Staggered Boarding??

[1 HappyCruiser]

I'M NOT EVEN ALLOWED IN THE TERMINAL :eek:

 

After sitting on a 5 1/2 hour flight, now we will have to sit in the parking lot. I'm on the aloha deck. I wonder if they will allow us to enter their terminal if we need to use their restrooms.

 

Debbie

:mad:

 

Were they checking each persons boarding pass before allowing them in the terminal even to use the bathroom?

[Captain Canuck]

o yeah..NOT cruising Princess til this nonsense is done away with

[Matcodixon]

Concept vs reality.

 

SO far there has been one actual boarding process that had problems that have been related to this staggered boarding thing. (SF port, one cruise) Some of those actually present that day have reported that the probelm was not due to the boarding process, but instead customs delayed getting those off the ship and delayed the boarding process in the first place.

 

I have been reading these posts since the first one. The posts that report delays as a result are only related to that one time. All the other posts report smooth boarding process and no delays. the other 90% of the posts are from those that have yet to personally experience any real problems.

 

I can only conclude that this is much Ado about Nothing. Enjoy your cruise!

 

PS Debbie42467, so far there is not one reported case of someone arriving with an early flight not being allowed into the terminal or being denied boarding.

[marylizcat]

Concept vs reality.

 

SO far there has been one actual boarding process that had problems that have been related to this staggered boarding thing. (SF port, one cruise) Some of those actually present that day have reported that the probelm was not due to the boarding process, but instead customs delayed getting those off the ship and delayed the boarding process in the first place.

 

I have been reading these posts since the first one. The posts that report delays as a result are only related to that one time. All the other posts report smooth boarding process and no delays. the other 90% of the posts are from those that have yet to personally experience any real problems.

 

I can only conclude that this is much Ado about Nothing. Enjoy your cruise!

 

PS Debbie42467, so far there is not one reported case of someone arriving with an early flight not being allowed into the terminal or being denied boarding.

If they are not actually enforcing it, then it has been a Public Relations disaster for Princess! Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!

[Matcodixon]

If they are not actually enforcing it, then it has been a Public Relations disaster for Princess! Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!

I totally agree..

 

Food for thought though, CC boards make up about 5% of customers. many of them are very experienced cruisers. The other 95% range from first timers to experienced ones, but one thing for sure, they are not members of this board. The CC members that imagine a nightmare for themselves, are the most agitated posters, even if they have not actually experienced any real problems as of yet.

 

This process was instigated for a reason. There were some problems in a few selected ports, where there are small port facilities and traffic problems ( Like San Francisco) if only 20% of the boarding passengers follow the staggered boarding "recommended times" this may eliminate some of the problems.

 

So far, with the exception of the March 19 fiasco, all boardings have been reported as going very smoothly at all locations.

[Cuizer2]

Concept vs reality.

 

SO far there has been one actual boarding process that had problems that have been related to this staggered boarding thing. (SF port, one cruise) Some of those actually present that day have reported that the probelm was not due to the boarding process, but instead customs delayed getting those off the ship and delayed the boarding process in the first place.

 

I have been reading these posts since the first one. The posts that report delays as a result are only related to that one time. All the other posts report smooth boarding process and no delays. the other 90% of the posts are from those that have yet to personally experience any real problems.

 

I can only conclude that this is much Ado about Nothing. Enjoy your cruise!

 

PS Debbie42467, so far there is not one reported case of someone arriving with an early flight not being allowed into the terminal or being denied boarding.

 

Did you read post 522?

[JimmyVWine]

Did you read post 522?

 

But that is precisely the point that Matcodixon is making. Posts such as #522 are what Princess is saying. It is not an anecdotal post about what Princess is doing. What they say they will do and what they are actually doing appear to be two entirely different things. Which is obnoxious, bad business, bad public relations, and lots of other descriptors that I can't publish here. But in the end, with tens of thousands of passengers sailing on Princess every week, we have yet to hear more than perhaps one report where a person was physically restrained from entering the terminal or boarding the ship. So let's not worry about this until the theory and the practice merge. I tend to agree with Matcodixon. I think that this is a very bad attempt at discouraging 15%-20% of "rule followers" from showing up early, which can make the difference between an overburdened terminal and a smooth terminal. We'll see.

[Near the Jack]

But that is precisely the point that Matcodixon is making. Posts such as #522 are what Princess is saying. It is not an anecdotal post about what Princess is doing. What they say they will do and what they are actually doing appear to be two entirely different things. Which is obnoxious, bad business, bad public relations, and lots of other descriptors that I can't publish here. But in the end, with tens of thousands of passengers sailing on Princess every week, we have yet to hear more than perhaps one report where a person was physically restrained from entering the terminal or boarding the ship. So let's not worry about this until the theory and the practice merge. I tend to agree with Matcodixon. I think that this is a very bad attempt at discouraging 15%-20% of "rule followers" from showing up early, which can make the difference between an overburdened terminal and a smooth terminal. We'll see.

 

I agree that wait and see is a reasonable approach, I am on Grand Princess on the 23rd June from Southampton and have a 12:30 boarding time....I wonder how early I can actually get on! I will post details here, we'll be at the port by around 10am as we are staying locally :)

Whatever the boarding is like I am determined to enjoy my first cruise

[Matcodixon]

Did you read post 522?

 

Yes I did, perhaps you should read it again, this time a bit more carefully. She is extremely upset about what she thinks is going to happen, and not reporting what actually has happened.

 

That was my point.

 

I will be very interested in the actual report she posts after her cruise regarding her experience. Of course, I am hoping it all goes well for her and she is able to board when she arrives from the airport.

 

As far as this being a PR disaster for Princess, it certainly has been, at least here on the CC board. :eek:

[Cuizer2]

But that is precisely the point that Matcodixon is making. Posts such as #522 are what Princess is saying. It is not an anecdotal post about what Princess is doing. What they say they will do and what they are actually doing appear to be two entirely different things. Which is obnoxious, bad business, bad public relations, and lots of other descriptors that I can't publish here. But in the end, with tens of thousands of passengers sailing on Princess every week, we have yet to hear more than perhaps one report where a person was physically restrained from entering the terminal or boarding the ship. So let's not worry about this until the theory and the practice merge. I tend to agree with Matcodixon. I think that this is a very bad attempt at discouraging 15%-20% of "rule followers" from showing up early, which can make the difference between an overburdened terminal and a smooth terminal. We'll see.

 

So, are you are saying that Princess is lying to us?

[Cuizer2]

Yes I did, perhaps you should read it again, this time a bit more carefully. She is extremely upset about what she thinks is going to happen, and not reporting what actually has happened.

 

That was my point.

 

I will be very interested in the actual report she posts after her cruise regarding her experience. Of course, I am hoping it all goes well for her and she is able to board when she arrives from the airport.

 

As far as this being a PR disaster for Princess, it certainly has been, at least here on the CC board. :eek:

 

Are you also saying that Princess is lying to us?

[RickEk]

Yes I did, perhaps you should read it again, this time a bit more carefully. She is extremely upset about what she thinks is going to happen, and not reporting what actually has happened.

 

That was my point.

 

I will be very interested in the actual report she posts after her cruise regarding her experience. Of course, I am hoping it all goes well for her and she is able to board when she arrives from the airport.

 

As far as this being a PR disaster for Princess, it certainly has been, at least here on the CC board. :eek:

 

We had the staggered boarding notice for our New Year's cruise on the Sapphire Princess. We arrived outside the recommended boarding time and had zero problems getting aboard. It took us maybe 15 minutes from check-in to cabin.

 

And, we board the Golden Princess next week in Seattle. We're taking Princess transfers from SeaTac. We're on Aloha deck (1:30pm boarding time), but fully expect to board when we arrive.

 

I also think this is much ado about nothing. Maybe if they drop the "will not be permitted to enter the terminal" verbiage from the notice, it'd make people around here feel better. :rolleyes:

[JimmyVWine]

So, are you are saying that Princess is lying to us?

 

In the same way that they lie to us when they publish that wine is limited to a single bottle per passenger and no hard liquor can be brought on board. In the same way they lie to us when they say that old coffee cards will be punched for the receipt of brewed coffee.

 

You can call it a lie if you wish. Or you can call it a procedure that they are not enforcing. Does the nomenclature really matter? Someone probably decided that the best way to get 20% of passengers to defer arrival would be to announce a draconian boarding process. Just like someone probably decided that the best way from turning voyages into booze cruises would be to publish a limit on personal wine allowances. Maybe 20% compliance is all that they really need to fall in their comfort zone. I have no idea. But until we see jack-booted security guards ushering folks away from terminals with helmets and riot shields, I am not going to panic about what they put in small print in an email.

[RickEk]

In the same way that they lie to us when they publish that wine is limited to a single bottle per passenger and no hard liquor can be brought on board. In the same way they lie to us when they say that old coffee cards will be punched for the receipt of brewed coffee.

 

You can call it a lie if you wish. Or you can call it a procedure that they are not enforcing. Does the nomenclature really matter? Someone probably decided that the best way to get 20% of passengers to defer arrival would be to announce a draconian boarding process. Just like someone probably decided that the best way from turning voyages into booze cruises would be to publish a limit on personal wine allowances. Maybe 20% compliance is all that they really need to fall in their comfort zone. I have no idea. But until we see jack-booted security guards ushering folks away from terminals with helmets and riot shields, I am not going to panic about what they put in small print in an email.

 

Well said...

[Debbie42467]

Yes I did, perhaps you should read it again, this time a bit more carefully. She is extremely upset about what she thinks is going to happen, and not reporting what actually has happened.

 

That was my point.

 

I will be very interested in the actual report she posts after her cruise regarding her experience. Of course, I am hoping it all goes well for her and she is able to board when she arrives from the airport.

 

As far as this being a PR disaster for Princess, it certainly has been, at least here on the CC board. :eek:

 

I did not post what I think will happen. I posted what my Princess's cruise summary states.

 

To be on the safe side I'm not going to take my water pill that morning.

 

 

Debbie

:)

[Cuizer2]

In the same way that they lie to us when they publish that wine is limited to a single bottle per passenger and no hard liquor can be brought on board. In the same way they lie to us when they say that old coffee cards will be punched for the receipt of brewed coffee.

 

You can call it a lie if you wish. Or you can call it a procedure that they are not enforcing. Does the nomenclature really matter? Someone probably decided that the best way to get 20% of passengers to defer arrival would be to announce a draconian boarding process. Just like someone probably decided that the best way from turning voyages into booze cruises would be to publish a limit on personal wine allowances. Maybe 20% compliance is all that they really need to fall in their comfort zone. I have no idea. But until we see jack-booted security guards ushering folks away from terminals with helmets and riot shields, I am not going to panic about what they put in small print in an email.

 

Well said...

 

It was a yes or no question. A simple yes would have been fine. Nobody asked you to justify your answer.

[sez809]

I appreciate you taking the time to write to us and I have noted your comments in relation to our decision to introduce a staggered embarkation system in Southampton. This has been implemented following an extensive review and aims to offer our passengers a smoother embarkation process.

 

The times given are operated as a guideline and we would kindly ask that passengers adhere to their allocated time, as this has proven to help prevent any long queues. It also means that check-in is faster and more efficient. This operation was trialled during the summer season of 2011 and proved to be very effective indeed in reducing waiting times at the terminal. That said, we are aware that there are instances when it may not be possible for passengers to meet the times detailed and this has been taken into account. Additionally, I can confirm that a preferred check-in desk will remain open for our Platinum and Elite Captain's Circle members, as well as those booked in a Suite.

 

 

 

This is a copy of an email received today from Princess,following my query re SB at Soton. (My concern was our arrival by car, and the unknown quantity road travel presents beforehand, as well as the fact that our travelling companions are sited on a different deck to us.)

 

I interpret the wording to mean that common sense prevails, and that should our arrangement mean we arrive outside our boarding time, that will not be a major infringement of Princess rules. (The SB procedure referred to last year was not enforced, for us anyway, and we boarded with a family member also on a different deck.)

 

What is your opinion please?

[Matcodixon]

I appreciate you taking the time to write to us and I have noted your comments in relation to our decision to introduce a staggered embarkation system in Southampton. This has been implemented following an extensive review and aims to offer our passengers a smoother embarkation process.

 

The times given are operated as a guideline and we would kindly ask that passengers adhere to their allocated time, as this has proven to help prevent any long queues. It also means that check-in is faster and more efficient. This operation was trialled during the summer season of 2011 and proved to be very effective indeed in reducing waiting times at the terminal. That said, we are aware that there are instances when it may not be possible for passengers to meet the times detailed and this has been taken into account. Additionally, I can confirm that a preferred check-in desk will remain open for our Platinum and Elite Captain's Circle members, as well as those booked in a Suite.

 

 

 

This is a copy of an email received today from Princess,following my query re SB at Soton. (My concern was our arrival by car, and the unknown quantity road travel presents beforehand, as well as the fact that our travelling companions are sited on a different deck to us.)

 

I interpret the wording to mean that common sense prevails, and that should our arrangement mean we arrive outside our boarding time, that will not be a major infringement of Princess rules. (The SB procedure referred to last year was not enforced, for us anyway, and we boarded with a family member also on a different deck.)

 

What is your opinion please?

 

This is a printed version of what has been happening in reality. As you say, common sense prevails, The Staggered boarding is a guideline that may help avoid long lines and make boarding smoother. If your flight arrives early, you will be checked in early and not turned away.

If you are concerned about long lines and can arrive at the "suggested boarding time" it will help eliminate that problem.

Also Platinum and Elite customers will have a separate line that will always be open.

 

Princess is not stupid, this entire process was instigated to help solve an EXISTING problem. It was designed to make the boarding process operate smoother. It was strictly for the benefit of their customers, as there is no other benefit for Princess. It is a work in progress.

 

Now relax and enjoy your cruise.

[caribill]

In the same way they lie to us when they say that old coffee cards will be punched for the receipt of brewed coffee.

 

 

Not a lie

[caribill]

Concept vs reality.

 

SO far there has been one actual boarding process that had problems that have been related to this staggered boarding thing. (SF port, one cruise) Some of those actually present that day have reported that the probelm was not due to the boarding process, but instead customs delayed getting those off the ship and delayed the boarding process in the first place.

 

I have been reading these posts since the first one. The posts that report delays as a result are only related to that one time. All the other posts report smooth boarding process and no delays. the other 90% of the posts are from those that have yet to personally experience any real problems.

 

 

People have not been complaining that there have been long lines because of staggered boarding.

 

The main complaints have been that those assigned to the later times lose out on the opportunity to enjoy lunch in a dining room, sign up for a lounge in the Sanctuary, sign up for the UST and sign up for the Chef's Table.

 

The other main complaint has been that some of the staggered boarding notices say that priority boarding will not be honored until the assigned check-in time. So, if enforced, a person with priority status with a scheduled time of 3:30 PM who arrives at 1 PM would have to wait around 2.5 hours and then get a two minute advantage over others on his/her assigned deck. Again, that is "if enforced."

 

Even without staggered boarding, after the first hour there have rarely been long lines to check-in. At best, staggered boarding only reduces the line before initital check-in starts.

[JimmyVWine]

Not a lie

 

Reports on coffee card enforcement vary, so the implementation of the new procedure appears to be inconsistent. If you are one of the lucky ones who slips one past the goalie, then the stated policy is a "lie". Someone else's word. Not mine.

[Captain Canuck]

we are not supposed to get upset with Princess as they are not enforcing this..but we won't know if they are enforcing it til we get to the pier

 

this does not let one plan...some people like to board late..I like to get on early...can relax once I am on the ship..no worries about missing the sailing

 

also like to get to know the ship before it is crowded

 

so to avoid crowds Princess randomly selects boarding times and then does not really enforce it..or maybe it does..if this is really an issue they could let you select preferred boarding time once you are booked..first come first served...

 

and it does not really matter if some people think this is not a big issue. It is enough of one for me to NOT book Princess

[Jasperdo]

I also think this is much ado about nothing. Maybe if they drop the "will not be permitted to enter the terminal" verbiage from the notice, it'd make people around here feel better. :rolleyes:

...and if they say that the staggered boarding times are a suggestion to avoid long lines. As it stands now, the wording is very strong and final sounding.

[KirkNC]

...and if they say that the staggered boarding times are a suggestion to avoid long lines. As it stands now, the wording is very strong and final sounding.

 

Exactly, don't tell me I will be turned away and then say "o' we did not really mean that". This is a solution looking for a problem.

[Cruise Raider]

This is really starting to sound more like work and less like a vacation. Will they or won't they?? Hmmm.....

Why in the world would Princess think this is what paying passengers want to deal with?? Seriously....kind of like it is their duty to make us all unhappy.

 

I went through one most horrible 'staggered' embarkation and one not so bad embarkation ...supposed to be staggered. I wish they would just do away with it. It is NOT working.