Suite Embarkation and Sanctuary?

[Fluffy62]

What is the earliest that we can get to the port? We are staying in a suite so do we get Priority Boarding? We really want to get up to the Sanctuary to book for the whole week and for our friends. Thanks everyone! Also.....does my Boarding Pass say anything about Priority Boarding on it so I will be identified as a Suite holder to get on the ship quicker?

[cruiserdru]

Yes, suite occupants do get priority boarding and your boarding pass will say priority boarding on it. :)

[firsttimeexplorer]

Yes, suite occupants do get priority boarding and your boarding pass will say priority boarding on it. :)

does it also for mini-suites

[dizlove]

so... WHAT is the EARLIEST that you can arrive at the port (Everglades) to begin check in?

10:30 too early?

I know there is a "special" room for suite and elite passangers to wait if for the the ship to clear to board arond noon. Is it the same room for the platinums? whats in the room? any snacks? drinks? chushy chairs? Those in the suite & elite waiting area get the "go-ahead" to board first, right? then the platinums? or are they in the same room too? then do they movet the the regular lines "holding room"?

[dorisis]

We have been Elite for many years but have never seen a "special room" to wait in before boarding.~Doris~

[IECalCruiser]

so... WHAT is the EARLIEST that you can arrive at the port (Everglades) to begin check in?

10:30 too early?

I know there is a "special" room for suite and elite passangers to wait if for the the ship to clear to board arond noon. Is it the same room for the platinums? whats in the room? any snacks? drinks? chushy chairs? Those in the suite & elite waiting area get the "go-ahead" to board first, right? then the platinums? or are they in the same room too? then do they movet the the regular lines "holding room"?

At least in Terminal 2 at Port Everglades, there is now a separate waiting area for suite and elite passengers. They are in a separate room upstairs next to the platinum waiting area. Both areas have typical airport waiting area chairs. We had coffee, hot water for tea, orange juice and a grilled veggie sandwich. Don't know about the platinum area. Suite and elite passengers boarded before platinum. A separate gangway was used for other passengers and I assume they started boarded after the platinum passengers.

 

We arrived at 10:30 and that was a good time. There were already about 150 people waiting to get in line. At least on January 9th they were using only one door and the security scanners were just inside the door. The wait for the scanners caused the backup outside. Platinum, elite and suite passengers were directed to go to the front of the line and were let in in front of those in line. That was an awkward process and that might have changed.

[JimmyVWine]

does it also for mini-suites

No. For purposes of perks, think of a mini-suite as an "extended balcony" as opposed to a "mini suite". Except for a single glass of tepid sparkling wine when greeted by your steward, mini-suites share in no other "extra".

[IECalCruiser]

No. For purposes of perks, think of a mini-suite as an "extended balcony" as opposed to a "mini suite". Except for a single glass of tepid sparkling wine when greeted by your steward, mini-suites share in no other "extra".

Don't forget the "extra" room and a tub instead of a shower :)

[Loonbeam]

Note that if you want to book chairs for your friends, you will have to charge them to your account. Also, some stewards may not allow cross bookings.

[5fathom]

Glad to hear they now have a seperate room for Suite and Elite and another room for Platinum. Last time we sailed out of Port Everglades all three were in one room. When boarding was called they boarded by rows. When my wife asked if Suite and Elite had priority the Princess Rep said "Suite, Elite, Platinum are all the same, it makes no difference." Believe me we are no better than the next person but feel we earned our Elite status and it should be respected !

[dizlove]

At least in Terminal 2 at Port Everglades, there is now a separate waiting area for suite and elite passengers. They are in a separate room upstairs next to the platinum waiting area. Both areas have typical airport waiting area chairs. We had coffee, hot water for tea, orange juice and a grilled veggie sandwich. Don't know about the platinum area. Suite and elite passengers boarded before platinum. A separate gangway was used for other passengers and I assume they started boarded after the platinum passengers.

 

We arrived at 10:30 and that was a good time. There were already about 150 people waiting to get in line. At least on January 9th they were using only one door and the security scanners were just inside the door. The wait for the scanners caused the backup outside. Platinum, elite and suite passengers were directed to go to the front of the line and were let in in front of those in line. That was an awkward process and that might have changed.

 

This is exactly what I wanted to know! great information!

I am assuming that there will be porters there to take bags at 10:30? I imagine that they will still also be busy with disembarking passengers from the previous week.

[garet]

We cruised in Feb. with new elite status and enjoyed the separate waiting area. We too wanted to sign up for the sanctuary and hurried to do it. We took the stairs because the elevators were filling up..it did feel a bit like " the Amazing Race ". The quota of 22 was reached so quickly, that some passenger complained, and the manager increased the number to 24...

The whole process seems a bit off, but I can't see any other solution. So my advice? If you are going on a warm Caribbean cruise and you are dreaming about those sanctuary chaises..don't even think about stopping off at your room first or getting that first piña colada..go directly to the Serenity Stewards and get signed up! IMHO it is the best thing about cruising.

[dizlove]

We cruised in Feb. with new elite status and enjoyed the separate waiting area. We too wanted to sign up for the sanctuary and hurried to do it. We took the stairs because the elevators were filling up..it did feel a bit like " the Amazing Race ". The quota of 22 was reached so quickly, that some passenger complained, and the manager increased the number to 24...

The whole process seems a bit off, but I can't see any other solution. So my advice? If you are going on a warm Caribbean cruise and you are dreaming about those sanctuary chaises..don't even think about stopping off at your room first or getting that first piña colada..go directly to the Serenity Stewards and get signed up! IMHO it is the best thing about cruising.

That is so funny... I have been equating it with the Amazing Race in my head this whole time as I gear up to sprint for the Sancutary this month on the CB. with the upgrade we received to Full Suite, I imagine I will be in good position... but go straight for the forward elevators to the Spa or take the stairs... what IS the quickest route? and hope not to knock anyone down along my way ;-).....

then shout "we are here Phil!"

[chrysalis]

That is so funny... I have been equating it with the Amazing Race in my head this whole time as I gear up to sprint for the Sancutary this month on the CB. with the upgrade we received to Full Suite, I imagine I will be in good position... but go straight for the forward elevators to the Spa or take the stairs... what IS the quickest route? and hope not to knock anyone down along my way ;-).....

the shout "we are here Phil!"

 

 

Just remember that crew will be operating the elevators and they could stop at every deck.....so you take the chance of high frustration levels when the doors open and you witness people running up the stairs beating you to the upper decks:D

[garet]

Yep..before the next cruise my hubby is going into training mode..it must have been the little skinny man with the back pack taking two steps at a time next to us that got me thinking. ;)

[IECalCruiser]

This is exactly what I wanted to know! great information!

I am assuming that there will be porters there to take bags at 10:30? I imagine that they will still also be busy with disembarking passengers from the previous week.

There were porters right at the passenger drop off point when we came at 10:30 and the Princess baggage "crates" were right there too. Before we left, the porters were already loading our bags into the crates and forklifts were taking some filled crates to the ship already.

[IECalCruiser]

Just remember that crew will be operating the elevators and they could stop at every deck.....so you take the chance of high frustration levels when the doors open and you witness people running up the stairs beating you to the upper decks:D

The Sanctuary on the Island is aft. We boarded on Plaza deck where our cabin was so I dropped off my carryon on my way to the aft elevators/stairs. I walked up two of the eight decks of steps when an elevator stopped and I got on for the last six decks. I was the second person up there and booked the second of the four cabanas :)

[IECalCruiser]

HINT: On our cruise in January they boarded by row in the elite/suite lounge. That time the row closest to the ship boarded first. YMMV.

[Fluffy62]

Thank you all soooo much for all your advice on this subject! So it looks like we will have to have a plan in place. We will make sure we know exactly "where to go" once we board the ship. We will not take the elevators. We will take the stairs for sure and will not go to our suite until we have reserved our Sanctuary chairs! Good thing I'm on the treadmill 5 days a week....I hope it pays off in April! We will be reserving for our two friends also who are Elite members. I'm pretty sure we'll get there before them. We plan to check out of the hotel as early as we can, call a cab and get there so that we are ahead of the crowd. But it's great to know that we will be directed to the front of the line! We are also doing the following 7 day cruise so essentially taking two separate 7 day cruises. Can we book all 14 days at the Sanctuary when we get there or do we have to book the first 7, then go back again after the first cruise ends?

[beckntom]

Good Lord, what a stressful way to begin a cruise! :eek: I hope it works out for all of you.

[AKman2495]

After reading this, I'm glad I'm not elite! It sounds that we will be a lot safer in the back of the line.....:D

[Steelers36]

Note that if you want to book chairs for your friends, you will have to charge them to your account. Also, some stewards may not allow cross bookings.

 

You should not be able to book anymore than one chair per person per cabin. You should not be able to ask them to "hold" a chair or chairs for other passengers who have not shown up.

 

If this happens, it is against policy and fair play.

[Steelers36]

Just remember that crew will be operating the elevators and they could stop at every deck.....so you take the chance of high frustration levels when the doors open and you witness people running up the stairs beating you to the upper decks:D

 

If you are a Suite passenger with the priority boarding, you won't need to worry about knocking people down to get a chair.

[Steelers36]

Thank you all soooo much for all your advice on this subject! So it looks like we will have to have a plan in place. We will make sure we know exactly "where to go" once we board the ship. We will not take the elevators. We will take the stairs for sure and will not go to our suite until we have reserved our Sanctuary chairs! Good thing I'm on the treadmill 5 days a week....I hope it pays off in April! We will be reserving for our two friends also who are Elite members. I'm pretty sure we'll get there before them. We plan to check out of the hotel as early as we can, call a cab and get there so that we are ahead of the crowd. But it's great to know that we will be directed to the front of the line! We are also doing the following 7 day cruise so essentially taking two separate 7 day cruises. Can we book all 14 days at the Sanctuary when we get there or do we have to book the first 7, then go back again after the first cruise ends?

 

As I wrote above, you should not be able to book for friends or other passengers. Passengers should only be able to book max chairs for their cabin and other passengers have to show up themselves. When I originally booked Sanctuary on a selected per day basis on a port-intensive trip, both myself and my friend had to show up early in the morning (we could not take turns getting up early to book). If anything happens other than this, it is against policy and totally not fair.

 

As for a B2B on the same ship, if you have booked for the full week, I have seen where the steward(s) in charge will take a res for the next week. In any case, you are also the first folks back on the ship on turnaround day.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Good Lord, what a stressful way to begin a cruise! :eek:

I so agree!