New policy about having to select firm embarkation time

A search on this subject didn't help me find anything.

This month Carnival's new policy (already in effect on some ships) about requiring us to select our embarkation time goes into effect on the Ecstasy. No problem for us - we have already signed up for our preferred (earliest) time to board; however, the policy as stated is very strict. I wonder if anyone has experienced any problems.

(Interesting that our travel agent did not alert us to this - I discovered it quite by accident.)

Happy sails.:)

Kathy

If you are talking about staggered check in, They have been implementing this for several months adding new ports every few months,

I have heard they are strict on turning people away if your to early.

The feed back has generally been good.

it's not an embarkation time, it's a check-in time. Basically you can't show up BEFORE your time slot. If you have FTTF, are platinum/diamond, or in a wedding group you can show up at your convenience (as long as you are there before they stop letting people on the boat!) You'll show up, do your check-in paperwork, be assigned a boarding zone, and you can board when they call your zone.

We had no problem in NOLA but we had signed up for the earliest check in at 10:30 (booked cruise about 3 months out and signed up for it when doing on-line check in) and got there about 10:45. We walked right in while others who did not follow instructions and had a later time were kept out of the building until it was their check in time. We had a very short line to check in and were seated and waiting for boarding by 11:00. Boarding started around 11:30. We were zone 4.

A search on this subject didn't help me find anything.

 

This month Carnival's new policy (already in effect on some ships) about requiring us to select our embarkation time goes into effect on the Ecstasy. No problem for us - we have already signed up for our preferred (earliest) time to board; however, the policy as stated is very strict. I wonder if anyone has experienced any problems.

 

(Interesting that our travel agent did not alert us to this - I discovered it quite by accident.)

 

Happy sails.:)

 

Kathy

You selected CHECK IN time not boarding.

Another example of confusing the "check-in time" w "boarding time."

To me, it makes sense to select the earliest check-in time available. You can always check in later than the selected time if you want to. You just can't check in earlier. Example: If you select a check in time of 10:30, but you don't check in until 10:45, no problem. However, if you show up at 10:15, you'll have to wait. Obviously, unless you have priority boarding, the earlier you can check in at the terminal, the lower your boarding zone number will be. The whole idea is to not have overcrowding and long lines at the terminal for people to check in prior to boarding.

Can any recent Port Canaveral cruisers advise if this has started at PC yet?

To me, it makes sense to select the earliest check-in time available. You can always check in later than the selected time if you want to. You just can't check in earlier. Example: If you select a check in time of 10:30, but you don't check in until 10:45, no problem. However, if you show up at 10:15, you'll have to wait. Obviously, unless you have priority boarding, the earlier you can check in at the terminal, the lower your boarding zone number will be. The whole idea is to not have overcrowding and long lines at the terminal for people to check in prior to boarding.

I disagree.

Say I know I won't be there until 1pm, but select 11:30. That means somebody else who wanted 11:30 may have to pick a later time. So, I get there at 1pm and find people waiting ahead of me or with me who could have checked in early and have been out of my way had I not used up one of the 11:30 time slots. Sure only 1-2 people is no big deal...but if everybody starts doing this then we have a problem. And it seems most here do not care for the solutions Carnival implements to deal with problems.

IMO you should just pick the time you actually plan to arrive. We are cruising next month. Every time slot was available when we booked. I picked 1200-1230 because based on past history driving to the port, we will arrive at the parking garage and be handing our luggage to the porters about 12:05.

Can any recent Port Canaveral cruisers advise if this has started at PC yet?

No, it has not started for Port Canaveral yet. I am watching closely for when they start as we have cruise booked from there in February 2017.

Staggered embarkation has not started yet at Port Canaveral.

We had no problem in NOLA but we had signed up for the earliest check in at 10:30 (booked cruise about 3 months out and signed up for it when doing on-line check in) and got there about 10:45. We walked right in while others who did not follow instructions and had a later time were kept out of the building until it was their check in time. We had a very short line to check in and were seated and waiting for boarding by 11:00. Boarding started around 11:30. We were zone 4.

I hope the same thing happens for us in January. We picked the 10:30 time as we are staying overnight in New Orleans. Would be nice to have a low zone number for boarding.

Check in time and boarding time are not the same thing.

For our cruise in March out of NOLA we chose the 12:30 check in time. By the time we dropped our bags and parked the car it was about 12:40 when we walked in the terminal. Went through security, had our wine and cans of soda checked, got our sail and sign cards and walked on to the ship a little after 1. And our rooms were ready at that time.

It was a very smooth process for us. I don't know if this was because we picked a later check in time or not.

Also there were 9 of us in 3 cabins so before I selected our check in time we all agreed on a time so we could check in and board together.

it's not an embarkation time, it's a check-in time. Basically you can't show up BEFORE your time slot. If you have FTTF, are platinum/diamond, or in a wedding group you can show up at your convenience (as long as you are there before they stop letting people on the boat!) You'll show up, do your check-in paperwork, be assigned a boarding zone, and you can board when they call your zone.

So if I understand correctly, we have purchased FTTF and it is printed on our boarding passes. Therefore we do not have to chose a time slot. Is this correct? I don't want any surprises on embarkation day. Thanks!:confused:

So if I understand correctly, we have purchased FTTF and it is printed on our boarding passes. Therefore we do not have to chose a time slot. Is this correct? I don't want any surprises on embarkation day. Thanks!:confused:

If you are sailing from a port that has implemented staggered check in you still have to select a check in time even with the FTTF. You can however show up when you want with FTTF. Carnival still wants you to select a time.

I think the new staggered check-in time is great. I cruised out of New Orleans several years ago, and it was a hot mess of confusion. Hopefully this new check-in time will help stop all the traffic congestion, and also the congestion of people at the door trying to check-in. I mean it was a MESS!

So if I understand correctly, we have purchased FTTF and it is printed on our boarding passes. Therefore we do not have to chose a time slot. Is this correct? I don't want any surprises on embarkation day. Thanks!:confused:

It is confusing. I have both... a check in time and also FTTF for my next cruise.

I have not had to do staggered check in yet. And besides we are platinum, but I believe that you still have to pick a time but can show up whenever you want. If you pick a late time, it will free up early time slots for folks that are not platinum, diamond, of fttf. And you can go when you want. Just a thought.

I disagree.

 

Say I know I won't be there until 1pm, but select 11:30. That means somebody else who wanted 11:30 may have to pick a later time. So, I get there at 1pm and find people waiting ahead of me or with me who could have checked in early and have been out of my way had I not used up one of the 11:30 time slots. Sure only 1-2 people is no big deal...but if everybody starts doing this then we have a problem. And it seems most here do not care for the solutions Carnival implements to deal with problems.

 

IMO you should just pick the time you actually plan to arrive. We are cruising next month. Every time slot was available when we booked. I picked 1200-1230 because based on past history driving to the port, we will arrive at the parking garage and be handing our luggage to the porters about 12:05.

Well now that's just silly. If you know you're not going to check in until 1:00 p.m., why would you choose a check-in time of 11:30? And I don't believe EVERYBODY will start doing this. There's nothing wrong with giving yourself a little buffer of approximately 15 minutes though. I don't think checking in ten or fifteen minutes after your check in time is going to create a huge problem. Not everyone that cruises comes in a day or two before their cruise. There are lots of people that fly in the morning of. If your arrival is delayed, obviously you're not going to be able to check in at your selected time. Sometimes things happen that are beyond your control.

I believe you totally misread Badfinger's post which was a response to your suggestion that people pick an early time even if they knew they wouldn't arrive then.

If you know you won't be there at 11 am, why would you select that time, taking if away from someone else? The slot times are limited, you know.

That's my concern with this - people will take an early slot even though they know they won't be there and then show up two hours later (so they can walk right on).

Select the time you believe you'll arrive. Simple enough, really. Of course things might happen and you might be delayed, but don't pick an early time just because you can.

I have not had to do staggered check in yet. And besides we are platinum, but I believe that you still have to pick a time but can show up whenever you want. If you pick a late time, it will free up early time slots for folks that are not platinum, diamond, of fttf. And you can go when you want. Just a thought.

I had FTTF in Galveston in March. It was great. I did pick my check in time which was 10am. I really hope people that are Diamond/Platinum or FTTF don't pick a late time when they plan to show up early. I know people who are not in one of these groups would like an early check in time. But this would just cause there to be a lot of people there early and it would be overcrowded. I say FTTF and Diamond/Platinum guest should pick the time closest to when they think they will arrive.

Just off the Splendor and they were really strict on your boarding time.

Well now that's just silly. If you know you're not going to check in until 1:00 p.m., why would you choose a check-in time of 11:30? And I don't believe EVERYBODY will start doing this. There's nothing wrong with giving yourself a little buffer of approximately 15 minutes though. I don't think checking in ten or fifteen minutes after your check in time is going to create a huge problem. Not everyone that cruises comes in a day or two before their cruise. There are lots of people that fly in the morning of. If your arrival is delayed, obviously you're not going to be able to check in at your selected time. Sometimes things happen that are beyond your control.

I believe you totally misread Badfinger's post which was a response to your suggestion that people pick an early time even if they knew they wouldn't arrive then.

 

If you know you won't be there at 11 am, why would you select that time, taking if away from someone else? The slot times are limited, you know.

 

That's my concern with this - people will take an early slot even though they know they won't be there and then show up two hours later (so they can walk right on).

 

Select the time you believe you'll arrive. Simple enough, really. Of course things might happen and you might be delayed, but don't pick an early time just because you can.

As usual, people will think they are smarter than the system and will muck up a logical system designed to ease bottlenecks.

You'll never be able to break that mindset.

The "late arrivals" will never walk right on (without some priority already in hand). They will wait with whoever is lined up at the time. Showing up later than your chosen check-in time doesn't put you ahead of those who arrived "on time".

I believe you totally misread Badfinger's post which was a response to your suggestion that people pick an early time even if they knew they wouldn't arrive then.

 

If you know you won't be there at 11 am, why would you select that time, taking if away from someone else? The slot times are limited, you know.

 

That's my concern with this - people will take an early slot even though they know they won't be there and then show up two hours later (so they can walk right on).

 

Select the time you believe you'll arrive. Simple enough, really. Of course things might happen and you might be delayed, but don't pick an early time just because you can.

They just don't think it through. Arriving 2 hours later for their check in time does not mean they will walk right on. If embarkation has been delayed (or hasn't started), and they have received the higher zone number, they can sit and watch those that were on time board ahead of them. They have it in their head that their check in time is going to automatically give them a lower zone number.

Those that arrive later generally have a shorter wait or none at all. So why select an early time that you won't make?

People are still confusing check in with boarding.

This check-in process will give us Platinum / Diamond members another chance to do the "Platinum Wave"!