Confused!!

[Sea and Me]

We will be first time cruisers on Carnival and looking forward to being with family on the Miracle! I am a little confused about the seapass! When we arrive at the port we go to the customer service and sign in —Correct? Then we proceed to the security before entering the ship—is this where we get our pictures taken for ID on and off the ship?? What, then, is the set sail passes left in our mailboxes?? I know this sounds like a really confusing question but would you be kind enough to explain the boarding procedure to me??

 

Thanks so much, have a good day.

[cccer]

Sea pass is used to open your cabin door and for charges on board. It is also used to get on and off the ship at ports. I think the order is security, check in (photo taken here now) and then get on ship when it opens up.

Doors to the cabins open around 1:30 and you can go in a get your sea pass. If you want to order anything before that, you can use your boarding pass.

[klfrodo]

On Carnival, this card is called the Sail and Sign card,,, or maybe Sign and Sail card,,, NOT SeaPass card,,,, that's a different cruiseline.

[firemanbobswife]

You show your ID and get checked in then go through security. At that point if they are boarding, you go when your group is called. If not you wait in the terminal. Your boarding pass will be how you get on the ship and if you need a picture they will take it with an iPad as you are getting ready to go on to the gangway.

 

Your S&S card will be in your mailbox at approx 1:30pm or when they open the doors to the hallways unless you are Diamond, Platinum, or have Faster To The Fun. In that case you can go as soon as you arrive on the ship. Anything you need to buy before then you will use your boarding pass.

[winddawn]

We will be first time cruisers on Carnival and looking forward to being with family on the Miracle! I am a little confused about the seapass! When we arrive at the port we go to the customer service and sign in —Correct? Then we proceed to the security before entering the ship—is this where we get our pictures taken for ID on and off the ship?? What, then, is the set sail passes left in our mailboxes?? I know this sounds like a really confusing question but would you be kind enough to explain the boarding procedure to me??

 

Thanks so much, have a good day.

 

Welcome to Carnival! When you arrive at the port and check your luggage with the porters, show your boarding pass at the door to the terminal, and from there signs and personnel will show you the way to the security screening, check in, and the holding area to await clearance for boarding. Announcements are made on the PA system in the holding area for which zones are being boarded. Just listen for those announcements. Carnival has been rolling out a program the past few months where instead of receiving the Sail and Sign card at check in, the Sail and Sign card is placed in an envelope in your cabin's mailbox. There isn't an official list of which ships have switched over so far. Some ports will take your photo during check-in for certain passengers, and some ports use shared passport or other government photos instead. You don't need to do anything but follow the instructions and signs given to you in the terminal. Just be sure you have your passport or other appropriate documentation and your boarding pass with you and do not place those in a bag you check with the porters. Unless you have some type of priority status, access to cabins is around 1:30 PM. You can enjoy lunch on the ship until the cabins are ready.

 

I believe Seapass is Royal Caribbean's card. Hope you have a great cruise with your family.

[evandbob]

We booked a casino fare on the Miracle in August and will be driving to this port for the 1st time. We elected to prepay for the valet parking so we just stop in front of terminal #3, unload our 2 small pieces of luggage, let them take the car and we'll enter the terminal around 10:30AM. Hopefully it'll only be a short wait till Diamonds start boarding.

 

I'm assuming there is a priority waiting lounge at Tampa?

 

To the OP: you got some good info from FBW and Winddawn, enjoy your cruise!

[SEABECK]

So glad you're giving carnival a try. I say this with true love for carnival (platinum cruiser), the Miracle is the worst ship in the fleet. Please don't judge them by this ship alone. Carnival ships are amazing and so much fun.

[teknoge3k]

Also (if I am understanding your question correctly), your sail and sign card does not have your picture on it. It's just a card with your name, dining information, folio number and muster station on it. There's no pictures of you on the card. The pictures they take are digital and are for their records. When you scan your card as you make purchases and come and go on the ship, your picture pops up on their handheld devices so they can verify that it's you.

[Bostwick girl]

So glad you're giving carnival a try. I say this with true love for carnival (platinum cruiser), the Miracle is the worst ship in the fleet. Please don't judge them by this ship alone. Carnival ships are amazing and so much fun.

In my opinion, the Miracle is a good ship, and a lot of people will agree with me. Yes, it's an older ship, but in good shape. Plenty to do, love the layout, everything is much more convenient! So much seating, lots of places to enjoy relaxing and people watching, playing cards, etc. liked the fact that most everything was on Deck 2. The restaurant, alchemy bar, nightclubs, casino, red frog pub (which had good entertainment). Like the ship so much we are going on her again the end of August with friends. Also as another poster said, the valet parking is great! Wish some of the other ports had it.

 

Before we went on Miracle in April to Panama Canal, we were on newly redone Elation out of Jacksonville. That, in my opinion, is the worst! We had one of the newly added balcony rooms, I was just shocked that it was so small. This was our 20th cruise,most all in balcony rooms. This room had no sofa or table, no chair at all to sit in, only the little seat under the desk. In order to havve at least one chair, we had to bring one of the chairs from the balcony (which was also smaller than most balconies). The new closet/shelves sucked, the bathroom layout was nice, seemed bigger because of it, but the sink/vanity area had no room to put toiletries! There were plenty other things about it, but that's enough. We live within less than an hour from Jacksonville, but won't sail from there until Ecstacy comes next may.

Edited July 7, 2018 by Bostwick girl
Adding comments

[Pellaz]

Regarding photos being taken, if you are traveling using your passport, there's a fair chance that Carnival won't need to take your photo at all...they'll just use your passport photo if it looks reasonably current. I thought that was pretty cool. Not sure if other lines do this.