priority initial boarding

[dina8ken]

I am in a Neptune Suite. What is the initial boarding process like for suite guests. Im hoping for priority boarding perhaps with a lounge?

 

 

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[kazu]

I am in a Neptune Suite. What is the initial boarding process like for suite guests. Im hoping for priority boarding perhaps with a lounge?

 

 

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You will see a sign for Neptune, Pinnacle Suite & 4* Mariners (usually 4*'s are included).

 

Just go in that lineup and have your boarding pass as it is checked.

 

Once you have checked in, yes, assuming you are in FLL, you will be told to go upstairs to wait. It's a pleasant enough spot to wait, but there is little in the way of lounge goodies ;)

[wdw1972]

Are you talking about Port Everglades? If so, it's just a separate waiting area upstairs. This past November a couple of the HAL employees went down to the main waiting area (for everyone else) and brought up some of the free cookies provided down there. Other than that, it's just a less crowded place to wait.

 

Sue/WDW1972

3/7/18 Koningsdam

1/20/19 Nieuw Statendam

[DaveOKC]

I am in a Neptune Suite. What is the initial boarding process like for suite guests. Im hoping for priority boarding perhaps with a lounge?

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I have never seen a lounge, but most times there is a separate area for Neptune and 4/5 Star passengers to wait (and board early).

[msmayor]

Last March on the Zuiderdam was our first cruise in a Neptune.

 

We arrived at the terminal around 10:30am and were handed a boarding number, then got in line to check in. As soon as we started the check in process the attendant took our boarding number and then handed us a 'Suite Passenger' card. After a brief wait in the main terminal they announced that all 4*, 5* and suite passengers could move upstairs.

 

We then were led to the area of chairs to sit with the in-transit passengers (there were maybe 8-10 of them there at the time) which was right near the area with the photographers who take the boarding portraits. There was a member of the HAL staff serving all of us cookies and lemonade from silver trays, and we were told if we'd like to have a photo taken we were welcome to have that done now as well.

 

Within 10 minutes of being seated the in-transit passengers were told they could re-board the ship, so they left the waiting area. Ten minutes after that, all suite passengers were told we could board (it felt odd that we went before the 4 and 5 star!) and we happily walked on to a virtually empty ship. THAT was a weird experience!

 

All in all, a wonderful boarding process.

[Krazy Kruizers]

A lot depends on which terminal you will be using in Ft Lauderdale.

Rules differ by terminals and agents working there that day.

[BeeKnee]

So, how do you know what terminal your ship is at (port everglades)?

[bleacher04]

You will see a sign for Neptune, Pinnacle Suite & 4* Mariners (usually 4*'s are included).

 

Just go in that lineup and have your boarding pass as it is checked.

 

Once you have checked in, yes, assuming you are in FLL, you will be told to go upstairs to wait. It's a pleasant enough spot to wait, but there is little in the way of lounge goodies ;)

What kazu says :D Neptune Suite and 4- and 5-star Mariners typically have their own check-in line, and get priority boarding. Maybe some treats if you're lucky, but it depends on where you are, and what time you arrive. Services differ vastly by location; over the last 5 years, I have found the service in Europe superior to any port in the US or Canada.

I have never seen a "lounge", like you would get with business class airline flights. But if all goes well, you shouldn't be there for that long.

[Carol28]

I actually prefer waiting in the downstairs area as I meet new folks. We spent several dinners with one of the couples we met. It's not a long wait.

[Hlitner]

On one of our HAL cruises (can't remember which ship) we arrived at Port Everglades and waited our turn to clear security. Once we reached the check-in area a worker motioned for us to go to the 4 - 5 * line for priority check-in. We looked over to our side to the regular check-in lines and they were nearly completely empty. But our "priority" line had over 30 folks in front of us, and were only being served at a few counters...while many other counters remained empty. So we simply walked over to the regular "no priority" line...were immediately motioned to an open counter, quickly checked-in and walked aboard the ship. As we were waking past the "priority" line (which had hardly moved) we overheard a lady say something line "I have worked hard to get into this line and I will not use the regular line." We suspect she was still saying this as we were sitting down to lunch in the MDR :).

 

On longer HAL cruises it is likely that a majority of the cruisers qualify for "priority" which sometimes means that not being priority actually gets you the real priority :). I guess we have never gotten into the privileged Mariners group (we are 5 Star) because we simply follow a personal policy of "queue avoidance." When we see a long line and a short line we tend to gravitate to the short line....even if it lacks "status."

 

Hank

[geoherb]

On one of our HAL cruises (can't remember which ship) we arrived at Port Everglades and waited our turn to clear security. Once we reached the check-in area a worker motioned for us to go to the 4 - 5 * line for priority check-in. We looked over to our side to the regular check-in lines and they were nearly completely empty. But our "priority" line had over 30 folks in front of us, and were only being served at a few counters...while many other counters remained empty. So we simply walked over to the regular "no priority" line...were immediately motioned to an open counter, quickly checked-in and walked aboard the ship.

We had a similar experience last month on a Princess cruise, except it was at the security checkpoint that the preferred line was backed up. Unfortunately, it took until we turned the corner before we realized what was happening. We switched over into the regular line and ended up saving ourselves standing there for another 10 minutes.

[3rdGenCunarder]

On one of our HAL cruises (can't remember which ship) we arrived at Port Everglades and waited our turn to clear security. Once we reached the check-in area a worker motioned for us to go to the 4 - 5 * line for priority check-in. We looked over to our side to the regular check-in lines and they were nearly completely empty. But our "priority" line had over 30 folks in front of us, and were only being served at a few counters...while many other counters remained empty. So we simply walked over to the regular "no priority" line...were immediately motioned to an open counter, quickly checked-in and walked aboard the ship. As we were waking past the "priority" line (which had hardly moved) we overheard a lady say something line "I have worked hard to get into this line and I will not use the regular line." We suspect she was still saying this as we were sitting down to lunch in the MDR :).

 

On longer HAL cruises it is likely that a majority of the cruisers qualify for "priority" which sometimes means that not being priority actually gets you the real priority :). I guess we have never gotten into the privileged Mariners group (we are 5 Star) because we simply follow a personal policy of "queue avoidance." When we see a long line and a short line we tend to gravitate to the short line....even if it lacks "status."

 

Hank

 

Love your story about the line snob! When we have boarded on recent cruises, the priority line was always short. It's true that the regular line has more agents, and I never thought to watch to see which line is clearing more quickly. If there was an obvious difference, I'd join the shorter line, even if it wasn't priority. I see the priority line as a way to get on the ship quickly, not to show off how speshul I am.

 

Boarding in Boston a few years ago, the Guardian of the Lines asked us how many Marriott stars we had. I had no idea what Marriott had to do with HAL, so I just said that we were not entitled to the priority line, and we got in the regular line. It made no difference as the lines were short. I puzzled over the Marriott thing for a while, and then I realized she was confusing Mariner with Marriott.

[dee2673]

We’ve boarded in FLL, Seattle and San Diego as Neptune Suite guests. There’s been a separate waiting area to check in and to wait to board the ship. We’ve never waited in any check in line. Our waiting area boarded first and included NS guests and 4&5 Star Mariners. There were plenty of places set up to check in for us. That said, I’d have gone to the shortest line too, if there had been one

 

 

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