Will the Harmony be as big a disaster as the Liberty?

[Cindy]

Cindy - since you and I can board at our leisure on Liberty, let's be sure and meet in the Suite Lounge around 5:30 so we can talk about how entitled we are over our beenie weenies. :D :D

 

 

 

Sounds like a great plan! I will be with the one with my nose stuck up in the air![emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

 

 

 

 

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[Cindy]

From my cruise documents.....

 

For your comfort and your convenience we recommend

that you not arrive more than 30 minutes prior to the

scheduled check-in start time. Early arrivals may have

a prolonged wait time in potentially warm or inclement

weather conditions.

 

From Royal, a letter (email) regarding boarding... they request we board at a certain time by deck

 

Deck 8 1130-1200

 

From my Set Sail Pass

 

CHECK-IN TIME RANGE: 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM

 

I am on Deck 8 Enchantment and our boarding time is 1130-1200. I wonder what other Set Sail passes say?

 

I am obsessed so to speak with the hope that all people can at least try to follow the rules/requests. I don't like people that butt in line. I don't care much for rude people. I know a Suite Guest, and those with certain levels of status have a separate line on embarkation, that is Priority Boarding, but has nothing to do with assigned boarding time by deck. I am sure if you are a D, D+, or P, they will accommodate you.

 

I believe since you are a Suite Guest, you should have priority boarding and should also be able to board when you want. You have paid for this privilege.

 

What are others going to do if they start enforcing their request????

 

That is not correct. All those you mentioned have special early boarding groups, regardless of their cabin deck location. The priority boarding order is special needs and groups such as wedding parties, suites and Pinnacles, D+, and then Diamond. All of those board before they start general boarding.

 

As for the staggered boarding times, I personally think it's unrealistic and unfair to expect people to be able to kill several hours after an early arriving flight or checking out of a hotel. All the cruise lines seem to be trying to do this, and in my opinion it will never work because of the hotel/arriving flight issue, and also because people expect to be able to get on a ship and have lunch on departure day. The way the support system is set up currently, staggered boarding just won't work. I predict the cruise lines will continue to tell some decks their check-in time is 2:00-2:30, and 95% of the people will continue to ignore it and board when they're ready.

Edited September 23, 2016 by Cindy

[wolfganghowell]

I believe since you are a Suite Guest, you should have priority boarding and should also be able to board when you want.

 

As Cindy explained, Suites DO have priority boarding and do get to board when they want. This has been the case in every single port we have ever used: Galveston, San Juan, Port Canaveral, Ft L, California, New Orleans. D and D+ also are allowed to board earlier regardless of their deck.

[troykahack]

As Cindy explained, Suites DO have priority boarding and do get to board when they want. This has been the case in every single port we have ever used: Galveston, San Juan, Port Canaveral, Ft L, California, New Orleans. D and D+ also are allowed to board earlier regardless of their deck.

 

I couldn't agree more... but the priority boarding has really nothing to do with your deck and times to board. It means, if you have status, you go to the line you are rated/status, and board at your time. If you are on Deck 2, then you are the first to board with Deck 2.

 

If Cindy is in a Suite, and you are, then Suite guests should board first, before anyone with Status. I just read in these posts, that guests on Deck 2 think they have early boarding, in my mind they do not, but first boarding when their deck is called, and hopefully shorter check in lines.

[troykahack]

LOL, so when is your time?

 

Our cabin is on Deck 8, so we are assigned and requested to board 1130-1200.

[Thetrail]

I couldn't agree more... but the priority boarding has really nothing to do with your deck and times to board. It means, if you have status, you go to the line you are rated/status, and board at your time. If you are on Deck 2, then you are the first to board with Deck 2.

 

If Cindy is in a Suite, and you are, then Suite guests should board first, before anyone with Status. I just read in these posts, that guests on Deck 2 think they have early boarding, in my mind they do not, but first boarding when their deck is called, and hopefully shorter check in lines.

There is no "DECK CALLED" to board, that's as easy s I can make it for you to understand.....K.O.

[Cindy]

 

I am obsessed so to speak with the hope that all people can at least try to follow the rules/requests. I don't like people that butt in line. I don't care much for rude people. I know a Suite Guest, and those with certain levels of status have a separate line on embarkation, that is Priority Boarding, but has nothing to do with assigned boarding time by deck. I am sure if you are a D, D+, or P, they will accommodate you.

 

 

 

Here's an old text from Royal Caribbean that I found on my phone. The times are a little different than we're used to because of a Coast Guard inspection, but please look at what it says about loyalty members and their boarding times. I don't know how else to help you understand that the individual deck times don't apply to upper loyalty levels.

 

S: Oasis of the Seas - November 15 Check-In Information

Hello, this is Royal Caribbean International. We would like to provide you with important information regarding your sailing on November 15, 2014, onboard Oasis of the Seas .There will be a required U.S. Coast Guard inspection. The ship is not permitted to begin boarding until the inspection has been completed. To enhance your check-in and boarding experience, we ask that you arrive to the terminal based on your assigned decks. Decks 14, 10, and 3: 1:30 PM.Decks 9 and 7: 2:00 PM.Decks 12 and 11: 2:30 PM.Decks 8 and 6: 2:45 PM. We invite our Suite, Pinnacle, Diamond Plus, Diamond, Emerald and Platinum guests to arrive anytime between 12:30 PM and 3:30 PM. We remind you that the ship will sail at 4:30 PM. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation, and look forward to welcoming you onboard the Oasis of the Seas. To confirm: reply with YES and send.

 

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Edited September 24, 2016 by Cindy

[riclop]

I just dont understand the love of the "lounge"

You get the free drinks loaded onto your card so you can get them at any bar.(almost)

The food they serve there is not good.

and there are never very many seats ( crowded or not)

 

I go in during the day or early in the morning to get expresso and thats about it

 

Totally agree with you.

[daljettjockie]

Getting a lot of negative flak, but I guess you had to be there to understand. You are not just whining about having a hard time finding a seat. It was a total hot mess. I also bailed after 1 drink on day 2. Gave it a quick look after a bad day one and saw that it was not gonna get any better. Just a mosh pit in there. And yes it was annoyingly loud. Some just have to hold court and shout over others to be heard. Like you, I also spent some time in the schooner, but Boleros ended up being our bar of choice.

 

We've been on several cruises as a diamond, and the DL is usually an enjoyable time before dinner. Staff talk with you and you can chat with other experienced cruisers in a relaxing atmosphere. None of that this cruise - by far our worst DL experience, but it did not ruin our time. We accepted that this cruise the DL was a waste of time, and moved on.

 

What I do not understand is the fascination of some folks with getting a seat in there and camping out all night. I thought it was supposed to be a relaxing before/after dinner experience, not an all nighter. Like its a weird competition. I went in for a coffee for DW at about 3:30 one afternoon and some were already staking out their territory for the evening. One guy even said he had to watch his weight so he just stayed in the DL and grabbed snacks and skipped the MDR. Like those 4 plates of tapas and 8 free drinks you get are some kind of diet plan...

 

I guess I am on both sides of this fence. When it is not crowded the DL is our favorite place to kick off the evening. When its a mad house like last week, we had a great time at a different venue and left the DL to the hardcore, gotta-be-in-there-no-matter-what-and-score-some-free-drinks folks.

 

For some reason the DL is always crowded out of Galveston. Only one ship to choose from perhaps.

[wolfganghowell]

For some reason the DL is always crowded out of Galveston.

 

And this is where things get hinky. On the 5/29 sailing it was not crowded. Neither was the SL.

[troykahack]

Here's an old text from Royal Caribbean that I found on my phone. The times are a little different than we're used to because of a Coast Guard inspection, but please look at what it says about loyalty members and their boarding times. I don't know how else to help you understand that the individual deck times don't apply to upper loyalty levels.

 

S: Oasis of the Seas - November 15 Check-In Information

Hello, this is Royal Caribbean International. We would like to provide you with important information regarding your sailing on November 15, 2014, onboard Oasis of the Seas .There will be a required U.S. Coast Guard inspection. The ship is not permitted to begin boarding until the inspection has been completed. To enhance your check-in and boarding experience, we ask that you arrive to the terminal based on your assigned decks. Decks 14, 10, and 3: 1:30 PM.Decks 9 and 7: 2:00 PM.Decks 12 and 11: 2:30 PM.Decks 8 and 6: 2:45 PM. We invite our Suite, Pinnacle, Diamond Plus, Diamond, Emerald and Platinum guests to arrive anytime between 12:30 PM and 3:30 PM. We remind you that the ship will sail at 4:30 PM. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation, and look forward to welcoming you onboard the Oasis of the Seas. To confirm: reply with YES and send.

 

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I don't disagree with what you have received in the past.... I already posted the new letter we received the week of our cruise regarding requests to board by deck number. We were in a Suite but the letter had nothing about status level boarding... I thought this appears to be something new....

 

There was no preferred boarding when we got to the port around 1145, everyone who checked in was boarding. There were seperate check in lines for Suites/P, D+/D, Platinum/Emerald, Gold, and new cruisers. All boarded after check in as far as we could tell.

 

This is a new letter, not like the ones we and you received in the past. I wish I knew how to post and emailed letter.

[truffles2]

So, the CL/SL was crowded? How many people would you say?

 

We were on Freedom for the 11th and 18th cruises. The first week was bad with over 200 each D & D+ and 18 P or thereabouts. The second week was worse with more of each. The second week we went to the D lounge the first night and it took 25 minutes to get a drink. Never went back. Heard that people were going at 3:30 to get their seats:eek:.

[davekathy]

We've used the DLs a few times but prefer to have our drinks in other lounges. Glad to give up our seats to those that want to sit in the DL.

Edited October 1, 2016 by davekathy

[bdstiles]

My husband and I generally cruise alone - just the two of us. We love talking to people we meet on the cruise. What we like about the cocktail hours in the Diamond Lounge, is that it is perfectly acceptable to walk up to a couple already seated, and ask to join them. It's almost sort of expected that if you have empty seats at your table, strangers will join you. We have met some really interesting people this way.

 

 

 

Now yes, we could take our vouchers and go to the Schooner Lounge for our drinks. But we would really not be comfortable walking up to strangers, and asking to join them! Especially if the lounge was not pretty full. Sort of awkward don't you think? We also would be unlikely to meet these same strangers by accident again later in our cruise. In the Diamond Lounge, if you go around the same time each night - depending on your dining hour - then you likely run into the same people. Makes for a sort of camaraderie each evening when you can wave and say hello to those you sat with on a previous night.

 

 

 

Will this make or break our cruise? No, but one of the cruises that we enjoyed the most was in a large part due to the wonderful people we met in the Diamond Lounge that week. Perhaps this would not matter to those who travel in larger groups, but for us couples who are shy about approaching strangers, it did matter. At least to us.

 

 

 

During the daytime, both DH and I make a lot of use of the Diamond Lounge on ships with nice ones. On Freedom, we often have breakfast there, plus use the lounge as a quiet place to read. In all lounges DH makes use of the coffee machine several times a day for cappuccinos and expressos. For him this is quite a welcome benefit of having free specialty coffees - probably just as valuable as the free evening drinks.

 

 

This is exactly why my husband and I love the DL. We travel as a couple and have met fellow frequent cruisers that we enjoy visiting with.

[Gingerbint]

My husband and I travel just us two and enjoy the lounge for the social element as others have said. Meeting people and catching up on the day. We also like the nibbles as we eat late in the MDR. We have met some fantastic people in the lounges with some great stories. Several of whom we are still in touch with and have since cruised again with on other ships.

On our recent cruise went more to the CL over the DL and met some lovely people in there. The DL was quite busy on this trip but again we made some new friends there who we are meeting up with again in April next year.

My husband enjoys grabbing a coffee during the day and evening as he is not a big drinker and it’s a nice place to sit and read during the day too.

We were on the Oasis TA after refit when they moved the DL and closed the CL opening the SL in the Viking Crown and there were several venues available to 'enjoy' the evening event due to the large amount of C&A D’s and above but they were queuing up the stairs at opening time, it was hilarious. We are avoiding the Harmony TA as expect a lot of the D/D+/Pinnacle’s to be on it and so we’re off on the Indy TA, hoping there’s a bit more room.

Sadly as is the case there is always some who spoil it or ‘hold court’ and on those occasions we take a drink and go, or use our vouchers at other bars (my new fab spot is the old Champagne bar venue) as I’m not polite enough to hold my tongue so it’s best to leave!

We board when we turn up at the port and are told we can, that time changes dependant on whether we drive or fly in. We also go into whichever queue is shorter!

Not all of us are snobs so don’t put us all in the same pot.

Edited October 10, 2016 by Gingerbint

[DebJ14]

Nothing because it's only a suggestion

 

Until they do like Carnival does and actually enforce the check in times, unless you are in a suite or are Platinum or Diamond (their highest tiers) or you purchase Faster to the Fun.

 

At 11:00am we walked into the Carnival terminal in Galveston with our Priority boarding passes. The poor Carnival employee at the door was really taking heat from some woman with a 12:30pm check in time. She held her ground and the woman was not allowed into the terminal. You could have heard her over at the RCCL terminal! She was really abusive to the employee and I saw Security coming to her rescue.

 

I do however have to say that Carnival's staggered boarding works really, really well. You pick a check in time when you do the online check in. They are 30 minute intervals starting at 10:00am. Suite guests, Platinums and Diamonds still have to pick a time, but can check in at their leisure. There were virtually no lines inside the terminal for either security or check in. Platinum, Diamonds and Suite Guests wait in a separate lounge with cookies, ice water and lemonade provided. We were kept informed about how the boarding process would work and what time we could expect to board.

 

Boarding was the most orderly process I have ever seen. They boarded the weddings at 11:30am followed by the Diamond guests, then the Platinums and then the suites and finally the Faster to the Fun people. (You can buy early check in on Carnival). Then they boarded those in general boarding by number. The earlier check in time one had, the earlier the number. For most people, if they arrived at a check in time of 11:30pm or later could get right on the ship.

 

Best of all is the priority luggage handling for Platinum, Diamonds and FTTF and the rooms are made ready first, so you can put your carry on bags in the room immediately upon boarding. Our luggage arrived at 1:30pm.

 

On our last RCCL cruise in a RFS on the Navigator, we did not get our bags until 7pm. We also had a horrible wait in the security line. The woman at the door was assigning lines and paying no attention to whether or not you had priority. The priority line was shorter, but even though we were both Diamond and in a suite we got put in the longer line. It took 45 minutes to get through security and then some idiot tried to send us to the regular check in line when the boarding pass clearly said SUITE on it. The lady at the regular line sent us back to the suite line and the first woman yelled at us and ordered us back to the regular line. Worst check in experience we have had on any cruise on any line in over 60 cruises.

[Cruising Couple from Fl]

We were on the oasis a week ago and had a great time in the lounge always a seat available and great service

 

 

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