Best embarkation tips and tricks

These are available to buy and are not free :)

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Rooms open at or around 1:30 for most cruises. Please don't go to your room before then. They aren't ready and you will just be getting in the steward's way. They won't tell you no, but (1) you are in the way and (2) early access is a privilege that is earned or purchased.

 

 

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^^^^THIIIIIIIIS^^^^

If you're not diamond/platinum/FTTF, please don't be *that* person who ignores the rules and thinks they don't apply to you.

You want to be first to the Red Frog Pub:beer-mug:

We've been first to RFP on six of our last eight cruises!

Great thread, thank you! I am not a veteran cruiser, and I always get confused and frustrated because we never know what we are supposed to do until our room is ready, and there is never anywhere to just sit an wait. We tried to buy FTTF this time, but it has been sold out for the last 6 months and now no longer even shown.

Great thread, thank you! I am not a veteran cruiser, and I always get confused and frustrated because we never know what we are supposed to do until our room is ready, and there is never anywhere to just sit an wait. We tried to buy FTTF this time, but it has been sold out for the last 6 months and now no longer even shown.

It's the best time to explore the ship when it isn't too crowded. Try a dining option that is open for lunch without the lines. If you really just want to sit and wait, there will also be plenty of chairs available before everyone has boarded the ship. Enjoy your cruise!

Our last cruise they didn't pass out the lanyards until the casino opened and then they were passing out like crazy. Go get BBQ the day you get on as there is usually very few people that know about it

You can buy lanyards at Staples or other office stores. They're like, maybe $1-$2 each.

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What's the "Volunteer at the welcome party" mean?

I believe the OP is referring to the Welcome Aboard Show. If you volunteer and go up on stage, you get a free bottle of champagne and reserved seats at the theater for the show the rest of the cruise. Plus a few other small perks like chocolate covered strawberries in your cabin, etc. We just got off the Fantasy and my daughter and her husband volunteered and that was their experience. I'm sure it varies by the ship, but you get the picture.

Cheers!

If you have FTTF or are Platinum or higher, wait until boarding starts to get to the terminal. You'll walk through security, get your cards, and then walk right on the ship. Sitting in the waiting room tends to add stress for me so we've altered our plan so that we don't start heading to the port until about 11.

Go get BBQ the day you get on as there is usually very few people that know about it

This seems to be true whether the ship has Ol' Fashioned Barbecue (on Deck 10, above the Lido buffet) or Guys Pig & Anchor.

We were surprised to find the latter almost empty on embark day, because Carnival had been telling people that "lunch is available at the buffet on Lido Deck or at Guy's Pig & Anchor."

I suspect people were getting Pig & Anchor and Guys Burgers confused, which meant less wait for us down on Deck 5. :)

I would think that a lanyard would be included with your SS card.....our first cruise coming in January 2018, do we really need one?

Husband and I don't "do" lanyards. All of the shorts or pants we wear on the ship have pockets - even my dressy black skirt :D

We bring our own lanyards (collected from the many cruises and casinos we've visited). It's great to clip to your belt loop if you've got one, or around your neck if need be. If I didn't do this I'd forget my card.

Just remember whatever you're carrying on you have to schlep until your room is available. If you've got a lot of stuff, or heavy stuff (soda and what not) you might want to wait until later to board so you can go directly to your room to drop it off.

With all the talk of lanyards a tip is get a few magnetic hooks to out by your door in your room to hang your lanyard with sail and sign card on

With all the talk of lanyards a tip is get a few magnetic hooks to out by your door in your room to hang your lanyard with sail and sign card on

Yeah, this thread definitely took an inconsequential focus. Getting a free 50 cent lanyard is not really where it’s at in terms of making the most of your embark day.

I think cruisers new to the ship/class/line are best served using the embark day to learn as much as they can (ship tour, reservations for the things they want to do, make sure your dinner table is what you expected (if your fixed time) and laying out the cabin so it works for them) so they can make the most of the rest of their time on board.

Veteran cruisers, who have a handle on all of that, just need to stay out of the rookies’ way and enjoy the areas that won’t be found by newer cruisers until half way through day 2.

Regardless if you are a rookie or a vet, I really can’t think of a worse use of the first few hours on board than bouncing between guest services and casino looking for a free lanyard. [emoji849]

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Rooms open at or around 1:30 for most cruises. Please don't go to your room before then. They aren't ready and you will just be getting in the steward's way. They won't tell you no, but (1) you are in the way and (2) early access is a privilege that is earned or purchased.

 

 

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Putting luggage in the closet doesn't count as "in the way"

Can I get cabin access early just to drop my carryon in the closet? I don't need the room for anything else until I've had lunch and toured the ship.

Putting luggage in the closet doesn't count as "in the way"

Yes, it kinda does.

You and a couple dozen other people in the hallway just to put luggage in the closet are exactly "in the way". Check your bags, hold on to them, or wait until after the rooms are available to board the ship.

Rooms open at or around 1:30 for most cruises. Please don't go to your room before then. They aren't ready and you will just be getting in the steward's way. They won't tell you no, but (1) you are in the way and (2) early access is a privilege that is earned or purchased.

 

 

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This is exactly why they don't give you your S&S card until 1:30, unless you're VIP or FTTF... if you go to your cabin early, you won't be able to get in to your cabin as the room stewards haven't put the S&S cards in the mail slot. If your door is open then they're not done cleaning the room and your stuff will be in the way or at risk of being stolen since the cabin is left unlocked. And if something is stolen, you won't have any recourse as you're not supposed to be in the cabin yet anyway!

And as Schoifmom says, this isn't a privilege you paid for, either through FTTF or through your repeated cruising.

Can I get cabin access early just to drop my carryon in the closet? I don't need the room for anything else until I've had lunch and toured the ship.

You can for about $70.

Can I get cabin access early just to drop my carryon in the closet? I don't need the room for anything else until I've had lunch and toured the ship.

Once you earn platinum or diamond loyalty status you can do that. Otherwise your choice is to try for FTTF or keep your luggage with you until all cabins are ready.

Can I get cabin access early just to drop my carryon in the closet? I don't need the room for anything else until I've had lunch and toured the ship.

Sure, it's called Faster to the Fun, and can be purchased under excursions for your home port.

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Putting luggage in the closet doesn't count as "in the way"

Yes, it does. Your steward will stop to greet you, ask questions, etc. All the stewards you pass will have to work around you when going from room to room, and pay attention to see if you are in their block of rooms. All of this slows down the turnover rate for rooms. Because it's not just you, it dozens to hundreds of cruisers in the hallways and rooms, WHEN THEY AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE.

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Yeah, this thread definitely took an inconsequential focus. Getting a free 50 cent lanyard is not really where it’s at in terms of making the most of your embark day.

 

I think cruisers new to the ship/class/line are best served using the embark day to learn as much as they can (ship tour, reservations for the things they want to do, make sure your dinner table is what you expected (if your fixed time) and laying out the cabin so it works for them) so they can make the most of the rest of their time on board.

 

Veteran cruisers, who have a handle on all of that, just need to stay out of the rookies’ way and enjoy the areas that won’t be found by newer cruisers until half way through day 2.

 

Regardless if you are a rookie or a vet, I really can’t think of a worse use of the first few hours on board than bouncing between guest services and casino looking for a free lanyard. [emoji849]

 

 

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Agree, nice post

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Putting luggage in the closet doesn't count as "in the way"

Yes it is. You are in the hallway where they are trying to work. Follow the rules!

After our 1st or 2nd cruise we realized the benefit of having ROLLING tote bags to carry aboard our wine, medicines, electronics and jewelry. It makes it no big deal to move the totes around with us while waiting for the cabins to become available. :)

We go to the Lido deck for lunch - one of us gets the food while the other hangs out at the table with the totes - otherwise they don't hold us back from any thing we want to do til 1:30. To us FTTF isn't worth the $$ for an hour or 2 where we normally would be eating lunch and sipping an umbrella drink anyway.:tropical-drink: