Caribbean Princess - Southampton - Best Time to board

[DebbieMacG]

One month tomorrow we will board the Caribbean princess for our first Princess cruise. We are leaving from Southampton and have boarded there before with celebrity many times, we usually arrive at the port at about 11am and can board but cabins are not ready until 1.30pm

 

I know cabins are usually ready when you board Princess which is great but does this delay boarding time? What's the best time to board in the opinion of those who regularly embark princess at soton? :)

[Tom Baker]

Check in normally opens between 11.30am and noon.

Elite and Platinum members have priority boarding along with suite and disabled guests. They go to specified check in desks when they arrive.

 

Staggered start times are in place and go deck by deck (lowest to highest) but in reality when you turn up you are given a coloured numbered ticket and you wait in the waiting area for your colour and number to be called then proceed to the check in desk, then join a queue to go through security (just like Celebrity)

 

Those who are travelling on Princess arranged flights arriving by coach from Heathrow take priority over those waiting for their number called, so if an "official" coach arrives you may encounter a delay in boarding.

[Bogof1]

Also on Princess a main dining room is open for lunch on embarkation....a wonderful calm way to start your cruise. They close 1:30 so try to be onboard before then. Your room will be ready for you whatever time you get on the ship. Enjoy your cruise we are embarking when you get off!

[caribill]

Usually boarding will start around noon and cabins are usually all ready by that time.

[AzEileen]

Usually boarding will start around noon and cabins are usually all ready by that time.

 

Cabins ready when you board? Even at noon-ish time? How do they do that? We've cruised Royal Caribbean, NCL and Holland America and NEVER had a cabin ready when we board. Looking forward to Princess in 356 days!

[Kenswing]

Cabins ready when you board? Even at noon-ish time? How do they do that? We've cruised Royal Caribbean, NCL and Holland America and NEVER had a cabin ready when we board. Looking forward to Princess in 356 days!

 

They kick everyone out of their rooms by 8:00.. That gives them a head start on turning the rooms for the next passengers..

[Francisdrake]

I've just come back from Caribbean Princess & we actually ended up boarding about 3pm as due to traffic we were late into Southampton. Don't think I've ever gone through security as quickly. Must have taken less than 10 minutes from entering the terminal to being on board.

 

Straight to the desk to fill out customer declarations & then they gave us a number to wait for calling on-board (39 in our instance) but then they went 31,32 & then decided just to call everybody on board rather than going number by number.

[hansi]

One month tomorrow we will board the Caribbean princess for our first Princess cruise. We are leaving from Southampton and have boarded there before with celebrity many times, we usually arrive at the port at about 11am and can board but cabins are not ready until 1.30pm

 

I know cabins are usually ready when you board Princess which is great but does this delay boarding time? What's the best time to board in the opinion of those who regularly embark princess at soton? :)

 

 

See you on board. Are you coming to the meet and greet?:):)

[Woobstr112G]

Cabins ready when you board? Even at noon-ish time? How do they do that? We've cruised Royal Caribbean, NCL and Holland America and NEVER had a cabin ready when we board. Looking forward to Princess in 356 days!

 

Ours have always been ready. Have a great cruise.....:):):)

 

Bob

[jennyg2610]

We have got on at 11.30 and the cabin was ready.