Best thing about Becoming Platinum

[JMAE]

Priority boarding, debarking and tendering and free laundry are our favorite perks. 

[TNcruising02]

After my cruise in September, I will have 13 days until I reach Platinum.  I think I will enjoy the priority boarding and exiting the ship, priority tender, cabin being accessible upon boarding, and free laundry.  I purchase FTTF every chance I get and it will be great not to ever have to try to get it again.  I always wash a load of laundry on every cruise so that I can take carry-on luggage only.  It will be nice to have several free bags of laundry.

[mredandchis]

The pin,   I love the pin.  And the priority thingy but I love the pin.

 

[tandemcruzr]

What others have said -- but it also gets you closer to Diamond. 🙂

 

[SNJCruisers]

16 minutes ago, tandemcruzr said:

What others have said -- but it also gets you closer to Diamond. 🙂

 

 

Shift the Platinum perks to a Platinum plus level at 125.  That will reduce the number of Platinums substantially.  Give a BOGO specialty dinner to the plus level and a BOGO picture to the Platinum level.  Doesn't cost Carnival a dime, they generate more revenue and it provides a nicer perk than most of what is given now.

[Bowman1]

11 hours ago, tony_g51181 said:

I currently have 66 VIFP days and plan to take a 3 day cruise in Sept and a 7 day in October so I hope to hit platinum at the start of my october cruise! I just wanted some insight from everyone!!

We are doing the same thing - we booked the Panorama in Mar 2020, then booked the Liberty (3 days in Nov) & Paradise (5 days in Jan), so that the Panorama becomes our cross over cruise

 

we are looking forward to the laundry and early embarkation the most

[modes]

11 hours ago, tony_g51181 said:

I currently have 66 VIFP days and plan to take a 3 day cruise in Sept and a 7 day in October so I hope to hit platinum at the start of my october cruise! I just wanted some insight from everyone!!

Early boarding and your room will be ready and early debarkation.

[The4Cruisers]

Enjoy early boarding and getting into our room asap when onboard.  

Also like the priority debarkation and I put the pin on my backpack.  

 

Really enjoy the P/D party.  Free beer!!! 

 

The plat gift is a nice gesture from CCL.  We have appreciated all of the little trinkets we've received to date.  Even the Croc visors went to a good home.  😉

 

No use for any of the other perks, especially the laundry service (yuck!).  

Edited July 7, 2019 by The4Cruisers

[sanmarcosman]

The priority line at guest services has come in handy on several occasions for us. 

[RWolver672]

12 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

 

 Personally I think they want to eliminate as many Platinum perks as possible so they can sell more FTTF per cruise. As a stockholder, it is a great program that creates significant income with minimal cost. As a Platinum or Diamond, it directly negatively impacts perks associated with these levels. It will be interesting to see what Carnival eventually decides to do. 

 

I disagree.  We are Platinum.  We did not lose anything when FTTF became available.  I find it no different than if someone got a free cruise in an inside cabin and paid more for a better cabin.  No P/D ever complained if a non P/D paid extra for laundry service that they got for free.   Does the person that bought Cheers negatively  impact the person that booked a cruise with free casino drinks?  Does it negatively affect the taste of the free chocolate covered strawberries because someone else can buy them?  

 

I just have a hard time thinking that I lost what is now free for me because someone else is getting it by paying for it.  Maybe I'm in the minority on this.  Only time will tell by the people that will respond.

[TNcruising02]

2 hours ago, RWolver672 said:

 

I just have a hard time thinking that I lost what is now free for me because someone else is getting it by paying for it.  Maybe I'm in the minority on this.  Only time will tell by the people that will respond.

I agree with you.  Diamonds and Platinums board before FTTF and exit the ship before FTTF.  They get many additional benefits. There are only three instances when FTTF passengers were treated equally with the diamonds and platinums. One is meeting for early tender.  However, everyone easily got on the first tender boat, so that was a non-issue.  Another is the priority line for guest services.  I rarely see anyone in it.  If there is a FTTF person or two in that line, it might cause a wait of a couple of minutes.  The third is having a cabin ready upon boarding the ship.  When it happens that the cabin is not ready, I think some diamonds and platinums blame the extra work that has to be done for FTTF people.  That is possible.

Anyway, I get FTTF every time I can get it.  When I reach platinum, it will not bother me at all that people purchase FTTF.  I think the hostility towards the FTTF program is silly.

[ShakyBeef]

18 minutes ago, TNcruising02 said:

I agree with you.  Diamonds and Platinums board before FTTF and exit the ship before FTTF.  They get many additional benefits. There are only three instances when FTTF passengers were treated equally with the diamonds and platinums. One is meeting for early tender.  However, everyone easily got on the first tender boat, so that was a non-issue.  Another is the priority line for guest services.  I rarely see anyone in it.  If there is a FTTF person or two in that line, it might cause a wait of a couple of minutes.  The third is having a cabin ready upon boarding the ship.  When it happens that the cabin is not ready, I think some diamonds and platinums blame the extra work that has to be done for FTTF people.  That is possible.

Anyway, I get FTTF every time I can get it.  When I reach platinum, it will not bother me at all that people purchase FTTF.  I think the hostility towards the FTTF program is silly.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong (it's been a long time), but wasn't this a perk that Plats and Diamonds didn't have before the introduction of FTTF?  I know that there were at least one or two new perks given to Plats and Diamonds at that time,  I just can't remember if this was one of them.  If so, Ps & Ds don't have much ground on which to stand with their blaming FTTF for any slowdown there.  The perk exists because of FTTF.  And it also happened to be given to Ps and Ds.

[PhillyFan33579]

3 hours ago, RWolver672 said:

 

I disagree.  We are Platinum.  We did not lose anything when FTTF became available.  I find it no different than if someone got a free cruise in an inside cabin and paid more for a better cabin.  No P/D ever complained if a non P/D paid extra for laundry service that they got for free.   Does the person that bought Cheers negatively  impact the person that booked a cruise with free casino drinks?  Does it negatively affect the taste of the free chocolate covered strawberries because someone else can buy them?  

 

I just have a hard time thinking that I lost what is now free for me because someone else is getting it by paying for it.  Maybe I'm in the minority on this.  Only time will tell by the people that will respond.

 

We (my wife and I) just finished our 10th cruise yesterday as Platinums on Breeze. There were two instances where FTTF directly impacted us.

 

First, our cabin was not ready when we boarded the ship. Personnel in the priority lounge told us not all cabins would be ready upon embarkation, but there were close to 100 people in the FTTF section (terminal 5 at Port Canaveral). This is becoming a frequent problem (3rd time it has happened to us in 5 months - cabins were also not ready when we sailed on Sunshine and Horizon) because Carnival continues to sell FTTF on every cruise (with the exception of journey cruises and when new ships come out) no matter how many Diamonds and Platinums are on the cruise.

 

Second, we had to wait behind one person in the priority line late Thursday afternoon for 15 minutes while he was arguing with customer service about several things including removing gratuities. He was a red card with FTTF. The reason we were in line was neither of our S&S cards would unlock our cabin door. It turned out the battery in our door lock died and needed to be replaced, which was a very quick process once the maintenance guy got to our cabin. 

 

These are just two incidents on our latest cruise where passengers with FTTF directly impacted us, although they were both minor issues in the big scheme of things. I don’t have a problem with passengers who purchase FTTF, because they are entitled to perks that cost additional money. What I do think Carnival could do better is limit the number of FTTF they sell based on how many Diamonds and Platinums are on board.  It makes no sense to me when Carnival sells FTTF on cruises when there are a combined 300 - 400 or higher D&Ps on the cruise. 

 

[PhillyFan33579]

10 minutes ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

Correct me if I'm wrong (it's been a long time), but wasn't this a perk that Plats and Diamonds didn't have before the introduction of FTTF?  I know that there were at least one or two new perks given to Plats and Diamonds at that time,  I just can't remember if this was one of them.  If so, Ps & Ds don't have much ground on which to stand with their blaming FTTF for any slowdown there.  The perk exists because of FTTF.  And it also happened to be given to Ps and Ds.

 

You are correct. However, since the initial negative reaction from D&Ps at the time (we were not Platinum back then), it has been a perk provided to D&Ps and Carnival’s website specifically states D&Ps do not need to purchase FTTF because they already get these perks. It has always been a promised perk since my wife and I turned Platinum. 

[PhillyFan33579]

44 minutes ago, TNcruising02 said:

I agree with you.  Diamonds and Platinums board before FTTF and exit the ship before FTTF.  They get many additional benefits. There are only three instances when FTTF passengers were treated equally with the diamonds and platinums. One is meeting for early tender.  However, everyone easily got on the first tender boat, so that was a non-issue.  Another is the priority line for guest services.  I rarely see anyone in it.  If there is a FTTF person or two in that line, it might cause a wait of a couple of minutes.  The third is having a cabin ready upon boarding the ship.  When it happens that the cabin is not ready, I think some diamonds and platinums blame the extra work that has to be done for FTTF people.  That is possible.

Anyway, I get FTTF every time I can get it.  When I reach platinum, it will not bother me at all that people purchase FTTF.  I think the hostility towards the FTTF program is silly.

 

There are going to be a lot of upset people when Platinums lose perks when the VIFP program changes at some point in the future.  Carnival is going to say the changes are due to the large number of Platinums, which is true. But the changes are also designed so Carnival can continue to sell FTTF.  I don’t know the specifics, but I guarantee several perks associated with Platinum earned at 75 days are going to be eliminated. 

[Butterbean1000]

On 7/6/2019 at 10:17 AM, tony_g51181 said:

I currently have 66 VIFP days and plan to take a 3 day cruise in Sept and a 7 day in October so I hope to hit platinum at the start of my october cruise! I just wanted some insight from everyone!!

I am in the exact same place as you.  We are booked for the end of October.   We have looked at quickie cruises before then, but decided against it.  We are planning another 7 day for February and that's when I'll go platinum.  It's nice knowing that I've purchased FTTF for the last time.

[Trikermama]

Became Platinum on last cruise. Now saving money not having to buy FTTF and laundry. 2 things that I was upset about was the way some people think just because they are Platinum or Diamond that means the entire family gets their privileges.  Went to the P & D party and about a 1/3 of the people there were gold & red but since a family member was a D or P they felt they could be there also. I know RC checks people entering their function and only people who have earned the privilege can go in. When we were in the Platinum waiting area for disembark had P members bring the red & gold family in w/them. Maybe being petty but I PAID a lot of money to get the Platinum level and it seems unfair that others get to ride on family coat tails.

[xDisconnections]

1 hour ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

You are correct. However, since the initial negative reaction from D&Ps at the time (we were not Platinum back then), it has been a perk provided to D&Ps and Carnival’s website specifically states D&Ps do not need to purchase FTTF because they already get these perks. It has always been a promised perk since my wife and I turned Platinum. 

I wouldn’t call this a guaranteed benefit. Very frequently, on Journeys cruises and other various exotic itineraries, Carnival reaches out to guests to advise this benefit will not be offered.

[RWolver672]

1 hour ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

We (my wife and I) just finished our 10th cruise yesterday as Platinums on Breeze. There were two instances where FTTF directly impacted us.

 

First, our cabin was not ready when we boarded the ship. Personnel in the priority lounge told us not all cabins would be ready upon embarkation, but there were close to 100 people in the FTTF section (terminal 5 at Port Canaveral). This is becoming a frequent problem (3rd time it has happened to us in 5 months - cabins were also not ready when we sailed on Sunshine and Horizon) because Carnival continues to sell FTTF on every cruise (with the exception of journey cruises and when new ships come out) no matter how many Diamonds and Platinums are on the cruise.

 

Second, we had to wait behind one person in the priority line late Thursday afternoon for 15 minutes while he was arguing with customer service about several things including removing gratuities. He was a red card with FTTF. The reason we were in line was neither of our S&S cards would unlock our cabin door. It turned out the battery in our door lock died and needed to be replaced, which was a very quick process once the maintenance guy got to our cabin. 

 

These are just two incidents on our latest cruise where passengers with FTTF directly impacted us, although they were both minor issues in the big scheme of things. I don’t have a problem with passengers who purchase FTTF, because they are entitled to perks that cost additional money. What I do think Carnival could do better is limit the number of FTTF they sell based on how many Diamonds and Platinums are on board.  It makes no sense to me when Carnival sells FTTF on cruises when there are a combined 300 - 400 or higher D&Ps on the cruise. 

 

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but before FTTF,  you could never go to your cabin before 1:30.  That benefit was gained because of FTTF.  The reason most people want to go to their cabins early is to drop off their carry-ons.  Even if your cabin isn't ready, with FTTF or P/D, you can still go to your cabin to drop those off.

 

What would have happened if the person in the Guest Services line was a Platinum or Diamond?  You still would have had to wait that fifteen minutes to be waited on while they took care of them.  

 

By the way, Carnival does limit the number of FTTF based on how many P/Ds there are.  What that number is would be anyone's guess.

[Jamman54]

33 minutes ago, xDisconnections said:

I wouldn’t call this a guaranteed benefit. Very frequently, on Journeys cruises and other various exotic itineraries, Carnival reaches out to guests to advise this benefit will not be offered.

 

That is because of the high number of diamonds and plats that book these cruises. Before our Journeys cruise to Hawaii in April we received an email that said no cabins would be ready before 1:30, but we would be able to drop off our carry ons. That was just fine for us. We boarded the Splendor at 11:15, and at 11:50 an announcement was made that Diamond cabins were ready, and about an hour later Platinum cabins were ready, so both way before the 1:30 time stated. 😎

[PhillyFan33579]

15 minutes ago, RWolver672 said:

By the way, Carnival does limit the number of FTTF based on how many P/Ds there are.  What that number is would be anyone's guess.

 

This statement is not true, although it’s not completely incorrect.  I have talked to hotel directors (from experience they seem to know the most about FTTF) at several D&P parties about why FTTF was sold for this cruise when there were so many D&Ps on the cruise, sometimes resulting in two separating D&P parties. I have been told several times for every cruise they release a certain number of FTTF for sale based on the size of the ship and historical data, with the exception of journey cruises and new ships. After the initial release, any future release of FTTF is based on the current number of D&Ps booked on the cruise.  So while there is some correlation between FTTF and D&P,  FTTF is not completely limited by the number of D&Ps on the cruise. If this was true, there would be quite a few cruises where FTTF would not be offered, which never happens except for the previously mentioned exceptions. 

[Shaded Lady]

I look forward to not having to pay for FTTF and get the same (MOL) perks... I just hope they don't change the VIFP program just before I turn Platinum!

[PhillyFan33579]

4 hours ago, Trikermama said:

Became Platinum on last cruise. Now saving money not having to buy FTTF and laundry. 2 things that I was upset about was the way some people think just because they are Platinum or Diamond that means the entire family gets their privileges.  Went to the P & D party and about a 1/3 of the people there were gold & red but since a family member was a D or P they felt they could be there also. I know RC checks people entering their function and only people who have earned the privilege can go in. When we were in the Platinum waiting area for disembark had P members bring the red & gold family in w/them. Maybe being petty but I PAID a lot of money to get the Platinum level and it seems unfair that others get to ride on family coat tails.

 

From my experience, they enforce/check S&S cards at the entrance when there are a lot of D&Ps on the ship.  When there aren’t too many D&Ps on the ship, they are a lot more liberal on letting non D&Ps into the party. 

 

Carnival allows people staying in the same cabin as a Diamond or Platinum to board and leave the ship together. I don’t know if that applied to your situation, but you almost always see non D&Ps in the priority boarding area and priority debarkation area due to this. Of course these days you can’t really tell any more in the priority area in the terminal since you don’t get your S&S card until after you board the ship. 

 

 

[vicky3vicky]

I will be turning Platinum on my next cruise, which is a Journey Cruise in November. I have not been able to use the perks yet, but I know which ones I am looking most forward to. I am super excited about the free laundry [5 bags a person on a 14 day cruise] the PlatinumDiamond party with free drinks, the strawberry plate, and the gift [even if it is a lanyard] 

 

At this point, I am not so excited about priority embarkation and disembarkation. That is because probably half the people on the ship will be Priority and I am actually wondering if I will have less problem by going in the non-priority lines. On a seven day cruise, I am sure that I will enjoy these benefits though.

 

 

 

 

[skyeman27]

On 7/6/2019 at 10:53 AM, livingthedream1 said:

Priority boarding and having cabin ready when we board.  

Yes...