Some questions re checking in using Celebrity App, & re "Expedited Arrival" on Summit

[Turtles06]

I'm debating whether to check in for our September cruise on the Summit the old fashioned way via Celebrity's web site, or whether to use the new Celebrity app for check in.    I have read some older posts about using the app to check in (one was a horror story), but am hoping folks can provide recent experiences checking in via the app.   Any problems?  Any benefits to using the app versus checking in on line?

 

Also, the fine print for the app says "Expedited Arrival is available to select guests" using the app.   Any intel on this would be appreciated.  Does it just mean that "Expedited Arrival" is available to the guests on the ships for which the app has been activated, or only to certain guests on those ships?   

If any recent Summit cruisers can comment on "Expedited Arrival," that would be great.   (I can't say I've ever had a real problem getting on a Celebrity ship....)

 

Thanks for any advice and info! 

[koolforkatz]

I just checked in this morning for an upcoming cruise. I completed check in the regular way online and then I downloaded the app. Signed into it, and all my information showed up that I had just input on my computer was there, including the Xpress Pass. So hopefully it works! The app itself looks pretty good. I am hopeful.

 

I didn't do the part about uploading pictures of us, though. But that didn't seem to be an issue as it showed the check-in process was complete.

[jelayne]

We checked in on line and uploaded our individual photos. We printed our Xpress Pass. It it also is showing on our phones in the app.  We did this for our Edge Cruise and boarding was a breeze.  Our SeaPass  adds werewaiting outside our cabin when we dropped off our carryons.  From taxi to cabin to Martini Bar about 15 minutes.

Hoping Summit is the same.

[Turtles06]

Thank you both.

 

Would also love to hear from folks who have used the app (not the web site) to check in. 

 

 

 

 

[lchoi98]

I asked our shoreside concierge for our upcoming Summit cruise if it was necessary to upload photos. His response: “Your photo can be taken at the pier.  Beware that it may cause your boarding process to be slowed down.”

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, lchoi98 said:

I asked our shoreside concierge for our upcoming Summit cruise if it was necessary to upload photos. His response: “Your photo can be taken at the pier.  Beware that it may cause your boarding process to be slowed down.”

 

Thanks.  Yes, this is the same as the process that RCI has been using (at least on its mega-ships) for years.  If you don't upload your own photo, or if for some reason it's not acceptable, they'll take your photo at the pier.  On RCI from what I could see from others around us (we'd uploaded our own photos) that took about one second -- their pier agents all had iPads and used their cameras to take the photos.  Not sure how Celebrity is set up right now. 

 

We went ahead and did our check in for the Summit on line a few days ago, and uploaded our photos.    Our Xpress Passes, which we can print of course, were also showing in the app as soon as we'd completed the check in process.   Answering my own questions in my original post, there did not seem to be any advantage or disadvantage to checking in on line; it seems that the "expedited arrival" is related to whether or not you've uploaded your own photos.  In any event, we've never waited an undue amount of time to board.  (I hope I haven't just jinxed us!  🤣)

 

[alisatj]

Somewhat related...I did online check in and did not print out the XPress pass. I just showed the pass on the app to the people at the gate and had no problem getting checked in.

 

We all did have to have our pictures taken at check-in, although I was pretty sure I uploaded them when I checked in online. So I'm not sure what the deal was with that. 

 

(This was for the Summit, which I just got off of today :(.)

[cocobakerchica]

I appreciate this thread so much, this sailing will be the first time using the Celebrity app for checking in.  Can I check everyone(DM, DS and BIL) in under just my app? I already linked our reservations on the website and everything also shows up on the app.

[Turtles06]

13 minutes ago, cocobakerchica said:

I appreciate this thread so much, this sailing will be the first time using the Celebrity app for checking in.  Can I check everyone(DM, DS and BIL) in under just my app? I already linked our reservations on the website and everything also shows up on the app.

 

I've never tried to check in people with another reservation number, so I can't answer your question from experience, but when you when you click to start the check in, it will show you the people you can check in.    (It's possible you may not be able to, because one of the things you must do is "sign" the cruise ticket contract for everyone you are checking in.  You'll also have to provide document particulars such as passport, etc., and identity info.)

 

Let us know! 

[psuboater]

If you're leaving out of Cape Liberty, make sure to download the Express Pass into your Apple Wallet or take a screen shot. The internet in there is HORRIBLE and the app wasn't able to connect to pull up my pass. The staff had to end up looking me up manually. 

[iyhie06]

On 6/10/2019 at 4:45 PM, jelayne said:

We checked in on line and uploaded our individual photos. We printed our Xpress Pass. It it also is showing on our phones in the app.  We did this for our Edge Cruise and boarding was a breeze.  Our SeaPass  adds werewaiting outside our cabin when we dropped off our carryons.  From taxi to cabin to Martini Bar about 15 minutes.

Hoping Summit is the same.

I did the same for our upcoming cruise feb 2020 on Equinox. I wasn't aware about this expedited arrival, My boarding pass is showing on celebrity app. However I did not scan our passport or any photo ID. No expedited arrival showing on our boarding pass. So, I assume we still will have to go through desk and get our IDs check right? We, however booked suite, so, I am hoping it still won't be long line, will, our seapass still be on our cabin door even we are checking in on desk?

 

[hcat]

For Edge,  the roving reps just scan the passport and take the photo... There was no delay or issues.   Perhaps diff on other ships ?  We print out the express pass..

 

Guess we will have to look into expedited arrival for our Summit cruise.

[Turtles06]

We sailed on the Summit out of Cape Liberty in September. It took about two seconds to check in at the pier. Could not have been easier.   I had done our pre-cruise check in on line (not on the app) and so I’d uploaded our security photos but there was no scan of our passports. Our express passes did not show Expedited Check In, but as soon as we got through security, a rep with an iPad scanned our express passes, and we were done. 

[hcat]

Glad to hear that.  We do not use the Celeb App...our Android devices are too old for the App, and we leave our phones turned off..in the safe.

 

The paper dailies are sufficient for our use on board.

[wynnne]

Hello,

We just got back home from the Summit today (left the ship yesterday with a trans-atlantic flight in between), and we used the app to check in, although it was leaving San Juan I can explain the procedure.

 

- Check in: Using the app was simple, only thing worth noting was that we had to take a picture using our phone, we couldn't upload a picture, so might be trickier if you don't live with your travel companion.

- Luggage drop: Same lines for everyone

- Hand Luggage check: There was 2 lines, with sign indicating one line for expedited check in and another line for everyone else. This wasn't in operation (maybe because it wasn't not busy), with the security guard just pointing people to smallest line. We had 4 people in front of us. 

- Check in: We were directed to expedited check in, our phones were scanned and we could go directly to the ship without having to speak to an agent or having another picture taken. Our room cards were waiting on our door.

 

It was faster getting on the ship using the app, as we skipped 1 step of the process, but I would say we saved maybe 5 minutes total (there was a line of maybe 6 groups waiting for check in counters when we walked past).

 

In terms of more generally, on-board we used the app to book dinners and the messaging service, both of which work without having the internet package. We tested trying to get into the room with the app, but we had our cards with us at all times so didn't use. For checking the schedule we still tended to use the paper dailies.

 

Let me know if I you have any further questions.