Azura - New Improved Embarkation Process

[daiB]

Muster drill was 5pm on Britannia in late July. It was delayed however because they hadn't managed to get all passengers on .... think it was about 5.15pm

 

Thank you Presto, I think the problem is people do not read all the thread. And have not caught on that this is something new and what has happened before, even 2 moth ago, is Not now valid.

[Presto2]

Thank you Presto, I think the problem is people do not read all the thread. And have not caught on that this is something new and what has happened before, even 2 moth ago, is Not now valid.

 

I'm sure that it could all change from week to week ;) I suppose it is important to realise that we sailed during the high season re school holidays when the ship was full and I am sure that peoples' experience out of peak times will differ.

[john watson]

Thank you John (you have answered my question again!) -

 

The nearest I can see to a time is a picture of a clock on the first page ... my husband thinks this is the allocated time, but I think its an icon!

 

Surely it should be written clearly ... in the embarkation box, but it only states arrival date and terminal ... ! :confused:

 

Diane

 

The time is written out in very big script! You cannot miss it. On arrival you will be given a coloured plastic letter A-Z on the basis of showing this to the ladies at the top of the escalator. They then decide what letter to give people.

 

If however you are on a P&O organised coach of any type including outside contractors then you will be escorted into terminal and special arrangements made for your group. The check-in letter flip chart has been replaced by a television screen. This has split everybody into four categories. This thread is dealing with individuals turning up under their own steam and control.

 

I think coach people will be one of the other three categories which are higher priority. Cruise before last I was "next letter" then hundreds of people arrived and went before me. I later determined they were a big coach group!

 

Regards John

Edited September 22, 2015 by john watson

[laurakdy]

If P & O did change and allowed us to allocate our own times as people have been saying about other cruise lines. What happens when everyone goes for a 1pm slot because they have to be on first as they're the one's who have travelled from afar, stayed in a hotel the night before, or have children. :D

 

When all the 1pm slots are all gone and they have to choose other slots, what they will do anyhow is turn up at 1pm anyway. That's when the congestion starts and then they start moaning that P &O can't cope.

 

They're just not going to accept a 3/4pm slot at all. That's for the rest of us who have adhered to the rules and accept that someone has to be last onboard and it could so easily be me But as long as it's not them. So so selfish. I can't wait till they enforce this.

[daiB]

I'm sure that it could all change from week to week ;) I suppose it is important to realise that we sailed during the high season re school holidays when the ship was full and I am sure that peoples' experience out of peak times will differ.

 

 

No the 5.00 drill and 6.00 sail away look like being the new norm. Certainly for the big ships. That is the new system. Nothing to do with school holidays. Peoples experience will all be the same once each ship goes to the new system of embarkation.

[flapjack62]

Hi Diane

 

We do not have an embarkation time, as it is a transatlantic you should just have the time of the coach transfer from the airport. You will checkin as soon as the coach arrives at the terminal

 

Sue

 

The time is written out in very big script! You cannot miss it. On arrival you will be given a coloured plastic letter A-Z on the basis of showing this to the ladies at the top of the escalator. They then decide what letter to give people.

 

If however you are on a P&O organised coach of any type including outside contractors then you will be escorted into terminal and special arrangements made for your group. The check-in letter flip chart has been replaced by a television screen. This has split everybody into four categories. This thread is dealing with individuals turning up under their own steam and control.

 

I think coach people will be one of the other three categories which are higher priority. Cruise before last I was "next letter" then hundreds of people arrived and went before me. I later determined they were a big coach group!

 

Regards John

 

Thanks Sue and John, no there is definitely no time slot allocated to us, however we are not arriving by coach, we have booked a taxi to get us to Southampton, so not sure what is going on. Think I will have to ring P&O to ask. We have just received a (small) cabin upgrade also which means our luggage labels are now showing incorrect information, so I can address both issues at the same time.

I really appreciate both your input as it has clarified everything for me, thank you :)

 

Diane

[FAB1]

Thanks Sue and John, no there is definitely no time slot allocated to us, however we are not arriving by coach, we have booked a taxi to get us to Southampton, so not sure what is going on. Think I will have to ring P&O to ask. We have just received a (small) cabin upgrade also which means our luggage labels are now showing incorrect information, so I can address both issues at the same time.

I really appreciate both your input as it has clarified everything for me, thank you :)

 

Diane

 

Sorry Diane, I assumed you would be using the free coach from Gatwick rather than paying for a taxi.

 

You can print new luggage labels from Cruise Personaliser with the new cabin number on as long as its 24 hrs since you were advised of the upgrade(well done on that by the way)

 

Sue

[daiB]

I tried out Allertons Cruise Lounge earlier in the year; it's relatively new and has not got a big following yet but I found it solves the problem you mention. It is based at The Grand Harbour Hotel Southampton and it is acceptable to book the lounge irrespective of whether you stay at the hotel. It opens at 9am and closes at 8pm. Arrive early in the day at Southampton and deposit your luggage with the concierge, you get a receipt for the cases. Then you may select a time for your transfer to quayside by the staff or leave this decision until later. This gives the opportunity of going round Southampton to do a bit of shopping etc. When in the lounge you get free WiFi facility and unlimited tea/coffee and snacks through the day. We paid £12.50 each plus £6.00 for the group transfer. It is quite expensive in my opinion but nevertheless significantly cheaper than staying in a hotel the night before a cruise whilst retaining the security of arriving in Southampton comfortably early to feel assured you wont "miss the boat"particularly if you have to aim for a late boarding time.

 

 

 

Regards John

 

 

John we are in the GH now and I enquired about the price as someone had said they had been quoted over £30 and you paid £12.

 

Well you are both correct. :) :) Your price includes coffee and tea etc. And the other price includes booze. The rest is the same.

[Presto2]

No the 5.00 drill and 6.00 sail away look like being the new norm. Certainly for the big ships. That is the new system. Nothing to do with school holidays. Peoples experience will all be the same once each ship goes to the new system of embarkation.

 

Was just thinking that there will probably be fewer people getting on the ship out of school holidays. Not sure if this means that it will take less time to check in even if some people ignore their slot....... if this makes sense.

[wilson2579]

To be honest Presto I think the ship sails almost full at any time:eek:

[john watson]

Good to hear this, regarding the Allertons Cruise Lounge at Grand Harbour, Dai; £30.00 was not viable in my books and to my mind this is the start of what should be a very good facility.

 

Regards John

Edited September 23, 2015 by john watson

[daiB]

Was just thinking that there will probably be fewer people getting on the ship out of school holidays. Not sure if this means that it will take less time to check in even if some people ignore their slot....... if this makes sense.

 

 

Yes as Wilson says the ships sail full or very near to full all the year round. The time where there may be some capacity is leading up to Christmas, November and early December, which is why you get the best deals then.

[Cruising Nomads]

Hope the price difference of £18 is more than just one drink.

[daiB]

Hope the price difference of £18 is more than just one drink.

 

 

Must be as you could pay the £12 and go for a drink to the bar next door.

[Presto2]

Yes as Wilson says the ships sail full or very near to full all the year round. The time where there may be some capacity is leading up to Christmas, November and early December, which is why you get the best deals then.

 

Thanks Dai, didn't know that, took it for granted that when it isn't peak time they are quieter. One day, when I retire, (we retire), we may try the quieter months :)

[silver service]

It has been missed so far, but , the e ticket says arrival time.

When is the check in and boarding?

[Josy1953]

Thanks Dai, didn't know that, took it for granted that when it isn't peak time they are quieter. One day, when I retire, (we retire), we may try the quieter months :)

 

We are retired and do cruise at quieter times but because we generally want to choose where we are (balcony looking out of the back of the ship) we still book select fares so don't make great savings. We have booked the odd saver when we saw what we considered to be a great bargain which is something that we could never do when we worked. We have booked Ventura for 12 days at the beginning of December and booked select which, when we take into account the free coach and the obc, we paid less than the current saver price so savers are not always the bargain that people think.

[wilson2579]

It has been missed so far, but , the e ticket says arrival time.

When is the check in and boarding?

 

That is your check in time and after check in you go straight through security and on to the ship.

[silver service]

Thanks Wilson!

[Presto2]

We are retired and do cruise at quieter times but because we generally want to choose where we are (balcony looking out of the back of the ship) we still book select fares so don't make great savings. We have booked the odd saver when we saw what we considered to be a great bargain which is something that we could never do when we worked. We have booked Ventura for 12 days at the beginning of December and booked select which, when we take into account the free coach and the obc, we paid less than the current saver price so savers are not always the bargain that people think.

 

In 10 yrs time we will be in touch ;)

[Midsomer Madness]

I emailed a contact at p&o towers and asked about embarkation and she has confirmed that the new boarding arrangements currently on Britannia, Azura and Ventura will be rolled out fleet wide in November, with an aim of getting from kerb to cabin in 30 minutes eventually although she appreciates it's not quite working that well at the moment....she also said she had read and received comments that not everyone is happy with the new system!

[wilson2579]

I emailed a contact at p&o towers and asked about embarkation and she has confirmed that the new boarding arrangements currently on Britannia, Azura and Ventura will be rolled out fleet wide in November, with an aim of getting from kerb to cabin in 30 minutes eventually although she appreciates it's not quite working that well at the moment....she also said she had read and received comments that not everyone is happy with the new system!

 

Thanks for the info but I do think it is a large percentage who are not happy, me included:mad:

[dsrdsrdsr]

If P & O did change and allowed us to allocate our own times as people have been saying about other cruise lines. What happens when everyone goes for a 1pm slot because they have to be on first as they're the one's who have travelled from afar, stayed in a hotel the night before, or have children. :D

 

When all the 1pm slots are all gone and they have to choose other slots, what they will do anyhow is turn up at 1pm anyway. That's when the congestion starts and then they start moaning that P &O can't cope.

 

They're just not going to accept a 3/4pm slot at all. That's for the rest of us who have adhered to the rules and accept that someone has to be last onboard and it could so easily be me But as long as it's not them. So so selfish. I can't wait till they enforce this.

If you were driving from afar, and have a time slot an hour or so before departure, would you plan your journey to arrive at exactly that time? It isn't always possible (translation - unusual) to drive straight into Southampton without any traffic jams. I for one would rather get there three hours early, and if it means sitting in the lounge for three hours, so be it.

[Henderson1]

How about the earlier you book, the earlier you board?

[Presto2]

Thanks for the info but I do think it is a large percentage who are not happy, me included:mad:

 

Same here - not sure which bright spark came up with this new system as the one before seemed to work well to us. Surely getting people on early (whatever time they were given) wasn't too bad as a lot of us spent money in the cafes and bars waiting for our cabins to be ready.... it also gave us all time to wander around the ship and check out the restaurants and look at the special deals for the restaurants and spa etc etc