Embarkation slot times, why do I always get the latest slot time ?

Hi

Trying to find out why we always get sent the latest board the ship time ?

After 32 cruises, we always get sent the time we can board ......and it is always the latest in the day.

Just wondered how we could board earlier......I don’t mind having to take our turn, for the latest to board.....but not every cruise......

Especially a short 2 day cruise now and then......

We can't make any guesses without knowing ship, port...Cruise Line. EM

We can't make any guesses without knowing ship, port...Cruise Line. EM

As well as cabin level and any status you have with a cruise line. I have 11 cruises with HAL( 4 star Mariner), and that gets us first boarding every time.

We are not high status on any cruise line and always board after priority it seems.

Is it because you are not being proactive and waiting for your slot? I know I and many other cruisers book their slot online as soon as they are open.

For our first two Carnival cruises we booked FTTF and then for our last one went online and booked 10.30am straight away. For Celebrity we just turned up early and got on early. Royal we got lucky as they were boarding by deck and as deck 9 we got on pretty much with the high decks and early. For NCL we went online and again booked 10.30am straight away as soon as slots opened up.

For our upcoming cruise we are doing a 10pm sailaway so we booked the earliest slot online which was 4.30pm.

Many cruise lines don't enforce boarding times...show up when you get there! Carnival is the glaring exception.

For those of us used to the USA based lines on which early check-in is a perk for long time loyalty scheme members this does seem odd. But judging by the OP's moniker and past posts it is likely they embark UK-based lines in Southampton where staggered boarding by deck is enforced. Perhaps their preferred cabin location is always on a deck at the end of that list--the boarding order likely doesn't vary much from cruise to cruise, so perhaps they need to pick a different cabin category (would think the deck with the higher end cabins would be closer to the top of the list).

For those of us used to the USA based lines on which early check-in is a perk for long time loyalty scheme members this does seem odd. But judging by the OP's moniker and past posts it is likely they embark UK-based lines in Southampton where staggered boarding by deck is enforced. Perhaps their preferred cabin location is always on a deck at the end of that list--the boarding order likely doesn't vary much from cruise to cruise, so perhaps they need to pick a different cabin category (would think the deck with the higher end cabins would be closer to the top of the list).

Royal did enforce boarding in Southampton.

It wasn't the cabin category but more the deck as ours was a high inside.

I am also British and apart from the Royal deck by deck thing I didn't see the difference between us boarding and US folk on other lines in Southampton, Barcelona and Tampa.

Hi Velvetwater

I think your right......in the past if you arrived early in Southampton you would get the early boarding......but it’s all changed on most cruise lines...sailing from Southampton with staggered colour alphabet lettters called out.....

We have higher grade state rooms booked for the future and going back to Cruise lines we have good loyalty status with......so time will tell...

Hi Velvetwater

I think your right......in the past if you arrived early in Southampton you would get the early boarding......but it’s all changed on most cruise lines...sailing from Southampton with staggered colour alphabet lettters called out.....

 

We have higher grade state rooms booked for the future and going back to Cruise lines we have good loyalty status with......so time will tell...

Who are you sailing with?

Ncl lets you book an online time for sure as thats what we did last year sailing from Southampton.

Hi

Just sailed with P & O, next cruising with Cunard again ( one of our preferred lines and then on Princess where we now have Platinum status and I have now checked. that we should get .......priority boarding.....at last.

Things changed at Southampton, the year that Anthem OTS, Royal Princess and Britannia were launched, so deck times were produced. We remember Deck 8, Independence OTS was 12.15pm; P&O Ventura Deck R is 3.30, and deck E is 1.30 pm.

Things changed at Southampton, the year that Anthem OTS, Royal Princess and Britannia were launched, so deck times were produced. We remember Deck 8, Independence OTS was 12.15pm; P&O Ventura Deck R is 3.30, and deck E is 1.30 pm.

That is interesting and I can't speak to what may have happened with the European boarding but with US based cruises we've never had boarding times suggested, let alone enforced, with any of our RCI or Celebrity cruises.

Perhaps it is different with some European boardings.

Hi

Trying to find out why we always get sent the latest board the ship time ?

 

....

Probably the same reason why all my flights leave from the gate at the far end of the concourse.

While you just have to suck it up and walk the length of the concourse for your flight, we have found that most lines do not seem to enforce boarding times... just saying.

That is interesting and I can't speak to what may have happened with the European boarding but with US based cruises we've never had boarding times suggested, let alone enforced, with any of our RCI or Celebrity cruises.

 

Perhaps it is different with some European boardings.

It's been the sudden growth of Southampton which caused difficulties with shore side staff. Until then, the port would have perhaps one vast ship- Independence OTS-, one large ship such as Ventura (Grand Class ship) and two or three middle or small ships. Now, there were several ships with + 3000 pax in at a time, and staff had to be retrained to cope with the large numbers all trying to check in in a limited time. Many UK pax travel on coaches provided by the ships, and no-one can check in when the coaches are due, in between 2pm and 3.15pm. There had to be a re think! :confused:

P&O enforce the check in times. First it's priority boarders, then by deck I think. So if you always choose the same deck, and it's always one of the last to check in, then you'll always have the same problem.

Sailed numerous times with Princess from Southampton and even though having a check in time, it's never been enforced. I haven't sailed on the Royal Princess though, so they may well enforce her times.

Fool proof method we do it every time, wake up go to breakfast come back pack then walk off ship with bags . No drama ,no waiting in the lobby and no lost bags.

Fool proof method we do it every time, wake up go to breakfast come back pack then walk off ship with bags . No drama ,no waiting in the lobby and no lost bags.

Sent from my VFD 900 using Tapatalk

P&O enforce the check in times. First it's priority boarders, then by deck I think. So if you always choose the same deck, and it's always one of the last to check in, then you'll always have the same problem.

 

Sailed numerous times with Princess from Southampton and even though having a check in time, it's never been enforced. I haven't sailed on the Royal Princess though, so they may well enforce her times.

The check-in staff for Royal and RCI were trained in the new methods, but I'm not aware whether they do this on Royal.

We were on the first sailing on Indy after her TA, which had the new method... and, of course, people just turned up when they wanted... it was mayhem!

This will probably upset the people who routinely get earlier boarding times for whatever reason, but when I pay for a cruise, I expect to start enjoying it as soon as possible, not sit in my hotel room waiting for my appointed time while everyone else is getting on and beginning to enjoy their cruise experience. I have a problem with making certain decks, usually where the more costly rooms are, first in line, and forcing the lower cost rooms to "go to the back of the bus". It's insulting to those people to be considered less important.

So what if the check-in lines are long? If a person wants to arrive earlier than others and deal with those lines, it is their decision. First come first served has worked for decades. Now all of a sudden it's too "chaotic". Seriously? :mad:

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of his family members. :')

The check-in staff for Royal and RCI were trained in the new methods, but I'm not aware whether they do this on Royal.

Royal and RCI are the same - and they were both trained but your not sure it they do it on Royal? :confused:

Sorry - not following you......

Royal and RCI are the same - and they were both trained but your not sure it they do it on Royal? :confused:

 

Sorry - not following you......

We'd been discussing Royal Princess and Anthem OTS both being in Southampton at the same time, and I suppose we'd slipped into saying just "Royal" for one of the ships... yes, it doesn't make it clear when re-reading.

The shore staff who check in passengers for both RCI and Princess received the special training for deck by deck embarkation... and other lines were planning this; P&O now use deck entry.

:)

We'd been discussing Royal Princess and Anthem OTS both being in Southampton at the same time, and I suppose we'd slipped into saying just "Royal" for one of the ships... yes, it doesn't make it clear when re-reading.

The shore staff who check in passengers for both RCI and Princess received the special training for deck by deck embarkation... and other lines were planning this; P&O now use deck entry.

:)

Thanks. Figured there was a clear message in there somewhere. :)

What's the worst way to spend your time on embarkation day?

Lining up in a transit shed then sitting and waiting to get on the ship, which is only just over there.

As if you haven't already done enough of that at the airport(s).

I much prefer arriving and boarding later in the afternoon. No lines. Just walk up to the desk, process the docs and walk onto the ship, thank you very much.