Boarding Time Windows

[deltahog]

We board Monday on Voyager of the Seas from Athens.  Just received this email.  Is this true?

 

It's extremely important to arrive during your pre-selected arrival time on boarding day. Space in the terminal can only accommodate a specific amount of guests, so it's critical that you adhere to your arrival time! Those who arrive sooner will be turned away to avoid overcrowding at the terminal and asked to return during their scheduled time.

[Biker19]

20 minutes ago, deltahog said:

Is this true?

That is a generic language email they send to all passengers regardless of port. What actually happens at the port can vary from sailing to sailing and time of day.

[neverbeenhere]

ugh.

[PhillyFan33579]

I know in the states they have not enforced check-in times since last year, but that might not be the case in Athens. 

[SEA DOGY]

On 8/23/2024 at 3:39 PM, PhillyFan33579 said:

I know in the states they have not enforced check-in times since last year, but that might not be the case in Athens. 

Ok.   How about. Southampton any information about this port?    TIA 

[Biker19]

4 hours ago, SEA DOGY said:

Southampton any information about this port?  

Don't recall any reports of arrival times being enforced. Maybe @little britain may have more info.

[little britain]

On 8/23/2024 at 5:23 PM, deltahog said:

We board Monday on Voyager of the Seas from Athens.  Just received this email.  Is this true?

 

It's extremely important to arrive during your pre-selected arrival time on boarding day. Space in the terminal can only accommodate a specific amount of guests, so it's critical that you adhere to your arrival time! Those who arrive sooner will be turned away to avoid overcrowding at the terminal and asked to return during their scheduled time.

Athens is a tent, it’s very stuffy with a few fans. Not a lot of seating, and if no room inside you queue outside in the sun.  I wouldn’t rush to board. 

[little britain]

5 hours ago, SEA DOGY said:

Ok.   How about. Southampton any information about this port?    TIA 

Large terminal, have never seen arrival appointments checked. Lots of seating inside if they do stagger boarding times. 

[deltahog]

On 8/26/2024 at 3:06 PM, little britain said:

Athens is a tent, it’s very stuffy with a few fans. Not a lot of seating, and if no room inside you queue outside in the sun.  I wouldn’t rush to board. 

We got there at 12:30 instead of 2 and walked right on. Almost literally no one in line, and quite literally no standing or sitting around. I have never boarded a cruise in any port with so few people in the embarkation area.

[Ken at the beach]

On 8/26/2024 at 3:00 AM, SEA DOGY said:

Ok.   How about. Southampton any information about this port?    TIA 

They were not enforced when we were there last month

[PhillyFan33579]

3 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

They were not enforced when we were there last month

That is good to hear. I don’t have any cruises there this year, but next year we have three cruises out of Southampton. 

[Ken at the beach]

22 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

That is good to hear. I don’t have any cruises there this year, but next year we have three cruises out of Southampton. 

The only thing that I found odd about Southampton was that you had to queue as soon as you arrived to drop your bags off.  After that everything flowed very smoothly.

[little britain]

49 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

The only thing that I found odd about Southampton was that you had to queue as soon as you arrived to drop your bags off.  After that everything flowed very smoothly.

Strange: they usually have a van in the carpark collecting the cases from the boot ( trunk) of the car as you park. Or you wheel the across the road and drop them at one of the porters and then walk into the terminal 

[Ken at the beach]

20 minutes ago, little britain said:

Strange: they usually have a van in the carpark collecting the cases from the boot ( trunk) of the car as you park. Or you wheel the across the road and drop them at one of the porters and then walk into the terminal 

Must have been an off day.  They were only collecting luggage in one area (left side of the terminal as you looked at it) (it was also the new terminal (shore power) and I think this may have been the first or second week used.  Only had to wait about 10 minutes so not that big of a deal, just different.