Priority Boarding question

[CruiseCritic911]

Hi all,  quick question on boarding.  We booked a cruise on the Ruby very short notice and could only get a very late boarding time, so I know my chances of getting Sanctuary chairs is not good, but I am platinum , I have never used priority boarding because we are normally group A.  When I read the benefits it says "priority" boarding, but what does that really mean?  Can we come earlier and board before our scheduled time?  I now that is not cool and we never do that in order to respect the process, but if that is really a benefit of loyalty I am willing to try and grab those soft chairs all week.  I also remember people saying that some of the boarding had changed so I wanted to check with the experts here.  🙂

Thanks

Amy

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

There is NOTHING set in stone about theses so-called "boarding groups" or "arrival times".  They are simply a (poor) method of trying to spread out the rush of people who may be present when the doors open.  They are not monitored or enforced.  If you have priority boarding then you *should* be able to board whenever you like (after the Elites & such).

[Moondogy]

32 minutes ago, CruiseCritic911 said:

Hi all,  quick question on boarding.  We booked a cruise on the Ruby very short notice and could only get a very late boarding time, so I know my chances of getting Sanctuary chairs is not good, but I am platinum , I have never used priority boarding because we are normally group A.  When I read the benefits it says "priority" boarding, but what does that really mean?  Can we come earlier and board before our scheduled time?  I now that is not cool and we never do that in order to respect the process, but if that is really a benefit of loyalty I am willing to try and grab those soft chairs all week.  I also remember people saying that some of the boarding had changed so I wanted to check with the experts here.  🙂

Thanks

Amy

 

You don't mention which port and out of all the princess cruises we've been on it's only been 2 different ports. Both ports though have had priority boarding lines (PES) Platinum, Elite, Suites. Port Everglades has a lounge they put you in, and then they take elites, then suites then platinum's if I remember right. As far as Seatac, they let us go straight on so don't remember seeing a lounge. When you arrive at the port look for the priority boarding line, or ask a princess employee. 😎 Happy sailing 

[that]

42 minutes ago, CruiseCritic911 said:

Hi all,  quick question on boarding.  We booked a cruise on the Ruby very short notice and could only get a very late boarding time, so I know my chances of getting Sanctuary chairs is not good, but I am platinum , I have never used priority boarding because we are normally group A.  When I read the benefits it says "priority" boarding, but what does that really mean?  Can we come earlier and board before our scheduled time?  I now that is not cool and we never do that in order to respect the process, but if that is really a benefit of loyalty I am willing to try and grab those soft chairs all week.  I also remember people saying that some of the boarding had changed so I wanted to check with the experts here.  🙂

Thanks

Amy

 

As a Platinum guest you receive priority boarding.  You do not have to wait for any scheduled time.  Suggest you get to port early, check in and wait in the elite lounge, which begins to board after in transit guests. Good luck securing Sanctuary spots.🤞🏻
 

[voljeep]

16 minutes ago, that said:

As a Platinum guest you receive priority boarding.  You do not have to wait for any scheduled time.  Suggest you get to port early, check in and wait in the elite lounge, which begins to board after in transit guests. Good luck securing Sanctuary spots.🤞🏻
 

'Platinum' does not wait in the 'Elite' lounge ... sorry

[that]

Hmmmm.  Thank you for the correction

Edited March 21, 2023 by that

[CruiseCritic911]

1 hour ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

There is NOTHING set in stone about theses so-called "boarding groups" or "arrival times".  They are simply a (poor) method of trying to spread out the rush of people who may be present when the doors open.  They are not monitored or enforced.  If you have priority boarding then you *should* be able to board whenever you like (after the Elites & such).

Thanks Rick, I agree, we try to abide by the assigned time but I see it rarely enforced, I am going to try it and see if the priority really works. I appreciate your help. 

[CruiseCritic911]

1 hour ago, Moondogy said:

You don't mention which port and out of all the princess cruises we've been on it's only been 2 different ports. Both ports though have had priority boarding lines (PES) Platinum, Elite, Suites. Port Everglades has a lounge they put you in, and then they take elites, then suites then platinum's if I remember right. As far as Seatac, they let us go straight on so don't remember seeing a lounge. When you arrive at the port look for the priority boarding line, or ask a princess employee. 😎 Happy sailing 

Good question - I should have included the port, it is Galveston.  I don't think I have ever seen an actual lounge but I was not looking so could have missed it.  We will give it a try and see what happens.  Thanks for the response. 

[CruiseCritic911]

1 hour ago, that said:

As a Platinum guest you receive priority boarding.  You do not have to wait for any scheduled time.  Suggest you get to port early, check in and wait in the elite lounge, which begins to board after in transit guests. Good luck securing Sanctuary spots.🤞🏻
 

Thanks, yes, we are keeping our fingers crossed.  We were on the Ruby in January and it was not crowded at all so it was easy to get in The Sanctuary, but since this could be spring break for some schools we are a little worried it will be crowded.  Not that the ruby has an awesome Sanctuary, I just like to have a lounger if I want one.  My husband and I both work from home so we are lucky to get to cruise a lot but I like to have a lounger on hold for in between meetings.  And I do not want to be a dreaded chair HOG.  🙂 

[kywildcatfanone]

Boarding times are just a suggestion.  Go as early as you want and they won't ask you about a boarding letter.

[coo359a2]

2 hours ago, that said:

As a Platinum guest you receive priority boarding.  You do not have to wait for any scheduled time.  Suggest you get to port early, check in and wait in the elite lounge, which begins to board after in transit guests. Good luck securing Sanctuary spots.🤞🏻
 

On the Regal now -B2B - and got off the ship in Fort Lauderdale to get a sweater from our car parked at the terminal parking garage. After going through security, we were directed to the transit seating area.  After ship was ready for reboarding, we were taken upstairs and were behind passengers from the Elite Lounge who were already boarding. 

[wcflats]

Really nice that you’re trying to be respectful of others…so refreshing in these days.  Totally agree with Rick and Jeannie.  Just get there and let the cruise staff sort it out.  No one should give you any grief about that…I for one wouldn’t.  Happy to have you all on a cruise!👍😁

[CruiseCritic911]

1 hour ago, kywildcatfanone said:

Boarding times are just a suggestion.  Go as early as you want and they won't ask you about a boarding letter.

thanks everyone, I appreciate the advice.  

 

[nini]

2 hours ago, voljeep said:

'Platinum' does not wait in the 'Elite' lounge ... sorry

Yes, they usually share.

[nini]

In our experience, as someone else stated, it is Elite, Platinum and Suites have priority... BUT that is AFTER handicap/ wheelchairs.

Get there anytime and they will sort you.

[SiliconCruiser]

8 hours ago, CruiseCritic911 said:

Hi all,  quick question on boarding.  We booked a cruise on the Ruby very short notice and could only get a very late boarding time, so I know my chances of getting Sanctuary chairs is not good, but I am platinum , I have never used priority boarding because we are normally group A.  When I read the benefits it says "priority" boarding, but what does that really mean?  Can we come earlier and board before our scheduled time?  I now that is not cool and we never do that in order to respect the process, but if that is really a benefit of loyalty I am willing to try and grab those soft chairs all week.  I also remember people saying that some of the boarding had changed so I wanted to check with the experts here.  🙂

Thanks

Amy

 

It has been our experience that they don't really care about the arrival times.  Ever since our very first Princess cruise, we get to the port early, get checked in early, and board early, regardless of embarkation port.  That's been our experience at multiple U.S. ports, Europe, and Asia.
On our first cruise, we were just told to get there early so that we could have lunch in the MDR.  We have since found out that we have always had priority board (before suites and Elite/Platinum.)

[SiliconCruiser]

7 hours ago, voljeep said:

'Platinum' does not wait in the 'Elite' lounge ... sorry

Maybe not in your world, but there is a Platinum/Elite area for both embarkation and disembarkation.

[coo359a2]

1 hour ago, SiliconCruiser said:

Maybe not in your world, but there is a Platinum/Elite area for both embarkation and disembarkation.

Fort Lauderdale has 2 separate areas  for embarkation for Platinum and Elite to wait until boarding begins. That’s the only US port we arrive early enough to have to wait in a lounge.      For Disembarkation, the ship  has one lounge set aside for all Elite/Platinum. 

[SiliconCruiser]

7 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

Fort Lauderdale has 2 separate areas  for embarkation for Platinum and Elite to wait until boarding begins. That’s the only US port we arrive early enough to have to wait in a lounge.      For Disembarkation, the ship  has one lounge set aside for all Elite/Platinum. 

We were on a B2B and never experienced that.  But understood since they probably have a lot of Elite in FL (and I think a lot of them think of themselves as 'elite'.)

[trbarton]

9 hours ago, that said:

As a Platinum guest you receive priority boarding.  You do not have to wait for any scheduled time.  Suggest you get to port early, check in and wait in the elite lounge, which begins to board after in transit guests. Good luck securing Sanctuary spots.🤞🏻
 

The Elite Lounge is only for Elite passenger's & they will check your status. Suite & Elite board first followed by everyone else. 
 

Tom😀

[lx200gps]

7 hours ago, coo359a2 said:

Fort Lauderdale has 2 separate areas  for embarkation for Platinum and Elite to wait until boarding begins. That’s the only US port we arrive early enough to have to wait in a lounge.      For Disembarkation, the ship  has one lounge set aside for all Elite/Platinum. 

FWIW, at PE in February, the upstairs lounge was not even used. We all sat in the downstairs hall until boarding started. A HUGE number of B2Bers boarded ahead of us PES folks.

[Moondogy]

8 hours ago, trbarton said:

The Elite Lounge is only for Elite passenger's & they will check your status. Suite & Elite board first followed by everyone else. 
 

Tom😀

I did not know that, at Ft Lauderdale they have a lounge and we're only lowly platinum's and they put us in that lounge. They must have made a BIG mistake 🤣 With as much as princess is taking away the benefits I really don't care if I ever get to that elite status

Edited March 22, 2023 by Moondogy

[Yowman]

So where do those in Club Class (Reserve Collection) fit into the hierarchy of priority boarding?

[lexyplexy]

17 hours ago, nini said:

Yes, they usually share.

Yes, I agree. The cruise ports we have sailed out of do share.

[coo359a2]

35 minutes ago, lexyplexy said:

Yes, I agree. The cruise ports we have sailed out of do share.

Guess Fort Lauderdale is one of a few ports that have separate areas. Will find out about Southampton in June and San Francisco in September if we get there before boarding starts