CelebrationFlCruiser Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 Get ready for more changes. In Nov we are going on the Anthem and they have a whole set of new things when you check in.The main new thing is you have to supply a good (RC acceptable) head shot of yourself and all those cruising. And Crown and Anchor Loyals can not just arrive when they want. You are given specific times to board. It states that it will delay your boarding if you arrive at a different time.It appears check in (arrival) will look more like check out (departure). It will be done in small groups.Priority is given to wedding parties and I assume wheel chair cruisers. I didn't notice any priority for Crown and Anchor or Suite cruisers.We'll see how this plays out. This appears to be more of a security thing or maybe just tightening up the boarding process. There were more things but the above seemed the major ones. It's getting harder to check in. This looks like they will be rolling this new boarding procedure to the fleet. lessiets1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jticarruthers Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 This sounds like what they described back when the Quantum was "coming soon" not sure if they just never implemented it and are trying now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 These rules were in place for Quantum too. I will add you are encouraged to take photos in advance to prepare BUT they are not required. There are people at the check in with tablets that can do it for you. I should know because I forgot my setsail pass at home and had to do the whole thing on the spot in the terminal. Also the boarding times have been, and still are, suggestions. I showed up before my time slot and no one batted an eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michelle Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 agree- Matt - I am going on the Anthem also in November and these same check in procedures were in place - took photo at home before I left - and when I got to the ship - the tablets were not working but they checked me in at the desk. The terminal at cape liberty is very nice. I'm sure this is going to help actually done the line for checking in Disney has been doing boarding times for years and it does help streamline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CelebrationFlCruiser Posted September 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 Walt Disney World Parks have been using smart bracelets for quite a while now and they work great. You use them to check in, enter your room, pay for things, ect. I understand that the new boarding procedures will, in the future, include some form of the smart bracelets. With a Disney vacation, I can attest that this makes things much, much, easier, and enhances the cash less vacation. And yes, you don't have to do anything different yet (ie: show up without a picture, no seapass, ect.) but it will delay the boarding process, as it is another step that you didn't do that they will now have to provide. Can't wait until this is rolled out to the fleet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monctonguy Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 I hope this doesn't roll out. On every cruise I have taken so far, there has been very little wait at all, and it seems like people tend to arrive at all times of the day, which naturally stagers the amount of people trying to board at any given time. That being said, I have not been on a cruise ship with 5000 pax or more so perhaps that makes the difference?! As for the headshots.....wont ever be happening for me. Are you kidding me, they want you to take and provide headshots for all those in your group? Am I missing something here or is this a joke or?..lol What do they need them for. They already take a picture of you for ur seapass card, plus your passport has a photo of you.....how does bringing another picture make things quicker or easier...not to mention, potentially less secure I don't mind wedding parties or wheelchairs getting priority for boarding, but after that it should be based on loyalty standing. This is the normal practice across the board when travelling/vacationing...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jticarruthers Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 I had assumed the headshot request was a digital picture that they would use in place of the digital picture that they usually take of you? The idea being to skip that step of the checkin process ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monctonguy Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 I thought that maybe the case, but that just seems to easy. And I an not sure how someone giving them a photo that they then have to scan and attach to your seapass card is quicker than the 3 seconds it takes to take your photo while standing at the desk that you already have to check in at.. Something has to be missing here.... I hope that someone here can refute that this is something they are actually asking for/proceeding with...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 I agree with Montoc. There are some ports that have their embark act together better than others but for the most part, RCI has gotten the whole embark thing down to be very efficient. Why mess with it ? It sounds like there were sooo many problems with this process on the Quantum. Of course, I realize that it was new and with all new things there will be glitches....but it sounds like they made a relatively simple process unnecessarily complicated. I also agree about the photo. Really ? I'm not going to be providing photos for myself or anyone else in my party ahead of time. That's an unnecessary burden...particularly considering that they didn't even have the photos that people sent when they got ready to embark on the Q. Not gonna happen. ...and the embark order... I can't imagine that they aren't going to have special boarding priority for C&A passengers or suites passengers no matter WHEN they arrive. If they mess with that they are REALLY going to piss off their money-makers. As Matt suggested, they can provide arrival/embark times in hopes that some will adhere to them and hopefully space the embark process out a little to avoid crowds but I don't see them truly enforcing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerel Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 We've always gotten the emails and even phone calls telling us to board at a certain time. After doing research we found out its all a bluff, they take you at any time without hassle. We all know that and go whenever we want. So are they serious now or is it still a bluff? I'm leaning towards bluff. The photo thing, that's just silly, they will take your pic anyways. They got boarding down so good I doubt any of this will happen. It sounds so ridiculous I kinda want to call bull poop on this thread, but who knows these days, maybe it's true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterBill Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 We've always gotten the emails and even phone calls telling us to board at a certain time. After doing research we found out its all a bluff, they take you at any time without hassle. We all know that and go whenever we want. So are they serious now or is it still a bluff? I'm leaning towards bluff. We were on Oasis in March and they did the same thing with the specific time to board. They even called in advance and told you when to show up. We were sailing with friends who live in the area and the wife told me "we can't go early, they said to go at 1:30!". I told her they would let us on and we were getting there at 11 as we always do. We did, and would have walked right onto the ship had the port employee directing passengers in the waiting area bothered to notice the Diamond notation on my boarding pass and not had us wait with the "normal folk". In reality they were boarding Gold by the time I noticed what had happened a few minutes later. We were still on board by noon. We'll be on Anthem in January and I intend to be at the port at 11. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerel Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 We were on Oasis in March and they did the same thing with the specific time to board. They even called in advance and told you when to show up. We were sailing with friends who live in the area and the wife told me "we can't go early, they said to go at 1:30!". I told her they would let us on and we were getting there at 11 as we always do. We did, and would have walked right onto the ship had the port employee directing passengers in the waiting area bothered to notice the Diamond notation on my boarding pass and not had us wait with the "normal folk". In reality they were boarding Gold by the time I noticed what had happened a few minutes later. We were still on board by noon. We'll be on Anthem in January and I intend to be at the port at 11. Yup, I got the calls too, if you dont hit the button confirming you received the call, they will call all day till you do. I think they just do it hoping some people will listen and go late (like your wife). I'm sure it's hard on them when everyone rushes the ship at 11, that said, I'm there at 11 too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monctonguy Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Never got any calls or emails from them for any of my cruises so far. I am really starting to think they don't like me...lol. But to be honest, they seem to have it down pretty good....why mess with it at this point is my question?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Never got any calls or emails from them for any of my cruises so far. I am really starting to think they don't like me...lol. But to be honest, they seem to have it down pretty good....why mess with it at this point is my question?! No calls or emails here (other than Quantum). I believe what they want to do is avoid congestion. Theoretically, if everyone came at the time they assigned, there wouldn't be backups in the check in process. That being said, showing up super early, like we all tend to do, avoids that issue. I believe most guests arrive in the early afternoon, so I'm sure they would prefer it be spread apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jticarruthers Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Some cruises I get calls/emails/texts nonstop, others nothing. The best is when you get messages related to a cruise you aren't even booked on :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CelebrationFlCruiser Posted September 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 Going on the Anthem in November. Could not complete on-line check in without submitting acceptable pictures of all those in the stateroom. Yes, you can, not submit a picture, and do your check in at the port, but that would delay your boarding. I'm not sure how that would work. We have always done on-line check in. You have to complete on-line check in to get your SetSail Pass. This pass must be presented to enter the building at the port. I would think this would be a huge inconvenience. This was mandatory to complete on-line check in for the Anthum for the November sailing. It would not let you complete until an acceptable picture was submitted for everyone in the stateroom. And yes, you can arrive when you want, but again, that will delay your boarding. Currently this is only for the QUANTUM CLASS ships, (ANTHEM OF THE SEAS, OVATION OF THE SEAS, and QUANTUM OF THE SEAS ) Hopefully this will roll out to the fleet. Two positive points are, I can get a much better picture myself and others than relying on those webcams they have at the ports at check-in. And, this is one less step Royal Caribbean has to supply while checking in at the port. Everything being said, this new procedure should speedup the boarding process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CelebrationFlCruiser Posted September 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 "Quantum’s Most Important Innovation: Fast Curb-to-Cabin Check-in Perhaps Quantum’s most important innovation, smart check-in greatly reduces the time you spend in line on embarkation day. The new boarding procedure begins right in your own home. Simply hop online, fill out some details (passport information, birth date), and upload your own photo ID (take a picture with your webcam or upload a more formal portrait). Then, you print your documents and head for the port. When you arrive at the terminal, dozens of check-in agents are standing at the ready with tablets in hand. They scan your documents and passport and then direct you to the security line. Once you step through the metal detector, you’re on your way to your cabin. (The process took just eight minutes for me.) If you hand luggage over to the porter, it will be tagged with an RFID (radio-frequency identification) chip, which uses electromagnetic fields to wirelessly transmit data. In conjunction with an app on your smartphone, you can monitor the progress of your bags from check-in all the way to your cabin. Once you arrive at your cabin door, there will be an envelope that holds one key. Let yourself into your stateroom and you’ll find the next smart ship innovation waiting for you: Royal Caribbean’s WOWband wristbands." CN Traveler There's more; http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2014-11-21/royal-caribbean-quantum-of-the-seas-smart-ship-technology Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 Yes, you can, not submit a picture, and do your check in at the port, but that would delay your boarding. Delaying your boarding by about 5 minutes. What will happen is you will have to take a photo when you arrive. One of the workers there will take your photo and process your paperwork with the new tablets they have. I had to do this and it's not THAT big a delay or deal. Perhaps 5-10 minutes more. Obviously if you can do it in advance, it's better. I'd rather waste 20 minutes at home taking photos of myself than 5-10 when I'm about to start my vacation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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