Edocs...something new?

[drk]

Booked the 4/10 Mercury sailing last week through an online TA we have used before. Received an email and link from them regarding our documents. Clicked on the link and it was from Celebrity and was a copy of our docs stating that we should print everything out and bring with us to embarkation where we will receive our luggage tags from the porters. Sounds like we will not be receiving any hard copy docs. Anyone heard of this before? I follow the boards and haven't seen any info in this regard. I just emailed the TA with my questions but wanted to check here as well.

 

We are cruise veterans having sailed 8 times since Jan '03 on 4 different lines including X and not worried, just curious. As stockholders we are all for cost cutting measures that don't affect the overall cruise experience.

 

An aside...we booked at a great rate for a guarantee and in 5 days had our cabin assignment and very pleased with the assignment.

[superjerryw]

Nothing new, they have had E-Docs the last 3 cruises that I have been on. Just make sure when you get to the pier that the correct cabin number is hand written on your luggage tags.

[sea witch]

Hi! I asked my travel agent as well and was told it was relatively new. It is the first time getting them this way, although we generally pick ours up at the pier. We go on a cruise twice a year and this is definitely much more convienent.

[mbiggers]

We just got back from a Monarch of the Seas weekend cruise and had also received the "Print out your own docs" e-mail. I assumed that RCCL was doing it to save money so I was surprised when we got to the dock and saw that almost everyone else had document booklets. We had booked quite a while back so it wasn't an issue of not having enough time to send hard copies. We asked the dock agent and she said that RCCL had sent out docs, so it must have been our agent's (Cruise.com) decision to save postage. Next time I talk with our agent I'm going to tell him that we like receiving "real" docs!

[flamingosun]

We've had them only once... that was the time we used an on-line agency.

 

Whenever we've used our regular (bricks and mortar) TA, we've have the traditional docs.

 

While the traditional docs are nicer if you are a memorabilia type, the e-docs work just fine from a logistical standpoint, you just don't have pre-printed luggage tags sent to your home.

[newmexicoNita]

Relatively new depends on what you call relative: we got our docs for the Connie (2003) via the net, but our docs for the NCL Sea, last November came the old fashion way: mail delivery. NMnita

[sable1]

Greetings,

Just out of curiosity, which category did you book and which cabin were you assigned? If you don't mind my asking.

We booked Gnty on the Zenith to Bermuda in 2000 and were upgraded 6 categories, 1st Celebrity cruise. Now booked a Gnty. and only upgraded one Cat. for being previous pax.

Thanks.

[kelmac]

sable1,

 

Back before RCI bought Celebrity, you could see some big time upgrades. We were upgraded from the lowest level outside to a balcony on the Galaxy back in 1998. The last three years, the best you can do with Celebrity, Inside to inside only, outside to outside only and balcony to balcony. So if you booked an inside Cat 12, the best you can upgrade to is Cat 9 inside. Since we do guarantee cabins often, it seems your best upgrade will be the first time you sail with that particular line. Just my experience however.

 

Good luck!

Kel

[ccrownover]

generally docs are mailed out by rccl 60 days prior to sailing. if you are sailing sooner than 60 days when you book they give you the option of edocs to make sure that you will get them before you sail....

[flamingosun]

generally docs are mailed out by rccl 60 days prior to sailing. if you are sailing sooner than 60 days when you book they give you the option of edocs to make sure that you will get them before you sail....

 

Hmmm... I didn't get that option when booking the Zenith 41 days out.

Haven't had time to receive anything yet, either - except for my TA's invoice. :)

[Lois R]

Hi,:) It may depend on your Travel Agent as well. I have received the "hard copy" regular docs in the mail. I booked Century on 2-2. Sailing 3-12. I still love reading the booklet;)

[drk]

sable1...sorry for the delay in answering your question...been away for a few days. We booked an inside guarantee(cat 12) and received a category 9 in a good location. Thanks everyone for sharing experiences on my original question.

[dmarch@islc.net]

That's what I heard too. Depends on the agent you used not the line or cabin cat. or anything like that. My Zenith cruise in Jan. that we booked with an on-line agent were E-docs (yuc). X is 2 day mailing our docs for our Millie trip we booked thru them.