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earliest boarding

philipsw285

By philipsw285,
in P&O Cruises ( UK )

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kevinyork

kevinyork

Posted
Posted

Generally the check in opens at 12. You are given a lettered card as you enter the hall and the letters are called out in sequence. If you got there a bit earlier you would then get a higher lettered card and be one of the first to board.

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seb530

seb530

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Just back from Azura... we were given a time of 1pm to arrive for check-in. Due to previous experience with Princess, we arrived at the port at 11am and were given boarding card E...yep, thats right...E!! there were quite a few people that must have been there at about 10:30. Note that, however, unlike princess they will not check you in until your boarding card is called and that didnt start till about 12

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Host Sharon

Host Sharon

Posted
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Just back from Azura... we were given a time of 1pm to arrive for check-in. Due to previous experience with Princess, we arrived at the port at 11am and were given boarding card E...yep, thats right...E!! there were quite a few people that must have been there at about 10:30. Note that, however, unlike princess they will not check you in until your boarding card is called and that didnt start till about 12

 

That only applies to the Ocean Cruise Terminal. At Mayflower and City you check in first and then wait if necessary.

 

Catherine - there is plenty of seating at all the terminals, as well as drinks etc available.

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BrianI

BrianI

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I have found the desks open for ALL at 12, not just goldies, they have their own check in desks anyway, the others open at 12 as well!

In Ocean terminal all the desks are open at noon for Gold and Suite passengers only, after which they are open for others, with a small number for Gold only.

This is because the lounge is before checkin so you wait in the lounge before being called to check in then straight on the ship. In Mayflower, its the other way round as the lounge is after checkin. You can check in earlier and wait in the lounge which is after checkin. When boarding starts, Gold and suite passengers are asked to board first.

It depends which terminal you are travelling through.

 

Brian

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LibraLass41

LibraLass41

Posted
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I've sailed from Ocean many times and have seen the desks open at noon, for all passengers. Moments before perhaps Goldies opens but it is only a matter of minutes before and their desks have been to the far right, then the large group of check-in ladies arrive and are seated and open up for us mere mortals who are not gold.

 

Catherine, are you sailing from Ocean? If so here is a mini-album I have of the terminal, the photos were taken within the first weeks of it opening but it hasn't changed atall in last 2 years:

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/AuroraPartyCruiseSueV/NewOceanTerminalBerth46May09?authkey=Gv1sRgCMmwg_iQk5nJswE#5342423009479201858

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LibraLass41

LibraLass41

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Check in opens at 1200 but priority is given to Gold and Suite passengers first so general check would be 20-30 mins later. Lunch is served in the self service restaurant.

Brian

 

 

General check-in is definatly not 12.20/ 12.30pm ! Perhaps there was a computer desk problem on your cruise check-in Brian?

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BrianI

BrianI

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General check-in is definatly not 12.20/ 12.30pm ! Perhaps there was a computer desk problem on your cruise check-in Brian?

It was at Ocean. There were maybe 400 people waiting in the lounge when check in opened at noon. Gold and suit passengers were invited to check in first using all the desks. Then when they were cleared after 20mins or so others were invited to check in in letter order, three or four desks being kept for Gold stragglers.

It maybe depends how many gold passengers there are and there seem to be more these days me included now!!!

Brian

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terrierjohn

terrierjohn

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It was at Ocean. There were maybe 400 people waiting in the lounge when check in opened at noon. Gold and suit passengers were invited to check in first using all the desks. Then when they were cleared after 20mins or so others were invited to check in in letter order, three or four desks being kept for Gold stragglers.

It maybe depends how many gold passengers there are and there seem to be more these days me included now!!!

Brian

Might it be possible that the process is different depending on how many Goldies are cruising, and/or how many have been given a 12:00pm arrival time?

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tom_uk

tom_uk

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I've sailed from Ocean many times and have seen the desks open at noon, for all passengers. Moments before perhaps Goldies opens but it is only a matter of minutes before and their desks have been to the far right, then the large group of check-in ladies arrive and are seated and open up for us mere mortals who are not gold.

 

That fits what we saw in late May, as well. Checkin opened at noon, and they immediately called holders of boarding card 'A'. I don't remember any separate or earlier call for Goldies.

 

I think we had D or E and we were onboard by 12:20.

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BrianI

BrianI

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Might it be possible that the process is different depending on how many Goldies are cruising, and/or how many have been given a 12:00pm arrival time?

 

Yes thinking about it there were a large number of gold members on the cruise in question as they had to have two separate gold lunches as they could not get them all into the restaurant at the same time. This was on Oriana to the Black Sea.

Brian

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jocap

jocap

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We always get there around 11.30, to get an early card. Once the desks are opened, the queues move pretty quickly.

Like Tom, we were on board before 12.30. Get there in good time!

Jo.

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tom_uk

tom_uk

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Is there any benefit to getting there early?

 

Not as much as we'd hoped! We were on board at 12:20, but at that time only one of the buffets was open (the Waterside), and hardly any of the bars. We had to have our first drink at the Beachcomber bar, under the (closed) sliding roof. However, we were able to make reservations for the nights and times that we wanted for The White Room and East without any problems.

 

By two o'clock everything had wound itself up and was working.

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Catherine Janaway

Catherine Janaway

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Not as much as we'd hoped! We were on board at 12:20, but at that time only one of the buffets was open (the Waterside), and hardly any of the bars. We had to have our first drink at the Beachcomber bar, under the (closed) sliding roof. However, we were able to make reservations for the nights and times that we wanted for The White Room and East without any problems.

 

By two o'clock everything had wound itself up and was working.

 

We will be relying on the bus from Gatwick to get to the terminal but I'm not sure I want to be there too early as it seems you just have to wait.

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Host Sharon

Host Sharon

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We will be relying on the bus from Gatwick to get to the terminal but I'm not sure I want to be there too early as it seems you just have to wait.

 

 

However, as you are coming by road, I would suggest you still get there fairly early as once in the terminal the holiday starts with no worries about possible road delays. It is comfortable waiting, with free magazines coffee shop, toilets etc.

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tom_uk

tom_uk

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However, as you are coming by road, I would suggest you still get there fairly early as once in the terminal the holiday starts with no worries about possible road delays. It is comfortable waiting, with free magazines coffee shop, toilets etc.

 

Yes, agreed: we were in the Ocean terminal at 11:30 and just sat relaxing for 30 minutes or so before check in opened. It was very relaxing, as you say: no more worry. We were there and just had to wait for a while.

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