Staggered check-in

[caribill]

Sorry folks, but this seems reasonable to me. Especially for overcrowded terminals like Houston's Bayport.

 

 

Bayport is not an overcrowded terminal under normal conditions.

 

But if boarding is delayed for hours, then not everyone can fit inside.

 

The Carnival procedure would not stop this as people would still be arriving at their scheduled times even though nobody is able to board.

 

No cruise terminal at any location can hold as many passengers that can show up for a delayed boarding.

[mr green]

Bayport is not an overcrowded terminal under normal conditions.

 

But if boarding is delayed for hours, then not everyone can fit inside.

 

The Carnival procedure would not stop this as people would still be arriving at their scheduled times even though nobody is able to board.

 

No cruise terminal at any location can hold as many passengers that can show up for a delayed boarding.

 

There is the rush, before the rush.

Then the rush itself.

Then the rush after the rush.

 

Its Your choice.

 

john

[cruisequeen4ever]

Horrible; please don't do it, Princess!

[Cruisin' Chick]

I assume they would take your luggage, but the next six hours may require you to entertain yourself. Call it STTF (Slower To The Fun)

 

I would call it S--- Out of Luck to the Fun (sorry:o)

 

Long Beach. In the hot sun. With no real seating outside. Gonna be fun! I guess I won't book Carnival for awhile until they get this settled.

 

Yea, right. Fun ships...another reason not to book one of those.

[margeg]

Im just now finding out about "staggered" boarding.

 

When did this start? :confused: Our last Princess cruise was 2 years ago and this was not in effect.

 

I just looked up our time for November cruise. Its not until 2 pm

That's pretty late. I guess that leaves us out of lunch in the dining room.:(

 

marge.

[Treven]

Margeg: The staggered boarding that Princess has is recommendation, to my understanding. Also to my understanding, it's one that may or may not be enforced - I guess depending on the personnel and the port. The 30 minute boarding slots that Carnival has begun deals with just their ships (so far?), and based upon the comments here, it's going over like a fart in church!

[Matcodixon]

Just another reason I won't be booking a Carnival Cruise anytime in the foreseeable future. :eek:

[hcat]

Unworkable, unreasonable and unecessary!

[margeg]

Margeg: The staggered boarding that Princess has is recommendation, to my understanding. Also to my understanding, it's one that may or may not be enforced - I guess depending on the personnel and the port. The 30 minute boarding slots that Carnival has begun deals with just their ships (so far?), and based upon the comments here, it's going over like a fart in church!

I hope you are right Treven. It is in my cruise personalizer . I will go back and read it again more carefully; it did seem quite clear, listing times for each deck in half hour increments beginning at 1230 and ending at 230.

Marge

[hcat]

Are we sure this is for real ?

How could they e mail someone standing on a line outside a cruise terminal?

Makes no sense whatsoever...

[Treven]

I hope you are right Treven. It is in my cruise personalizer . I will go back and read it again more carefully; it did seem quite clear, listing times for each deck in half hour increments beginning at 1230 and ending at 230.

Marge

Well, on all of the Princess cruises I've been on (including recently) I've simply walked up to the doors in the terminal building and have been let in; and I just get in line to get my carry-on scanned, as well as my bod, then get in another line for my sea pass, etc.

Edited October 18, 2015 by Treven

[caribill]

I hope you are right Treven. It is in my cruise personalizer . I will go back and read it again more carefully; it did seem quite clear, listing times for each deck in half hour increments beginning at 1230 and ending at 230.

Marge

 

Yes, it is quite clear.

 

But it really is only a suggestion on Princess.

 

Arrive when you would like to. Boarding normally will start around noon and if you are there in time you can enjoy that lunch in a dining room.

[notentirelynormal]

I'll just point out an obvious problem. My mother is 85. She doesn't have a computer, she doesn't have a smart phone. Okay she does but only knows how to use it to make phone calls and barely even then. She doesn't have an email address. So what? She can never board the ship because she didn't get the notification of when. There is a whole generation out there that for the most part doesn't know and want to know how to use computers. I have a friend in her mid 60s. She can barely open an email let alone figure out how to forward one. I usually print her boarding passes for her and she can't figure out how to get into her personalizer.

 

How would they even know there is a new rule? Carnival is treating people like they are in kindergarten. It is also impossible to judge an exact 30 minute window when traveling. What if it takes an extra 2 minutes for your luggage. There was a traffic accident? Too bad. You now have to wait 5 hours to check in. This really is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of.

[caribill]

 

How would they even know there is a new rule? Carnival is treating people like they are in kindergarten. It is also impossible to judge an exact 30 minute window when traveling. What if it takes an extra 2 minutes for your luggage. There was a traffic accident? Too bad. You now have to wait 5 hours to check in. This really is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of.

 

Carnival says you can show up later than the time window you picked, but not earlier.

[HUNKY]

hcat - a smartphone can access email and the internet. More importantly, you can read and respond to the Cruise Critic forums!

[notentirelynormal]

Carnival says you can show up later than the time window you picked, but not earlier.

 

Well, that is a plus but what about the guy that doesn't use a computer?

[Robinsoncruiseso]

Yes, it is quite clear.

 

But it really is only a suggestion on Princess.

 

Arrive when you would like to. Boarding normally will start around noon and if you are there in time you can enjoy that lunch in a dining room.

 

Arrived and boarded prior to noon on my Sept cruise on Ruby (assigned time was 2 pm). Also, just cancelled and rebooked (due to new promo) Feb on Regal and TA told me boarding would begin at noon (again progressive time a suggesstion). I was alarmed when I first saw this for the Sept cruise as on the short cruises everyone shows up early to get the most of their time on the ship. Checked in in under 5 minutes...had to wait to board until about 11:45 and I was boarding group 12. Princess still has IMHO one of the most efficient boarding processess (excluding area outside their control, such as security)

[Treven]

Arrived and boarded prior to noon on my Sept cruise on Ruby (assigned time was 2 pm). Also, just cancelled and rebooked (due to new promo) Feb on Regal and TA told me boarding would begin at noon (again progressive time a suggesstion). I was alarmed when I first saw this for the Sept cruise as on the short cruises everyone shows up early to get the most of their time on the ship. Checked in in under 5 minutes...had to wait to board until about 11:45 and I was boarding group 12. Princess still has IMHO one of the most efficient boarding processess (excluding area outside their control, such as security)

I agree that Princess has a very easy, comfortable check-in system. At least on every cruise I've had with them.

[margeg]

I agree that Princess has a very easy, comfortable check-in system. At least on every cruise I've had with them.

 

I guess you are correct regarding Suggested boarding times. My boarding pass says 12;30 - 3 pm.

m.

[Treven]

I guess you are correct regarding Suggested boarding times. My boarding pass says 12;30 - 3 pm.

m.

Then I'd guess your departure time is 5 pm. So you can decide when you want to board; the later in the day makes for an easier time of it - from what I've been told. I wouldn't know as I'm one of those who battle the crowd and usually am on board by about noon.

[yogamom]

PROGRESSIVE CRUISE CHECK-IN INFORMATION

To help facilitate a smooth start to your voyage we have implemented a progressive cruise check-in schedule. Please arrive at the check-in time listed below. If you have purchased a Princess Cruise Plus Package/Transfer, your check-in time will be provided at your hotel or the airport. Guests travelling on shared transport or arriving as a group will be checked in together. Priority check-in will be available to guests with a Preferred Boarding Pass within the allocated check-in times. Boarding will commence shortly after check-in. Please do not arrive prior to the start of cruise check-in as your cabin will not be ready. All guests must be on board one hour prior to sailing.

12:30pm - Aloha & Lido Decks - Cabins on these decks begin with A & L 1:00pm - Dolphin & Emerald Decks - Cabin on these decks begin with D & E 1:30pm - Caribe - Cabins on this deck begin with C 2:00pm - Marina & Riviera Decks - Cabins on these decks begin with M & R 2:30pm - Baja Deck - Cabins on this deck begin with B

 

 

I honestly have never seen this before. Also since we are platinum the last time we sailed on Princess was 4 years ago and at that time there was a separate supposed to be earlier embarkation process. Is this still true for platinum and elite levels??? Does anyone know what preferred boarding pass means?

[SoCalTraveler]

PROGRESSIVE CRUISE CHECK-IN INFORMATION

To help facilitate a smooth start to your voyage we have implemented a progressive cruise check-in schedule. Please arrive at the check-in time listed below. If you have purchased a Princess Cruise Plus Package/Transfer, your check-in time will be provided at your hotel or the airport. Guests travelling on shared transport or arriving as a group will be checked in together. Priority check-in will be available to guests with a Preferred Boarding Pass within the allocated check-in times. Boarding will commence shortly after check-in. Please do not arrive prior to the start of cruise check-in as your cabin will not be ready. All guests must be on board one hour prior to sailing.

12:30pm - Aloha & Lido Decks - Cabins on these decks begin with A & L 1:00pm - Dolphin & Emerald Decks - Cabin on these decks begin with D & E 1:30pm - Caribe - Cabins on this deck begin with C 2:00pm - Marina & Riviera Decks - Cabins on these decks begin with M & R 2:30pm - Baja Deck - Cabins on this deck begin with B

 

 

I honestly have never seen this before. Also since we are platinum the last time we sailed on Princess was 4 years ago and at that time there was a separate supposed to be earlier embarkation process. Is this still true for platinum and elite levels??? Does anyone know what preferred boarding pass means?

 

We were just on the October 10 Crown sailing. Boarding was scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. Our suggested arrival time was 2:30 p.m.

 

We arrived in the parking lot at 1 and dropped our bags at 1:15 p.m. (The reason for the early arrival? We had an engagement in Westwood from 10 to Noon at the Geffen Theater. We had nothing else to do until sailing. It's an hour drive between the two points. Just in case, we had our Kindles. We were prepared to sit and wait.)

 

By 1:30 we were through check-in (no one cared about our suggested time) and in the waiting area, in group 24, with group 15 going through passport control. Group 24 had nothing to do with our suggested time. The lady handing those numbers out had no idea as to what our time was. That means lots of people arrived early. Lots. It's 1:30. The earliest suggested arrival time. And we were in group 24. And, because they were doing a press thing with the Elites and Capt. Stubbing et al. for the new stage show, lots of people had to board early. And that included DW's bag being searched to make sure the cans she had were soda and not beer. No one looked at the two (legal) bottles of wine in a wine carrier.

 

At about 2:15 group 24 was called. So far so good. Dining rooms open for lunch until 2:30 p.m. We had a shot.

 

Quickly through passport control, and onto the gangway. We could see the ship. Heck, I could long jump onto the ship from as close as I got, even if I had to hold my Medicare card in one hand.

 

Then we had to turn around. The ship had shifted and the gangways were not lined up right. So we and 100 of our new best friends stood for more than a half hour on the pier. Then we boarded. Dining rooms closed. Off to Horizon Court. (No complaints.) Selected food, found a table overlooking the pier. Then the power failed. (The Elites were already on the ship and were 4 minutes into a special presentation of "Magic." Per Cruise Director Bob, Gavin MacLeod saved the day with other Love Boat cast members during the power outage.)

 

Another half hour of no one boarding the ship. Horizon Court was a better place to be eating with the power out than one of the dining rooms. So we lucked out.

 

Everything was delayed, including muster drill. Dinner was open seating (although we and another 150 of our closest friends believed that we had 7:45 p.m. dinner because we were told that at check in.) We were seated finally at 8:25 p.m. That's because, in part, dinner was delayed by the delayed muster drill.

 

The good news? We weren't on Carnival.

 

And I've just detailed a few of the permutations of what can go wrong. There was more than an hour delay in boarding because of the ship shifting and the electrical problem.

 

You can see my prior review of the Carnival Inspiration, a ship which, at times, had trouble getting me tea for breakfast in the dining room, getting my son enough Tater Tots until we placed orders for everyone at the table, or opening my wine before dessert. Really, if you can't bring someone tea for breakfast, how do you expect to schedule 3000 people with a military precision?

 

Suggested times are a fine idea. Maybe it will spread out the work. Just don't sweat it if folks don't want to be treated like they are still in the service and show up 5 minutes early or late. .