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Anchor Fare cabin assignment


comcox
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I just booked an Anchor Fare (no assigned cabin) for a November cruise out of Liverpool. I've not done this before with Fred. On the website it says cabin assignment "upon boarding." Do they truly not give you a cabin number until you board that day? If so, what do you do about luggage tags?

Edited by comcox
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We have done a couple of anchor fare cruises (though a couple of years ago) and have still got luggage tags at the usual time showing our cabin number then. It is possibly just written like that to give them leeway, especially if people book just before sailing. I have heard of people having to pick up luggage labels at the port, though have never witnessed that ourselves, so presume it is just late bookers.

 

Our luggage labels did not turn up for one freedom fare cruise last year and they sent labels which left a blank space to write in our cabin number.

 

Liverpool cruise terminal is great as it is right by the city so you can drop off luggage, (and check in if it is open), then go off into the city, rather than just sit in the terminal. We tend to speak to someone by the embarkation area to get a rough idea of when our embarkation slot is likely to be before wandering off (check in staff are not likely to know). Remember all Anchor fare passengers are only boarded if there are no priority group people waiting.

 

Happy cruising

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We have invariably booked Anchor Fare with Fred. As Tring has said, Luggage labels arrive already printed with the cabin number a couple of weeks before departure. If you check your account on line, the cabin will be shown a few days before the labels arrive.

As for boarding, you will be given a coloured boarding ticket on a first come first served basis. Just wait for your colour to be called. If you wish to have a wander round the city, don't be afraid you with miss your slot as they will call all previous colours as the move along the list. Gold Ocean members being the only ones who can board as they arrive if they wish to.

Enjoy Boudicca as we always do and will do when we join it in January for the 'Round South America' cruise.

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As for boarding, you will be given a coloured boarding ticket on a first come first served basis. Just wait for your colour to be called. If you wish to have a wander round the city, don't be afraid you with miss your slot as they will call all previous colours as the move along the list. Gold Ocean members being the only ones who can board as they arrive if they wish to.

 

You are somewhat outdated on priorities for boarding if sailing from a UK port. As has been discussed previously on these boards, the coloured embarkation cards relate to different priority groups, and each coloured card is numbered (the lower numbers are given out first within the group). Suite passengers have first priority (usually green), then Gold Oceans members who are booked on freedom fare (usually gold), then all other freedom fare passengers (I forget the colour). The last group is for all other passengers. Gold Oceans members no longer have priority boarding if they are booked on an anchor fare, but I think they may still get priority if suite passengers, though if so that would not be because of Oceans membership. Obviously if there are no people of a higher priority are present they call another colour, but will revert to system as other people arrive.

 

We first encountered this system in November 2014 and was still in use in June when we last sailed on Fred. I am sure comcox is aware of this as a regular user of this board, but I have put this so others will not be confused. The ship's staff at the embarkation point at the terminal will be happy to explain the priority groups, which is how I learnt about what is what. They could tweak the systems yet again of course.

 

On fly cruises they just seem to embark people as they check in.

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  • 1 year later...

Hi

 

Do you know if those on mobililty scooters/wheelchairs get 'priority' with Fred Olsen? We've travelled with Royal Caribbean and 'sailed' through checking etc, hoping it will be the same with Fred Olsen as it's the same Southampton terminal.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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