expedited boarding

[JoRoy218]

11 hours ago, DougH said:

I'm sailing on the Sky Princess shortly. Can I still get a cruise card as I have been collecting them from all my cruises?

We were on the Regal two weeks ago and were told they no longer give out cruise cards. Not  sure if this is ship specific or Princess wide for Medallion ships. 

[Steelers36]

2 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

For boarding once seated in the terminal there is priority boarding. 

I meant that there is no priority line to enter the terminal any longer. They've eliminated the shorter line just to get in the door.

In general it does get people seated faster even though boarding isn't much better. At least people can sit down & relax rather than standing there on line.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Okay no problem.  Thanks for clarifying.  Sounds like much the same as before.  Of course once boarding has commenced, then things are different.

[MissP22]

7 minutes ago, steelers36 said:

Okay no problem.  Thanks for clarifying.  Sounds like much the same as before.  Of course once boarding has commenced, then things are different.

One thing that was annoying was on out last trip they were handing out boarding cards at the reception deck when we checked in so that when we sat down they could call people in sequence. 

That's a good idea to keep people from charging to get on the ship once boarding has commenced but the boarding numbers weren't given were out in sequence. We were given something like "M" and they started with "A".

Needless to say there was chaos once boarding began. 

Good idea to question the number/letter they give you especially if you arrive early.  

[Steelers36]

4 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

One thing that was annoying was on out last trip they were handing out boarding cards at the reception deck when we checked in so that when we sat down they could call people in sequence. 

That's a good idea to keep people from charging to get on the ship once boarding has commenced but the boarding numbers weren't given were out in sequence. We were given something like "M" and they started with "A".

Needless to say there was chaos once boarding began. 

Good idea to question the number/letter they give you especially if you arrive early.  

I hear you on that one. 

 

We have always been early for PE cruises and were always in the smaller group let upstairs for Platinum seating (don't think we had a card for that).  The one time in recent years we came in later, boarding had not started due to a cleaning and we were directed to the stadium bench seating downstairs.  Didn't make sense to me and after puzzling it for a few minutes, realized we were missing out on any priority boarding (I knew upstairs seating would long ago be filled).  I headed over to ask someone from Princess who would seem to be in charge and then boarding was starting and she said to go right ahead.  It was new to me to be downstairs waiting to board and I would have thought they would have an area down there set aside for priority boarding once the upstairs section was filled.  Didn't really pursue the matter or try to figure it out as it was a one-off exception where we flew in morning of cruise.  It was more of a luck situation having a late arrival (for us) combined with a delayed boarding situation.

 

Fortunately, we now have Elite boarding as of this next cruise.

[MissP22]

1 minute ago, steelers36 said:

Fortunately, we now have Elite boarding as of this next cruise.

As with everything else in Florida it might change once again this season. You would think after doing the same routine year after year they would have it down pat. 

[Fat Tuesday]

1 hour ago, JoRoy218 said:

We were on the Regal two weeks ago and were told they no longer give out cruise cards. Not  sure if this is ship specific or Princess wide for Medallion ships. 

Captain on the Crown said the same thing in an announcement. When a ship goes 100% medallion, no more cruise card. That was the first voyage that the Crown went Medallion.

[AF-1]

Steelers36;  once you clear security; you will then head to the elite lounge; where you will wait with coffee and pastries until boarding starts.  The elite lounge is located up the escalator to the right.

[AF-1]

2 hours ago, JoRoy218 said:

We were on the Regal two weeks ago and were told they no longer give out cruise cards. Not  sure if this is ship specific or Princess wide for Medallion ships. 

I believe the newer ships like Sky and Enchanted doors only have the medallion to open them.

[Haboob]

2 hours ago, steelers36 said:

I am used to having bag scan before check-in and proceeding to the waiting/holding area before the ship has cleared for new passengers to board.  Find it hard to believe they hold up bag scans until the boarding commences as it would be very inefficient.  Perhaps your comment applies to the time period after boarding has commenced? 

 

"Once boarding is in progress..."

[Steelers36]

15 minutes ago, AF-1 said:

Steelers36;  once you clear security; you will then head to the elite lounge; where you will wait with coffee and pastries until boarding starts.  The elite lounge is located up the escalator to the right.

That's my expectation.  Can see the route in my mind.  Thanks for confirming.

[AF-1]

1 minute ago, steelers36 said:

That's my expectation.  Can see the route in my mind.  Thanks for confirming.

No problem

 

[CountryCruiser]

8 hours ago, Haboob said:

 

Once boarding is in progress, there were 3 lanes instead of 2: "Medallion", "Priority", and ..."steerage". 

 

The "Medallion" lane free-flowed directly to carry-on inspection and then onto the ship, with no stops at any counter.

I assume you mean once general boarding has started.  I can’t imagine a medallion person would board before priority boarding has finished. 

[CountryCruiser]

Can I assume that all priority boarders waiting to board will still be allowed to board before a medallion non-priority boarder?  Once general boarding starts, it is first come first board. Medallion only gets you through check in faster. Has no real effect on boarding. Is this correct?

[Haboob]

55 minutes ago, CountryCruiser said:

Can I assume that all priority boarders waiting to board will still be allowed to board before a medallion non-priority boarder?  Once general boarding starts, it is first come first board. Medallion only gets you through check in faster. Has no real effect on boarding. Is this correct?

On a sample size of "1", not correct.

 

With Medallions, our photos popped up on a port agent's tablet and he directed us away from the "Priority" lane which lead over to some counters and into the "Medallion" lane which lead directly to the boarding scan.  The experience was best described as just like re-boarding at a port of call.

 

Yes, (for the 3rd time) this was while actual boarding was already in progress.

[DougH]

11 hours ago, Fat Tuesday said:

Captain on the Crown said the same thing in an announcement. When a ship goes 100% medallion, no more cruise card. That was the first voyage that the Crown went Medallion.

Sorry to hear that, the cruise card makes a nice keepsake of the trip. I've got mine in a business card holder and like to look thru them. Have almost 80 from all the lines I've sailed 

[palolake]

I can't remember the last time I saw a line for priority boarding.  Ticks me off!  There's an Elite line at customer service, why not always one to board.

[JimmyVWine]

14 hours ago, Haboob said:

On a sample size of "1", not correct.

 

With Medallions, our photos popped up on a port agent's tablet and he directed us away from the "Priority" lane which lead over to some counters and into the "Medallion" lane which lead directly to the boarding scan.  The experience was best described as just like re-boarding at a port of call.

 

Yes, (for the 3rd time) this was while actual boarding was already in progress.

 

I guess this is what is confusing people.  Your sample size is "1", and you arrived AFTER boarding was already in progress.  I think what people want to know, (and which your lone sample did not allow you to observe), is: what happens if you show up at Port Everglades, Terminal 2 at 10:30 a.m.?  For years, the process has been that before the Terminal opens to accept departing passengers, a huge line developed starting at the entrance door, and grew so large that it snaked around the building.  Platinum/Elite/Suite passengers where told to NOT get in that line, and instead a separate line formed for them.  When the Terminal was ready to accept departing passengers, the P/E/S door opened first, and a great many of those passengers were let in first, going first through the x-ray bag check, and then to the check-in counters and then shown to their special waiting area.  After a certain passage of time (15-20 minutes, typically), the main door opened, and at that point, both lines began to move through security and then to the check-in counters simultaneously, with the P/E/S folks having their own, dedicated counters that moved  them through the process more quickly.  So even it a P/E/S and a regular passenger crossed the threshold of the Terminal entrance at the same time, the P/E/S person was sure to finish the check-in process sooner.  Once in their special waiting area, the P/E/S were the first to board, followed soon by the first-arriving main group.  Again. the P/E/S folks seemed to get about a 15-20 minute head start (at most). It obviously has never been the case that all P/E/S people made it through check-in and on to the ship before any of the other passengers.  Early main passengers could easily beat late-arriving P/E/S passengers.

 

So I guess what has not yet been clarified to the point of complete comprehension is: How much of that process still survives, and how much has changed?  If people still arrive at the closed Terminal at 10:00-10:30, how do they line up? At that point of the "process" (or lack thereof, because until the doors open, there really isn't a process), how do people queue up?   All one line irrespective of status or Medallion usage?  Two lines, one for Medallions and one for non-Medallions?  If the doors don't open until 11:30 and a P/E/S person arrives at 11:15 with a line of one thousand people already in it, do they join that line and become the one thousand and first person in it?  Because before they joined the much shorter P/E/S line and became the 200th person in it.  I think this is the question that many would like to know more about.  If you are a P/E/S passenger and you arrive at the not-yet-open Terminal and find a huge line snaking around the building, do you just get in it?  And does that answer change if you are going to do your check-in through the Medallion?  I've read this thread, and if the answer(s) are already here either I missed them, or they used terms that left me confused.

 

 

10 hours ago, DougH said:

Sorry to hear that, the cruise card makes a nice keepsake of the trip. I've got mine in a business card holder and like to look thru them. Have almost 80 from all the lines I've sailed 

 

Nothing stopping you from finding (or building) some new display case for your Medallions!

Edited September 23, 2019 by JimmyVWine

[Steelers36]

@JimmyVWine nicely detailed and you made it clear as a bell what the questions are.  I do hope the waters have been muddied by several posters who normally arrive later in the morning.  I am a habitual early arrival.

[MissP22]

2 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

I've read this thread, and if the answer(s) are already here either I missed them, or they used terms that left me confused.

All I can say is that in Florida there is no more priority boarding line outside the building.

Everyone just lines up to enter the terminal (earlier than it used to be) and goes through the check-in process of getting scanned & either receiving Medallions or cruise cards & then go to their respective waiting area.

There now allowing people to wait longer sitting down inside the terminal rather than standing outside. 

[X1HYCB]

13 hours ago, DougH said:

Sorry to hear that, the cruise card makes a nice keepsake of the trip. I've got mine in a business card holder and like to look thru them. Have almost 80 from all the lines I've sailed 

Now, you can start collecting the medallions in a glass cased container.

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, MissP22 said:

They're now allowing people to wait longer sitting down inside the terminal rather than standing outside.

I think the answer to the line is in your statement.  If they are opening terminal up earlier to allow people in to get processed and sit inside, they probably felt there was no longer much point in having a priority line as it shouldn't grow so much. 

 

That said, last time I lined up early in PE, there was a difference in the line sizes by the time the doors were opened. 

 

I am less concerned about things now as we will be able to go right to the Elite room for the first time in November.

 

[MissP22]

5 minutes ago, steelers36 said:

I think the answer to the line is in your statement.  If they are opening terminal up earlier to allow people in to get processed and sit inside, they probably felt there was no longer much point in having a priority line as it shouldn't grow so much. 

 

That said, last time I lined up early in PE, there was a difference in the line sizes by the time the doors were opened. 

 

I am less concerned about things now as we will be able to go right to the Elite room for the first time in November.

 

It's been working OK as far as I see it. People can begin entering the terminal almost as soon as they arrive. We got there early last Feb & did have to wait outside but we did get there around 9:45 and that's understandable.  

When they finally let us enter the security people weren't even ready.

Again understandable. 

All in all it better to be sitting down rather than standing outside.

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, MissP22 said:

All in all it better to be sitting down rather than standing outside.

 

And that is exactly the explanation that helps put this into focus. 😊  Much of the angst arises from past experiences waiting in 90 degree heat with 90% humidity in a mile long line that never seemed to move.  Or worse yet. Tropical rain.  Done both.  No one wants to be the 1,000th person in such a line.  That sort of discomfort had to be weighed against arriving later when there was no such line, knowing that you would would miss lunch, and start your vacation later than you really wanted to.  But if their new system allows for earlier entry into the building where you can be seated, that is a game changer.  (Until people start showing up at 7:30 and cause a line of a thousand people to grow between then and 10:00!)  Perhaps now people will actually pause to have their boarding photo taken since they won't look like something the cat dragged in after waiting in the Florida heat for 2 hours.  But then again, maybe not.  

[Steelers36]

On 9/23/2019 at 5:56 PM, JimmyVWine said:

Until people start showing up at 7:30 and cause a line of a thousand people to grow between then and 10:00!

Yes, maybe this was info not to be widely distributed.  There are now only certain cruises I want to be among first on.