Late Boarding Time

[DDeeBee75]

First time cruisers and have a 345pm boarding time from Ocean terminal on Iona.

is there anyway we can ask for earlier time or are they strict on allocated times?

[david63]

Over the last few months the staff at the terminals in Southampton have become very strict about boarding times - don't know if it is P&O/Carnival or the port authority that have enforced it.

 

You could try emailing P&O to change it but I would not hold out a lot of hope.

 

Your other alternative is to arrive early and be prepared to wait in a queue outside the terminal until your allotted time. The one thing that you have in your favour is that as it will be getting close to the end of embarkation time there may not be many waiting and you could get through earlier. It will all depend on the day as to how "jobsworth" the staff are being.

[molecrochip]

It’s the port being strict. The reason for being strict is that with the bigger ships, the terminal was becoming overcrowded. 
 

That's a health and safety issue hence early arrives being made to wait.

[majortom10]

3 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

It’s the port being strict. The reason for being strict is that with the bigger ships, the terminal was becoming overcrowded. 
 

That's a health and safety issue hence early arrives being made to wait.

So that basically tells you that Ocean Terminal is not big enough for the shops that she serves.

[david63]

Just now, majortom10 said:

So that basically tells you that Ocean Terminal is not big enough for the shops that she serves.

Or even the "ships"😇

[molecrochip]

No terminal is designed for everyone turning up at once.

 

Heathrow terminal 5 would grind to a halt if an entire days passengers all turned up at 8am.

 

Thats why cruise ship boarding times are issued, and airlines have a check-in opening time for each service.

[AlanCruise]

You can turn up earlier  and drop your luggage (I think from 11am) and if they will not let you board earlier than your specified time go for a visit to Southampton.

[TigerB]

Welcome to the boards, @DDeeBee75.

As has already been written, there's a reason for allocated times, and it would be extremely unlikely that you would get it changed.

If you are keen to get onboard early to book things you can do that from the terminal if you get there earlier than your allotted time, subject to you being able to get on to the ship's WiFi.

[david63]

21 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

and airlines have a check-in opening time for each service.

But that is not the same as cruise terminals. At an airport, in the UK, I can arrive any time up to four hours before my flight and am allowed to join the check-in queue - I do not have to stand outside in the cold and rain waiting for permission to enter the terminal.

 

The whole point is that the current Southampton terminal configuration is not fit for purpose with the current ships

Edited January 21 by david63

[Cathygh]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

It’s the port being strict. The reason for being strict is that with the bigger ships, the terminal was becoming overcrowded. 
 

That's a health and safety issue hence early arrives being made to wait.

But that doesn't seem to apply the terminal MSC use for their mega ships? No enforcement for Virtuosa. Having said that Msc open boarding at 10.30 am so may be P&O need to adopt a similar model pronto.

The waiting in the naughty queue applies to P&O smaller ships and to Cunard so really the port is talking nonsense. IMHO.

 

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, DDeeBee75 said:

First time cruisers and have a 345pm boarding time from Ocean terminal on Iona.

is there anyway we can ask for earlier time or are they strict on allocated times?

If that is one of the later times then I would risk arriving a bit earlier, as many posters have said the queues have gone by then.

[Fionboard]

Worked perfectly when they let everyone in and gave them letters for groups, which were used to regulate boarding. I understand about the two big ships, but even for the small ships  they make early arrivers queue outside. On the other hand, I suppose, people should turn up at their allotted time. 

[molecrochip]

16 minutes ago, david63 said:

But that is not the same as cruise terminals. At an airport, in the UK, I can arrive any time up to four hours before my flight and am allowed to join the check-in queue - I do not have to stand outside in the cold and rain waiting for permission to enter the terminal.

Firstly, yes, airports do this. I’ve arrived at Heathrow before to be told that due to being really full of passengers, you could only enter the terminal at 3hrs before your flight. We had to wait in the car park.

 

Anyhow, you had an airport arrival time of 4hrs-90min before departure and are happy to play the game.

 

On a cruise, you’re given an arrival time of say 3pm for a 5pm ship departure, or to put it in the same terms as above, 2hrs - 30 mins before departure and this is a problem?

 

This is not actually about being made to wait outside, this is about not liking being told what time you can check-in, and wanting to arrive early.

 

Lets be clear, if everyone sticks to their allocated arrival time, nobody waits in a queue.

 

I know that some people arrive the day before or set out early. If you don’t want to wait around Westquay or more generally, if you don’t want to be part of that boarding allocation ‘lottery’ then pay for a cabin with priority boarding at 12:30 onwards. It’s a perk, not a right. The queueing system is ensuring that perk is retained.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

Or even the "ships"😇

Reminder to check what I was thinking. Thick fingers and small smartphone keyboard don't help.👍

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

No terminal is designed for everyone turning up at once.

 

Heathrow terminal 5 would grind to a halt if an entire days passengers all turned up at 8am.

 

Thats why cruise ship boarding times are issued, and airlines have a check-in opening time for each service.

Don't think there is ever the chance of everyone turning up at once with coaches being told what time to arrive and not everyone wants to arrive early. But sorry making people queue outside in all weathers especially the elderly is not very good induction to what P&O likes to make out as a luxury holiday. With regards to your comment about airports have never arrived at an airport terminal and to be told you cannot come in you have to form a queue outside.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, AlanCruise said:

You can turn up earlier  and drop your luggage (I think from 11am) and if they will not let you board earlier than your specified time go for a visit to Southampton.

Not easy if you are elderly and arrived by train. Your suggestion is get a taxi to terminal drop luggage off then get another taxi to town centre, not everyone can walk if disabled or in wheelchair, then get a return taxi after wandering aimlessly round a town centre for hours. Happy cruising.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

But that is not the same as cruise terminals. At an airport, in the UK, I can arrive any time up to four hours before my flight and am allowed to join the check-in queue - I do not have to stand outside in the cold and rain waiting for permission to enter the terminal.

 

The whole point is that the current Southampton terminal configuration is not fit for purpose with the current ships

 

1 hour ago, david63 said:

But that is not the same as cruise terminals. At an airport, in the UK, I can arrive any time up to four hours before my flight and am allowed to join the check-in queue - I do not have to stand outside in the cold and rain waiting for permission to enter the terminal.

 

The whole point is that the current Southampton terminal configuration is not fit for purpose with the current ships

Exactly right.

[cruising.mark.uk]

13 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

 

Exactly right.

Exactly wrong, as far as I can see.  A 'fit for purpose' cruise terminal is one that can process all the passengers on to a ship before its departure time, in the most efficient and economic way.  So far as I am aware, the Southampton terminals manage to do that day in, day out.  As @molecrochip says, if everyone turns up at the time they are given, they won't usually be subject to anything other than minimal queues.  Where ships leave late, that is generally due to deep cleaning, late arrival or IT faffs rather than any inability of the terminal to process the passenger load.  So, the terminal achieves what it is is there to do.  It probably could process all of the passengers more quickly, but what is the incentive to make the huge investment in staff and infrastructure that would be necessary to achieve that?  If the schedule allows 6 to 8 hours to embark all of the passengers, surely the most efficient way of doing that is to spread the flow equally across the available time?

 

Airports are the exception that may well prove the rule.  They don't have the real estate constraints that ports have and thus operators can use the available space to generate the maximum possible amount of revenue.  Hence, they are now as much out of town retail / leisure locations as they are transport hubs. 

 

Those who want early access / boarding for cruises can purchase it by getting a suite and / or climbing loyalty levels.  And, those who are less abled and have specific needs / require assistance can generally be accommodated if they notify the cruise line in advance.  In our experience, no one is 'made' to queue outside.  Individuals are subjecting themselves to outside queuing by turning up (by choice) way in advance of the check in time they have been allocated.  Personally, I don't understand the reticence some have about arriving at or close to the time given and think that the expectation that one should be able to do so is completely unrealistic and unnecessary.  One wouldn't expect it for a coach, ferry or train trip (or for a restaurant or the cinema etc etc), so why expect it for a cruise? 

Edited January 21 by cruising.mark.uk

[Cathygh]

Didn't Selborne  have problems getting on board Aurora even though he is priority? I recall that he was told the terminal was full but when I asked, he could not say if all the chairs were taken. IMHO saying the terminal is full is nonsense. What happened to us is that when we entered the terminal, no one was seated at all. They were getting every checked in straightaway and sometimes this caused a queue at the escalator. This is when people were stopped from going  into the terminal. There is no reason why the old system of waiting with a letter can't be reinstated. As I have previously said other terminals manage without issue.

[DDeeBee75]

1 hour ago, TigerB said:

Welcome to the boards, @DDeeBee75.

As has already been written, there's a reason for allocated times, and it would be extremely unlikely that you would get it changed.

If you are keen to get onboard early to book things you can do that from the terminal if you get there earlier than your allotted time, subject to you being able to get on to the ship's WiFi.

Many thanks TigerB. May arrive 2ish and drop car off and hope for the best.

[BouncingWheel]

4 minutes ago, Cathygh said:

Didn't Selborne  have problems getting on board Aurora even though he is priority? I recall that he was told the terminal was full but when I asked, he could not say if all the chairs were taken. IMHO saying the terminal is full is nonsense. What happened to us is that when we entered the terminal, no one was seated at all. They were getting every checked in straightaway and sometimes this caused a queue at the escalator. This is when people were stopped from going  into the terminal. There is no reason why the old system of waiting with a letter can't be reinstated. As I have previously said other terminals manage without issue.

Selbourne and co got caught out by the priority system. Longer cruises on Aurora type and Cunard etc…. attract more of the regular, higher loyalty tier, passengers that have the priority boarding perk. When large numbers have this there is no real perk and can have large queues. It is not necessarily the check-in that could be the bottle neck but security or drop off areas can also be impacted. The “regular” cruisers with later allocated times usually then breeze thru with no issues and as they are smaller ships being later doesn’t mean missing out on booking slots as these ships don’t do that.

 

[Eglesbrech]

I tend to be a rule follower so arrive at around the time allocated (or if early to dump bags and go back into town). @DDeeBee75 I don’t know how well you know Southampton or indeed how fit you are but there are some nice shops and pubs within reasonable (20 to 30 minute) walk from the port and taxis are widely available. It’s a pleasant way to pass some time rather than standing in a queue.

 

Consequently I have never stood outside in the cold (and for the record I have never been expected to do so at an airport).

 

That said it feels like passengers are increasingly being treated like cattle. Where else would you pay a company thousands and thousands of pounds and be quite deliberately put in an uncomfortable situation just for being a bit early?
 

Some of us travel very long distances by car and so have the chance of multiple motorway issues, setting off early is just common sense. Same applies for those on public transport who can be even more limited for timing.
 

While I would personally encourage people to stick to their allocated time wherever possible, for some it is not. As I have also said in the past I don’t understand why P&O embark guests (and remember they are paying guests) so very late compared to some other lines with similarly large ships but that particular debate has been done to death.

 

Hope the OP find something interesting to do to pass the day in Southampton and goes on to have an enjoyable cruise.

[david63]

@cruising.mark.uk Most of what you say is, in principle, correct but there other factors that have to be taken into consideration - such as the majority of cruise passengers are travelling a considerable distance to reach the terminal in the first place and nobody can time their arrival precisely and with today's transport problems you cannot time your arrival to within an hour.

 

When you look at the modern purpose built cruise terminal such as Barcelona or Miami the whole layout and size is geared to the passenger and not the cruise line. The problem is that it is the typical British attitude of being reactive rather than being proactive.

 

I have been using Southampton terminals for over 30 years and in that time I have seen three reincarnations of Mayflower Terminal with each one being less passenger orientated than its predecessor.

 

The main "pinch point" at the terminals (other than the ship not being ready) is with security. If security was done as passengers entered the terminal then that creates a natural flow of passengers which then allows check-in to progress at a steady pace followed by passengers then going straight on to the ship whereas now that pinch point comes after check-in. Also having seen other cruise lines at Southampton performing check-in I think that there are some lessons that P&O could learn.

 

One thing that would alleviate most of the problems would be a "waiting area" prior to the terminal where passengers who arrive before their time could sit in comfort out of the elements until their allotted time.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

Firstly, yes, airports do this. I’ve arrived at Heathrow before to be told that due to being really full of passengers, you could only enter the terminal at 3hrs before your flight. We had to wait in the car park.

 

Anyhow, you had an airport arrival time of 4hrs-90min before departure and are happy to play the game.

 

On a cruise, you’re given an arrival time of say 3pm for a 5pm ship departure, or to put it in the same terms as above, 2hrs - 30 mins before departure and this is a problem?

 

This is not actually about being made to wait outside, this is about not liking being told what time you can check-in, and wanting to arrive early.

 

Lets be clear, if everyone sticks to their allocated arrival time, nobody waits in a queue.

 

I know that some people arrive the day before or set out early. If you don’t want to wait around Westquay or more generally, if you don’t want to be part of that boarding allocation ‘lottery’ then pay for a cabin with priority boarding at 12:30 onwards. It’s a perk, not a right. The queueing system is ensuring that perk is retained.

That all sounds reasonably sensible when quoted in total isolation of how much better other cruise lines manage embarkation at Southampton.

There is arrival time guidance giveen by RCI, Celebrity and MSC, but it is never policed and whatever time you arrive you are allowed into the terminal, and because they process check in light years faster than P&O you are on board far faster.

Princess also manages check in far better than P&O, and they have the disadvantage of having to use the Carnival terminals which have  security last instead of first as City and Horizon do.

[Ardennais]

33 minutes ago, BouncingWheel said:

Selbourne and co got caught out by the priority system. Longer cruises on Aurora type and Cunard etc…. attract more of the regular, higher loyalty tier, passengers that have the priority boarding perk. When large numbers have this there is no real perk and can have large queues. It is not necessarily the check-in that could be the bottle neck but security or drop off areas can also be impacted. The “regular” cruisers with later allocated times usually then breeze thru with no issues and as they are smaller ships being later doesn’t mean missing out on booking slots as these ships don’t do that.

 

The week after Selbourne’s departure from Mayflower, we were whizzed through as we had a 2.45 embarkation time. Probably the fastest check-in ever.