VIP check in for everyone?

[karharts]

I recently booked 4 cabins on the Fascination for a family cruise in June. One was a Cat 12. The booking agent at Carnival said she thought that the whole group (12 of us) could go thru VIP check-in. Is this true? Thanks.

[jckvpa0]

12 might be pushing it. I had two cabins, one being a cat 11 & they did let our ds & dn check in with us.

[chefboyrdee]

vip check in is for vip.platinum guests, carnival vacation club and cat .11 and 12.when agents are checking in guests cruising with vip guests that means real vip guests have to wait longer to check in. i really dont think it is fair to the real vip guests.let the other cabins in you party do regular check in. you can meet up on the ship after you check in.

[PA Dutchman]

Sorry Only the people staying in the CAT 12 will be VIP. Not everybody you know or CCL may as well not have VIP.

[LHP]

The usual scenerio allows children of a Cat 11 or 12 couple (who perhaps have booked an interior cabin across the hall and linked the cabins) to do the VIP Check In with their parents. Otherwise, just have the "rest of your group" meet you in the atrium.

 

Have a great cruise.

[DEL67]

I believe that when you are VIP, one or two other cabins can check in with you, but am not sure about catergory 12 passengers.

 

Regardless, we were on the Fascination earlier this month, we had our fastest, most efficient check in of all our curises (over 25.) We had to wait for a rep for about 30 seconds and it took her about 3 minutes to check us in (my sister did not have her credit card out or it would have been faster.) We were on the boat in under 20 minutes from when we arrived at the pier!

[yst347]

vip check in is for vip.platinum guests, carnival vacation club and cat .11 and 12.when agents are checking in guests cruising with vip guests that means real vip guests have to wait longer to check in. i really dont think it is fair to the real vip guests.let the other cabins in you party do regular check in. you can meet up on the ship after you check in.

 

While I may agree with your view it isn't an answer to the question. It is well known that Carnival allows others booked with a Suite guest to all board together. Similarly Carnival allows others in a party with a handicapped person to board with them also.

[chefboyrdee]

I believe that when you are VIP, one or two other cabins can check in with you, but am not sure about catergory 12 passengers.

 

like the previous poster stated, perhaps children travelling with the vip cabin can checkin with them but not the whole neighborhood!! it is unfair to all the vip guests waiting while 1 vip cabin is checking in with 3 other non vip cabins. just becasue your travel agent said it was ok . dont beleive it. they will say anything!!

[Stircrzy]

Regardless of personal opinion as to the fairness of letting others board with "VIP" guests...

 

The answer to the original question is:

 

It depends on the people at the Port whether or not your entire party will be allowed to go through VIP or not.

 

Carnival has nothing to do with the decision...neither does your travel agent.

[karharts]

Thanks, everyone, that was really fast. My main concern is for my step daughter. She has a heart condition and I don't think she can be on her feet a long time. I am hoping that they will let her board with me. I only have me and my 8 year old niece in the cat 12. Everyone else is in an oceanview. Altogether there will be 5 kids and I told the parents they could bunk with me, I booked them with their parents. Figure we could all squeeze into one big room. I guess that is my next ? There won't be a problem having the kids sleep in a different room than they are booked in will there? I will make it up to the cabin steward!

[Earthworm Jim]

On a slightly different subject, is VIP check in really that much of an advantage?

[chefboyrdee]

stircrazy,

who do you think the people at the port are?

and carnival can make the decision.as someone who works for carvival doing VIP check in, it can get very hectic in the vip check in area. we have had 1 VIP cabin come in and 4 non VIP cabins (all adult) all travelling together come into the VIP check in area and want to be checked in together and we have sent the other cabins to regular check in because the VIP check in was already crowded with VIP guests.

there is usually no problem with non VIP guests boarding with VIP guests it is the check in with VIP guests which is unfair to other VIP guests.

have a good thanksgiving

[chefboyrdee]

karharts,

if your daughter has a problem get her a wheelcahir at embarkation. that will also help with checking in.

earthworm jim,

yes VIP check in can be an advantage ,especially if the lines are long. you go right into the VIP check in area.

[serene56]

Similarly Carnival allows others in a party with a handicapped person to board with them also.

 

Not really true in our case-- Mom is in a wheel chair. 9 of us cruise. Only one person was allowed to go to priorty check in with her.

 

Since we arrive at the ship relatively early-- we board soon after her anyways.

 

VIP checkin-- but you still have to get in line after the people who have already checked in.

[MrPete]

I had booked a cat 11 for wife and I, and had to put my 6 year old in the adjoining cat 8 room, being the wraps only hold two pax..

 

We went to VIP check-in. I gave the lady behind the counter both sets of tickets.

 

The smug look as she looked down her nose, while sliding the second set of tickets back at me, while saying "You must have someone else's tickets" was met immediately with my response of "Oh, which line do I send my 6 year old daughter on?"

 

Boy, did her tune change.

[Elaine515]

Serene,

 

Thanks for the Happy Thanksgiving card...it was very cute...

 

 

 

We cruised this past July with 11 people in 4 cabins, of which 3 of the cabins had a Platinum Card Member in it. (2 of the cabins everyone was a Platinum Card Member and the 3rd cabin only my daughter, who is 16 and travelling with 3 of her 16 year old non Platinum friends). The 4th belonged to my in-laws who are 2 away.

 

The VIP Rep let all of us into the room and checked us in... It was done in under 5 minutes for all 4 cabins....

[BrendaB1]

On a slightly different subject, is VIP check in really that much of an advantage?

 

Not if every VIP person that is entilted to it brings a bunch that aren't.

[bonniemari]

We often travel with friends or family that are not VIP. They always check in through the regular check in line.

 

Serene-I hate to disagree with you but VIP does mean priority boarding and now priority debarkation after self assist. We have always been escorted to the front of any line and let ahead of the people that have already checked in thru the regualar checkin. The priority debarkation was something new to us that we had on the Fantasy a couple of weeks ago. A social host escorted about 10 Platininum members off the ship after the self assist were called. We received a note in our cabin the afternoon before telling us when and where to meet.

[serene56]

Serene-I hate to disagree with you but VIP does mean priority boarding and now priority debarkation after self assist. We have always been escorted to the front of any line and let ahead of the people that have already checked in thru the regualar checkin. The priority debarkation was something new to us that we had on the Fantasy a couple of weeks ago. A social host escorted about 10 Platininum members off the ship after the self assist were called. We received a note in our cabin the afternoon before telling us when and where to meet.

 

I dont think its disagreeing but setting me on the road to know. But is that in alla the ports?

I know back a year or two ago-- people behind be were cat 11 suite holders.. I had just a cat 8A. They were told Priorty check in only.

Is it called Priorty debarkation or Priorty check in?

Did you go at a slower time or was the line getting on the ship LONG...

 

one more question-- is the check in the same for a first time suite passenger and the Platinum status passenger?

[Salty_Breezes]

I think it also depends on the rep. that day. I have seen it go both ways. Some reps. will let others (non VIP) board while other reps. will only check-in those with VIP standing.

Stacy

[LHP]

I dont think its disagreeing but setting me on the road to know. But is that in alla the ports?

I know back a year or two ago-- people behind be were cat 11 suite holders.. I had just a cat 8A. They were told Priorty check in only.

Is it called Priorty debarkation or Priorty check in?

Did you go at a slower time or was the line getting on the ship LONG...

 

one more question-- is the check in the same for a first time suite passenger and the Platinum status passenger?

 

 

Years ago, all Carnival had was the Skipper's Club and the only folks who got it were those who booked a Cat 11 or 12. That meant priority check in.

 

When Carnival implemented the Platinum status, they changed the name from Skipper's Club to VIP Check In. So the check in is the same for all Cat 11 or 12, CVC members or Platinum members. It is just called the VIP Check In now instead of the Skipper's Club.

 

Priority debarkation is for CVC members or Platinum members only. (not the Cat 11 or 12) After meeting together (enjoying our coffee, danish etc as we wait..)...Carnival has someone escort us off the ship right after the self assist. We are Platinum and this Check In and Debark was for everyone listed on our documentation.

 

In Long Beach and Tampa, we were boarded before everyone except weddings. (neither cruise had a wedding...so we were first on...in front of those in wheelchairs ~~which kinda surprised me)

[truecruiser]

While I may agree with your view it isn't an answer to the question. It is well known that Carnival allows others booked with a Suite guest to all board together. Similarly Carnival allows others in a party with a handicapped person to board with them also.

i agree w/ ChefB's pov too. ialso agree that s/he didn't answer the OP's question, but i don't think that s/he meant too. i think ChefB was instead appealing to the poster (b/4 any discussion of family members) to not try to check in 4 cabins which are not VIP out of consideration to others. I agree w/ that. I don't think ChefB was saying children or others needing assistance shld be denied boarding w/ VIP. we are travelling in a cat 12 in feb. our friends are not. i am not planning on try to get them through the VIP line. i'll meet them on LIDO a few moments later and will have a couple of buckets of beer and the drink of the day waiting for them!

[bonniemari]

I dont think its disagreeing but setting me on the road to know. But is that in alla the ports?

I know back a year or two ago-- people behind be were cat 11 suite holders.. I had just a cat 8A. They were told Priorty check in only.

Is it called Priorty debarkation or Priorty check in?

Did you go at a slower time or was the line getting on the ship LONG...

 

one more question-- is the check in the same for a first time suite passenger and the Platinum status passenger?

 

We have had priority boarding at Miami, Port Canaveral, Mobile and New Orleans and one time in Boston after our cruise out of NYC was moved. We always get to the port between 11-12. And the lines are usually long but we get escorted thru security (bags are screened) and the picture taking on your S & S card. In fact most host will ask if you want your "cruise ship" photo taken. They must know we have been there, done that before. Most of the time we do not get our "getting on the ship picture" taken cause we already have one-so they just escort us around this area.

 

Priority debarkation was getting off the ship quick and easy-as I described above.

 

We usually have a triple whammy-Platinum, CVC Member and Suite Pass. But couple of weeks ago we only had CVC and Platinum-but still got priority check in, boarding and debarkation. But before we were Platinum and CVC and only Suite Pass. we still got Priority check in and boarding.

[iluvdoxies]

On a slightly different subject, is VIP check in really that much of an advantage?

 

 

YES it sure is ! After we are checked in, we are escorted to the front of the line to board. :)

[iluvdoxies]

Not really true in our case-- Mom is in a wheel chair. 9 of us cruise. Only one person was allowed to go to priorty check in with her.

 

VIP checkin-- but you still have to get in line after the people who have already checked in.

 

 

Serene, we have NEVER waited in line to board---