Check-in without a Medallion

[JF - retired RRT]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who is wondering how this works.

In the past, we showed our boarding docs to get through the door to go to check-in (primarily at San Pedro). Once through the door, go to the line for check-in and receive the "card" for doors, purchases, etc.

On our first Medallion cruise, our Medallions were mailed at no charge. For our next cruise we didn't purchase a package so would have to pay $10 to get them mailed. We've opted not to do that.

So...we arrive at the port (San Pedro) and approach the "gate keepers" at the door...now what?

 

Anyone with experience at San Pedro? Are there still "gate keepers"? Just walk in and get in line? Show paperwork? Show something on the app...if I can get it to load (an iffy proposition).

[EDDY0827]

Since you won't have your medallions, you will be blue lane. Have your passport and phone app ready and proceed accordingly through the signage.

[PacnGoNow]

19 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

I'm sure I'm not the only one who is wondering how this works.

In the past, we showed our boarding docs to get through the door to go to check-in (primarily at San Pedro). Once through the door, go to the line for check-in and receive the "card" for doors, purchases, etc.

On our first Medallion cruise, our Medallions were mailed at no charge. For our next cruise we didn't purchase a package so would have to pay $10 to get them mailed. We've opted not to do that.

So...we arrive at the port (San Pedro) and approach the "gate keepers" at the door...now what?

 

Anyone with experience at San Pedro? Are there still "gate keepers"? Just walk in and get in line? Show paperwork? Show something on the app...if I can get it to load (an iffy proposition).

We recently went out of San Pedro.  You line up outside.  

 

(Everyone except the wheelchair guests, they are held in a tent area and go OB, when the checkin opens.)

 

We arrived early, 945 am.  They open the terminal check in at 1000 am.  Everyone with a medallion goes in the

green lane and no medallion blue lane.

 

After checkin, you go through security and then a waiting area.

Elites/Suites/platinum are shown the priority lounge to wait.  We waited about 1/2 hour and boarded first.

We were OB before 11am.

 

BTW, the gatekeeper let us in at 1000 am to checkin.  Have passports in hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 16 by PacnGoNow

[JF - retired RRT]

18 minutes ago, EDDY0827 said:

Since you won't have your medallions, you will be blue lane. Have your passport and phone app ready and proceed accordingly through the signage.

What if the app won't load?

I tried it last night and it wouldn't load. This morning it loaded. Kind of iffy.

[EDDY0827]

Travel summary and passport should be all you need.

[mtnesterz]

Sailed several times out of San Pedro. 

You don't need the App to check in. We don't use it. We do bring hard copies of documents. Never needed them, just do it out of habit. Just get in Blue lane to pick up your Medallion. This is what we do.

Pre-boarding however, we do on the web version. Assure the credit card on file is the one you want to use. If not, they'll add yours at the Medallion pick-up desk.

[Cruise Raider]

Our boarding in San Pedro was a bit different than @PacnGoNow’s.  
We waited to get through security and then another line to allow us to go through check in.  We took a later flight so we got to the port around 1:00 PM.  The blue line was crazy long but the green line allowed us to go right through.  We weren’t allowed to go right through the green line until they allowed the blue line to die down a bit.  That was uncalled for, IMO and a bit irritating.  Nonetheless, we got onboard, dropped off our luggage and let the fun begin!  

[PacnGoNow]

5 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

What if the app won't load?

I tried it last night and it wouldn't load. This morning it loaded. Kind of iffy.

You don’t need the App.  They only ask if you Have a medallion, send you to the correct lane.  There, they ask for your passport, check you in, then give you your medallions.

[PacnGoNow]

6 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

Our boarding in San Pedro was a bit different than @PacnGoNow’s.  
We waited to get through security and then another line to allow us to go through check in.  We took a later flight so we got to the port around 1:00 PM.  The blue line was crazy long but the green line allowed us to go right through.  We weren’t allowed to go right through the green line until they allowed the blue line to die down a bit.  That was uncalled for, IMO and a bit irritating.  Nonetheless, we got onboard, dropped off our luggage and let the fun begin!  

So much for showing up later. SMH

[antsp]

1 hour ago, EDDY0827 said:

Since you won't have your medallions, you will be blue lane. Have your passport and phone app ready and proceed accordingly through the signage.

Just your passport, the app is irrelevant 

[Cruise Raider]

37 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

So much for showing up later. SMH

we usually take an earlier flight but wow, this worked out so well.  But yes, we would have been through in no time at all if they had t made us wait for the blue line to die down.  That was rather annoying.  I would say, so much for getting the medallion mailed out.  I’m sure it works out better at other ports.  

[Paula_MacFan]

52 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

What if the app won't load?

I tried it last night and it wouldn't load. This morning it loaded. Kind of iffy.

I agree the app is mostly irrelevant for checking in and I always have printed copies of Travel Summary and other documents. However, I also take a screen shot of my app green lane status to show if asked. That way you're not relying on spotty service/connection.

[symui]

I boarded at San Pedro on 12/1/23 without a medallion.  All you really need is your passport but we always bring a hard copy and screenshot of the travel summary as some agents can find your reservation faster if you have it handy.  

 

Agree with CruiseRaider that boarding was a bit of a mess but I have certainly seen worse.   We arrived at 2pm and there was a line outside the tents so we were glad it was not raining. If it was better organised the total time from curb to cabin would have been about 30 minutes faster.  Green lane might have saved about 15 minutes on that particular day/time at San Pedro

 

Most of my embarkations with Princess (San Francisco) have been in fairly smooth with or without a medallion.  Much better than airlines on average which IMO are the weakest link when traveling

[preta]

The distinction between blue and green lanes is strictly having a medallion or not. If you have it, you are green, if not, blue. The blue lane is always slower and longer than the green lane, sometimes substantially. It is well worth the extra $10 to me to get the medallions shipped to my house, although I definitely resent the petty nickel-and-diming of the extra charge. Let's all complain about that during the post-cruise survey.

Either way, you really only need your passport (or other identifying papers - be really careful that you have whatever is required). They look up your records based on your cabin. If you have the app, they scan the QR code to find you. If you have the medallion, you scan it to look up your records. If you have neither, they can find you based on your cabin number, and if you don't know that, they can use your name.

[Steelers36]

8 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

After checkin, you go through security and then a waiting area.

Elites/Suites/platinum are shown the priority lounge to wait.  We waited about 1/2 hour and boarded first.

Not sure if we will ever cruise from SP, but were the Suites & Elites in their own area and did they board ahead of Platinum?  Or, were you at least handed different boarding group cards so when they opened it up, the A's and B's were Suites and Elites, with Platinum following?

 

[startedwithamouse]

9 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

I'm sure I'm not the only one who is wondering how this works.

In the past, we showed our boarding docs to get through the door to go to check-in (primarily at San Pedro). Once through the door, go to the line for check-in and receive the "card" for doors, purchases, etc.

On our first Medallion cruise, our Medallions were mailed at no charge. For our next cruise we didn't purchase a package so would have to pay $10 to get them mailed. We've opted not to do that.

So...we arrive at the port (San Pedro) and approach the "gate keepers" at the door...now what?

 

Anyone with experience at San Pedro? Are there still "gate keepers"? Just walk in and get in line? Show paperwork? Show something on the app...if I can get it to load (an iffy proposition).

We had B2B out of San Pedro this month. 

 

Just prior to going through the security scanners, they ask to view your passport and app showing your booking number and cruise date. 

 

Pro tip: take a screen shot of your boarding info on your app, so you don't need to worry about it loading...or not. 

[startedwithamouse]

8 hours ago, mtnesterz said:

Sailed several times out of San Pedro. 

You don't need the App to check in. We don't use it. We do bring hard copies of documents. Never needed them, just do it out of habit. Just get in Blue lane to pick up your Medallion. This is what we do.

Pre-boarding however, we do on the web version. Assure the credit card on file is the one you want to use. If not, they'll add yours at the Medallion pick-up desk.

hard copies of what?  There's nothing to print. 

[startedwithamouse]

9 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

We recently went out of San Pedro.  You line up outside.  

 

(Everyone except the wheelchair guests, they are held in a tent area and go OB, when the checkin opens.)

 

We arrived early, 945 am.  They open the terminal check in at 1000 am.  Everyone with a medallion goes in the

green lane and no medallion blue lane.

 

After checkin, you go through security and then a waiting area.

Elites/Suites/platinum are shown the priority lounge to wait.  We waited about 1/2 hour and boarded first.

We were OB before 11am.

 

BTW, the gatekeeper let us in at 1000 am to checkin.  Have passports in hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only elites and suites are allowed in the lounge with the continental breakfast. Platinum are not. 

[mtnesterz]

33 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

hard copies of what?  There's nothing to print. 

You don't print luggage tags? If it's your point that these papers could just as well be on a tablet/phone, I've considered that, but printing works for us. Luggage tags, Booking Confirmation showing a zero balance. Travel summary. Air confirmation. Also, each of us carries a photocopy of the other's passport and of course our passports. Actually, I did need to show my Booking Confirmation once regarding some OBC.

Edited January 17 by mtnesterz

[startedwithamouse]

3 hours ago, mtnesterz said:

You don't print luggage tags? If it's your point that these papers could just as well be on a tablet/phone, I've considered that, but printing works for us. Luggage tags, Booking Confirmation showing a zero balance. Travel summary. Air confirmation. Also, each of us carries a photocopy of the other's passport and of course our passports. Actually, I did need to show my Booking Confirmation once regarding some OBC.

I was responding to your quote, "we bring hard copies of documents"

 

I don't consider luggage tags to be documents. They're luggage tags. 

[PacnGoNow]

11 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Not sure if we will ever cruise from SP, but were the Suites & Elites in their own area and did they board ahead of Platinum?  Or, were you at least handed different boarding group cards so when they opened it up, the A's and B's were Suites and Elites, with Platinum following?

 

Yes, Elites and Suites were taken to a small room, with chairs all lined up.  Coffee/juice pastries there.  It was directly across from the boarding area. No numbers or boarding groups, as they called us to just board as soon as it opened.  Platinum had a separate area and boarded after us.

 

The only difference I noticed, was the line outside, just to get into the terminal.  No priority line to get inside. 
 

Everyone else would have been boarding groups.

 

[PacnGoNow]

11 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

Only elites and suites are allowed in the lounge with the continental breakfast. Platinum are not. 

Yes, elites/suites had a different waiting room.  

[JF - retired RRT]

15 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

Pro tip: take a screen shot of your boarding info on your app, so you don't need to worry about it loading...or not. 

Excellent suggestion: I did exactly that (only I used our respective tablets, we only have one smart phone). A good thing that I did it, too. The app wouldn't accept my password. DH was OK, but I had to reset (using the same password) in order to load my portion.

[beg3yrs]

16 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

hard copies of what?  There's nothing to print. 

Travel summary - we always take a hard copy as if you need it at guest services, hard copy is best.

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

48 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

Travel summary - we always take a hard copy as if you need it at guest services, hard copy is best.

 

YES Travel Summary. We Always print a hard copy cuz it lists Everything in your offers.

What you paid for, Itinerary, the whole thing.  We Always bring it.

Everything is backed up with screen shots on our phones, but I also hate fiddling with the phone or app when were in line trying to get checked in.

We've had experience with the medallion, with and without it being mailed.

They kind of force our hand with it being mailed, unless you don't mind standing in the Blue line?

I think whats got Elite/suites annoyed isn't the lounge when you get thru checkin. Yes lounge is there.

But having to stand in a longer line To Get In, BEFORE Check in.

 

Edited January 17 by CalLuvsCrusingToo