Staggered Boarding??

[kywildcatfanone]

Is this only occurring for cruises that originate from the west coast? We cruise out of FLL in a couple of weeks and have seen nothing about this for Port Everglades.

It would tick me off if they did this to my cruise and I got on the ship and couldn't book something I wanted....

 

Mike

[Retired 07]

It would help if you specified which ship and what destination... More than probably Hawaii, but which one? The Sapphire or the Golden? I am sailing on the Sapphire and have not been notified.

 

As for Postech, don't you know you never should fly in a couple of hours away from boarding time?

 

Sapphire coastal, but why should it make a difference? Wouldn't this be a company wide policy?

[kywildcatfanone]

Sapphire coastal, but why should it make a difference? Wouldn't this be a company wide policy?

 

That's what I asked right before you? The only folks I have seen respond to getting this email are those departing the west coast. We leave in a couple of weeks from Port Everglades and haven't seen this.

 

Mike

[mistermc2005]

We received a similar email & we are sailing from Beijing to Vancouver on the 1st of May.

[catmom040]

Question.... We are sailing on the Golden princess on the 28th and we are in a mini-suite on the dolphin level. Soooo...if they go by the suites first does that mean they may go by the mini suites, then balcony etc??:confused: just curious thanks

[Retired 07]

Question.... We are sailing on the Golden princess on the 28th and we are in a mini-suite on the dolphin level. Soooo...if they go by the suites first does that mean they may go by the mini suites, then balcony etc??:confused: just curious thanks

 

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

[SouthernBelle76]

We are sailing on the Crown on the 24th and haven't received an email. We went a little wild and splurged on a suite this time, though. We arrive in FLL at 1000 and hope to be onboard by noon!

[Putterdude]

We have had the request before, I think it started last spring, however we have chose to ignore it and never have had a problem....but maybe this because we were Platinum at the time.

[catmom040]

Retired 07!! Thank you so much for the answer, now we know what to expect. thanks again:)

[paul929207]

Question.... We are sailing on the Golden princess on the 28th and we are in a mini-suite on the dolphin level. Soooo...if they go by the suites first does that mean they may go by the mini suites, then balcony etc??:confused: just curious thanks

Mini suites do not get priority for boarding, only full suites.

[Tweedy]

I can see Princess' point of view and trying to avoid the mad rush first thing when the counters open. However, it just doesn't make sense. Why should some guests be able to embark at 12:30 and enjoy their time onboard (ie lunch in the dining room) while others can't board until 2:30 (after the dining rooms have long closed for lunch). Seems foolish to me since you are essentially given preferential treatment based on which deck the cabin is booked on.

[kywildcatfanone]

I can see Princess' point of view and trying to avoid the mad rush first thing when the counters open. However, it just doesn't make sense. Why should some guests be able to embark at 12:30 and enjoy their time onboard (ie lunch in the dining room) while others can't board until 2:30 (after the dining rooms have long closed for lunch). Seems foolish to me since you are essentially given preferential treatment based on which deck the cabin is booked on.

 

I agree, plus if you wanted to book something like the sanctuary, specialty restaurants, chef's table, etc., you likely could not because of your boarding time. I'm glad I haven't seen an email about this for our upcoming cruise, as I would have to ignore it.

 

Mike

[Potstech]

It would help if you specified which ship and what destination... More than probably Hawaii, but which one? The Sapphire or the Golden? I am sailing on the Sapphire and have not been notified.

 

As for Postech, don't you know you never should fly in a couple of hours away from boarding time?

 

Each to his own travel arrangements. So far never had a problem. Could it happen? Yes has it happened to me yet? NO.

[MTJSR]

Well since the first and last days of a 7 day cruise are really embarkation and debarkation, we should only have to pay for a 5 day cruise right? :confused: The other passengers getting on or off have paid for the same two days we did. Princess gets double fares and probably serves less food those days.

[oskidunker]

Platinum or Elite get no early boarding.

[mr green]

Well since the first and last days of a 7 day cruise are really embarkation and debarkation, we should only have to pay for a 5 day cruise right? :confused: The other passengers getting on or off have paid for the same two days we did. Princess gets double fares and probably serves less food those days.

 

And we ALL get charged tips on those days. Does staff get extra? I doubt it.

 

john

[rdsqrl]

Actually, disembarkation day is day 8 of a 7-day cruise, so breakfast that morning is really a freebie for us disembarking passengers, and there isn't any double-dipping of fares between getting off and getting on passengers. That said, no way would I be thrilled about being forced to wait until mid-afternoon to show up and miss out on lunch or half my afternoon aboard ship. We have definitely paid for that day!

[NSWP]

If the cruiseline were fair dinkum about their staggered boarding policy, surely they should enforce it by refusing check in, unless it is 'your time.?'

[spirit28]

Staggered boarding makes sense in ports like Singapore where the bigger ships dock at a container port that has no public access.

 

When we boarded Diamond back in November, it took half the day to get everyone on board with a continuous shuttle bus service from the Marina Bay Sands to the Wharf.

 

If each bus holds say 40 people, to transport some 2,000 + people is a lot of 40 minute bus trips (80 min for the bus to complete the round trip to pick up the next lot).

 

If everyone turned up at once, it would have been a disaster. It actually worked very well.

 

Think of the positive - if you have a late boarding, then you have more time for sightseeing & shopping!!

[coo359a2]

And we ALL get charged tips on those days. Does staff get extra? I doubt it.

 

john

 

Disembarkation day of a 7 day cruise is really the starting of the eighth day. You are not charged the tip amount for that day. On a 7 day cruise you are only charged for 7 days times $11.50 = $80.50.

[kywildcatfanone]

So, has anybody heard anything about reasons why Princess seems to be doing this on certain sailings? I haven't seen anyone who is sailing from Port Everglades mention getting this email. I wonder if it's because of some other issue at certain ports where they might be smaller waiting areas or such that are causing this.

 

Mike

[gelo7]

That's a bummer...

[kywildcatfanone]

Until I seem something official from Princess that this is a fleet wide change, I'm going to assume it's a temporary change based upon logistical issues at particular ports.

If this is a fleet wide change being adopted, it reduces the perks of any attained status (suite purchase/platinum and elite priority boarding).

 

Mike

[flamomo]

The staggered boarding system also does not take into account that some passengers arrived in the port city one or more days early, and have to be out of their hotel rooms by 11am or 12n. Checking out of the hotel and going to the pier with their luggage is all that's available to most of them. It's kinda tough to go shopping or sightseeing with multiple suitcases in tow!!

 

It's also distinctly unfair to Platinum and Elite passengers, who have earned that status through customer loyalty and paying for a lot of cruises. Their priority boarding should be honored whatever time they arrive at the terminal, regardless of the staggered boarding schedule.

[Pia1913]

Well since the first and last days of a 7 day cruise are really embarkation and debarkation, we should only have to pay for a 5 day cruise right? :confused: The other passengers getting on or off have paid for the same two days we did. Princess gets double fares and probably serves less food those days.

 

You do not get charged by the days. You get charged by the nights. If you sleep in a hotel for 7 nights you pay for 7 nights. If you sleep on a cruise ship for 7 nights; same thing. Nobody is paying for your days; just their own.