Boarding at Sydney OPT - Crown Princess

[Muffinz]

Has anyone boarded a Princess cruise recently from Sydney OPT??

 

We've cruised once before on Celebrity Solstice in 2018 and boarded at OPT in Sydney - we were given a set time to board, however we did have to wait in the queue for about 45-50 minutes before we actually got on board

 

We're looking at booking a Princess cruise in December from Sydney and I understand Princess doesn't have set boarding times and it's first in first served? - is this right?

We watched a clip (from boarding in San Francisco) and people were given a number and just had to wait for over an hour until their number was called before they could join the queue to board....

This is something that doesn't really appeal to me

 

does anyone have any first hand experience boarding a Princess cruise in Sydney OPT?

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

Although we have priority boarding on Princess I've rarely seen long queues at the OPT for Princess cruises but we tend to board early. The medallion check-ins are very fast and efficient.

 

[Muffinz]

8 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Although we have priority boarding on Princess I've rarely seen long queues at the OPT for Princess cruises but we tend to board early. The medallion check-ins are very fast and efficient.

 

Thanks - we'd have to pick up our medallions at the port because Princess don't send them outside the USA

if you book a mini suite you get priority boarding?

we'd want to board pretty early too (before 12pm preferably)

 

we've not actually booked a cruise yet, but looking at one that leaves Sydney in December 2024

[arxcards]

59 minutes ago, Muffinz said:

Thanks - we'd have to pick up our medallions at the port because Princess don't send them outside the USA

if you book a mini suite you get priority boarding?

we'd want to board pretty early too (before 12pm preferably)

 

we've not actually booked a cruise yet, but looking at one that leaves Sydney in December 2024

Personally, we have boarded several Princess cruises in Sydney, and they have generally been slick. One exception, which wasn't a normal day (see below). We have boarded several other cruise lines there too, generally without a hitch.

 

San Francisco is not Sydney. That numbering system used to be used in Brisbane & in Darling Harbour/White Bay, and may still be used from time to time. The numbering system doesn't work at OPT, as there is only limited seating after check-in. The numbers allow check-in to open prior to the disembark being completed, while OPT wont open check-in until that has happened.

 

When picking-up your medallions in the terminal in Sydney, it is a quick check-in process. Medallion is not just the thing around your neck, but also the app that has most of your check-in info stored. The lines move much faster than in past years. This is what @OzKiwiJJ was referring to about medallion check-in, of which Julie has done many in Sydney.

 

To get priority boarding you need any of:

Captains circle status of platinum or elite,

A full suite or Reserve Collection mini suite,

Premier package.

 

On a normal day, check-in will open at around 11, priority guests get a priority line through the terminal and everyone else joins in. If you are ready to join the line at 11am for general boarding, you will be on by 11:30. If you have priority, and are near front of queue, you will likely be on 15 minutes ahead of those doing open boarding. Most days are normal days, but not all.

 

What is a normal day:

Any day when the ship is not delayed due to weather and the like,

Any day that doesn't required enhanced screening of disembarking passengers (previous cruise originating at a distant foreign port or overnighting in a foreign port etc).

When either of these occur, check-in can't open until the ship has been cleared, and there will already be 1000+ waiting & wanting to get on early. The queues will grow, so on days like that I would suggest doing baggage drop then taking a short walk to a cafe and taking it easy until the lines begin to shorten. The 2nd floor cafe at the nearby MCA offers a great vantage point.

Edited February 13 by arxcards

[OzKiwiJJ]

59 minutes ago, Muffinz said:

Thanks - we'd have to pick up our medallions at the port because Princess don't send them outside the USA

if you book a mini suite you get priority boarding?

we'd want to board pretty early too (before 12pm preferably)

 

we've not actually booked a cruise yet, but looking at one that leaves Sydney in December 2024

No only Suites, Platinum and Elite cruisers get priority boarding. Not mini-suites.

 

Often official boarding starts at 12:30pm but they are usually ready to do check-ins earlier.

[OzKiwiJJ]

We've only ever had one delayed check-in at the OPT and that was in 2019 when some self-entitled transit passengers decided they didn't have to go through passport control despite what they were told. Luckily they decided to order drinks at one of the bars, which showed where they were so security could removed them from the ship. I never found out whether they were allowed back on again though! It was raining very heavily and there were hundreds of very annoyed passengers waiting to embark, and a whole heap of TAs on a visit to the ship. In the end we were still onboard by midday but because of the rain the wait seemed endless. Unfortunately Border Patrol wouldn't allow anyone into the terminal until zero count.had been reached. That's the one design fault with the OPT - they only have one set of lifts/escalators so disembarking passengers have to move through some of the same areas in the terminal that embarking passengers use. They really need another set of lifts /escalators at the northern end of the terminal going from passport control to the baggage pickup area.

[gbenjo]

38 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We've only ever had one delayed check-in at the OPT and that was in 2019 when some self-entitled transit passengers decided they didn't have to go through passport control despite what they were told. Luckily they decided to order drinks at one of the bars, which showed where they were so security could removed them from the ship. I never found out whether they were allowed back on again though! It was raining very heavily and there were hundreds of very annoyed passengers waiting to embark, and a whole heap of TAs on a visit to the ship. In the end we were still onboard by midday but because of the rain the wait seemed endless. Unfortunately Border Patrol wouldn't allow anyone into the terminal until zero count.had been reached. That's the one design fault with the OPT - they only have one set of lifts/escalators so disembarking passengers have to move through some of the same areas in the terminal that embarking passengers use. They really need another set of lifts /escalators at the northern end of the terminal going from passport control to the baggage pickup area.

There are already two sets of lifts ( plus another single lift ) at the OPT that could be used independently for embark and debark if need be. The escalators “ could” also be configured ( although not simply) to  accommodate  this but only as an absolute last resort. I doubt that it was an ABF directive  to not allow embarking passengers into the terminal until zero count was achieved, more likely a shoreside services logistics  call.

[arxcards]

3 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We've only ever had one delayed check-in at the OPT and that was in 2019 when some self-entitled transit passengers decided they didn't have to go through passport control despite what they were told. Luckily they decided to order drinks at one of the bars, which showed where they were so security could removed them from the ship. I never found out whether they were allowed back on again though! It was raining very heavily and there were hundreds of very annoyed passengers waiting to embark, and a whole heap of TAs on a visit to the ship. In the end we were still onboard by midday but because of the rain the wait seemed endless. Unfortunately Border Patrol wouldn't allow anyone into the terminal until zero count.had been reached. That's the one design fault with the OPT - they only have one set of lifts/escalators so disembarking passengers have to move through some of the same areas in the terminal that embarking passengers use. They really need another set of lifts /escalators at the northern end of the terminal going from passport control to the baggage pickup area.

OPT is much better than the previous incarnation. I get what you mean here. If you could disembark directly to the baggage hall, the check-in floor could be used for check-in prior to zero count. However, there is no amenity after check-in for toilets, water, and there is limited space for seating.

 

Rain, wind, heat, cold - yes, minimal shelter outside the terminal is the biggest drawback for OPT, but it has lots more pluses than minuses.

Edited February 13 by arxcards

[Muffinz]

thanks for the advice everyone... looks like there shouldn't be anything to worry about

 

Does Princess do the same as Celebrity - where you are issued luggage tags to attach to your luggage and you drop your bags / suitcases off at the OPT?

[arxcards]

42 minutes ago, Muffinz said:

thanks for the advice everyone... looks like there shouldn't be anything to worry about

 

Does Princess do the same as Celebrity - where you are issued luggage tags to attach to your luggage and you drop your bags / suitcases off at the OPT?

Yes, an online version is available for printing your own tags, or you can grab a generic tag from one of the porters and write your details.

[OzKiwiJJ]

18 hours ago, gbenjo said:

There are already two sets of lifts ( plus another single lift ) at the OPT that could be used independently for embark and debark if need be. The escalators “ could” also be configured ( although not simply) to  accommodate  this but only as an absolute last resort. I doubt that it was an ABF directive  to not allow embarking passengers into the terminal until zero count was achieved, more likely a shoreside services logistics  call.

We were told it was an ABF directive that no-one was allowed to enter the terminal until zero count was reached and all passengers had gone through passport control. The shoreside services people manning the entrance didn't seem very happy about the situation as many people in the crowd waiting to enter were starting to get quite angry (and wet).

[Muffinz]

16 hours ago, arxcards said:

Yes, an online version is available for printing your own tags, or you can grab a generic tag from one of the porters and write your details.

great thanks for that

[gbenjo]

7 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We were told it was an ABF directive that no-one was allowed to enter the terminal until zero count was reached and all passengers had gone through passport control. The shoreside services people manning the entrance didn't seem very happy about the situation as many people in the crowd waiting to enter were starting to get quite angry (and wet).

ABF do get blamed for a lot of things🤔🤔

[arxcards]

7 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We were told it was an ABF directive that no-one was allowed to enter the terminal until zero count was reached and all passengers had gone through passport control. The shoreside services people manning the entrance didn't seem very happy about the situation as many people in the crowd waiting to enter were starting to get quite angry (and wet).

They need to get all available ship crew and terminal staff to form a guard of honour with a row of umbrellas. 😉

 

On wet or changeable embarkation days, we each have one of those $2 shop disposable ponchos in our carry-on.

Edited February 14 by arxcards
Forgot to wink

[possum52]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

They need to get all available ship crew and terminal staff to form a guard of honour with a row of umbrellas. 😉

 

On wet or changeable embarkation days, we each have one of those $2 shop disposable ponchos in our carry-on.

We always take a plastic poncho in our back packs when on holiday, whether it is on a cruise or travelling on land. It is amazing how many times we have needed them, even for just a brief time.

[guy01]

We have a Reserve Collection mini-suite and used the priority boarding lane at the OPT (although it wasn’t listed in the priority lane sign) on the ship within 15 minutes of arriving at the terminal and that included picking up our medallion. 

[Porky55]

49 minutes ago, guy01 said:

We have a Reserve Collection mini-suite and used the priority boarding lane at the OPT (although it wasn’t listed in the priority lane sign) on the ship within 15 minutes of arriving at the terminal and that included picking up our medallion. 

Agree with you guy01 - we book Reserve Collection mini suites all the time now and we had Priority boarding - now we have reached Elite, this no longer matters, but we DID receive priority in Reserve/Club Class. 👍

Edited February 14 by Porky55

[ceeceeDee]

1 hour ago, Porky55 said:

Agree with you guy01 - we book Reserve Collection mini suites all the time now and we had Priority boarding - now we have reached Elite, this no longer matters, but we DID receive priority in Reserve/Club Class. 👍

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a terry shawl bathrobe? Is it just a fancy name for the standard wrap around robe with a tie belt? Shawl suggests to me a garment that wraps around one's shoulders.