Preferred Check-In Counters?

[Av8tor]

Upon arrival to check-in for the Sapphire in Vancouver last Saturday, there were no lines designated for Preferred Cruisers or Platinum/Elite members...

 

Has this become the standard for all Princess embarkation ports or just Vancouver?

 

Paul

[avcruz]

That's not even normal for Vancouver. May I ask what time you arrived to check in? Perhaps you just "beat them to the punch". I cruised San Fran to Van this past May and there definitely was a separate Platinum/Elite check-in at both ports.

[paul929207]

We sailed on the Tahitian in July out of Vancouver. There was Preferred checkin then.

[5fathom]

When we arrived in Whittier to board Sapphire on Sept 13 we were directed to the Platinum/Elite line. No problems at all.

[mii]

As above poster mentioned there was a Preferred boarding line at San Francisco when we got on the Coral just this past may.

 

Marilyn

[fllady]

Also in Fort Lauderdale, Fl.

[snowman]

Also in Fort Lauderdale, Fl.

Is there a VIP waiting there also? In FLL

[fllady]

We had gotten there just as the checkins were open so really not sure if there is, you have to go around the corner for the entrance to the prefered elite/platinum members. Not the first door on the corner.

[ggprincess2004]

When we arrived in Vancouver, we were among the last to board. By that time, they had "taken down" the preferred line, but there was no problem. It went incredibly quickly as there was no line to wait in anyway.

[cdngrl]

this past may in vancouver when boarding the sapphire, i went to the preferred boarding line.

[Grego]

If you are staying in one of the Princess hotels as part of a pre-cruise package, they have check in within the hotel the morning of departure. On our August voyage on the Tahitian Princess, we stayed at the Westin and we were able to check in and receive our cruise card in less than 10 minutes.

[Sea Hag]

As a "Platinum-come-lately" - 10/31 will be our first cruise as Platinum - I sure hope there are separate lines! Want to get some benefit asap. :D

[Ron n Jon]

Boarding the Grand at Ft. Lauderdale for our 3 Continent cruise this year, we took one look at our Platinum/Elite line and one look at the "other" line and immediately headed right for the "other" line, which was half the size. We must have been on deck sipping before most of the Platinum/Elites hit the gangway.

[Av8tor]

We checked-in at Vancouver pretty early - around 11:30 am and we didn't have much of a wait even with the lack of a preferred check-in line. Maybe they did open one later.

 

As for how fast the preferred line moves (when they have one open), what has been your experiences?

 

Does the preferred line just use one check-in counter, or are preferred passengers from that single line directed to the preferred counter along with other "standard" counters by a customer service rep? I seem to remember the latter happening on our last cruise from Los Angeles...

 

Paul

[rcacace]

Princess should really create a line similar to the airport lines & take the next person from the front of the line instead of forming individual lines. We've chosen what we thought would be a short line many times only to find that people haven't even started filling out their documents until reaching the counter. :mad: This has even happened on the Elite/Platinum line where they should know better.

[CruiseKing]

If you are staying in one of the Princess hotels as part of a pre-cruise package, they have check in within the hotel the morning of departure. On our August voyage on the Tahitian Princess, we stayed at the Westin and we were able to check in and receive our cruise card in less than 10 minutes.

Sorry if I missed this but what was your embarkation port?

Thanks,

[Ethel5]

We have found that many times the regular lines are just as fast as the Platinum/Elite lines. We usually take a look and get into whatever line looks shorter.

[avcruz]

We checked-in at Vancouver pretty early - around 11:30 am and we didn't have much of a wait even with the lack of a preferred check-in line. Maybe they did open one later.

 

As for how fast the preferred line moves (when they have one open), what has been your experiences?

 

Does the preferred line just use one check-in counter, or are preferred passengers from that single line directed to the preferred counter along with other "standard" counters by a customer service rep? I seem to remember the latter happening on our last cruise from Los Angeles...

 

Paul

 

Hi Paul;

My personal experience for the last few years has been that the preferred line always seems to move faster, however I just may arrive at the optimal time... :)

In both Vancouver & San Francisco the preferred line seemed to have 4 or 5 counters, and when there weren't "preferreds" waiting, they would take the "non-preferreds". In Valparaiso it was different, the line for preferreds was separate however you were directed to the first available general counter, so you "jumped the queue" so to speak. They would take all the preferreds in line before the nons, and some of the nons who had been waiting quite a while would get a bit peeved. Can't remember what they did in Fort Lauderdale, I guess I'll find out in Nov. :D

[chasetf]

Sorry if I missed this but what was your embarkation port?

Thanks,

Their "cruise log" in the signature block says "Tahitian Princess - Alaska 8/08"

[CruiseKing]

chasetf,

Thank you. I knew it was an Alaska cruise I was wondering what the embarkation port was. I didn't know if it was Seattle, SFO, Vancouver or an Alaskan port. I have a pre cruise stay in SFO this fall and was hoping to be able to check in for the cruise at the hotel.

[Toto2Kansas]

We have found that many times the regular lines are just as fast as the Platinum/Elite lines. We usually take a look and get into whatever line looks shorter.

 

I totally agree with this logic. We were long into Elite before we used the preferred check in line. The other lines were always shorter and moved faster.

[DanJ]

When we checked in at Port Everglades, we went to the Riviera line, and the platinum line was next to that one. There was no one in the platinum line, so the clerk called us over. Boy the feeling that came over me as I walked on such hallowed ground LOL At least I didn't detect a smirk from the clerk as she handed us our lowly gold cards LOL.