Carnival Embarkation Procedure: Zone numbers...Why???

[Cruiser_SG77]

My wife and I have sailed on Carnival, Princess and NCL.

 

I'm wondering if anyone feels the same way I do regarding Carnival using zone numbers as their embarkation procedure.

 

In my opinion, it seems to slow things down considerably having to wait in line for security, then wait in line again for check-in (to set up your on board account/sail & sign card etc., then wait until your zone number is called.

 

With both Princess and NCL, once you have your sail & sign card in hand, you proceed directly on the ship. This provides a steady flow of passengers and a faster embarkation process.

 

All our cruises have been out of NYC, so perhaps it is different at other embarkation ports?

 

Any thoughts?

[mrpayroll]

If you arrive at terminal later in the day, they do not use the zone numbers. People start arriving pretty early, before ship is ready to board, so the zone numbers make sure that those who were there first get to board first.

[Pisti]

I am sharing a cabin with someone who will be arriving at the port at least 2 hours before me. Will she be able to board on her own or does she have to wait for me?

[SadieN]

The difference might be the ports. Long Beach and San Diego do not use the zone system regularly. Long Beach will use zones before the Dome is opened. San Pedro does use a zone system.

[firefly333]

I got there early for Caribbean Princess and they too used zone numbers, same as Carnival.

 

You must have missed this or arrived later, or VIP?

[SadieN]

I am sharing a cabin with someone who will be arriving at the port at least 2 hours before me. Will she be able to board on her own or does she have to wait for me?

 

She can check in on her own and meet you onboard. She will need her own boarding pass.

[firefly333]

I am sharing a cabin with someone who will be arriving at the port at least 2 hours before me. Will she be able to board on her own or does she have to wait for me?

 

Unless you are sharing the same credit card, it would not matter when either of you arrive or board.

[Cruiser_SG77]

If you arrive at terminal later in the day, they do not use the zone numbers. People start arriving pretty early, before ship is ready to board, so the zone numbers make sure that those who were there first get to board first.

 

 

Wouldn't the people who arrived first still board first without the zone numbers, since they were in line to check in before other passengers?

[Cruiser_SG77]

I got there early for Caribbean Princess and they too used zone numbers, same as Carnival.

 

You must have missed this or arrived later, or VIP?

 

 

I must have missed it on our 2 Princess cruises out of Brooklyn.

 

VIP? I wish!!! :p

[mondello]

Wouldn't the people who arrived first still board first without the zone numbers, since they were in line to check in before other passengers?

When they opened the ship for boarding, would you want a stampede or organized chaos?

[gelo7]

if you arrive at terminal later in the day, they do not use the zone numbers. People start arriving pretty early, before ship is ready to board, so the zone numbers make sure that those who were there first get to board first.

+1...

[elcuchio24]

We usually get there early so we almost always get zone numbers....even so we never wait very long, maybe 10 minutes or something. Never saw it as much of an issue. Our past few embarkations through POM have taken between a half hour to 45min.

[spacepotatoes]

When we sailed on the NCL Sky out of Miami last march, they were using boarding zones. I prefer being able to sit down comfortably and board when called, with a relatively small group of people at a time, rather than everyone trying to board at once.

[mrpayroll]

Wouldn't the people who arrived first still board first without the zone numbers, since they were in line to check in before other passengers?

 

No. There isn't a line that they are standing in. They are all sitting in chairs. They get there BEFORE the ship is ready to board.

[mainescout]

Wouldn't the people who arrived first still board first without the zone numbers, since they were in line to check in before other passengers?

 

This would be true if you wanted to make a very long queue to ensure people would be getting on board in the order they got there. With the zones people can sit and relax while they wait their turn. Like some have said if you arrive later they usually don't use the zones because there are no longer long lines of people waiting to be able to board.

[fourkittys]

We have sailed out of Port Canaveral three times, once with Carnival and twice with Royal Caribbean around 10:30 am. After we received our Sail passes we were directed to an area with chairs set up in several rows and instructed to go as far as possible to where the last person was sitting. When it was time to board they started letting people from the front and each row filed in after the proceeding row was emptied. FOS had several thousand passengers and it ran very smoothly not crowed at all. They have a good system in PC.:D

[luv2travelcro]

Hi, maybe is off-topic but im wondering can you take all your luggage with you on embarkation or you need to give your luggage to porters? i know there is self assist debarkation, but is there self assist embarkation? asking for carnival cruise line from port of miami... thx

[Namelocg]

Hi, maybe is off-topic but im wondering can you take all your luggage with you on embarkation or you need to give your luggage to porters? i know there is self assist debarkation, but is there self assist embarkation? asking for carnival cruise line from port of miami... thx

 

If you can manage it you can do it, but remember, each bag must be able to fit through the scanner. I do it all the time when just going for 3 or 4 nights and only have one small bag.

[near the beach]

With zone numbers once you check in you can sit down and wait to be called. That way you don’t have to stand in line in order not to lose your place.