Platinum perks

[glrounds]

I am going to be on the Freedom in May and this will be our first cruise with Platinum status - so we a newbies to the perks! My question is: I am traveling as part of a group of 10, but only 3 of us have the Platinum status. Will we all be able to go through embarkation together via the VIP area?? We obviously want to stay together so we were not sure if they would be able to come with us or if we would have to wait in the normal line with the rest of the family.

 

I'm not an authority on this, but I read a lot. :D

 

I would say, NO ! . . . unless the non-platinum cruisers in your group are DISPERSED among the PLATINUM members (booked in their cabins) :)

Its not the end of the world, however, just agree to meet later at a place everyone can find (atrium bar, aft bar, buffet, etc.).

[Elaine515]

True but for me, the most valuable "perk" for platinum would be priority embarkation, which I get with my suites; the other "perks" just doesn't appeal much to me, although I'll probably reach Platinum in a year or two simply because I love cruising Carnival.

 

 

I have a feeling that when you do finally reach Platinum, you'll feel differently. Yes, priority embarkation is really nice, but I bet it will appeal to you getting off the ship first when docked or tendering. I bet it will appeal to you when you need to have some shirts/shorts cleaned. I bet it will appeal to you if you have to go to the Pursers Desk to ask a question or get something straightened out and you have your own line....I bet it will appeal to you if you get the early seating but really wanted the late.. etc etc... We also love Carnival and were actually Platinum before the program was even started but all of these perks definitely appeal to us!!

[D4]

We last cruised on Carnival in November. I loved the platinum priority check in and the laundry service which we sent out daily. But anytime I went to the pursers desk and stood on the special platinum carpet, they ignored me and just handled the people in the main line. I was surprised by that because I had my card in hand.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

We last cruised on Carnival in November. I loved the platinum priority check in and the laundry service which we sent out daily. But anytime I went to the pursers desk and stood on the special platinum carpet, they ignored me and just handled the people in the main line. I was surprised by that because I had my card in hand.

 

Carnival DOES have problems with that from time to time... :mad:

 

Tom

[aggieastrosfan]

We last cruised on Carnival in November. I loved the platinum priority check in and the laundry service which we sent out daily. But anytime I went to the pursers desk and stood on the special platinum carpet, they ignored me and just handled the people in the main line. I was surprised by that because I had my card in hand.

 

Funny you mentioned that. On the Ecstasy last week, a non-platinum guest was being taken care of in the platinum line. I got in line behind her, and when she left, I walked up and put my card on the counter. The regular line had about 7 people in it. The guy was turning towards the next person in line when he saw me. He almost sneered at me, "Are you a platinum guest?" He calmed down when I showed him my card, but I couldn't understand what all the hostility was about. Maybe lots of people had just been walking up trying to cut who weren't platinum?? :confused:

[Vettebuf]

I haven't had that problem (being ignored in the platinum line). I wonder if it's because I have my Sail 'n Sign card punched and wear it around my neck on a lanyard. The lanyard is one I won in a trivia game on Princess but I turn the writing inside so no one knows. I also wear my work ID on it. It makes me feel like I'm on vacation:)

[aggieastrosfan]

I haven't had that problem (being ignored in the platinum line). I wonder if it's because I have my Sail 'n Sign card punched and wear it around my neck on a lanyard. The lanyard is one I won in a trivia game on Princess but I turn the writing inside so no one knows. I also wear my work ID on it. It makes me feel like I'm on vacation:)

 

I really think it depends on the ship. Considering I saw less than 15 names on the plat list when picking up my free tournament entry in the casino on the Ecstasy, I'd bet the crew just isn't used to seeing platinum guests. I had the my CC lanyard on that I always wear, with one pin for each of my cruises, and I set my card down on the counter as soon as I walked up. Still, the attitude shocked me. I hope that's all it was, anyway! Looking back on it, my first platinum cruise had a few holes in it. I'd like to think it's just lack of familiarity. :o

[Uncle Doug]

I am going to be on the Freedom in May and this will be our first cruise with Platinum status - so we a newbies to the perks! My question is: I am traveling as part of a group of 10, but only 3 of us have the Platinum status. Will we all be able to go through embarkation together via the VIP area?? We obviously want to stay together so we were not sure if they would be able to come with us or if we would have to wait in the normal line with the rest of the family.

 

 

We sailed just last week with a group of 10 in 3 cabins. Only the 2 of us were Platinum. We asked if they could go with us through the VIP counter but was told no because their sail and sign cards would be in the other area. But we were welcome to go with them. :confused:. As there was not much of a line we ended up going with them to stay together, guess what our cards were in the VIP area, go figure.

 

On this same cruise we never even met our cabin steward. We passed several in the hallways but none bothered to stop by and intoduce themselves. The room was kept very neat and all out VIP extra's showed up. As it was a 4 night we did not use the laundry service but have had problems with that in the past.

 

At disembarkation we were the only ones waiting for the general debarkation. I guess all the other VIP's did the self assist along with 3/4 of the ship. The ship was 3 hour late due to the fog. When we did get off 2 hours later when the zone 1 tags were called we followed the last of the self assist off the ship to find the terminal still packed full of most of those self assist still standing in the customs lines and very little luggage in the zone area's. We grabbed the first porter we saw and headed to the front of the self assist line waiting to be called over to the customs line. Got lots of dirty looks :mad:. We still made it out of the terminal ahead of half of the self assist. Even then we did not get to our car until almost 2 pm.

[Uncle Doug]

I haven't had that problem (being ignored in the platinum line). I wonder if it's because I have my Sail 'n Sign card punched and wear it around my neck on a lanyard. The lanyard is one I won in a trivia game on Princess but I turn the writing inside so no one knows. I also wear my work ID on it. It makes me feel like I'm on vacation:)

 

The new Platinum sail and sign cards do not stand out like the older ones did. They look like all the others cards but do have a Platinum colored area near the bottom of the card. Still you would think that the staff would be able to spot the new cards and tell the differance right off.

[amy2313]

We sailed just last week with a group of 10 in 3 cabins. Only the 2 of us were Platinum. We asked if they could go with us through the VIP counter but was told no because their sail and sign cards would be in the other area. But we were welcome to go with them. :confused:. As there was not much of a line we ended up going with them to stay together, guess what our cards were in the VIP area, go figure.

 

On this same cruise we never even met our cabin steward. We passed several in the hallways but none bothered to stop by and intoduce themselves. The room was kept very neat and all out VIP extra's showed up. As it was a 4 night we did not use the laundry service but have had problems with that in the past.

 

At disembarkation we were the only ones waiting for the general debarkation. I guess all the other VIP's did the self assist along with 3/4 of the ship. The ship was 3 hour late due to the fog. When we did get off 2 hours later when the zone 1 tags were called we followed the last of the self assist off the ship to find the terminal still packed full of most of those self assist still standing in the customs lines and very little luggage in the zone area's. We grabbed the first porter we saw and headed to the front of the self assist line waiting to be called over to the customs line. Got lots of dirty looks :mad:. We still made it out of the terminal ahead of half of the self assist. Even then we did not get to our car until almost 2 pm.

 

Thank you for the information. I'm thinking we might just ask if we can all stay together and see what happens - it can't hurt to ask and the plus side is while 3 of us have the Platinum status we are all in separate rooms (we have 5 rooms total and 3 platinum status passengers ended up in 3 separate rooms so technically only 2 of our group's cabins do not have a platinum passenger). So like I said, I guess it can't hurt asking, otherwise we'll all just go to regular embarkation.

 

So what happened to your laundry when you used the free laundry service??? we were planning on using it but if there have been issues with it, maybe we should think twice.

[libby10205]

So what happened to your laundry when you used the free laundry service??? we were planning on using it but if there have been issues with it, maybe we should think twice.

 

On some ships the laundry service is better than others. If you put a dollar or two in the bag with the dirty clothes it is always good.

 

I never send good clothes. Sometimes when they are dried they get VERY wrinkled. Underwear, t-shirts and shorts come out fine.