Answer from JH re: Early room access on non-FTTF ships

[Scott34787]

We just got off the Triumph yesterday and they stopped us when we tried to go to our cabin before 1:30. I asked them if Platinum's can go to their cabin early and they said no.

 

Wow.. you are platinum and then some! :)

 

Maybe the rooms weren't ready or the Triumph isn't

playing ball, so to speak.

 

Now for a little rant: I love Carnival but I do not like these

inconsistencies. I understand they are a large company

with a lot of ships, but a directive from corporate

should be made to make sure guests have a consistent

experience across the fleet.

 

We shouldn't have to play guessing games about the

early access or 15 drink limit for the bar program,

to name a couple of issues.

 

The issues themselves are not a deal breaker for me,

it just does not project a professional image.

 

</rant>

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

...

 

Now for a little rant: I love Carnival but I do not like these

inconsistencies. I understand they are a large company

with a lot of ships, but a directive from corporate

should be made to make sure guests have a consistent

experience across the fleet.

...

 

I have found the same problem with inconsistencies with both NCL and Celebrity, though to a lesser extent than I have personally witnessed on Carnival.

 

Just booked a New Years sailing on Celebrity today - and was doing some reading up on the special restaurant (Blu) for Aqua Class guests. It would seem that for months they were giving conflicting messages to guests who called Celebrity, and different interpretations on various ships. Seems like it's finally been "figured out" by most, but not everyone has the memo yet...

 

There is always some drama somewhere!

 

Tom

[Scott34787]

Guess I will find out Saturday if my room is ready upon boarding. Plan to get there around noon.

 

Let us know if you get this:

 

[JTfromGA]

QUESTION:

Hi John. I'm a little confused.

 

Yesterday I asked you if Platinum and Diamond guests could go directly to their staterooms even if the ship did not have FTTF offered. Your answer was for the most part, yes unless there was a disembarkation delay.

 

Today Janice asked basically the same question but your answer was No, only on FTTF ships ships can Plat&Diamond guests go right to their stateroom.

 

Not trying to bust your chops, just looking for some clarification.

My apologizes if I missed something along the way (not the first time that has happened!)

 

Thank you for your time.

 

JOHN HEALD:

OK, maybe I mistyped so please allow me to apologise and start again.

The only ships where this is confirmed are the Carnival Imagination and Carnival Liberty. here the cabins will be guranteed to be ready when the VIPs and FTTF guests walk...

on the ship. Now on the rest of the fleet we have a different manning amount and we cant gurantee that they will be ready.

However, we will attempt to have the VIP cabins ready first and often we are able to have them ready when embar starts or just after but the only ships that this is guranteed on are the two I just mentioned. I hope this is clear and my apologies if I did not make it so in my last post. Thanks

 

 

So it looks like you can on non-FTTF ships - it's just not guaranteed to be ready.

And kudos to John for the fast reply - less than 5 minutes!

 

I am Janice. Below is what I wrote to John on Facebook and his response. I think he is confused too.

 

Hi John,

I am a little confused about the new FTTF program. When it was announced, we were told that Platinum and Diamond Members would also receive the perk/benefit of getting to their rooms as soon as they board. My question is if this is a new benefit, why is it not fleet-wide? I can understand the FTTF program being a trial but shouldn't a benefit/perk apply to all Platinum and Diamond Members and not just some who happen to be on the "right ship"? Not meaning to be confrontational, just confused and need clarification.

Thanks... Janice

 

John Heald: Its only those ships that have the Faster to the Fun that have the new manning to allow this to hapopen and to get all the Diamond, Platinum and indeed those that bought the FTTF program. We dont have this manning on the other ships but iof and when we do add this to other ships then we will offer our VIP guests the chance to go straight to their state rooms. I will keep you informed. cheers Janice.

 

Then later someone posted this:

AND, one more..sorry, clarification on this VIP cabin readiness thing. I'm not VIP, but... when I cruise, the doors to the HALLWAY are closed/locked, which allows *no one* to the cabins. How can you allow just VIP or FTTF people into their cabins, while not allowing those that are not to theirs? I would check, and if the hallway doors were shut, I kinew the cabins were not ready. When the hallway doors were opened, I knew that the cabins were ready. If you have individual cabins that should be ready first-how will you discern how or when to open the doors?

Followed by this response:

David: if vip you go to guest services and they check for you to see if your cabin is ready, if so you are escorted by guest services to your cabin, even if the hallway doors are closed, but only if your cabin is ready.

 

Not sure where he got this info but I am still confused...

[jonbgd]

Let us know if you get this:

 

Isnt that Sarge;):D:p

[Scott34787]

I am Janice. Below is what I wrote to John on Facebook and his response. I think he is confused too.

 

Hi Janice - Small world! :)

 

It seems each ship has their own way of doing things

right now. The sooner they roll-out FTTF fleetwide

the sooner the guessing games will stop.

 

At this point it looks like it's a roll of dice. :mad:

 

We are on the Glory out of Miami 11/25. I am hoping

the FTTF is ready to go so I don't have to worry about

schlepping the carry-ons in case the sea gods are

against me that day. :o

[MrPete]

I am Janice. Below is what I wrote to John on Facebook and his response. I think he is confused too.

 

Hi John,

I am a little confused about the new FTTF program. When it was announced, we were told that Platinum and Diamond Members would also receive the perk/benefit of getting to their rooms as soon as they board. My question is if this is a new benefit, why is it not fleet-wide? I can understand the FTTF program being a trial but shouldn't a benefit/perk apply to all Platinum and Diamond Members and not just some who happen to be on the "right ship"? Not meaning to be confrontational, just confused and need clarification.

Thanks... Janice

 

John Heald: Its only those ships that have the Faster to the Fun that have the new manning to allow this to hapopen and to get all the Diamond, Platinum and indeed those that bought the FTTF program. We dont have this manning on the other ships but iof and when we do add this to other ships then we will offer our VIP guests the chance to go straight to their state rooms. I will keep you informed. cheers Janice.

 

Then later someone posted this:

AND, one more..sorry, clarification on this VIP cabin readiness thing. I'm not VIP, but... when I cruise, the doors to the HALLWAY are closed/locked, which allows *no one* to the cabins. How can you allow just VIP or FTTF people into their cabins, while not allowing those that are not to theirs? I would check, and if the hallway doors were shut, I kinew the cabins were not ready. When the hallway doors were opened, I knew that the cabins were ready. If you have individual cabins that should be ready first-how will you discern how or when to open the doors?

Followed by this response:

David: if vip you go to guest services and they check for you to see if your cabin is ready, if so you are escorted by guest services to your cabin, even if the hallway doors are closed, but only if your cabin is ready.

 

Not sure where he got this info but I am still confused...

 

I'm beginning to think more than one person is "officially" answering direct questions over there. That might explain how he can handle the traffic.

 

And also explains the different answers.

[mj]

Wow.. you are platinum and then some! :)

 

Maybe the rooms weren't ready or the Triumph isn't

playing ball, so to speak.

 

Now for a little rant: I love Carnival but I do not like these

inconsistencies. I understand they are a large company

with a lot of ships, but a directive from corporate

should be made to make sure guests have a consistent

experience across the fleet.

 

We shouldn't have to play guessing games about the

early access or 15 drink limit for the bar program,

to name a couple of issues.

 

The issues themselves are not a deal breaker for me,

it just does not project a professional image.

 

</rant>

 

Good point.

[pat55]

pretty interesting thread

I always boarded and went to my room , thru the closed door and checked if the room was ready, sometimes it was and i just dropped off my carry on. sometimes it was not with the door still open and well i just didnt want my stuff left there ..

when checking with this forum, i have seen people flamed for opening doors, interfering with the hard working staff, one would think I had robbed a bank

now we see the "plats" who in thier mind had an un official perk doing it for years...

i will continue doing what i do ... if it work all is good , if it dont all is good

and when they do offer it on my ship i will buy it

[JTfromGA]

I guess my biggest question would be IF the FTTF is not implemented (for whatever reason) does that mean that benefit would go away for Platinum and Diamond since it seems that it is only a byproduct benefit.

[MrPete]

I guess my biggest question would be IF the FTTF is not implemented (for whatever reason) does that mean that benefit would go away for Platinum and Diamond since it seems that it is only a byproduct benefit.

 

Exactly. It appears it only became a perk because it was being offered at a price to others. But count me in the group of thrives that stole a pass to my room as soon as I boarded. Never had a problem, as the room, with one exception, was always ready.

[golfadj]

When they stop me we will stop going directly to our cabin to drop off our stuff.

 

Until than we will continue to go straight to our cabins.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

When they stop me we will stop going directly to our cabin to drop off our stuff.

 

Until than we will continue to go straight to our cabins.

 

I just go around the other way... ;)

 

Tom

[NCTribeFan]

The last couple of cruises, I went directly to the cabin and dropped my bags, even if the door was open and the cabin was obviously not finished. I just "hid" them away so they weren't sitting out where anyone SNEAKING down the hallway would see them. :p

 

I encountered my cabin steward one time and asked him if it was OK since I was solo and had all my bags with me. He said it was no problem at all, just to be sure to put them out-of-sight.

 

Before reading of other Platinum folks doing this, I'd never thought about it. But I didn't sail solo prior to being Platinum, either. It's really a pain to drag your carry-on around, go to the Lido, not want to leave it unattended when you get food, etc.

 

Yes, until someone stops me and tells me to leave, I'll do it. But when I board next month (so soon!?!), I may stop at the desk and ask, just to be polite. I never realized it might be handled like a hotel check in where they can look up your cabin number to let you know whether it's ready or not!

[golfadj]

I just go around the other way... ;)

 

Tom

 

Figured you would know that also.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Figured you would know that also.

 

Of course, that whole process of going past "the doors" makes Cheryl nervous!

 

Once or twice, depending on the ship, they've had people "guarding" the doors. When I see that, then it's time to find alternate routes.

 

Sometimes it's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission (when there is no risk of damage or harm)!

 

Tom

[echo]

We leave on the Fascination Sept 29, so we will ask VIP check in. And we may try it. Those bottles of wine sure get heavy.

[Paul Bogle]

Of course, that whole process of going past "the doors" makes Cheryl nervous!

 

Once or twice, depending on the ship, they've had people "guarding" the doors. When I see that, then it's time to find alternate routes.

 

Sometimes it's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission (when there is no risk of damage or harm)!

 

Tom

 

The only doors I have ever seen guarded were on the Lido deck. Quite understandable as passengers are directed there upon boarding. The one time this presented an issue for us was when we booked a cabin on that deck. We went up to the Panorama deck where the doors were unguarded, walked forward to the secret door, out onto the secret deck, then down the secret stairs to the secret area on the Lido deck, then in the secret door on the Lido deck. :eek: Our cabin was ready and our steward was happy to accommodate us.

 

But let's not give away all our secrets. ;)

[PAPERBKWRITER]

I didn't know about going to the cabin early or that platinum rooms are done first but recently on a Magic sruise I took a chance and our cabin was done, while most nearby weren't. I thought I was just lucky. You learn something new everyday.