NEW STYLE COLOUR CODED BAG TAGS

[Dancing Queen]

Hi Jo,

Maybe I'm just feeling a bit 'down' - but this weekend I don't feel that positive. I know from long experience that hanging around in a lounge for a few hours isn't much fun (to put it politely), but from my point of view that's better than having to drag my heels around town somewhere. Yes, I do reckon (or rather hope) that embarkation will go smoothly - last time in Ocean there were more security lanes open than I've seen before.

What I'll try on my next outing is to checkin with using just my passport - I'll have the etickets ready and to hand, but I'll try with just my passport. However, what I can very clearly remember is my last time at Ocean - we went up the escalator and thought that we would just mooch off to the right as usual and sit until they started calling the Grills passengers. We used to get to the top of the escalator, and on our way to sit down there would be a couple of port workers (usually women) sitting at a little table handing out coloured cards to some passengers, and the white medical questionnaire forms to everyone.

Ok, those women were still there, but the difference was that they absolutely insisted on finding out what our onboard accommodation was, and I heard them say to a couple right next to us that the staff would see what they could do, but that the passengers (this couple) were far too early. When asked what our accommodation was I replied honesty and precisely - but that wasn't good enough. This proper little would-be drill sergeant major almost had a fit when I said we were in the Grills and tried to head off to our usual little seating area. Now then, we were very neatly dressed and shod, nothing untidy at all, very presentable - but she absolutely insisted in inspecting our etickets because she wouldn't believe what we said - and sorry to say, I was a bit offended. I've never had that before - and next time I'm ready and prepared for this type of treatment.

Oh well - best cheer myself up with a cuppa.

Em

I don't really think you will have a problem checking in with just your passport Em, the way I'm reading it Southampton are trying to implement a new/different check-in procedure which I assume will be a necessity as ships are getting bigger and bigger and the terminals will not be able to cope with xxxx passengers all arriving at the same time hence the reason they are giving boarding times and asking passengers to adhere to them.

The way I see it the staff at the terminal will be checking e-tickets prior to check-in and if people turn up 2 hours before their allocated time they will be told where to wait until it is their time, we may not like this but it seems to be working as far as RCI and Celebrity are concerned ( I believe they have been doing this for several months ) there has to be consistency they can't run two different systems indefinitely.

I don't think it has anything to do with you being believed or disbelieved it is a new system and the staff are just doing their job and the only way they can do it is by seeing your paperwork so don't be offended everyone will be asked to do the same and I'm sure we will all get used to it and if the lady in question was a little abrupt give her some slack the previous twenty people to you could have all been giving her a hard time

[Boris+]

Hi Jo,

I didn't like the attitude of that woman - it's not what she said, it was how she said it.

Em

[Dancing Queen]

I've always found the staff very helpful and friendly in Southampton.

[Suekersh]

We have never had our paper with checked when at the Ocean Terminal. We say Good Morning to the lady giving the cards out and tell her we have priority boarding. If I was asked to show it I wouldn't feel offended I would just think she was doing her job.

We are cruising With PO for Xmas and have also got the new luggage labels. We have had priority luggage in the past and really haven't noticed any difference to the times when we haven't had priority.

I just want to be on the ship as soon as possible and our tickets state 12 noon boarding time so don't see what the difference is.

[Boris+]

Hi Sue,

This particular woman - well she didn't want to be there, she wasn't happy, and boy oh boy it showed! Her attitude came across loud and clear - if she had to be there she sure as heck wasn't going to be pleasant; and worse still, she had to be there to work and wasn't going on the ship or having fun that day.

Hope all goes smoothly for your checkin etc., and have a great cruise.

Em

[Dancing Queen]

Our tickets state noon too Sue so I don't see there will be anything different happening other than we might be asked to show our tickets prior to check-in, I would imagine it will be quite a nightmare trying to implement the new 'timed' system until everyone gets used to it and the only way I can see it working is if tickets are checked first, if someone turns up 2/3 hours early and then have to wait well the next time they will aim for nearer their allocated time, I appreciate that isn't always easy if people are travelling a long way on the day to time your arrival, I know I would allow myself at least a 2 hour leeway but I would also accept I might be kicking my heels when once at the terminal.

I haven't seen any complaints from RCI or Celebrity passengers and they have been operating the system for a while so it will be interesting to see how P&O and Cunard passengers embrace it

[Quizzical Bob]

Our tickets state noon too Sue so I don't see there will be anything different happening other than we might be asked to show our tickets prior to check-in, I would imagine it will be quite a nightmare trying to implement the new 'timed' system until everyone gets used to it and the only way I can see it working is if tickets are checked first, if someone turns up 2/3 hours early and then have to wait well the next time they will aim for nearer their allocated time, I appreciate that isn't always easy if people are travelling a long way on the day to time your arrival, I know I would allow myself at least a 2 hour leeway but I would also accept I might be kicking my heels when once at the terminal.

I haven't seen any complaints from RCI or Celebrity passengers and they have been operating the system for a while so it will be interesting to see how P&O and Cunard passengers embrace it

I think you'll find that if someone is made to wait 2 or 3 hours they won't ever go near that cruise line again.

[Dark Knight]

QBob
why not?
if they are told 2.00pm, why are they there at 11.30?
it is only fair that they wait, why do they think they can jump the line?

[Dancing Queen]

Our tickets state noon too Sue so I don't see there will be anything different happening other than we might be asked to show our tickets prior to check-in, I would imagine it will be quite a nightmare trying to implement the new 'timed' system until everyone gets used to it and the only way I can see it working is if tickets are checked first, if someone turns up 2/3 hours early and then have to wait well the next time they will aim for nearer their allocated time, I appreciate that isn't always easy if people are travelling a long way on the day to time your arrival, I know I would allow myself at least a 2 hour leeway but I would also accept I might be kicking my heels when once at the terminal.

I haven't seen any complaints from RCI or Celebrity passengers and they have been operating the system for a while so it will be interesting to see how P&O and Cunard passengers embrace it

I think you'll find that if someone is made to wait 2 or 3 hours they won't ever go near that cruise line again.

But if they are sailing out of Southampton the cruise line won't make any difference, as far as I'm aware it is the port authority making the changes to cope with the expected increase of passengers with more and more bigger ships sailing from there, the cruise lines are merely working with them to make it as easy as possible for all concerned.

Will it be any different to having to hang around an airport for 2/3 hours .. I remember years ago we always arrived at the port around noon ( we used to take the train ) in those days boarding didn't start until around 3.00 pm but we didn't have a choice a later train would have been cutting it too fine.

[Quizzical Bob]

QBob
why not?
if they are told 2.00pm, why are they there at 11.30?
it is only fair that they wait, why do they think they can jump the line?

It's not about jumping the line, and if the line is 2 hours long then they would think twice about doing another cruise. When people are coming from all over the country it is impossible to time their arrival very accurately.

The last thing anyone wants at the start of their cruise experience is to hang aroung for a couple of hours. They might as well go ply plane if they're going to do that. No, the industry should adapt to the customer and not the other way round.

[Quizzical Bob]

Our tickets state noon too Sue so I don't see there will be anything different happening other than we might be asked to show our tickets prior to check-in, I would imagine it will be quite a nightmare trying to implement the new 'timed' system until everyone gets used to it and the only way I can see it working is if tickets are checked first, if someone turns up 2/3 hours early and then have to wait well the next time they will aim for nearer their allocated time, I appreciate that isn't always easy if people are travelling a long way on the day to time your arrival, I know I would allow myself at least a 2 hour leeway but I would also accept I might be kicking my heels when once at the terminal.

I haven't seen any complaints from RCI or Celebrity passengers and they have been operating the system for a while so it will be interesting to see how P&O and Cunard passengers embrace it

I think you'll find that if someone is made to wait 2 or 3 hours they won't ever go near that cruise line again.

But if they are sailing out of Southampton the cruise line won't make any difference, as far as I'm aware it is the port authority making the changes to cope with the expected increase of passengers with more and more bigger ships sailing from there, the cruise lines are merely working with them to make it as easy as possible for all concerned.

Will it be any different to having to hang around an airport for 2/3 hours .. I remember years ago we always arrived at the port around noon ( we used to take the train ) in those days boarding didn't start until around 3.00 pm but we didn't have a choice a later train would have been cutting it too fine.

I said 'cruise line' but it could just as easily have been 'cruise terminal/port'.

[Dark Knight]

QBob

as usual it is always somebody else who has to adapt to suit the needs of a few , who can't mange do something as simple as get somewhere on time
if you are told 2.30 embarkation then 2.30 it is
if you choose to turn up 3 hours early, bring a paper and a hot drink, you may have along wait

Oh and I really doubt anyone would change cruise lines, as they are all the same now
if you read back you will see it is an industry norm based on the increased volume through the ports, so when people think they can just do as they please ,whenever they please, it causes waiting time with such large numbers involved
so I would suggest people learn not to be so selfish and adhere to the given time rather than make excuses as to why they should get away with ignoring the rules
if somebody changes lines for being told to respect the rules then good, coz they are morons and my cruise will be better without them

[Quizzical Bob]

QBob

as usual it is always somebody else who has to adapt to suit the needs of a few , who can't mange do something as simple as get somewhere on time
if you are told 2.30 embarkation then 2.30 it is
if you choose to turn up 3 hours early, bring a paper and a hot drink, you may have along wait

Oh and I really doubt anyone would change cruise lines, as they are all the same now
if you read back you will see it is an industry norm based on the increased volume through the ports, so when people think they can just do as they please ,whenever they please, it causes waiting time with such large numbers involved
so I would suggest people learn not to be so selfish and adhere to the given time rather than make excuses as to why they should get away with ignoring the rules
if somebody changes lines for being told to respect the rules then good, coz they are morons and my cruise will be better without them

DK, I suggest you take a course in customer relations. It is the customer that drives the business and not the other way round. As I have said many times, it is impossible for most people to turn up at their allotted time and the terminals certainy cannot accommodate hundreds of people hanging around for a couple of hours. Ships such as Aurora, Oceana, Adonia and even Arcadia are over 10 years old and on the whole take the same number of passengers now as they did when they were new so there is no need for any changes. The big advantage of cruising over other types of holidays is the relaxed nature of it all.

Rules are for the obedience of the simple-minded and sheep.

[Dark Knight]

QBob
as usual you comments show how little you really know about commerce and what the real world is like
no company blindly allows its customers to do as they please, else you would not pay for a single thing
perhaps you grasp of economics is as flawed as you respect for people and rules

[Quizzical Bob]

QBob
as usual you comments show how little you really know about commerce and what the real world is like
no company blindly allows its customers to do as they please, else you would not pay for a single thing
perhaps you grasp of economics is as flawed as you respect for people and rules

DK,

I have been in business for over 30 years.

Just remember who's paying for these cruises. The customer is king/always right/etc.

[Gill W]

If you have to wait if you are early..... what happens if you are late.

Do they tell you you've missed your boarding slot, and you can't get on at all?

That's obviously not going to happen - latecomers will be allowed to board when they arrive, in the same way that people who are early will be allowed to board.

All they are asking is for people to do their best to arrive around their allocated boarding time

For some people on coaches it's going to be out of their control anyway

[Dark Knight]

QBob
as usual you comments show how little you really know about commerce and what the real world is like
no company blindly allows its customers to do as they please, else you would not pay for a single thing
perhaps you grasp of economics is as flawed as you respect for people and rules

DK,

I have been in business for over 30 years.

Just remember who's paying for these cruises. The customer is king/always right/etc.

that sort of dogma might have worked in the 60's and 70's but not any more
this is simply nothing more than good manners, being asked to arrive at a given time and adhere to it
I suppose you just turn and expect to be whisked right to the front , do you?

[Quizzical Bob]

that sort of dogma might have worked in the 60's and 70's but not any more
this is simply nothing more than good manners, being asked to arrive at a given time and adhere to it
I suppose you just turn and expect to be whisked right to the front , do you?

Nothing to do with manners or queue-jumping. Just ask yourself these questions:

Why should there be a queue of any sort? If there is a queue is it due to:

a) Too many customers?
b) Insufficient x-ray machines and operators?
c) Inefficient operation of the x-ray machines?

Oh, and if I turned up in a wheelchair I would be whisked to the front.

Discuss

[Dark Knight]

You have now gone off into a fantasy world
the reason there is a queue, is people like you think they can turn up when they want and magically expect a 3000 passage ship to be loaded in 15 minutes
so A
How do you expect them to load 2-3000 people without checking bags etc
its a dock ,not heathrow, so there is always going to be a wait but if people like you arrived at their allocated time and had a small degree of patience, then there would be less of a queue, as the passenger flow would not bottleneck in the seating are
a bottleneck caused by impatient people who think they have the right to do as they please

[Quizzical Bob]

You have now gone off into a fantasy world
the reason there is a queue, is people like you think they can turn up when they want and magically expect a 3000 passage ship to be loaded in 15 minutes
so A
How do you expect them to load 2-3000 people without checking bags etc
its a dock ,not heathrow, so there is always going to be a wait but if people like you arrived at their allocated time and had a small degree of patience, then there would be less of a queue, as the passenger flow would not bottleneck in the seating are
a bottleneck caused by impatient people who think they have the right to do as they please

Why is it different from Heathrow or Gatwick? I can see no fundamental difference apart from the paucity of resources.

How on earth can there be less of a queue if you have 'a small degree of patience'? Patience implies waiting. How long would you consider a 'small degree'?

2000 people have to be boarded within 2 to 3 hours, whatever anyone tries to do about arrival times. Look, simple, very simple analysis will tell you that these 2000 people cnnot turn up evenly spread throughout the boarding tiome no matter how good their intentions are. If the queue is at the x-ray machines then that is where the bottleneck is. Simples. Very Simples.

[Dark Knight]

QBob
you have no valid argument other than your desire to be onboard ahead of other people
if you are told 2.30 boarding than have the courtesy to arrive at your allotted time mot 11.30 then moan about queing
its very simple, so you should manage it easily

[Quizzical Bob]

QBob
you have no valid argument other than your desire to be onboard ahead of other people
if you are told 2.30 boarding than have the courtesy to arrive at your allotted time mot 11.30 then moan about queing
its very simple, so you should manage it easily

I have never said that I want to jump the queue, just that there is no need for the queues in the first place.

It is not about courtesy, this is not a private party to which guests have been invited, although some seem to think that it is.

[david63]

In principle I agree with DK - if you have a check-in time of whatever then you should aim to be there 15 minutes either side of that time (unless being 15 minutes late would mean that the ship had sailed!)

However there are many other factors that have to be taken into consideration - such as

- How do you cater for the fact that you may have to queue for over an hour to hand your car over?
- How do you factor in traffic delays of two or more hours?
- How do you cater for the timings of public transport?

Now all of these can be handled with proper planning and facilities but unfortunately these facilities do not currently exist at the Southampton terminals.

As this system has been in operation for some time with other cruise lines it would be interesting to know how it actually works in practice.

[Boris+]

Gill W made a point about the time of arriving at a port being out of their control if they arrive by coach, and I think that it's not just people travelling to the port by coach, there are other forms of public transport - flying and train too.

There are people who may be a little nervous of a long drive to the port and so they leave home early in case of traffic or vehicle problems, and don' let's forget those who have stayed in a hotel over night near the port - those hotels chuck out at about 11am.

When a terminal is not dealing with one of the new mega ships, why adopt the new regime - it's be ok for years?

Then, let's try and remember the passengers travelling with mobility problems and travelling with children - check in etc can be a trying time for them.

Oh well, I've just received an email about Ebola screening - whatever that's going to be!

Em

[Dark Knight]

As this system has been in operation for some time with other cruise lines it would be interesting to know how it actually works in practice.

david
a good point, if it works for others ,it will work for P&O, they are no different to anyone else
yes there are always delays but not as big as every passenger turning up at ponce demanding to board at 11.30?

this system is in place for a reason , so it must be a valid system, seems some folk just want it all their own way....all the time