priority check-in OPT Sydney

[gaechann]

Hello gbenjo

 

Just wondering if you know whether or not the boarding staff at OPT have been advised of the new "2 bottles of wine per cabin" policy as announced by RCCL from 1 November.

 

We are reading that some passengers on overseas ships are having their wine confiscated whilst others are being allowed through.

 

My elderly Mum will be DEVASTATED if we have trouble with our 2 bottles!:eek:

 

ALSO if you know, will it be better to have them packed in our luggage or go through with our carry-ons?

 

Thanks for all your shared information on this thread!

 

Gae

[gbenjo]

Hello gbenjo

 

Just wondering if you know whether or not the boarding staff at OPT have been advised of the new "2 bottles of wine per cabin" policy as announced by RCCL from 1 November.

 

We are reading that some passengers on overseas ships are having their wine confiscated whilst others are being allowed through.

 

My elderly Mum will be DEVASTATED if we have trouble with our 2 bottles!:eek:

 

ALSO if you know, will it be better to have them packed in our luggage or go through with our carry-ons?

 

Thanks for all your shared information on this thread!

 

Gae

 

To be honest I don't really know. This sort of thing is not handled by the check in staff but the ships security team/ shoreside security after you have checked in. I know ALL bags are X- rayed and if there is something "irregular" with say the drop off luggage then you will be contacted on board or, if it is carry on, they will sort it out at the X-ray point but I really dont know what the current policy is for bringing wine on board.

 

I will try and find out next Sunday when I next work and let you know .

[ozbrian]

Graham/Christine, can you contact me at ozbrian@me.com

 

Thanks

Brian/Kath

[abbeymay0]

You do not mention which ship/cruise line you are sailing on as they all have different systems for embarking.

 

I can tell you about Royal Caribbean and Celebrity as I work at the OPT on their turnaround days. You can drop your bags off from about 9-9.30 and check in should start about 11. RCI this year will have a dedicated priority line for Crown & Anchor & Suite guests which will be clearly signposted and will start in the area in front of the terminal. I believe we will also be having staggered check in times, especially with the Voyager & Solstice, due to the number of passengers on them and the limited space at the OPT.

 

Don't know about the other cruise lines as their turnarounds are handled by another company but would assume they would do something similar.

 

Hope this helps

 

Hi was just reading this we are C & A but on deck 7 on voyager of the seas can we get on at the earlier time?

[bazzaw]

Hi was just reading this we are C & A but on deck 7 on voyager of the seas can we get on at the earlier time?

 

Sure you can --- IF you want to screw up the boarding process for those passengers who DO arrive at their appointed boarding times. Why not though? -- many others do!!!:mad:

 

 

Barry

[abbeymay0]

Sure you can --- IF you want to screw up the boarding process for those passengers who DO arrive at their appointed boarding times. Why not though? -- many others do!!!:mad:

 

 

Barry

 

Did you really need to say that, I am just finding out about the C & A members so I don't stuff things up, maybe your comment was not needed at all.

[bazzaw]

Did you really need to say that, I am just finding out about the C & A members so I don't stuff things up, maybe your comment was not needed at all.

 

Well, yes - I DID really need to say that. I am wanting to confirm to you that you probably have been given a boarding time (regardless of whether you are C&A or whatever) for a reason. I believe that reason is an attempt by the cruiseline to ensure an orderly boarding process for everybody.

 

I can't say any more than that !!

 

Barry

[abbeymay0]

Well, yes - I DID really need to say that. I am wanting to confirm to you that you probably have been given a boarding time (regardless of whether you are C&A or whatever) for a reason. I believe that reason is an attempt by the cruiseline to ensure an orderly boarding process for everybody.

 

I can't say any more than that !!

 

Barry

 

At this stage I have not received a boarding time but I have been on radiance this year and we were boarded as per deck and priority boarding of suites and C& A members so was just checking.

[cassamanda]

To be honest I don't really know. This sort of thing is not handled by the check in staff but the ships security team/ shoreside security after you have checked in. I know ALL bags are X- rayed and if there is something "irregular" with say the drop off luggage then you will be contacted on board or, if it is carry on, they will sort it out at the X-ray point but I really dont know what the current policy is for bringing wine on board.

 

I will try and find out next Sunday when I next work and let you know .

How did the new arrangements go? Was there any probs with queu jumpers, priority line, new RCL alcohol allowance (2 bottles wine), bag drop etc. Thanks in advance for your valued info.

Hugh

[brad_p]

abbeymay0 just ignore Barry, if you read through the rest of this thread you will see he's been a bit grumpy about the whole thing.

 

From my understanding, if you are a GOLD C&A member you get priority boarding. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Otherwise check out your setsail pass, it should have the boarding time on there.

[megsie]

On boarding Radiance in October, we arrived at OPT at designated time only to see large crowd BUT then saw priority boarding line with sign for suite and C and A members. Staff member positioned there to check setsail passes and no one in that line. Being a member, we went straight up to customs, no waiting, then to the desk for check in where we did wait - 3 couples before us and they would take 3 or 4 from the general line to the desk to each couple from priority line. All in all, aboard within 15-20 minutes. The general line was always moving along albeit slowly but even with staggered boarding you would expect about 400 or more at each time. HUGE improvement from February departure.

[tillydog]

If you're a C&A member (Gold and upwards) there is a Priority Boarding line. However, due to the size of Voyager, apparently there will be staggered boarding times regardless of whether you're a C&A member or not.

Hubby and I are C&A members but for our cruise we have a 1pm boarding time.

[bazzaw]

I have no problem at all with the concept of "priority boarding" - for either suite passengers (they have paid more) or for past passengers ( via loyalty schemes).

 

I DO have a problem however with cruiseline management not managing their business properly :p . Part of their management obligation is to manage orderly boarding of their ships. This - they consistently fail to do. What would be the point of having a law that says we must drive on the left hand side of the road (for our safety) - if everybody just drove on whichever side they personally preferred? What is the point of management issuing boarding times for passengers if they do not police/manage those boardings?

 

 

 

Barry

[Sparky74]

I cope OK with boarding, it's the disembarkation fiasco that gets my goat.

It would go SO much smoother if people would do as they were told but passengers will insist on sitting on the stairs, clogging corridors, etc. :mad:

End of rant.

[pax2]

According to cruise docs I have just received for our December cruise on Radiance C&A Gold only get priority line check-in if they arrive at the boarding time allocated to their deck. So if you do get there early you will need to join regular line.

[megsie]

For October boarding we also had staggered boarding times allocated with no reference to priority boarding,(platinum member), only found out re C&A priority at OPT. But there was still no one at all in priority line and we arrived at designated time - 2nd group to go on at probably the busiest time around 11.30. But the Voyager will be handling a larger volume of passengers than Radiance - will be interesting as to how it all goes!

[6andy6]

abbeymay0 just ignore Barry, if you read through the rest of this thread you will see he's been a bit grumpy about the whole thing. .

 

Actually Barry does have a point.

 

One that you seem to want to ignore. People are often given instructions for a reason. And sometimes you don't know that reason or don't need to know the reason. But the self entitlement of certain people (I'm talking overall here and not specifically at anyone) and generations thinks that those instructions are meant for 'others' but not 'me'. We see them all - cars lined up in a particular lane to enter something comes to mind and there is always the smart*se that drives down the outside (and maybe lane meant to go in another direction) and pushes in at the last moment and forces the cars apart because 'he' didn't want to join the back of the queue.

 

And then we see reviews that bitch about boarding and similar things afterwards (often from these same people that seem to have an issue with following requests and instructions).

 

It is frustrating.

[bazzaw]

Actually Barry does have a point.

 

That doesn't mean that I'm not grumpy!! :D I'm an old man - I'm entitled to be grumpy!! :D

 

Barry

[6andy6]

That doesn't mean that I'm not grumpy!! :D I'm an old man - I'm entitled to be grumpy!! :D

 

Barry

 

I think we can all be grumpy at one time or another that often in retrospect we wonder why we were!!!

 

I know I have......maybe its menopause??? Lol. :eek::p

[avalon007]

I agree the cruiseline has a good reason for having staggered boarding times.

I also think they are also reasonable & understand that some people will be early, others late, due to any number of reasons, but especially due to the early or late arrival of planes, hotel check out times, people with children who don't need to hang around Sydney for a day & pay a fortune to buy lunch for the family, when they may already be on a tight budget etc etc

 

But does anyone consider that being late will also disrupt the 'plan'.:)

 

Should someone who has travelled 10 hours to get to Sydney arriving exhausted at 11am wait to join a small queue because they are 60 minutes early for their designated boarding time, whilst someone who should have been there to board is still stuck at the airport?

 

It all works out in the big picture.

 

If it was essential for people to only be there at the exact time they were designated then the cruiseline would enforce the boarding times, I believe they are uisng the system that works best for them, after all they have been doing this for a long time & they do it hundreds of times a year all over the world.

 

The cruiseline knows that with their suggested boarding times it will in general even out the people at the OPT at any one time.

 

I don't think it is the same thing as a queue jumping as you join the end of a queue when you arrive, not walk up & try to push in half way along.:rolleyes:

 

Hey Bazza, I guess we will have to ask your wife if you are a grumpy 'old' man or you are just a grumpy man! :D

I know plenty of old men that are not grumpy, so using aging as a scapegoat just doesn't ring true sorry!! ;):D:D

 

But I shall choose to be positive & I'm sure you will be a delight when we all meet in person!

[megsie]

All I can say is that in October, with staggered boardings and even if some turned up out of designated times, it still was a whole lot better than when in Feb everyone was told boarding from 11.00 and most turned up at 11.00, with one line and no shelter.

[avalon007]

Hi Megsie,

 

They must have changed the process soon after your cruise in Feb as we went on Radiance in late March & we had staggered suggested boarding times on our documents.

[NSWP]

That doesn't mean that I'm not grumpy!! :D I'm an old man - I'm entitled to be grumpy!! :D

 

Barry

Don't you worry Barry, most of us are 'Grumpy Old Men' old son. LOL.

[rugbypopsie]

We arrived at the suggested time of 1pm the queues were very long..but we had priority so were through in a flash.

 

Sue

[Miamia65]

Hi gbenjo,

Thankyou for your info, its been really helpful. I just have a query regarding disabled travellers.we are a party of 6 travellers with my son being in a wheelchair and there was a mention of escalators to transit throught the terminal. Are there lifts also? Are there any provisions made for those with a mobility issue?

thanks for your help.

Cheers maree:)

rabbit1971

We arrived by car from sydney airport (airport transfer) and my MIL (mother in law) needed a wheel chair, as soon as we were out of the hire car there were RCI staff taking luggage on trolleys (we had all of the luggage tags on and ready to go before we got there). We then asked staff about a wheelchair as we needed it straight away. An RCI staff member brought over a wheelchair and we all (5 of us) went up in the lifts and were taken to the wheel chair / families with strollers line. There were 2 people before us.

 

So as soon as you arrive at the kerb of the OPT ask for help and you will receive it. WE did feel guilty because the queue at around 2pm was very long and there is NO shade! If it was raining you would have been very wet.

 

I had also checked the weather for sydney a few days before and there was a chance of rain so I went to Kmart and bought storage bags (the ones that you suck all of the air out) and all of our clothes went into these bags inside our luggage. Best thing we ever did because when we boarded and went out onto the balcony the bags were sitting on the dock on trolleys. It wasn't raining but if it did your luggage would definatey be wet.

 

The other good thing about using these bags was it reduced the size of our luggage in the bags and made the packing neater. We hung up the clothes straight away and the creases fell out. We took a portable pump with us, the type used for blow up / camp beds and used it in reverse to repack our clothes in the bags when disembarking off the ship.