POM/Carnival Zone boarding?

[tm5to1]

I am reading on some of the posts about being issued a zone number when boarding and having to wait until its called before you can board. Can someone explain this to me? Is this a Port of Miami process or Carnival? I haven't cruised Carnival in over 15 years and don't remember doing this. My last few cruises have been with RCI and we didn't do this there either. Thanks!

[firefly333]

Im platinum so I dont get them, but Iv seen them in all ports. When you check in they will give you the next ones, in the order that people arrive. Just wait for your zone number to be called after the weddings, VIP/platinum and HC board.

[stargate fan]

I am reading on some of the posts about being issued a zone number when boarding and having to wait until its called before you can board. Can someone explain this to me? Is this a Port of Miami process or Carnival? I haven't cruised Carnival in over 15 years and don't remember doing this. My last few cruises have been with RCI and we didn't do this there either. Thanks!

 

Passengers are greeted upon arrival and given cards with zone numbers on them, usually one card per family/group. There are so many per zone, so once Zone 1 cards are gone, Zone 2 are given out, etc. The earlier passengers arrive, the lower the zone number they receive. (We always get to the port by 9:30 and always get Zone 1 cards.) Usually, wedding people are called to embark first, then travel agents who are touring the ship. Next are those who need assistance followed by VIP. After that, the zones are called. Carnival embarks passengers this way in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Long Beach. Since those are the only ports we have sailed from, I cannot tell what the other ports do, but I assume it is the same.

[tm5to1]

Ok, so it sounds like this doesn't prolong the boarding process too long if the zones go by when you arrive. I thought maybe it went by decks or sections of the ship or something similar to airline boarding. I was afraid we'd have to sit and wait an extended period of time (with 4 kids!) before we could board. The last couple cruises I've gone on were RCI out of Port Canaveral and there, once you go through security and check in, you simply walk right onto the ship. Thanks for the info!

[stargate fan]

Ok, so it sounds like this doesn't prolong the boarding process too long if the zones go by when you arrive. I thought maybe it went by decks or sections of the ship or something similar to airline boarding. I was afraid we'd have to sit and wait an extended period of time (with 4 kids!) before we could board. The last couple cruises I've gone on were RCI out of Port Canaveral and there, once you go through security and check in, you simply walk right onto the ship. Thanks for the info!

 

Carnival's system works out quite well, as long as the planets and stars line up. :rolleyes: Late ship arrival, extended customs checks, etc. can put a monkey wrench into the system. Still, it is pretty well organized.

[toddraz]

Passengers are greeted upon arrival and given cards with zone numbers on them, usually one card per family/group. There are so many per zone, so once Zone 1 cards are gone, Zone 2 are given out, etc. The earlier passengers arrive, the lower the zone number they receive. (We always get to the port by 9:30 and always get Zone 1 cards.) Usually, wedding people are called to embark first, then travel agents who are touring the ship. Next are those who need assistance followed by VIP. After that, the zones are called. Carnival embarks passengers this way in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Long Beach. Since those are the only ports we have sailed from, I cannot tell what the other ports do, but I assume it is the same.

 

 

NOLA did it that way last year too. That's the first experience I've had with zone boarding.

 

 

Sailing toward platinum and free laundry. Killing time by eating WCMC.