Worried about queuing

[jpaulsonuk]

Hi all,

I wondered if anyone would be able to advise me on how long I should expect to queue to get on the ship. I have a heart problem and can't stand waiting in queues for too long. :)

[BrianI]

Normally its not very long. If you are going from Ocean terminal, then there are seats before the check in. If its busy when you arrive, then you are given a lettered card and asked to sit down until called to checkin.

Brian

[jpaulsonuk]

Ok thank you, I will stop worrying now :)

[LEESRE]

Otherwise just tell the check in staff about your problem and they will help I am sure.

If you go from Ocean Terminal and you will go up an escalator then tell the ladies or gents that direct you and they will do something for you.

[jpaulsonuk]

I think our car is going to be parked in carpark 10. I hope that will be one of the closest. Thanks for you helpful advice :)

[BrianI]

I think our car is going to be parked in carpark 10. I hope that will be one of the closest. Thanks for you helpful advice :)

I think you may be confusing the parking with gate 10, which is the entrance gate to the port so if thats the case you must be going from the Mayflower terminal. If you have booked car parking with CPS, then you simply drive up to the terminal. There will be lots of people there to direct you. They take the luggage out of the car, you hand over the keys, they give you a receipt and you then walk into the terminal with your hand luggage. CPS drive your car away and park it for you. When you arrive back, the car park is just across the road. You hand in your pink receipt and they give you the keys and tell you which row your car is parked in. Its all very well organised. This link gives the cruise ship schedule and tells you which terminal and there are detail maps

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/cruise_ship.asp

Brian

[ROSEBASKETS]

Contact your travel agent or P&O direct as they offer priority check in and embarkation for passengers with special / additional needs. It has it's own desk, wheelchairs and help which is provided by shoreside staff. You need to arrange this in advance, be able to prove your medical condition and the reasons why you are unable to queue normally. Once approved you are given details on how to proceed and need not get a ticket for embarkation when you arrive.

[jpaulsonuk]

Thank you for your help. I think you might be right Brian, I get confused easily lol. I think I'll look in the brochure to see if I can find a customer service phone number and give them a call.

 

Julieann ;)

[BrianI]

If you have free car parking then you need to book it at least 35 days before departure otherwise you loose it.

Brian

[Thejuggler]

And in our case it was actually 56 days - check the small print carefully.

 

OP - simply have a word with the staff as soon as you enter the check in area and they will assist you.

[bazzaw]

Regarding queueing while cruising.

 

There is more to this "problem" than merely at check-in time. Because cruising essentially involves approx 2000 (or more) people all wanting to do the same thing at the same time (whether eating, trying to get off the ship in ports, etc,etc) - there is always the potential for long queues to form in ships. This has certainly been my experience on P&O Australia ships at least - and for me is probably the biggest "downside" to cruising.

 

I am led to believe that the "problem" differs from ship to ship and cruiseline to cruiseline - and I will be interested to see how it is on Oriana and Arcadia over the next 6 months.

 

But certainly - if you have a heart problem, then the answer is to RELAX. You will always get on the ship, off the ship, have a meal, etc - they won't run out of food, or leave you stranded :p

 

Barry

[scrozuk]

Having sailed from Southampton a few times, from Ocean, City and Mayflower terminals, can say that from arrival at the terminal to boarding usually is around 45 mins to 1 hour.

 

I know the wife had an issue a few weeks ago getting on Grand Princess due to the NV Red Alert they had, meaning that 3000 pax were trying to get on within 3 hours, but that was an extreme case, and can say that subsequent cruises boarded a lot quicker and earlier too!

 

I think the best thing for you to do is to let the cruise ship company you're sailing with know in advance about your condition, and you will be taken care of, and probably given an early boarding.

 

All the terminals seem to have plenty of seating for you if you do have to wait, and dropping your car off should be relatively easy too.

 

Have a safe trip down, and enjoy..

 

Scrozuk

[LibraLass41]

If you have free car parking then you need to book it at least 35 days before departure otherwise you loose it.

Brian

 

If you are cruising this year book your parking now, it is never too early, but it can be too late...

 

Study a road plan of Southampton dock area before you set off, it can be a bit nerve racking trying to find the ship on a busy weekend in Southampton. If it is indeed Dock gate 10 Mayflower as you approach the docks you will see illuminated signs with the dock gate and ship on , make sure you are in the correct lane, and you will be fine, after that CPS workers will guide you in, you pull up infront of terminal arrivals and a porter whisks away your luggage,make sure he doesn't take your hand luggage as well, check you have not left anything in your car, and then you sign some paperwork and the car is driven away to be parked, just leave your car key on you keyring fob - no house keys, the CPS paperwork will include a fob with your car reg on. Keep your copy of the paperwork with your passports, as you will need this to collect you car on arrival home after the cruise.