Too many Platinum / Diamond

[evandbob]

13 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

 

Lots of priority passengers don't arrive at the terminal at the crack of dawn and have no need for early check in or early cabon availability. For example, those driving in the day of the cruise.

Agree that most priority passengers don't arrive at the terminal at the crack of dawn.  We certainly don't.  Used to arrive around 10:30 when flying in from NY.  Now it'll be closer to 11AM, and we'll be driving in to 3 FL ports as well.

 

But the crowds inside and outside the terminal are mainly regular customers who get there early and then get anxious waiting to either enter the terminal or begin boarding.  If P&D's and other priorities get 11AM check ins, gold is given check in times of noon and onward, and blues and reds from 1PM on, this type of staggered boarding might work better than the present system.  These time frames can be adjusted for each sailing depending on the passenger load of each grouping.

 

As it is now, P&D's and FTTF's and casino fares can take any check in window they want, early or late, even if they plan to arrive at a different time.  With so many indefinite arrivals, it is hard to manage the logistics.  Having check in time slots staggered by loyalty designation and geared for that departures passenger load is worth a try.

 

BTW, I normally don't see the same terminal congestion that Carnival has when I cruise other lines, even those where we don't have any boarding perks..

 

 

[evandbob]

39 minutes ago, cruzincat50 said:

One problem with that idea is that some people book more than one cruise in advance.  Happened to us. We had our cruise that starts next week booked since June of 2017.  We booked another cruise for this past September afterward.  That cruise gave us enough points to turn Platinum for the cruise next week. If we didn't already have an early boarding time, we could get on earlier. I guess we booked early enough that it is not an issue, but if we had booked in June of 2018, we would have been stuck with a later boarding time with your idea.

You would have gotten priority boarding on any cruise you achieve the 75 day requirement.  Your previously picked check in time becomes irrelevant and your boarding pass will attest to priority status..

[BlerkOne]

6 hours ago, evandbob said:

 

As it is now, P&D's and FTTF's and casino fares can take any check in window they want, early or late, even if they plan to arrive at a different time.  With so many indefinite arrivals, it is hard to manage the logistics.  Having check in time slots staggered by loyalty designation and geared for that departures passenger load is worth a try.

 

 

 

 

Considerate cruisers would pick a time when they plan to arrive. If they don't, Carnival should consider putting them at the end of the line for the people who did plan ahead. Priority or not, they slow down and gum up the works for the rest.

 

Creating a class system for boarding is a terrible idea.

[PhillyFan33579]

2 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

 

Considerate cruisers would pick a time when they plan to arrive. If they don't, Carnival should consider putting them at the end of the line for the people who did plan ahead. Priority or not, they slow down and gum up the works for the rest.

 

Creating a class system for boarding is a terrible idea.

 

I think a boarding system based on class is an excellent idea. That’s how most airlines board flights (Southwest being a notable exception) and it works very well in my opinion. 

[BlerkOne]

30 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

I think a boarding system based on class is an excellent idea. That’s how most airlines board flights (Southwest being a notable exception) and it works very well in my opinion. 

 

Airlines sell that perk all the time. You just made a case for FTTF.

 

One key difference is airlines are heavily dependent on business travelers paying obscene last minute fares. Bribing business travelers is built into the business model for most airlines. It makes sense in a transportation industry. It makes no sense in the cruise industry

 

Speaking of Southwest, I remember when they couldn't afford to lose too much in price wars, so they stepped up and offered bottlers of booze to higher fare paying customers. Guess who won that price war.

[The7Harrisons]

On ‎10‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 7:33 PM, Lottacruises said:

How many are there?

there used to be a couple dozen to appx 100, now we are everywhere, the last "waiting room" on our last cruise had over 300 which is no big deal, I just wonder how long before cruise lines add tiers to cut their cost!

 

Edited October 31, 2018 by The7Harrisons

[evandbob]

16 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

 

Considerate cruisers would pick a time when they plan to arrive. If they don't, Carnival should consider putting them at the end of the line for the people who did plan ahead. Priority or not, they slow down and gum up the works for the rest.

 

Creating a class system for boarding is a terrible idea.

 

Edited October 31, 2018 by evandbob
elimination