Staggered boarding

[3rdGenCunarder]

Exactly.

That is the kind of situation about which I was speaking.

 

In your case, because you are in a suite and a bunch of days, you would not be turned away.

 

 

OP said that elite past pax weren't being given priority boarding (except within their assigned time frame). And suites are on high decks. If they're starting at the lowest decks, being in a suite wouldn't help either.

 

This just sounds like a bad policy. I'd still like to know why they've decided to do this.

[sail7seas]

OP said that elite past pax weren't being given priority boarding (except within their assigned time frame). And suites are on high decks. If they're starting at the lowest decks, being in a suite wouldn't help either.

 

This just sounds like a bad policy. I'd still like to know why they've decided to do this.

 

 

:D :cool: How about bribery?

Anyone tried that?

 

(kidding.... don't get crazy. I'm just kidding.)

 

[readytogo2]

:D :cool: How about bribery?

Anyone tried that?

 

(kidding.... don't get crazy. I'm just kidding.)

 

 

Hey.. might work for me..only kidding too :D:D

[3rdGenCunarder]

:D :cool: How about bribery?

Anyone tried that?

 

(kidding.... don't get crazy. I'm just kidding.)

 

 

Oh, no! Another tipping thread!!! :eek: :eek:

 

I'm trying to imagine this whole thing of being turned away. When does that happen? Do they have someone at the door of the terminal who checks your time and sends you to some kind of holding area insead of a checkin line? Or do they let you get in line and leave it to the checkin person at the desk to be the "bad guy?"

 

Whatever happened to "WELCOME aboard"?????

[Krazy Kruizers]

OP said that elite past pax weren't being given priority boarding (except within their assigned time frame). And suites are on high decks. If they're starting at the lowest decks, being in a suite wouldn't help either.

 

This just sounds like a bad policy. I'd still like to know why they've decided to do this.

 

Correct -- I had read that Princess suite passengers were really upset that they were scheduled to board the ships last.

[KirkNC]

Oh, no! Another tipping thread!!! :eek: :eek:

 

I'm trying to imagine this whole thing of being turned away. When does that happen? Do they have someone at the door of the terminal who checks your time and sends you to some kind of holding area insead of a checkin line? Or do they let you get in line and leave it to the checkin person at the desk to be the "bad guy?"

 

Whatever happened to "WELCOME aboard"?????

 

Too funny, I might give "tipping" a try!

[kazu]

My comments weren't about myself.

Because we are always in a suite and have a bunch of days, we always board early.

 

But I know there are many for whom this boarding process would be a real problem.

 

 

actually Sail, from what I read on the Princess thread - your suite and your sail days will do nothing. That's what's really sad:eek: they ignore their past passengers and the suites and board by certain decks.

 

Hopefully HAL just doesn't do it - period:p

[arewethereyet]

I'm going to guess that the experiment with staggered boarding times will disappear within a year or so.

 

 

Of course, I've been wrong a time or two.

[sail7seas]

Correct -- I had read that Princess suite passengers were really upset that they were scheduled to board the ships last.

 

actually Sail, from what I read on the Princess thread - your suite and your sail days will do nothing. That's what's really sad:eek: they ignore their past passengers and the suites and board by certain decks.

 

Hopefully HAL just doesn't do it - period:p

 

 

What genius thought up this plan? :eek:

Have they lost sight of the fact they are in the 'hospitality business' and have instuted a plan that will have cruise line personnel telling their most 'valued guests', to go away and come back when told. Just where are they expected to go and wait for hours?

 

I'm actually in shock people are putting up with it at all. How much insult are paying guests agreeable to tolerating?

 

I don't know how Princess loyalty program works but HAL's Mariner Program grants priority embarkation to Four Star Mariners. They sold those Four star Mariners priority and they need to fulfill their obligation and board them Priority.... same for Suites. It is what has been bought and paid for. Of course, this is a Princess program and NOT a HAL scheme.

 

 

 

 

 

I'm going to guess that the experiment with staggered boarding times will disappear within a year or so.

 

 

Of course, I've been wrong a time or two.

 

 

A YEAR!!!!

That's a long time and a lot of tee'd off guests. IMO

 

[readytogo2]

I highly doubt that this is what Princess wanted to happen. I'm not gonna get my feathers ruffled..I am sure this will either be worked out or ended. I am platinum on Princess and I'm hoping by the time I take my next cruise with them, I will still have priority boarding.

[KirkNC]

What genius thought up this plan? :eek:

Have they lost sight of the fact they are in the 'hospitality business' and have instuted a plan that will have cruise line personnel telling their most 'valued guests', to go away and come back when told. Just where are they expected to go and wait for hours?

 

I'm actually in shock people are putting up with it at all. How much insult are paying guests agreeable to tolerating?

 

I don't know how Princess loyalty program works but HAL's Mariner Program grants priority embarkation to Four Star Mariners. They sold those Four star Mariners priority and they need to fulfill their obligation and board them Priority.... same for Suites. It is what has been bought and paid for. Of course, this is a Princess program and NOT a HAL scheme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A YEAR!!!!

That's a long time and a lot of tee'd off guests. IMO

 

 

And to make matters worse, they are doing a very poor job informing their customers. If you are not on CC or have a TA on the ball most won't even know until they get to the ship. There have been some reports of emails sent to customers but that has not been consistent.

[igraf]

Am I the only one who sees the upsides?

 

We made the mistake of boarding at noon on our last cruise and found ourselves in long tiresome lines. We will not do that again. No lunch is worth standing in those lines again.

 

One very good reason for staggered boarding is to allow the crew time to thoroughly clean each deck, especially to spend extra time cleaning norrovirus-infected staterooms. Decks would boarded in turn as they are cleaned. Makes a lot of sense to me.

 

I just called our "night before cruise" hotel, and they said that they would have no problem storing our luggage until 2pm. They might even allow a late checkout (can't promise ahead of time, though). This gives us more time to visit Old Montreal, rather than standing in the long embarkation lines.

 

I would vote for staggered boarding with HAL, except I would really rather have it where everyone else jams in before 1pm and we just waltz through after 2pm. We have done this before and it was a great way to start a cruise.

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope there is no chance HAL will be as stupid as Princess and go to staggered boarding by deck for embarkation. It is really got some people fuming on the Princess board. The most fired up are Elite that only get priority boarding within their boarding time. To make matters even worse, Princess has not even communicated with us and we leave in three weeks. So if we show up before 1:30 they say they will turn us away. If they do, it will be the last time :mad:.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I am sure Holland will do the same ..

[sail7seas]

I am sure Holland will do the same ..

 

 

Why are you sure Holland America will do the same?

[goodie2shoes]

We have now sailed on Princess one time since this staggered boarding has been instituted. It was from San Francisco. We were told we could drop our luggage at any time, but not to appear for boarding until our assigned time (which I believe was 2:30 p.m.). When we drove up and dropped our luggage I was invited to go inside while my husband parked the car and came back to join me. I elected to go with him, but as soon as we were parked we walked back, walked right into the terminal and checked in. We were then sent to a waiting room to wait until the ship was ready for anyone to board.

 

I think a friendly attitude and a smile went a long way in helping us get this treatment, and I intend to continue to act in that manner on our next cruise, which is out of Seattle next week. But you can believe that if they try to tell me, as they have been telling others, that they have to do this because the port demands it, I will ask them why those fine people who are boarding the Oosterdam right next to us are being allowed to arrive when they desire and board when they arrive.

 

I might mention that we are Elite with Princess and are booked in the Grand Suite, which is the top suite on the ship, and even though they are starting boarding at 10:30 a.m. we are not to arrive until 12:30 p.m. Since we enjoy arriving in time to have lunch on the ship, that does not make me happy. I hope that we will be allowed to board when we arrive, as always, but only time will tell.

 

We have also sailed with HA, because of a better itinerary, though I am more comfortable with Princess because I am more familiar with it, and if Princess sees fit to continue this policy, and to enforce it, you all may see us on board with you more often. It would be hard to give up the perks that we have earned by being loyal to Princess, but if the cruise line can't be loyal to their customers then it's time to find another cruise line. I'm sure, over time, that I could become very happy with Holland America.

[sail7seas]

Thanks for your post.

 

What do you think is the 'real' reason for this new boarding routine?

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

The PORT demands it?????????

 

Sheesh, you'd think they could come up with a better lie than that.

 

The only rational thing I can come up with is that they send an army of stewards to one deck, clean it thoroughly, then move on to the next, and then the next. As each deck is clean, passengers board. It's the only reason I can think of for a deck-by-deck procedure.

 

I know that they set up a disembarkation lounge on board for their high-level past pax. If they are determined to board one deck at a time, why not have an onboard embarkation lounge for those passengers? Even if they can't go directly to their cabins, they'll have somewhere nice to sit and not have the slap in the face of "can't take you know, go away."

 

It takes a lot of cruises and a lot of money over the years to get to a high level in any loyalty program. I'm still amazed that a cruise line would ignore that.

[arewethereyet]

Isn't San Francisco currently engaged in a major cruise port construction project? Could congestion caused by the construction have made them implement this staggered plan in SanFran?

[igraf]

Forcing the most demanding passengers to sit in a lounge with their suitcases sounds like a real bad idea to me.

 

I would also add that these people are probably staying in the nicest hotels and can easily afford cabs and limos to drive them around until their boarding time. I think that they will live through the ordeal of (horrors!!!) having to wait their turn.

 

igraf

 

 

 

....I know that they set up a disembarkation lounge on board for their high-level past pax. If they are determined to board one deck at a time, why not have an onboard embarkation lounge for those passengers? Even if they can't go directly to their cabins, they'll have somewhere nice to sit and not have the slap in the face of "can't take you [k]now, go away."....

[bellebaby]

Thanks for your post.

 

What do you think is the 'real' reason for this new boarding routine?

 

 

IMO, it has to be some sort of cost reduction. Maybe they've run a staffing model that indicates better utilization of staffing/better efficiency which results in lower operating costs.

 

That's all I can figure out.

 

B

[gentlemancruiser]

Cunard has 'in theory' been doing this process for years, however I've never heard of anyone being turned away. We usually arrive when we want to and haven't encountered problems, just some longer lines.

 

The approach that cunard has been taking is to try and deter guests from all arriving at the same time(noon) and causing long lines in the terminal.

[goodie2shoes]

Thanks for your post.

 

What do you think is the 'real' reason for this new boarding routine?

 

 

I wish I knew. Everyone seems to have a different theory. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with trying to make the boarding flow more even rather than long lines at certain times and no one at others. Of course, any change has to be viewed as having a basis of efficiency, which equals lower costs.

 

Because of the way they handle things such as booking for special dining, ship tours, and The Sanctuary - which you can only do after boarding - they are upsetting their loyal passengers. There's also the problem when people who are traveling together to the port and are on different decks try to figure out just how it is going to happen. With the cost of parking today many more people share rides to the port.

 

First time cruisers don't know about many of the special things available, and therefore are more than willing to arrive at whatever time they are told. It's the people who have cruised before, and often, that are upset that they are bring denied the chance to experience special things the ship has to offer.

 

Princess is now saying it's an experiment. Cruisers are saying it's one that is going to fail - and they hope Princess realizes that soon. Only time will tell.

[pms4104]

I wish I knew. Everyone seems to have a different theory. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with trying to make the boarding flow more even rather than long lines at certain times and no one at others. Of course, any change has to be viewed as having a basis of efficiency, which equals lower costs.

 

Because of the way they handle things such as booking for special dining, ship tours, and The Sanctuary - which you can only do after boarding - they are upsetting their loyal passengers. There's also the problem when people who are traveling together to the port and are on different decks try to figure out just how it is going to happen. With the cost of parking today many more people share rides to the port.

 

First time cruisers don't know about many of the special things available, and therefore are more than willing to arrive at whatever time they are told. It's the people who have cruised before, and often, that are upset that they are bring denied the chance to experience special things the ship has to offer.

 

Princess is now saying it's an experiment. Cruisers are saying it's one that is going to fail - and they hope Princess realizes that soon. Only time will tell.

I don't know if this experiment will fail ... but perhaps Princess will need to reassess how they handle bookings for these special goodies. Instead of opening up onboard bookings for such things at the start of embarkation (which denies access to later boarding people), maybe they could start accepting reservations at a set time after the muster drill and before the first dinner seating. Sounds like it's a work in process.

[Dot Wonder]

I hope there is no chance HAL will be as stupid as Princess and go to staggered boarding by deck for embarkation. It is really got some people fuming on the Princess board. The most fired up are Elite that only get priority boarding within their boarding time. To make matters even worse, Princess has not even communicated with us and we leave in three weeks. So if we show up before 1:30 they say they will turn us away. If they do, it will be the last time :mad:.

 

I haven't sailed HAL since 2009, but in Tampa on the Ryndam they had staggered boarding. I had to wait for my "corral" to be called (i can't remember what their term was, but that's what i considered it)

[vbmom87]

I haven't sailed HAL since 2009, but in Tampa on the Ryndam they had staggered boarding. I had to wait for my "corral" to be called (i can't remember what their term was, but that's what i considered it)

 

I recall reading a discussion last year regarding different boarding times for the Amsterdam in Alaska. Posters were telling those who said they had a later boarding time to show up when they wanted. To my knowledge, no one got turned away. I don't recall reading any asigned times as late as 3:30 p.m. I was under the impression it was HAL's way of trying to spread people out so everyone did not arrive at the same time. I don't see anything wrong with this, as long as you allow any ticketed passenger who shows up early to board when they arrive.