Check In Questions

[Cruise4Jesus]

Haven't sailed Princess in a few years, but just booked again and cant wait to board. Since it has been a few for us on Princess, I am assuming some things have changed and wanting to know what the check in process was now.

Is there a specific number of days out before you can check in, also is vis the app now or still on line?

Can you select your check in time at the pier ahead of time, if so when is done?

How has Princess been doing the Muster Drill now?

Any check in information would be greatly appreciated.

If it makes a difference we are going on Ruby Princess out of Galveston.

Thanks in advance for any information.

[VibeGuy]

You can select a terminal arrival time prior to boarding under the Documents section of the app.   It’s available somewhere between 10 and 60 days prior to departure.   If your documents are in order and you have your medallion, it’s a quick passport check at the pier and you’re done. Very slick.   
 

The muster process improvements have been the best thing to come out of The Unpleasantness.  If both medallions are in the cabin, watching the safety video on the TV marks that step complete.  Otherwise, watch on the app.  Then, before sailaway, visit your muster station and tap your medallion to record your attendance.  It is *so well done*. 

[Cruise4Jesus]

57 minutes ago, VibeGuy said:

You can select a terminal arrival time prior to boarding under the Documents section of the app.   It’s available somewhere between 10 and 60 days prior to departure.   If your documents are in order and you have your medallion, it’s a quick passport check at the pier and you’re done. Very slick.   
 

The muster process improvements have been the best thing to come out of The Unpleasantness.  If both medallions are in the cabin, watching the safety video on the TV marks that step complete.  Otherwise, watch on the app.  Then, before sailaway, visit your muster station and tap your medallion to record your attendance.  It is *so well done*. 

Thanks for the information, how do you get your Medallion?

[Bridalgownz]

11 minutes ago, Cruise4Jesus said:

Thanks for the information, how do you get your Medallion?

I got mine in the mail about a week before cruising.

[Rick&Jeannie]

15 hours ago, VibeGuy said:

The Unpleasantness.  

Hah! Hadn't heard that one! 😄

 

But yes, the new video muster drill is probably the ONE thing that has been really improved since "The Unpleasantness" hit.

[Honolulu Blue]

14 hours ago, Cruise4Jesus said:

how do you get your Medallion?

I've had two cruises on Princess since the restart - one time the Medallion was mailed to me, and one time I picked it up at the port.  For my next cruise in April, I'm picking it up.

 

Soon everyone is going to have to pick their Medallions up at the port unless they've added one or the other of Princess' packages, or they pay $10 for shipping.

[Shelly97060]

To expedite boarding prior to your cruise you will want to “get ocean ready” and order your Medallions to either be sent to your home or picked up at the cruise terminal . To do this either download the MedallionClass app and input your passport, credit card info etc (if you prefer you can use the web version)  https://www.princess.com/plan/oceanready/

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2022 by Shelly97060
Added image

[arctickitty]

On 12/11/2022 at 4:45 PM, VibeGuy said:

You can select a terminal arrival time prior to boarding under the Documents section of the app.   It’s available somewhere between 10 and 60 days prior to departure.   If your documents are in order and you have your medallion, it’s a quick passport check at the pier and you’re done. Very slick.   
 

The muster process improvements have been the best thing to come out of The Unpleasantness.  If both medallions are in the cabin, watching the safety video on the TV marks that step complete.  Otherwise, watch on the app.  Then, before sailaway, visit your muster station and tap your medallion to record your attendance.  It is *so well done*. 

 

 Very helpful. Thank you!

[OccasionalSanta]

On 12/12/2022 at 9:43 AM, Honolulu Blue said:

I've had two cruises on Princess since the restart - one time the Medallion was mailed to me, and one time I picked it up at the port.  For my next cruise in April, I'm picking it up.

 

Soon everyone is going to have to pick their Medallions up at the port unless they've added one or the other of Princess' packages, or they pay $10 for shipping.

 

I ordered the medallions for our March 2023 cruise a few days ago to avoid the shipping fee.... Going forward I'll just pick it up at the dock.

 

I suspect that check-in times will be a bit longer going forward as more people will opt to avoid the $10 charge.

[Bwana Tom]

15 hours ago, OccasionalSanta said:

 

I ordered the medallions for our March 2023 cruise a few days ago to avoid the shipping fee.... Going forward I'll just pick it up at the dock.

 

I suspect that check-in times will be a bit longer going forward as more people will opt to avoid the $10 charge.

I agree! I believe most cruisers that book without the shipping being included will likely start picking up their medallions at the port and that will likely slow the process of check-in and put an extra burden on their staff. We booked early like you did for our upcoming cruises, but after that we will rely on their staff to provide it as we board. I must assume they will still ship the medallions for through cruise, but it they don't I will simply wait to get it; one less item to pack in the suitcase and keep track of. 

Hope you have a great cruise.

[SantaFeFan]

Fascinating. People spending thousands of dollars on a cruise vacation are willing to endure longer, slower, more crowded lines just to save $10 shipping cost for the medallions. 😵

[ldubs]

39 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

Fascinating. People spending thousands of dollars on a cruise vacation are willing to endure longer, slower, more crowded lines just to save $10 shipping cost for the medallions. 😵

 

I'm not sure I follow. Completing the Medallion app speeds up check-in more than having the Medallion in hand.    I prefer to pick up the medallion.  Very little time is added to check-in.   And, that was my preference prior to the new $10 mailing fee. 

[thinfool]

We sailed on the Sky out of Port Everglades in mid November.  Thinking that the restart would result in a more orderly compliance of boarding time by fellow passengers, we made sure that our boarding efforts were more in line with the assigned time.

WHAT A JOKE.  Nothing changed.  Everyone was there, all at once.  No enforcement was evident.  Lines were long.  The entrance line was outside the building and about 400 feet down the street alongside the building.

My take on the assigned boarding time is to ignore it, make your own schedule, and plan on joining the masses who have the same goal as you....get on the ship!

Because of a hurricane, which turned out to be a non-event, we had to pick up our medallions at the port.

[capriccio]

8 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

I'm not sure I follow. Completing the Medallion app speeds up check-in more than having the Medallion in hand.    I prefer to pick up the medallion.  Very little time is added to check-in.   And, that was my preference prior to the new $10 mailing fee. 

We are on an Australia cruise on April 2nd so I've been watching that board and asking the occasional question.  Medallions have never been delivered to Australians (and, I think passengers in any other country) but I have never seen any complaints about long lines and a lengthy check-in process.

[SantaFeFan]

53 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

I'm not sure I follow. Completing the Medallion app speeds up check-in more than having the Medallion in hand.    I prefer to pick up the medallion.  Very little time is added to check-in.   And, that was my preference prior to the new $10 mailing fee. 

 

That is based on many people who had them mailed already having their device in hand as they check in. If a large number of people now decide to pick them up instead of having them mailed to save $10, then there will be more people in that line to pick them up. More people, more processing time. It's simple physics. 

[ldubs]

5 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

That is based on many people who had them mailed already having their device in hand as they check in. If a large number of people now decide to pick them up instead of having them mailed to save $10, then there will be more people in that line to pick them up. More people, more processing time. It's simple physics. 

 

We checked in and they handed the Medallion to us.  Extra time was insignificant.  People are going to be in a line either way.  I'm not anticipating any real delays in the check in process in the future.  

[SantaFeFan]

20 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

We checked in and they handed the Medallion to us.  Extra time was insignificant.  People are going to be in a line either way.  I'm not anticipating any real delays in the check in process in the future.  

 

I hope you are correct. I haven't been through embarkation since before the medallion so admittingly aren't the expert. It just seems that even if it takes one minute to get the medallion in your hands and there are hundreds more people than before needing that service, there has to be a time penalty to the wait times. 

 

Time will tell. My concerns might end up being one of those infamous "nothingburgers". 🙃

 

[ldubs]

10 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

I hope you are correct. I haven't been through embarkation since before the medallion so admittingly aren't the expert. It just seems that even if it takes one minute to get the medallion in your hands and there are hundreds more people than before needing that service, there has to be a time penalty to the wait times. 

 

Time will tell. My concerns might end up being one of those infamous "nothingburgers". 🙃

 

 

 

 

Yeah, who knows.  My "experience" is based on one cruise with the Medallion.  

 

Anyway, look at it this way.  The more there are in the medallion line, the shorter your line will be!!   

[OccasionalSanta]

10 hours ago, SantaFeFan said:

Fascinating. People spending thousands of dollars on a cruise vacation are willing to endure longer, slower, more crowded lines just to save $10 shipping cost for the medallions. 

And many of those people are going to be in front of you in line and slow you down as well

[SantaFeFan]

2 hours ago, OccasionalSanta said:

And many of those people are going to be in front of you in line and slow you down as well

 

I have read that they would be in a different line, and those with their medallions already would not be behind them. Can anyone confirm?

[Steelers36]

42 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

I have read that they would be in a different line, and those with their medallions already would not be behind them. Can anyone confirm?

Different port terminals may have slightly different processing, but my observation is that priority processing come ahead of separation.  There is no Blue Lane, Yellow Lane anymore.  You check-in and if need the Medallion, they go grab it at the end.  People are processed in order of arrival or lining up.

 

[Steelers36]

12 hours ago, thinfool said:

We sailed on the Sky out of Port Everglades in mid November.  Thinking that the restart would result in a more orderly compliance of boarding time by fellow passengers, we made sure that our boarding efforts were more in line with the assigned time.

WHAT A JOKE.  Nothing changed.  Everyone was there, all at once.  No enforcement was evident.  Lines were long.  The entrance line was outside the building and about 400 feet down the street alongside the building.

My take on the assigned boarding time is to ignore it, make your own schedule, and plan on joining the masses who have the same goal as you....get on the ship!

Because of a hurricane, which turned out to be a non-event, we had to pick up our medallions at the port.

For all we know, Princess has expanded the number of guests that can select an Arrival Group.  This was something they could control from the get-go.  The original purpose was due to the pandemic, but that is largely a non-factor now and protocols are gone.  IMO, the Arrival Group concept was never going to last.

[MissP22]

18 hours ago, SantaFeFan said:

Fascinating. People spending thousands of dollars on a cruise vacation are willing to endure longer, slower, more crowded lines just to save $10 shipping cost for the medallions. 😵

$10 to me is just not worth it just because Princess wants to charge me for a service that used to be included. 

What's next, a disembarkation fee? 

[capriccio]

1 hour ago, MissP22 said:

What's next, a disembarkation fee? 

If you don't pay it will you be able to stay on the ship 😂 ?

[MissP22]

2 minutes ago, capriccio said:

If you don't pay it will you be able to stay on the ship 😂 ?

Theoretically, since they would have your credit card on file (or credit in your account) you wouldn't have much say in the matter.