Grand princess changes - fleet wide?

[elliair]

Yes, you paid for a cruise. Some times when you show up for a hotel room, you arrive before the time that the facility has set for getting into that room too so you wait. Probably doesn't happen too often, but it does. Yes, you paid for it in advance. So what? What difference does it make when you made your final payment? Along the same line, I would suspect that your eBoarding pass had a suggested boarding time listed on it also. Did you show up and board before that time? Bet you would really have been ticked off if it said, say 2:00pm and you were all checked in and ready to walk on the ship at 11:30 if they'd have told you "No, sorry, your boarding pass says 2:00pm, so you'll have to sit down and wait for 2 1/2 hours till that boarding time arrives." I don't know how they do it on all the ships, but at some of them, if for some reason the rooms are not ready when boarding starts, you can drop off your bags in one of the dinning rooms until they are able to get the rooms all ready. That's not the optimum situation for sure, but at least you can leave your carry-on items somewhere and go eat, have a drink, walk around or just sit and relax.

 

 

In any event, letting you board before the rooms are ready is a lot better than having to sit (or stand!) in the terminal building and not even board.

 

Just stop and think about it, you're going on a cruise to relax and have a good time. Why make a big todo over what is really a minor thing? You're getting all worked up over something that, by your own admission occurs less than .1% of the time so unless you've cruised over 1000 times, it's only happened to you once! That's pretty good odds!

 

Tom

 

Do not allow anyone on board until 2:00 pm. A hotel is not a cruise ship. Princess would think twice about people going to their cabin because that bar in the atrium is usually packed. It would cut down on their revenue on drinks. Hang out at the bar, go to Lido where you're approached countless times to purchase the wine package, coffee cards, soda cards, beverage package, wine tasting, spa treatments, etc. Herd everyone into one location and send out the sales brigade. Big to do over a minor thing? Ha! I said what we do, am I hurting you and making your cruise a nightmare? I'm hitting I'd say 99.9% average.:cool:

[Coffeeluvr05]

Sailing on the Grand in Sept and 1:00 to access my room seems reasonable. I want them to be able to turn over the rooms properly cleaned and sanitized. Still earlier than hotel check in!

 

 

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[Pierlesscruisers]

Do not allow anyone on board until 2:00 pm.

 

I fail to follow your rationale for that idea. You complain because you are not allowed to get into your stateroom for a half-hour or hour or so, and your solution is to keep you and everybody else off the entire ship for 2 1/2 hours or more? Can't figure out the logic there!

 

Tom

[pris993]

it's just another situation where a few individuals ( you know who you are ) felt "entitled" to do whatever they wanted regardless of what Princess requested - glad they started locking the doors.:mad:

 

it wasn't the drop and go passengers, it was the ones that

 

I'm just going to change clothes

Can you come back in a few minutes - I need to shower first

honey, open the balcony door and let's take some selfies

 

good for princess

 

check your luggage - take your backpack to whatever venue you are headed too

 

or next, you won't be boarding 'early' and having a nice opportunity to enjoy the rest of the ship while Princess does their jobs uninterrupted...:halo:

 

Boy do you have an attitude...lol

 

Experienced cruisers know the drill. We have never had a problem...

[pris993]

It seems for the last year or so Princess has been using the Grand to roll out or test new changes before going fleet wide , last year the Grand was the first ship to try out the unlimited internet package ( with horrific results), the first to start limiting the UBP to 15 drinks, and most recently the first to roll the coffee card on to your cruise card as a single cruise package.

 

I guess Princess has to use one of their ships as guinea pigs, and it seems to be the Grand

Srpilo

 

Service on the Grand is generally outstanding so not surprised the use to test new approaches.

[caribill]

Sailing on the Grand in Sept and 1:00 to access my room seems reasonable. I want them to be able to turn over the rooms properly cleaned and sanitized.

 

Until recently, Princess has managed to have all cabins ready by noon or within a few minutes after that. All properly cleaned and sanitized.

[caribill]

Do not allow anyone on board until 2:00 pm.

 

Yes, have up to 3000+ people sitting and standing in the terminal building and then all start to board at 2 PM.

 

At least that ends the question about having lunch in a dining room.

[caribill]

And if it's true that the Grand is the guinea pig, I read on another thread that the late night happy hour is back.

 

Per a post by Princess, that was not back permanently and definitely not fleetwide. Princess said it might or might not happen again occasionally.

[caribill]

I am guessing the room steward will accommodate your situation.

 

That is if they can get past the closed (and alarmed) doors that lead to the cabin area where they can see the steward.

[villauk]

Oh well if cabins aren’t ready till 1 I may do more cruising with Celebrity, a ready cabin is a great attraction to Princess

 

1pm on X too and you are definitely not allowed to drop anything in your cabins.

[dchip]

That is if they can get past the closed (and alarmed) doors that lead to the cabin area where they can see the steward.

 

So what happens to all the passengers on a B2B? Somehow I am having trouble seeing all the deck doors locked down.

 

Cheers, Denise

[land lover]

I would try and arrive at Pier 91 about 10:30 or so. There will be virtually no line at check-in and boarding, which is normally scheduled to begin at 1200 normally begins between 11:15 and 11:30.

 

Tom

 

Tom, unfortunately...some staff guiding people to check in lines at pier 91, assume that every pax is on their first cruise.....I was very disappointed how I was treated with priority boarding by a few employees. And on an Alaska cruise out of Seattle it certainly can save you time in line.

 

But, back to OP , same thing happened on Ruby in May...rear or forward elevator entrance, sending everyone up to the buffet...again so many new cruisers so many were clueless.

 

 

However, when I boarded it was about 12:15, I mentioned I wanted to go to the MDR..I was told I needed to go to the middle elevator bank.

 

 

I had to use the stairs as all the mid elevators were "busy"

 

 

I was just thinking is it possible they have decided to use some of the guest mid elevators for getting baggage to cabins, just a thought......

 

EDIT..forgot to mention.....the MDR on that Ruby sailing was totally dead...servers just stood and talked to me....they were all going on breaks and they were wondering where all the people were this was about 12:30. Even the MD came over and chatted.

Edited July 27, 2018 by land lover

[capriccio]

So what happens to all the passengers on a B2B? Somehow I am having trouble seeing all the deck doors locked down.

 

Cheers, Denise

 

Good question. Maybe since the Ruby Princess is sailing the same round trip itinerary each week this summer (Seattle/Seattle) no one does a B2B?

[land lover]

So what happens to all the passengers on a B2B? Somehow I am having trouble seeing all the deck doors locked down.

 

Cheers, Denise

 

 

That is one reason they have the dining room lunch, wasn't it originally set up for B2B travelers?

 

But you do raise an interesting question...

 

On RCI...B2B travelers are the only ones who have an DR lunch..and that is only available if there are 30 people or more interested.

However, I remember having a cabin steward letting us out when the doors were shut as RCI policy for years as been 1pm, but this was a B2B cruise rt Venice and no need for immigration.

 

Hopefully someone with Princess experience will post.

Edited July 27, 2018 by land lover

[voljeep]

the back to back passengers must be 'cleared' that is out of their cabins and go to a designated area ( think princess theatre ) or completely off the ship with their in transit cards

 

easy enough to then lock the hallway doors until all rooms are ready...;p

[Coral]

the back to back passengers must be 'cleared' that is out of their cabins and go to a designated area ( think princess theatre ) or completely off the ship with their in transit cards

 

easy enough to then lock the hallway doors until all rooms are ready...;p

 

This is not true for all cruises. I have been on plenty where we did not have to do this.

[capriccio]

But, back to OP , same thing happened on Ruby in May...rear or forward elevator entrance, sending everyone up to the buffet...again so many new cruisers so many were clueless.

 

I was just thinking is it possible they have decided to use some of the guest mid elevators for getting baggage to cabins, just a thought......

 

New cruisers are clueless (unless they are on cruise critic) about the MDR embarkation lunch - it took us a couple of cruises to realize - it but some who boarded early might have scoured the Patter in their cabin and seen that it is open. On our cruise I was actually surprised at how many people did attend the MDR lunch given that the overwhelming majority of passengers were new to Princess.

 

Your baggage comment has merit. I hadn't thought about it before but we (3 cabins, 7 people) all had our luggage when we arrived at our cabins around 1:15. That was probably the earliest delivery ever for us.

[voljeep]

This is not true for all cruises. I have been on plenty where we did not have to do this.

 

thanks for the clarification - please provide your specific examples when this happened, so myself and others will understand the process more clearly

[Coral]

thanks for the clarification - please provide your specific examples when this happened, so myself and others will understand the process more clearly

 

I have done a B2B Vancouver to Whittier to Vancouver multiple times.

 

Most of the time they have just said to make sure we go to the entry point and activate our new card. If we leave (no specification on when we have to leave the ship), to use the new card when we come back.

 

I have done a coastal Vancouver to LA and then LA to Mexico and back and did not have to "meet and go out" like they do in FLL since we had been in multiple US ports beforehand reaching LA.

 

I think those who do multiple FLL Caribbean think this is the norm.

 

I am curious about those in Southhampton as I met several who had been on for 2 months when I got on. Since there are no customs/immigration forms to fill out, I wonder if they had to do anything.

[voljeep]

I have done a B2B Vancouver to Whittier to Vancouver multiple times.

 

Most of the time they have just said to make sure we go to the entry point and activate our new card. If we leave (no specification on when we have to leave the ship), to use the new card again.

 

I have done a coastal Vancouver to LA and then LA to Mexico and did not have to "meet and go out" like they do in FLL since we had been in multiple US ports beforehand.

 

 

thanks - so you did have to exit the cabin and the hallways...so the doors could be locked if they chose to do so - gotcha...:rolleyes:

[land lover]

New cruisers are clueless (unless they are on cruise critic) about the MDR embarkation lunch - it took us a couple of cruises to realize - it but some who boarded early might have scoured the Patter in their cabin and seen that it is open. On our cruise I was actually surprised at how many people did attend the MDR lunch given that the overwhelming majority of passengers were new to Princess.

 

Your baggage comment has merit. I hadn't thought about it before but we (3 cabins, 7 people) all had our luggage when we arrived at our cabins around 1:15. That was probably the earliest delivery ever for us.

 

I just had a carry -on but did notice how so many bags were outside rooms, when gng to my cabin at 1pm..but then again that could just be the way baggage handling is at the airport for transfers......

[Coral]

thanks - so you did have to exit the cabin and the hallways...so the doors could be locked if they chose to do so - gotcha...:rolleyes:

 

No. I could choose when I went to security to re-activate my account. One time I spent part of the morning moving cabins. Another time, I just slept as my room was in a noisy area and I hadn't slept previously.

[MTJSR]

Two other things I found out during this BVE.

 

#1 The health form usually required before approaching check-in was gone and no longer required.

 

#2 The Grand Princess and the San Francisco port has the most BVE's of any port and any ship. Most embarkation ports seldom have BVE's That was reported to me by the staff in the SF terminal

[srpilo]

No. I could choose when I went to security to re-activate my account. One time I spent part of the morning moving cabins. Another time, I just slept as my room was in a noisy area and I hadn't slept previously.

But the best part is you don't have to attend the muster drill again

 

Srpilo

[DrivesLikeMario]

Thanks for the updates, Mark. (y)