Money Saving?

[Russell21]

Am I being cynical by thinking that the recent 2.00PM and 3PM boarding times on Princess, which are claimed to be for Immigration reasons, are nothing but a penny pinching exercise along the lines of the other things that are now being charged for. Just think of all the food not required for Lunch on the first day! 🤔

[mum and son]

Doesn't it cost the cruise line a lot more to remain at the dock beyond their scheduled departure time? I don't know the reality but someone did say that to me when we were waiting for a couple of pier runners in Puerto Vallarta a few weeks ago.

[Russell21]

16 minutes ago, mum and son said:

Doesn't it cost the cruise line a lot more to remain at the dock beyond their scheduled departure time? I don't know the reality but someone did say that to me when we were waiting for a couple of pier runners in Puerto Vallarta a few weeks ago.

They can choose either departure time, but it must not be during peak hours due to the increase in ferry traffic.

Edited January 31 by Russell21

[OzKiwiJJ]

31 minutes ago, Russell21 said:

Am I being cynical by thinking that the recent 2.00PM and 3PM boarding times on Princess, which are claimed to be for Immigration reasons, are nothing but a penny pinching exercise along the lines of the other things that are now being charged for. Just think of all the food not required for Lunch on the first day! 🤔

It wouldn't surprise me but there also could be some truth in the immigration reasons. I guess the cruise lines are at the mercy of the Border Force as if they provide fewer immigration officers than needed then processing will take longer. 

 

Maybe @gbenjo can give us some insight as to how it works with with the RCI lines. Are they having issues as well?

 

[Ozwoody]

I don't know if there is more emphasis on later boarding times, that may be, but in my experience cruise lines have always tried to schedule people to mid-late afternoon, to spread check in, out over a greater span to reduce crowding at the terminal.

I have always ignored the time slot I was given (usually around 2pm or so) and turned up early.

Initially because we had to leave our hotel accommodation by 10am, so went straight to the port to drop of bags, then found we could check in straight away, and did.😊

later we found, we could always find an excuse that we "had to be dropped of early".😁

Always seemed to be able to be on board for 11-11:30 lunch.😋

[gbenjo]

16 minutes ago, Ozwoody said:

I don't know if there is more emphasis on later boarding times, that may be, but in my experience cruise lines have always tried to schedule people to mid-late afternoon, to spread check in, out over a greater span to reduce crowding at the terminal.

I have always ignored the time slot I was given (usually around 2pm or so) and turned up early.

Initially because we had to leave our hotel accommodation by 10am, so went straight to the port to drop of bags, then found we could check in straight away, and did.😊

later we found, we could always find an excuse that we "had to be dropped of early".😁

Always seemed to be able to be on board for 11-11:30 lunch.😋

Staggered boarding times are designed to alleviate the long check in lines. If everyone were to adopt the “I’m smarter and sneaker than everybody else” and turn up earlier than their designated check in time then who would be the first to whinge about the long lines at check in?  Yes, a lot of times the flow for check in is fast and these nominated times can be “ adjusted” but not always the case and is dependant on the circumstances on the day.

[gbenjo]

2 hours ago, Russell21 said:

Am I being cynical by thinking that the recent 2.00PM and 3PM boarding times on Princess, which are claimed to be for Immigration reasons, are nothing but a penny pinching exercise along the lines of the other things that are now being charged for. Just think of all the food not required for Lunch on the first day! 🤔

I doubt that the food factor would even enter the minds of the cruise lines, just the opposite, the earlier guests board, the earlier they start  spending ( which is where the profits are) . The  longer a  ship stays berthed the more the cost so the immigration reason could have legitimacy , perhaps the arriving cruise had a face to passport debark and they allowed for a longer debark time which would obviously delay boarding times. Also if a ship stays longer than the allotted time at the terminal there are extra charges involved so it is  in the cruise lines interest to  have as short a turnaround time as possible.

Edited February 1 by gbenjo

[Russell21]

21 minutes ago, gbenjo said:

Staggered boarding times are designed to alleviate the long check in lines. If everyone were to adopt the “I’m smarter and sneaker than everybody else” and turn up earlier than their designated check in time then who would be the first to whinge about the long lines at check in?  Yes, a lot of times the flow for check in is fast and these nominated times can be “ adjusted” but not always the case and is dependant on the circumstances on the day.

True, but Royal Princess carries 3560 passengers, and with boarding starting at 3.00PM, and the notification states that everyone has to be onboard by 5.30PM, it seems like to me a great recipe for a crowd.

[OzKiwiJJ]

50 minutes ago, Ozwoody said:

I don't know if there is more emphasis on later boarding times, that may be, but in my experience cruise lines have always tried to schedule people to mid-late afternoon, to spread check in, out over a greater span to reduce crowding at the terminal.

I have always ignored the time slot I was given (usually around 2pm or so) and turned up early.

Initially because we had to leave our hotel accommodation by 10am, so went straight to the port to drop of bags, then found we could check in straight away, and did.😊

later we found, we could always find an excuse that we "had to be dropped of early".😁

Always seemed to be able to be on board for 11-11:30 lunch.😋

We do that too even though we live quite close to the OPT. 🤣

[gbenjo]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

It wouldn't surprise me but there also could be some truth in the immigration reasons. I guess the cruise lines are at the mercy of the Border Force as if they provide fewer immigration officers than needed then processing will take longer. 

 

Maybe @gbenjo can give us some insight as to how it works with with the RCI lines. Are they having issues as well?

 

Which  “ expert” said there were “ issues” with ABF???

 This is the problem on this forum, so much ill informed speculation  by self proclaimed experts  about things that they really know nothing about which gets read and believed by others and then suddenly we have problem.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Just now, gbenjo said:

Which  “ expert” said there were “ issues” with ABF???

 This is the problem on this forum, so much ill informed speculation  by self proclaimed experts  about things that they really know nothing about which gets read and believed by others and then suddenly we have problem.

No one specifically said there were issues just that embarkation is delayed because of immigration. So that could mean slow processing, or ABF not supplying enough staff due to, say, illness (Covid is still doing the rounds and is still very virulent) or whatever. I just wanted to know if you folk had experienced any immigration "issues" with your cruises that would result in later than usual embarkation times.

[gbenjo]

1 minute ago, Russell21 said:

True, but Royal Princess carries 3560 passengers, and with boarding starting at 3.00PM, and the notification states that everyone has to be onboard by 5.30PM, it seems like to me a great recipe for a crowd.

Like I said, it depends on the circumstance on the day….I don’t work for Princess so would not know what their intentions were/ are although I highly doubt the scenario you suggest would be applied to any cruise with a ship of that size.

[gbenjo]

2 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

No one specifically said there were issues just that embarkation is delayed because of immigration. So that could mean slow processing, or ABF not supplying enough staff due to, say, illness (Covid is still doing the rounds and is still very virulent) or whatever. I just wanted to know if you folk had experienced any immigration "issues" with your cruises that would result in later than usual embarkation times.

No

[OzKiwiJJ]

Just now, gbenjo said:

Like I said, it depends on the circumstance on the day….I don’t work for Princess so would not know what their intentions were/ are although I highly doubt the scenario you suggest would be applied to any cruise with a ship of that size.

I know you don't work for Princess. I just wondered if similar things were happening with the lines you do work for.

 

We did have slow immigration processing once in Hobart, arriving from NZ on a Celebrity cruise. 2019, I think. The ABF people seemed swamped and the queues were long even late in the morning when we went ashore. So it does happen sometimes.

[robncruise]

I just got off the Royal  Princess today. I was on the Auckland - Auckland leg - approx 600 pax.

Sydney 3 days later was disembarkation for the majority of passengers and an announcement was made on board by Princess that there was a delay with immigration/customs and the terminal was congested and both disembarking and transit passengers were asked to wait until the backlog was cleared. The ship had to be fully cleared by 10am but even some of the transit passengers couldn't get off before then.  I heard that the embarking passengers were notified of a delay to embarkation times because of the earlier hold up. So that s the reason some mention has been made that ABF have caused delays to boarding.

[MicCanberra]

I know that most lines are trying to make savings but late and staggered boarding times is not one of them.

[arxcards]

The money saved on plate of food is more than lost in bar sales alone. Yes, the dining room will be closed by the time you board, but those that are hungry will still be at any of the other eateries for a late afternoon snack.

 

Yes, they like to economise. The best way to do that is to leave port earlier and travel at the slowest possible speed to the next port. The savings are massive, and far outweigh the cost of food. 

 

If they say the delay has been allowed for due to the immigration process, then take it at face value. If it was a money saving exercise, every ship would already be using the same tactic.

[maggielou362]

On 2/1/2024 at 12:59 PM, gbenjo said:

... This is the problem on this forum, so much ill informed speculation  by self proclaimed experts  about things that they really know nothing about which gets read and believed by others and then suddenly we have problem.

Not just this forum, the entire global social media circus. Echo chambers. Remain sceptical, curious, and open-minded.

[MicCanberra]

I heard that the rumours will continue, some have speculated that it will go on forever and ever.

[arxcards]

On 2/1/2024 at 12:59 PM, gbenjo said:

Which  “ expert” said there were “ issues” with ABF???

 This is the problem on this forum, so much ill informed speculation  by self proclaimed experts  about things that they really know nothing about which gets read and believed by others and then suddenly we have problem.

I don't think that is an issue here. People seek your opinion on these things because you work in the terminals - we proclaim you as the expert on those matters. Wild speculation is met with agreement, but also derision or laughter and rarely taken at face value.

[Russell21]

I just asked for opinions on a possible situation. The responses were quite an introduction to the variety of personalities on the forum. 😉

[gbenjo]

8 hours ago, arxcards said:

I don't think that is an issue here. People seek your opinion on these things because you work in the terminals - we proclaim you as the expert on those matters. Wild speculation is met with agreement, but also derision or laughter and rarely taken at face value.

Yes, with some “insider knowledge” some of the comments. ( and “speculation” ) I read here are certainly a source of laughter for me.l could probably say more about certain topics but choose  not to…….better to say nothing and be taken for a fool than to say something and remove all doubt.😁

[gbenjo]

1 minute ago, Russell21 said:

I just asked for opinions on a possible situation. The responses were quite an introduction to the variety of personalities on the forum. 😉

I guess that is why it is called a forum……but it is all in fun and a bit of entertainment.

[gbenjo]

1 minute ago, gbenjo said:

I guess that is why it is called a forum……and I gave mine…….but it is all in fun and a bit of entertainment.

 

[Jean C]

I for one have learnt an awful lot from these boards about all things cruise related, both facts, procedures and of course speculation. In fact, I'm even considered "cruise knowledgeable" by those who don't use Cruise Critic - so thank you everyone for your knowledgeable insights, I shine on the back of all your knowledge and your willingness to share it  🥰