New Embarkaion Procedures (again)

[david63]

I know this has been done to death but here goes anyway.

Just had our letter about the "new" embarkation procedures - nothing new in there that has not been noted elsewhere, but it is good to know that P&O are actually going to the trouble of informing passengers and not assuming that they all use social media.

There is, however, still some mystery surround how "arrival" times are allocated and I think I may have come up with a possible solution - it is based on booking time/fare option. So those who book early on "full" fare get to board first and those who book last minute "cheapos" board last.

We have a 13:30 "arrival" time, which I believe is the earliest for the peasants, and we booked on the day that booking opened. Cabin location/grade would not seem to be having any influence on this time (as far as I can tell)

[allatc]

Don't think so

We booked a full fare and got a 3.30 slot.

[anniec]

Don't think so

We booked a full fare and got a 3.30 slot.

So have we. One of Christopher Edgington's minions told us that it was done from top decks (first) to bottom decks (last). We're on C Deck, Ventura, which is not exactly at the bottom, so suspect they simply make it up as they go along.

[david63]

Don't think so

We booked a full fare and got a 3.30 slot.

But when did you book?

... it was done from top decks (first) to bottom decks (last)

That is not the case with us as we are somewhere in the middle

... so suspect they simply make it up as they go along.

How dare you suggest such a thing?

[qbman1]

Don't think so

We booked a full fare and got a 3.30 slot.

I'm with you on that one (sorry Herr Smurfmeister)

We booked in January for this Christmas, full fare of course, but were still allocated a 3:30 slot

We, too, have the letter from that nice Mr Edgington, telling us that as highly-valued and extremely important Goldies, we can join the queue with 1,500 other kindred spirits from 1 pm

[Jean W]

Granted we didn't book too early, but we still paid full price. We are on A deck in January and have been given 3.00 pm (same as in October). We'll see if we get the letter from Mr Edgington

[Mervyn and Trish]

There is, however, still some mystery surround how "arrival" times are allocated and I think I may have come up with a possible solution - it is based on booking time/fare option. So those who book early on "full" fare get to board first and those who book last minute "cheapos" board last.

If that turns out to be correct that would seem to me to be fair. I don't get the "do it by decks" idea as I can't see how that helps the stewards prepare cabins. One would have to have then all ready early, another would have all day to do it.

We booked in January for this Christmas, full fare of course, but were still allocated a 3:30 slot

In fairness Cubie, January is not an early booking. That cruise would have been open for booking the previous April. But equally of course that nice Edgers had now confirmed your loyalty rights, which it entirely fair and proper.

Granted we didn't book too early, but we still paid full price. We are on A deck in January and have been given 3.00 pm (same as in October). We'll see if we get the letter from Mr Edgington

Everyone who pays full fare can't get early boarding. I guess the majority of bookings are still at full fare so the timing of booking would be more significant, assuming the Smurfmeister's inkling is correct.

[qbman1]

There speaks the voice of reason !

[towny44]

We booked our C deck balcony immediately on brochure launch and we got a 3:30pm board time as well. I just hope the wheelchair boarding desks are flowing well because we will be arriving earlier.

[Manoverboard]

We booked last minute at a rock bottom price, invited to board at 12:00.

Any attempt to introduce logic is totally misguided ...

[david63]

OK - end of that good idea.

Now I know that this will sound stupid - but why cannot P&O tell us the basis of the allocation, if there is one, so that we would then have the ability to possibly influence our arrival time?

[Mervyn and Trish]

We booked our C deck balcony immediately on brochure launch and we got a 3:30pm board time as well. I just hope the wheelchair boarding desks are flowing well because we will be arriving earlier.

They have you marked as a Calamity fan. Therefore go to the bottom of the ladder

We booked last minute at a rock bottom price, invited to board at 12:00.

Any attempt to introduce logic is totally misguided ...

But are you a Goldie? Or did you book a suite? Or do they just know you're a Modplod and have privileges?

[qbman1]

OK - end of that good idea.

Now I know that this will sound stupid - but why cannot P&O tell us the basis of the allocation, if there is one, so that we would then have the ability to possibly influence our arrival time?

Probably for the very reason so that you cannot influence your arrival time

[towny44]

We booked our C deck balcony immediately on brochure launch and we got a 3:30pm board time as well. I just hope the wheelchair boarding desks are flowing well because we will be arriving earlier.

They have you marked as a Calamity fan. Therefore go to the bottom of the ladder

Surely if they know I am a Celebrity regular they will have the red carpet out trying to impress me that they are worthy of my custom?

[david63]

Probably for the very reason so that you cannot influence your arrival time

But at the end of the day it does not matter as everyone will get on board before the ship sails.

If, and I stress if, arrival time is dictated by the time of booking then it is in P&O's interest to have early bookings

[qbman1]

We booked our C deck balcony immediately on brochure launch and we got a 3:30pm board time as well. I just hope the wheelchair boarding desks are flowing well because we will be arriving earlier.

They have you marked as a Calamity fan. Therefore go to the bottom of the ladder

Surely if they know I am a Celebrity regular they will have the red carpet out trying to impress me that they are worthy of my custom?

No, they just know you are impressed by unusually low standards

[Kenmo1]

We booked on 23/11/15 for Xmas cruise on Oceana in an inside saver and have been allocated F deck towards the middle and we have 1.30pm on e-ticket but received letter yesterday to say we can board at 1pm as we are Baltic.

Maureen.

[towny44]

We booked our C deck balcony immediately on brochure launch and we got a 3:30pm board time as well. I just hope the wheelchair boarding desks are flowing well because we will be arriving earlier.

They have you marked as a Calamity fan. Therefore go to the bottom of the ladder

Surely if they know I am a Celebrity regular they will have the red carpet out trying to impress me that they are worthy of my custom?

No, they just know you are impressed by unusually low standards

Wash your mouth out Cubie you wicked feline.

[qbman1]

Sorry, I've been indoctrinated by that evil Merv

[Mervyn and Trish]

It's just that some people are easily satisfied Cubie and don't recognise the superiority of P&O or its loyal passengers

[qbman1]

S'pose you're right. If they are charged extra for some basic services, they automatically think they are getting something a bit special.

[Manoverboard]

But are you a Goldie? Or did you book a suite? Or do they just know you're a Modplod and have privileges?

No to all of those but you albeit accidentally raise an interesting point.

We all know that cabins get re-assigned for a variety of good reasons.

So ...

Suppose our cabin had been originally booked by Prince Charles and his good Lady, or the P&O equivalent, and that boarding for same was therefore allocated on the pooter ... but her Ladyship had a dizzy turn and they cancelled. We came along and booked their old cabin.

Do we get ' their ' allocation or a brand new one of our own ?

[barney]

The whole thing is a mystery Moby

Still, adds a bit to the spice of life

Last cruise we were on E deck but others on the same deck had differing times, so that blows a whole in that theory.

Pot luck is my take on it.

[qbman1]

I suspect the times are allocated in exactly the same way as the disembarkation times - ie totally at random!

[towny44]

I suspect the times are allocated in exactly the same way as the disembarkation times - ie totally at random!

I suspect they start off allocated in a fairly easily understood pattern, but then,like everything else, once they disappear into the P&O IT system they end totally random.