Unfair boarding times.

[Texas Tillie]

None of the opinions I have given can be called "socialist".

 

It's in no way a socialist thing that I think that it's unfair that some passengers will board in time for lunch and others are told that they have to wait. I think that it's very unamerican if you want lunch and just accept that you won't get it without saying something about it. Of course if you don't want to board early and have lunch and some drinks you have no reason to say anything but then you might not understand why some people think that it's unfair.

 

I know this is first world problems but this is a cruiseforum so almost every problem we can discuss here is a first world problem!

 

You don't even see it as your definition of fair is different than others. It is ingrained in your way of looking at how the world operates. As I said, we won't agree as our way of looking at how things "should" operate are different. I was making a observation. You won't be changing your opinion and I won't be changing mine.

[sverigecruiser]

You don't even see it as your definition of fair is different than others. It is ingrained in your way of looking at how the world operates. As I said, we won't agree as our way of looking at how things "should" operate are different. I was making a observation. You won't be changing your opinion and I won't be changing mine.

 

Since I'm not the OP it wasn't me who started to say that it's unfair.

 

I postad after someone, an American, said that it should have been unfair if people paying a premium should get a late time. The thing is that we were assigned a late time for our cruise last summer and we had booked a suite=we had paid a premium.

 

You do know that more than 4 million people with Swedish roots live in America, right? It was the poorest who left Sweden so most likely many socialists among them...

[cruisemom42]

You don't even see it as your definition of fair is different than others. It is ingrained in your way of looking at how the world operates. As I said, we won't agree as our way of looking at how things "should" operate are different. I was making a observation. You won't be changing your opinion and I won't be changing mine.

 

It seems to me that what sverigecruiser is talking about is procedural fairness, which is (I hope) something we agree on in capitalisitic ol' USA as well. (Or else why do we bother to guarantee things like the right to a FAIR trial, etc.?)

 

Sverigecruiser's complaint, as I understand it, is that they paid for "a Yacht Club suite, top accomodation, on MSC Meraviglia last summer and ... were assigned a very late boarding time."

 

After some more questions, they clarified again that "Priority boarding is a part of the Yacht Club experience so (they) did paid extra for that."

 

I believe this is cause for complaint. If priority boarding was promised as a perk of the Yacht Club experiences, they should have received it.

 

In addition, I believe his or her point regarding clear communication also has a lot of merit. As long as everyone understands/is clear about the rules, then that is "procedural fairness".

[Texas Tillie]

...

Edited July 23, 2018 by Texas Tillie

[sverigecruiser]

After some more questions, they clarified again that "Priority boarding is a part of the Yacht Club experience so (they) did paid extra for that."

 

 

Our assigned time was after 3 but we decided not to care about it, after asking about it here on the MSC board. It wasn't enforced so we boarded around 10.30. If they had enforced it and made us wait I think that it should have been unfair. ( If that make me a socialist, okay.)

[sverigecruiser]

As long as everyone understands/is clear about the rules, then that is "procedural fairness".

 

This is absolutely what I mean.

 

It's not unfair if people paying less get less as long as they are told about it.

 

We don't know if the OP paid less than most other guests but if on deck 3, probably. I still think that they should have been told when they booked the cruise that lunch wasn't included the first day.

[Velvetwater]

What cruise lines allow passengers to choose their check in time online?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

NCL and Carnival asked me to in recent times and my upcoming P&O Oz has also.

[jocap]

At one time in Southampton, you could just turn up when you were ready, even with a late slot. It was often recommended that you did that, on these pages,

It still can happen, but we're dealing with enormous growth, both of number of ships and sizes of ships. Dock side staff may or may not check your time when you arrive- I've known both over the past two years- they will give you a coloured card according to your check in time, and if the rush of passengers eases, then you might be called.

And as I've said earlier- main line ships are served by their preferred company of coaches. These pick up from all around the UK, and radio in with their ETA. They are first to check in, whoever else is waiting, between 1-2.30pm. We've managed to squeeze in before that time, but if you arrive in those hours you might have to wait, as we had when we arrived with a non-cruise line coach.

[MicCanberra]

Priority boarding overrides the suggested boarding times which are usually assigned by deck.

[sverigecruiser]

Priority boarding overrides the suggested boarding times which are usually assigned by deck.

 

Maybe the cruiselines could inform their guests about that?

 

Or don't give someone with priority boarding an assigned time.

[MicCanberra]

Maybe the cruiselines could inform their guests about that?

 

Or don't give someone with priority boarding an assigned time.

Priority boarding means whatever time the passenger with it wants it to be (with in the scheduled boarding times of course, i.e 10.30am-4.30pm ).

 

The assigned time by deck does not matter as it is not individualised when someone has priority .

[sverigecruiser]

Priority boarding means whatever time the passenger with it wants it to be (with in the scheduled boarding times of course, i.e 10.30am-4.30pm ).

 

The assigned time by deck does not matter as it is not individualised when someone has priority .

 

I think that the cruiselines can skip to give a assigned time to cruisers with priority boarding.

[pacruise804]

I agree with much of your post and didn't view it as socialist:rolleyes:;). I've only recently started seeing staggered boarding, and it seems that each line handles it differently.

 

When we sailed Princess last year I didn't see anything about selecting a check-in time (and try to read T/C carefully). My final boarding documents listed a check-in time that was uncomfortably close to the latest time you could arrive and still be allowed to board. They listed their times by deck, not cabin category. We were in an upper level aft balcony - no special priority but also not the cheapest fare. I was relieved when posters on the Princess forum stated to ignore the "suggested" time and show up whenever we were comfortable.

 

Carnival allows you to select your check-in time, and many ports strictly enforce those times. We also paid for their priority program (FTTF), which allowed us to check-in prior to our arrival time. The Carnival forum mentions that some passengers are not even permitted to enter the terminal before their time.

 

I absolutely understand that there are limitations on the number of people who can be processed at the same time and I have no problem with that people are assigned different times. The problem is how it's done.

 

If people could select a time when they booked, no problem. agree

 

If people get a time based on their deck or roomtype, no problem if they are informed about it when the cruise is booked.

We were not informed until after the cruise was booked, or we might have chosen a different cabin.

 

If everything on the ship was closed during the embarkation so that the boarding time didn't matter as much that should feel okay too, I think.

I doubt this would be practical, but agree with your thought process if everyone had cabin access upon boarding.

 

What I don't think is fair is that people are just given a boarding time and the times differ with a few hours. I really think that it's amazing that not everyone think that it's unfair that some are allowed to spend maybe four hours extra on the ship when others are told that they have to wait to board. I think those whose boarding time is scheduled (by the cruise line with no input from the customer) so late that they can't get an embarkation meal should be credited for lunch. If they purchased a beverage package, maybe also receive a credit for one drink. I don't purchase packages, but would be upset if I couldn't have a drink until after muster if I had paid for the package expecting a drink and meal upon boarding.

 

Now when many have some kind of beverage packet, at least on some cruiseines, the best thing might be if everything was closed until everyone has boarded. I shouldn't like that but it should be more fair.

[Texas Tillie]

How is it possible to miss a meal on a cruise ship that serves free food in many locations 24 hours a day?

 

I flew to London this week. My boarding pass said "zone 6". I wasn't allowed to board the plane until those in Zones 1,2,3,4, and 5 had boarded.

The airline ever told me about this in advance.

I was forced to stand in a stuffy overcrowded terminal for an extra hour, when I should have been sitting in my comfortable airplane seat.

 

Unfair!! I want a refund!!!

 

++++++++

;p:confused::cool::hearteyes:

[sail7seas]

whomever thinks we were promised ' faiir' in life, was misinformed.

 

 

 

If late boading on a cruise ship is the most ' unfair we experience in life, how lucky are we? ! This is NOT my defi nition of meaningful unfair life experiences. ;)

 

 

Likely most of us can give examples of big time unfair experiences life throws at us.

Edited July 24, 2018 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

Sorry

 

 

deleted

[sail7seas]

How is it possible to miss a meal on a cruise ship that serves free food in many locations 24 hours a day?

 

I flew to London this week. My boarding pass said "zone 6". I wasn't allowed to board the plane until those in Zones 1,2,3,4, and 5 had boarded.

The airline ever told me about this in advance.

I was forced to stand in a stuffy overcrowded terminal for an extra hour, when I should have been sitting in my comfortable airplane seat.

 

 

 

Unfair!! I want a refund!!!

 

 

 

HOOT :D Like it

[ATC cruiser]

What is a comfortable airplane seat?

[TruckerDave]

How is it possible to miss a meal on a cruise ship that serves free food in many locations 24 hours a day?

 

I flew to London this week. My boarding pass said "zone 6". I wasn't allowed to board the plane until those in Zones 1,2,3,4, and 5 had boarded.

The airline ever told me about this in advance.

I was forced to stand in a stuffy overcrowded terminal for an extra hour, when I should have been sitting in my comfortable airplane seat.

 

Unfair!! I want a refund!!!

 

 

and double horror you probably didn't even have much/if any overhead bin space left being in that late of a group. You must make a long winded rant on the cruise air section over this injustice. :')

[navybankerteacher]

What is a comfortable airplane seat?

 

Easy! A comfortable airplane seat is either the wider one in business class or the reclining one in first class —- which always (UNFAIRLY) seem to be given only to to people who pay for business class or first class tickets (UNFAIR!).

[sail7seas]

I agree with much of your post and didn't view it as socialist:rolleyes:;). I've only recently started seeing staggered boarding, and it seems that each line handles it differently.

 

 

 

I do norf recall ever boarding a ship and not having t least -2--3 bars open. :)

 

 

 

 

When we sailed Princess last year I didn't see anything about selecting a check-in time (and try to read T/C carefully). My final boarding documents listed a check-in time that was uncomfortably close to the latest time you could arrive and still be allowed to board. They listed their times by deck, not cabin category. We were in an upper level aft balcony - no special priority but also not the cheapest fare. I was relieved when posters on the Princess forum stated to ignore the "suggested" time and show up whenever we were comfortable.

 

Carnival allows you to select your check-in time, and many ports strictly enforce those times. We also paid for their priority program (FTTF), which allowed us to check-in prior to our arrival time. The Carnival forum mentions that some passengers are not even permitted to enter the terminal before their time.

............

[iancal]

With over 20 cruises it this has never been an issue for us. Ever. Only time we were scheduled was a Princess cruise from Whites Quay in Sidney. We were given a time of 2:00pm. We showed up at 1:45, waited five or ten minutes, and then boarded the ship effortlessly.

 

I really do not understand the issue. Surely an hour or two is not going to ruin a vacation or make someone feel that they were personally slighted or indeed cheated.

[jagsfan]

RCI gave us a suggested check in time in April. We went at our usual time and were aboard so fast about ten of us had to wait for Windjammer to open for lunch. I don’t remember Horizon Court ever having the doors shut on embarkation day.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[MicCanberra]

How is it possible to miss a meal on a cruise ship that serves free food in many locations 24 hours a day?

 

I flew to London this week. My boarding pass said "zone 6". I wasn't allowed to board the plane until those in Zones 1,2,3,4, and 5 had boarded.

The airline ever told me about this in advance.

I was forced to stand in a stuffy overcrowded terminal for an extra hour, when I should have been sitting in my comfortable airplane seat.

 

Unfair!! I want a refund!!!

Exactly.

Recently, I went to the shop and I had to wait until the person in front of me was served, They didn't tell me in advance, totally unfair.

[pacruise804]

I think "fair/unfair" was probably a poor word choice by the op and a hot button word for many. I still think I'd be less than thrilled to book a cabin and not know before booking that the only check-in option is just before final all aboard time (assuming check-in times are enforced). It wouldn't ruin my cruise, but would start it with a bad taste in my mouth to board late - due to no choice on my part - have to rush to the cabin to avoid brining carry-on to muster drill, rather than leisurely boarding, getting a drink or meal, and being relaxed by the time muster begins.

 

If when you book check-in time options are shown, then it is the passenger's responsibility to find an option that works for them. Some people prefer late boarding and would rather spend time in port rather than on the ship, but those who prefer early check-in should have the information before booking to know what there options are to receive it (or not book the cruise).

 

I didn't think the issues was other's boarding before them, but not being given the information about their own boarding time until too late to change it.

 

I like to assume good intent of people though, so maybe everyone else is right and it was just whiny entitlement attitude.

 

How is it possible to miss a meal on a cruise ship that serves free food in many locations 24 hours a day?

 

It is possible if your check-in time is just before all aboard time and encounter any issues with check-in so that once you board everything is closed for muster drill.