Boarding Times

[Happy People]

Just received E ticket for Oceana Christmas cruise 17th December from Southampton it states boarding time 14-00 hours do P&O stick to these times,?

we are stopping in a hotel previous night and we have to be out of the hotel 11-00 we do not feel like walking about Southampton as the weather might not be kind to us that time of the year,any info will be helpful.

 

:eek: :confused: :D

[DevonianCruiser]

Just received E ticket for Oceana Christmas cruise 17th December from Southampton it states boarding time 14-00 hours do P&O stick to these times,?

we are stopping in a hotel previous night and we have to be out of the hotel 11-00 we do not feel like walking about Southampton as the weather might not be kind to us that time of the year,any info will be helpful.

 

:eek: :confused: :D

 

Whatever cruise company I go with I turn up early as it beats hanging around at a hotel. Normally get to board on most lines between 11am and midday. Late is 1pm. I think that all the cruise companies now recommend later boarding just do they can stagger the passengers :D

Edited November 14, 2014 by DevonianCruiser

[davecttr]

Leave your hotel before 11am and go to Ocean terminal. boarding should start soon after 11.30. I have a 12.30 boarding time but will leave the hotel soon after 11am

 

when you get to the terminal you will get a lettered card. They then call the letters in alphabetical order. don't worry about your 14.00 time.

 

ps - cabins will not be available until about 2pm.

[jeanlyon]

They don't do that in the Mayflower terminal though. No lettered cards. Just a queue.

[P&O SUE]

When we went out of Queen Elizabeth terminal just over a week ago we didn't get cards either. Our time was for 2.45pm, we got there about 12.40, were having lunch on deck by 1.15 and at 1.45 they announced the cabins were ready - all very smooth :)

[Happy People]

Thanks for all your reply's and info. we will leave hotel and try our luck early

 

if we get on early we can see if there is a bar open for a drink (or 2) we do realize that we cannot get into our cabin until 14-00 and I thought that this is why they told us 14-00 to board.

[richleeds]

If you dont want to join the Mayflower Meerkats who sit there waiting to get on board early as if there life depended on it, why not ask the hotel for a late check out?

[davecttr]

Oceana is leaving from Ocean terminal so there is plenty of seating before check-in. Leaving the hotel at 11 am is fine as when you get to the terminal there should be only a few minutes before boarding starts.

 

ps - I usually leave my hotel at about 11am

[bertie1992]

We ll also be leaving our hotel at 11 ish, traffic is normally quite hectic around Southampton

 

Not long to go now :)

[NSWP]

I don't know why pax get to the terminal so early, when one cannot get access to one's cabin until after 2pm on sailing day. Last couple of cruises we have done from Southampton, we arrived at 3pm - 3.30pm and just about walked straight on.

 

I think pax are worried they might miss lunch on board, why not have it ashore and and avoid the long wait and peak hour at embarkation?

 

I really think P&O should ENFORCE embarkation/check in times, turning back the 'early birds.'

 

Standby for incoming !! LOL.

[davecttr]

I don't know why pax get to the terminal so early, when one cannot get access to one's cabin until after 2pm on sailing day. Last couple of cruises we have done from Southampton, we arrived at 3pm - 3.30pm and just about walked straight on.

 

I think pax are worried they might miss lunch on board, why not have it ashore and and avoid the long wait and peak hour at embarkation?

 

I really think P&O should ENFORCE embarkation/check in times, turning back the 'early birds.'

 

Standby for incoming !! LOL.

 

Incoming ;)

 

I stay in a hotel the night before. I do not own a car. I have to leave the hotel at noon. I am not going to drag suitcases around Southampton in the rain. I might as well sit in the terminal and then board the ship and have lunch. Other people travel on the day by train or coach and have fixed arrival times which probably do not coincide with P&O's suggested times.

 

Enforce check in times!. You must be crazy. Really bad marketing and disastrous public relations. They only have a few hours to board thousands of passengers and need all that time. Some people are late for their allocated time. What happens, sorry sir you are late, you can't board, better luck next cruise. Or, Mmm! we appear to have a few late comers, the desks are standing idle, what do we do? Check in the next in the queue of course. Mmm!, that means there is another spare slot etc etc......:rolleyes:

 

ps - there is NO WAY I would aim to arrive for 3pm or later. You have to build in a LOT of wriggle time given the state of transport.

[kruzseeka]

And with cases, where would you wander anyway in Southampton? Loafing around a shopping centre killing time isn't my idea of the way to start a holiday. Forget lunch - just give me a comfortable lounge on board to read and relax until cabins are ready. Going elsewhere, like lunch in the New Forest works for me but only if you are travelling by car.

[DevonianCruiser]

I don't know why pax get to the terminal so early, when one cannot get access to one's cabin until after 2pm on sailing day. Last couple of cruises we have done from Southampton, we arrived at 3pm - 3.30pm and just about walked straight on.

 

I think pax are worried they might miss lunch on board, why not have it ashore and and avoid the long wait and peak hour at embarkation?

 

I really think P&O should ENFORCE embarkation/check in times, turning back the 'early birds.'

 

Standby for incoming !! LOL.

 

Or maybe people just want to actually start their cruise holiday :D

 

For me I enjoying getting on and exploring my new temporary home :cool:

[Scriv]

Or maybe people just want to actually start their cruise holiday :D

For me I enjoying getting on and exploring my new temporary home :cool:

 

Same for us too. Our embarkation time was 1 pm for our short cruise last week and we arrived just after 11 30 as it suited our arrival arrangements. There was absolutely no problem with arriving early and we were by no means the first lot! We were shown straight through into the waiting lounge and allocated Boarding Card E.

 

By 12 15 we were on board and enjoying lunch in the Buffet before walking around the ship to explore and get our bearings. We went to our cabins about 2 pm where our cases were waiting.

 

The Buffet lunch was excellent, but it was very busy and crowded and lots of people had carry on/pull along luggage as it was only a short cruise.

[richleeds]

I don't know why pax get to the terminal so early, when one cannot get access to one's cabin until after 2pm on sailing day. Last couple of cruises we have done from Southampton, we arrived at 3pm - 3.30pm and just about walked straight on.

 

 

 

I think pax are worried they might miss lunch on board, why not have it ashore and and avoid the long wait and peak hour at embarkation?

 

 

 

I really think P&O should ENFORCE embarkation/check in times, turning back the 'early birds.'

 

 

 

Standby for incoming !! LOL.

 

 

Agreed

[daiB]

Or maybe people just want to actually start their cruise holiday :D

 

 

 

For me I enjoying getting on and exploring my new temporary home :cool:

 

 

Correct, however what a lot of people fail to consider is that if you have a check in time of 13.00 then you should be in the terminal before that, to check in at 13.00 you should be there at least 30 mins early or possibly an hour early.

 

Personally we never arrive before 1 hour before our time, that would be totally wrong. Unacceptable.

 

Of course we always get a check in time of 12.00. :) :) ;)

 

 

 

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[richleeds]

And with cases, where would you wander anyway in Southampton? Loafing around a shopping centre killing time isn't my idea of the way to start a holiday.

 

The hotel will always hold your bags while you go take coffee somewhere or have a mooch.

[pkpon]

Can you leave your hand luggage in your cabin before 2 pm?

 

As a single passenger I think it would be difficult to lug it around the buffet area while trying to carry a tray.

 

 

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[jeanlyon]

They don't need to enforce check in times. They will just do it the way Fred O does it. They enforce "boarding" times. Nobody boards before 1400 and you don't get lunch. You just wait in the terminal if you are early.

[S and D essex]

Our boarding time is 15.15 to 15.45, our hotel offers cruise lounge where we can have lunch, continue to use all the hotels spa facilities available etc. They deal with all our baggage so we don't have to. A good start to our honeymoon, here's hoping the champagne is on ice. :)

[richleeds]

Can you leave your hand luggage in your cabin before 2 pm?

 

As a single passenger I think it would be difficult to lug it around the buffet area while trying to carry a tray.

 

 

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I wouldnt think so, you are just going to get in the way and if people see you taking bags to your cabin then others will want to do the same.

 

Its the most hectic/tiring day for the cabin staff and they just need to be allowed to get on with their jobs before the 14:00 floodgates open.

 

Also as they wouldnt be able to guarantee your cabin door will be closed, they are often ajar on change over day until occupied then you are risking your bag going missing.

Edited November 19, 2014 by richleeds

[davecttr]

They don't need to enforce check in times. They will just do it the way Fred O does it. They enforce "boarding" times. Nobody boards before 1400 and you don't get lunch. You just wait in the terminal if you are early.

Processing 3000 plus passengers through security from 2pm. I don't think so.

 

anyway the existing system works OK so why change it?

[Scriv]

Can you leave your hand luggage in your cabin before 2 pm?

As a single passenger I think it would be difficult to lug it around the buffet area while trying to carry a tray.

 

Find yourself a seat and put your coat and handluggage there, tucked in of course. I am sure it will be quite safe as you go with your tray, but I would make sure you have a luggage label on.

 

I would keep the hand luggage to a minimum in any case, so you can enjoy the ship without lugging a lot of stuff around.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Scriv

[richleeds]

Processing 3000 plus passengers through security from 2pm. I don't think so.

 

anyway the existing system works OK so why change it?

 

They could process and check in all the meerkats then have them in a holding pen until 14:00, then let them board.

[majortom10]

They don't need to enforce check in times. They will just do it the way Fred O does it. They enforce "boarding" times. Nobody boards before 1400 and you don't get lunch. You just wait in the terminal if you are early.

 

You keep on repeating that same statement but Fred O havent got ships that hold 3000 people that is what P&O used to do before the arrival of Ventura and Azura we were never allowed onboard until 2pm we had to wait in the terminal but it was easy then with less than 2000 people to board.