Staggered boarding times

[jimbo5544]

From what I know about the cabanas, if you reserve one you will have one, but you get to pick the actual cabana # when you get on board and go to GS....so in theory, you may not get your lucky number cabana and would have to take what's left (aren't all the cabanas the same dimensions with the same amenities?)

 

 

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You are correct. All are the same size (there are two types - single floor and two floor - but within each type are the same.

Edited July 3, 2016 by jimbo5544

[opensaysme]

Speaking of cabanas...... Where are they located and what does it take to reserve one? Details on the cabanas from anyone who don't mind.

Thanks in advanced! :D

[Forchunut1]

I'm glad to hear that things are betting in NOLA. When I was there in February, it was the worst embarkation experience I've had in 20 cruises. Everything was a mess and because as previous posters mentioned, the early groups are smaller, I actually had to wait longer in the Platinum lounge than my friends who are not Platinum and had an 11:30 boarding time. They were on the ship about 1/2 hour before I was. Traffic was a mess and I figured it was a 50/50 proposition as to whether I would get my luggage as those guys were just as confused as anyone.

 

So, I'm very glad to hear it is now working as intended.

[Badfinger]

I have a feeling I am going to get flamed for this:

 

The reason they have the staggered check-in time is the same reason you can no longer take on bottled water. People think that the rules don't apply to them. If you don't believe me, you can read people's posts.

 

People have been saying for years that even though your paperwork says to not show to the port until 1PM, go ahead and show up at 10AM. Carnival eventually had to do something about this, and unfortunately, due to people not following instructions, this is the result. For years, people have been posting ways to get around Carnival's rules -- all of which are posted on this site.

 

I agree with the above poster that if you have a 1PM check-in time and show to the port at 10AM, you do deserve to sit outside in the hot sun. If you don't want to sit in the hot sun and humidity of Miami and have to be out of your hotel by a certain time, there are plenty of things to do in the area of the port. If you have an early flight arrival, go ahead and drop off your bags at the port and head out and discover the city.

 

Oh, and if you are wondering why I went there with the bottled water, if people didn't continually attempt to sneak liquor on board the ship (including putting liquor in water bottles), that policy never would have been put into place. And before anyone asks, I am not platinum, I am a mere gold and check diligently every day for FTTF.

 

Let the flaming begin!!!!!

 

I think you are pretty much spot on. Don't forget to add that most don't want to miss that first "feeding"...but will say they want to start their vacation ASAP...but are also the ones that want to end it ASAP on the last day, trying to get off the ship ASAP. It is all so predictable that it is beyond funny at times.

[firemanbobswife]

I think you are pretty much spot on. Don't forget to add that most don't want to miss that first "feeding"...but will say they want to start their vacation ASAP...but are also the ones that want to end it ASAP on the last day, trying to get off the ship ASAP. It is all so predictable that it is beyond funny at times.

 

 

Well yeah I do like to get on ASAP so I can get unpacked and start my vacation. It's not that I want to be amongst the first off, but oftentimes I need to be in order to catch my flight. Vacation is over for me as soon as I wake up so why delay the inevitable? The longer I sit and stew on the thought of me leaving the wonderful ship to go back to everyday life, the more depressed I get. So it's best I just be on my not so merry way.

[First and Ten]

I think you are pretty much spot on. Don't forget to add that most don't want to miss that first "feeding"...but will say they want to start their vacation ASAP...but are also the ones that want to end it ASAP on the last day, trying to get off the ship ASAP. It is all so predictable that it is beyond funny at times.

 

 

I guess the hard part in understanding, we are dealing with adults, not 5 yr olds....I get the 5 yr old wants everything NOW!!!! As an adult, we should be exhibiting some level of intellect and reasoning....if your documentation says to show up at 1 pm, show up at 1, not at 10:30....yes, there will be some people on board earlier than you, that is ok....you will still get to line up at the feeding trough and get your umbrella drink, Carnival isn't going to run out in those first 3 hrs [emoji32]

 

 

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Edited July 3, 2016 by First and Ten

[luv2trvlnow]

People keep saying your documents tell you not to show up until 1PM. I have looked at the documents from all my previous cruises and there is not 1 of them that said that. Now they did say when embarkation would take place. I have several different times for that. Some at 12, some at 12:30, and some at 1. But nowhere did it say you were not to arrive until then.

 

For awhile Carnival was making phone calls and telling people when to check in. But they were arbitrary. We were told to check in at 3 to 4 PM for a cruise leaving at 4PM. And my son was Platinum and had priority boarding. It didn't make sense. If we had waited until 3:30 to 4 PM we probably wouldn't have been allowed on the ship. If they had made a bit more sense maybe people would have cooperated.

 

I think this staggered check in system is a good thing. We experienced it in Galveston and I seemed to be working pretty well. I hope they start to do it in every port. This is a good solution.

Edited July 3, 2016 by luv2trvlnow

[First and Ten]

I just went out of Jax in May. No staggered checkin and I didn't have FTTF....I can't remember the exact verbiage, but there was a clear indication that I was supposed to show up between 12:30-2:30....I am fully aware that there are people getting on before and after me, and that's ok....the buffet is still going to be there....one of my personal pet peeves is the entitled mindset....the "I want what I want and I should get what I want....if the rule goes against what I want, then I don't have to follow that rule....I don't care if there are 2300 people on the ship, this is MY vacation, and it's all about me"

 

 

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Edited July 3, 2016 by First and Ten

[luv2trvlnow]

I just went out of Jax in May. No staggered checkin and I didn't have FTTF....I can't remember the exact verbiage, but there was a clear indica<script id="gpt-impl-0.8233002337866984" src="http://partner.googleadservices.com/gpt/pubads_impl_90.js"></script>tion that I was supposed to show up between 12:30-2:30....I am fully aware that there are people getting on before and after me, and that's ok....the buffet is still going to be there....one of my personal pet peeves is the entitled mindset....the "I want what I want and I should get what I want....if the rule goes against what I want, then I don't have to follow that rule....I don't care if there are 2300 people on the ship, this is MY vacation, and it's all about me"

 

 

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I am pretty sure your boarding pass had the Embarkation time in bold lettering so you would notice it. But like everyone here says Check in time and Boarding (Embarkation) time are not the same thing. The ports without staggered check in do not have a rule that says when you have to check in. They do of course decide when passengers will be allowed to embark. If you weren't allowed to check in, then why do they check people in?

[First and Ten]

I am pretty sure your boarding pass had the Embarkation time in bold lettering so you would notice it. But like everyone here says Check in time and Boarding (Embarkation) time are not the same thing. The ports without staggered check in do not have a rule that says when you have to check in. They do of course decide when passengers will be allowed to embark. If you weren't allowed to check in, then why do they check people in?

 

 

But that goes to my point....if you ARE leaving from a port that has implemented staggered checkin, and your documentation says hypothetically, 1 pm, why do people show up at 10:30????

 

 

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Edited July 3, 2016 by First and Ten

[luv2trvlnow]

But that goes to my point....if you ARE leaving from a port that has implemented staggered checkin, and your documentation says hypothetically, 1 pm, why do people show up at 10:30????

 

 

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Because they don't always wait until 1PM to start embarkation.

 

On most of my cruises I have been onboard before noon. Now some of my cruises said embarkation started at noon. On our Breeze cruise in April 2013 it said embarkation was from 1-3PM. We got there about 10:30 and checked in and since my son was Platinum we were on the ship before 11AM. If Carnival didn't start letting people on that early people would not show up that early.

[First and Ten]

Because they don't always wait until 1PM to start embarkation.

 

 

 

On most of my cruises I have been onboard before noon. Now some of my cruises said embarkation started at noon. On our Breeze cruise in April 2013 it said embarkation was from 1-3PM. We got there about 10:30 and checked in and since my son was Platinum we were on the ship before 11AM. If Carnival didn't start letting people on that early people would not show up that early.

 

 

I get the people who are platinum showing up early, they get on before everyone else....it's the passengers who don't have the perk....stop showing up early and contributing to the crowds....if Carnival boards people early, bonus....show up when you are asked to show up and it makes it smoother for ALL passengers, not just you....your paperwork said embark between 1-3....so show up at 1 pm, you will still be able to embark by 3 pm....it's ok if other people are getting their DOD before you, you will survive

 

 

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Edited July 3, 2016 by First and Ten

[luv2trvlnow]

I get the people who are platinum showing up early, they get on before everyone else....it's the passengers who don't have the perk....stop showing up early and contributing to the crowds....if Carnival boards people early, bonus....show up when you are asked to show up and it makes it smoother for ALL passengers, not just you....your paperwork said embark between 1-3....so show up at 1 pm, you will still be able to embark by 3 pm....it's ok if other people are getting their DOD before you, you will survive

 

 

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I don't know how else to say this but you are not asked to show up at a certain time unless you have staggered check in. When I travel with my son who is Platinum we have the same Embarkation time at everyone else. So if we were following what you say then Platinum should not show up until 1PM either. When I travel with my husband only, we are not Platinum and we are still on board before noon. Only 10 to 15 minutes after Platinum.

 

That's why I think this new staggered check in is good, because it does have a rule about when to show up. But I don't believe this was instituted because people didn't follow the "RULES", but because too many people were showing up early. But they were not breaking a rule showing up early. Now if they show up earlier than their check in time at ports with assigned check in times, they will just have to wait for their assigned time. If they are unhappy about having to wait that is their problem for not showing up when they were supposed to.

 

I have experienced it both ways and like this new system.

[First and Ten]

Luv2....question if I may....in the future, if you cruise out of a port that has staggered checkin, and hypothetically you get a checkin time of say 1 pm, and you are not Platinum and don't have FTTF, what time do u plan to arrive at the port?

 

 

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Edited July 3, 2016 by First and Ten

[luv2trvlnow]

Luv2....question if I may....in the future, if you cruise out of a port that has staggered checkin, and hypothetically you get a checkin time of say 1 pm, and you are not Platinum and don't have FTTF, what time do u plan to arrive at the port?

 

 

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I would show up at 1.

 

I have cruised out of a port with staggered check in-Galveston. You don't have to wait to be assigned a time. You can choose your time right after you book it. It is available on your online check in and you don't have to wait to be paid in full or until final payment date. I chose my time which just so happened to be 10AM and I didn't have FTTF. I did this as soon as I heard about this here on Cruise Critic. Galveston was the first port to start this.

 

You do realize you are able to choose your time as long as it is available. For our cruise 10AM was still available a week before the cruise.

[Teemcdee]

I just went out of Jax in May. No staggered checkin and I didn't have FTTF....I can't remember the exact verbiage, but there was a clear indication that I was supposed to show up between 12:30-2:30....I am fully aware that there are people getting on before and after me, and that's ok....the buffet is still going to be there....one of my personal pet peeves is the entitled mindset....the "I want what I want and I should get what I want....if the rule goes against what I want, then I don't have to follow that rule....I don't care if there are 2300 people on the ship, this is MY vacation, and it's all about me"

 

 

I deal with this everyday in my normal life and it drives me nuts. I have been in customer service for over 20 years and I can attest that the customer is not always right. Those that are wrong usually know it too and just try to get louder to get their way. No they customer is not always right, but often they are self righteous.

Edited July 3, 2016 by Teemcdee

[ohiowilly]

I have a feeling I am going to get flamed for this:

 

The reason they have the staggered check-in time is the same reason you can no longer take on bottled water. People think that the rules don't apply to them. If you don't believe me, you can read people's posts.

 

People have been saying for years that even though your paperwork says to not show to the port until 1PM, go ahead and show up at 10AM. Carnival eventually had to do something about this, and unfortunately, due to people not following instructions, this is the result. For years, people have been posting ways to get around Carnival's rules -- all of which are posted on this site.

 

I agree with the above poster that if you have a 1PM check-in time and show to the port at 10AM, you do deserve to sit outside in the hot sun. If you don't want to sit in the hot sun and humidity of Miami and have to be out of your hotel by a certain time, there are plenty of things to do in the area of the port. If you have an early flight arrival, go ahead and drop off your bags at the port and head out and discover the city.

 

Oh, and if you are wondering why I went there with the bottled water, if people didn't continually attempt to sneak liquor on board the ship (including putting liquor in water bottles), that policy never would have been put into place. And before anyone asks, I am not platinum, I am a mere gold and check diligently every day for FTTF.

 

Let the flaming begin!!!!!

 

No flaming from me, on this point. You're spot on, in my opinion. One of my questions was whether you could drop your bags with porters prior to your assigned check-in time. If you can, and choose to sit out in the sun at POM waiting for your time slot to arrive, you have no one to blame but yourself. I'd have no problem hanging out at Bayside for a while, if for some reason I arrived at POM ahead of my assigned time.

[First and Ten]

I would show up at 1.

 

 

 

I have cruised out of a port with staggered check in-Galveston. You don't have to wait to be assigned a time. You can choose your time right after you book it. It is available on your online check in and you don't have to wait to be paid in full or until final payment date. I chose my time which just so happened to be 10AM and I didn't have FTTF. I did this as soon as I heard about this here on Cruise Critic. Galveston was the first port to start this.

 

 

 

You do realize you are able to choose your time as long as it is available. For our cruise 10AM was still available a week before the cruise.

 

 

I am fully aware of that, as well as I am fully aware that there are only a select number of slots for each timeframe....it's not like there unlimited slots for 10 am....I just hope that the people who get the 1 or 2 pm check in timeslot, follows it

 

 

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Edited July 3, 2016 by First and Ten

[Rh2458]

I am pretty sure your boarding pass had the Embarkation time in bold lettering so you would notice it. But like everyone here says Check in time and Boarding (Embarkation) time are not the same thing. The ports without staggered check in do not have a rule that says when you have to check in. They do of course decide when passengers will be allowed to embark. If you weren't allowed to check in, then why do they check people in?

 

I am not following what you're trying to say. Who lets what people check in?

[luv2trvlnow]

I am not following what you're trying to say. Who lets what people check in?

 

Really!!!!

 

Who lets people check in = Carnival employees

What people check in = the embarking passengers

 

Carnival employees check people in. If those Carnival employees weren't there, there would be no check in. They wouldn't even open the terminal to embarking passengers until Carnival employees are given the go ahead to check people in. If the higher ups at Carnival said don't check people in until Embarkation time I'm pretty sure the employees wouldn't be at the port until closer to that embarkation time.

[robin13]

I am cruising out of Galveston on 9/10 and just completed my on line check-in. Since my flight is arriving very early on 9/10 I wanted the first time slot so I wouldn't have to wait around for hours. Very happy to report that I got the 10:30am - 11am time slot so hopefully that is when we will be able to board.

[dacsmom]

I am cruising out of Galveston on 9/10 and just completed my on line check-in. Since my flight is arriving very early on 9/10 I wanted the first time slot so I wouldn't have to wait around for hours. Very happy to report that I got the 10:30am - 11am time slot so hopefully that is when we will be able to board.

 

No guarantee that is when you will board. Your 10:30 -11:00 time is your check in time, not your boarding time.

[robin13]

No guarantee that is when you will board. Your 10:30 -11:00 time is your check in time, not your boarding time.

 

Well now I am confused as on most cruise lines when you check-in and get your sign and sail card you then get to board the ship. Are you saying that you don't get to do that on Carnival? And if not then why??

[LMaxwell]

Well now I am confused as on most cruise lines when you check-in and get your sign and sail card you then get to board the ship. Are you saying that you don't get to do that on Carnival? And if not then why??

 

You do not go straight to the ship after checking in, at least not likely to do so that early in the day. Your staggered check in time is the time you are allowed to enter the terminal to go through security and get your room card, etc. You will then be assigned a boarding zone. Once boarding starts and your zone is called, then you can board.

 

There is never a definitive boarding time as it depends on how early they clear the ship from the last set of people, if there are any Coast Guard inspections going on, etc. Wedding parties, then Plat/Diamond/Faster to the Fun, and then by zone number.

 

Staggered check in is really what is in play here, there is no such thing as staggered boarding but the terms get commingled here often.

[luv2trvlnow]

Well now I am confused as on most cruise lines when you check-in and get your sign and sail card you then get to board the ship. Are you saying that you don't get to do that on Carnival? And if not then why??

 

I know that when we were on Celebrity you checked in and then boarded the ship. We waited outside the terminal for about 10 minutes and then they opened the doors and we went through security and then check in and then boarded. I think they start check in after the ship is cleared and can start boarding the new passengers. Since RCCL and Celebrity are owned by the same company they probably do the same thing on both lines.

 

Carnival doesn't do that. You can check in earlier, before the ship had been cleared. So if you go earlier you wait inside the terminal instead of outside the terminal.

 

On Princess we also checked in and then waited inside the terminal before boarding started.