Platinum Boarding Question

[gdvan]

We booked two rooms sailing from Baltimore on the Pride for 9/7 on the same confirmation. In one room is my wife, myself and our 1 year old. The other room is another couple. My wife has Platinum status so for our room we have priority boarding. We signed up for FTTF for the other couple. My question is can all of us wait and board together with the Platinum boarding or will they have to wait and board with FTTF and not be able to help us with our son? I have asked Carnival a few times and have gotten no response back which is very disappointing.

[freddymale]

every time i had FTTF we boarded right after the platinum people as we were walking up the gangway, we were talking with them..

,aybe you could wait till the end of your line, and maybe the couple with your son could try to be first in line?

[cruiserNC]

I would think they wouldn't have a problem with you waiting with the FTTF group.

[Elaine515]

I would think they wouldn't have a problem with you waiting with the FTTF group.

 

 

 

Thats what we do... We're a family of 16 of which 11 of us are either Diamond or Platinum... If/when we cruise with the family that isn't Diamond or Platinum, we all check in separately and then we just wait for them so we can board together and we like having the Family Picture...

 

In your case, especially because the other couple has FTTF, the wait shouldn't be too long after Diamond/Platinum/Suite boarding starts

[RuthlessBoss]

We booked two rooms sailing from Baltimore on the Pride for 9/7 on the same confirmation. In one room is my wife, myself and our 1 year old. The other room is another couple. My wife has Platinum status so for our room we have priority boarding. We signed up for FTTF for the other couple. My question is can all of us wait and board together with the Platinum boarding or will they have to wait and board with FTTF and not be able to help us with our son? I have asked Carnival a few times and have gotten no response back which is very disappointing.

 

I don't see how a person sitting in an office on land can promise a guarantee of what will happen boarding a ship.

Your best option is go with the FTTF group. You are already qualified to board with platinums, so it's not like you are trying to jump a line into a higher group.

[NCTribeFan]

When I sailed Pride in May, the FTTF people (along with the wedding parties) were seated in a separate room behind the main room. The Platinum people were seated on one side (right in front of the small room). The wedding parties may have boarded before us Plats, but I didn't see them (there may have been a different door leading to the ship; I didn't see it).

 

So even if you aren't together, you won't be far apart. That room was rather full (I think there were at least 3 wedding parties and lots of folks with them).

[winddawn]

We booked two rooms sailing from Baltimore on the Pride for 9/7 on the same confirmation. In one room is my wife, myself and our 1 year old. The other room is another couple. My wife has Platinum status so for our room we have priority boarding. We signed up for FTTF for the other couple. My question is can all of us wait and board together with the Platinum boarding or will they have to wait and board with FTTF and not be able to help us with our son? I have asked Carnival a few times and have gotten no response back which is very disappointing.

Anyone booked in the same cabin with a platinum guest gets priority embarkation with the platinum guest. Any other cabins stand on their own eligibility. FTTF guests will board in the next group after platinum guests. This eligibility doesn't change even if the reservations are linked together.

 

Your question gets asked a lot of different ways for a lot of different reasons, the other cabin guests need my assistance, the other cabin guests want to board with us, the other cabin needs to help me, etc. But none of those things change the normal boarding sequence.

 

Of course boarding sequence always depends on the responsible personnel in the terminal, so anything is possible. But it does seem that due to guests complaining loudly about the stated rules not being followed that Carnival has become more strict about not making exceptions. I think Carnival has realized that people are not going to pay $49.95 per cabin for FTTF early embarkation if others are allowed to board early for free.

 

Your best bet is for the platinum cabin to board with the FTTF cabin if you all want to board together for personal reasons.

 

Have a great cruise.

[okgirl]

It's becoming the norm for the shoreside agents to actually call the individual groups separately. This has happened on my last two cruises, one from NOLA and one from Galveston just 2 weeks ago.

 

They boarded 2 wedding parties, then called Diamonds (and checked our cards before allowing us to pass the gate), then Platinums and finally FTTF.

 

If the OP needs assistance with their child, then the only easy option is for the OP to be seated with the FTTF friends.

[Miller_KC]

Thats what we do... We're a family of 16 of which 11 of us are either Diamond or Platinum... If/when we cruise with the family that isn't Diamond or Platinum, we all check in separately and then we just wait for them so we can board together and we like having the Family Picture...

 

In your case, especially because the other couple has FTTF, the wait shouldn't be too long after Diamond/Platinum/Suite boarding starts

 

That is exactly what we did in May traveling with family that bought FTTF. DW really likes to get everyone in the boarding picture.

 

Other times we got on with the Platinums and saved a table on the Lido for the rest. I took everyone's carry ons to our room until their rooms were ready.

[Almost Packed]

We booked two rooms sailing from Baltimore on the Pride for 9/7 on the same confirmation. In one room is my wife, myself and our 1 year old. The other room is another couple. My wife has Platinum status so for our room we have priority boarding. We signed up for FTTF for the other couple. My question is can all of us wait and board together with the Platinum boarding or will they have to wait and board with FTTF and not be able to help us with our son? I have asked Carnival a few times and have gotten no response back which is very disappointing.

 

one mom and one dad should be able to manage with a 1 yr old son. I don't know why help from other couple would be needed unless it's just an excuse to get them on early with you???

 

There is nothing stopping you from hanging with your FTTF friends and boarding with them. usually, the FTTF group is called right after platinums (diamonds too of course) So you may lose 2-4 minutes to waiting to board with your friends.

 

If embarking with your friends is important, just hang with them and board when they are called. That is what we have done or just say see ya on the ship etc.

 

Enjoy your cruise either way.

[nodogkisses]

When I sailed Pride in May, the FTTF people (along with the wedding parties) were seated in a separate room behind the main room. The Platinum people were seated on one side (right in front of the small room). The wedding parties may have boarded before us Plats, but I didn't see them (there may have been a different door leading to the ship; I didn't see it).

 

So even if you aren't together, you won't be far apart. That room was rather full (I think there were at least 3 wedding parties and lots of folks with them).

 

OP, this is exactly how it was when I sailed Pride earlier this year. This info is specific to your port in Baltimore, therefore, you should be able to plan accordingly. Baltimore port employees are very strict with keeping Platinums, Diamonds and Suites separated from the FTTF groups. They are very nearby, but they wouldn't let a FTTF person sit with his grandma who had a Suite. They are strict with their rules (you can't even have your cell phone out even if you aren't using it they'll be right there telling you it has to be put away).

 

If you can't be separated from your friends for the short waiting time, I would suggest that you go sit with them in the FTTF room. Otherwise, they'll board right after you and your family-- within a matter of minutes.

[irishnyc]

If you and your wife need help with your one year old, you shuold hang back and board with FTTF. But really, you could just meet them on board, too.:rolleyes:

[loxley]

one mom and one dad should be able to manage with a 1 yr old son. I don't know why help from other couple would be needed unless it's just an excuse to get them on early with you???

 

There is nothing stopping you from hanging with your FTTF friends and boarding with them. usually, the FTTF group is called right after platinums (diamonds too of course) So you may lose 2-4 minutes to waiting to board with your friends.

 

If embarking with your friends is important, just hang with them and board when they are called. That is what we have done or just say see ya on the ship etc.

 

Enjoy your cruise either way.

 

yeah.

[RuthlessBoss]

one mom and one dad should be able to manage with a 1 yr old son. I don't know why help from other couple would be needed unless it's just an excuse to get them on early with you???

 

There is nothing stopping you from hanging with your FTTF friends and boarding with them. usually, the FTTF group is called right after platinums (diamonds too of course) So you may lose 2-4 minutes to waiting to board with your friends.

 

If embarking with your friends is important, just hang with them and board when they are called. That is what we have done or just say see ya on the ship etc.

 

Enjoy your cruise either way.

 

I can't figure out the needing help statement either. Maybe he's a kid from Hell or this is a first child and practically brought the whole nursery with them. :eek: