Staggered Boarding??

[Putterdude]

It sounds to me then that if San Francisco can't make its docks accessible

to cruisers, the city should forgo hosting cruise ships, until it learns how to accommodate them, WITHOUT inconveniencing the paying passengers.

 

john

 

Oh come now, can you really see Mayor Lee phoning Alan Buckelew and saying. "Alan, old buddy, my best advice would be not to tie your ships up in San Francisco our cruise facility is really lacking". Plus who said that Pier 35 was not accessible, I have a DW who uses a wheelchair and has not at any problems with the San Francisco terminal. That said, Pier 35 is nothing more than an old freight shed....just a notch below that of San Diego's

[binkey36]

Oh come now, can you really see Mayor Lee phoning Alan Buckelew and saying. "Alan, old buddy, my best advice would be not to tie your ships up in San Francisco our cruise facility is really lacking". Plus who said that Pier 35 was not accessible, I have a DW who uses a wheelchair and has not at any problems with the San Francisco terminal. That said, Pier 35 is nothing more than an old freight shed....just a notch below that of San Diego's

 

I've cruised out of San Diego and Friday we will cruise out of San Francisco. It should be interesting! I have an open mind, a full suitcase and a lot of excitement. Can't wait!

[calbabe]

"This has gotten way out of hand, the port and the city are more than capable of handling disabled passengers as well as everyone else. The policy of staggered boarding and not opening the terminal at a specific time come from the cruiseline, NOT the city/pier management."

 

I tend to agree. We've sailed from SF with absolutely no problem. Why staggered boarding? By "solving" one problem...whatever it is, Princess is creating a few more! Passengers arriving by various modes, from various locations, at various times, some very tired, and they now have to find some place to wait until "their specific boarding time"....and they just want to board and relax. Come on, Princess. You have time to change your mind!

As aaerobear said....

 

"If Princess would just board passengers are they arrive, without regard to what deck they've booked, I think we would have a smooth boarding." :)

[Bobed1927]

From what I've been reading, signing someone up for BVE, if possible, would be a nifty way to avoid the embarkation hassle.

[bdjam]

This has gotten way out of hand, the port and the city are more than capable of handling disabled passengers as well as everyone else. The policy of staggered boarding and not opening the terminal at a specific time come from the cruiseline, NOT the city/pier management.

 

Disabled passengers need to contact a curbside employee and their needs will be handled (no need to wave a blue placard). However, if the terminal has not opened up, no-one will be allowed in. There are not a lot of wheelchairs available for passenger use and it is generally on a first come-first served basis.

 

That being said, I believe that there will not be a problem on Friday (4/13) and that the staggered boarding will not be as bad as people think. But, hey, I could be wrong. Have been several times. I just think that everyone should come with an open mind and just plans to enjoy their cruise.

 

As Roy Rogers said... Happy Sails to You...or was that trails?:rolleyes:

Hey 'bear - just wondering how it's going with the staggered boarding - I posted over on the Seattle Staggered Boarding thread and on Facebook about my May situation - 8 of us sailing, all on Caribe deck with a 10:30 boarding except two who have to wait until 2:30 because they are on Dolphin deck. You think if we beg and plead we can all get on board at the same time (we probably won't arrive until after noon anyway)?

 

gov in sfo are too busy banning happy meals and goldfish and declaring the city a nuclear free zone to do something to enhance tourism

:rolleyes: To each his own, right? Personally I would favor a tourist attraction that looks after the nutritional needs of its children and that discourages the use of poisonous methods of producing power. But that's just me. Oh and remember that SF and Princess have partnered in the effort to provide "plug in" power to Princess ships when they are alongside. If Princess has partnered with San Francisco in this effort, they - a California company - must value some of the same things the city does.

[caribill]

Oh and remember that SF and Princess have partnered in the effort to provide "plug in" power to Princess ships when they are alongside. If Princess has partnered with San Francisco in this effort, they - a California company - must value some of the same things the city does.

 

Princess is doing this because (pick any or all of the following):

o It will cost less than generating electricity onboard

o Doing this can help meet pollution regulations

o It is a great public relations move

[bdjam]

Princess is doing this because (pick any or all of the following):

o It will cost less than generating electricity onboard

o Doing this can help meet pollution regulations

o It is a great public relations move

All of the above - and does it really matter why they are doing it as long as they are doing it? Our skies are thankful. And they still have to partner with the city of San Francisco to do it.

 

Now back to your scheduled topic.

[aaerobear]

The staggered boarding (actually staggered check-in would be more appropriate) seemed to work fine on the 13th, I heard some people were turned away and told to return when it was their time, but do not know if they were there before the terminal opened.

 

The were never really any long lines INSIDE the terminal for check-in so something went right and boarding went smoothly.

 

The Elite/suite/platinum passengers that did come in when the terminal opened were checked in and then had to go up the ramp to the Parquet Room to wait till general boarding began. Those doing the BVE and those sailing who had BVE guests were checked in and boarded just a few minutes after 11:00am.

 

Hope that helps.

[mr green]

Princess is doing this because (pick any or all of the following):

o It will cost less than generating electricity onboard

o Doing this can help meet pollution regulations

o It is a great public relations move

 

B -!

Public Relations??? Come off it. This whole charade is worse than anything that the airlines have come up with!

 

john

[bdjam]

B -!

Public Relations??? Come off it. This whole charade is worse than anything that the airlines have come up with!

 

john

I don't think you fully read the post.

[satxdiver]

Appears as though Princess is trying this same brain dead procedure in Seattle as well. Hopefully by the time we sail they will have decided the kickback was too great. These neanderthals must spend all night thinking up ways to disgruntle their cruisers. Good PR move Princess....NOT.

[Happy ks]

We did not have staggered boarding for Sapphire Princess on 4/7/12...at least we were never informed by email or any other method.

 

I've read this about the San Francisco port, after visiting there last week I can kind of understand why they don't want loads of people waiting...there is no waiting room with chairs.

 

We arrived at port by 12:30 pm, dropped off the luggage, the car was parked as we waited and we entered the terminal around 12:40. Check in was a short line, 3 - 5 minutes, we got our cards, went through the security line and boarded the ship around 12:50. We then went directly to our cabin, one of our suitcases was already there, my sis and bil got theirs within 5 minutes, our second case came around 30 minutes later. So, we were completely unpacked and settled by 1:35, on our balconies drinking champagne.

 

We didn't go to the buffet as we had stopped for lunch before getting to port, I don't mind missing that first buffet experience at all.

 

Probably one of the easiest embarkations ever, we've had the same experience with RCL in the past, as long as we don't arrive to port early to be one of the first to board. I just don't understand the need to arrive at port simply to sit and wait in a terminal. If I could arrive at an airport for a flight like this, I would. I just can't stand waiting around, our vacation just starts 30-90 minutes later than other people's, no biggie.

[Level six]

On the cruise personalizer page, under important notices, it shows the staggered boarding schedule for everyone, at least on the Star/Alaska cruise in July. No email necessary........

No where to go with luggage, being seperated from people you are traveling with, losing out on the first day experience by boarding right before sailing...........I hope they think it is worth it when we go on our next cruise with a line that doesn't have staggered boarding.

[Cruise Raider]

Stockholders first, then Elite, Platinum, Gold, and the rest. It should NOT be by deck or the amount you spend for a room.

 

I agree whole heartedly as this would be better than their lame brained way of prioritizing the embarkation. What is Princess thinking?? Must not care about their repeat passengers.

[Cruise Raider]

I agree whole heartedly as this would be better than their lame brained way of prioritizing the embarkation. What is Princess thinking?? Must not care about their repeat passengers.

 

I meant to say they should let handicapped persons on before anyone and then follow by captain's circle designation and stockholders should fit in there some place as well.

[4cats4me]

On the cruise personalizer page, under important notices, it shows the staggered boarding schedule for everyone, at least on the Star/Alaska cruise in July. No email necessary........

 

No where to go with luggage, being seperated from people you are traveling with, losing out on the first day experience by boarding right before sailing...........I hope they think it is worth it when we go on our next cruise with a line that doesn't have staggered boarding.

 

 

Having staggered boarding at Seattle would be even more problematic than in San Francisco. We embarked last year in Seattle and there is nowhere to kill time unless you just hang around the parking lot area watching others arrive. The terminal there was quite large. There were two shiploads in the terminal when we embarked, and the terminal didn't seem packed, either.

 

Who knows what Princess is thinking.

 

http://www.portseattle.org/Cruise/Schedules-Cruise-Lines/Documents/2012_Cruise_Schedule.pdf

[compozer]

I agree whole heartedly as this would be better than their lame brained way of prioritizing the embarkation. What is Princess thinking?? Must not care about their repeat passengers.

 

where would suite passengers fit in?

[Cruise Raider]

where would suite passengers fit in?

 

This is kind of my point -- not a lot of suites on the Lido deck -- which are the first ones allowed on. They should drop the whole stupid idea.

[compozer]

Totally agree with you. We always book a suite on the Dolphin deck - I guess we'll just work a deal out with the hotel and stay around the pool there and go over mid afternoon.

 

What frustrates me, this and a few other issues, is that we never get a real answer. Each port seems to do their own thing.

 

I guess we all need to start doing more b2b2b2b2 and then we will be on the ship and not have to worry!

[dprice70]

We just returned from Star Princess out of San Francisco. We were on the Dolphin deck and had recieved the staggered boarding e-mail for 2:45pm. I decided to ignore the e-mail and arrived at the pier just after 11:30am. Walked in to no lines, checked in and went through security to a waiting area for about 20 minutes, then onto the shop at noon. No one ever mentioned boarding times or made any comments on arrival time.

 

The cruisers we talked with all said they had no trouble boarding when they arrived early and there were no rumors about people being turned away.

 

Debra

[jollyjones]

I just don't understand the need to arrive at port simply to sit and wait in a terminal. If I could arrive at an airport for a flight like this, I would. I just can't stand waiting around, our vacation just starts 30-90 minutes later than other people's, no biggie.

 

You are driving to the port - for those of us who must check out of our hotels at 11am, it is usually more convenient just to go straight to the port, particularly if the hotel offers a free shuttle. Yes, I know that I could probably store my luggage at the hotel and do something else for an hour or two, but I'd just be killing time so I prefer to go to the port with a good book and kill time there. I can never relax properly until I'm actually on the ship!

[Captain Canuck]

just came up with this..for those that drink tie one on before boarding..saves money from buying duty free liquor at huge markups on the ship..and then they can deal with a bunch of drunks boarding..win win

[cruiselvr1]

We just received an email from Princess regarding our upcoming cruise out of LA. They are now boarding according to what deck you are on. Our boarding time is 2:00. It says that if you get there early, you will be asked to go away and come back at your appointed time. Are they kidding? I was looking forward to boarding 12-12:30, having lunch, and touring the ship. Is this something new? I haven't been on Princess for 2 years, but they didn't have it back then. Do they really enforce this, or is it like the dress code on formal night??

My DW and I watched the boarding of the Star in SF yesterday. We were in SF for the day and since we were going to Hawaii in November we were curious about the new boarding policy. We watched the first boarding time 12:30 and it seem to go without a hitch. Were not sure how the rest of the embarkation went. We were impressed with what we saw. I understand they need to have staggered times in SF, but not in LA. San Pedro has a nice cruise terminal that can hold everyone. We also enjoyed getting on the ship as early as possible to sit and have wine and enjoy the ship. It looks like Princess is taking away some of the enjoyment of the departure.

[cruiselvr1]

We leave out of San Fran on the 19th. So far one one person on our Roll Call has received an email saying to show up at a designated time. I think it is just so people don't all show up all at once. Some people will adhere to what the email says and others won't. I am sure Princess knows that. I for one, will be there early as usual...

 

Dan

How did your embarkation go.

[Renmar]

Received the following (partial) email from one of our friends that boarded the Star yesterday;

 

"Although we were advised that embarkation on the Star Princess would be staggered, with us boarding at 2:00PM (sailaway 4:00PM), we ignored the rules as we usually do and went to the port at 12:00PM. By 12:10PM we were already in our cabin. By 1:00PM we had booked to go to the Chef’s Table with the Maitre D, signed up and chose our comfy cots in the Sanctuary and reserved our slots in the Thermal Suite (aromatic steam rooms) for the duration of the cruise."

They are "Elite". Looks like they are not too worried when you board.

Theo