Boarding as a family

Here's my situation. My wife and I took advantage of a special and booked two cabins, one for each of us plus one of our minor children each. So one adult, one child each cabin.

My question is... My wife is Platinum and gets priority boarding but I am not so will they split us up even though we're together as a family?

Thanks

Since you are in different cabins they will split you up. Or she could just wait and board with you and the other child. Or you could purchase FTTF for the cabin you are in.

We had that same situation and they did not split us up.

If you go and explain what is going on, I dont see why they would split you up. When we boarded last year, we were given a different boarding number than the rest of group, and when we went to board they wouldnt let us go with them. I knew the embarkation photo was about to be taken and nothing short of demanded they allow us on so we wouldnt be left out of the photo. The girl didnt know what to say, and let us on. I wasnt happy, as there were only two more of us in the group of 10, and it didnt hurt them to allow us to go so we didnt get separated. Of course it was their fault they hasseled us in security which caused us to get slightly delayed.

Board with your wife and just tell them you are all together. They won't split you guys up.

Our PVP told us you could take 1 cabin with you... My parents are platinum and we are not so we asked and he said it would be no problem.

Quoted directly from the Carnival website regarding Priority Check-in...

" For those guests traveling with additional staterooms that do not fall into either of the categories above, these additional staterooms may check in through the Priority Check-In Program only if there are minor children traveling in them."

Since there is an adult in the second room with the minor child, they are technically not allowed to board together.

As for what the PVP told bamafanbibby, this is also incorrect from everything I have read. You cannot take one cabin with you. You used to be able to do that, but no longer. If you want your parents to board with you, then they will need to purchase the FTTF.

Others that have been around a lot longer than I will probably tell you the same thing.

There is really no knowing how each situation will be handled. You can read the "rules" and when you get to the port they may allow it. But, if you booked all together and do your on-line check in, and print a fun pass out (I would try to print it as a boarding all together instead of individual fun passes.) and your fun pass is not marked priority, your sign and sign card will not be in the VIP check in room. So if you try to go there they may let you check but they will have to go get your cards from elsewhere. Not a huge deal. OR you could go and check in the "regular" line, and come back to the VIP room and tell the door attendant what the situation is, they will most likely let you into the VIP lounge and board with her. No huge deal. Yes I am Platinum and NO this would not bother me in the slightest. I would call and verify that your bookings are "linked" together. This may or may not trigger something in the computer system to put you all in the VIP lounge. At the very least it will put you at the same dinning table.

The Dream out of Port Canaveral in November 2013 would not let us board together. The Celebrity Reflection in November 2014 did.

If I was in this situation, I would spend the fifty bucks and buy FTTF for cabin that doesn't have the platinum cruiser. Easier. Takes the guess work out and you can know with certainty that you'll all be able to board together. Just my opinion.

Just get to the port early and be in the first group. We do that every time and are literally minutes behind the priority and FTTF people.

If I was in this situation, I would spend the fifty bucks and buy FTTF for cabin that doesn't have the platinum cruiser. Easier. Takes the guess work out and you can know with certainty that you'll all be able to board together. Just my opinion.

This what we did. The added benefit is that both cabins are ready when you board.

So it seems it could go either way. My PVP suggested the FTTF also. I told my wife about it and her response was not to worry about it too much that she'd handle it and we would board together or get kicked off together but that she didn't think they would split us up. If nothing else we'll stay together for the picture and then my son and I can retreat back to the masses and wait.

You will be allowed to check in and board together. You will be fine.

Or your wife could board with you... Ya know, with the common folk(joking).

Platinum cruisers... Sheesh..

So it seems it could go either way. My PVP suggested the FTTF also. I told my wife about it and her response was not to worry about it too much that she'd handle it and we would board together or get kicked off together but that she didn't think they would split us up. If nothing else we'll stay together for the picture and then my son and I can retreat back to the masses and wait.

Sorry, if they don't let you board early with your wife, you won't even make it to where they take pix. Worst case scenario, your wife can always wait and board with you. You can also try to get to port early to get boarding zone 1 and you would be right behind Platinums, Diamonds and FTTF. Honestly tho, don't stress over it. You shouldn't have any issues.

Carnival caught onto the everyone on the same credit card thing and blocked it. I wish they'd block this loophole too. People don't stop and think how many people slip through with the children thing, multiply it by many. What if a family brings 4 kids in 4 cabins with an adult in each, that's 8 people and 4 cabins allowed just because 1 person might be platinum;)

Carnival caught onto the everyone on the same credit card thing and blocked it. I wish they'd block this loophole too. People don't stop and think how many people slip through with the children thing, multiply it by many. What if a family brings 4 kids in 4 cabins with an adult in each, that's 8 people and 4 cabins allowed just because 1 person might be platinum;)

So because we choose to have two cabins instead of one when we take our children on a cruise we should be penalized and split up?

So because we choose to have two cabins instead of one when we take our children on a cruise we should be penalized and split up?

You missed the point:rolleyes:

You missed the point:rolleyes:

Must have... :rolleyes:

Carnival caught onto the everyone on the same credit card thing and blocked it. I wish they'd block this loophole too. People don't stop and think how many people slip through with the children thing, multiply it by many. What if a family brings 4 kids in 4 cabins with an adult in each, that's 8 people and 4 cabins allowed just because 1 person might be platinum;)

I'm ok with it being immediate family such as mom(s), dad(s) minor children. When you get extended family added into the mix and piggy backing on the 1 platinum, I have issues with it.

You missed the point:rolleyes:

Actually you did.

This is one family. Not some polygamist family as you suggested in your other post.

They could be in 1 cabin, which case, they would all board together. They could split up into 2 cabins in which case....if they all boarded together it would be no different than if they had 1 cabin.

So because we choose to have two cabins instead of one when we take our children on a cruise we should be penalized and split up?

You are not being penalized. You are free to embark with general boarding. You chose to book two cabins, your husband and child are not Platinum, so they don't deserve the benefit of priority embarkation. Why should they take the seats of those of us who are legitimately allowed to be in the VIP lounge?

Yet, if we had one cabin we'd be there anyway....

So because we choose to have two cabins instead of one when we take our children on a cruise we should be penalized and split up?

Penalized? You can always wait and board with your spouse and other child. Or get fttf. What's wrong with either of those options? Or is it that you feel entitled to extend your platinum benefits to your spouse? If that's the case, then my son and husband should be able to board with me using my fttf pass instead of buying one for their cabin. No, we purcshaed two passes. We would never get one and then try and pass along the benefits to another cabin. Carnival extends the priority boarding if minors only are in the second cabin. That does not apply in this case and it's not a penalty.