Platinum Check-In

I'm a Platinum member due to sail on Sapphire next week from Southampton. Our cabin is on P deck and according to the boarding card our staggered check-in would be 1430hrs. As we are platinum do we need to follow these timings or can we turn up at 1230hrs for priority check-in?

You can turn up any time you choose, assuming that the disembarkation for the cruise before you was routine. Princess sends these e-mails to try to stagger people arriving. You can show up any time after 10:30, and may encounter a short wait...but not a long one!

You can turn up any time you choose' date=' assuming that the disembarkation for the cruise before you was routine. Princess sends these e-mails to try to stagger people arriving. You can show up any time after 10:30, and may encounter a short wait...but not a long one![/quote']

We all arrived in a party of 8 around 10:15 for an Alaskan cruise a few weeks ago and got on board before 11. However, rooms were not ready until about 12:30. All hallways to the rooms were closed off allowing the stewards to finish.

Platinum's and Suite's can check in and board when they want. They actually are the first to board regardless of cabin.

In the UK boarding will be different than in the US. As a Platinum you get priority check in but if you are too early to board the ship then you will be directed to a dedicated area of waiting area and if you are lucky you might get onboard by 12 at the earliest because Elite and Suites will board before you. If you arrive much earlier than 11am you will have a long wait.

We've also experienced being directed to a waiting area when boarding was delayed on a cruise departing from the US..but this didn't keep us from arriving at port when we chose. We could have chosen to wait at a hotel, but had to check out of the room by 11.

On our most recent cruise, we were told that the rooms wouldn't be ready till 1 but we boarded about 11:30. We went to the room to see if we could drop our bags and found that it was completely ready. I'm guessing that maybe some other rooms on other floors were not completed....we dropped bags and went to lunch.

I agree with majortom on this. I have boarded many times at Southampton as a platinum member you have priority check-in and may select your own time. Realistically around noon to half noon is the best time to aim for in my experience. Typically after you show your boarding documentation on entry to the terminal, however busy it might be, you will be directed straight to the priority check in area. Often there are fewer than half a dozen passengers in this queue. The whole process is a lot quicker than most passengers who are given cards and have to sit and wait until their letter is called. The number of platinum and elite passengers at Southampton is much smaller than in the US.

Regards John

Platinum's and Suite's can check in and board when they want. They actually are the first to board regardless of cabin.

Elites and full suites*

Boarding in Los Angeles (not Southampton), we have not been delayed at priority check-in. [Except once when the entire cruise terminal was closed down in the middle of embarkation because of a gas leak scare. We, and hundreds of our closest friends, had to wait outside while the Fire Department cleared the building and inspected for a leak.]

But we don't arrive at the ship before noon in any event.

Because we give our luggage to a porter, we don't worry about dropping our bags off in our cabin. We have only our carry-ons to deal with, which I can carry around without a problem. So we are free to explore the ship (if it is one we don't already know), go check the lunch menu, go to the buffet, relax at the pool, …

This is a perfect opportunity to get to know the guy who will be your best friend for the upcoming week -- the bartender at your favorite bar on board!

Boarding in Los Angeles (not Southampton), we have not been delayed at priority check-in. [Except once when the entire cruise terminal was closed down in the middle of embarkation because of a gas leak scare. We, and hundreds of our closest friends, had to wait outside while the Fire Department cleared the building and inspected for a leak.]

 

But we don't arrive at the ship before noon in any event.

 

Because we give our luggage to a porter, we don't worry about dropping our bags off in our cabin. We have only our carry-ons to deal with, which I can carry around without a problem. So we are free to explore the ship (if it is one we don't already know), go check the lunch menu, go to the buffet, relax at the pool, …

 

This is a perfect opportunity to get to know the guy who will be your best friend for the upcoming week -- the bartender at your favorite bar on board!

We also drop the real luggage with the porter, but dropping the carry ons in the room is nice! It's the difference between the fact that I could roll them around and I don't want to roll them anywhere!

In the UK boarding will be different than in the US. As a Platinum you get priority check in but if you are too early to board the ship then you will be directed to a dedicated area of waiting area and if you are lucky you might get onboard by 12 at the earliest because Elite and Suites will board before you. If you arrive much earlier than 11am you will have a long wait.

It used to be that way in the U.S. but changed within the past year. I bet Princess figured out that the earlier passengers can get on board, the earlier they will start spending $$$. So now they allow boarding soon after the ship has been cleared of passengers.

It may have also changed in the UK. Have you had a recent boarding experience there?

It used to be that way in the U.S. but changed within the past year. I bet Princess figured out that the earlier passengers can get on board, the earlier they will start spending $$$. So now they allow boarding soon after the ship has been cleared of passengers.

 

It may have also changed in the UK. Have you had a recent boarding experience there?

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many thanks