Priority rooms ready at 130 today....

[pianoplayerla]

I’ve read thru this entire thread and am finding it all very interesting. I tend to agree that it sounds like they’re trying to institute a policy change albeit more slowly than what maybe they intended. I would think they would have to come up with other “perks” to replace it with for those customers who have loyally returned time and again though

 

We just started cruising about a year ago. I did some when I was young and single 30 years ago but stopped while raising a family and getting everyone through college. So we did a trip on the Fantasy out of Mobile last August and just did the Ecstacy out of Charleston this month. We were in a Grand Suite both times. At both ports we were told by the port workers that our cabin would be ready as soon as we boarded As far as I’ve read that wasn’t a perk listed for suites so it surprised me both times. Last August I just sort of didn’t think that much about it. This time if had more time to research the ins and outs of how cruising had changed and don’t remember reading that anywhere. They also put us in the priority debarkation area and sent us off the boat ahead of the FTTF folks. So I don’t know if it is port specific, a new policy rolling out slowly or what.

 

We’ll be sailing out of Tampa to Cuba next year The ship is the Paradise and I’ve booked a suite again. I’ll be following along here to see what transpires Thanks folks!

 

Diamond, Platinum, Suites & Faster to the Fun have priority embarkation & debarkation . At least in NOLA they do. And I would assume it is fleet wide.

[tidecat]

They did in Long Beach last week.

[Starshineeliz]

Diamond, Platinum, Suites & Faster to the Fun have priority embarkation & debarkation . At least in NOLA they do. And I would assume it is fleet wide.

 

 

Yes. We had those both times. What surprised me was that the port folks told us we could go straight to our rooms as soon as we boarded. The first cruise last year I didn’t know any better and when I thought about it thought it must have been a fluke. So this time I brought along a little roll on bag to keep with me, sure that we’d have to go hang out somewhere for awhile, but again they told us we could go straight to our room and we did

 

So. I guess it was still a fluke lol.

[Lottacruises]

Yes. We had those both times. What surprised me was that the port folks told us we could go straight to our rooms as soon as we boarded. The first cruise last year I didn’t know any better and when I thought about it thought it must have been a fluke. So this time I brought along a little roll on bag to keep with me, sure that we’d have to go hang out somewhere for awhile, but again they told us we could go straight to our room and we did

 

So. I guess it was still a fluke lol.

 

 

It's only a few hours, enjoy your trip!

[Quilcruisers]

We had to open the big heavy doors to get in. We are platinum and knew rooms were ready for us. It's good they are closed all the way to deter the lookie lous from coming to the floor prematurely. Also the staff stood at the elevators gently directing people to the lido Express elevators but those of us who knew to go the other elevators to our cabins used the opposite ones.

 

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[OfcSupport]

I am Platinum and I never go right to my room. We always go to the atrium bar when we board the ship and I have never felt like I was losing out by not going to my cabin right away.

 

 

 

It is a big plus for people who self carry their luggage.

 

 

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[Bookbug53]

Got tired of reading the 'but, but, but, me, me, me, I know better than John Heald, I know better than everyone else that says different' posts. Wrote to Guest Solutions Support and received this reply:

 

"We can confirm that first access, re:early, to the staterooms is extended to both FTTF and Platinum/Diamond cruisers"

 

I will go to my stateroom upon boarding. I am also bringing this email with me.

 

As far as what the sign on the doors says, you can believe John or not when he says the above referenced cruisers can pass through. If you don't then it will just make the corridors less crowded.

[Lottacruises]

Got tired of reading the 'but, but, but, me, me, me, I know better than John Heald, I know better than everyone else that says different' posts. Wrote to Guest Solutions Support and received this reply:

 

"We can confirm that first access, re:early, to the staterooms is extended to both FTTF and Platinum/Diamond cruisers"

 

I will go to my stateroom upon boarding. I am also bringing this email with me.

 

As far as what the sign on the doors says, you can believe John or not when he says the above referenced cruisers can pass through. If you don't then it will just make the corridors less crowded.

 

Write them back and ask why they are changing the speech to say they will be ready at 130, instead of the one we used to get that priority will be ready at 1130. There's no doubt you can go through the closed doors and find your room ready as p or d and fttf,

[Lottacruises]

FYI, you didn't slect early boarding, you selected early check in. Big difference.

Pat

 

I think your point was missed, like mine.

People keep telling me about how their room is ready and I just wonder why the speech has changed.

[firemanbobswife]

Write them back and ask why they are changing the speech to say they will be ready at 130, instead of the one we used to get that priority will be ready at 1130. There's no doubt you can go through the closed doors and find your room ready as p or d and fttf,

 

I know I’ve said it before but I 100% believe it’s because the port employees were doing exactly what you just said - telling people with ”Priority” on their paperwork that their cabin was ready. We all know that’s not true - suites say that and their cabins aren’t ready. So instead of having them look closely at their paperwork and have to decipher who’s boarding passes say Diamond or Platinum, it’s easier and faster for them to just tell everyone their cabins are ready at 1:30pm. That way they aren’t giving the suite passengers incorrect info as they have for so long. I really think it is that simple.

[Starshineeliz]

But mine WAS ready. Twice. Even if it wasn’t supposed to be *♀️

 

So I’ll let you guys know next year how it works out

[Lottacruises]

But mine WAS ready. Twice. Even if it wasn’t supposed to be ��*♀️

 

So I’ll let you guys know next year how it works out

 

Mine too, but that wasn't the question. Yes, please come back and let us know.

[Lottacruises]

So john heald posted that on the conquest tomorrow that the rooms won't be ready until 130 due to the number of platinum and diamonds....

 

Lots of comments regarding this. 

[S.S.Oceanlover]

4 hours ago, Lottacruises said:

So john heald posted that on the conquest tomorrow that the rooms won't be ready until 130 due to the number of platinum and diamonds....

 

Lots of comments regarding this. 

 

sounds like that perk is slooooooooooooooowly going away.

 

Bill

[Victory.Feb.29,2008.]

They have to have sometime to get rooms ready from prior cruisers.  Alot of people don't get off the ship until they want to. 

 

[Starshineeliz]

11 hours ago, Lottacruises said:

So john heald posted that on the conquest tomorrow that the rooms won't be ready until 130 due to the number of platinum and diamonds....

 

Lots of comments regarding this. 

 

Lottacruises, very interesting. Could you give us a link or some direction to that discussion?   I’d love to read it.  It does sound like things are changing 

 

And I agree, they have to have time to get the rooms ready  I’d much rather have a clean room than be able to get in there a little early. We’re usually driving in from somewhere anyway, so boarding a little later would maybe be an option for us 

 

[jimbo5544]

7 hours ago, S.S.Oceanlover said:

 

sounds like that perk is slooooooooooooooowly going away.

 

Bill

Actually Bill, what is sounds like and is, is that this is a Journey cruise with 800 diamond and 1400 Plats and they simply cannot turn that many rooms around in that time. I cannot beleive this is still an issue here....

[LMaxwell]

This perk will be eliminated soon for D/P.   The number that potentially sail is variable and makes it hard to manage.  Eliminating this perk lets them sell a set amount of FTTF that they know they can service (and pure profit).  

 

[LMaxwell]

20 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Actually Bill, what is sounds like and is, is that this is a Journey cruise with 800 diamond and 1400 Plats and they simply cannot turn that many rooms around in that time. I cannot beleive this is still an issue here....

In this case that may well be the truth, but the plan is to discontinue the perk entirely 

[jimbo5544]

1 minute ago, LMaxwell said:

In this case that may well be the truth, but the plan is to discontinue the perk entirely 

Where is this seen?

[LMaxwell]

Just now, jimbo5544 said:

Where is this seen?

Jim you aren't the only person on cruise critic that has friends in management at CCL.  The plan is to discontinue this perk (quietly) and focus on FTTF which is all profit.  They can then plan better and deliver a better guest experience servicing FTTF.  

In conjunction time windows for arrival to port will soon begin at 12PM, 11-1130 and 1130-12 time slots will be eliminated.  Going to trial out of Port Miami first 

[N7786W Flyer]

6 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

Jim you aren't the only person on cruise critic that has friends in management at CCL.  The plan is to discontinue this perk (quietly) and focus on FTTF which is all profit.  They can then plan better and deliver a better guest experience servicing FTTF.  

In conjunction time windows for arrival to port will soon begin at 12PM, 11-1130 and 1130-12 time slots will be eliminated.  Going to trial out of Port Miami first 

 

I hope the above isn't true, but from a business perspective, it would make sense...assuming you're willing to miff off a substantial amount of your repeat customers in order to achieve this.

 

Garnett

[PhillyFan33579]

8 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Where is this seen?

 

1 hour ago, N7786W Flyer said:

 

I hope the above isn't true, but from a business perspective, it would make sense...assuming you're willing to miff off a substantial amount of your repeat customers in order to achieve this.

 

Garnett

 

I agree with you 100%. I just posted a message in another thread about this topic. I can live with Carnival eliminating this perk, as long as they eliminate it from FTTF. I have remained loyal to Carnival for many reasons. But if they ever eliminated a Diamond & Platinum perk and still offered it to FTTF, that would be enough for me to start cruising on other lines. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if they do that.  It appears their business model is moving more and more to focusing on blue and red card cruisers, with less and less focus on long time loyal Carnival cruisers. 

[bury me at sea]

26 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

 

I agree with you 100%. I just posted a message in another thread about this topic. I can live with Carnival eliminating this perk, as long as they eliminate it from FTTF. I have remained loyal to Carnival for many reasons. But if they ever eliminated a Diamond & Platinum perk and still offered it to FTTF, that would be enough for me to start cruising on other lines. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if they do that.  It appears their business model is moving more and more to focusing on blue and red card cruisers, with less and less focus on long time loyal Carnival cruisers. 

 

I respect your opinion but hope you understand this "perk" of early access to cabins was offered to P an D cruisers only when Carnival introduced FTTF. 

 

Check the benefits for various VIFP levels on the Carnival website.  Early access to cabins is still not listed as a perk.

[PhillyFan33579]

4 minutes ago, bury me at sea said:

 

I respect your opinion but hope you understand this "perk" of early access to cabins was offered to P an D cruisers only when Carnival introduced FTTF. 

 

Check the benefits for various VIFP levels on the Carnival website.  Early access to cabins is still not listed as a perk.

 

I understand, which is why I said I don’t have an issue if they remove this perk. But I would have an issue if they offered something to FTTF that wasn’t available to D&Ps.  But I wouldn’t get upset if that happened. I would just start cruising on lines other than Csrnival