On my recent voyage on Celebrity's "Millennium" I was very much impressed with Celebrity and the workmanlike way they ran their operation. I was particularly impressed by their hotel-to-ship linkages in Barcelona and the way they handled things.

For example, all the check-in operations were handled in the Hotel lobby the morning of boarding.We were issued special tags; the bus picked us up, our luggage went in the bus baggage bay; and we next saw it outside our staterooms. Embarkation in Barcelona proceeded at walking speed! We only stopped to have our SeaPass verified by a photo.

There was an outfit called "Intercruises" which seemed to handle Celebrity and (I believe) Royal Caribbean. They did everything, and did it with great competence. When I arrived in Barcelona, there was a gent (Issac by name) at the airport holding up a sign with the Celebrity "X". He popped me into a van and took me to the hotel. I had booked my hotel and flight through Celebrity, and even though I arrived in Barcelona five days before sailing, they were at general quarters to assist me, and other passengers.

Intercruises had a desk in the Lobby of our hotel with a bulletin board, which not only flacked shore excursions, but had updates on the ship, and when it would be expected. Remember there was a drydocking glitch and the cruse was truncated by two days. They had all the necessary documentation for embarkation, including issuing of SeaPasses.

In short they cossetted the passengers in a very pleasant and efficient manner. I give them very high marks. None of this "show up at the port with a taxi and bribe the longshoremen to schlep the baggage." I came to treasure my little book of vouchers which magically caused all sorts of good things to happen.

Then, when Millie was late inbound to Ft. Lauderdale, having reduced speed to dodge two late-season Tropical Storms, Celeb took care of rebooking flights for those passengers who had booked through them, and even gave a significent assist to passengers who had made their own flight arrangements as well. In short, I give them the highest of marks.

I am thinking of a QM2 crossing this summer. I cannot find anything in Cunard's brochures which indicate that they offer such pre-embarkation services in either London or New York. Yes they offer a few pricey hotels, and the Orient Express special train to the docks, but do they offer the hassle-free check-in as does Celebrity? Do they offer air-hotel-txfr-to-dock-and such support? It is not apparent in their brochures.

But, again, that's great to hear and I'm glad Celebrity is getting high marks in this area.

Last month I crossed from Barcelona to Miami on BRILLIANCE OF THE SEAS, again using their hotel/transfer package. I found the same convenience with Intercruise that you did--simply leave your luggage outside the hotel room, where it was picked up and taken to the ship, to reappear in your cabin. A brilliant and painless transfer and check-in process, much better than Cunard's in London/Southampton.

But don't let that deter you from a crossing on QM2--she's a wonderful ship and the traditional North Atlantic Cunard crossing is still something special!

As I said, in Barcelona, Celebrity's competence, using Intercruise, made the whole experience seamless, queue-less, delightful. And, oh yes, the buses (aka"coaches") were new, sparkling-clean, comfortable tour buses. And this was only a a half-hour or less journey. As I recall, London-Southamption is considerably longer!

I fear Cunard has yet to learn to manage embarkations and debarkations. After all, by their own admission, they have only been at it for almost two centuries. Perhaps they are slow learners.

To them, establishing creature comforts for the passengers, appears to begin and end at the gangway. This has been my experience in the past.

[ 12-18-2005: Message edited by: Cambodge ]

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Originally posted by Cambodge:
I fear Cunard has yet to learn to manage embarkations and debarkations.

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Personally I regard all travel as having elemets of frustration and agrevation, even the five star variety!

I think many cruise terminals struggle to cope with 2500+ passengers, this includes NY and Southampton. This is odd really, because the great Ocean Liners carried 2000+ passengers, so it's nothing new.

I've boarded the QM2 twice now at Southampton, plus the QE2. It has ranged from acceptable, to pretty good and one total nightmare! At least the QEII terminal has a lounge with seats and a place to buy a cup of tea.

The QM2 is still worth the wait, though.

The best hotel is Southampton is the 'De Vere Grand' which looks like a glass pyramid. However, you can stay overnight in London for a few nights and travel to Southampton on the day by train or coach (2-3 hours).

[ 12-18-2005: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

I just had this thought, Malcom, in response to your comment. I was also very impressed with the way San Diego handled my Statendam embarkation last year. At the time of our sailing, there were three cruise ships in port, and both embarkation and disembarkation was taking place at the same time.

The Port of San Diego staff and the local police who were directing incoming cars and buses and outgoing ones at the same time, also did a masterful job. I am sure the passenger thruput at that particular time was between 2000 and 3000.