Has there been a change on stateroom access on boarding?

[hllwdcruiser]

You're mistaking a fire door alarm with an alarm on your cabin door which does not exist. Fire doors can always be opened when closed. If your cabin is not ready you're always welcomed to leave your luggage until it is.

 

I'm not mistaking the cabin door for a fire door - I do know the difference. I was just stating what others posted about the fire doors - perhaps my terminology of "access" door was confusing.

 

I'd just as soon not be setting off fire door alarms and circumventing staff guarding hallways just to get to my cabin at the start of my vacation. I always liked being able to get to my cabin as soon as we boarded but I guess we'll be heading to Alfredo's instead.

Edited January 29, 2016 by hllwdcruiser

[cruiselvr1]

Princess raised the Hotel Charge on January 1st, now they need to add additional cabin stewards so their customers get the service they are paying for.

Too many cabins/steward and too few support staff, that is the bottom line, and it is absolutely visible to Princess' customers on boarding day and all other days of the cruise.

 

 

I agree. We were in d737 on the Grand, the last cabin for our Stewart. Our room would not even be touched, sometimes until 9pm. When we would leave for dinner, (5:30) he was already working. It is obvious they are overworked.

 

 

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[jollyjones]

As a follow up to my previous post, I did ask my steward how many cabins he is responsible for and he told me NINETEEN!!

 

I'm sure this is more than they used to have, no wonder they need longer to turn them all around on embarkation day.

 

One of the small, but important, things I liked about Princess was the cabin being ready for me when I board. Add this change (and I'm sure it'll be a fleet wide change soon) to all the other small but important things that are changing with Princess, I may well cash in my two FCCs and move on.

 

Before anyone accuses me of being petty, the major 'small but important' things for me are the virtual disappearance of 165% solo supps and no OV cabins in new builds - Princess is becoming much more expensive while the product is declining - I find I get much better value for my money at Silversea.

Edited January 29, 2016 by jollyjones

[Mom33]

On our Regal cruise, the rooms were not available till 1:00 pm. On the second week of our B2B, we attempted to open the access doors on our floor and an alarm sounded. We did go on to our room but didn't stay or bother the steward. The alarm stopped shortly after we entered the floor.

[critterchick]

Something has definitely changed as we received a notice for staggered boarding for the Emerald which hasn't had any Noro problems. We'll just drop off our luggage in the unfinished room if not ready & head out to lunch.

 

We've been getting the staggered boarding notices for a couple of years now. I don't think it's related to the cabins no longer being ready until 1:00.

 

When the doors are locked to the cabin hallways and crew are stationed at every staircase and elevator, escorting you to the buffet, I can ASSURE you that you could not drop your bags. Unless you experienced it, possibly you should refrain from commenting!

 

I haven't experienced it on Princess, but that's essentially what they do on RCI (although they only point you to the Windjammer, not escort you). We have always enjoyed being able to board around noon (San Pedro is always a little late for some reason), unpack (we don't bring much:)) and then head to lunch in the dining room. But if we can't go to our cabin on Ruby next weekend, we'll just take our bags to the dining room and have lunch. It'll be annoying (for the staff as well, I imagine), but we'll cope.

 

I just hope that this isn't Step 1 in eliminating the dining room as a boarding option, citing too much passenger luggage or some other such nonsense.

[floridalover5623]

I'm not mistaking the cabin door for a fire door - I do know the difference. I was just stating what others posted about the fire doors - perhaps my terminology of "access" door was confusing.

 

I'd just as soon not be setting off fire door alarms and circumventing staff guarding hallways just to get to my cabin at the start of my vacation. I always liked being able to get to my cabin as soon as we boarded but I guess we'll be heading to Alfredo's instead.

 

Well if the alarm sounds when I enter my cabin area then so be it- let it ring. I'm not even going to consider taking it to lunch no matter where we eat.

[ccruisequeen]

In October, I got a staggered boarding notice for the Crown. Luckily, we got an early boarding number and were able to go to the cabin, drop off luggage, and make it to the MDR for lunch before it closed. We were on one of the upper decks. This time, we are on the plaza deck, so it will be easier

 

 

 

I no longer see carnival from my condo front porch :(

[southpawsdakota]

You DO NOT have to pre-pay for your excursions. As far as not getting into your room until after one, yes it was nice that we used to be able to do it but why make such a big deal out of it. It is what it is and things change. Why stress out over it. Try to go to your cabin and if you can't go have lunch and relax.

[Astro Flyer]

You DO NOT have to pre-pay for your excursions.

There are threads showing an email from Princess that this summer on the Grand in Alaska they're "testing" requiring prepayment for shore excursions.

 

In those discussions it's been speculated that by testing this change on cruises that have many new Princess passengers they'll believe the email saying prepayment is a new option to benefit passengers. Experienced Princess cruisers are aware that's already an option however new passengers are unaware that is currently an option. New Princess passengers are less likely to be unhappy with requiring prepayment & thus the test will be a success although many of us on CC feel that is merely a formality before requiring shore excursions prepayment fleetwide to be like other cruise lines. :eek:

[TheColvins86]

12:30pm - Aloha & Lido Decks - Cabins on these decks begin with A & L

1:00pm - Dolphin & Emerald Decks - Cabin on these decks begin with D & E

1:30pm - Caribe - Cabins on this deck begin with C

2:00pm - Marina & Riviera Decks - Cabins on these decks begin with M & R

2:30pm - Baja Deck - Cabins on this deck begin with B

 

We board the Regal this upcoming Sunday (1/31) and this is the staggered boarding information received in an email from Princess. We are on the Riviera Deck.

 

We will be cruising on the Regal Princess in April 2016, an in all my dozens of cruises I've never been made to wait that long to enter my cabin we would be on Baja Deck.. This would cause for us to be lugging our carry ons for quite some time. I'm a type 2 Diabetic an always carry all my medications on with me, insulin & other refrigerated Med an such( an I prefer to take those an place them in the mini fridge asap. Also all our electronics an important papers will be with us also that I've always taken an stored safely in our room before we begin exploring. My mom also will be going with an will also be bringing meds an a small cooler with beverages, I'd hate for us to all be bogged down with multiple bags.. I wonder who/where from I could find out if that time table is gonna be in effect during our sailing??

[paul929207]

I got an email from a friend who boarded the Regal yesterday. They were not allowed into their cabin until 1pm

[Husky61]

Not sure if this matters, but I noticed that our Royal cruise returns at 6:00 vs what I thought used to be 7:00. Does this help with the cabin refreshes? It might not matter if people don't disembark sooner.:confused: And of course, it may not be for all itineraries.

 

It doesn't matter because they told us that even though we docked 0600, you may stay in your cabin until 0800.

[Husky61]

I got an email from a friend who boarded the Regal yesterday. They were not allowed into their cabin until 1pm

 

We just got off of the Regal and were on the ship by noon and allowed in our cabin right away.:)

[Husky61]

You're mistaking a fire door alarm with an alarm on your cabin door which does not exist. Fire doors can always be opened when closed. If your cabin is not ready you're always welcomed to leave your luggage until it is.

 

As far as our last cruise, your comments are right on target. We dropped our carry on luggage in the cabin,(which was ready by noon) and went to the MDR. Did not experience any alarms.

[Cabogirl13]

Were you given a paper card in lieu of a real one so that you had to return somewhere to get your actual or were you given the paper "corp speak" card along side it?

 

I think I am fine with this if you get your actual card as well, but if you have to go somewhere to pick up your actual later seems like a headache.

[Astro Flyer]

Were you given a paper card in lieu of a real one so that you had to return somewhere to get your actual or were you given the paper "corp speak" card along side it?

 

I think I am fine with this if you get your actual card as well, but if you have to go somewhere to pick up your actual later seems like a headache.

 

At check-in you receive your regular plastic cruise card & also a paper card with "corp speak" when cabins are not scheduled to be available until 1:00.

Edited February 2, 2016 by Astro Flyer

[floridalover5623]

I got an email from a friend who boarded the Regal yesterday. They were not allowed into their cabin until 1pm

 

Did they say if they were allowed to drop off their luggage immediately after boarding or not.

[birdiebill]

We are on board the Royal Princess, boarding on Jan 29. At check-in we were asked to read a card that said our stateroom might not be ready. When we actually boarded, the room was ready. We had preferred boarding due to Platinum status and actually boarded shortly after 12:00.

[madmax2010]

After reading all your issues surrounding the policy of boarding, I'm a little surprised that someone hasn't offered of a rather obvious solution ... why don't you board the boat later and avoid the issue altogether? Then of course you wouldn't have something to whine about like the other 67 posts here but on the other hand, you will find a stress free start to your vacation ... just a thought ... Captain Max

[Dunk]

On the Crown in December, we didn't receive a card, and went directly to the cabin to drop off our things. (Around noon). We weren't stopped, but you could tell that the cabin was not 100% ready. Right after that, in the elevator, the crew member said something about cabins not being ready yet.

 

Yes, it is a change--but if it means the cabins are cleaner, I'm all for it. Although I love Princess (20+ sailings), I always find the cabins to be a bit weary looking--and not spotlessly clean. I may be a little OCD about that, but in a previous life, I was an Executive Housekeeper at a 1000 room resort, so I have a critical eye.

[paul929207]

Did they say if they were allowed to drop off their luggage immediately after boarding or not.

No mention of being able to drop things off.

[Redwing55]

After reading all your issues surrounding the policy of boarding, I'm a little surprised that someone hasn't offered of a rather obvious solution ... why don't you board the boat later and avoid the issue altogether? Then of course you wouldn't have something to whine about like the other 67 posts here but on the other hand, you will find a stress free start to your vacation ... just a thought ... Captain Max

 

Not whining here, but if one has checked out of a hotel and wants to get as much out of a cruise as possible, why not try to board ASAP? And FWIW, I haven't felt the stress of waiting a bit to board or get to our cabin. I truly prefer dropping the carry ons when we board, but if we can't, no big deal. But truly, it will make life easier for all if folks are allowed to drop their bags in their cabins upon boarding. Here's hoping.

[Colo Cruiser]

After reading all your issues surrounding the policy of boarding, I'm a little surprised that someone hasn't offered of a rather obvious solution ... why don't you board the boat later and avoid the issue altogether? Then of course you wouldn't have something to whine about like the other 67 posts here but on the other hand, you will find a stress free start to your vacation ... just a thought ... Captain Max

 

 

Why when you can get on asap?

No stress for us.