wemjam

Know that now, wasn't when I cruised in January... read above posts 😄 I think this is new in last couple months.

So, in case you haven't noticed they don't print all the photos and throw them all away anymore, they don't send all the fliers, Daily new letter, etc. anymore - there has been a HUGE change in this compared to years past. In case you didn't know this too, they now have the computers and app where you can select what pictures you want and then they get printed (at least on a lot of the ships now). And they have the app where you get all your info so you don't get all the fliers. I am sure it is to help their bottom line but it is also does help save the environment and it is better not to have a bunch of different people in and out of the rooms. I personally prefer to not having a bunch of people in and out of my room. At what point does one have to take responsibility for being informed themselves. I would be more "sympathetic" if we were talking about someone that was a newbie and had never done this before so they had no idea that these things were even possible. But, again, if you know what to expect (or think you should be entitled to something), all it takes is a simple question to someone.

We cruise again in 3 weeks... I will watch for the brunch for sure and see 😁

This is correct. If you have her booked in your room now, when you get on board simply go to guest services (with her there) and ask them to switch her to the other room her parents are in and issue a new card. They will issue a new card for her that will only work on their room (not yours). We do this all the time when we cruise with other people and have them "booked" in rooms a certain way for price/benefit reasons. Once on board they can easily switch the person to the correct room. PS: When setting up your onboard spending account you can opt to give them "no purchasing" power as well for younger children. It has been quite a while since we cruised with our boys as children but I do not specifically remember them requiring their card to be in Camp Carnival.

It could be they don't have and you should be reimbursed, OR it could be a glitch. I had something similar happen where something didn't show up all of a sudden. I had to call the fun shops who said they "showed" the order and it was still good. So I asked for the technical department since I could not see it on my end. The technical department ended up sorting it out. Just call and make sure you select the option for the Fun Shops....

CC is not the only place to get information... again they have a guest services desk you could have simply asked any questions at, and as Diamond it is a pretty quick trip usually. Just saying. Also, after the start up they did put letters and instructions out on all this (and maybe an email? not sure about that but I have a vague memory of it). Right in the beginning it was a bit chaotic, but a short while after like on my 2nd, 3rd, 4th cruises, I remember getting letters in my room about where to "find" all the things that used to be delivered. However, you can't expect that they will keep providing such instruction for the next 10 years so every single possible customer that hasn't sailed for a while can 'catch up'

I am not sure that is 100% accurate. Why would their Platinum benefit extend to people in two other completely different cabins that are not Platinum? If that was the case 1/2 the ship would end up trying to get off under the Platinum benefit of Priority tender because they were "with" someone in another room who was.

I think what is being said is the change has been out for about 2 years now, started with Covid situation after start up again. So, it is like everything else, we have to do our own diligence to try to understand things. Carnival can not possibly "instruct" everyone on every single thing related to their cruise. I am curious if you knew about these perks, why would you not have asked at customer service? That is how we actually found out ourselves on our first cruise back after Covid. We knew these things had been there so we asked. One thing I didn't mention above is the free drink too... used to get little coupons. Now they don't you have to ask for it as well. BEST solution for anyone is research, research, research. And if you are already somewhat informed and aware of something but doesn't seem to be the way you think... ask someone. I have cruised 50 times and I just learned something new today I didn't know about the Diamond "brunch" 😆

Oh my, I stand corrected. The brunch is a new on on me for sure. January was our last cruise and it was just bites and drinks

EXACTLY the reason when I drop my bags, I make it a point to go find the Steward, tell him my room number and advise him I have just dropped my bags and will be getting out of his way now. So he KNOWS that they are mine for the new sailing and not left behind. 😁

That all depends on exactly what "rate" you booked under. Some rates you can not replace/change at all, others you can. BEST to call Carnival now and find out. Usually you are looking at $50, but it all depends.

This, Keep in mind, if the cruise is May 21st this year you are WELL within final payment and there will be hefty penalties at this point. If you do have to cancel you will only "lose" your actual cruise rate at the set percentage based on time left to sailing. You will get ALL port fees, taxes, and any "pre-purchased" items you may have bought back at 100%.

I don't think they "set" a specific schedule. In my experience it is random and all over the place. It is kind of "when they can fit it in." I think a lot depends on how many there are, etc. PS: I am assuming you mean the diamond "party," there really isn't a brunch. Just a few small bites that are passed and drinks.

For future reference for those reading this that might not know. 1. Pins and Gift are at Pixels 2. "Treat" call room service 3. Lg bottle of water, can pick up at an bar, in any dinning room, or just let you room Steward know and take the one in the room. (advise bar or dinning room you are using your 1 free bottle) PS: It could be that they are short staffed or decided to stick with the protocol because it saves them money (no one has to deliver it and if they don't pick it up they have to buy less). However, it as advantageous for all to have less people running in out of rooms potentially spreading stuff.

Right? Got me thinking too. Often I will add it much later as well. However if you add it at the start (within like 14 days as someone else quoted), but don't PAY for it until later does this exempt them from payment based on preexisting conditions? Or, if you don't add it until later does that exclude things as well. Or any such factors? I actually printed the policy once so I have it, but who has the time to sit and read 80 pages (and better yet completely 100% understand them all)? I do remember going through and reading much of the key points just to determine coverages, etc.

So here is a thought, and just a thought. Your previous post said you always get insurance when you book, but do not pay off the cruise until final payment. I am wondering...... I know that you can add insurance and not pay for it (was a whole thread some of us were commenting on recently). So, if in the beginning you just put down the base deposit and not also enough funds to pay the insurance in full maybe - depending on when you did pay on it could be a timing issue? I wondered myself about that when I did a booking and we added insurance a couple days later. I still only had my deposit down and the amount of insurance showed as "owed" but my PVP told me not to worry about it, it wasn't due until final payment with the rest of the monies. I did make a payment pretty quick which covered the insurance +more, but in the back of my mind I was thinking.... So, if I "add" it and don't pay it until months from now... what impact does that have on the insurance itself? Quite a quagmire.

I googled it... always try to find video or pics when we book a new type of room. I actually found pics that way on a previous cruise critic post. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2616987-cabin-1003-4j-on-the-conquest/

So we are booked in 1003 on the Conquest in a few months. Going to try this corner room (new type room for us), seen some pics and decent reviews on CC and thought we'd give it a shot. Was only a couple bucks more than an normal inside room we were looking at on same deck 10. Funny thing is like 3 different times over the last 6 weeks I have logged into my booking and a "new" upgrade offer was there. All three times I denied it. They are trying to get me to give this room up for a deck 2 OV. They must really want this room if they have tried 3 times. Still have a couple months to go, maybe they will come up with a better offer on a balcony lol! Anyhow, this is a first. Every other upgrade offer I have ever received, I get an email letting me know there is an offer. Not one of these 3 times did they send an email. I just stumbled across it in my booking. So, I would advise everyone to check your bookings periodically for offers as they aren't always emailing. 😁 Personal experience on upgrades. If we book a balcony or higher (which we usually do) we don't get offers (once or twice we were offered suites, but few and far between). Seems like inside is where we get the most offers. We don't book inside often, only on short cruises and on what we call our down and dirty trips - short 3 dayers pretty much as cheap as possible!

PS: Went and look, and here is a list of all your benefits to help decide if you want it still right from Carnival. So yes, I was correct about accessing your room prior to 1:30pm WHAT YOU WILL GET (Note: VIFP Club Diamond & Platinum members do not need to purchase this package as these and other benefits are included as part of your VIFP Club status.) Priority Check-in Upon arrival to the terminal, look for the Priority line to check-in. Stateroom Access Once on board, you will be able to drop off your bags in your stateroom until your room is ready. Express Luggage Your luggage will be expedited to your stateroom so you can unpack and get settled in for a great vacation! Guest Services You'll have a dedicated phone number and line at Guest Services so you can quickly have your questions answered. Dining Reservations Priority Main Dining Room and Specialty Restaurant reservations (excluding Your Time Dining). Priority Water Shuttle Boarding We hope you take advantage of Carnival's Excursions. If you choose to explore the destination on your own, you will have the option to choose a priority water shuttle from the ship to shore. Debarkation We're always sad to see you go. But when your cruise is over, you may choose an early or late debarkation time upon arrival to your homeport.

I can not 100% confirm if Baltimore port will let you in with FTTF if you arrive prior to your boarding time or not. Someone else will have to do that. However your boarding time is based on a time you selected, or assigned if you didn't. If you take advantage of selecting your boarding time as soon as you can, you get a much better option and "position" in line more suitable to your liking. If you did not do this when the window opened up a couple weeks prior to departure, then you were just assigned your current time slot. I BELIEVE don't quote me on this, but FTTF should be able to access their rooms to drop their luggage prior to the 1:30 window. I have never had FTTF as it came out after I was already Platinum/Diamond. But this is a benefit for Platinum/Diamond and I think it extends to FTTF as well. This means you can make a quick stop, drop your bags and go. It is not like the old days where you were guaranteed your room was ready when you boarded. But for us it is a benefit to be able to access room long enough to off load and then go start enjoying. Just be kind and don't get in the cabin stewards way by hanging out or trying to stay if the room is not ready. "Ready" is when your door keys are by your door, prior to that they are still working and getting in their way just makes their job harder and slows them down for everyone 🙃

Ok, so I know there are differences of opinions on this, but let's point out something. It doesn't matter if it is gift card or credit card... if they make a mistake they make a mistake which is what the OP started this thread on. I and my family too had several cruises and almost 10K wrapped up when Covid hit (most via gift card). We were booked, and rebooked, and rebooked and cancelled... more times than I can count. I 100% got back every single penny in the end I was owed. There were lots of complaints about credit card refunds then too by the way. While a credit card does give you the option of disputing it so you have that piece of mind, you still have to go through a process if something goes wrong I have used gift cards for years, to book everything and while there have been a couple hiccups here and there.. I have never been out 1 cent. I have had an issue or two with a refund being delayed (during Covid EVERYBODY's was delayed) and a wrong amount refunded - BOTH to gift cards and to credit card - but through diligent contact by me it was resolved to my satisfaction. If you can save 10% on everything you do and figure total all in at $2000-$3000 a cruise... and you do this 4 or 5 times a year. It really adds up fast.

Absolutely!

As the link mz-s provided states. What you will have to pay potentially is ALL related to what promotion you booked under. There are at least 20 different ones and each have their own penalties associated with them. Now, I will say, first hand experience for me and my PVP, I can usually get it waived (if it is just the $50/pp) especially if I am upgrading to a more expensive cruise. However, they did start cracking down on "waiving" fees and the very last time I asked I couldn't get it waived and had to eat the $100 to switch.

As I stated above, my first hand experience is you are fine. I boarded a cruise in October with only 4 weeks left on my passport. I did take my birth certificate and copy of marriage license (because of the last name being different) - JUST in case... never needed it. They accepted my passport with only 4 weeks left on it.

Well first hand experience, they didn't stop us. We booked a last minute October cruise last Fall and our Passport expired in November. I took our birth certificate with us just in case. Lady at desk stopped for a second and made a comment, "I thought for a second these were expired, but you are still good for another month." Off we went on our merry way 😉