Ovation boarding

Ovation is a new generation of ship and it’s different.

12;30 you can show up and they will let you on.

Drop your bags and a little bit earlier and have a look around circular quay.

I’ve been on this ship 4 times and they don’t check your time allocation.

They use a contractor,Inter cruising.I think they where called.

They don’t care and just let you go. They don’t care

You will be met in side by RC staff with iPads that will scan your sea pass ,identification and your on.

Your sea card will be in the front of your cabin door.your cabin will be ready at 1:30 pm.in the mean time you can use your sea pass for anything you want to buy.

There’s a nice pub called the fortunes of war a few minutes walk,supposedly the oldest pub in Sydney?

Twice when we have cruised on Ovation and the times were checked on the setsail on both occasions. In fact they told any later times to please move away until the current time slot was checked in.

I believe if it isn’t too busy there is no problem but for both our arrival times, it was very busy.

When I enquired as to Diamond priority, the girl said they only have time to check the allocated time slot on the setsail not for any priority - too many passengers to get on. The only time we’re saw a priority line was at the hand luggage scanners.

I’ve have never noticed a priority line.

We sailed on the Ovation on March 8. When we did online checkin the earliest time that we could choose was from 1pm. When an email came a week before the cruise it said:

 

"To enhance your check-in and boarding experience, please arrive at the cruise terminal at your selected appointment time. For those that have not selected an appointment time, your cruise check-in will take place between 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m."

 

We are Diamond and a friend who has sailed on the Ovation and is Diamond Plus told me that as Diamond we would be able to board any time. We arrived at around 11.40am and after lining up in the main line, once inside we were referred to the Diamond line and were checked in quickly and nothing was said about being earlier than the 1pm appointment time on the SetSail Pass.

yes we have received the same email, think we will try and see how we go. Thanks for that.

yes we have received the same email, think we will try and see how we go. Thanks for that.

I don’t think you will have a problem if you turn up at 12:30.

last time we were on the ovation was 8th March,bit over 2 weeks ago.

They bumped us from 12:30 to3:00,but we were there at 12:00 and people were just starting to board.

We just looked confident and went straight on.

Worst thing that can happen is drop your bags and go for a walk.

We didn't have any problems boarding early. Was encouraged to board early in fact. Was on the ship by 11.30. Diamonds get priority once through the first stage.

Any updates on the current priority boarding situation on Ovation for Diamond & above? 

1 hour ago, avalon007 said:

Any updates on the current priority boarding situation on Ovation for Diamond & above? 

 

 

 

Ovation is so quick and efficient,there’s no priority needed.

Just now, Chiliburn said:

Ovation is so quick and efficient,there’s no priority needed.

But does that mean if you turn up at 11am instead of at the time on your set sail pass they will let you in?

The first 2 times on boarding Ovation were not good. First time, heaps of people arriving early who were not in our time slot. Staff would only do the current time slot but we couldn’t get through the crowds. Second time, computers crashed we were through the downstairs checkin but jammed up in a line with a lot of others for 45 min +. Check in was 12 and we got onboard after 2.

Third time lucky, made sure we requested earliest checkin time and it was a huge improvement. When inside, where the mobile checkin staff were with their tablets, there were even some flags for the C&A but we didn’t even need to go there (D+), smooth as and for the first time on in about 10 minutes.

Try earlier and you will probably get on,  at worst if it’s too busy there’s some nice things to do around the Rocks.

I am diamond went on a cruise 3rd of the month, turned up at 11, our allotted time was12.30 dropped of bags and went to the line and said we are diamond the girl said go straight in I said I have the family she said that’s ok they can go with you, so off we all went and checked in through imagination on on to ship no waiting or hassles. So if I was you I would go strait to ship. 

Thanks for the replies. Two years ago, on our first cruise on Ovation we were allowed on early as Diamonds, so after reading this thread I though they may be enforcing boarding times regardless of Diamond status. But we usually turn up as soon as they open & have always been allowed to board on all our cruises in the past, so hopefully they will be co-operative. :)

Not interested in browsing the rocks etc, been there done that for years so will just read a book etc back at the hotel lobby if we have to wait.

1 hour ago, avalon007 said:

But does that mean if you turn up at 11am instead of at the time on your set sail pass they will let you in?

 

 

From my experience 11:30 and 15 to 20 minutes you are hitting the bar .

doesnt matter if you are a pinnacle or the great unwashed.

On 3/23/2018 at 4:20 PM, Chiliburn said:

Ovation is a new generation of ship and it’s different.

12;30 you can show up and they will let you on.

Drop your bags and a little bit earlier and have a look around circular quay.

 

I’ve been on this ship 4 times and they don’t check your time allocation.

They use a contractor,Inter cruising.I think they where called.

They don’t care and just let you go. They don’t care

You will be met in side by RC staff with iPads that will scan your sea pass ,identification and your on.

Your sea card will be in the front of your cabin door.your cabin will be ready at 1:30 pm.in the mean time you can use your sea pass for anything you want to buy.

 

There’s a nice pub called the fortunes of war a few minutes walk,supposedly the oldest pub in Sydney?

FYI Chilliburn.........All the people you will see right up to security at the OPT are Intercruise staff ..there are no Royal Carribean people working the the terminal apart from a couple of IT and guest services types and yes... they (we ) all care and are working under instruction  from RCCL in Miami .. they will always let you check in as early as possible, however unforseen circumstances can change things  eg computer gliches, security or Border Force delays and this will sometimes dictate what we can allow. As far as I am aware even though someone may have a later time on their Setsail providing there are  no "problems" they will be allowed to check in at an earlier time .

2 minutes ago, gbenjo said:

FYI Chilliburn.........All the people you will see right up to security at the OPT are Intercruise staff ..there are no Royal Carribean people working the the terminal apart from a couple of IT and guest services types and yes... they (we ) all care and are working under instruction  from RCCL in Miami .. they will always let you check in as early as possible, however unforseen circumstances can change things  eg computer gliches, security or Border Force delays and this will sometimes dictate what we can allow. As far as I am aware even though someone may have a later time on their Setsail providing there are  no "problems" they will be allowed to check in at an earlier time .

Thanks for that Graham, I will asking for you.

28 minutes ago, gbenjo said:

FYI Chilliburn.........All the people you will see right up to security at the OPT are Intercruise staff ..there are no Royal Carribean people working the the terminal apart from a couple of IT and guest services types and yes... they (we ) all care and are working under instruction  from RCCL in Miami .. they will always let you check in as early as possible, however unforseen circumstances can change things  eg computer gliches, security or Border Force delays and this will sometimes dictate what we can allow. As far as I am aware even though someone may have a later time on their Setsail providing there are  no "problems" they will be allowed to check in at an earlier time .

Thanks Graham,  good to hear! Apart from the unforeseen I'm looking forward to boarding nice & early as per usual. :) 

Good luck, the check in people at the OPT are some of the best in the business.

31 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

Thanks for that Graham, I will asking for you.

No problem.....I will be on the ship at security  scanning setsails , see you then

1 minute ago, gbenjo said:

No problem.....I will be on the ship at security  scanning setsails , see you then

Ok, will keep an eye out for you on the 2nd & say hi. :)

2 minutes ago, avalon007 said:

Ok, will keep an eye out for you on the 2nd & say hi. 🙂

He is the good looking one with an air of authority.

39 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

He is the good looking one with an air of authority.

Are you sure ???????........and I have very little  (h)air

43 minutes ago, gbenjo said:

Are you sure ???????........and I have very little  (h)air

Yeah but you have such a commanding demeanour that people just think you are the captain without his hat.

16 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Yeah but you have such a commanding demeanour that people just think you are the captain without his hat.

But " demeanour " I get the less people listen to me 😁

1 hour ago, gbenjo said:

But " demeanour " I get the less people listen to me 😁

Perhaps, rise above it and go to the buffet while they wait to scan on.

I like a man in uniform exerting his authority