First Day Lunch Disappointment

[Pamster]

This staggered boarding seems to be something they are doing in SF (whether it's because of terminal size, something Princess is just trying or the port authority telling them, who knows).

 

I'm sailing in September out of SF and not looking forward to this either as I have to be out of the hotel by 11 and am on the Dolphin deck so I would have a 2:45 boarding time. I don't want to walk around with my carry on for 4 hours.

 

I can just see the sidewalks being crowded with people waiting to board. I'm really hoping this fails and they just go back to normal procedures.

 

Not just in SF. We received the same notice for San Pedro.

[caribill]

On the Coral Princess in February 2012 we boarded early (as Elite) and were looking forward to eating in the DR. We were told it was only for B2B passengers and that we could eat in HC. Not what I had anticipated. It was my only lunch in Horizon Court as that's not my place to eat.

 

 

 

That's when I pull out my copy of the Princess Press release that says all passengers are invited to eat in the dining room on embarkation day.

[don'tleavewithoutme]

On my last 3 cruises, different ships, staff were adamant that none of the dining rooms were open. Yet if you ask at the Purser's desk, they will usually tell you which one is open.

 

We got the "limited menu" routine at the dining room door, yet it seemed like the usual lunch menu. We were shuffled to the back of the dining room, off to the side, presumably so other pax wouldn't see us in there. They try really hard to dissuade folks from using the dining rooms for embarkation lunch.

 

It doesn't seem right that the published info says MDR is open to welcome you for embarkation lunch, then once you get on board, they try to make you believe that it's closed.:confused:

[miched]

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I can see where this is heading and is typical of many passengers. They will be scheduled a time to show up to avoid congestion to make check in easier with a good flow. They feel that they are special and should be able to show up earlier. They arrive, stand in line, get to the window and the clerk can't find their paper work and is told they will have to leave and come back.. The passenger gets hostile. Claims they are not organized. The cruise now starts off on a bad situation and the passenger does everything to be the passenger from hell. Comes back and writes that Princess should be avoided and boycotted.

 

It happens during disembarkation when passengers try to go before their number is called so I guess the same should happen when checking in. For some reason for a select few the rules only apply to others unless it is to their advantage.

 

 

 

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[1 HappyCruiser]

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I can see where this is heading and is typical of many passengers. They will be scheduled a time to show up to avoid congestion to make check in easier with a good flow. They feel that they are special and should be able to show up earlier. They arrive, stand in line, get to the window and the clerk can't find their paper work and is told they will have to leave and come back.. The passenger gets hostile. Claims they are not organized. The cruise now starts off on a bad situation and the passenger does everything to be the passenger from hell. Comes back and writes that Princess should be avoided and boycotted.

 

It happens during disembarkation when passengers try to go before their number is called so I guess the same should happen when checking in. For some reason for a select few the rules only apply to others unless it is to their advantage.

 

 

 

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I haven't left the ship early in years but when we did there was never anyone being turned back because they left early or were with the wrong group. Making people turn back causes more congestion then letting them go though even if there are a little early.

[CanadaBunny]

I'm looking at the March 3 Patters from the Crown posted by a member earlier this month. The back page does indeed list all the dining options, but none of the MDRs is listed as being open for lunch. The only lunch options are Horizon and Caribe. Yet the review posted yesterday for the March 10-17 sailing indicates that lunch was indeed served in one of the MDRs, but the poster had to be persistent in order to be let in. I don't know what the March 10 Patters listed for dining options, but I would be very surprised if it differed in the least from the March 3 version.

 

That was my review for March 10-17 on the Crown. I have the patter for March 10th and it only lists lunch in the HC and Caribe, not in any of the dining rooms. Yet DH and I had lunch in the MDR.