Have boarding times become later .

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, Annabel50 said:

We have just checked in and received a check in time at the terminal of 1530 for departure Queen Victoria 25th June.We are Diamond but I am not sure that makes a difference anymore. Latest boarding time 1600. Having booked a hotel the night before we probably now find we could have travelled on the day. We will stick to the time to ensure others arent inconvenienced!

Diamond members of  CWC are given priority check in  as a benefit so you should expect to be allowed an embarkation time of one of the first to get onboard. You have earned that benefit from being loyal to Cunard and spending a lot of money with Cunard who should in turn honour that benefit. I would get in touch with TA or if booked direct a phone call to Cunard.

Edited June 5, 2023 by majortom10

[Annabel50]

I might give them a call, but likely to get the same response as when I tried on a trip last year and that is that many many people have now reached Diamond status, will let you know the outcome.

[gentlemancruiser]

Just got our QM2 check in time and yup 3:30   Deck 4 and we are platinum.     We'll be taking the 10:35 train from Waterloo down to Southampton so we'll definetly be arriving prior to 3:30!!!

[LadyL1]

18 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Diamond members of  CWC are given priority check in  as a benefit so you should expect to be allowed an embarkation time of one of the first to get onboard. You have earned that benefit from being loyal to Cunard and spending a lot of money with Cunard who should in turn honour that benefit. I would get in touch with TA or if booked direct a phone call to Cunard.

What you have said is correct, but Cunard cannot physically service this, especially on many Southampton roundtrips where Diamond and Platinum guests often total over 70%.

I believe the CWC tiers have not been updated in terms of boarding priority for over 15 years, and Cunard have now really dug themselves into a hole, where they advertise “perks” that cannot be upheld.

There is no doubt that boarding times are generally later now, and perhaps they are trying to introduce “priority” at your allocated time, but that will upset many.

What is needed is an up to date “frequent traveller” package that can be honoured. Perhaps a points system another cruise lines operate, or at least on number of days travelled rather than voyages which would be fairer! Maybe a new tier could be introduced, but that would probably be too much for their IT dept to cope with.😬

[Windsurfboy]

What is needed  is simple  honest open approach.

 

If they say boarding times are in order, for example 

 

QG

PG

BC

Platinum

Diamond

Others.

 

Everyone would understand.

 

But to say everyone is priority just leads to frustration

 

 

 

 

 

[North West Newbie]

14 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

What is needed  is simple  honest open approach.

 

If they say boarding times are in order, for example 

 

QG

PG

BC

Platinum

Diamond

Others.

 

Everyone would understand.

 

But to say everyone is priority just leads to frustration

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excuse me, us Diamond folk have priority over the Platinum people. 😉

[Windsurfboy]

58 minutes ago, North West Newbie said:

 

Excuse me, us Diamond folk have priority over the Platinum people. 😉

 

My error

[BigMac1953]

..and BC does not get any priority.

[Camgirl]

I boarded QV at just after 1 today. No problem, straight through the terminal. Noone waiting in the seats (Ocean terminal). Just a short queue to get through security. 

 

I spoke to cunard yesterday to ask why we were given 3.30. They told me we had clearly been missed on the inventory, so haven't been marked as priority. They said to go to terminal and show that our passes were marked diamond, and tell them we should have been marked as priority guests. 

 

In the event, they barely glanced at our boarding passes and just sent us straight to the empty priority queue.

[Windsurfboy]

1 hour ago, BigMac1953 said:

..and BC does not get any priority.

 

The table on page 146 of my good old paper brochure, Aug 22 to May 24, (relatively new ), showing what each stateroom class gets, has BC having priority embarkation and disembarkation 

[exlondoner]

4 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

The table on page 146 of my good old paper brochure, Aug 22 to May 24, (relatively new ), showing what each stateroom class gets, has BC having priority embarkation and disembarkation 

So does my May 23 to Dec 24, p. 142.

[Windsurfboy]

Thus the big problem is promising everyone priority (OK I exagerate) and that just causes frustration 

[D&N]

3 hours ago, BigMac1953 said:

..and BC does not get any priority.

We had forgotten that it was a listed perk.

 

But part way down a huge single queue it split and we noted that to the left was listed Britannia Club and several much higher levels. So we promptly went left rather than join the long snaking queue to the right! 🤣

[BigMac1953]

Apologies! I stand corrected.

 

Soon everyone will have priority embarkation.

[Windsurfboy]

31 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

 

Soon everyone will have priority embarkation.

 

That's the problem

[Annabel50]

On 6/5/2023 at 9:49 PM, majortom10 said:

Diamond members of  CWC are given priority check in  as a benefit so you should expect to be allowed an embarkation time of one of the first to get onboard. You have earned that benefit from being loyal to Cunard and spending a lot of money with Cunard who should in turn honour that benefit. I would get in touch with TA or if booked direct a phone call to Cunard.

Well I said I would give an update once I had spoken to Cunard just got off the phone………I have been informed that the checkin times are automatically computer generated and they can not change it and that I can turn up earlier although the queue will probably be longer. I explained that my husband is in a wheelchair and this makes life difficult having a few hours after checking out of our hotel. Was told that I could leave my bags at the hotel and use the hotel facilities. Basically they  weren’t interested in trying to help or accommodate someone with difficult circumstances.So I will arrive at the terminal at 1230 and pursue this at a higher level.

[Windsurfboy]

The problem Cunard have is with QG , PG, BC, Diamond and Platinium all being told they are PRIORITY , and wanting to turn up at 12.30 thinking priority means one of first on board. That's half the ship ,  passengers that should be spread out over first 2 hours of the 4 hour boarding window, all thinking they can get on first. A recipe for certainly frustration and potential  chaos.

 

 

Edited June 7, 2023 by Windsurfboy

[BigMac1953]

Wheelchair users always get priority anyway, so just turn up when it suits you.

[Se1lad]

Cunard could do with revamping its loyalty scheme.  It's not really that difficult to get to Diamond status (I've only started cruising properly in the last few years and I am already nearly there).  Once you've got the status you never loose it.  They could do with a tier above Diamond maybe linked to spend and minimum regular trips with some better benefits.  They could then make priority boarding just Diamond and the new tier.

 

On one of my recent trips it appeared that half the ship had priority boarding!

[Photo Andy]

We boarded on Tues 6 June at 2-45pm, our official boarding time was 3-15pm. Dropped car with CPS and into terminal, check in ladies were waiting. About 20 people checking in - straight through security, to room and visited muster, watched safety film. Lido eating by 3-30pm. Note we received a letter at check in Norovirus was onboard blaming a passenger from bringing onboard. 
Strict cross infection measures implemented, crew serving you, no salt or pepper on tables, even served the Worcestershire sauce for breakfast. This morning Thurs 8 June restrictions have been lifted.

Written in Starbucks in Stavanger, nice to walk around. 
Derek. 

[Photo Andy]

Should add this was Queen Victoria. 

[Alsun]

On 6/7/2023 at 12:06 PM, Windsurfboy said:

The problem Cunard have is with QG , PG, BC, Diamond and Platinium all being told they are PRIORITY , and wanting to turn up at 12.30 thinking priority means one of first on board. That's half the ship ,  passengers that should be spread out over first 2 hours of the 4 hour boarding window, all thinking they can get on first. A recipe for certainly frustration and potential  chaos.

 

 

QV, 6 June departure Ocean Terminal

 

We were given a 13.00 boarding time and arrived slightly earlier (traffic was light).

 

We noticed that all the groups mentioned by you were classed as one priority group and no difference was made between grills & non grills. Also anyone turning up with priority but a later boarding time was told they could board - even though their advised boarding time was more than an hour later. 

(I might have paid a bit attention to boarding passes whilst in security queue and noticed several being 14.30 or later - this was at 12.45)

 

 

[exlondoner]

17 minutes ago, Alsun said:

QV, 6 June departure Ocean Terminal

 

We were given a 13.00 boarding time and arrived slightly earlier (traffic was light).

 

We noticed that all the groups mentioned by you were classed as one priority group and no difference was made between grills & non grills. Also anyone turning up with priority but a later boarding time was told they could board - even though their advised boarding time was more than an hour later. 

(I might have paid a bit attention to boarding passes whilst in security queue and noticed several being 14.30 or later - this was at 12.45)

 

 

I think this must all be down to how the Intercruises people feel on the day. On the previous cruise, they were checking everyone in, until the terminal became over full, though there were a lot of priority check ins and a much shorter queue that side. However, they were being strict about calling people forward for security and embarkation. Our pass was checked twice to make sure we weren’t just pretending to be QG.

[Se1lad]

On 6/5/2023 at 9:49 PM, majortom10 said:

Diamond members of  CWC are given priority check in  as a benefit so you should expect to be allowed an embarkation time of one of the first to get onboard. You have earned that benefit from being loyal to Cunard and spending a lot of money with Cunard who should in turn honour that benefit. I would get in touch with TA or if booked direct a phone call to Cunard.

You don’t necessary have to spend a lot of money to get diamond status - you could to diamond with a £3000pp spend, or platinum with a £1400pp spend if you were doing 2 night cruises in an inside cabin.

 

At the other end of the scale you could spend the same on a 1 week trip in QG and only be silver !

[Victoria2]

3 minutes ago, Se1lad said:

You don’t necessary have to spend a lot of money to get diamond status - you could to diamond with a £3000pp spend, or platinum with a £1400pp spend if you were doing 2 night cruises in an inside cabin.

 

At the other end of the scale you could spend the same on a 1 week trip in QG and only be silver !

I'm an onlooker here as we get to board first anyway but I agree with you. I did hear at one point. pre Covid 'they' were having a look at  the CWC system, but nothing further was heard.

 

Changing to number of nights spent on board would be a more fair reflection of loyalty, be that in an inside cabin or a Q1 suite.