New COVID check in procedure

[zteamtwo]

I dislike criticism of Oceania, because it is our favorite cruise line, HOWEVER, today's check in for Riviera was kinda like your worst day at ...."pick any government office"!!!!  There's about 6-7 steps just to get through the COVID testing and then 3-4 steps to check in ( keep in mind you already checked in on the website)-- doesn't matter-- do it all over-- take another picture!!!  Yes.  Tip---Try and get a barcode for that Eurofins COVID registration, however, we could not find ours and they got us through. The line getting into the COVID "tent" was extremely long. Go early. No one ever checked what time our check in time was. The whole process could easily take over 1-2 hours. This is cruise number 3 on Oceania and it was a total "?!?!!?!"for check in. Of course this was a brand new thing for Carribean sailings in 2021.  Hopefully the next check ins get better.

[pinotlover]

10 minutes ago, zteamtwo said:

I dislike criticism of Oceania, because it is our favorite cruise line, HOWEVER, today's check in for Riviera was kinda like your worst day at ...."pick any government office"!!!!  There's about 6-7 steps just to get through the COVID testing and then 3-4 steps to check in ( keep in mind you already checked in on the website)-- doesn't matter-- do it all over-- take another picture!!!  Yes.  Tip---Try and get a barcode for that Eurofins COVID registration, however, we could not find ours and they got us through. The line getting into the COVID "tent" was extremely long. Go early. No one ever checked what time our check in time was. The whole process could easily take over 1-2 hours. This is cruise number 3 on Oceania and it was a total "?!?!!?!"for check in. Of course this was a brand new thing for Carribean sailings in 2021.  Hopefully the next check ins get better.

Since most passengers refused to adhere to their assigned checkin times pre Covid, why would you expect differently now?

 

Last summer, we embarked our cruise in a foreign port with a cruise terminal. You couldn’t get into the cruise terminal until your assigned embarkment time. Appears the Port of Miami ignores assigned boarding times just like the passengers.

 

Plus the ports only allowed so many inside the terminal for physical distancing purposes. If the line backed up it was outside  the port not inside. Outside as in not indoors.

Edited December 3, 2021 by pinotlover

[LHT28]

At one time POM would not let people into the building until you time

So if you showed up  at 11am for embarkation at 1pm you waited outside

Then they started to let anyone in  when they arrived  thus creating a giant mess  to check in

 Go back to just letting people in for the assigned time 

 

We can usually check in at noon but wait until 2pm

JMO

[Host Jazzbeau]

16 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

At one time POM would not let people into the building until you time

So if you showed up  at 11am for embarkation at 1pm you waited outside

Then they started to let anyone in  when they arrived  thus creating a giant mess  to check in

 Go back to just letting people in for the assigned time 

 

We can usually check in at noon but wait until 2pm

JMO

Wasn't this because people were complaining about getting heatstroke in the sun?  Here on Cruise Critic?  No matter what they do people will show up at 11 – you can't change the attitude that that first lunch is part of what they paid for...

[Flatbush Flyer]

I thought the new online check-in several weeks prior to embarkation allows you to select a still available embarkation time.

Not that it matters since we all know folks will continue to show up “whenever.” 

[sofietucker]

Our online checkin for next week allowed 11am--anticipating a cluster___k at the terminal, we chose it & plan for at least an hour of fooling around with testing & new paperwork protocols. If we get situated in time for a peaceful lunch, all will be well.

[jjwoben1]

We found the check in to be orderly and efficient…..the trick is to show up within 15 minutes of your assigned boarding time. Not 2 hours before.  The staff was very pleasant and helpful. We were on line about ten minutes outside and were on the ship within about 20 minutes.  Water was provided as well as chairs outside. People need to follow the rules, stop whining and be happy to be sailing again! 
The ship is decorated and there is an adorable gingerbread village…..crew is fantastic!

[zteamtwo]

My original posting was meant to give a "heads up" for people on the next cruise and constructive comments for Oceania.  Here are a couple of  other   check in  comments.  What if there was rain---you were required to wait outside before entering the Covid tent.  Line was very long-even at 3-3:30 PM.  Also, there was no distinguishing between what cabin category you were in--it looks like penthouse and owners suite, and lower cabins were treated the same, UNTIL, the last step where you did a second "check in" (remember, you already did a check in at home) --there you were given your "key card" and stood in a line for your category.  New TV's on Riviera--can get menu's, entertainment info, and much else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, zteamtwo said:

New TV's on Riviera--can get menu's, entertainment info, and much else.

 

 

Maybe the outside  check in tent is not run by O

 

Are the new TV  different from pre covid ones?

You could get menus etc..on them back in 2019 when we last sailed O

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

Maybe the outside  check in tent is not run by O

 

Are the new TV  different from pre covid ones?

You could get menus etc..on them back in 2019 when we last sailed O

Sounds like Zteamtwo hasn’t been on an O ship for quite some time. Those TVs were changed out at about the same time as the R ships we’re getting the NEXT makeover.

[ToxM]

Sounds like things will be a bit easier when dockside testing is discontinued in favour of passenger pre testing.

 

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

7 minutes ago, ToxM said:

Sounds like things will be a bit easier when dockside testing is discontinued in favour of passenger pre testing.

 

 

Hopefully. But, remember that dockside testing will still be available at $99 pp.

[ToxM]

16 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Hopefully. But, remember that dockside testing will still be available at $99 pp.

 

I just had a mini cruise on QM2, we had early embarkation because we were in the grills and possibly were very lucky that we were in the line for testing very early but it was easily only a 10-15 minute wait for the results. 

 

It may well be easier and cheaper to get the tests at the dock if you are able to get an early enough check in time, especially if you have LFT’ed beforehand and are confident you aren’t going to have a wasted journey.

 

I suppose time and experience of guests reporting here will allow us to build up a tactical game plan for this new normal concept we are all going to have to get used to. 

 

 

 

 

[artlee]

We are on the current Riviera Cruise. We arrived at 12:30 for our 12:30 scheduled Check in. We are Penthouse guests. We waited 1 hour and 55 minutes outside in line before we got clearance to go to the next step of check in. It was warm and uncomfortable. One of the guards did say that busses  of people arrived well before their assigned check in time but honestly Oceania should have expected that as it sounds like it has been a common problem. I am 76 years old, not 20 waiting in line for some concert! This is our first experience with Oceania so it certainly started us off in a very disappointing way. I don’t claim to have a solution to the problem but someone smarter than me working for O needs one. I don’t recall ever waiting in line this long for ANYTHING. Somehow I remained calm with the great anticipation of our first Oceania cruise — knowing we just had to get through this to get onboard. Shame on O for allowing their guests —many of whom are elderly — to have to do this. Yes, shame on those that came early and disrupted things but it starts with a plan to efficiently handle the testing that O apparently never had.

 

I hope this thread does not dissolve into the bickering that seems to be the norm today but focuses instead on the serious problem that Oceania needs to a address before the next cruise sets sail.

 

I will not let this destroy my cruise experience with O and so far we have been thrilled since we finally got on board. But, wow……

[emckeeve]

21 hours ago, zteamtwo said:

I dislike criticism of Oceania, because it is our favorite cruise line, HOWEVER, today's check in for Riviera was kinda like your worst day at ...."pick any government office"!!!!  There's about 6-7 steps just to get through the COVID testing and then 3-4 steps to check in ( keep in mind you already checked in on the website)-- doesn't matter-- do it all over-- take another picture!!!  Yes.  Tip---Try and get a barcode for that Eurofins COVID registration, however, we could not find ours and they got us through. The line getting into the COVID "tent" was extremely long. Go early. No one ever checked what time our check in time was. The whole process could easily take over 1-2 hours. This is cruise number 3 on Oceania and it was a total "?!?!!?!"for check in. Of course this was a brand new thing for Carribean sailings in 2021.  Hopefully the next check ins get better.

We are not sailing until Jan. 4 so maybe things will improve.  As for the new Covid protocols, when will we be advised of any changes?  I haven't received any updates regarding testing.  It's crazy that some of the first people to test positive for the Omicron strain were fully vaccinated!

[basor]

We boarded Marina in Trieste on the 01NOV at 11AM and it took about 30 minutes from the time we arrived, got tested, received results and were headed on board.  Everything was done inside the terminal and chairs and water were made available.  We did not hear any complaints from people boarding in Barcelona.

This appears to be a problem at the POM.  Since this was the first Oceania cruise boarding in POM with the COVID testing, it sounds like the process was not run smoothly by POM or Oceania.  With your feedback, I expect there will be some changes made by the time the next embarkatiion in POM.

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

Just now, emckeeve said:

We are not sailing until Jan. 4 so maybe things will improve.  As for the new Covid protocols, when will we be advised of any changes?  I haven't received any updates regarding testing.  It's crazy that some of the first people to test positive for the Omicron strain were fully vaccinated!

You certainly have received updates. Just in the past few weeks on11/11, 11/23 and 11/24 there have been updates. Are you not regularly checking the O website SailSafe FAQs?

[LHT28]

I wonder if those administering the covid tests outside are qualified O employees or Florida health officials?  or maybe random people off the street ?

 

 The porters  are not employed by O  so why blame O when  they have no control over outside contract workers

JMO

[Flatbush Flyer]

36 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

I wonder if those administering the covid tests outside are qualified O employees or Florida health officials?  or maybe random people off the street ?

 

 The porters  are not employed by O  so why blame O when  they have no control over outside contract workers

JMO

Pretty sure the Covid testers are the same ones (Nomi Health) who have been doing testing at both the Port and at MIA.So, it may be that the only difference from

1/17/22 onward will be either you supply your own results per the O requirements or use the soon-to-be optional $99 dockside testing.

[PhD-iva]

1 hour ago, basor said:

We boarded Marina in Trieste on the 01NOV at 11AM and it took about 30 minutes from the time we arrived, got tested, received results and were headed on board.  Everything was done inside the terminal and chairs and water were made available.  We did not hear any complaints from people boarding in Barcelona.

This appears to be a problem at the POM.  Since this was the first Oceania cruise boarding in POM with the COVID testing, it sounds like the process was not run smoothly by POM or Oceania.  With your feedback, I expect there will be some changes made by the time the next embarkatiion in POM.

 

I boarded Riviera in Rome on 17 Nov. Process was smooth and reasonable. Probably took less than 30 minutes, closer to 20 probably. Of that time 15 is waiting for test results. We waited inside the terminal and had seats. All very efficient and comfortable. Sounds like POM is the problem, but O will need to address issues.
Alternatively pax could fly to a port that handles embarkation better than POM!

[gaeltrav]

We also boarded in Rome on Nov 17th and arrived on an Oceania transfer bus We were in our cabin in under 30mins About 15 mins were waiting for our test results

[pinotlover]

1. In all the above ancedotal experiences, we have no comparisons of number of passengers attempting embarkment. Might there be a difference in performance if 1100 are attempting to board vs 380?

 

2. I can never recall, under any circumstances, where Oceania has attempted to manage those that ignore their boarding times and shows up at will.

 

As passengers count increases, Oceania’s refusal to address this issue will only lead to greater fiascos along with ill will. 
 

How does any management justify someone with a 2:00 boarding time being ahead in the line of someone with a 12:00 boarding time?

[basor]

When we boarded in Trieste there were 750 on board but not sure how many were already on board from previous cruise.....

The above issues will probably be better when the testing is no longer done at embarkation by most passengers.  Boarding will then revert back to pre-COVID system..just have another pieve of paper to provide at check in or perhaps will have already uploaded to your account.

We shall see.....luckily there will not be too many more embarkations in POM before end of January.

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

There was mention in a couple of posts above about 'busloads' of people arriving and of 'Oceania transfers.'  Unless Oceania carefully maps check-in times to their transfer schedules, this can cause 'early arrival' that is outside the passengers' control.

 

It would seem that the Jan. 17 change may speed things up.  Anyone arriving with a valid test can skip Line #1 and the test/wait sequence.  The number of passengers needing a test will be less than 100%, so even that line should be shorter.  [Too bad it won't be in place for Jan. 14, as DW and I will arrive with test in hand!]

[emckeeve]

16 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

You certainly have received updates. Just in the past few weeks on11/11, 11/23 and 11/24 there have been updates. Are you not regularly checking the O website SailSafe FAQs?

Actually, no.  So thanks for the info.