Princess Go Lounge at Fort Lauderdale - still invitation only???

[Jules&Ted]

We have heard about the Go Lounge offsite at Fort Lauderdale and were wondering if it was by invitation only like last year?  We have a full suite and are travelling from Australia to cruise on the ship.  Princess Cruise Consultant in Australia told us we were entitled to it and just to front up but I have been reading you need an invitation.  Our cruise is 10 days today and we are still in Oz and have not had any phone calls as yet. 

[Crown Cruiser]

It is by invitation only.  When you arrive, they check their list for your name.  Invitations usually go out within 7 days of the cruise (via phone call and/or email).

[azbirdmom]

Definitely invitation only. I asked our CVP about it before our cruise last month. He told me to just show up and I said no, you must be invited. He tried but could not get us on the list. I asked the suite concierge onboard and she confirmed it was invitation only and couldn’t say how they determine who would be invited. No worries though. We were onboard in about 15 minutes and were sitting by the International Cafe by 10:30. 

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, azbirdmom said:

No worries though. We were onboard in about 15 minutes and were sitting by the International Cafe by 10:30. 

This lounge is a perfect example of a company that has two teams developing enhancements at the same time who are not in communication with one another.  One team developed the lounge and another team developed the app-based check-in process. Both teams got their projects up an running at about the same time.  But with the app-based check-in process working so well, and with Suite guests getting highest priority to board, as @azbirdmom notes above, getting onto the ship by 10:30-11:00 is almost to be expected.  If one can be in the IC or Good Spirits at Sea by 10:30, what possible purpose does the lounge serve, other than to make some people feel privileged?  And is that feeling of privilege worth the exchange of boarding the ship later? Not sure if they own or lease the space, but I could see this lounge being sunsetted soon.   

[Sprocket]

1 hour ago, JimmyVWine said:

This lounge is a perfect example of a company that has two teams developing enhancements at the same time who are not in communication with one another.  One team developed the lounge and another team developed the app-based check-in process. Both teams got their projects up an running at about the same time.  But with the app-based check-in process working so well, and with Suite guests getting highest priority to board, as @azbirdmom notes above, getting onto the ship by 10:30-11:00 is almost to be expected.  If one can be in the IC or Good Spirits at Sea by 10:30, what possible purpose does the lounge serve, other than to make some people feel privileged?  And is that feeling of privilege worth the exchange of boarding the ship later? Not sure if they own or lease the space, but I could see this lounge being sunsetted soon.   

I don’t book suites but one of the perks of the lounge is being able to book the Sanctuary before boarding.

[MacMadame]

2 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

And is that feeling of privilege worth the exchange of boarding the ship later?

I believe the people in the lounge board first. 

 

I like the idea of the lounge. It lets suite guests have a good place to hang out until the ship opens for pax.

[JGmf]

2 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

Not sure if they own or lease the space, but I could see this lounge being sunsetted soon.   

 

Agree.  Based on the embarkation ports I've experienced (NYC, LA, Seattle, Miami, FLL, Tampa, Boston), if there ever was a embarkation port that didn't need a lounge -- because it was already rather roomy and definitely way efficient -- it would be Port Everglades.

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, MacMadame said:

I believe the people in the lounge board first. 

 

I like the idea of the lounge. It lets suite guests have a good place to hang out until the ship opens for pax.

But when boarding starts at 10:30, when exactly is this "hang-out time"?  If you qualify for an invitation to the lounge, then you by definition qualify to hang out at the separate waiting area in the terminal.  You show up at 10:00 and barely have enough time for a cup of coffee before you are being boarded onto the ship.  If it is true that the people at the lounge get to board first, then those people have to leave the lounge probably by 10:00 at the latest since the lounge is off-site.  Maybe earlier.  So one's time in the lounge would be what? 9:00-9:30?  Does it seem logical to incur the expense of this perk for a half an hour or "exclusivity"?

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, Sprocket said:

one of the perks of the lounge is being able to book the Sanctuary before boarding.

But that is not a necessary function of the lounge.  If they sunsetted the lounge, they could just as easily set up a sign-up table in the PES lounge in the terminal, or better yet, allow pre-booking on the app. 

[MacMadame]

2 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

But when boarding starts at 10:30, when exactly is this "hang-out time"? 

Some people report getting to the port around 9:00 am so they can be first in line. Sitting in a lounge seems like it would be much more enjoyable than standing in line and people who have reviewed the process seem happy with it.

 

I look at it like those lounges in the airport for people with loyalty status at an airline. It's much nicer to wait there than at the gate even if you are only there for 45 minutes.

[Jules&Ted]

Thanks everyone...I guess we will just catch an uber or taxi direct to the cruise port.  Just that when we sail in a suite with Celebrity we have had access to the lounge and it was a great way to start the cruise by chilling out...especially if you have no idea of the area.  I doubt if we will get an international telephone call prior to the cruise so no big deal.  😊

[JimmyVWine]

43 minutes ago, MacMadame said:

Some people report getting to the port around 9:00 am so they can be first in line. Sitting in a lounge seems like it would be much more enjoyable than standing in line...

Missing the point.  The people who get invited to go to the lounge are not the hoi polloi who stand around waiting in a line.  The people who get invited to the lounge are the people who get right on the ship without even so much as tapping the brakes from the time they enter the terminal until the time they are having their first IC snack or cocktail.  As I said earlier on, the creation of the lounge was designed to avoid a wait and cure a problem that no longer exists.   

[Astro Flyer]

What is the Go Lounge…never heard of it.

[Retired-N-Happy]

14 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

What is the Go Lounge…never heard of it.

It's a super secret off site lounge that requires a special handshake given to the gate keeper in order for you to be admitted.

[Crown Cruiser]

The passengers in the Go Lounge are not the first ones to board.  As a matter of fact, on March 7, (Enchanted Princess), they delayed us because it was so crazy in Terminal 2 due to the full Coast Guard inspection.  It seems they don’t want you to have a stressful time boarding, so it’s not about being the first.  In the meantime, while you wait, there is food, drink (no alcohol), no crowds, and they will book your reservations.  It’s very nice.

[MacMadame]

16 hours ago, Crown Cruiser said:

The passengers in the Go Lounge are not the first ones to board. 

Good to know. 🙂 

[CalTexCruiser]

The ability to book the Sanctuary at the Go lounge and not having to run onboard to get in line at the Sanctuary is also a valuable benefit, WHEN IT WORKS. 

 

It worked for us but others have reported that incompetent/lazy/overworked concierges on board waited too long to make the requested Sanctuary reservations.

[Moondogy]

On 5/14/2024 at 5:34 PM, Astro Flyer said:

What is the Go Lounge…never heard of it.

They took what I believe was the old Princess building and made it a private lounge for suite guest. If I remember right, it's around a mile from the port.