WaltonF 0 Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 Hi everyone, I saw today in a news post on cruise critic that Princess is trialling advance boarding, i.e. you get to go on board first for a small fee. Just on Ruby Princess as a test. Quite like the sound of that - get the holiday started early! What are your thoughts? RobBar 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mitch 325 Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 just another wayof extracting cash from your wallet. the ship still leaves at the same time so dont see the point. RobBar and HLM 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Countrygirl 237 Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 On a ship carry about 3600 passengers if the extra fee was small you could imagine the line of people at checkin so I don’t see the point. As said by Mitch the ship is not going anywhere. HLM and RobBar 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pesky Pirate 172 Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 If you have the right loyalty level you get on early anyway. You can still only get there as early as traffic allows... can’t see the point really. RobBar 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jenjen 232 Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 As others say, with the correct loyalty status you get to board earley, not worth paying as depends on what time the ship docks, all the disembarking passengers have to have got off, and the turn around time before anybody can start embarking. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HLM 519 Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 $49 per cabin nice little earner if it works, however my personal opinion is why bother we all get on the same day anyway. HLM. RobBar 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Kidd II 798 Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 Earlier embarkation should be offered by P&O as part of the Select package. That way at least it would make more sense. Countrygirl 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mitch 325 Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 also so far on my 2 southampton cruises i couldnt get there any earlier anyway its at least 4 hours from here. and i am not getting up at silly oclock to get there and sit on a prom deck or whatever. i prefer a leisurely bfast and get a 10 oclock train etc and get there sometime after 2. rail unions allowing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Cruise 81 Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 Depends how early. If it was 8am it would be like an extra day at sea. Providing that the ship's facilities are available to use and you can get food and drinks then I think it's a good idea. Expect they would want to get the previous passengers off first though. If it's only 1 or 2 hours before the normal time then there isn't much point. RobBar 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sinbad10 757 Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 1 hour ago, Tom Cruise said: Depends how early. If it was 8am it would be like an extra day at sea. Providing that the ship's facilities are available to use and you can get food and drinks then I think it's a good idea. Expect they would want to get the previous passengers off first though. If it's only 1 or 2 hours before the normal time then there isn't much point. It isnt a plan to get on the ship that early Princess say that those in higher tiers of Captain Circle i.e. Elite will still get priority boarding and get on first and then those that have paid the $49 per cabin will be next so I should imagine it would not be anytime before midday. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cruise chef 866 Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 Agree with you on that point Captain Kidd, those who wait for the cheaper fare should wait to embark & reward those who have paid full fare, the idea of paying to board sounds bizarre when you have already paid for your cruise anyway . Next thing it will be board by raffle ticket number at a £1 a strip Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Cruise 81 Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 2 hours ago, sinbad10 said: It isnt a plan to get on the ship that early Princess say that those in higher tiers of Captain Circle i.e. Elite will still get priority boarding and get on first and then those that have paid the $49 per cabin will be next so I should imagine it would not be anytime before midday. Pointless then. We've never had an issue getting on or had to wait. Usually on the ship for 1pm. Not sure what time boarding starts, maybe we are just late. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sinbad10 757 Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 4 hours ago, Tom Cruise said: Pointless then. We've never had an issue getting on or had to wait. Usually on the ship for 1pm. Not sure what time boarding starts, maybe we are just late. Well we are Elite so no point for us to pay if it became ship wide. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Davybe 529 Posted March 15, 2018 Report Share Posted March 15, 2018 Ar the time we arrive at the port is determined by the Coach company ,there is little point in paying to board early, most passengers have been loaded when we get there.....Davybe Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Portishead26 5 Posted March 25, 2018 Report Share Posted March 25, 2018 On 13/03/2018 at 8:16 PM, Captain Kidd II said: Earlier embarkation should be offered by P&O as part of the Select package. That way at least it would make more sense. This is a great idea and should be adopted by P & O. Nothing worse than paying the higher price well in advance then seeing hundreds of people board ahead of you because they arrived by coach. The fastest check-in we’ve ever experienced was with Royal Caribbean boarding Harmony of the Seas - we did the boarding documentation at home and when we arrived at Southampton, staff with iPods greeted us and after a couple of minutes waved us through! This compares with often an hour’s wait with P & O, and as previously mentioned, seeing hundreds of people arriving later boarding earlier! Oldworldtraveller 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oldworldtraveller 2225 Posted March 25, 2018 Report Share Posted March 25, 2018 35 minutes ago, Portishead26 said: This is a great idea and should be adopted by P & O. Nothing worse than paying the higher price well in advance then seeing hundreds of people board ahead of you because they arrived by coach. The fastest check-in we’ve ever experienced was with Royal Caribbean boarding Harmony of the Seas - we did the boarding documentation at home and when we arrived at Southampton, staff with iPods greeted us and after a couple of minutes waved us through! This compares with often an hour’s wait with P & O, and as previously mentioned, seeing hundreds of people arriving later boarding earlier! I have the same experience with Royal Caribbean. Do the paper work at home and you are on the ship in minutes with your key cards waiting for you in the cabin. They keycards are also not affected by magnetism so if your mobile or tablet are near them they wont stop working. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobBar 204 Posted March 25, 2018 Report Share Posted March 25, 2018 (edited) On 3/14/2018 at 6:27 AM, sinbad10 said: It isnt a plan to get on the ship that early Princess say that those in higher tiers of Captain Circle i.e. Elite will still get priority boarding and get on first and then those that have paid the $49 per cabin will be next so I should imagine it would not be anytime before midday. We always fly in, stay at a hotel , then get taxi to pier at around 11am, onboard by about 1pm having lunch . Course our boarding time they tell us like 2pm - 4pm, we ignore. This is our experience on Cunard,. Princess, HAL We do have the Princess status to board earlier but just use regular checkin line,, See no point ,, a waste of ones monies to my mind Edited March 25, 2018 by RobBar Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dozydo 18 Posted March 25, 2018 Report Share Posted March 25, 2018 Just reached Elite status on Princess. Arrived at Southampton and immediately waved to small queue. About Two years ago arrived about 12.30 at Southampton for Fred Olsen cruise - superior outside guaranteed basis. We were kept waiting almost two hours as they were boarding passengers according to how much they had paid. Sitting in crowded terminal annoying as brilliant sunshine outside. most difficult boarding was Caribbean Princess from Southampton, but we weren't Elite at that point Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Davybe 529 Posted March 26, 2018 Report Share Posted March 26, 2018 We have Priority Boarding with Celebrity, but often it is a longer queue than the standard check in, we just join which looks the quickest moving line....Davybe Quote Link to post Share on other sites
terrierian 26 Posted March 26, 2018 Report Share Posted March 26, 2018 As we do not like to rush and that we have over 200 miles to travel, we set off the day before and spend the night in the Newbury area. The next morning we take our time have breakfast somewhere and just trundle down to the ship aiming to get there between 11 and mid day. Last year in July on Queen Elizabeth got to Mayflower terminal at 11:30. Cases gone walked inside filled out health form and was called to board. Mid day sat having a cuppa waiting for lunch service to start. Well done Cunard. DavidH 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DavidH 596 Posted March 26, 2018 Report Share Posted March 26, 2018 1 hour ago, terrierian said: As we do not like to rush and that we have over 200 miles to travel, we set off the day before and spend the night in the Newbury area. The next morning we take our time have breakfast somewhere and just trundle down to the ship aiming to get there between 11 and mid day. Last year in July on Queen Elizabeth got to Mayflower terminal at 11:30. Cases gone walked inside filled out health form and was called to board. Mid day sat having a cuppa waiting for lunch service to start. Well done Cunard. As a famous puppet once said - "That's the way to do it!!" DavidH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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