Has anyone been turned away for turning up early at Southampton Docks?

[russy1]

We have been sent an email saying we must turned up at our allocated time or be turned away at the port. I understand that it is to help congestion but were having trouble changing our transport. Has anyone been turned away or made to wait this year so far? My sister had to wait two hours in the terminal for a P&O cruise in June this year :mad:

[Moonraker7]

I don't think they can turn you away. You could just wait in the terminal. If it's like p and o they give you a coloured card and call you when that cards time is ready.

[russy1]

I think the instructions have come from the Port due to the amount of traffick around Southampton. We've never been made to wait before but after my sister in laws experience I'm not sure. I think you're right, they wouldn't send you away from the port it would be too complicated :(

[leehal]

Not sure about being turned away but you may have a long wait.

 

Maybe you could divert to a nearby hotel and then get a cab on your allocated time, extra expense but at least you will comfortable and could have a drink/snack in the hotel bar.

Edited August 28, 2016 by leehal

[insidecabin]

Reports are P&O are playing the waiting game to try and get the message across, also encourage cruise transport as they get fast tracked through checkin

 

Other lines seem to be more sensible and try to get people through if they do turn up early.

 

P&O are predominantly Brits, other lines have many more people dependant on others(airlines) for timings.

[Moonraker7]

Don't worry about changing your transport. If it's a couple of hours early there is a coffee/snack area. As another poster has said there are pubs and hotels nearby where you can go in for lunch.

[Chunky2219]

Killing time at Southampton depends on what terminal you are at. Ocean and City aren't bad but the Mayflower terminal is a bun fight with bodies and elbows all over the place in quite a compact reception area. It's getting to the desk that's the problem, once checked in it's plain sailing. IIRC, the QE2 terminal also isn't a barrel of laughs if you're early.

 

Our last Celebrity from Southampton we got a message saying there was a port drill going on so under no circumstances turn up early, only at assigned deck times. We had early boarding anyway but once aboard it was noticable that the ship was nowhere as busy as normal and I believe they were being quite strict about it.

 

 

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[ghstudio]

Well that eliminates Southampton cruises for us. We fly in from the US arriving in the morning....and we get a car to take us to Southampton...but many take the Celebrity transport...both put you in Southampton around 10 or so. Generally boarding or at least check in starts at 10:30 or 11am which works. If celebrity is going to now tell me to show up at 2pm or I'm going to have to sit around doing nothing in the terminal, I can find other ways to spend my $'s and time.

 

To date, everything I've read and experienced is that celebrity recommends a time to show up....but it's a recommendation and if you arrive earlier (or later) there isn't a problem. Hopefully this is no different and it is a recommendation.

[DYKWIA]

Cruise lines have to be realistic about expecting people not to turn up before their allotted time - either that or expect lots of late arrivals!

 

On many weekends the X-country train route through Southampton is notorious for engineering works and bus replacement services - adding to journey times considerably.

 

The first year driving to the port it took about 15 mins to drive around the Motorway and ring road (from the North) making an easterly approach to port. Last year same cruise - took an hour longer - solid very slow moving traffic.

 

Plus, the Police and Highways Agency's love of completely closing roads for hours on end for what seems like any RTA no matter how small means that if people are like us we will allow about 5 hours for a journey which should take 3

[Moonraker7]

I'm going on celebrity in November and have had to put down the time I'll arrive at the ship. My transfer is 12 so I put 12.30. This is for Athens though. Southampton is a tad different. If you are using the transfers no worries as they book you in when that's arrived as far as I understand. No need to panic or worry unless you're late. As long as you're in Southampton probably about 2 hours before ship goes you'll be there in plenty of time.

[the english lady]

We have been sent an email saying we must turned up at our allocated time or be turned away at the port. I understand that it is to help congestion but were having trouble changing our transport. Has anyone been turned away or made to wait this year so far? My sister had to wait two hours in the terminal for a P&O cruise in June this year :mad:

 

One assumes you can drop your luggage off any the hole in the wall, and go somewhere else to wait. Depends on your terminal but the grand harbour hotel does a package for their lounge..you don't have to stay there..one price for alcohol, one price no alcohol. Then then take you to the terminal.

I assume all the lines are the same. If people are sticking to somewhere near their times then if a few turn up early they can still be progressed in a timely manner.

It's when half the ship turn up at 12.30, they can't all get on straightaway.

If you stay in the terminal you may or may not get on earlier.some still manage to with pando, from what has been posted.

[kevinyork]

We are on Eclipse in a few weeks for our 6th ex Southampton departure. On the last 4 they have advised boarding times by deck however nobody has ever checked our deck and I've never seen anyone turned away. We usually arrive 10.30-11.00 and are onboard within 30 mins.

 

Those with Select membership or above can arrive anytime from 11am according to the boarding instructions irrespective of their deck.

 

 

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[easyboy]

We have been sent an email saying we must turned up at our allocated time or be turned away at the port. I understand that it is to help congestion but were having trouble changing our transport. Has anyone been turned away or made to wait this year so far? My sister had to wait two hours in the terminal for a P&O cruise in June this year :mad:

We were asked to wait last May.

[spookwife]

I don't think they can turn you away. You could just wait in the terminal. If it's like p and o they give you a coloured card and call you when that cards time is ready.

 

 

Actually some terminals are not letting you into the building at all before the time listed on your paperwork. Can't even get through security.

 

 

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[kevinyork]

Actually some terminals are not letting you into the building at all before the time listed on your paperwork. Can't even get through security.

 

 

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Is this Celebrity though or other lines (P&O, Cunard are known to be doing this) To date haven't read of any Celebrity passengers being turned away.

 

 

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[kevinyork]

We were asked to wait last May.

 

 

 

Was this for a Celebrity cruise?

 

 

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[NSWP]

Fair enough too, staggered boarding times are there to be obeyed to reduce congestion in the terminal building and on the road infrastructure surrounding the terminal and reduce waiting time. We have been into Southampton 5 times for cruising, on P&O UK and Princess, we get there at allocated time. Last November, embarking on Aurora @ Mayflower Terminal, we got there at the right time 2pm and there were many pax in wheel chairs, waiting some hours, Check in staff made them wait until the end of check in, suffice to say they were irate. I must say though Check in staff were polite and very efficient.

 

Why is everyone so determined to board by high noon, are they that hungry? You could always stop off at ye olde 'Little Chef' enroute for a sarney. LOL.

 

BTW, In Sydney, they often turn you away if you are early. Having embarked several times on Grand Class Princess ships (2600 pax) in Fort Lauderdale and San Pedro (LA) might I add, in my opinion the Americans always seem to arrive at once, early 11am. Just does not work. Perhaps they are hungrier than the Brits, not that I don't mind a feed, but am prepared to wait, even if lunch is closed off.

 

I know this thread deals with Celebrity but perhaps the Port Authorities, Police and Cruise Lines are applying strict boarding times to all the cruise lines using the Port of Southampton.

Edited August 30, 2016 by NSWP

[insidecabin]

Food is a bonus, I want to start relaxed an not rushed that first evening those extra couple of hours make a big difference.

Target is everything done, any paperwork, dinner reservation, packages sorted, unpacked, and ship checked over by muster.

[kevinyork]

 

 

 

I know this thread deals with Celebrity but perhaps the Port Authorities, Police and Cruise Lines are applying strict boarding times to all the cruise lines using the Port of Southampton.

 

 

 

The boarding times advised by Celebrity are not new, nothing has changed from the advice they have given out over the last few years. As I said above our last 4 ex Southampton Eclipse trips had boarding times by deck shown however those who are Select or above (quite a lot of people as its only the second loyalty tier ) are advised they could arrive at any time. As I said we've never seen anyone turned away and never met anyone who was turned away or had to wait for their boarding time. As a result we've arrived after a 4 hour drive at around 10.30 and been onboard within approx 30 mins. The last thing we would want to do is have to kill time.

 

Celebrity manage their check in much better than P&O. The terminal is larger and they pay the port authority for more check in desks to be manned than P&O. P&O's enforcement of boarding times is more to suit themselves than passengers and it's possibly the most frequent complaint over on the P&O boards.

 

Also, why shouldn't a passenger's holiday start at noon? They don't get lunch on disembarkation day so why should they miss out on embarkation day?

 

 

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[DYKWIA]

The boarding times advised by Celebrity are not new, nothing has changed from the advice they have given out over the last few years. As I said above our last 4 ex Southampton Eclipse trips had boarding times by deck shown however those who are Select or above (quite a lot of people as its only the second loyalty tier ) are advised they could arrive at any time. As I said we've never seen anyone turned away and never met anyone who was turned away or had to wait for their boarding time. As a result we've arrived after a 4 hour drive at around 10.30 and been onboard within approx 30 mins. The last thing we would want to do is have to kill time.

 

Celebrity manage their check in much better than P&O. The terminal is larger and they pay the port authority for more check in desks to be manned than P&O. P&O's enforcement of boarding times is more to suit themselves than passengers and it's possibly the most frequent complaint over on the P&O boards.

 

Also, why shouldn't a passenger's holiday start at noon? They don't get lunch on disembarkation day so why should they miss out on embarkation day?

 

 

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One difference, I think, is don't P&O say your cabin will be available once you board? Celebrity won't be available until about 1pm

[buchananglasgow]

We sailed on ovation of the seas from Southampton and was at the dock for 10.30am, no lines or queue and about 20 check in staff with iPads were starting to check in about ten sets of people in front of us, so we had no wait to be seen and was straight on the ship. Gave us time to walk around and get photos before it filled up. Was near the top of the line for the lunch queue too when it opened at 11am.

[Chunky2219]

Celebrity manage their check in much better than P&O. The terminal is larger and they pay the port authority for more check in desks to be manned than P&O. P&O's enforcement of boarding times is more to suit themselves than passengers and it's possibly the most frequent complaint over on the P&O boards.

We've sailed P&O from the Mayflower terminal and it was murder. But they also sail from the other terminals which are easier and don't forget, some of the behemoths they now have can swallow a lot more pax than any Solstice class ship. I'll wager that on little Adonia it all goes like clockwork.

 

In comparison, our last two trips with Cunard were via the QE2 terminal (an utter disaster) and the Ocean terminal (where we just breezed through). With Celebrity in May there were certrainly plenty of desks open, but it was hardly smooth and slick, quite the opposite.

 

With Celebrity in Auckland a couple of years ago boarding wasn't supposed to commence until 2:30pm but when we dropped the cases off at 1pm to go on a tour it was like a refugee camp outside - masses of people who thought the plan didn't apply to them.

 

Personally, I can't see what all the problem is about asking and expecting people to turn up at an allocated time rather than all descending at once like the Mongol hoards. If you turn up early at the airport the desk isn't open because they often don't want to have too many people airside for too long. There's no reason why a ship should be any different.

 

 

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[kevinyork]

One difference, I think, is don't P&O say your cabin will be available once you board? Celebrity won't be available until about 1pm

 

 

 

Not an issue for us. No point in having access to the cabin if the cases are yet to arrive. Prefer to be having lunch and our first cocktail onboard and starting the wind down, rather than aimlessly wandering around Southampton killing time.

 

 

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[ping1]

Does anyone know if you get the priority embarkation for a concierge cabin at Southampton? (I want to be able to board at 11)

[kevinyork]

Does anyone know if you get the priority embarkation for a concierge cabin at Southampton? (I want to be able to board at 11)

 

 

 

Hi

 

I believe you must do as Concierge get their own MDR lunch.

 

 

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