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Would you prefer delayed boarding so cabins are ready?

MustangGT

By MustangGT,
in Princess Cruises

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MustangGT

MustangGT

Posted
Posted

Our cruising friends boarded the Royal Princess today for 20 days, we will join them on the second 10-day segment. Can't wait!!

They let us know that cabins were not ready when they boarded today.

There have been several mentions of this on CC and I just wonder -

Would you prefer that Princess delayed boarding until all cabins are ready?

I have always loved that when I boarded a Princess ship, cabins were ready and we could head there right away.

Some have said it's no big deal because you can drop off your carry-ons and go on about the rest of your day. Others have said that doors are closed and cabins are not accessible.

Thoughts?

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riclop

riclop

Posted
Posted
Our cruising friends boarded the Royal Princess today for 20 days, we will join them on the second 10-day segment. Can't wait!!

They let us know that cabins were not ready when they boarded today.

There have been several mentions of this on CC and I just wonder -

Would you prefer that Princess delayed boarding until all cabins are ready?

I have always loved that when I boarded a Princess ship, cabins were ready and we could head there right away.

Some have said it's no big deal because you can drop off your carry-ons and go on about the rest of your day. Others have said that doors are closed and cabins are not accessible.

Thoughts?

 

Not at all we like to board early and head to Alfredo's for a great lunch!!!

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LoriPhil

LoriPhil

Posted
Posted (edited)

Unusual I think - in 15 cruises our cabin has always been available and ready for us when we've boarded. But regardless of the condition, you can go straight to your cabin and drop your travel gear and start to explore which is a huge plus.

Edited by LoriPhil
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donswife Great Review Rare

donswife

Posted
Posted
Our cruising friends boarded the Royal Princess today for 20 days, we will join them on the second 10-day segment. Can't wait!!

They let us know that cabins were not ready when they boarded today.

There have been several mentions of this on CC and I just wonder -

Would you prefer that Princess delayed boarding until all cabins are ready?

I have always loved that when I boarded a Princess ship, cabins were ready and we could head there right away.

Some have said it's no big deal because you can drop off your carry-ons and go on about the rest of your day. Others have said that doors are closed and cabins are not accessible.

Thoughts?

 

If you want to be sure your cabin is ready when you board, arrive so you board after 1:00. I like to arrive in time to have embarkation lunch in the MDR, whether or not I have to tote my carry-on.

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Astro Flyer

Astro Flyer

Posted
Posted

I prefer to board early even though once our cabin was not officially available until 1:00 and even then our cabin steward allowed us to drop off our carryon bags & place our valuables in our safe.

 

Lunch in the dining room is our relaxing way to begin our cruises & with boarding after 1:00 that may not be possible because it closes at 1:30. In previous discussions it's been speculated that stewards are assigned more cabins now & is why cabins are not always available during boarding. If that's the reason then Princess needs to hire more staff because one of the good things we enjoy about Princess is having our cabins available when we board the ship at about noon with priority boarding.

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kendon

kendon

Posted
Posted
In 20+ cruises, we have NEVER had to wait to get into the Cabin. It is one of the main reasons why we choose Princess.

 

It is great to just drop our stuff and start the cruise!!!!

 

Happy Cruising:cool::D

 

Same here...until recently on both the Royal and Regal. You cannot go to your cabin during the earlier boarding times. That's okay though, find a nice place to sit and have a drink or lunch. The wait is short.

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Kamloops50

Kamloops50

Posted
Posted
Our cruising friends boarded the Royal Princess today for 20 days, we will join them on the second 10-day segment. Can't wait!!

They let us know that cabins were not ready when they boarded today.

There have been several mentions of this on CC and I just wonder -

Would you prefer that Princess delayed boarding until all cabins are ready?

I have always loved that when I boarded a Princess ship, cabins were ready and we could head there right away.

Some have said it's no big deal because you can drop off your carry-ons and go on about the rest of your day. Others have said that doors are closed and cabins are not accessible.

Thoughts?

 

Only boarded a Princess ship when the cabins weren't ready . It was due to deep cleaning after a Norovirus outbreak that required everything to be changed . We were on B2B , they changed all soft goods on the bead including the bead skirt. Carpets were deep cleaned as well.

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pris993

pris993

Posted
Posted
My question is why aren't they ready. On HAL when you board they are and boarding is at the same time.

 

and HAL even services room service breakfast of eggs, plus, on the last morning to cabins... wonder how they do it????

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Sea Day Cruiser

Sea Day Cruiser

Posted
Posted

I have been on more cruises than I care to count, and my cabin has always been ready. I usually board in one of the earliest groups. When I boarded Royal Princess in January they were handing out notes saying that cabins might not be ready but that you could drop your carry-on, etc. and have lunch in the Horizon Court. My cabin was ready anyway. I, too, think the problem is not enough staff. I am definitely not in favor of delaying boarding just to make sure all cabins are ready.

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Go-Bucks!

Go-Bucks!

Posted
Posted

I never had an unclean cabin after being allowed to board until my last cruise in Nov., 2015 on the Grand. Everyone was allowed to board, but when we arrived at our cabin we were shocked - it had not been cleaned at all. We couldn't find the steward for awhile, but when we did, he said that he thought someone else did it. We dropped off our carry-on bags and went off to lunch. It was quite awhile before it was cleaned, though.

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MustangGT

MustangGT

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Posted

I agree with all who say that cabins being ready when you board is what they like about Princess! We like to be among the first wave to board, after Suites & Elites. Love a relaxing lunch in the MDR after our race to the Sanctuary :D

Just hoping that cabins not being ready is not a trend for the future.

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Potstech

Potstech

Posted
Posted

If the cabins are not ready when they allow boarding the question should be why not. Sounds like something is happening on the ship that is preventing this from happening. SO instead of solving the problem they make the passengers wait in the terminal for longer periods where they get upset for having to do it. Solve the problem of why they are not ready not make the passengers wait longer.

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Treven

Treven

Posted
Posted (edited)

Like the majority of posters I've never found my cabin not ready, and I generally board and in my cabin by noon. As been stated, that's one of the reasons I keep coming back to Princess..

Edited by Treven
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Astro Flyer

Astro Flyer

Posted
Posted (edited)
Is this just a problem on the Royal?

 

Based on previous discussions it appears to be more common on the Royal & Regal.

 

Last April embarking the Regal in FLL we received the delayed cabin notice but were allowed to drop off our carryon bags. We embarked on the Royal from Venice in 2013 & received the 1:00 delayed cabin notice despite arriving at 2:00.

Edited by Astro Flyer
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Lucky TGO

Lucky TGO

Posted
Posted
In 20+ cruises, we have NEVER had to wait to get into the Cabin. It is one of the main reasons why we choose Princess.

 

It is great to just drop our stuff and start the cruise!!!!

 

Happy Cruising:cool::D

 

I totally agree with you. In 28 cruises with Princess we never had to wait. We board early all the time. The last two cruises we were on the Royal Princess and everything was great. No wait at all.

Tony

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4cats4me "Live from...." Rare

4cats4me

Posted
Posted
In 20+ cruises, we have NEVER had to wait to get into the Cabin. It is one of the main reasons why we choose Princess.

 

 

 

It is great to just drop our stuff and start the cruise!!!!

 

 

 

Happy Cruising:cool::D

 

 

 

In 14 cruises we never had to wait, either, until boarding the Regal last March, and unlike some on this thread who've reported being able to drop their carry-ons off in their cabins, we were not able to on the Regal, since all the doors were closed which lead to cabins.

 

This one o'clock rule is also in existence on Celebrity and RCCL.

 

To answer OP's question, no I don't want Princess to delay boarding. What good would that do, except to make for a more crowded terminal ?

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