A Probably Dumb Preferred Boarding Question

[custompcsys]

Hi Folks....I will be boarding the CB in August at Port Everglades. I am Platinum but this will be my other half's first Princess cruise and she is blue. Will they let her accompany me through preferred boarding? Thanks :)

[freetocruise]

As long as she's in the same cabin as you, there should be no problem, either in preferrred check in or preferred boarding.

[custompcsys]

As long as she's in the same cabin as you, there should be no problem, either in preferrred check in or preferred boarding.

 

She is in the same cabin...thanks :)

[shipsealand]

My DW & I are also preferred but 2 friends traveling (separate bookings) w/ us are not. I had asked Princess and if the lines are not too long in preferred that they could go in the preferred line w/ us as our guests. Was also told that on some cruises the number of preferred are enough that the preferred lines are just as long. Nevertheless it usually is an advantage to be preferred including waiting in a relatively nicer area til the ship has been cleared for the newly arriving PAX's.

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes.

[Pam in CA]

My DW & I are also preferred but 2 friends traveling (separate bookings) w/ us are not. I had asked Princess and if the lines are not too long in preferred that they could go in the preferred line w/ us as our guests. Was also told that on some cruises the number of preferred are enough that the preferred lines are just as long. Nevertheless it usually is an advantage to be preferred including waiting in a relatively nicer area til the ship has been cleared for the newly arriving PAX's.

I've taken several cruises in recent years when the number of Platinum/Elite passengers numbered 1,000-1,500. That's the actual count, not including guests or cabin companions. Imagine what boarding is like when even a relatively few bring guests who are not booked in their cabin! It's a freaking zoo.

 

The reality is that there are more and more Platinum/Elite passengers, all of whom expect expedited embarkation. More and more ports are separating Elite from Platinum there are so many! While it might be a nice gesture to show off and bring friends through Preferred boarding, guests add to the crowds, delaying boarding for those who have earned the perk. I assume they are adults, don't need assistance and are capable of boarding on their own. If you really want to board together, my suggestion is to board with them in general boarding as a courtesy to other Platinum/Elite in spite of what Princess says.

Edited June 9, 2014 by Pam in CA

[sueandkent]

I had the same question regarding our upcoming Alaska cruise. DH and I are platinum but we are travelling with my mom and her friend who are both going on their first ever cruise. We were hoping to be able to all board preferred but Pam had a good point and I hadn't thought of it that way. I guess we'll all go through regular boarding as I want us all to board together. If the non-preferred check in lines are long can we all check in at the preferred together? We have separate rooms but linked bookings?

[rkmw]

I had the same question regarding our upcoming Alaska cruise. DH and I are platinum but we are travelling with my mom and her friend who are both going on their first ever cruise. We were hoping to be able to all board preferred but Pam had a good point and I hadn't thought of it that way. I guess we'll all go through regular boarding as I want us all to board together. If the non-preferred check in lines are long can we all check in at the preferred together? We have separate rooms but linked bookings?

 

you can check in at the priorty line but you would have to board using the regular lines

[critterchick]

At the Port of LA in March they were not allowing non-priority companions (not sharing the same cabin) to check in or to board with priority passengers.

[OCruisers]

Same Cabin = No Problem! :)

LuLu

[Pam in CA]

Same Cabin = No Problem! :)

 

LuLu

Or minor children.

[Ethel5]

A lot of times the regular boarding lines are shorter than the "priority" lines. I just go into whichever line is shorter. :)

[shredie]

Hi Folks....I will be boarding the CB in August at Port Everglades. I am Platinum but this will be my other half's first Princess cruise and she is blue. Will they let her accompany me through preferred boarding? Thanks :)

 

Well, you need to get to work and take her on a lot more cruises so she will be Platinum, too.:)

[custompcsys]

Well, you need to get to work and take her on a lot more cruises so she will be Platinum, too.:)

 

Yea, she said the same thing :)

[sherryf]

Or minor children.

 

What about a mixture of minor children and non-minor children? I'm travelling with 4 "kids" ages 15, 18, 18 and 21. We are going to Alaska, where the proportion of Platinum/Elite is lower than in other places, I believe. It's my first cruise as Platinum and I'd love the perk of getting on quicker, if I can get away with it. :D

[Pam in CA]

What about a mixture of minor children and non-minor children? I'm travelling with 4 "kids" ages 15, 18, 18 and 21. We are going to Alaska, where the proportion of Platinum/Elite is lower than in other places, I believe. It's my first cruise as Platinum and I'd love the perk of getting on quicker, if I can get away with it. :D

They're your children and you're boarding as a family. Nothing to "get away with." If they were married, that would be different.

[sherryf]

They're your children and you're boarding as a family. Nothing to "get away with." If they were married, that would be different.

 

Thanks Pam, that's good to know. Technically one of the 18 year olds is not my child, but he's been friends with my son for so long that we consider him to be "family". ;)

[billco]

I've taken several cruises in recent years when the number of Platinum/Elite passengers numbered 1,000-1,500. That's the actual count, not including guests or cabin companions. Imagine what boarding is like when even a relatively few bring guests who are not booked in their cabin! It's a freaking zoo.

While a large number of elite/platinum passengers can cause congestion, I don't think the relatively few who bring guests adds that much too it. I think it is more of a case of how efficiently embarkation is coordinated.

[Hazelnut1106]

When boarding in Southampton on our first cruise as Platinum we were traveling with non-Platinum friends. When asked if anyone in our group had preferred boarding my DH and I said that we did but we would wait in the regular line with our friends. A few minutes later the Princess staff member returned with preferred boarding passes for all 4 of us. :) A very nice and appreciated gesture.