Embarkation boarding prior to your time

[Club Eleven]

I selected 11:30 boarding check-in time when I did my online check-in, but now I checked the Celebrity app on my phone, and it says I needed to select a Health Check time, and the earliest was 3:30??  Is this the same thing?

 

I guess I'm definitely going to get to see how it goes getting there early!!  I paid for the VIP package thing which includes a lunch I'm going to miss if I wait until 3:30 to check-in for boarding!

Edited March 20 by Club Eleven

[the penguins]

4 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Well, I have differing experience with Southampton. We have sailed from there 5 or 6 times over the past couple of years...have *never* had anyone "check us" for our arrival time.  This may very well be due to the fact that we never get there early (we just don't try to get in the mad rush to be first on board...hence we never get to have lunch in a MDR) *or* that it has been with Princess every time. We always stay at a London hotel and take the transfer from Victoria Coach Station, arriving well after the MDR is closed.

I have no idea of how Princess works and they use a different terminal to X.

My comments were for how it works on X. If you arrive at around the right time you will be on board in your cabin in about 20 minutes. Unlike on Princess you go direct to your cabin and your room key will be waiting for you. You can leave your carry on bags and use the safe even if your cabin isn't fully ready - it's a great system.

Wifi and lighting is often poor in Southampton and it  pays to have all your docs printed out and in your hand rather than to rely on your phone.

[jwlane]

2 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

 Princess transfer

Try National Express next time!

[Lena11033]

I think last time I did Trainline to book train tickets from Waterloo to Southampton - I think a round trip cost me about $50 CAD.

 

But guess it depends on where you are going in London, Victoria isn't convenient for me

[Arizona Wildcat]

51 minutes ago, Club Eleven said:

I selected 11:30 boarding check-in time when I did my online check-in, but now I checked the Celebrity app on my phone, and it says I needed to select a Health Check time, and the earliest was 3:30??  Is this the same thing?

 

I guess I'm definitely going to get to see how it goes getting there early!!  I paid for the VIP package thing which includes a lunch I'm going to miss if I wait until 3:30 to check-in for boarding!

I would go back and see what you checked that caused the health check.  We did not require a health check just a couple questions on the website.

[Club Eleven]

Sorry, not "Health Check", but "wellness check", and it was actually 1:30, which is still too late for lunch. I assume this is simply my scheduled arrival time. There's nothing in my Travel Info that I would think would trigger any special consideration, except maybe my security photo is ugly. I live in the US, supplied answers to everything...  There's a Health Status questionnaire left, but that is supposed to be filled out the day prior to sailing. 

Edited March 20 by Club Eleven

[the penguins]

2 hours ago, Lena11033 said:

I think last time I did Trainline to book train tickets from Waterloo to Southampton - I think a round trip cost me about $50 CAD.

 

But guess it depends on where you are going in London, Victoria isn't convenient for me

Be careful if you are considering the train as the Drivers are still in dispute with the management with the next batch of strikes due between the 5 and 8 April.

Also the carriages are designed for Commuters with baggage space mainly limited to the end of the carriages i.e. out of sight of the seating, which some passengers may feel uncomfortable about.

[the penguins]

1 hour ago, Club Eleven said:

Sorry, not "Health Check", but "wellness check", and it was actually 1:30, which is still too late for lunch. I assume this is simply my scheduled arrival time. There's nothing in my Travel Info that I would think would trigger any special consideration, except maybe my security photo is ugly. I live in the US, supplied answers to everything...  There's a Health Status questionnaire left, but that is supposed to be filled out the day prior to sailing. 

the wellness questionnaire can be completed on line the morning you board so it's not an issue.

[the penguins]

3 hours ago, Club Eleven said:

I selected 11:30 boarding check-in time when I did my online check-in, but now I checked the Celebrity app on my phone, and it says I needed to select a Health Check time, and the earliest was 3:30??  Is this the same thing?

 

I guess I'm definitely going to get to see how it goes getting there early!!  I paid for the VIP package thing which includes a lunch I'm going to miss if I wait until 3:30 to check-in for boarding!

X has a unique solution to the boarding day lunch which is offered for example to Concierge Class Passengers. When too many passengers are likely to be too late, on some cruises X simply changes the lunch from the boarding day to a Sea Day (I know it's not the same thing so don't shoot the messenger). Unfortunately you won't find out if your cruise is affected until you board. It's an "all or nothing solution" i.e. however early you board if X has decided to go for the Sea Day option no one gets the Boarding Day Lunch.

[Lena11033]

14 minutes ago, the penguins said:

Be careful if you are considering the train as the Drivers are still in dispute with the management with the next batch of strikes due between the 5 and 8 April.

Also the carriages are designed for Commuters with baggage space mainly limited to the end of the carriages i.e. out of sight of the seating, which some passengers may feel uncomfortable about.

 

Thanks yeah typically UK strikes (btw my dad worked for Royal Mail and Uncle worked for British rail lol)

Thankfully it's not until July and I'm flying in a few days early so if any surprises I can adjust - I don't want to have to go to Victoria but it's a worse case scenario

[the penguins]

1 hour ago, Lena11033 said:

 

Thanks yeah typically UK strikes (btw my dad worked for Royal Mail and Uncle worked for British rail lol)

Thankfully it's not until July and I'm flying in a few days early so if any surprises I can adjust - I don't want to have to go to Victoria but it's a worse case scenario

this dispute has been ongoing for a couple of years with no sign of a settlement. Bus bookings are up due to the uncertainty

[CruiseDude61]

Unless you are ELITE and staying in a suite, you will stand in line with everyone else. Don't buy into Cruiseline selling you packages that include express boarding or disembarking at ports, they don't honor it and the port workers with Celebrity will give you lip service and do nothing for you.(Did it once and never again)  Disregard those who tell you to stick with your scheduled time because they are entitled to get on the ship early because they pushed a button on a computer or phone before you did," special snobs "! Go and enjoy your cruise early, you paid for it just like they did. Don't let others Spoil your Vacation!  Blessings All

 

[the penguins]

7 hours ago, CruiseDude61 said:

Unless you are ELITE and staying in a suite, you will stand in line with everyone else. Don't buy into Cruiseline selling you packages that include express boarding or disembarking at ports, they don't honor it and the port workers with Celebrity will give you lip service and do nothing for you.(Did it once and never again)  Disregard those who tell you to stick with your scheduled time because they are entitled to get on the ship early because they pushed a button on a computer or phone before you did," special snobs "! Go and enjoy your cruise early, you paid for it just like they did. Don't let others Spoil your Vacation!  Blessings All

 

Really. For a first Post depending on the port that's really bad advice But of course you won't be there to "share the pain" if they take your advice and are  board at a port where the Authorities do check and enforce the times. 

 

[Overlandandsea]

Thanks for all the interesting advice. Does anyone know if they check assigned times in Barcelona port? We will try to get an early assigned time and stick to it. 

[TheHawk1]

16 hours ago, CruiseDude61 said:

Disregard those who tell you to stick with your scheduled time because they are entitled to get on the ship early because they pushed a button on a computer or phone before you did," special snobs "!

I'll bet you instill these same fine values in your children as well.

[the penguins]

12 hours ago, Overlandandsea said:

Thanks for all the interesting advice. Does anyone know if they check assigned times in Barcelona port? We will try to get an early assigned time and stick to it. 

There didn't seem to when we boarded Reflection in October. There were 2 lines: the first short  for suites and, if you asked, for disabled. The second, a very long line for everyone else. Several Suite Guests questioned the Port Staff as to why we were being allowed in the Suite Line - clearly my wife's bright red Rollator wasn't a good enough clue. 

[Mrs_Tiki]

I have had mixed experiences with embarkation at Terminal 25 at Port Everglades for post-shutdown sailings, usually arriving 11:00 - 11:30.

 

One time (Apex, November 2022), there was strict enforcement of lines for various boarding times, on others (Beyond 2023, Ascent 2024), there were no lines at that time and pax could enter the terminal as soon as they arrived. Not sure of wait times once in the terminal, as we were in the Retreat and had separate check-in.

 

 For my upcoming cruise in AquaClass on Silhouette, I will likely arrive at the port around 11:30 for an assigned 1:30 check-in time. I plan to hangout outside until lines abate, then politely ask port workers if I might check-in ahead of my assigned time, provided there aren’t people waiting.

[billc23]

On 3/21/2024 at 6:56 AM, CruiseDude61 said:

Unless you are ELITE and staying in a suite, you will stand in line with everyone else. Don't buy into Cruiseline selling you packages that include express boarding or disembarking at ports, they don't honor it and the port workers with Celebrity will give you lip service and do nothing for you.(Did it once and never again)  Disregard those who tell you to stick with your scheduled time because they are entitled to get on the ship early because they pushed a button on a computer or phone before you did," special snobs "! Go and enjoy your cruise early, you paid for it just like they did. Don't let others Spoil your Vacation!  Blessings All

 

Best first post ever! Peace to all...