Another Staggered Check In Question

[cuppettmd]

Hey, All; Carnival has just provided the chance to choose an arrival time for our Oct. cruise on the Elation. This is the first day they have posted the selections and the earliest time available is 1:00 pm. Is this normal? We have always boarded 11:00 - 11:30. Are they saving the early times for FTTF or priority boarders or is this just like the old e-mails to arrive latter to spread out the amount of people boarding? Carnival is the one to make this a "Big Deal" so you would think that they would just have it first come, first served. Thanks for any input. Mikey

[jimbo5544]

Hey, All; Carnival has just provided the chance to choose an arrival time for our Oct. cruise on the Elation. This is the first day they have posted the selections and the earliest time available is 1:00 pm. Is this normal? We have always boarded 11:00 - 11:30. Are they saving the early times for FTTF or priority boarders or is this just like the old e-mails to arrive latter to spread out the amount of people boarding? Carnival is the one to make this a "Big Deal" so you would think that they would just have it first come, first served. Thanks for any input. Mikey

 

 

Good questions, I have only seen guesses posted here on details. There could be several reasons for the late times, such as Coast Guard or immigration status check of crew. I am sure they hold some early times for priority boardings (weddings, diamonds, plats). Remember, these are check in only, not boarding.

[ray98]

It is if the earlier check-in times are full. They are trying to spread it out instead of having everyone show up at the same time and wait.

[okgirl]

Each of the check in times slot are capacity controlled, and since Diamonds, Platinum, FTTF, Weddings and Carnival airport transfers can go when ever they want, the early check in times are more limited.

 

Once a check in time slot is full it disappears as a selection, so if yours is 1pm, then the earlier times must be full.

 

Coast Guard and crew inspections don't really impact check in time, but can cause a later than normal boarding time.

[beachbum53]

Hey, All; Carnival has just provided the chance to choose an arrival time for our Oct. cruise on the Elation. This is the first day they have posted the selections and the earliest time available is 1:00 pm. Is this normal? We have always boarded 11:00 - 11:30. Are they saving the early times for FTTF or priority boarders or is this just like the old e-mails to arrive latter to spread out the amount of people boarding? Carnival is the one to make this a "Big Deal" so you would think that they would just have it first come, first served. Thanks for any input. Mikey

 

What is the scheduled departure time for this cruise? If it's a late departure, such as 6:00 p.m. (or later), that could be why there's no earlier check in time.

[CruiseMomTX]

Were on the Breeze in June and have a time of 11:30 but were wondering if we were to wait until later at what time could we possibly just walk on with little to no lines at all?

[bury me at sea]

Were on the Breeze in June and have a time of 11:30 but were wondering if we were to wait until later at what time could we possibly just walk on with little to no lines at all?

 

Based on my experience on the Breeze out of Galveston, there are still long lines in the noon til 12:30 time frame.

 

I don't know at what point the crowd starts dwindling.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[skrufy]

With normal check in times being 1030-1100, 1pm to 130pm you should be able to go right through and on board with minimal delay. Carnival transfers have no priority. Those people who arrive early must wait outside until their check in time. The staggered check in is a hugh success, its cut down on the massive crowds in the terminal.

[riclop]

Hey, All; Carnival has just provided the chance to choose an arrival time for our Oct. cruise on the Elation. This is the first day they have posted the selections and the earliest time available is 1:00 pm. Is this normal? We have always boarded 11:00 - 11:30. Are they saving the early times for FTTF or priority boarders or is this just like the old e-mails to arrive latter to spread out the amount of people boarding? Carnival is the one to make this a "Big Deal" so you would think that they would just have it first come, first served. Thanks for any input. Mikey

You may of missed the opening.

[cuppettmd]

Thanks for all of the input so far! I've been checking for the opportunity to choose my check in time twice a day for almost two months. It was not listed last night but it was this morning. I don't think that I was beat out by many folks, I think that Carnival just didn't list any earlier times. This is my 12th cruise out of Jax and there has never been a problem boarding (we usually arrive about 11:00). Our scheduled sail time is 4:00 pm and we usually have muster about 3:00 pm. FTTF is still available, so unless they are having a Diamond Reunion or a Mass Wedding, I don't know what the problem is.:D

[CruiseMomTX]

Based on my experience on the Breeze out of Galveston, there are still long lines in the noon til 12:30 time frame.

 

I don't know at what point the crowd starts dwindling.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

 

Thanks!

[Cruisegirl6]

I just posted about this very same thing, didn't see your post until after I made my post, I also have the same issue, only see 1pm and wondering whether the earlier times are not available because they are full? I am only 35 minutes from the port and to sit in my house twiddling my fingers until noon time is ridiculous so I think I am going to cancel this cruise anyways due to the fact we are on the Oasis of the Seas a week afterwards, we got off the Harmony in May and my other half got a free balcony cabin and we decided not to waste it. I am not in final payment yet or have paid it, but my PVP put me under a special rate of a discounted deposit (which we never knew of and rather pay the full price to get early saver rate) which means we may not get the money refunded back on the credit card (excluding the $50 p/p penalty we have to pay) but to Carnival credit, ugh!

[firemanbobswife]

I just posted about this very same thing, didn't see your post until after I made my post, I also have the same issue, only see 1pm and wondering whether the earlier times are not available because they are full? I am only 35 minutes from the port and to sit in my house twiddling my fingers until noon time is ridiculous so I think I am going to cancel this cruise anyways due to the fact we are on the Oasis of the Seas a week afterwards, we got off the Harmony in May and my other half got a free balcony cabin and we decided not to waste it. I am not in final payment yet or have paid it, but my PVP put me under a special rate of a discounted deposit (which we never knew of and rather pay the full price to get early saver rate) which means we may not get the money refunded back on the credit card (excluding the $50 p/p penalty we have to pay) but to Carnival credit, ugh!

 

 

The discounted deposits are almost always tied to Early Saver so it would have been the same either way. Perhaps you meant to say "which we never knew of and would rather pay the full price NOT to get early saver rate" ?

 

ES is good in some situations and I've used it before and had hundreds of dollars in savings, but that was a couple/few years ago. Seems like lately you're better off booking early at a refundable rate then as it's getting closer, switching to ES if you know for sure that you're going or just staying Past Guest rate or whatever you had before.

 

Used to be Carnival wouldn't book you under ES without you asking hoping you wouldn't get the big price drops later on. Now it's the opposite. They put the lower prices out from the start so the chances of the price going down are slim (sure it does happen but not at the rate it used to at least from my own experience). In turn they run all these promos and lock people into ES making a killing on cancellation fees and they know they got you on the hook for at least one more cruise. Or you could forfeit the rest of your money and they made even more without giving you anything. It's really quite the racket if you ask me.

 

That's why it's so important to ask questions before you give your CC info to put that deposit down. ES is great for some, not so much for others with all the restrictions.

[jimbo5544]

I just posted about this very same thing, didn't see your post until after I made my post, I also have the same issue, only see 1pm and wondering whether the earlier times are not available because they are full? I am only 35 minutes from the port and to sit in my house twiddling my fingers until noon time is ridiculous so I think I am going to cancel this cruise anyways due to the fact we are on the Oasis of the Seas a week afterwards, we got off the Harmony in May and my other half got a free balcony cabin and we decided not to waste it. I am not in final payment yet or have paid it, but my PVP put me under a special rate of a discounted deposit (which we never knew of and rather pay the full price to get early saver rate) which means we may not get the money refunded back on the credit card (excluding the $50 p/p penalty we have to pay) but to Carnival credit, ugh!

 

 

My thoughts are that royals way is much more to their advantage than carnivals

 

 

Sent from my iPhone

[Cruisegirl6]

I will stop using my PVP and just call customer service in the future, my PVP screwed up a few ways in the past two cruises, I tell him what I want but he does another thing. He also didn't charge for our insurance which he knows we always get on all of our past cruises and I did ask him to add it, I see it in my reservation but he forgot to charge it, but this comes in my favor I would guess, because if I cancel I assume I loose that money also if I had paid for it?

 

Royal has worked with us in the past on situations where Carnival never did, but our most favorite cruise line is RC so we would never cancel one of those cruises unless one of us were ill or couldn't travel due to a medical issue, Carnival I cancel with no regrets but always go back to them sometime.:D

[jimbo5544]

I will stop using my PVP and just call customer service in the future, my PVP screwed up a few ways in the past two cruises, I tell him what I want but he does another thing. He also didn't charge for our insurance which he knows we always get on all of our past cruises and I did ask him to add it, I see it in my reservation but he forgot to charge it, but this comes in my favor I would guess, because if I cancel I assume I loose that money also if I had paid for it?

 

Royal has worked with us in the past on situations where Carnival never did, but our most favorite cruise line is RC so we would never cancel one of those cruises unless one of us were ill or couldn't travel due to a medical issue, Carnival I cancel with no regrets but always go back to them sometime.:D

 

 

I'm sure they await you with baited breath

 

 

Sent from my iPhone