Staggered Boarding??

[Near the Jack]

No, they go by decks, we are in a mini, and we are supposed to board at 2:00--this is from the email they sent:

12:30 PM - Caribe Deck / Cabins C100 -C757

1:30 PM - Baja & Lido Deck /Cabins B100-B753, L200-L311

2:00 PM - Dolphin & Emerald Deck / Cabins D102 - D741 & E100 - E735

2:30 PM - Aloha & Plaza Deck / Cabins A104 - A751 & P200 - P337

 

 

They are having a laugh...I've booked a mini on Dolphin on the Grand Princess 23rd June, this is a real treat for us so we went straight for the top of the range AA mini Suite. If they think they are going to tell me what time I can come on board we will be starting our cruise with some pretty harsh words :mad:.

We will wait in line and board on a first come first board basis or this will be our first and last Princess Cruise:D

I am already asking for the same last minute on board credit sweetners being offered to fill the ship....I booked this trip over as year ago and want Princess to value my custom as much as they do the latecomers...do you thin I will get something from them? Andy

[Cuizer2]

:confused: Where were they expected they go? They probably didn't have cars, probably were totting carryons...... what were they supposed to do? Stand on the curb across the street..... in possible rain?

 

Nice way for a cruise company to treat their 'guests'.

Hopefully they'll find a better way to handle congestion at some of these ports and REALLY hopefully none of the other "Carnival Family of Ships' will decide they like this plan. :(

 

If they were boarding at pier 35 then they could go next door to pier 39 where there are plenty of things to do and/or placed to grab a snack.

[curiouscat]

They are having a laugh...I've booked a mini on Dolphin on the Grand Princess 23rd June, this is a real treat for us so we went straight for the top of the range AA mini Suite. If they think they are going to tell me what time I can come on board we will be starting our cruise with some pretty harsh words :mad:.

We will wait in line and board on a first come first board basis or this will be our first and last Princess Cruise:D

I am already asking for the same last minute on board credit sweetners being offered to fill the ship....I booked this trip over as year ago and want Princess to value my custom as much as they do the latecomers...do you thin I will get something from them? Andy

 

 

Just got off the Phone with Princess... and per res agent they will only let you into the Terminal according to stateroom. And elites have to follow accordingly... they Blame it on the Terminal folks... HMmm, they have done this for yrs and now all of a sudden the folks You rent and pay to use the terminal you how to board your passengers? They are passing the buck ...Big time...this is not Customs or TSA !

 

We are going in a few weeks and will see how it' s enforced. I do have a cabin on Caribe so I can board at 10:30 ... I would not be happy if they didn't let me board till 2:30 !!!! What they're going to have people standing outside....and then they miss lunch:eek:

[Josy1953]

Just got off the Phone with Princess... and per res agent they will only let you into the Terminal according to stateroom. And elites have to follow accordingly... they Blame it on the Terminal folks... HMmm, they have done this for yrs and now all of a sudden the folks You rent and pay to use the terminal you how to board your passengers? They are passing the buck ...Big time...this is not Customs or TSA !

 

We are going in a few weeks and will see how it' s enforced. I do have a cabin on Caribe so I can board at 10:30 ... I would not be happy if they didn't let me board till 2:30 !!!! What they're going to have people standing outside....and then they miss lunch:eek:

 

I would like to know why it is only Princess who have to have staggered boarding at Southampton. P&O did not have it in March and I have spoken to them about our July cruise on the Ventura and have been told that they do not intend to have staggered boarding. I just don't believe that it anything other than a Princess decision to do this.

[dog]

Ok, here s what happened. 11am arrived at Victoria coach station for princess transfer to southampton. Very long line to get boarding ticket for coach. Put on last bus. Left london 12:45. Arrived at terminal, went up escalator, sent to red desk where they were giving out staggered boarding cards. We didn't t get one, as platinum we were sent right to check in no line, then to security to security line. Very long but it went fairly fast. In cabin by 3:30 pm.

 

Seems princess must have forgotten to tell southampton staff about platinums getting preferred boarding within their staggered assigned time. Also talked to other couples who came on own to terminal, ignored staggered times and as platinum got sent right in.

 

Nice mini suite. And dinner was great. Prime rib. Hope it goes as well for the rest of you.

[curiouscat]

I would like to know why it is only Princess who have to have staggered boarding at Southampton. P&O did not have it in March and I have spoken to them about our July cruise on the Ventura and have been told that they do not intend to have staggered boarding. I just don't believe that it anything other than a Princess decision to do this.

 

 

I agree .. quite sadly this is some Princess executive sitting in his/her Ivory tower.... going,hmm this is a good Idea! NOT... I told the res agent that this is not the way to treat clients.

 

I'm in the industry and will be writing a letter to my BDM(business dev manager) upon my return of my experience. They know us in the industry experience their product so we can service our clients...and I'm like You can't treat your customers and esp my clients in such a manner....:eek:

[Shogun]

Hi Dog

 

Thanks for info, we board grand in a few weeks, see onboard the Royal

 

 

yours shogun

[Mrs Moho]

I would like to know why it is only Princess who have to have staggered boarding at Southampton. P&O did not have it in March and I have spoken to them about our July cruise on the Ventura and have been told that they do not intend to have staggered boarding. I just don't believe that it anything other than a Princess decision to do this.

 

What I don't understand is that Princess, P&O, Cunard are all part of Carnival so why one and not the others? Why Princess?

[curiouscat]

What I don't understand is that Princess, P&O, Cunard are all part of Carnival so why one and not the others? Why Princess?

 

 

They are run as independent businesses....

[Mrs Moho]

They are run as independent businesses....

 

Yes but still leave from the same port

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

Its not just sister lines

 

P&O has two ships which are in the same class as the Ruby

 

so if it works for one ship why not another

 

 

yours shogun

[Off2China]

All of this is very disappointing. We're planning to stay in Southampton for at 2 or maybe 3 days before our TA next year. I'm hoping that by then Princess will have decided this wasn't a good idea after all. I really don't want to hang around with my luggage for hours before I can board, not be able to have lunch in the MDR, miss out on signing up early for Chef's Table, etc. :mad:

 

I'll be reading what people say about staggered boarding in Southampton between now and the time final payment is due. If it's as bad as I'm afraid it might be, someone else can have my Emerald Deck mini with the extended balcony. :(

[sail7seas]

If they were boarding at pier 35 then they could go next door to pier 39 where there are plenty of things to do and/or placed to grab a snack.

 

 

Could go.......

 

Should they go?

When I first read this, I thought it couldn't be so and came here to read for myself.

 

This is an awful program and no way to treat paying guests. IMO

 

I hope Princess stops this nonsense and no other cruise lines follow this pattern.

 

[vaughan]

Hopefully, it won't be too bad - as we are going from Victoria Station via Princess Coach - departs 12 - arrives just after 2 - our check in is 230

[Chesie]

Oh my! We don't travel til August 2013 out of Southampton. I'll be keeping a close watch to see if this staggered boarding is going to fly. I guess I should start looking into Plan B with other lines.

 

Are ya listening Princess??!!

[caribill]

Yes but still leave from the same port

 

Proving that the idea is by Princess, not by the port.

[Cuizer2]

Could go.......

 

Should they go?

When I first read this, I thought it couldn't be so and came here to read for myself.

 

This is an awful program and no way to treat paying guests. IMO

 

I hope Princess stops this nonsense and no other cruise lines follow this pattern.

 

 

I agree that staggered boarding is a bad idea. However, if you find yourself stuck in such a situation, being near pier 39 is better than being stuck somewhere where there is no place to go.

[KirkNC]

I don't think I have seen this question but what happens if your boarding time is 1:00 and you don't arrive until 2:00? Based on the logic (or lack there of) they may just send you home :eek:.

[Cuizer2]

I don't think I have seen this question but what happens if your boarding time is 1:00 and you don't arrive until 2:00? Based on the logic (or lack there of) they may just send you home :eek:.

 

You've hit on one of the reasons this is such a stupid idea.

[Mrs Moho]

I don't think I have seen this question but what happens if your boarding time is 1:00 and you don't arrive until 2:00? Based on the logic (or lack there of) they may just send you home :eek:.

 

Hi Kirk

 

I asked this question a few days ago as I cannot grasp how they are going to 'police' this, I have visions of someone shouting we have a no show for 1.30 - anyone want their spot - I know it seems far fetched but hey.. common sense seems to have flown out of the window on this - what's the expression.... The lunatics are running the asylum:eek:

 

I still can't see what Princess, and it does seem like it is Princess not the Port Authority, are getting out of this, apart from a lot of unhappy passengers and by some of the posts on this thread - a lot of people who will be looking elsewhere for their future cruises.

[newport dave]

Can GOLD cruisers come back on and tell us of their experience at Southampton. We're Gold and cruise from Southampton on the 20th July. We'll be driving down from South Wales in the morning to arrive around 1130. Our boarding time is currently scheduled for 1430, don't want to be hanging around for 3 hours.

 

David

[Riocca]

Just a note on Southampton although I think this has been said before - it must be Princess who are insisting on this hair-brained system as the terminals at the port cope with P&O's Azura & Ventura (both 3100 pax ships and the same as Ruby Princess) with no real problems. Although P&O do allocate boarding times on your e-ticket it is totally ignored by all, we always roll up at about 12 noon and usually stroll through no problem (we are P&O's equivalent of Elite).

 

We are on Caribbean Princess on the 26th May and we are Elite with Princess, so we will be arriving between 12 and 1pm if we are turned away from the port then they can kiss goodbye to our booking on Emerald Princess next February. Princess's loss will be Celebrities gain!

[JimmyVWine]

There is a way to crush this system. But it would take a good bit of coordination and cooperation among thousands of people. First, someone needs to get confirmation from Princess that if you show up after your appointed time, that you will still be allowed to board. Of course this has to be the case. The new protocol says that if you show up earlier, you will be turned away. It does not say the same thing for showing up after your selected time. Perhaps Princess would answer this question on its FB page.

 

Next, with confirmation in hand that showing up late is not a problem, everyone on a particular cruise, and I do mean everyone, show up at the latest time slot (2:30, based on Shogun's earlier post). At 12:00...nothing. Crickets. 12:30...nothing. 1:00...same thing. Princess starts to wonder what the heck is happening. Then, at 2:30, thousands of people begin to show up. The boarding process is slow and chaotic, and each and every passenger who checks in makes a point of telling the receptionists that this would not be a problem if people could show up at a time of their own choosing. A natural staggering will occur simply because people operate on their own schedule.

 

The people who volunteer for this mission will suffer a slow, delayed, chaotic boarding process. But they will be heroes, as this would show Princess once and for all that assigned boarding times simply do not work and benefit no one. The new rule would vanish faster than the uncomfortable balcony chairs.

[curiouscat]

There is a way to crush this system. But it would take a good bit of coordination and cooperation among thousands of people. First, someone needs to get confirmation from Princess that if you show up after your appointed time, that you will still be allowed to board. Of course this has to be the case. The new protocol says that if you show up earlier, you will be turned away. It does not say the same thing for showing up after your selected time. Perhaps Princess would answer this question on its FB page.

 

Next, with confirmation in hand that showing up late is not a problem, everyone on a particular cruise, and I do mean everyone, show up at the latest time slot (2:30, based on Shogun's earlier post). At 12:00...nothing. Crickets. 12:30...nothing. 1:00...same thing. Princess starts to wonder what the heck is happening. Then, at 2:30, thousands of people begin to show up. The boarding process is slow and chaotic, and each and every passenger who checks in makes a point of telling the receptionists that this would not be a problem if people could show up at a time of their own choosing. A natural staggering will occur simply because people operate on their own schedule.

 

The people who volunteer for this mission will suffer a slow, delayed, chaotic boarding process. But they will be heroes, as this would show Princess once and for all that assigned boarding times simply do not work and benefit no one. The new rule would vanish faster than the uncomfortable balcony chairs.

 

 

Much more effective to bombard upper level management.. I know I will after I exp my cruise next month.. See if it is really enforced and how they handle the pax...who are also my clients any myself as a paying pax. :D:eek:

[5onadime]

when do you find out your boarding time? How does it work if you are using princess air and princess transfers? We are a family of five sailing on the June 7 British Isles cruise out of South Hampton. I haven't heard anything from Princess about this yet. Do they take our luggage or do we have to lug it around for awhile? Our flight arrives at 8:55am I am just trying to figure out my plan.