Princess messages the new cruising guidelines.

[Nashna]

Princess has announced their use of Medallion Class on all their post-Covid sailings.  Passengers will choose their embarkation times, have keyless entry to their rooms, have the ability to check venues for crowds and conduct their own safety drill.  While masks are still necessary in public places, these changes will actually enhance the cruise experience.

 

  CruiseHealth™ – Cruise with Confidence - Princess Cruises

[pinotlover]

It is my current understanding from a Princess regular that : “people can choose their embarkment time” means that embarkment times will be chosen via a priority system much like Oceania’s Specialty dining reservations. For those in the lowest cabin classification the “ choices” will be greatly limited.

[Nashna]

That's what I hope will happen.  We are booked in a suite for a January, 2022 cruise.  Princess also gives special consideration to those who are higher level frequent cruisers.     

[pinotlover]

My friend told me it’s even more complicated. Supposedly those that use Princess Air and get transfers will be in a different/separate priority class. He believes the blurb about more information being given as the cruises approach is probably the most accurate information they’ve given out so far. 
 

How Oceania options to deal with this will be interesting. Could one be in a PH or Concierge cabin that books their own flights, yet be in a lower embarkment reservation priority level than one in a B cabin or lower that uses OAir? We fly in early and never board until 3ish anyway so don’t really care. For some this is a big deal!
 

I still wonder, for some international cruises ,whether same day arrival will be allowed?

[Kate-AHF]

3 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

... Supposedly those that use Princess Air and get transfers will be in a different/separate priority class. ...

Could one be in a PH or Concierge cabin that books their own flights, yet be in a lower embarkment reservation priority level than one in a B cabin or lower that uses OAir? We fly in early and never board until 3ish anyway so don’t really care. For some this is a big deal!

That only makes sense.  You have a busload of ship-arranged transfers, you can't leave X number of lesser cabin pax sitting on the bus while the higher cabin categories board.  Neither does it make sense to have 7 different transfers based on cabin category from the hotel or the airport.

 

Like you, I really don't care one way or the other.  We fly in the day before, we can certainly amuse ourselves until the designated embarkation time - whenever that is.  

[Tranquility Base]

I can envisage in some embarkation ports the ship may have to remain overnight.

Passengers disembark on arrival, and new passengers start embarkation the following morning.

At least for an initial period.

 

Authorities may not want to allow same day rush to compromise mandated  Covid precautions. 

Edited December 4, 2020 by Tranquility Base

[ORV]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

My friend told me it’s even more complicated. Supposedly those that use Princess Air and get transfers will be in a different/separate priority class. He believes the blurb about more information being given as the cruises approach is probably the most accurate information they’ve given out so far. 
 

How Oceania options to deal with this will be interesting. Could one be in a PH or Concierge cabin that books their own flights, yet be in a lower embarkment reservation priority level than one in a B cabin or lower that uses OAir? We fly in early and never board until 3ish anyway so don’t really care. For some this is a big deal!
 

I still wonder, for some international cruises ,whether same day arrival will be allowed?

 

1 hour ago, Kate-AHF said:

That only makes sense.  You have a busload of ship-arranged transfers, you can't leave X number of lesser cabin pax sitting on the bus while the higher cabin categories board.  Neither does it make sense to have 7 different transfers based on cabin category from the hotel or the airport.

 

Like you, I really don't care one way or the other.  We fly in the day before, we can certainly amuse ourselves until the designated embarkation time - whenever that is.  

One thing neither of you mentioned is that on Oceania,  Platinum and above have Priority Terminal embarkation, which is a fairly new perk that started last Nov. Will this have any effect on when we will get to board, or is it something that will be paused during the initial sailing? Just another factor to consider. 

[pinotlover]

32 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

I can envisage in some embarkation ports the ship may have to remain overnight.

Passengers disembark on arrival, and new passengers start embarkation the following morning.

At least for an initial period.

 

Authorities may not want to allow same day rush to compromise mandated  Covid precautions. 

While I agree this protocol can be easily envisioned, it also means a change in itinerary from what is currently published. At what point does the cruise line notify the passengers that Day 2 , and all the subsequent ports, have been eliminated from the itinerary?

 

The first big hurdle will be getting past the 7 days cruise limit. 

[pinotlover]

4 minutes ago, ORV said:

 

One thing neither of you mentioned is that on Oceania,  Platinum and above have Priority Terminal embarkation, which is a fairly new perk that started last Nov. Will this have any effect on when we will get to board, or is it something that will be paused during the initial sailing? Just another factor to consider. 

😂😂. Who is going to figure all this out on a name by name, cruise by cruise basis? 😂😂

 

At the end of the Day, the port authorities are only allowing a limited number of people into the terminal facilities at a time. How Oceania, and the other lines, decides on how they manage the priority lists will be entertaining!

 

 

[Tranquility Base]

Royal Caribbean, Singapore authorities, and Singapore residents handled embarkation on Quantum this week extremely well apparently.

According to the 'Live from' thread on the RCI forum anyway.

[pinotlover]

11 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

Royal Caribbean, Singapore authorities, and Singapore residents handled embarkation on Quantum this week extremely well apparently.

According to the 'Live from' thread on the RCI forum anyway.

The cruise was only for residents, so they were leaving from their homes. Also the cruise terminal is attached to a large shopping center/mall. Lots of space to mill around in doors before entering the terminal area. It should have been easy.

 

Compare that to Cittivecchia where people will be coming from the airport, by train or car from Rome, or locally, and the port authorities only allowed people in accordance with their assigned time. People were lined up outside the gates, in whatever the weather happened to be , waiting their turn to get into the port, then the walk to the terminal dragging their luggage. Their fault for showing up early and not making other plans, but a lot different circumstances than Singapore.

[Tranquility Base]

44 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

The cruise was only for residents, so they were leaving from their homes. Also the cruise terminal is attached to a large shopping center/mall. Lots of space to mill around in doors before entering the terminal area. It should have been easy.

 

Nope.

Inside Marina Bay Cruise terminal, up the escalator you are in departures.

They weren't at Harbourfront. 

44 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

 

Compare that to Cittivecchia where people will be coming from the airport, by train or car from Rome, or locally, and the port authorities only allowed people in accordance with their assigned time. 

Cittivecchia could well be one of the ports which possibly require the ship to overnight to ease congestion.

People will quickly learn not to arrive early.

 

That is why many people are not booking cruises for 2021 yet.

They want to see what the product is they are buying, and will wait for the numerous CC reports to flood in first.

Edited December 4, 2020 by Tranquility Base

[Aulanis]

I cant believe there is this discussion 🙂   

Should have thought we will be so happy at being able to cruise again

how and when we get aboard  will be of no significance.

 

I dont actually see much new in the Princess release I wish they

would issue a dated update and leave the old one available.

 For us in the UK the fact that all ships will be  medallion class 

makes no difference as they dont send us the medallions!!

[ToxM]

I like the idea of the app for muster (which we had heard about previously), but for mid and small sized ships like Oceania has I am not sure there will be much need for food ordering to different venues and suchlike. Maybe booking for activities might be a good idea, or to see how many people are already booked. 

 

Disruptive change is a good thing to shake up the way things have always been done. I think some of the changes to cruising that will have been forced by Covid will be a good thing. 

[pinotlover]

14 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

Nope.

Inside Marina Bay Cruise terminal, up the escalator you are in departures.

They weren't at Harbourfront. 

Cittivecchia could well be one of the ports which possibly require the ship to overnight to ease congestion.

Or most people will need to fly in at least a day early so not to disrupt the schedule. Then only show up at their appointed time.

 

4 hours ago, Aulanis said:

I cant believe there is this discussion 🙂   

Should have thought we will be so happy at being able to cruise again

how and when we get aboard  will be of no significance.

While I may personally agree with this, you obviously haven’t read the hundreds of threads on this Forum alone asking:

 

1.“ what is the earliest time I can arrive and board. I don’t care what my documents say, what time will they let me on?”

 

2.I like to get board early to eat lunch in the Terrace! Can I show up at 10:30-11:00?

 

Then you obviously haven’t seen people showing up at the terminal area, before disembarkment even begins. Let me assure you, this is a big deal for quite a few. I don’t utilize it, but Oceania even lists early embarkment as a perk.

 

 

 

 

[Aulanis]

15 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

you obviously haven’t read the hundreds of threads

 

LOL - yes over the years I have grown to ignore them  but in the present

conditions I  think it more important that everyone follows what the

instructions are on the day than bothering to ask  on here months before they sail,

if they sail.  

I personally  am more concerned about being able to get off the ship in a port

without having a ship trip, but again see no point in asking on here as nobody

can possibly know.

[pinotlover]

2 hours ago, Aulanis said:

 

LOL - yes over the years I have grown to ignore them  but in the present

conditions I  think it more important that everyone follows what the

instructions are on the day than bothering to ask  on here months before they sail,

if they sail.  

I personally  am more concerned about being able to get off the ship in a port

without having a ship trip, but again see no point in asking on here as nobody

can possibly know.

I believe that Oceania, and the other lines,  will take care of most of issues directly themselves. Oceania isn’t offering free transfers for O Air travelers, from the airport, out of the goodness of their hearts. 

They give up some revenue, but gain control. No where is it written that one will be immediately transferred to the ship, or directly transferred to the ship, just that they will transfer you. In fact, for those with the various transfers, they might not have a specific boarding time, only “ Oceania transfer”. 
 

With modern technology, Oceania could easily preform total checkin and issue a room key from a remote location. That includes the new medical protocols. That remote location could well be the hotel where those with Oceania pre-cruisers are staying. It could be a conference center or other facilities where Oceania delivers those on transfers while/where they await going to the ship. In all these cases Oceania controls who , when, and how many arrive at the terminal at any one time. Those arriving not on O transfers be given strict embarkment times. They almost definitely won’t be allowed into the terminal or port area until that time.Rather simple actually with modern technology and going outside the box.

 

Agree or disagree with any of this, but this you’ll hopefully agree with, the days of people arriving on early flights or whatever means and showing up at the terminal pre noon to board are over. They’ll be standing on the sidewalks outside the ports!

[ORV]

49 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Agree or disagree with any of this, but this you’ll hopefully agree with, the days of people arriving on early flights or whatever means and showing up at the terminal pre noon to board are over.

Actually I am going to disagree. I think within a couple of years as people are vaccinated and this fades, things will pretty much go back to the way they used to be, pretty much everywhere, not just on cruise ships. 

Edited December 5, 2020 by ORV

[Hawaiidan]

On 12/4/2020 at 10:06 AM, Nashna said:

Princess has announced their use of Medallion Class on all their post-Covid sailings.  Passengers will choose their embarkation times, have keyless entry to their rooms, have the ability to check venues for crowds and conduct their own safety drill.  While masks are still necessary in public places, these changes will actually enhance the cruise experience.

 

  CruiseHealth™ – Cruise with Confidence - Princess Cruises

Right....enhance...OK   File that with Check is in the Mail.... this Mortgage is assumable These are magic beans..........

[pinotlover]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Actually I am going to disagree. I think within a couple of years as people are vaccinated and this fades, things will pretty much go back to the way they used to be, pretty much everywhere, not just on cruise ships. 

Things may revert back very possibly by 2023. OTH , The various ports could also decide they like not having various people hanging out around and in their terminal areas hours before any embarkments are scheduled . Then some of the restrictions may continue.

[Nashna]

18 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

Right....enhance...OK   File that with Check is in the Mail.... this Mortgage is assumable These are magic beans..........

Embarkation at a dedicated time without lines and safety drills without crowded rooms and stairways would certainly be enhancements that I would enjoy.   

[Hawaiidan]

2 hours ago, Nashna said:

Embarkation at a dedicated time without lines and safety drills without crowded rooms and stairways would certainly be enhancements that I would enjoy.   

I am glad you would find such  enjoyable.     For me..that totally kills the fun and ambiance of what to me is a cruise experience..... Why even go  on a "ghost ship" with all the passengers in mortal fear of each other... 

 People are the  great pleasure on a cruise... removing that interaction  is a deathblow to the whole thing .....unless your an introvert/hermit who  would love life in a monks cell..    If that is the deal then it is "NO DEAL"     

[pinotlover]

3 hours ago, Nashna said:

Embarkation at a dedicated time without lines and safety drills without crowded rooms and stairways would certainly be enhancements that I would enjoy.   

Oceania hands had dedicated times for embarkment for years. Just seems a majority of the so called “ sophisticated “ cruisers opted to ignore their dedicated time and showed up early, creating the lines. We show up for embarkment at 15:00-16:00 and never encounter a line.How Oceania, and the port authorities, enforces the new boarding procedures will be interesting to observe. 

 

The safety drills had long became a joke. Something different has long been needed.

[Hawaiidan]

3 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Oceania hands had dedicated times for embarkment for years. Just seems a majority of the so called “ sophisticated “ cruisers opted to ignore their dedicated time and showed up early, creating the lines. We show up for embarkment at 15:00-16:00 and never encounter a line.How Oceania, and the port authorities, enforces the new boarding procedures will be interesting to observe. 

 

The safety drills had long became a joke. Something different has long been needed.

Funny I have not run  into you... I never board till as late as you.... I have no desire to get into the "first Hog to the Trough" mentality. of "sophicate's ( entitled)passengers.....

Somehow, just somehow I have  a trust  that I will not be food and liquor deprived on my cruise and can "risk" it.   

 I also discovered that checking in around 1600.... that your luggage will most times beat you to the room..... 

The day that you have to get an "app" and a gizmo in order to function on a cruise is when I cross cruising off my list..

[Jancruz]

Not sure why we are discussing Princess believe me..Oceania could care less what they do..has no effect on O at all..

Jancruz1