Azura - New Improved Embarkation Process

[Josy1953]

Our tickets have appeared this am for our Dec cruise and we have 15:30 boarding time but as we are on the coach we know that we will get there around 14:00. I know that P&O are saying that coaches will board when they arrive but I don't understand why for those of us with free coach travel they don't give a realistic boarding time, they obviously know from our bookings that we will be on a coach surely this would help them to spread the numbers of people arriving around 14:00. Having worked in systems development for 38 years I know how easy it should be to do this.

 

Oh well what will be will be and we will get on the ship and we will enjoy the cruise.

[Scriv]

Does anyone know what time people in suites can board from ?

 

See my posts above - I have now been allocated a time of 12 30 with my upgrade to a Mini suite on Deck B.... from 15.00 for our balcony on Deck C. It was changed on the CP almost immediately.

Edited October 23, 2015 by Scriv

[annieuk]

Yes people in suites usually get given a boarding time of either 12 or 12.30. Our last cruise it was 12 and we were on board enjoying a drink by 12.20 - amazing!

[jeanlyon]

Update : It's on the Personaliser already. It's now 12 30!!!!

 

I am really chuffed. It's only a 2 night cruise, but I am so looking forward to sampling a Mini Suite and a very early embarkation time is a special treat as I was on the delayed Ventura 2 nighter recently where we all lost time onboard.

 

This was a Select Booking made 11 months ago when I hopefully ticked the Upgrade Box - so thank, P&O Upgrade Fairy.

 

PS Thank you all for your good wishes on this too - and jean, I have sent you a PM on Facebook. Check your 'Other ' Message Box maybe?

 

 

 

Scriv, other Message Box - not sure I have another one on Facebook?#

 

Just found it - learn something every day. Have replied.

Edited October 23, 2015 by jeanlyon

[Mysticalmother]

So I get the champagne too in a Mini Suite? Oh wow. So excited. :)

 

Hope you have a lovely cruise too with your friends. We now cruise with friends we met on our first cruise - we were on the same table. Enjoy!

 

Hi Scriv - so pleased for you . Have a great time and enjoy the luxury! The problem is, having been spoiled (as we were in July when we too were upgraded to a mini suite) you may not want to "go back" to a "mere" balcony! ( no offence intended to anyone! )

Think you get daily canapes too.......:)

[Scriv]

Oh dear, I feared there might be consequences of an upgrade to a mini-suite... another problem might be I might want to stay in the cabin a lot longer than I would normally do to get the most out of it.

 

I also like the early embarkation timeslot, but I don't know if we are allowed into the Welcome Party. I wouldn't want to tread on the toes of the high loyalty members....

[kevinyork]

Yes people in suites usually get given a boarding time of either 12 or 12.30. Our last cruise it was 12 and we were on board enjoying a drink by 12.20 - amazing!

 

 

P&O really are having a laugh. On Royal Caribbean and Celebrity we have regularly been onboard by 11am and yet we were booked in lowly balcony cabins and also not in the higher echelons of their loyalty program. By each change P&O distance ourselves from them and only reinforce that there are better cruise lines out there that don't keep removing basic aspects of a cruise from their passenger experience.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[the english lady]

P&O really are having a laugh. On Royal Caribbean and Celebrity we have regularly been onboard by 11am and yet we were booked in lowly balcony cabins and also not in the higher echelons of their loyalty program. By each change P&O distance ourselves from them and only reinforce that there are better cruise lines out there that don't keep removing basic aspects of a cruise from their passenger experience.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

But equally to enable that sort of boarding time people who have cruised with RC said they started kicking you off at 6.30 am and all off by 9.30am. Now you may have had the later kick off time , but one assumes someone has to be in the 6.30 kick offs and I for one would not like to be kicked off at that time.

We know they are tweeking things. However until people try and spread their arrival times how will anyone know how well it will work.

1000 people all turning up at 11.30am, cos the cat says they can, does not make for a pleasant boarding experience.

Is it Celebrity who shut the fire doors so you cannot get near the cabins ,until they say they are ready. Which would spoil things for the I'll just get in the way of the room steward and drop this off in the cabin brigade.

[Henderson1]

Cunard start boarding at noon, cabins ready when you bosrd and they don't start disembarking till half past 8.

[Florry]

But equally to enable that sort of boarding time people who have cruised with RC said they started kicking you off at 6.30 am and all off by 9.30am. Now you may have had the later kick off time , but one assumes someone has to be in the 6.30 kick offs and I for one would not like to be kicked off at that time.

 

We know they are tweeking things. However until people try and spread their arrival times how will anyone know how well it will work.

 

1000 people all turning up at 11.30am, cos the cat says they can, does not make for a pleasant boarding experience.

 

Is it Celebrity who shut the fire doors so you cannot get near the cabins ,until they say they are ready. Which would spoil things for the I'll just get in the way of the room steward and drop this off in the cabin brigade.

 

 

Nothing to do with early embarkation - but is live the option of getting off at 6.30, at the moment we get of at 7-7.30. If we could get off earlier we could get back in time for work.

[Florry]

Nothing to do with early embarkation - but is live the option of getting off at 6.30, at the moment we get of at 7-7.30. If we could get off earlier we could get back in time for work.

 

 

Sorry that made no sense and I can't edit it. I meant I'd love the option ....

[the english lady]

Oh dear, I feared there might be consequences of an upgrade to a mini-suite... another problem might be I might want to stay in the cabin a lot longer than I would normally do to get the most out of it.

 

I also like the early embarkation timeslot, but I don't know if we are allowed into the Welcome Party. I wouldn't want to tread on the toes of the high loyalty members....

 

Scriv you can go to where ever the high loyalty tiers have their thing on boarding. Its for suite grades as well.

We had the same problem when we upgraded to a mini suite for a big anniversary. It was only going to be the one cruise don't you know. We will shortly be going on our 3rd/4th one. Oh dear.

You do get canapes at 5pm, some we like, some we don't.

You do get the dressing gowns and slippers.

You also get a bottle of bubbly and a box of chocs.

Yes we do tend to spend more time in the cabin, as its nice to have the space.

[Scriv]

Thanks very much for all the info :) So excited! A pity it is only a two nighter, but rest assured we will make the most of every moment.

[the english lady]

Thanks very much for all the info :) So excited! A pity it is only a two nighter, but rest assured we will make the most of every moment.

But having tried it....ooh ooh ooh...the temptation is there.....!!!!

[Florry]

But having tried it....ooh ooh ooh...the temptation is there.....!!!!

 

 

The OH usually puts a stop to that [emoji52]

[the english lady]

We have only been cruising since about 2008.

Started off with a fly cruise, with Thomson, so you boarded when you arrived.

Then Fred, which is turn up when you like, but boarding does not start until 2pm, only snacks in the terminal, and no lunch on the ship, so if you had late sitting you could be all day without food:eek::eek:

Then we made it to P and O. From what has been stated by Pando they were having up to half the ship arriving from 11.30am onwards (I have seen this myself when on a few B2B we have done)

There surely must have been heaving terminals , with a large number all trying to be first. We used to arrive about 12.30-1pm, and there were always a large numbers of people already there

So Pando have come up with this cunning plan, which people are moaning about, but amongst all the wailing there are postings from people turning up at their allocated time and being on board with in 20mins.

Anyway agreed P and O should maybe have managed how they let people know about the new boarding arrangements better.

You still have the problem of how to board a lot of people.

I know those who have been on American ships will say, we walked on at 11.30am, but for you to do that ,somebody would have to have walked off at 6.30am.

Do P and O cruisers want that?

Do a huge number of people board the likes of Anthem at the same time, or are people arriving throughout the afternoon?

I have watched the video of the person boarding Anthem, it took approx. 2 1/2mins, maybe when I board on the next cruise I will see how long it takes, but I doubt it will be much more than that. Cruisers causing delays by not having the passport and etickets to hand, and having to fish around in the suitcase, and other sundry things. (how many times when leaving the ship in a port have you been behind someone who doesn't have their cruise card in their hand, and has to start searching in their bags for them)

People say if it wasn't broke, but obviously as regards the logistics P and O felt they could not continue with people turning up earlier and earlier in ever increasing numbers (how many times on here have people posted in the past ,ignore the time on your ticket, turn up when you like)

I notice on the mayflower terminal thread people some people have said they did not know about the changes (not everyone is on the web) However on your eticket it does state a boarding time, and requests that you stick to it.

Would people be happier if they did away with providing lunch altogether, so you had to eat shore side?

[dgs1956]

What an excellent post EnglishLady. That's pretty much the facts. People were indeed saying that everyone should ignore the boarding times and that is what caused the problems but still they blame P&O.

[davecttr]

My opinion now on all this fiasco is it is NOT driven by large numbers of people turning up early but by P&O's desire to run lots of revenue earning ships tours. Obviously they don't want 'proper' passengers getting in the way and occupying the dining rooms the day trippers will be using.

 

the idea that the change is driven by passengers wanting their cabins to be ready on arrival is nonsense!. Under the 'old' system a steward had 6 hours to service say 18 cabins. That is 3 cabins per hour so by noon two thirds of the cabins have been serviced. If there was a cabin ready problem the simple solution would be to give select fare and priority passengers an early arrival time and adjust the cabin service schedule accordingly.

 

Example. On thomson ships they know the arrival time of passengers and the stewards service the cabins in a different sequence than on normal days. passengers start arriving late morning and their cabins are ready, plus you get shown to your cabin :)

[gadabout60]

Whatever the reasons for what P&O are now trying to implement there is no doubt that the American ships are much more efficient.

 

I only have experience of P&O and Celebrity but Celebrity wins hands down - and I have never been off at 6.30am. Last time in July my time for going off was about 8.45am and it worked perfectly. Even on Adonia with about 700 passengers I have always found disembarkation painfully slow, and much later than on Eclipse.

 

As far as embarking is concerned again Celebrity wins hands down -when we arrived about 12.15 it was straight on and our cabin was ready.

 

We get a taxi from home - about 1 and 3/4 hours drive. I always want to be ahead of the coaches so that if there is a problem on the A34 we should be OK. Arriving in a taxi it is quite difficult to get lunch shoreside - if they are going to insist on this why don't they provide shuttles to the shopping centre or town centre - we could then drop our luggage and go off for a couple of hours. I do want lunch but I don't care whether I get it on ship or shore. (I can't get it en route as am in taxi)

 

One further point re embarking - as I understand it P&O and Celebrity use different companies to embark you. I think Celebrity ones are quicker and more efficient - perhaps they are better trained?

 

I do lack a bit of tolerance and I freely admit that. The last few years I have cruised Celebrity in the summer and P&O at Christmas and have got really fed up at Christmas with the check in staff twittering on as they call your number - R is for reindeer etc. They also seem unable to direct you fairly to queues. And far too much chatting to each other! As I say I am intolerant!

[Midsomer Madness]

We have only been cruising since about 2008.

Started off with a fly cruise, with Thomson, so you boarded when you arrived.

Then Fred, which is turn up when you like, but boarding does not start until 2pm, only snacks in the terminal, and no lunch on the ship, so if you had late sitting you could be all day without food:eek::eek:

Then we made it to P and O. From what has been stated by Pando they were having up to half the ship arriving from 11.30am onwards (I have seen this myself when on a few B2B we have done)

There surely must have been heaving terminals , with a large number all trying to be first. We used to arrive about 12.30-1pm, and there were always a large numbers of people already there

So Pando have come up with this cunning plan, which people are moaning about, but amongst all the wailing there are postings from people turning up at their allocated time and being on board with in 20mins.

Anyway agreed P and O should maybe have managed how they let people know about the new boarding arrangements better.

You still have the problem of how to board a lot of people.

I know those who have been on American ships will say, we walked on at 11.30am, but for you to do that ,somebody would have to have walked off at 6.30am.

Do P and O cruisers want that?

Do a huge number of people board the likes of Anthem at the same time, or are people arriving throughout the afternoon?

I have watched the video of the person boarding Anthem, it took approx. 2 1/2mins, maybe when I board on the next cruise I will see how long it takes, but I doubt it will be much more than that. Cruisers causing delays by not having the passport and etickets to hand, and having to fish around in the suitcase, and other sundry things. (how many times when leaving the ship in a port have you been behind someone who doesn't have their cruise card in their hand, and has to start searching in their bags for them)

People say if it wasn't broke, but obviously as regards the logistics P and O felt they could not continue with people turning up earlier and earlier in ever increasing numbers (how many times on here have people posted in the past ,ignore the time on your ticket, turn up when you like)

I notice on the mayflower terminal thread people some people have said they did not know about the changes (not everyone is on the web) However on your eticket it does state a boarding time, and requests that you stick to it.

Would people be happier if they did away with providing lunch altogether, so you had to eat shore side?

 

RCI do all their check in on line, register credit card and upload photo before you go, therefore you turn up amd board quickly and easily.

 

We have often arrived early at the terminal and have done many cruises from Southampton, never has there been a problem like there is now. People turned up, got a letter card, sat down and waited, check in opened at 12.. The only time I've seen the terminal clogged up was when their were IT problems or air bridge problems....

 

P&o are losing revenue by keeping people in the terminal when they could be on board spending money...our biggest day's bill has always been our first day, however if we board at 3.30 it will be straight to muster, back to cabin to unpack and then get ready for dinner....our first drinks purchase will therefore be around 7.30 pm...so that's a fair amount of cash they won't have received from us, and many others I suspect...once they realise they are losing revenue they will reassess!

 

As an aside we cruised with celebrity earlier this year, we picked our check in time and disemarkation time..we were on board by 11.15 and disemarked at 7.45... I personally prefer to be up and on my way once my cruise is over!

[2irisheyes]

davecttr - On your point re the number of cabins the stewards have to prepare, do they not also have to help with the luggage delivery. We have certainly seen them shifting luggage the night before disembarkation. They then have to appear calm and relaxed to welcome new passengers. They must be fit to drop by that time. I know I would be.

 

 

gadabout60 - yes, you are a bit and I thought I was bad. I agree about a shuttle bus to town.

[davecttr]

davecttr - On your point re the number of cabins the stewards have to prepare, do they not also have to help with the luggage delivery. We have certainly seen them shifting luggage the night before disembarkation. They then have to appear calm and relaxed to welcome new passengers. They must be fit to drop by that time. I know I would be.

 

 

gadabout60 - yes, you are a bit and I thought I was bad. I agree about a shuttle bus to town.

 

My experience is the cabin stewards don't deliver your luggage, at least on thomson where they are often ladies. I think they use cleaners and other lowest grades. You are shown to your cabin by almost anybody, waiters, casino staff etc etc.

 

The shuttle bus would be useful but the local taxi drivers would have something to say about that ;)

[Kittyonions]

Can anyone advise me when the boarding times are issued, as this has a relevance to which hotel I choose to book prior to our cruise (Azura to Norwegian Fjords in May). Have noted that several hotels in Southampton are already fully booked on the night prior to our cruise. Many thanks!

[kruzseeka]

Arriving in a taxi it is quite difficult to get lunch shoreside - if they are going to insist on this why don't they provide shuttles to the shopping centre or town centre - we could then drop our luggage and go off for a couple of hours. I do want lunch but I don't care whether I get it on ship or shore. (I can't get it en route as am in taxi)

 

 

A point I have just made on the other Mayflower thread. I reallly don't care whether I can get on the ship early, have lunch or have to wait. I just want to be in or around the port in good time to allow me to embark.

Let me drop off my luggage, provide a shuttle and I'm happy to clear off for as many hours as necessary - but what I refuse to do is book a taxi to arrive at 3pm. How big a contingency do you build in - half an hour, one hour, two hours? That's such an unknown quantity that I'm not prepared to take the risk and therefore like many others arrive early if we're lucky enough not to have travel problems. Perhaps thinking outside of the box to acknowledge passengers' problems and concerns in this respect might help. (A shuttle to town? I'd much rather spend an hour or two in John Lewis than sitting in the terminal!!)

[Midsomer Madness]

Can anyone advise me when the boarding times are issued, as this has a relevance to which hotel I choose to book prior to our cruise (Azura to Norwegian Fjords in May). Have noted that several hotels in Southampton are already fully booked on the night prior to our cruise. Many thanks!

 

They are shown on your eticket which is usually issued around 5 weeks prior to departure...