Princess Cruises trials priority boarding

[Ray B]

The way it works is similar to booking a seat on a plane, you can book up to three days prior to sailing and for $49 all occupants of the cabin can board first. Well, that is immediately after Elite, Platinum, Suite, and Club Class Mini-Suite guests have boarded but before everyone else..
Another little earner if it works, then who knows, P and O, if Carnival PLC so desire.
Well it is not for me as the boarding is only a short wait and all will be on in good time.

[oldbluefox]

I wonder how long it will be before P&O introduce it. Personally I don't see the point (from the passengers' point of view). After a long journey we invariably arrive early but it's no problem sitting in the lounge until it's our turn to board. The ship won't leave without us, we don't have luggage to worry about so what's the rush? I'm happy to chill out, go with the flow and spend $49 on something else.
On the other hand it may be worth it to be mingling in with the Baltic and Ligurian jet setters!!!

[Quizzical Bob]

I don’t believe that many will be taking up the offer.

It will be a trial without conviction.

[oldbluefox]

They'll probably bring in a Passenger Parking Charge for those who arrive early to pay for the time they sit waiting, with a little machine dispensing parking tickets and wardens in hi vis jackets and peaked hats wandering around passengers checking their tickets.
(P&O don't read this forum do they?)

[david63]

I suppose if you had a late boarding time of say 16:00 and you were being thrown out of your hotel at 10:00 or 11:00 then there might be some argument for it - or if you have a tribe of young kids who have a limited attention span it may make life easier.

Anyway with the way that the current loyalty scheme operates it won't be long before all passengers are in the top tiers and will get priority boarding as a matter of course!

[towny44]

If this trend for cruise lines to consider everything as a profit centre it won't be long before they are charging us for using the toilets, hire charges for trays in the buffet and pool and room towels.
On our recent cruise a passenger we met had seen a computer showing spending comparisons for various depts between this cruise and a similar one from last year. He was told that dept. heads are answerable for any failure to achieve the targetted increase.

[Happydays]

It's never ending the things they will try to charge us for, but of course they only succeed when people are prepared to pay

[gilly88]

very happy to sit in the departure lounge and people watch until my time slot. as foxy says, they won't leave without me. and there's more chance of the cases being outside the door when we get there.

[david63]

It's never ending the things they will try to charge us for, but of course they only succeed when people are prepared to pay

And if they don't then "headline" prices will rise

[barney]

As I've said many times, life is all about choices.

I couldn't get outraged about the introduction of an option that I had no intention to ever use.

A bit like the room service charge now.
I used room service occasionally when it was included but would not pay extra for it so now don't use it except for the odd breakfast when it is free.
I use the speciality dining venues through choice.
We use the gym regularly bit would never pay extra for it. We'd just walk around the deck instead.

Paying for priority boarding doesn't appeal.
As Old blue fox says, I'd rather spend the money on something else. (Wine)

[daib GC]

The way it works is similar to booking a seat on a plane, you can book up to three days prior to sailing and for $49 all occupants of the cabin can board first. Well, that is immediately after Elite, Platinum, Suite, and Club Class Mini-Suite guests have boarded but before everyone else..
Another little earner if it works, then who knows, P and O, if Carnival PLC so desire.
Well it is not for me as the boarding is only a short wait and all will be on in good time.

Well $50 to get on the ship after the first 1500 ???? (The number of priority passengers on our Princess cruise)

That sounds like a great deal.

[Ray B]

Judging by the response on here to paying $49 to get on board a little quicker, it looks like this trial may have to be put back into the thinking box and they (Princess or Carnival) try to come up with another way to make a Dollar.
It will be interesting to see how it pans out on the Princess ship.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Of course if it was hugely successful and everyone paid....

[david63]

Of course if it was hugely successful and everyone paid....

Then they would be back to square one with a healthy bank balance!

[Mervyn and Trish]

Not that it worries me. I'm Elite, don't you know.

[towny44]

Not that it worries me. I'm Elite, don't you know.

Isn't it amazing how your attitudes change as you breach the cruise lines rules for the herd, we are now Caribou on P&O (as well as Elite on Princess and Diamond on Celebrity and RCI) and suddenly their idiotic boarding restrictions don't matter anymore.

[Happydays]

Not that it worries me. I'm Elite, don't you know.

Isn't it amazing how your attitudes change as you breach the cruise lines rules for the herd, we are now Caribou on P&O (as well as Elite on Princess and Diamond on Celebrity and RCI) and suddenly their idiotic boarding restrictions don't matter anymore.

Same here apart from Celebrity!

[towny44]

Not that it worries me. I'm Elite, don't you know.

Isn't it amazing how your attitudes change as you breach the cruise lines rules for the herd, we are now Caribou on P&O (as well as Elite on Princess and Diamond on Celebrity and RCI) and suddenly their idiotic boarding restrictions don't matter anymore.

Same here apart from Celebrity!

If you are Diamond on RCI then you will also be top tier on Celebrity.