CPS parking on Arvia and Iona

[Jazzytelly]

Hi for all those using the CPS parking did you get straight through or just a short wait to drop off your cases and car or did you have to go into a holding queue. I remember going on Britannia before Covid we arrived and got sent to a long queue. There were 3 lines of cars waiting between the terminal and the Short Stay car park. So took quite a while to get into the terminal to drop cases, leave car and get into terminal building.

 

 

[Gettingwarmer]

50 minutes ago, Jazzytelly said:

Hi for all those using the CPS parking did you get straight through or just a short wait to drop off your cases and car or did you have to go into a holding queue. I remember going on Britannia before Covid we arrived and got sent to a long queue. There were 3 lines of cars waiting between the terminal and the Short Stay car park. So took quite a while to get into the terminal to drop cases, leave car and get into terminal building.

 

 

It depends on which terminal. Ocean seems the best. 

[smokey01]

50 minutes ago, Jazzytelly said:

Hi for all those using the CPS parking did you get straight through or just a short wait to drop off your cases and car or did you have to go into a holding queue. I remember going on Britannia before Covid we arrived and got sent to a long queue. There were 3 lines of cars waiting between the terminal and the Short Stay car park. So took quite a while to get into the terminal to drop cases, leave car and get into terminal building.

 

 

In November we got to Ocean Terminal early as we had a good drive down (about 10:40am) so had to pay to use the short stay car park until CPS were ready to start taking cars. They started at just gone 11am but very soon they had 3 lines of cars between the terminal and short stay car park. You had to wait in your car until someone was available to process your car. Then you took all your cases out of the car and walked them yourself to the terminal. I suppose you could drop off the cases first and then drive to the CPS queue but as the queues were already long even at just gone 11 we didn’t want to delay ourselves doing this.

[terrierjohn]

2 minutes ago, smokey01 said:

In November we got to Ocean Terminal early as we had a good drive down (about 10:40am) so had to pay to use the short stay car park until CPS were ready to start taking cars. They started at just gone 11am but very soon they had 3 lines of cars between the terminal and short stay car park. You had to wait in your car until someone was available to process your car. Then you took all your cases out of the car and walked them yourself to the terminal. I suppose you could drop off the cases first and then drive to the CPS queue but as the queues were already long even at just gone 11 we didn’t want to delay ourselves doing this.

If you are with CPS you are directed to the waiting queues, you cannot drop your luggage off first, and would be of no benefit even if you could.

However there are several smaller meet and greet companies that do enable you to bypass the queues and go straight to the drop off point to unload your luggage, the driver (or everyone) can then drive the short distance to the short stay car park where your M&G company will be waiting to quickly process your car,  and you then walk the shortish distance back to the terminal to check in.

The other major benefit is that their prices are well below CPS for those paying for parking, if you are on a select fare with free parking you need to compare prices and the amount of OBC if you don't take the free parking.

[wowzz]

14 minutes ago, smokey01 said:

In November we got to Ocean Terminal early as we had a good drive down (about 10:40am) so had to pay to use the short stay car park until CPS were ready to start taking cars. They started at just gone 11am but very soon they had 3 lines of cars between the terminal and short stay car park. You had to wait in your car until someone was available to process your car. Then you took all your cases out of the car and walked them yourself to the terminal. I suppose you could drop off the cases first and then drive to the CPS queue but as the queues were already long even at just gone 11 we didn’t want to delay ourselves doing this.

Unless you have car parking included as part of a select fare, it is quicker and cheaper to use Parking4cruises. 

[Selbourne]

17 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Unless you have car parking included as part of a select fare, it is quicker and cheaper to use Parking4cruises. 

Also, as terrierjohn points out, even if you book Select, it can often be better to decline the CPS parking in return for additional OBC and booking with Parking4Cruises. Both companies are good, but I do feel that CPS faff about a lot and as you say Parking4Cruises is much quicker.

Edited March 15, 2023 by Selbourne

[Jazzytelly]

Yes it is normally Ocean terminal for the big ships. Thanks so they do have queues to get on , I thought they would as so many people onboard.

 

Yes also we do normally use Parking4cruises when we book Princess but for P & O we, as a general rule, book select so either take the free parking or the coach. If they are offering a large amount of OBC you get free parking plus OBC less a small amount for the parking. If has always worked out more advantageous to take the parking as I said because only a small amount is deducted for the parking, certainly less than even the cost of Parking4cruises. 

[BrianI]

Parking4cruises are usually more expensive on short cruises (7 days or less). On longer cruises they win hands down.

Brian

[wowzz]

12 minutes ago, BrianI said:

Parking4cruises are usually more expensive on short cruises (7 days or less). On longer cruises they win hands down.

Brian

Worth knowing,  but for us,  a seven day cruise is too much faff.

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, Jazzytelly said:

Yes it is normally Ocean terminal for the big ships. Thanks so they do have queues to get on , I thought they would as so many people onboard.

 

Yes also we do normally use Parking4cruises when we book Princess but for P & O we, as a general rule, book select so either take the free parking or the coach. If they are offering a large amount of OBC you get free parking plus OBC less a small amount for the parking. If has always worked out more advantageous to take the parking as I said because only a small amount is deducted for the parking, certainly less than even the cost of Parking4cruises. 

That's what I have always found, especially sailing solo. For this year, there were two elements, Coach/Parking or £60 obc plus additional obc. It is 12 nights, so taking the free parking was definitely the best option.

[terrierjohn]

35 minutes ago, Britboys said:

That's what I have always found, especially sailing solo. For this year, there were two elements, Coach/Parking or £60 obc plus additional obc. It is 12 nights, so taking the free parking was definitely the best option.

But there are a lot of passengers who book saver prices which don't get free parking,  so they do need to know which is the best parking option.

However if P4C prices increase as a result of the CPS hike, then we have a choice to pay the higher price, or swap the feeble £60 pp OBC for free parking, but suffer the poorer service that CPS provide.

I think I might stay with P4C rather than sit in the CPS queue waiting for the inadequate number of drivers to be ferried back to the terminal.

[Son of Anarchy]

We recently booked to go on Arvia next month.  Went to book Parking4Cruises - computer said No!  About 7/8 weeks before sailing and nothing available with P4C.  CPS were charging £240ish.  Looked around at some other places, no availability either or too pricey.  As we had booked Select, I called back and amended our booking to include the "free" parking with CPS, which reduced our OBC by £120.  Didn't realise till I checked later, but Britannia and Arvia are in port on the same day, so maybe that explains why P4C were full.

 

Out of interest, I looked up parking prices for a similar two week cruise next year.  CPS £240ish, P4C £130ish, OBC reduced by £120 if you take up the "free" parking option when booking Select.

[Ardennais]

We’ve never been in a queue with CPS. Always quick and efficient. 

[wowzz]

13 minutes ago, Ardennais said:

We’ve never been in a queue with CPS. Always quick and efficient. 

We certainly have, and anecdotal evidence is that queues have got worse over recent months.

I guess the way to avoid queues is to arrive early afternoon, to avoid the 11am congestion.

[amajaa]

9 hours ago, Ardennais said:

We’ve never been in a queue with CPS. Always quick and efficient. 

I think the bigger the ship the more likely to have queues, like the OP we have only ever had a queue for Britannia so also expecting ones for Arvia 

[Ardennais]

13 hours ago, wowzz said:

We certainly have, and anecdotal evidence is that queues have got worse over recent months.

I guess the way to avoid queues is to arrive early afternoon, to avoid the 11am congestion.

We arrive when we are told to arrive! I guess we’ve been lucky over the years, but we have never been in a queue. Last month on Iona was really quick. 

[Pippa04]

2 hours ago, Ardennais said:

We arrive when we are told to arrive! I guess we’ve been lucky over the years, but we have never been in a queue. Last month on Iona was really quick. 

Exactly. As the staff don't start work until 11am you're bound to have a problem if everyone decides to turn up then.

[wowzz]

37 minutes ago, Pippa04 said:

Exactly. As the staff don't start work until 11am you're bound to have a problem if everyone decides to turn up then.

Yes, that is true. But it makes if difficult if you do have an early boarding time, and you get snarled up with all the "gatecrashers ". 

Perhaps CPS should ask to see your boarding time, before checking your car in, so as to deter those arriving ahead of their allocated time.