Suite ready as soon as we board?

Got a call and upgraded from a balcony cabin to a grand suite. We'd already purchased FTTF but the Carnival rep said to go ahead and cancel it, which I did, because the benefits were the same.

Concerned now because I can't find anything that says our suite will be ready as soon as we board which was the main reason we'd booked FTTF to begin with. Hoping someone knows the answer to this, I've been on hold with Carnival for 20 minutes.

The only perks for booking a suite is priority embark and debark. Having the cabin ready early is not a perk.

If you are Platinum and the ship you are booked on has FTTF, then you would not need to purchase the FTTF. Your cabin will be ready early.

If you are not Platinum and the ship has FTTF, then you would need to purchase FTTF to have your cabin ready early.

This is our first cruise and I'm already unimpressed with their customer service. Upsell guy assured me the perks were the same as FTTF. Finally got through to a rep who first said the suite would be ready then said it should be ready. She got snotty when I asked which it was because should and would do not mean the same thing. Called back and spoke with a second rep who did some quick research and then said it would be ready. Ugh.

You sound more knowledgeable than anyone so far at Carnival, KenMo, so thank you for your reply, I'm going with your info :)

Have been in Ocean Suites the last three cruises....rooms always been ready when we board at about 11am. Asked one of the people stationed in the lobby when we boarded and they looked at our card said our cabin would be ready...and it was.

Asked one of the people stationed in the lobby when we boarded and they looked at our card said our cabin would be ready...and it was.

I don't doubt this at all.

However...having a cabin ready early simply because it's a suite is not a perk for booking a suite. So the OP shouldn't count on it.

Also, having a suite will not get him the other FTTF perks.

OP...you can do whats lots of people do. When you board, go to your cabin. There will be stewards in the area working to get cabins ready. See if you can talk to your steward and ask if the cabin is ready. Likely it will be and they probably will tell you to go ahead to your cabin.

Yep...might have just lucked out in the past.

We had the same thing happen in Dec. When the son upgraded to a GS he automatically became a VIP.We already had FTTF for both cabins . I was worried about the same thing so I left as is. No problems.

We recently had a Suite on the Conquest and it was NOT ready when we boarded around noon.:( AND it just came out of dry-dock! The Asst Steward said, "No, No-cabin not ready". But we DID leave our carry-ons and left.....

We had a suite and just got back off the Dream. We also purchased FTTF because as a suite holder you get VIP or Priority embarkation but you don't get to the room early or your luggage. All you get is early on early off. I would call and see if you can get the FTTF back if you can.