Princess allows non-cruisers onboard for embarkation day

[Infi]

Just saw this online.

From the article:
Princess Cruises is reviving a signature tradition from the early days of cruising, the opportunity for passengers to have non-sailing friends and family come aboard on embarkation day to wish them a "bon voyage."
The "Bon Voyage Experience," as Princess is calling it, will cost $39 per person.
Princess says visitors who sign up for the new program will get a four-course dining room lunch with wine on the ship, a tour of the vessel and a souvenir photo. They and the passengers they are accompanying will have access to priority embarkation, and they'll be allowed onboard for about four hours. The $39 fee for the experience can be applied to a future Princess cruise.
The program will debut in March in the ports of Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale, and then roll out to New York, San Francisco and Seattle.

Link: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/cruis...&ak=78458.blog

My reaction - what a unique (and smart) idea! I remember when non-cruisers were allowed to visit ships (for free) on embarkation day many years ago, and it was a nice way to spend an afternoon. I'm sure it was great advertising for the cruise line, too. What do you all think?

[Druke I]

I'd rather skip the lunch and the $39.00 fee, and just allow visitors aboard.

[FritzG]

I don't like it at all! With today's terrorist threats I don't need anyone having even a slight chance of someone planting anything in a hidden corner. I'm sure some will argue that even a passenger could do that, but why ask for more chances of trouble? We've had family who lives near ports join us for pre-sail parties in the mid '70's, but that was a much different time.

[bigeagle12]

I do not like it either from a security perspective. I agree it is a nice idea but unfortunately not in the times in which we live.

The following agencies oversee cruiseline security and I am surprised that they would allow this. These agencies include the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Transportation, Customs and Border Protection, Office of Naval Intelligence, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, among others.

[UtterCaro]

Originally Posted by Infi

What do you all think?

Ingenious of Princess to pass along part of its advertising budget this way, but I hope it fails. Just what the embarkation process needs: more people.

Caro

[bigeagle12]

Originally Posted by UtterCaro

Ingenious of Princess to pass along part of its advertising budget this way, but I hope it fails. Just what the embarkation process needs: more people.

Caro

I agree with that !!!

[shagdancer]

I don't like it.
More time spent catering to people not sailing.
Are they going to search them too?
How can they be sure they will all get off?
More people to get in the way.

I am leaving in April from FLL and I haven't heard anything about it from Princess as an option. S.

[flamomo]

I agree with the risky aspect of this. I do understand it's a way for Princess to make a few extra dollars, but is it worth the risk?

[TorontoTL]

I think it is a smart move from a marketing prospective. It will as you say increase the number of people going through the ship and port during embarkation. However, when you consider how few people will likely take advantage of it, it probably won't be noticeable.

[DougH]

In theory a great idea but we will see how well it works. I forsee it slowing down embarkation, and after a few sailings are late leaving port because they had to find some one that didn't get off when called that it will end quickly

[Toto2Kansas]

I think Princess has a great marketing idea offering this.

As for security, Just think, these guests will not be carrying on luggage or the amount of items that regular passengers would be, but I am sure they will need to go through the same security procedures as regular passengers. So, I see no more security risk with this as with anyone else.

Way back when, we were allowed to board any princess ship in port with us for a tour, all it took was us showing our cruise card from our ship. We did this in a few foreign ports to check out the other ships that happened to be there. You could have lunch and walk around exploring with no problem at all. I know times have changed since then. But as long as the visitors go through the security process, I don't feel at all threatened by this.

[shagdancer]

Can you imagine if this was going to take place in San Juan.

[helpmesailaway]

Princess may take measures to insure there is no risk. When we were invited to have lunch when the Crown launched in NYC - we had to sign up ahead of time and give all kinds of info including our passports. The passports were collected before boarding and then returned after lunch.

I was one happy camper!! The "visitors" must be guests of someone sailing so maybe this could work. I would love to have may family join me for lunch!! I would not want this to be unsafe!!!!

[SilentTraveller]

I don't think this would have any impact on security or the boarding process. It is limited to only 50 guests at each embarkation port. And each guest still needs to fill out all the security information online more than 6 days before their visit, just as passengers are required to do. This would allow the various agencies to run their security checks. Since the group is only 50 additional people, I don't see this causing any delays going through the boarding process, it isn't like they will have a lot of luggage to scan and they will likely all board as a single group (and since they are having lunch -- they will probably be boarding early and have no impact on all the passengers arriving later).

And I don't see this any different to the many visiting groups I have seen on ships over the recent few years. I have seen large groups of Travel Agents, visiting the ship for the day while taking tours. And on our sailing through South America we had all the families of the crew at every port. When the ship stopped in the country of a crew member Princess gave the crew member the day off and they were allowed to bring their families onboard.

So Princess is already doing this for many groups. Now they will provide a guest experience for those passengers that would like to bring on their families of friends. When I sailed out of San Francisco I would have loved to bring a friend onto the ship. She has never sailed and is convinced the ships are too small. I know that if I could just get her onboard she would change her mind...

Here is the link to the PR Newswire that provides a lot of additional information:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Prince...html/print?x=0

[guxu]

I hate this idea. If they really want to make extra bucks, dock an old, non-sailable ship there and charge people entrance fee for an "ultimate stationary cruise experience".

[amapola]

This was quite a bit of fun in the olden days , and I think it's a pretty cool idea now. I remember doing this in the 70's when my relatives cruised on the Carla C!

Originally Posted by shagdancer

Can you imagine if this was going to take place in San Juan.

Here we go again, one more chance for people to insult the general population of an entire country for the actions of a few. Of course, in SJ the ship would be overrun with the local savages, I get it.

[waltd]

Well I love it. I remember years ago getting to go on board with some friends who were going on their honeymoon cruise. We had a great afternoon and I got to explore the ship. This would have worked out great a few weeks ago when friends of ours came into town and were doing a RT Los Angeles to Hawaii. Would have loved to have spent the afternnoon with them on the Golden and seen the upgrades to the ship. As long as you have to sign up ahead of time I have no issues with it.

[5:00_Somewhere]

Originally Posted by Toto2Kansas

I think Princess has a great marketing idea offering this.

As for security, Just think, these guests will not be carrying on luggage or the amount of items that regular passengers would be, but I am sure they will need to go through the same security procedures as regular passengers. So, I see no more security risk with this as with anyone else.

Way back when, we were allowed to board any princess ship in port with us for a tour, all it took was us showing our cruise card from our ship. We did this in a few foreign ports to check out the other ships that happened to be there. You could have lunch and walk around exploring with no problem at all. I know times have changed since then. But as long as the visitors go through the security process, I don't feel at all threatened by this.

I agree, on all counts. I think it's a unique idea. I think the security risk would be quite low, for the reasons mentioned above. Plus, I can't imagine there will be a crush of people doing this on every cruise, so doubt the impact on embarkation will be significant. Plus, maybe this will be one more way for Princess to earn some extra revenue and keep other costs down for the rest of us passengers. And I love the idea of the fee being used as an OBC for a future cruise; great idea to help woo new Princess passengers.

[Clutterlady]

Think it is a great marketing idea!! I remember when I was a teenager, my parents took a trans atlantic and we were able to go on the ship and look around...sigh, that was a long time ago

[Cuizer2]

I like the idea. I've got a friend taking a local Princess cruise. I'm going to see if I can take advantage of this.