Cruise Parking - Iona

[Winifred 22]

25 minutes ago, david63 said:

Any 10 year old kid could get that to work. Put it as an option in the Cruise Personaliser and let passengers choose, on a first come basis, their own arrival time. Only need a "coach" option for those using the coaches - everyone else could select their time. The only minor issue would be for anyone moving up a loyalty level between choosing their time and actual sailing date, but that would only be a few (if any) on many cruises.

And what happens if everyone chooses the same slots ? If people are not able to get their desired slot for whatever reason the same thing will happen as now they will turn up

to suit. Nothing wrong either with present system in my opinion if people just stuck to the time they were allocated instead of assuming they can arrive at a time convenient to them regardless. 

[david63]

24 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

And what happens if everyone chooses the same slots ?

The number of passengers in a slot is limited so it is on a first come get their slot.

 

26 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

If people are not able to get their desired slot for whatever reason the same thing will happen as now they will turn up to suit.

Fine - then they know the score and stand outside in the naughty queue in the cold and wet.

 

27 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

Nothing wrong either with present system in my opinion if people just stuck to the time they were allocated instead of assuming they can arrive at a time convenient to them regardless. 

But as I keep saying the current system does not take into account the method by which passengers are arriving.

 

Say for example that each 15 minute slot allows for 200 passengers (I have no idea of the actual figures). If the 13:30 slot has 100 of those passengers travelling by coach (who arrive at 15:00) then that slot will only be half full and consequently will have a knock on effect that there will be a build up later on.

[lindylooellalouise]

My arrival time is 3.15 next week, last boarding time 3.30 I really hope we won’t be stuck in a gridlocked queue for the docks as we have been previously when one ship had a delayed arrival,and the disembarking traffic coincided with the embarking traffic, passengers were getting out of taxis with luggage and attempting to walk from the train station to the docks, wonder if the ship will wait ? Or do I turn up an hour early and just wait in the naughty queue. Hope it won’t be raining 😨

[9265359]

14 minutes ago, lindylooellalouise said:

My arrival time is 3.15 next week, last boarding time 3.30 I really hope we won’t be stuck in a gridlocked queue for the docks as we have been previously when one ship had a delayed arrival,and the disembarking traffic coincided with the embarking traffic, passengers were getting out of taxis with luggage and attempting to walk from the train station to the docks, wonder if the ship will wait ? Or do I turn up an hour early and just wait in the naughty queue. Hope it won’t be raining 😨

 

Exactly.

 

But just wait for all the dismissive posts from those sailing in suites or having high status.

 

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by 9265359

[lindylooellalouise]

Just now, 9265359 said:

 

Exactly.

 

But just wait for all the posts from those sailing in suites or having high status dismissing your concerns.

I’m not wanting to jump the queue and more than happy to wait until my boarding time but honestly would really like to wait inside the terminal have a seat and a cup of tea use the facilities surely that’s not a lot to ask.

[9265359]

10 minutes ago, lindylooellalouise said:

I’m not wanting to jump the queue and more than happy to wait until my boarding time but honestly would really like to wait inside the terminal have a seat and a cup of tea use the facilities surely that’s not a lot to ask.

 

Again - Exactly.

 

It is rather patronising of those traveling in suites or having high status commenting that 'you just need to arrive at the right time' when all someone wants to do, is what they have always done - arrive not in a last minute rush and sit down in the warm and dry waiting their turn to be called.

[lindylooellalouise]

1 minute ago, 9265359 said:

 

Again - Exactly.

 

It is rather patronising of those traveling in suites or having high status commenting that 'you just need to arrive at the right time' when all someone wants to do, is what they have always done - arrive not in a last minute rush and sit down in the warm and dry waiting their turn to be called.

Especially when you’ve just driven six and half hours through traffic jams and bad weather it can be really difficult to get the timing just right why can’t people be more understanding of this, and to find the terminal empty after being made to queue outside for an hour and half was unbelievable 

[Megabear2]

As a matter of interest, when covid testing was happening there was a side door into an area presumably "backstage" of the Ocean terminal. Is there any reason why this could not be utilised for the secondary queue in inclement weather?  I assume that area still exists or does it gave a regular purpose and was just requisitoned?

Edited August 7, 2023 by Megabear2

[AndyMichelle]

23 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

 

Exactly.

 

But just wait for all the dismissive posts from those sailing in suites or having high status.

 

 

The dismissive posts don't only come from the posh people... 

We had a late embarkation time, it is a real worry, so my choice was to arrive early, drop bags off and either wait in the covered queue or go and have some lunch. 

We was aware there was no option to wait inside. 

I agree they could handle it better, the whole system seems unnecessary, it would be nice if we can wait inside like we used to, but we can't. 

As you often say, people will vote with their feet if they feel mistreated. 

It does seem like the queues are getting less & less, so P&O will say it is working... 

Andy 

 

[Windsurfboy]

12 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

11 hours ago, purplesea said:

See my comments above in post 83!

My first post was a general comment about not coming early , I did not read your earlier post , just your answer to my train time post

 

 You arrived on time.

 

Clearly if you arrive on time you should immediately be let inside.  You were very badly treated by P&O. Everyone who arrives on time , and 15 minutes early is on time should never have to wait outside.  This is something P&O must address urgently.  No one is arguing that people who arrive on time should ever , ever wait outside.

 

Perhaps if they did not have to cope with all the very early arrivals, they would not make such errors. However that is NO excuse for what happened to you, you were let dowm by P&O

 

 

[lindylooellalouise]

58 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

The dismissive posts don't only come from the posh people... 

We had a late embarkation time, it is a real worry, so my choice was to arrive early, drop bags off and either wait in the covered queue or go and have some lunch. 

We was aware there was no option to wait inside. 

I agree they could handle it better, the whole system seems unnecessary, it would be nice if we can wait inside like we used to, but we can't. 

As you often say, people will vote with their feet if they feel mistreated. 

It does seem like the queues are getting less & less, so P&O will say it is working... 

Andy 

 

Hi Andy do you know the reasoning why we can’t go inside the terminal, we were on Arcadia in June and will be on Aurora next week 

[Windsurfboy]

P&O should issue an immediate edict, that anyone arriving on time and that should be clear that it means within 15 minutea of boarding time Must be let in. No question 

 

 

[9265359]

20 minutes ago, lindylooellalouise said:

do you know the reasoning why we can’t go inside the terminal, we were on Arcadia in June and will be on Aurora next week 

 

The reasoning would seem to be that the terminals cannot cope with the number of passengers on P&O's larger ships, particularly as many of those people cruising on those newer ships are first time cruisers and are not used to the counterintuitive 'protocol' that is the opposite they are used to when flying.

 

With flights the airline says 'the flight is leaving at x time and make sure you arrive at least three hours before', because that is the sensible thing to do to make sure you are there before the aircraft leaves.

 

However with cruises the cruise lines say - the ship is leaving at x time and then tells some people to only arrive 15 minutes before boarding closes. Well that's just plain daft and understandably people (particularly people who have never cruised before) ignore it and turn up at a sensible time beforehand, and in the past this wasn't an issue as they went into the terminal and sat down and waited for their time slot to be called.

 

But now P&O have decided they don't want that and in their infinite wisdom they really do want people turning up 15 minutes before boarding close, but the only way they can persuade people to do that is by being obnoxious to them and if they deign to arrive as much as 15 minutes before they are told to arrive they are made to stand outside in a queue, and not any queue, but a queue looking through the glass doors at hundreds and hundreds of empty unused seats in the dry and warm.

 

Now in August that might be just about acceptable (it isn't but let's pretend it is), but in February when it is below freezing and the rain is slashing down - I can't quite see people being as forgiving.

[lindylooellalouise]

2 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

 

The reasoning would seem to be that the terminals cannot cope with the number of passengers on P&O's larger ships, particularly as many of those people cruising on those newer ships are first time cruisers and are not used to the counterintuitive 'protocol' that is the opposite they are used to when flying.

 

With flights the airline says 'the flight is leaving at x time and make sure you arrive at least three hours before', because that is the sensible thing to do to make sure you are there before the aircraft leaves.

 

However with cruises the cruise lines say - the ship is leaving at x time and then tells some people to only arrive 15 minutes before boarding closes. Well that's just plain daft and understandably people (particularly people who have never cruised before) ignore it and turn up at a sensible time beforehand, and in the past this wasn't an issue as they went into the terminal and sat down and waited for their time slot to be called.

 

But now P&O have decided they don't want that and in their infinite wisdom they really do want people turning up 15 minutes before boarding close, but the only way they can persuade people to do that is by being obnoxious to them and if they deign to arrive as much as 15 minutes before they are told to arrive they are made to stand outside in a queue, and not any queue, but a queue looking through the glass doors at hundreds and hundreds of empty unused seats in the dry and warm.

 

Now in August that might be just about acceptable (it isn't but let's pretend it is), but in February when it is below freezing and the rain is slashing down - I can't quite see people being as forgiving.

I can fully understand they need to be more strict with timings with the larger ships due to the number of passengers but not with Arcadia and Aurora, and the added worry now that I have only 15 minutes to board is not making me look forward to the whole boarding process, not a good way to start your holiday,

[Windsurfboy]

46 minutes ago, lindylooellalouise said:

Hi Andy do you know the reasoning why we can’t go inside the terminal, we were on Arcadia in June and will be on Aurora next week 

 

Or it could be that terminals  can accommodate 1000 people at one time and there are 6000 on full bigger ships. A problem. 1000 people is less than one hours flow.

 

Most airports can accomodate 4 or 5 hours worth

 

Size matters

 

A

Edited August 7, 2023 by Windsurfboy

[9265359]

13 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Or it could be that terminals  can accommodate 1000 people at one time and there are 6000 on full bigger ships. A problem. 1000 people is less than one hours flow.

 

So seat 1,000 people and when the terminal gets full then make people stand outside.

 

But keeping 100% of the seats unused and making people stand outside because they have arrived 15 minutes early is just being obnoxious.

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by 9265359

[david63]

20 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

The reasoning would seem to be that the terminals cannot cope with the number of passengers on P&O's larger ships

I have said this before - the cruise terminals at Southampton are not fit for purpose, in fact Southampton port in its current layout is not fit for modern day cruising.

 

Modern day, and future day, cruising needs purpose built terminals and many countries had the foresight to go down that route over the last 10 years or so. The problem is that to create a cruise port infrastructure not only requires a lot of money but needs a location and as we know that means that the terminals are out of the city centres. One classic example of a fit for purpose cruise terminal infrastructure is Barcelona where the Carnival terminal is massive and can easily accommodate several thousand passengers (the difference here is to keep them out of the sun rather than the rain!).

 

I don't know the geography of Southampton well enough to know how feasible it would be to relocate the cruise infrastructure but something needs to be done - sooner rather than later.

[Ardennais]

4 hours ago, 9265359 said:

 

Arriving at 3pm would still mean waiting in the rain for an hour or more if they were then allocated a 4pm or later boarding time.

 

So the only way your clever idea could work is if people aimed to arrive just before the ship sailed - I don't think that is the best idea in the world.

 

 

You have clearly never sampled the delights of a train station cafe.

I have, and many are delightful indeed! 

[AndyMichelle]

1 hour ago, lindylooellalouise said:

Hi Andy do you know the reasoning why we can’t go inside the terminal, we were on Arcadia in June and will be on Aurora next week 

Sorry I don't. 

The excuse usually spouted is that the terminals can't cope with the bigger ships..... 

Not sure how this relates to the 2 you are travelling on. 

I suppose they would say one rule for all... 

Andy 

[cruising.mark.uk]

10 minutes ago, david63 said:

I have said this before - the cruise terminals at Southampton are not fit for purpose, in fact Southampton port in its current layout is not fit for modern day cruising.

 

 

I understand from across on the Princess boards that Princess has done away with arrivals times altogether from 1 Aug.  If that is true for their departures from Southampton this Summer, it will be interesting to see whether passengers self-regulate arrival times or all arrive at the same time and expect to be let on straight away.  Given that they'll be using the same infrastructure that P&O does - and assuming that P&O staggers arrival times to spread the passenger load out over 4 or 5 hours - having them all turn up at once might pose some difficult challenges.

[Windsurfboy]

1 hour ago, 9265359 said:

 

So seat 1,000 people and when the terminal gets full then make people stand outside.

 

But keeping 100% of the seats unused and making people stand outside because they have arrived 15 minutes early is just being obnoxious.

 

 

So you let the earlies in to sit down and the on times wait outside !!

[9265359]

1 minute ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

So you let the earlies in to sit down and the on times wait outside !!

 

Only if you have that many people arrive early, which never happened in the past.

 

And as those hundreds and hundreds of seats are never intended to be used again, presumably the terminal will be demolished just leaving a space for the check in queue and security.

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by 9265359

[Angel57]

1 hour ago, lindylooellalouise said:

Hi Andy do you know the reasoning why we can’t go inside the terminal, we were on Arcadia in June and will be on Aurora next week 

When I boarded Aurora at the Ocean terminal in June, we were made to wait outside and only those that had pre-booked assistance seemed to be allowed to wait downstairs in the terminal.
I arrived 1150 (due to fast CPS check in) for 1230 embarkation and waited outside in the queue until 1220 when we were all ushered straight to the upstairs escalators.
Fast check in and then we sat and waited about 20 mins before they allowed anyone thru to security and to onboard. I was on board by about 1310.

[david63]

1 hour ago, cruising.mark.uk said:

I understand from across on the Princess boards that Princess has done away with arrivals times altogether from 1 Aug.  If that is true for their departures from Southampton this Summer, it will be interesting to see whether passengers self-regulate arrival times or all arrive at the same time and expect to be let on straight away.  Given that they'll be using the same infrastructure that P&O does - and assuming that P&O staggers arrival times to spread the passenger load out over 4 or 5 hours - having them all turn up at once might pose some difficult challenges.

The big difference with Princess is that many of their passengers are flying into the port (applies both in the UK and US) and they know how many there are as Princess arranges the transport and that means that they are able to some extent to control the arrival times of many of their passengers.

 

Also, especially in the US, check-in is much quicker in that everything has been done online in advance and all that is required is to show your passport (or whatever they use in the US) and even if you need to collect your Medallion at the port that also seems to be quicker than P&O's check-in routine.

[9265359]

1 hour ago, Angel57 said:

and only those that had pre-booked assistance seemed to be allowed to wait downstairs in the terminal.

 

Is this going to get to be like some aircraft flights when on embarkation a significant number of the passengers seem to need a wheelchair and are boarded first with their families, but on disembarkation when assisted passengers have to wait until the end to leave the aircraft, then suddenly their have been multiple miraculous cures and they can get off and walk through the terminal unassisted.

 

https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/passengers-furious-at-southwest-airlines-for-wheelchair/454882