change to my boarding number

[noslen3333]

I am asking my fellow cruisers if their boarding number has changed to a lower number than before. I want ya'll to understand that I don't think I need to be #1 at the gate but after 10+ years with Carnival I have gone from an A1 to an A2 to now a B1. What's up with that. I am a diamond so I was really surprised to see the change. Has this happened to others on this forum? Does anyone know why this is happening? Thanks

 

[Tiger0613]

I believe boarding zone numbers are assigned based on the check in time you choose, not your loyalty status.

[noslen3333]

check in time  10:30; first available time to arrive so I don't think that is it. It is not a big deal but I am curious as to the "why". Thanks for your input

 

[icft]

It is a question of how many people checked in for the earliest time before you. Check-in starts at midnight eastern time. A number of folks start sign-in immediately at that time. Some go so far as to skip to the arrival time section and fill it in before doing the rest of the check-in steps. The key is when you complete the arrival time section, not when you complete the entire check-in.

 

Also, it depends on how many they have in each boarding group. I have been in A2 at times there have only been about ten folks in A1. But I have also been in A2 when there were quite a few in A1. I haven't seen rhyme or reason for how many are in each group.

 

[icft]

I should also mention that most cruises I have been on have the 10 to 10:30 time as the earliest check-in time. If that time is full then the earliest time you will see on the arrival time screen will be 10:30.

[ray98]

It depends on how many people checked in before you.  Diamond and Platinum no longer get priority boarding, it only allows 2 days of early access to the check-in process.  If you miss that you just fall wherever you do in the queue.

[Enggrl]

7 hours ago, noslen3333 said:

check in time  10:30; first available time to arrive so I don't think that is it. It is not a big deal but I am curious as to the "why". Thanks for your input

 

Usually the first check in time is 1000 so obviously people have checked in before you and therefore have the A1 A2 etc. It’s all about what time you get for a check in. Supposedly they are looking at bringing priority boarding back and I assume they will as I would think that they want to bring back FTTF. They can’t really sell FTTF without bringing back Priority boarding.

[BobbiSox]

What is the advantage to an early check-in? Seems to me that the later the checks in, the less time that has to be spent sitting on an uncomfortable chair in an over-crowded room. 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

1 hour ago, BobbiSox said:

What is the advantage to an early check-in? Seems to me that the later the checks in, the less time that has to be spent sitting on an uncomfortable chair in an over-crowded room. 

The earlier the check in time the sooner you can be in the ship enjoying food and drink. 

 

Purple also enjoy exploring a mostly empty trip. 

[ray98]

1 hour ago, PrincessArlena'sDad said:

The earlier the check in time the sooner you can be in the ship enjoying food and drink. 

 

The earlier boarding group gets you on the ship earlier, arrival time just gets you in the terminal.

[ProgRockCruiser]

12 hours ago, noslen3333 said:

I am asking my fellow cruisers if their boarding number has changed to a lower number than before. I want ya'll to understand that I don't think I need to be #1 at the gate but after 10+ years with Carnival I have gone from an A1 to an A2 to now a B1. What's up with that. I am a diamond so I was really surprised to see the change. Has this happened to others on this forum? Does anyone know why this is happening? Thanks

 

I'm not sure I understand.  Did you check in and get A1, then afterwards it downgraded to A2 then B1?

 

Or did you check in and you got B1 as your first selection?  That would simply indicate a bunch of folks beat you to the punch.  Did you check in at midnight two days prior to the rest of the hoi polloi (as D&P are entitled to do), or did you want until the next morning, or ... ?

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

3 hours ago, ray98 said:

The earlier boarding group gets you on the ship earlier, arrival time just gets you in the terminal.

But there's a correlation between earlier arrival time and earlier boarding group. 

[noslen3333]

ok...I am one of those that checks into my boarding shortly after midnight. As a diamond, I have a 2-day early check-in time from other passengers. So those before me isn't the issue. If diamonds don't get priority boarding then why to we get priority departure? So that doesn't make sense. To me this is akin to getting less product for the same price when you go to the grocery store. Again, I am not trying to think because I am diamond, I should get priority. Instead, when something changes that I have had the right by Carnival to early boarding the ship, then I am curious as to the why.

 

It makes me question Carnival because I have been a fan of them and have enjoyed the perks that Carnival has given me because of my loyalty. Now I am starting to have an issue because my perks are being cut almost everytime I have cruised recently. That is where my head is at and I just want to know why do diamond cruisers not mean as much to Carnival as they used to.

[Mic101680]

12 hours ago, BobbiSox said:

What is the advantage to an early check-in? Seems to me that the later the checks in, the less time that has to be spent sitting on an uncomfortable chair in an over-crowded room. 

I personally prefer a boarding time before noon so I have time to get something to eat, get oriented with the ship (especially if it's a larger ship), and can get the app for that cruise set up and flag things I may want to do during that week. If rooms are ready early (which they have been for most of the cruises I've been on), I can go ahead and unpack too.

[icft]

3 hours ago, noslen3333 said:

ok...I am one of those that checks into my boarding shortly after midnight. As a diamond, I have a 2-day early check-in time from other passengers. So those before me isn't the issue. If diamonds don't get priority boarding then why to we get priority departure? So that doesn't make sense. To me this is akin to getting less product for the same price when you go to the grocery store. Again, I am not trying to think because I am diamond, I should get priority. Instead, when something changes that I have had the right by Carnival to early boarding the ship, then I am curious as to the why.

 

It makes me question Carnival because I have been a fan of them and have enjoyed the perks that Carnival has given me because of my loyalty. Now I am starting to have an issue because my perks are being cut almost everytime I have cruised recently. That is where my head is at and I just want to know why do diamond cruisers not mean as much to Carnival as they used to.

The short answer is that Carnival does not care about Diamond members very much. They figure Diamond members are about the most likely to sail come hell or high water and least likely to jump to another cruise line.

 

What Carnival wants these days in new cruisers. They are trying to fill ships and get demand up enough to raise prices. That means new demand, not old demand. They consider Diamond cruisers to essentially be locked in to cruising and Carnival for the most part.

[jus4fun]

I totally agree with Carnival mainly interested in "new" cruisers. We currently have 5 cruises booked with Carnival, 3 are on the Celebration (the biggie is our 50th wedding anniversary).  We are platinum and love Carnival; however, have decided to try some of the other lines just to change it up a bit. 

I have to admit, the rival lines do seem really excited to have "new" cruisers too.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

The less Ds and Ps, the more FTTF they can sell to make money. 

 

Wait.... oh..... never mind.  

[ProgRockCruiser]

12 hours ago, noslen3333 said:

when something changes that I have had the right by Carnival to early boarding the ship

It's not a right, it is a privilege, and they revoked it under the guise of COVID protocols, but I honestly can't explain why they haven't let it return.  It doesn't cost them anything.

 

You didn't really/fully respond to my questions, so I will assume you checked in after midnight, which may have been an hour late since you are in Texas (not sure where you are departing from), and got Zone B1.  All I can suggest s a bunch of folks beat you to the punch, and snagged all the A series.

 

Though I will note I am a lowly Gold, and when I remember to check in at midnight (two days after the D&Ps can) I usually get an A-series.  I forgot last time, and checked in the next morning for our last cruise and got a D series.  No biggie, was on the ship pretty well exactly at 1pm.

[chasinraynbowz]

I am diamond and I was able to check into my cruise 2 days earlier that my friends.  I got A1 and they got A3 or B1 or something later than me.  So I am not sure why you got B1 other than the fact that maybe there are a LOT of diamonds sailing that day?  

[iria64]

Even with Bs you will most likely only be, at most, 30 minutes behind the first A groups.

We had B12 group for Mardi Gras.  They started boarding shortly after 11.  We were on the ship by about 11:45.

[noslen3333]

last comment from me. My issue isn't when I get on board. The issue is "after covid" the "extras" that I use to get because of my 55+ cruises have been dropped. Instead I see the "suite passengers" get the priority boarding and then the rest of the passengers. I know suites cost more money than other rooms but I am afraid Carnival is shooting themselves in the foot. Loyalty should mean something to them. They need the repeat passengers to survive. To place a one-time suite passenger over their repeating customers is a step in the wrong direction. I love cruising and I still will cruise Carnival. I just wish they would include all the levels and their perks. BTW, I am a stockholder also.

[sternfanla]

On 10/19/2022 at 9:46 PM, noslen3333 said:

check in time  10:30; first available time to arrive so I don't think that is it. It is not a big deal but I am curious as to the "why". Thanks for your input

 

It seems like a big deal to you.

[BlerkOne]

15 hours ago, icft said:

The short answer is that Carnival does not care about Diamond members very much. They figure Diamond members are about the most likely to sail come hell or high water and least likely to jump to another cruise line.

 

What Carnival wants these days in new cruisers. They are trying to fill ships and get demand up enough to raise prices. That means new demand, not old demand. They consider Diamond cruisers to essentially be locked in to cruising and Carnival for the most part.

Carnival has sufficient repeat business. Many Diamonds are gamblers who are cruising for free or nearly free. Let them go somewhere else.

 

Carnival has ALWAYS had a target market of novice cruisers. This is nothing new. They spend more money.

[BlerkOne]

9 minutes ago, noslen3333 said:

last comment from me. My issue isn't when I get on board. The issue is "after covid" the "extras" that I use to get because of my 55+ cruises have been dropped. Instead I see the "suite passengers" get the priority boarding and then the rest of the passengers. I know suites cost more money than other rooms but I am afraid Carnival is shooting themselves in the foot. Loyalty should mean something to them. They need the repeat passengers to survive. To place a one-time suite passenger over their repeating customers is a step in the wrong direction. I love cruising and I still will cruise Carnival. I just wish they would include all the levels and their perks. BTW, I am a stockholder also.

Repeat customers don't grow the business. New customers do. As long as Carnival gets some repeat customers, they are good.

[asalligo]

On 10/20/2022 at 8:07 AM, Enggrl said:

Supposedly they are looking at bringing priority boarding back and I assume they will as I would think that they want to bring back FTTF. They can’t really sell FTTF without bringing back Priority boarding.

They should not, but they certainly can. Doubt they are that brazen though. 

 

Edited October 21, 2022 by asalligo