Southampton embarkation notes

[insidecabin]

Southampton are trialling staggered boarding.

 

on the ruby this week there was no checking so you could turn up when you wanted.

 

 

the real issue at the Ocean terminal is princess have cause serious disruption by putting the photo opportunity right in front of security this caused delays and I have heard numerous complaints from other pax that were effected.

 

how have the other cruises been at the terminals this year?

[tartanexile81]

The photographers are always just before security at the Ocean Terminal but don't usually cause undue delays. Things move pretty slowly at that point anyway as so many people these days trigger the security bleepers with the meta knees, hips etc! :D

[Shogun]

Hi There

Princess has been using staggered boarding in Southampton for a few years

 

Biggest issues we have had was not enough port security

 

Yours Shogun

 

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Forums mobile app

[KirkNC]

Hi There

Princess has been using staggered boarding in Southampton for a few years

 

Biggest issues we have had was not enough port security

 

Yours Shogun

 

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Forums mobile app

 

True even though our experience was you could show up when ever you want regardless of your "official" boarding time.

[leventurian]

Staggered boarding at Southampton is a joke and will never work and they don't expect it to work.

 

Princess, and for that matter P&O and Cunard, run a coach network (actually operated by Eavesway coaches) which bring people from all over the country to Southampton.

 

There is no way that they are able to say to two different couples getting off the same coach that 'you will board in ten minutes' and 'you will board in two hours'.

 

The bottom line is that staggered boarding is simply an attempt to try and avoid everyone making their own way to the ship from turning up at the time of first boarding. Other than that, and the fact that suite passengers and Elites get priority boarding, it has no significance.

 

All they are trying to do is to persuade some to arrive later but if you arrrive earlier than your designated time, you will not be told to wait.

Edited June 9, 2014 by leventurian

[Colo Cruiser]

the real issue at the Ocean terminal is princess have cause serious disruption by putting the photo opportunity right in front of security this caused delays and I have heard numerous complaints from other pax that were effected.

 

Staggered boarding is rarely enforced anywhere.

 

And those photog complaints are heard around the world. ;)

[Putterdude]

We didn't notice any particular problem with the photographers.

[Renmar]

Staggered boarding at Southampton is a joke and will never work and they don't expect it to work.

 

Princess, and for that matter P&O and Cunard, run a coach network (actually operated by Eavesway coaches) which bring people from all over the country to Southampton.

 

There is no way that they are able to say to two different couples getting off the same coach that 'you will board in ten minutes' and 'you will board in two hours'.

 

The bottom line is that staggered boarding is simply an attempt to try and avoid everyone making their own way to the ship from turning up at the time of first boarding. Other than that, and the fact that suite passengers and Elites get priority boarding, it has no significance.

 

All they are trying to do is to persuade some to arrive later but if you arrrive earlier than your designated time, you will not be told to wait.

 

Platinum too :D:D

 

Theo

[leventurian]

Platinum too :D:D

 

Theo

 

Yup, but Platinum only get to board after those suite passengers and elite who arrived went through to their lounge have boarded. :(

 

The last time we went through FL, a member of staff tried to stop us from going through to the suite lounge because we were 'only Platinum', until they had satisfied themselves that our cabin number was for a full suite and not a mini-suite.:rolleyes:

Edited June 10, 2014 by leventurian
grammar

[pablo222]

The last time we went through FL, a member of staff tried to stop us from going through to the suite lounge because we were 'only Platinum', until they had satisfied themselves that our cabin number was for a full suite and not a mini-suite.:rolleyes:

 

People here have posted that they lie about being in a suite to get

into the Suite/Elite happy hour.

 

It is because of these people that princess needs to check your

documents, and not just take your word.

[Renmar]

Yup, but Platinum only get to board after those suite passengers and elite who arrived went through to their lounge have boarded. :(

 

The last time we went through FL, a member of staff tried to stop us from going through to the suite lounge because we were 'only Platinum', until they had satisfied themselves that our cabin number was for a full suite and not a mini-suite.:rolleyes:

 

Not according to the Captain Circle membership listing. There is no difference between Elite & Platinum regarding boarding. Have not noticed any difference either. Both Elite & Platinum have preferred boarding.

The only difference is with disembarkation and ship to shore tendering.

Now, I don't know about suite passengers because we have never been able to afford or been upgraded to one.

https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/jsp/eliteMemberShipBenefits.jsp

 

Theo

[capriccio]

People here have posted that they lie about being in a suite to get

into the Suite/Elite happy hour.

 

It is because of these people that princess needs to check your

documents, and not just take your word.

 

In the past 10 months (some time after our August 2013 cruise) Princess has added 'suite' on the cruise card to make it much easier to verify that you are indeed in a full suite.

[caribill]

Not according to the Captain Circle membership listing. There is no difference between Elite & Platinum regarding boarding. Have not noticed any difference either. Both Elite & Platinum have preferred boarding.

 

Preferred boarding does not have to mean at the same time, just ahead of those without Preferred Boarding.

 

For example, here is a photo of the pass used at one port. It was used to enter the lounge that was just for suite and elite passengers and it was handed to staff when starting to board the ship. Platinum could neither wait in that lounge nor board with that group.

 

[DrivesLikeMario]

I have boarded in many ports where they have allowed Elites & Suites to board before Platinums. They have called out those groups in order and unless you had a black card or were in a suite, you had to wait. Suite cabins were checked sometimes too.

 

As for Southampton, you board whenever you get there. The staggered boarding doesn't really apply when you're coming in on a bus with 40 other people that have different boarding times. It's been this way for years.

[Corfe Mixture]

In the past 10 months (some time after our August 2013 cruise) Princess has added 'suite' on the cruise card to make it much easier to verify that you are indeed in a full suite.

 

Correct. It certainly said Suite on our cruise card when we were on Island at Christmas

[newport dave]

Just got back from 31 May Emerald Princess sailing from Ocean Terminal. They were definitely enforcing staggered boarding. We were able to board straight away being 'prefered' boarders, but they were making everyone else sit and wait. When we arrived just after 1200 they had 100's of people sat waiting for their alloyed check in time whilst check in desks were empty with staff just sat there doing nothing. We met one couple who turned up at 1330 , but only managed to get onboard at 1600. They had to delay the muster drill from 1530 till 1600 as there were so many passengers still left in the terminal.

[CCFC]

Just got back from 31 May Emerald Princess sailing from Ocean Terminal. They were definitely enforcing staggered boarding. We were able to board straight away being 'prefered' boarders, but they were making everyone else sit and wait. When we arrived just after 1200 they had 100's of people sat waiting for their alloyed check in time whilst check in desks were empty with staff just sat there doing nothing. We met one couple who turned up at 1330 , but only managed to get onboard at 1600. They had to delay the muster drill from 1530 till 1600 as there were so many passengers still left in the terminal.

 

Hi Dave! We got there about 11:50 but nobody was allowed to board because of customs, they finally allowed the first passengers on at about noon. The security was the joke, there was quite a gap between the photographers and the queue, most people just walked around them. The five working(of six available) scanners were set far too sensitively, it was taking nearly a minute a person. The man in front of me was taking shoes, belts, hats, socks, rings etc off one at a time, in the end they just waved him through which sort of meant it was pointless time wasting.

 

In my opinion we sailed late purely because of shore security, not because everyone got there early.

[StickInsect]

How far in advance do you find out your staggered boarding time? I am due to leave from Southampton on the Emerald Princess in 2.5 weeks time and I don't have a boarding time yet (no e-mail and not in my travel summary). I'd like to book my taxi but don't know what time to go for. I have heard that Aloha deck is normally 2pm but I am hoping (probably in vain) that it will be earlier.