X:"We recommend that you arrive to the pier within your selected arrival time. Early arrivals may have a prolonged wait time"

[George C]

24 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Suite guests or those with priority can check in whenever, "special area"/line may vary by location but generally you just find an employee to tell them you're a suite guest and they'll direct you.

We had a little issue , they didn’t see our name on list , but it was written in on first page , I was ready to ask for a supervisor of some sought , but after about 10 mins they realized our suite and got vip service after.

[Frenchkona]

Why do people feel like”this does not apply to me. I’m special. I can go whenever I want so I can either chow down at the buffet or scarf down lobster rolls at Luminaire.”  People we just went through a pandemic, and if you had an opportunity to take a cruise 6 months ago, you would have followed every rule or “suggestion” to make it happen. Even if though you think you are, you’re not privileged; all of us are in the same boat (literally).  So don’t bend the rules to pacify your selfish intentions. Take your time, enjoy being alive and don’t try to screw up everyone’s return to a relief from this past tragic event. 

 

[marienbad]

34 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Suite guests or those with priority can check in whenever, "special area"/line may vary by location but generally you just find an employee to tell them you're a suite guest and they'll direct you.

Thanks

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, gold1953 said:

not all hotels have a good place to spend a few hours

Every hotel I've ever stayed at, whether budget or luxury, has someplace to spend a few hours that's better than standing in line outside the cruise terminal. The only thing that makes this difficult is inflexibility.

[sanger727]

2 hours ago, RichYak said:

It really isn't that hard. You only need to vacate your room at check out time, not the hotel premises.

 

If you book a hotel that has a shuttle, those don't usually run all day; they are geared around a morning arrival to the pier. I HATE sitting around a hotel waiting for something with nothing to do with a passion. I get that there may not be a better alternative now. But for me, the chance of waiting outside the terminal for 2 hours with a 50% chance of getting onboard early is better than voluntarily sitting around the hotel for 5 hours with no chance of getting onboard early. 

 

And  this isn't a cruise specific thing. I am already anticipating hating one of the days on my trip coming up in a couple months. Just due to logistics we have what is essentially an overnight layover. One flight will arrive on 9/28 and we couldn't get a flight out the next day until 6:30 pm on 9/29. It's in a city that we have no interested in exploring (there are a lot of safety concerns) so it's going to be a loooooong day of waiting. 

Edited July 13, 2021 by sanger727

[George C]

1 hour ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Suite guests or those with priority can check in whenever, "special area"/line may vary by location but generally you just find an employee to tell them you're a suite guest and they'll direct you.

They should have had a sign for suite quest like they and every other cruise line has , it was definitely a little confusing , person we book with said one thing , then concierge said another, they could have handled this better.

[mom says]

56 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

 

If you book a hotel that has a shuttle, those don't usually run all day; they are geared around a morning arrival to the pier. I HATE sitting around a hotel waiting for something with nothing to do with a passion. I get that there may not be a better alternative now. But for me, the chance of waiting outside the terminal for 2 hours with a 50% chance of getting onboard early is better than voluntarily sitting around the hotel for 5 hours with no chance of getting onboard early. 

 

And  this isn't a cruise specific thing. I am already anticipating hating one of the days on my trip coming up in a couple months. Just due to logistics we have what is essentially an overnight layover. One flight will arrive on 9/28 and we couldn't get a flight out the next day until 6:30 pm on 9/29. It's in a city that we have no interested in exploring (there are a lot of safety concerns) so it's going to be a loooooong day of waiting. 

If the shuttles aren't running, then get an Uber. Much more comfortable anyway. And ask your spouse how they feel about standing in a line for hours, exposed to the elements. If my husband wanted to do that, he'd be standing by himself.

 

Is it really that difficult to find something to pass the time? Even a small child can be distracted without that much difficulty. If it is so impossible to find a diversion outside the hotel for a few hours (and I find that hard to believe in most embarkation port cities), then download a couple of movies to watch or read a book.

 

Inflexibility seems like a sure recipe for disappointment and frustration, and never more so than now, with ever changing protocols which are necessary to promote the health of the general public. I hope you can find a more practical solution to your pre embarkation dilemma.

[ch175]

We used to try to get on the ship as early as possible.

 

Then one trip we decided to sleep in, take our time eating breakfast, checked out later, and did some sightseeing. It was much more enjoyable than the stress of rushing to get on the ship.

 

I don’t care anymore about hitting lunch when we board. We go straight to our cabin since we don’t have to wait until they are done cleaning.

 

For us, relaxing and taking it slow on that first day is the way to go. Although if there are assigned times now, will I get chewed out if I show up at 4 instead of 1:30?

[sanger727]

1 hour ago, mom says said:

If the shuttles aren't running, then get an Uber. Much more comfortable anyway. And ask your spouse how they feel about standing in a line for hours, exposed to the elements. If my husband wanted to do that, he'd be standing by himself.

 

Is it really that difficult to find something to pass the time? Even a small child can be distracted without that much difficulty. If it is so impossible to find a diversion outside the hotel for a few hours (and I find that hard to believe in most embarkation port cities), then download a couple of movies to watch or read a book.

 

Inflexibility seems like a sure recipe for disappointment and frustration, and never more so than now, with ever changing protocols which are necessary to promote the health of the general public. I hope you can find a more practical solution to your pre embarkation dilemma.

my DH is often the pusher to get to places early. He is happy to arrive an hour early and stand around and wait. This is us. Not you. It’s not about being unable to find a diversion. It’s about the fact that I won’t enjoy anything we would do. Why spend time and money doing something we wouldn’t enjoy? As long as aren’t ‘there’ nightmare scenarios can run through my head of car break downs, highway closures, horrible bloody accidents, etc. once we are ‘there’ I feel much better.

Edited July 13, 2021 by sanger727

[Gracie115]

What in the world is wrong with people?  If they say arrive at 2PM then arrive at 2PM not 11AM hoping for an early check in.  

 

My DH said a month ago that there were many who would ignore these recommendations because, of course, it's the "all about me" world.   With everything that has happened in the last 16 months one would think missing an hour or two on board would not be important, it certainly isn't to me.  Apparently I'm wrong.  

 

As @Frenchkonasaid:

 

Take your time, enjoy being alive and don’t try to screw up everyone’s return to a relief from this past tragic event. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

It sounds like the current system is a win for everyone.  If you show up during your window you can get on.  If you're early, you wait outside the terminal until every pax present within the embarkation window is already on.  This probably isn't all that bad right now with limited capacity but may be a problem in the future with full capacity.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

4 hours ago, George C said:

They should have had a sign for suite quest like they and every other cruise line has , it was definitely a little confusing , person we book with said one thing , then concierge said another, they could have handled this better.

When we sailed out of Port Everglades Terminal 25 in a Royal or Penthouse Suite we had a placard for the driver to put in the windshield.  We pulled up right to the entrance and were met by a host with a list of eligible guests.  A porter took our luggage right there and we were directed to the entrance adjacent to the building.  Did you have a difference experience? 

[Denny01]

After reading the posts of those who have Actually gone on board and used this system, it sounds fantastic. Most all of us have experienced the huge crowds, either early or late and it is a pain. Most all of the posters state they walk in close to their check in time and all goes very quickly and smoothly. 

 

How can we beat that?

 

If sitting around some hotel isn’t your thing, which infers you have a later check in time, then Go To a Local Diner……and enjoy. This isn’t really that difficult now is it??

 

den

[RichYak]

6 hours ago, sanger727 said:

 

But for me, the chance of waiting outside the terminal for 2 hours with a 50% chance of getting onboard early is better than voluntarily sitting around the hotel for 5 hours with no chance of getting onboard early. 

5 hour wait at hotel vs 2 hour wait at port implies that you've booked a hotel that's nearly 3 hours away from the ship. In your case, I would suggest some sightseeing or lunch during that journey.

[Arizona Wildcat]

10 hours ago, gold1953 said:

I the past they let people board as they arrived even though the cruise contract stated a time.  Perhaps this will change as they try to keep crowds down.

this is hard when you have a check out time at a hotel and have transport from said hotel

Why is it difficult?  Seemed pretty simple in the past to wait at the motel - lobby, pool area, breakfast area or ?.  Then schedule your transport.  Have also dropped off our luggage at the port and gone elsewhere for lunch.

You certainly also can wait at the terminal.  We have waited as long as 6 hours when boarding was delayed.

[Bruin Steve]

If there is any kind of priority boarding for the Apex in Athens, they certainly aren't telling us...

We are in a Suite...and we are also Elite plus Captains Club...

But, thus far, all we have been told is that our appointment time is 11:30-Noon and that we need to go through check-in and Covid testing when we arrive...and they want everyone at their appointed time as they have scheduled that Covid testing...which we have to do even though  are both full vaccinated...as everyone on the ship over the age of 16 is required to be...

 

As for hanging out at the hotel with late check-out, I find that fairly unappealing...I would like to be onboard for my lunch in Luminae...and, as to leaving my luggage with the hotel, equally not appealing...I will have been in Athens four days by that point...and likely toured out...And the distance between hotel and port is over 9 miles--through Athens traffic...No way I want to delay that ride until later in the day...

 

So, I am checking out at around 10:15 am and taking a taxi straight to the pier...If I get any kind of priority for being in a suite or for my Elite Plus status, great...If not, that's why I requested the earliest possible boarding time.

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, Bruin Steve said:

And the distance between hotel and port is over 9 miles--through Athens traffic...No way I want to delay that ride until later in the day...

 

You're worried about a 9 mile drive that takes about 20 minutes??  hope you are indulging in some hyperbole, otherwise 😮.

 

I've never headed to Piraeus before around 2pm on 5 embarkations from that port.

[Bruin Steve]

2 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

You're worried about a 9 mile drive that takes about 20 minutes??  hope you are indulging in some hyperbole, otherwise 😮.

 

I've never headed to Piraeus before around 2pm on 5 embarkations from that port.

I'm not "worried" about it...I just don't want to do it later...I want to get it out of the way early...I don't worry about getting to the ship...I just LIKE to get to the ship.  Embarkation day is not a sightseeing day for me.  No "hyperbole"...PREFERENCE...YOU, apparently, like to get to the ship later, I like to get to the ship earlier...You want to scramble around Athens, I want to get to the ship and relax...

[Denny01]

Methinks more than a few are looking for an excuse to Whine!  
 

den

[cruisemom42]

4 minutes ago, Bruin Steve said:

You want to scramble around Athens, I want to get to the ship and relax...

 

Actually the opposite. As I said in another thread, I have (on at least a couple of occasions) enjoyed a leisurely lunch on the rooftop of the Grande Bretagne with a great view of the Acropolis and thus avoided any "scramble" at the port. 😂. I find that much more relaxing and civilized.

 

[Bruin Steve]

16 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Actually the opposite. As I said in another thread, I have (on at least a couple of occasions) enjoyed a leisurely lunch on the rooftop of the Grande Bretagne with a great view of the Acropolis and thus avoided any "scramble" at the port. 😂. I find that much more relaxing and civilized.

 

Okay...Good for you as well...My point is just that we all have different preferences on how we like to spend that day...

 

And, to Den:

I don't see anyone "whining here".  We all had pre-Covid routines for embarkation day...all of which involved cruise line procedures for checking in...and we all got to understand all about "appointment times", whether you could board earlier, whether there was priority for Suites or for Captains Club standing, etc.  Now, "post-pandemic", the rules have likely changed.  The website and emails are, as always, confusing at best.  People just want to know what the new rules actually are...and how they are being enforced.  It is a reasonable question for discussion on this board.  I, for one, don't have a precise answer.  I have an idea...and I have a strategy for coping with what I think the situation is...one that works with MY routine of how to spend embarkation day.  Hanging out at the Grande Bretagne may work for cruisemom.  Leaving luggage at their hotel and doing additional sightseeing may work for some others.  But some of us prefer to get to the ship as early as we can and are trying to figure out what that is.  It's NOT "whining", it's just planning.  For example, though I've read here that some people think there's a priority for suites, I have not heard any definitive word on that...BUT I would sure like to know...It would help with MY planning.  And it's why I came to this thread--in hope that someone has a definitive answer.

Edited July 14, 2021 by Bruin Steve

[UKWLDCruise]

I have about a 90 mile drive to Southampton from London to do in a few weeks.  As I won't think of my restored classic min being in a car park for a week or so I have booked a cab and their estimate is between two hours thirty minutes and one hour forty five for the journey.  I am leaving at 10am so I could arrive 45 minutes early or bang on for my 12.30 slot.  I think on balance I am being reasonable but I might turn up a little early.

[lyndarra]

30 minutes ago, UKWLDCruise said:

I have about a 90 mile drive to Southampton from London to do in a few weeks.  As I won't think of my restored classic min being in a car park for a week or so I have booked a cab and their estimate is between two hours thirty minutes and one hour forty five for the journey.  I am leaving at 10am so I could arrive 45 minutes early or bang on for my 12.30 slot.  I think on balance I am being reasonable but I might turn up a little early.

OT. Nice looking Mini. My first car was a '61 850.

[Covepointcruiser]

Be aware if the heat in Greece especially for embarkation.   There is a tent but no air conditioning.   Suite or not, once you are at the tent you will have your COVID test.   You will then wait 20 or so minutes for the results in the hot tent.    Dress for the heat when boarding.    We were on a different, smaller, ship but I assume the process at the Athens port will be the same for all lines.

[yorky]

18 hours ago, paulh84 said:

Why is this such a point of contention? Show up when they ask to make things a little easier on everyone. 

I think we all know that’s not going to happen. We don’t really live in a world these days where “ making it easier on everyone else” is the norm.