BVE Regal

[baronessk]

We are sailing Dec. 20 on Regal and this will be my first sailing as "Platinum" and being able to use Priority boarding and lounge which will benefit my DM who is 84 and only Ruby, and Aunt who is in her 70's. (We are all in a Mini-suite). Now a friend has indicated he would like to do the BVE that day. Will he board at the BVE entrance separately? Can we get to the port when we want and he get there when he wants and meet up on the ship? I just think with my Mother and Aunt, we still need to do our normal boarding routine and if I have to meet with my friend it will complicate things. I know someone has the answer and thank you in advance.

[TracieABD]

I believe that with the BVE, your party will actually be the very first to board the ship. This may be a huge advantage to your mom and aunt. I think that the BVEs board around 11 am.

[volmoma]

I believe that with the BVE, your party will actually be the very first to board the ship. This may be a huge advantage to your mom and aunt. I think that the BVEs board around 11 am.

 

 

New to Princess, what is BVE?

[TracieABD]

New to Princess, what is BVE?

 

Bon Voyage Experience.

 

You pay $40 dollars and you get to board a (select) Princess ship on an embarkation day. You have lunch, a glass of wine, have your photo taken, tour the ship, and hang out for 3-4 hours. At around 3 pm, they escort you off the ship. If you book a cruise within a determned amount of time, you can apply the $40 to a future cruise.

[volmoma]

Bon Voyage Experience.

 

 

 

You pay $40 dollars and you get to board a (select) Princess ship on an embarkation day. You have lunch, a glass of wine, have your photo taken, tour the ship, and hang out for 3-4 hours. At around 3 pm, they escort you off the ship. If you book a cruise within a determned amount of time, you can apply the $40 to a future cruise.

 

 

Oh....TY Was hoping it might have been something on the lines of CCL's FTTF. Being this is our first cruise on Princess, was hoping to board early..thanks again.

[janetz]

When you sign them up for the BVE or they call on their own to sign up, your reservation number needs to be linked with theirs. be sure this is done.

You will all board together, right after the wedding parties. Yeah! :D

One other thing not well known is that the BVE guests are allowed to bring one on 1 bottle of wine each, and leave it with you. This was told to me when we booked our daughter's BVE.

When our daughter did this the announcement was made for the BVE guest to leave the ship at 3:30, on their own. The announcement was made again right before muster. So the time can be stretched a bit.

I would be at port before 11 if boarding as a BVE guest or with one. We were on at 11:15.

Edited November 21, 2015 by janetz

[notalandlover]

I'm just off the royal. We had a close friend join us for BVE. Several of the PCL workers didn't know anything about BVE. We had a to ask five different people. Someone told us to line up in the priority boarding line. We did and were able to board right away. When we came on board security got confused and didn't allow our BVE friend to board for about 10 minutes until they figured it out. It was a great experience but PCL needs to train their staff as to how to processs BVE guest.

[2pbears]

As long as the Princess personnel at your cruise port are well trained and on their toes (and this is a big IF) then the BVE boarding should be much easier for your mother and aunt than the Platinum priority boarding. For our BVE boarding in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago we were checked in immediately, seated in a special area of the port until the ship was cleared to board and then we were the first to board the ship. An Elite passenger attempted to board with us and he was turned away and told that he must wait until Platinum and Elite passengers were called. If I were you I would arrange for your entire party to meet at the port at around 11:00 and all board together.

[hpeabody]

FYI, the personnel being referred to in the above posts are not Princess Cruises employees, but work for an outsource company for the port and are there for any/all cruises lines for embarkation/disembarkation day.

 

In LA/San Pedro, they have a pretty organized BVE that starts from the time you walk into the terminal. In LA/San Pedro usually BVE follows wedding parties and Travel Agents groups. The process usually begins about 11:30 AM. MUCH depends on clearing the ship from the previous cruise and also possible required inspections.

[JF - retired RRT]

A couple of "addenda"...

Tracy: it is $39, not a huge difference:D

 

If your friend doing the BVE shows up later than 11:00, he might confuse the boarding personnel. There is a crew member assigned to guide the group onto the ship (usually the Future Cruise person or the Captain Circle person). If he does the BVE and you want to get on with him, you need to go to the BVE seating area together.

[janetz]

If possible, board together. :)

[caribill]

We are sailing Dec. 20 on Regal and this will be my first sailing as "Platinum" and being able to use Priority boarding and lounge which will benefit my DM who is 84 and only Ruby, and Aunt who is in her 70's. (We are all in a Mini-suite). Now a friend has indicated he would like to do the BVE that day. Will he board at the BVE entrance separately? Can we get to the port when we want and he get there when he wants and meet up on the ship? I just think with my Mother and Aunt, we still need to do our normal boarding routine and if I have to meet with my friend it will complicate things. I know someone has the answer and thank you in advance.

 

You do not have to board with your BVE friend if you do not want to.

[hcat]

So there must be a non- cruise guest attending the princess lunch experience?

too bad..would love to pay to board early..

 

.new to Princess...no perks, no early boarding status..oh well! Will bring a sun hat, water and crackers...have heard it can be a long wait in the sun,...spoiled by Celebrity!

[janetz]

So there must be a non- cruise guest attending the princess lunch experience?

too bad..would love to pay to board early..

 

.new to Princess...no perks, no early boarding status..oh well! Will bring a sun hat, water and crackers...have heard it can be a long wait in the sun,...spoiled by Celebrity!

 

Oh no...For the BVE guests, the amount they pay includes lunch in the dining room . Any one boarding can dine in the dining room also. Staff tends to encourage you to go to the buffet but one of the dining rooms will be open.

No worries ;)

[baronessk]

When you sign them up for the BVE or they call on their own to sign up, your reservation number needs to be linked with theirs. be sure this is done.

You will all board together, right after the wedding parties. Yeah! :D

One other thing not well known is that the BVE guests are allowed to bring one on 1 bottle of wine each, and leave it with you. This was told to me when we booked our daughter's BVE.

When our daughter did this the announcement was made for the BVE guest to leave the ship at 3:30, on their own. The announcement was made again right before muster. So the time can be stretched a bit.

I would be at port before 11 if boarding as a BVE guest or with one. We were on at 11:15.

Thank you Janetz! I wondered about the bottle of wine today. That's almost too good to be true!!!!

[janetz]

I know! [emoji4]

Edited November 22, 2015 by janetz