What Time can we Expect to Embark

From previous threads I now see that P&O give each person a set embarkation time. We are looking at booking a hotel a little way from Southampton for a cruise next year, so are wondering what our embarkation time may be.

We are booked on Arcadia, deck E, obstructed view outside cabin. We booked a select fare and are Mediterranean Tier in the Peninsular Club. Can anyone please give me an indication of what time we are likely to be allocated? Also can I ask what determines the embarkation time - is it higher deck or higher grade cabins first, or is it more complicated than that and will getting to the port earlier get us on the ship earlier?

From previous threads I now see that P&O give each person a set embarkation time. We are looking at booking a hotel a little way from Southampton for a cruise next year, so are wondering what our embarkation time may be.

 

We are booked on Arcadia, deck E, obstructed view outside cabin. We booked a select fare and are Mediterranean Tier in the Peninsular Club. Can anyone please give me an indication of what time we are likely to be allocated? Also can I ask what determines the embarkation time - is it higher deck or higher grade cabins first, or is it more complicated than that and will getting to the port earlier get us on the ship earlier?

It’s done by deck order but not A to G or G to A, sort of mixed and different for each ship.

Some people have a chart with the information on.

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The chart which was posted here some time ago shows Arcadia E deck boarding at 14.00

Thank you for the replies, they are much appreciated.

Please could someone tell me where t find that chart - many thanks in advance :-)

Please could someone tell me where t find that chart - many thanks in advance :-)

Hello,

Please see attached.

Joan

checkintimes.doc.pdf

Hello,

 

Please see attached.

 

Joan

That is a great tool, but does not align with our experience on Britannia.

We were advised in port that Suites are first, select fare next, then this kicks in to place.

According to the chart, we should have boarded at 2, our given time was 12.30. We were select fare.

That is a great tool, but does not align with our experience on Britannia.

We were advised in port that Suites are first, select fare next, then this kicks in to place.

According to the chart, we should have boarded at 2, our given time was 12.30. We were select fare.

Maybe they have changed it since this was issued.

Yes, suites do board first & are given at 12:30 check in time.

However, not sure how it works if everyone who booked select is given the same time?

We always book select & are due to receive our e tickets any time now, so it'll be interesting to see what time we're given as I'm expecting 3pm!

Joan

Maybe they have changed it since this was issued.

 

Yes, suites do board first & are given at 12:30 check in time.

 

However, not sure how it works if everyone who booked select is given the same time?

 

We always book select & are due to receive our e tickets any time now, so it'll be interesting to see what time we're given as I'm expecting 3pm!

 

Joan

Was only speaking from our experience, but you are right, it doesn’t make a lot of sense if all select fare passengers are given the same time.

We asked in port why we were given an earlier time and that is what they told us.

Fingers crossed you get an earlier time and are sipping cocktails by 1pm.

Maybe that is how they work it for Britannia but the other ships are Suites and Ligurian passengers first, followed by Baltic and Caribbean members then the deck order kicks in.

Passengers who turn up early can often board early depending on how busy it is but some have been made to wait until their check in time. Another point is that I have seen posted that passengers traveling on the coaches get priority when they arrive. They are staggered to arrive at different times.

Here are my thoughts. Whatever embarkation time you are given, you should aim to get to the terminal at the very latest 3:00pm. The earliest would be 12:00.

If you arrive later than your embarkation time, they will still let you board the ship so no problem there.

If you arrive early, you may need to wait but probably still end up boarding earlier than expected.

Either way, its not worth worrying about ahead of time the boarding time P&O will assign to you.

For what it's worth , last June we had a cabin on E restricted view on Arcadia , select , and our embarkation time was 2pm . Of course may have changed.

Many thanks for the list - much appreciated :-)

excellent list. Hope it stays the same as it gives us a 1pm embarkation time!

We are on p deck on the azura. Our embarkation time was 12.30 and we got on at 11.45. My mum and dad are on b deck, there embarkation time was 1.30. They thought they would be earlier than us as they are regular cruisers with p and o and are in the peninsular club. Quite funny really but they let us all on as a group of 16 at the same time. P.S we are having a wonderful time:cool:

Hello,

 

Please see attached.

 

Joan

These are the standard Southampton embarkation times based on a 17:00/17:30 departure. Various matters influence:

- Number of coaches arriving (note no 14:00 or 14:30 embarkation)

- Number of high tier cruisers who can board early

- Number of special assistance guests

- Suite occupancy as they can board early.

- Ship sail time.

All of these points flex the numbers in each group. It does mean from cruise to cruise, timings change slightly.

Thank you for all those extra answers. I see mention has been made of coaches and I have noticed that Fred says their official coach passengers (not Eavesway or other coaches) will be checked in within 20 mins of arriving. Does anyone know when the coaches start arriving - are there any early arrivals or do they all tend to turn up after say 2pm?

Thank you for all those extra answers. I see mention has been made of coaches and I have noticed that Fred says their official coach passengers (not Eavesway or other coaches) will be checked in within 20 mins of arriving. Does anyone know when the coaches start arriving - are there any early arrivals or do they all tend to turn up after say 2pm?[/q uote]

I think they are given from 2pm onwards. Some people on the coaches may be in suites or high tier loyalty. However as they are coming by coach that does not apply..they board when the coach arrives.

As the ships get bigger and bigger Pando are only trying to slightly control how many people arrive at 12 (or before). We are in both suite and Caribbean tier, but it always amazes me how full the terminal is now when we arrive. When Iona and the other one arrive ,it will not just be full, but heaving.

Thank you for all those extra answers. I see mention has been made of coaches and I have noticed that Fred says their official coach passengers (not Eavesway or other coaches) will be checked in within 20 mins of arriving. Does anyone know when the coaches start arriving - are there any early arrivals or do they all tend to turn up after say 2pm?[/q uote]

I think they are given from 2pm onwards. Some people on the coaches may be in suites or high tier loyalty. However as they are coming by coach that does not apply..they board when the coach arrives.

As the ships get bigger and bigger Pando are only trying to slightly control how many people arrive at 12 (or before). We are in both suite and Caribbean tier, but it always amazes me how full the terminal is now when we arrive. When Iona and the other one arrive ,it will not just be full, but heaving.

 

Thank you for that last info about the coaches. We have now booked a pre-cruise hotel in Winchester. That still allows us to get to the terminal reasonably early if we want to, but is not too far to travel. We do not like early morning departures from hotels - or early morning anything if I am truthful:)

Thank you for all those extra answers. I see mention has been made of coaches and I have noticed that Fred says their official coach passengers (not Eavesway or other coaches) will be checked in within 20 mins of arriving. Does anyone know when the coaches start arriving - are there any early arrivals or do they all tend to turn up after say 2pm?[/q uote]

 

I think they are given from 2pm onwards. Some people on the coaches may be in suites or high tier loyalty. However as they are coming by coach that does not apply..they board when the coach arrives.

 

As the ships get bigger and bigger Pando are only trying to slightly control how many people arrive at 12 (or before). We are in both suite and Caribbean tier, but it always amazes me how full the terminal is now when we arrive. When Iona and the other one arrive ,it will not just be full, but heaving.

 

 

 

Big new terminal being built now.

 

 

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Why do so many passengers stress about embarkation times. An hour or two doesn’t really make any difference over the length of the cruise. Our loyalty tier entitles us to the complimentary lunch, but as we usually travel down by coach we rarely make it in time. Just make sure you are there in plenty of time, take a book to read and await your turn to board, resulting in a stress free embarkation.

I know boarding times can change due to outside influences, but given normal ship arrival times in Southampton, what time do P&O now start boarding? We are now Caribbean but I don't want to arrive before boarding has commenced and have to wait in the terminal, but would like to be on ASAP.