Priority Boarding

[mdsgu]

Has the priority boarding for Platinum/Diamond cruisers returned?

[crazyank]

15 minutes ago, mdsgu said:

Has the priority boarding for Platinum/Diamond cruisers returned?

We were on Vision 10-18 June and there was no priority boarding.

[MeganGC1983]

Last week on the Ecstasy, only priority for suite guests. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

Not in Seattle (except at very end at check-in).

[Saint Greg]

Everyone says they don't have priority boarding but we board first...or close to first. Platinum/Diamond get to pick arrival times two days earlier than anyone else and have an earlier boarding zone. They say there is no priority embarkation but would I be boarding any earlier if they had it? In Seattle I walked on the ship right after I got through security (11:10).

 

Edited June 29, 2022 by Saint Greg

[Lee Cruiser]

The two day window gives a different priority boarding.  As Greg said, you will still essentially board at the same time as before.  The key now is that you have to check in early in that two day window, but on all three of our cruises since the start back we have had Zone A1 boarding.  For us, the biggest negative is not having rooms ready upon boarding.  We like to go to our rooms, unpack and relax.  That's been the biggest downside for us.

[iamsteph]

2 minutes ago, Lee Cruiser said:

The two day window gives a different priority boarding.  As Greg said, you will still essentially board at the same time as before.  The key now is that you have to check in early in that two day window, but on all three of our cruises since the start back we have had Zone A1 boarding.  For us, the biggest negative is not having rooms ready upon boarding.  We like to go to our rooms, unpack and relax.  That's been the biggest downside for us.

My first sail after the restart I picked the earliest check-in time because I thought I'd at least be able to drop my luggage (all carry on) as Platinum.  Except the staff wouldn't let me.  So I've been picking a time after the rooms are ready.  Which means long lines checking in.  It would be nice to be able to skip ahead to the front of the line as priority again.  

[Saint Greg]

5 minutes ago, Lee Cruiser said:

The two day window gives a different priority boarding.  As Greg said, you will still essentially board at the same time as before.  The key now is that you have to check in early in that two day window, but on all three of our cruises since the start back we have had Zone A1 boarding.  For us, the biggest negative is not having rooms ready upon boarding.  We like to go to our rooms, unpack and relax.  That's been the biggest downside for us.

 

But you can drop off the bags which is fine with me. And a few times I've gotten my room card right away. And once I had the steward say I could have full access to the room right away.

[MeganGC1983]

1 hour ago, Saint Greg said:

Everyone says they don't have priority boarding but board WE first...or close to first. Platinum/Diamond get to pick arrival times two days earlier than anyone else and have an earlier boarding zone. They say there is no priority embarkation but would I be boarding any earlier if they had it? In Seattle I walked on the ship right after I got through security (11:10).

 

I see what you did there. 

[Elaine5715]

It depends on if they are enforcing Boarding groups.  So far, I have only seen that in one of of three cruises.

[Saint Greg]

16 minutes ago, MeganGC1983 said:

I see what you did there. 

 

We as in platinum diamond.

[Saint Greg]

14 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

It depends on if they are enforcing Boarding groups.  So far, I have only seen that in one of of three cruises.

 

Arrival times or boarding zones? Arrival times most aren't looking at. But they always look at the boarding zone on my boarding pass.

[Elaine5715]

1 minute ago, Saint Greg said:

 

Arrival times or boarding zones? Arrival times most aren't looking at. But they always look at the boarding zone on my boarding pass.

Neither was enforced.  No one checked arrival appointments and since boarding had begun, everyone just kept walking straight onboard.  

[Saint Greg]

5 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

Neither was enforced.  No one checked arrival appointments and since boarding had begun, everyone just kept walking straight onboard.  

 

The only place I've been able to just walk on board has been Seattle because that's the only place that had already started boarding when I got through security. But people who didn't have the correct boarding zone sat down.  In Orlando, New Orleans, Galveston, and Long Beach we had to wait for boarding zones to be called and they always looked at my boarding pass. Maybe they let people with the wrong boarding zone on but I don't know because I always went when my zone was called. And I always had one of the first zones.

 

 

Edited June 29, 2022 by Saint Greg

[MeganGC1983]

7 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 

We as in platinum diamond.

Ohhh I know. #LowlyGold #Onlyonemorecruise

[MeganGC1983]

1 minute ago, Saint Greg said:

 

The only place I've been able to just walk on board has been Seattle because that's the only place that had already started boarding when I got through security. But people who didn't have the correct boarding zone sat down.  In Orlando, New Orleans, Galveston, and Long Beach we had to wait for boarding zones to be called and they always looked at my boarding pass.

 

We walked on in Mobile because the train and traffic delayed us and we were in document check for the 52 kids we brought when boarding started. They called A02 right as we were finishing up. 

[bar1068]

For the 3 cruises we've done since the restart, we've had 3 different "experiences", but none were really priority, to us anyways, but all good.

 

In Baltimore last September, we had our quickest door to on the ship check in yet. From parking the car, walking into the terminal, security check, then check in, then went straight onto ship, maybe took 15 minutes. We had the second earliest check in time, which they did check as we entered the parking lot, and I believe we had an A1 boarding zone, but that was not checked, as we just walked onto ship.

 

Port Canaveral last November, nothing short of a cluster eff. Rental car shuttle dropped us off at port, and it was zoo city with folks debarking previous cruise and folks arriving for departing cruise. No organization on which way to go depending on check in time...plat/dia/whatever....nothing. We got in the line we figured that would a least get us in. However while in line, a terminal agent was "announcing" that plats/dias to just head in to the terminal, bust through the line, which we did. Guy at xray for luggage told us we could not bring our wine onboard, we were like *****, but then another agent said we were good. We then sat in terminal waiting for our A1 zone to get called...which it did about 30 minutes later. 

 

Last month in Miami, gave VeriFLY a go, worked ok, saved us like, 45 seconds checking in. We did have an earlier checkin time and terminal was fairly empty, so checked right in, and then, sat in terminal for boarding zone call. At that point the cluster eff ensued, but all was good, boarded ship and off we cruised.  

 

For each cruise we did stash our carry ons in our cabins...oh yea...we got the platinum colored cards, though one room steward on of of the sailing did ask we toss our luggage in the closets while he finished up. All good. 

 

[Elaine5715]

38 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 

The only place I've been able to just walk on board has been Seattle because that's the only place that had already started boarding when I got through security. But people who didn't have the correct boarding zone sat down.  In Orlando, New Orleans, Galveston, and Long Beach we had to wait for boarding zones to be called and they always looked at my boarding pass. Maybe they let people with the wrong boarding zone on but I don't know because I always went when my zone was called. And I always had one of the first zones.

 

 

Both times I had 10:30 am arrival and A01 boarding groups at Seattle and Port Canaveral (Magic, not Mardi Gras-they checked boarding groups but not arrival appts). I was delayed entering the terminal due to everyone being let in and once inside, keep my boarding pass out but staff just keep waving everyone through.  When some went to sit, they were also waved through.  

[Saint Greg]

28 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

Both times I had 10:30 am arrival and A01 boarding groups at Seattle and Port Canaveral (Magic, not Mardi Gras-they checked boarding groups but not arrival appts). 

 

There you go. Boarding group is what matters. That's when you get on the ship. Just letting people through security early isn't letting them on the ship early. I would like them to enforce both but they aren't. But I am getting on the ship before the gold, red, blue despite them "not having priority boarding."

 

 

Edited June 29, 2022 by Saint Greg

[kodiac]

Was in NYC for the 6/20 sailing of the Magic. No priority until after security. It was an absolute nightmare and took almost 2 hours from the time of arrival until we got on the ship (with priority). 

[Elaine5715]

3 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

 

There you go. Boarding group is what matters. That's when you get on the ship. Just letting people through security early isn't letting them on the ship early. I would like them to enforce both but they aren't. But I am getting on the ship before the gold, red, blue despite them "not having priority boarding."

 

 

In my examples, everyone was getting on the ship early.  Didn't matter if you were A01 or Z26.  In Seattle, my newbie Blue Cards followed my advice, checked in at 12:01 am and also got a 10:30 am arrival appointment.  I don't remember what their Boarding Group number was (mine I know was A01) but we walked onboard together since no one checked. So these Blues the same "priority" boarding as a Tin, I mean, Platinum.  

[Saint Greg]

7 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

In my examples, everyone was getting on the ship early.  Didn't matter if you were A01 or Z26.  In Seattle, my newbie Blue Cards followed my advice, checked in at 12:01 am and also got a 10:30 am arrival appointment.  I don't remember what their Boarding Group number was (mine I know was A01) but we walked onboard together since no one checked. So these Blues the same "priority" boarding as a Tin, I mean, Platinum.  

Well I’m happy with the way boarding zones have worked out. This is priority enough for me.

 

 

 

[groundloop]

32 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

In my examples, everyone was getting on the ship early.  Didn't matter if you were A01 or Z26.  In Seattle, my newbie Blue Cards followed my advice, checked in at 12:01 am and also got a 10:30 am arrival appointment.  I don't remember what their Boarding Group number was (mine I know was A01) but we walked onboard together since no one checked. So these Blues the same "priority" boarding as a Tin, I mean, Platinum.  

 

 

If they had a 10:30 AM arrival time they must have had a very early boarding group.

 

In every one of my 6 post startup cruises the ports have been totally lax about allowing people into the terminal regardless of assigned check-in time but Carnival has strictly enforced boarding groups.

 

 

[Markmom18]

12 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

 

But you can drop off the bags which is fine with me. And a few times I've gotten my room card right away. And once I had the steward say I could have full access to the room right away.

  So, are the doors open to the hallways? If closed, do they push open? Do you knock if those doors are locked?  Just curious …

[Janet&Carl]

11 hours ago, bar1068 said:

. Guy at xray for luggage told us we could not bring our wine onboard, we were like *****, but then another agent said we were good. We then sat in terminal waiting for our A1 zone to get called...which it did about 30 minutes later. 

 

 

 

First Carnival cruise coming up - i thought I had read somewhere that you were not allowed to take alcohol onboard.  Can anyone clarify if I can take my own wine on ?