boarding time based on stateroom deck?

[essgee_ca]

We're sailing on Saturday and I have received 2 emails and 1 phone call "suggesting" when I could board based on the deck my cabin is on. Is this new? I have never heard of this. The earliest time they are having people board is at 12:30pm and then only diamond, diamond plus and pinacle. I was planning on getting to the cruise port at around 11:00am.

Is this truly a "suggestion" or might they make me wait until the suggested boarding time?

Edited December 19, 2014 by essgee_ca

[Clarea]

It's not new, it' been happening for a few weeks now. They have not enforced suggested boarding times for cruises out of the US.

[Desert Cruizers]

We experienced this on our March NZ cruise, however, I can't say how many followed the notice and boarded when they wanted to.

[leinhto]

Is that from all ports and all ships or just particular ones.

[Clarea]

Is that from all ports and all ships or just particular ones.

Didn't happen to us for Explorer out of Port Canaveral.

[leinhto]

Wonder if anyone had that out of Tampa?

[UNV-IT!!!]

I got the email on my most recent Indy cruise but saw no one enforcing it

[leinhto]

It probably was designed to stem the tide of all cruisers coming to terminal at same time. The effects may already be there so no need to enforce for those already in terminal.

 

Is this written somewhere on the site?

[Clarea]

It probably was designed to stem the tide of all cruisers coming to terminal at same time. The effects may already be there so no need to enforce for those already in terminal.

 

Is this written somewhere on the site?

I've not seen boarding time restrictions on Royal's website. Seems to be coming in texts or emails to upcoming cruisers.

[Needzavacation]

We received the same for our Indy cruise tomorrow multiple times - emails, cell phones, home phone, travel agent. Each one asks us to confirm receipt. But based on these boards, we're planning to show up late morning as we always do.

[Pumbaamd]

We sail tomorrow from San Juan for a B2B on Jewel. Received two e-mails, one text and one phone call advising of boarding times by deck. The 2nd e-mail had a button to click acknowledging that you confirm. C&A members (except Gold) can board at any time.

Merry Christmas to All!

Rick and Deirdra

[temple1]

We received it for our November 30 Freedom cruise, but I think most everyone here knows what happened next! :eek:

[wieslaw]

Wonder if anyone had that out of Tampa?

 

Our boarding of Vision in Tampa on dec 6th, 2014.

 

We did get the email. We were in the group that could board from 11 to 3.

We got there close to 11. No one was checking at the entrance of the terminal what group one is in.

During the check in process a tag was issued with either a C&A status or a number.

When they started boarding the ship, they called the suites and pinnacle - first,

followed by D+, next D and so on.

As we were doing the boarding the tags were collected by the people working there.

[letsgocruising10]

Our Oasis Cruise Nov 29 also had the boarding suggestion e-mail. We arrived an hour and a half earlier than the schedule and did not have any problems. Boarding schedules were as late as 3:30, but most people have to be out of their hotel before noon. The the cruise lines most likely will be dictated by the hotels schedule. Not many passengers will want to wander around with their luggage for a few hours before boarding. Staggered boarding is a good concept in theory but perhaps not practical.

[KansasK]

This also would not work well for people traveling with friends or family who are not pinnacle, diamond plus or diamond, unless they just let them board with you like they do now.

[leinhto]

We sail tomorrow from San Juan for a B2B on Jewel. Received two e-mails, one text and one phone call advising of boarding times by deck. The 2nd e-mail had a button to click acknowledging that you confirm. C&A members (except Gold) can board at any time.

Merry Christmas to All!

Rick and Deirdra

That begs an interesting question...if gold and new sailors are the primary target, do they make up the majority of passengers on any given sailing? This evidently is an attempt on crowd control.

 

I wonder if there are any stats on the percentage of repeat vs. new passengers per sailing.

[Clarea]

That begs an interesting question...if gold and new sailors are the primary target, do they make up the majority of passengers on any given sailing? This evidently is an attempt on crowd control.

 

I wonder if there are any stats on the percentage of repeat vs. new passengers per sailing.

I think that's a good assumption.

[Lionesss]

I cannot see this ever really happening....the way people get to port to enjoy the first day of their cruise.

 

And besides, it is a practice at getting used to the crowd scene on some ships at different times.

 

Sea Ya

[wieslaw]

That begs an interesting question...if gold and new sailors are the primary target, do they make up the majority of passengers on any given sailing? This evidently is an attempt on crowd control.

 

I wonder if there are any stats on the percentage of repeat vs. new passengers per sailing.

 

 

On our sailing on Vision there were a little over 1200 ( I think 1224) C&A members, so maybe even more repeaters ( not all repeaters are in C&A).

So that would be 50% or more of the guests on board ( not sure what they had on our sailing).

 

There have to be some crowds at some times ...... the window to get all the people off the ship and on the ship is very small. At any given time when a large number of people shows up at the same time ......... it is going be crowded.

And any small hiccup ( like the fog in port) creates a bigger problem /crowd

Edited December 19, 2014 by wieslaw

[Debde]

It could work if it was enforced. People would learn to maybe go have lunch after being thrown out of the hotel. Suites and C&A could possibly have to wait until friends boarding time if they wanted to board together.

 

It is actually a very good attempt at crowd control but unless its enforced, it will be another rule or suggestion that no one listens to.

 

It also lets them off the hook when people post pictures of horrid crowds during boarding that they will flip the switch on all those not coming at suggested boarding time. It then makes it the passengers fault and not them.

[George C]

We had it last April for cruise out of Galveston, I think everyone ignored it, we are diamond and in a suite and it still took 45 mins or so to board. They have a new cruise terminal now and hopefully they can improve checkin

[ryano]

People would learn to maybe go have lunch after being thrown out of the hotel. .

 

Why would I do that when I paid for lunch on the ship the first day? :confused:

 

I have to chuckle at some of their listed times for arrival. Some of them are for later on in the day after the Windjammer closes. Another cost cutting measure maybe? :D

 

Im just lowly Gold but Im also disabled and confined to a wheelchair which means I still get early priority boarding and will plan on arrival at my normal 10:30 - 10:45 time.

[Debde]

Why would I do that when I paid for lunch on the ship the first day? :confused:

 

I have to chuckle at some of their listed times for arrival. Some of them are for later on in the day after the Windjammer closes. Another cost cutting measure maybe? :D

 

 

What I guess I should have said was, to grab some lunch if you are hungry because you will get that meal you paid for.[and then some over the time of your cruise;)] Maybe just not a noon for this first meal. If the WJ is closed-still plenty options for food.

Hey-I'm just talking out loud-just like corporate probably does in those meeting that we are not privy to!!;) I'm not thinking they worry about our first meal. Crowd control attempt is the possible reason for these new notices.

[wieslaw]

I am a little skeptical if that is a good idea and if that will help with easier and quicker way to get on board.

 

Not all people come from local hotels ...... some come by buses ( I have seen two large buses unloading people at the terminal in Tampa at 7 am), many come from Florida and a lot of them come in cars, some fly the same day and they show up at different times ..... all sorts of C&A levels, different decks),

 

So if a guest that will be on deck 8 or whatever (not sure what tag number - let's say 4) shows up at noon (or at the 7 am on the bus), and that tag number is too early for boarding, because they are boarding now the suites, pinnacle and D+ ........ so they ( all below the D+) have to be in a line that might be getting longer every few minutes ......... and now a suite, pinnacle or whatever shows up at 1 or 2 o'clock and there is the long line in front of them ....... how are they going to get to the front of the line to do their early /priority boarding ?

 

Not sure if the numbers are a good idea.

 

In Tampa many people were waiting in front of the terminal ( found this out from some conversations).

Edited December 19, 2014 by wieslaw

[cruisinlover1414]

This happened when we were boarding the Allure this past summer. We still boarded at 10:30ish and they let us on without a wait! If you are there, they usually let you just get on. Also, most ports have special lines for Crown & Anchor members, so you get on even faster!

We are sailing on Sunday and I am surprised that they have not called or emailed! We will be getting there at 10:30 again and we are hoping to board relatively quickly again.