Why assign a Boarding Group to with Priority Boarding?

[mamiamjo]

Maybe a silly question but here goes... We have Priority Boarding (Platinum and in a Suite), but we were assigned a B01 Boarding Group. Now, I assume that we will board whenever they call Suite/Platinum to board, so just curious as to why our boarding group is B01 on our Boarding Pass?

[DallasGuy75219]

34 minutes ago, mamiamjo said:

Maybe a silly question but here goes... We have Priority Boarding (Platinum and in a Suite), but we were assigned a B01 Boarding Group. Now, I assume that we will board whenever they call Suite/Platinum to board, so just curious as to why our boarding group is B01 on our Boarding Pass?

Everyone gets assigned one based on your arrival appointment time, regardless of whether you have priority boarding.  This eliminates the need to hand out and recollect group number cards for people who check in before boarding starts or before the backlog of those people has boarded.

[Canadian_J]

There’s more people than ever who are entitled to Priority Boarding, I suspect this helps to organize it a bit better, even among all those with Priority. If you’ve picked one of the earliest slots, it’s likely all Priority folks with you. 

[mamiamjo]

17 minutes ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

Everyone gets assigned one based on your arrival appointment time, regardless of whether you have priority boarding.  This eliminates the need to hand out and recollect group number cards for people who check in before boarding starts or before the backlog of those people has boarded.

I guess it's the way their system is set up, but I guess I was wondering why not just list the Boarding Group as "Priority"?

[DallasGuy75219]

5 minutes ago, mamiamjo said:

I guess it's the way their system is set up, but I guess I was wondering why not just list the Boarding Group as "Priority"?

For one thing, on Journeys and some other longer cruises their are too many Platinums and Diamonds to offer priority boarding, so those people need a boarding group anyway.

 

In terms programming for what info goes on the boarding pass, it's simpler to put a boarding group correlated to the arrival appointment time on every boarding pass than to set up multiple exceptions and if/then rules and have to continually update those rules for sailings that won't have priority boarding.

[mz-s]

19 minutes ago, mamiamjo said:

I guess it's the way their system is set up, but I guess I was wondering why not just list the Boarding Group as "Priority"?

 

There are several levels of priority - Wedding guest, Suite Guest, Diamond, Platinum, VIFP. While they could sort all of those ahead of everyone else when issuing boarding zones, they've decided to just give everyone a boarding zone and then allow priority to sort themselves out at the pier.

[mamiamjo]

11 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

There are several levels of priority - Wedding guest, Suite Guest, Diamond, Platinum, VIFP. While they could sort all of those ahead of everyone else when issuing boarding zones, they've decided to just give everyone a boarding zone and then allow priority to sort themselves out at the pier.

Thanks!

[vwrestler171]

Everyone that has "Priority Boarding" is almost 1/4 of the ship.  They still have to separate everyone or the priority boarding group would be a mess.  The earlier check-in time you get, the better boarding group you get.  Right now, you have the 5th group.  

[jsglow]

3 hours ago, vwrestler171 said:

Everyone that has "Priority Boarding" is almost 1/4 of the ship.  They still have to separate everyone or the priority boarding group would be a mess.  The earlier check-in time you get, the better boarding group you get.  Right now, you have the 5th group.  

That's incorrect. ALL pax get boarding zones regardless. The computer isn't 'sophisticated enough' to know someone is Priority. When you arrive and check in, simply follow the call of Weddings-Diamond-Suites-Plats-FTTF (or however it goes) regardless of your position in the A01...9, B01.....9, etc. designation.

The only time this doesn't apply is if Priority boarding is suspended for the cruise such as on Journeys.

Edited October 15, 2023 by jsglow

[Pellaz]

We boarded Horizon at Miami's Terminal F earlier today; I am now Platinum.  We arrived at 10:10, before our arrival time of 10:30, and were whisked through the Priority line as soon as we arrived.  Upstairs there is a separate area for Platinum, Diamonds and Suites and we were handed a placard saying "Priority O."  We were boarded in order from Priority A thru P, then general boarding commenced.  Priority A-C appeared to be for Diamond cruisers.  

 

Every port is different, but this is what we experienced today.  

Edited October 15, 2023 by Pellaz