P&O new check in procedures

[Raybosailor]

I suppose I should just hope they don't move the Gold/Caribbean goalposts before we complete our next two cruises, when we will have joined the elite and can join those moving swiftly aboard for our warm fizz and curly sandwiches while the riff raff are left to sweat in the departure lounge!

You go for it Merv but on behalf of the remaining riff raff you will be leaving in your wake as you sail through priority as a Goldie, because when we are on board the que belongs to Raybo lol.

I personally believe that people who have paid mega bucks for superior cabins or reached Caribbean+ status have spent enough money to expect some kind of priority or loyalty bonus from the company. It is in the companies interest to look after these valuable customers.

I also think that the company should encourage new customers too so the next level of priority should be for people who book early, and the people who hang on until the last minute for bargain prices should not expect to turn up at 11.30 am and get straight through check in.

Consideration for the disabled goes without saying and people who travel by coach to the terminal cannot determine their arrival time so provision should be made for them.

Me I'm happy to go along with the flow because as long as my cases have been accepted by the porters it does not matter what time I walk the plank because I am on holiday.

Off to rural France soon where web access is only enjoyed by spiders, last year the only available WiFi was about ten kms. away so you wont get any earache from me for a week or two.

Happy cruising to all sailing soon.
Ray

[Mervyn and Trish]

My solution for most of that Ray would be to let us choose our check-in time (subject to availability) via the Cruise Personaliser once we have booked. They already have software to book Select Dining in that way so it wouldn't be difficult to sort it out for check-in times too. When a time slot is full it vanishes from the options available.

I'd make the first hour (say 12-1) only visible to and selectable by cruisers entitled to priority through loyalty or suite booking. Again easy IT. And doing it this way the rest of the slots would be on a first come first served basis so those who booked early would get the widest choice. I'd print the check in time at the top of the E-ticket, very big. Then I'd enforce it rigidly and only board early arrivals if the waiting area was empty of all others. The only exception would, as you rightly say, be for disabled passengers who should have priority whenever they turn up.

There are a number of advantages. We know best our travel plans so are best placed to know when we're aiming to get there. Coach passengers must surely be given an ETA for their coach when they book (if not they should be), which is as accurate as our own estimates coming by car. And once we have chosen we're more likely to do our best to meet our chosen time than if it is imposed on us. And from P&O's viewpoint there would be a further perk and incentive to book early.

[Raybosailor]

Its common sense your talking Merv not many people these days know how to use that.

If your talking technology what about a bar code or QR code at the top of your E-ticket with the reader followed by two barriers?, if you are arriving at your designated time the right hand barrier will open to allow you proceed to check in. If you are arriving at an unreasonable time the left hand barrier will open which will direct you to the EXIT and you can drive around Southampton and try again later.

All the goldies can sit on deck quaffing warm champers and munching on curled up sarnies while watching the riff raff snaking around Southampton.

[Mervyn and Trish]

If your talking technology what about a bar code or QR code at the top of your E-ticket.......

Or tattooed on your forehead?

...... with the reader followed by two barriers?, if you are arriving at your designated time the right hand barrier will open to allow you proceed to check in. If you are arriving at an unreasonable time the left hand barrier will open which will direct you to the EXIT....

Or over the side into Southampton Water?

[Manoverboard]

In May we were allocated a time to board Adonia at the Mayflower Terminal, arrived at 12:00 as requested and walked straight into the Terminal to board almost immediately.

We are still lingering on the edge of the ' posh ' tier and had booked a mega cheapo deal in an obstructed balcony cabin a few weeks prior to departure.

Now THAT is what I call PRIORITY boarding

[Stephen]

The wheelchair probably helped Moby

[Dancing Queen]

From the beginning of October P&O will be enforcing boarding times.......

They've said that so many times and then not done it, so will this be the one? That's why so many people ignore the time they're given. They know it means nothing.

So it is now 15th October. Is anyone back yet from an October cruise who can tell us if this time is any different or are they still crying wolf?

If it isn't happening Merv then why is everyone moaning about something that isn't happening or likely to happen ??

There are plenty on fb that are saying it is happening but perhaps they are all telling 'porkies' who knows

[The Tinker]

So what happens now if you turn up late and miss your allocated boarding time - will they usher you to the front of the queue? I very much doubt it!!!!

[Mervyn and Trish]

Surely it's simple enough at say 2pm to announce "all those with a 2pm or earlier check in time please come forward now"

[Manoverboard]

Surely it's simple enough at say 2pm to announce "all those with a 2pm or earlier check in time please come forward now"

What time would they do that, do you think .... just asking

[oldbluefox]

Irrespective of what time I am given I will turn up when I have been turfed out of the hotel and if I have to wait I will wait. In the circumstances that is the best option I have. I don't envisage trailing around Southampton with luggage in tow, and in all honesty I don't think that is what P&O would be expecting me to do.
It's all a storm in a teacup IMO.

[qbman1]

I doubt anything much is going to change but at least it's given us 27 pages (and counting) of unbridled entertainment !!

[Mervyn and Trish]

Irrespective of what time I am given I will turn up when I have been turfed out of the hotel and if I have to wait I will wait. In the circumstances that is the best option I have. I don't envisage trailing around Southampton with luggage in tow, and in all honesty I don't think that is what P&O would be expecting me to do.
It's all a storm in a teacup IMO.

We stay in a hotel too. If P&O really did start to enforce it and we had a later check in time, we'd stay in the comfort of the hotel lounge where we can get coffee, and food if necessary, and read the papers, rather than sit in an overcrowded departure lounge. But you're right Foxy. They won't enforce it because those making the most noise will be those in the departure lounge, not those at the hotel!

[oldbluefox]

Not sure how much they would appreciate me and others clogging up their lounge with our luggage especially if we don't board until 3.30. I'd rather be rid of my luggage and take my chances in the embarkation hall. I'm not too worried what others choose to do if that's what's best for them. The wait wouldn't bother me in the slightest. It's little different to waiting at the airport.

[Ess001]

This new system cant be working for anyone - it must be awful for the terminal staff (who arent employed by P&O) to have to deal with impatient and frustrated passengers waiting to board, it must be causing congestion in and around the terminal too. I would suggest that P&O need to revisit this decision from a commercial perceptive too - their bar takings must be down significantly on embarkation day as who doesn't get on board and one of the first tasks is order a drink (or two!!). I would have thought that it should be a higher priority to get people on board quicker, and sending quicker!!

[towny44]

Cubie, my only P&O experiences have been at Ocean Terminal, but don't recall an underground car park, dingy or not, no experience of Mayflower yet and very unlikely to book any of the venerable old ladies that embark from here, so unless there is a clash of biggies we probably won't find out.

Cubie, I will be doubling my P&O terminal knowledge in Jan, just received revised docs showing my shareholder OBC and noticed that we are to use Mayflower terminal, not sure why as we are the only ship in port both going and coming back. E-docs are not availavble yet so no idea what P&O's "proposed" embarkation time is for us. If, as some have suggested the cruise is full of "Goldies" then, even with wheelchair priority, we may have a long wait.

[CaroleF]

There's a report on CC that there was chaos yesterday in the terminals apparently because of a security problem. We were on the M27 yesterday afternoon and when we passed the exit to the M271 which leads to the docks there was a queue a mile long back onto the motorway - lorries and cars - so I don't know what was happening.

[david63]

There's a report on CC that there was chaos yesterday in the terminals apparently because of a security problem. We were on the M27 yesterday afternoon and when we passed the exit to the M271 which leads to the docks there was a queue a mile long back onto the motorway - lorries and cars - so I don't know what was happening.

Irrespective of what the problem was - this is the reason why passengers travelling any distance have to allow plenty of time, which will have the knock on effect of them arriving early.

[MaureenB]

Friends embarked yesterday onto Azura and reported to me the following:

Arrived at Ocean terminal at 12.30 from overnight stay at an hotel just outside of Southampton. They had a check-in time of 3pm. They informed the lady at the top of the escalator they were Caribbean and were given a grey card with "P" on it, priority boarding started with grey card "N". They were on board at 1.15 !!!! They did say that there was standing room only in the terminal! Sindhu was available for the priority embarkation lunch etc...........NOT curly sandwiches apparently but a buffet lunch!! Cabin ready and suitcases there shortly after.

It would appear that having Caribbean status and above still has the same benefits as before , especially in the matter of time of arrival.

I make no further observations other than the information given to me by my friends.

[oldbluefox]

We were heading for the docks once on a Sunday and got in an horrendously long tailback of traffic. Realising the outside lane was moving considerably quicker than ours and starting to feel panic I switched to the outside lane. After a mile or so I discovered the queue was for those entering the IKEA car park. Thankfully my impatience on this occasion paid off but it just goes to demonstrate that you cannot time your arrival with any degree of accuracy especially if you don't know the area.

[Suekersh]

Friends embarked yesterday onto Azura and reported to me the following:

Arrived at Ocean terminal at 12.30 from overnight stay at an hotel just outside of Southampton. They had a check-in time of 3pm. They informed the lady at the top of the escalator they were Caribbean and were given a grey card with "P" on it, priority boarding started with grey card "N". They were on board at 1.15 !!!! They did say that there was standing room only in the terminal! Sindhu was available for the priority embarkation lunch etc...........NOT curly sandwiches apparently but a buffet lunch!! Cabin ready and suitcases there shortly after.

It would appear that having Caribbean status and above still has the same benefits as before , especially in the matter of time of arrival.

I make no further observations other than the information given to me by my friends.

Thanks for posting that Maureen. I am assuming that Priority letter N will be suites and Ligurian, O will be Baltic and P Caribbean which is exactly how they did it but without cards under the old system. The only difference is the slightly later boarding time to give the stewards chance to get the cabins ready.

Sue

[The Tinker]

We were heading for the docks once on a Sunday and got in an horrendously long tailback of traffic. Realising the outside lane was moving considerably quicker than ours and starting to feel panic I switched to the outside lane. After a mile or so I discovered the queue was for those entering the IKEA car park. Thankfully my impatience on this occasion paid off but it just goes to demonstrate that you cannot time your arrival with any degree of accuracy especially if you don't know the area.

We did that the first time we sailed! Still laugh about it now everytime we go past!

[wolfie]

There's a report on CC that there was chaos yesterday in the terminals apparently because of a security problem. We were on the M27 yesterday afternoon and when we passed the exit to the M271 which leads to the docks there was a queue a mile long back onto the motorway - lorries and cars - so I don't know what was happening.

#
The secret is.....................to use a different route into and out of Sotton, as our driver does. And no, I'm not divulging it It's really quite simple......avoid any direct route or your Sat Nav.

[oldbluefox]

......avoid any direct route or your Sat Nav.

We have unwittingly tried that by taking the wrong exit for the M27 and suddenly realising we were merrily making our way to Portsmouth!!!!

[Capt Black]

Well it has been interesting reading what's been happening. Our arrival time is 14:00, can't remember what our friends' time is, but we're on the same deck, so same time?

The plan is going to be: arrive at our usual time of middayish. If we get checked in and embarked promptlyish....great. If we have to wait until 14:00, we'll just pop open a few beers and some wine and get on at 14:00ish. And that'll be a few quid not going into Chris Edgington's pocket.