallion , arrived at pier around 10:45, done in 5 minutes.

 

Boarding for August 5 at San Pedro, new protocols, only Green line if you already have Medallion, else everybody else is Blue and it was a long line. Took just over 40 minutes to get to front of line. There was another separate line for ‘special assistance’. Arrived around 10:30. By the time I received my Medallion, elite boarding had already started, so I was able to board right away.

Thanks, but not a fan of the process.  I think I would take the VP Sales advice and go in any line that was short.  Green in this case.

[Steelers36]

7 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Out of all the terminals I have been to, I feel that San Pedro is the most organized and efficiently run.
 

One fast moving line through the terminal doors,

Up the escalator (or elevator)

Separated for check in (this may change due to “new” rules)

Walk down to security (multiple lines)

Elite/Suite room.  Platinum seating area.  Wheelchair assist section.  General boarding.  
 

Boarding:  In-transit, suite/elite, platinum, general boarding starts around 11:15. Terminal is generally cleared by 12:30.  Slow down is boarding security posts. 

This one sounds good to me.

[Guest ldtr]

9 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Out of all the terminals I have been to, I feel that San Pedro is the most organized and efficiently run.
 

One fast moving line through the terminal doors,

Up the escalator (or elevator)

Separated for check in (this may change due to “new” rules)

Walk down to security (multiple lines)

Elite/Suite room.  Platinum seating area.  Wheelchair assist section.  General boarding.  
 

Boarding:  In-transit, suite/elite, platinum, general boarding starts around 11:15. Terminal is generally cleared by 12:30.  Slow down is boarding security posts. 

Depends a bit if you are talking berth 92 or 93. The building, berth 93, tends to be more organized, than 92, the blue tent. At 92 they tend to have a line form before they open security but processing goes quickly.

[Ken the cruiser]

On 8/10/2023 at 3:02 PM, joeydolan11 said:

I was curious about this, I am booked in a mini suite Reserve Collection and it still advertises Priority Embarkation?  

FWIW we were just on the Diamond on our Japan cruise last month and Reserve Collection passengers were included with the Suite, Elite, and Platinum passengers to enter through a separate entrance at the terminal. Once we went through that special entrance, we immediately went through security, then got in a checkin line, and then boarded the ship. Didn’t have to wait anywhere.

Edited August 13, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[jimd909]

8 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Out of all the terminals I have been to, I feel that San Pedro is the most organized and efficiently run.
 

One fast moving line through the terminal doors,

Up the escalator (or elevator)

Separated for check in (this may change due to “new” rules)

Walk down to security (multiple lines)

Elite/Suite room.  Platinum seating area.  Wheelchair assist section.  General boarding.  
 

Boarding:  In-transit, suite/elite, platinum, general boarding starts around 11:15. Terminal is generally cleared by 12:30.  Slow down is boarding security posts. 

In San Pedro, did you sail from Berth 93 (larger terminal) or 92 (smaller terminal)?  I sailed out of 92.

[Steelers36]

Has anyone been through any Terminal at Port Everglades within the past month OTHER THAN #2?

[CRUISINERRN]

Hi all, any updates on Seattle? We leave on Discovery a week from today. We are in a suite and Platinum. 

[memoak]

1 hour ago, CRUISINERRN said:

Hi all, any updates on Seattle? We leave on Discovery a week from today. We are in a suite and Platinum. 

I boarded in Seattle in June and it was a total mess.  There was no Elite/Suite lines at all we spoke up and found a Princess re to let us bypass the line entirely but I think we were just lucky

[cr8tiv1]

I understand that there are a couple of cruise terminals (not near each other) in Seattle.  It's been so long since I've done a cruise from there.  

 

19 minutes ago, memoak said:

I boarded in Seattle in June and it was a total mess.  There was no Elite/Suite lines at all we spoke up and found a Princess re to let us bypass the line entirely but I think we were just lucky

 

I was amiss to not state that the "better" terminal at San Pedro was the on with the building (berth 93).  There are several other berths that are used and not as well designed.

 

3 hours ago, ldtr said:

Depends a bit if you are talking berth 92 or 93. The building, berth 93, tends to be more organized, than 92, the blue tent. At 92 they tend to have a line form before they open security but processing goes quickly.

 

2 hours ago, jimd909 said:

In San Pedro, did you sail from Berth 93 (larger terminal) or 92 (smaller terminal)?  I sailed out of 92.

 

[memoak]

6 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I understand that there are a couple of cruise terminals (not near each other) in Seattle.  It's been so long since I've done a cruise from there.  

 

 

I was amiss to not state that the "better" terminal at San Pedro was the on with the building (berth 93).  There are several other berths that are used and not as well designed.

 

 

 

The pier that Princess and HAL use is not near the downtown area