My impressions of cruising with a Platinum card

So, this weekend on the Fantasy was our first cruise as Platinum card holders/Concierge Club members (10+ Carnival cruises.) Here are my impressions.

Upon arrival at Port Canaveral, after we went through security, we told the first Carnival rep we saw that we were Platinum and were immediately whisked away to the Skippers Club. We got to sit down in a comfortable room and listen to soothing music while the check-in staff did all the work for us and treated us like VIPs.

When we got to the cabin there was a letter waiting for each of us.

Dear Mrs. Michelle P_____:

 

Welcome back. We’re delighted that you’ve chosen another “Fun Ship” cruise for your vacation. We would like to welcome you aboard as a Platinum Guest; distinguished recognition for having sailed with us 10 or more times. As a Platinum Guest you are entitled to the exclusive privileges and benefits of our new “Carnival Concierge Club”. We invite you to take advantage of the following complimentary amenities during your cruise:

- Personalized Stationary

- Petit fours delivered to your stateroom one evening

- A special Carnival logo item

 

In addition, we have these wonderful exclusive privileges and benefits that can be scheduled by simply contacting the Carnival Concierge Club desk at extension 7575.

- Your personal Guest Service staff

- Guaranteed dining times (Platinum guest and immediate family, up to a maximum of two staterooms)

- Exclusive “Behind the Scenes” tour of your Carnival “Fun Ship” (Please contact the Concierge Desk to schedule)

- Spa Carnival services (For priority booking, please confirm today by 6:00 p.m., and request an upgrade to a free premier service)

- Complimentary Wash and Fold service

- Complimentary $20 dollar entrance to Blackjack or Slot Tournament (Please contact the Casino Cashiers Cage for details)

- Priority debarkation

 

“Today’s Carnival” is committed to providing our guests with the highest level of quality, service and hospitality. The new “Carnival Concierge Club” is just one way of showing our appreciation to you, our valued Platinum Guest.

 

On behalf of Carnival Cruise Lines, we hope you enjoy your cruise and these added touches. Thank you for your continued loyalty.

 

Bon Voyage!

 

Bob Dickinson

President and CEO

When our cabin steward introduced himself, he told us he understood we were platinum and if there was anything extra he could do, to let him know.

We checked our dining reservations (which, for the first time in several cruises, were what we actually requested!) with the maitre d’ and he could not have been more accommodating.

Most of the staff seemed to recognize the Platinum card and wanted to chat about ships and how many cruises we’d been on. We were frequently thanked for coming back.

When I decided to enter the slot tournament, the casino cashier did not seem to recognize the platinum card and had no idea that I could enter for free. I had to go to my cabin, retrieve the above letter, and show it to him. He made a copy of it. He did let me enter free, though.

The petit fours came the evening of formal night. There were eight fancy little sweets arranged on a plate with “good night” in the center written in chocolate. They tasted just as good as they looked, too!

The one time I needed something at the purser’s desk, the wait for the regular line was shorter than the special Concierge Club line.

We didn’t use the free laundry service.

On Saturday (sea day) the purser’s desk called our room to let us know there would be a behind-the-scenes tour at 4:30. The tour was really interesting. My husband didn’t want to go so I brought my sister-in-law (who has a gold card.) They didn’t check to see if everyone who met for the tour was platinum. The tour met in the main show lounge. First there was a question-and-answer session with the cruise director, the hotel manager, the food-and-beverage manager, the chief engineer, and several other officers. Then they took us backstage and showed us the props and mechanisms for the shows. Next we took a galley tour. Very interesting. There were about ten people on the tour.

Everywhere we turned, the staff seemed to want to go out of their way to help us.

Priority debarkation was the only hiccup. We got special priority luggage tags so we put them on our luggage and put it out that night. We also got a letter saying to meet in the card room at 7:45. No one checked to see if everyone in the card room was platinum. Around 8:00, a staff member came and got us to take us off the ship. They let the people with early flights file in line behind us, and we could see the self-assist people standing on the stairways waiting to go.

When we walked into the baggage area, that’s when the problem started. The priority luggage had not been set aside and had been mixed in with the regular baggage. We found one of our bags in the Riviera Forward area (which is where our cabin had been) but not the other. Several other priority people had the same problem. We wandered around for twenty minutes looking through all the bags for ours, and it simply wasn’t there. The staff was extremely unhelpful, telling us to “just keep looking” or “talk to that person, they’ve been here longer than I have.” Finally, after my husband sat down on one of the luggage tables so that he would get more attention, someone came out from a back room with our bag and another priority passenger’s bag. I don’t know where they had been but they were not out with the other luggage.

Overall, the platinum card perks were really nice. I’m glad Carnival has instituted them. They helped elevate this cruise from ordinary to extraordinary.

Any questions, just ask.

Any questions, just ask.

I cruise the end of March. Can you send me your card? LOL

Wow, Michelle, thx for posting that. I'll be platinum on my next cruise, and I'm all for the extras!:) I've been wondering just what platinum status would be like. Now I just need to book that cruise!

(Bob needs a proofreader or a new typist. I can't believe stationery was spelled wrong.):D

Michelle:

Your review was the best birthday present I could get today. (51 years old today ... yea!!!)

Our family of four is headed out on our 13th cruise on March 12th out of Long Beach, Ca. I will report our "experience". Actually this is hubby's 22nd Carnival cruise....since he started when he was single.

We sailed on the Fantasy years ago and had a marvelous time.

Thanks for the great information!!!

:( I have quite a wait before I'm platinum...:(

Such great news. We will be on our 12th cruise next week - 11th with Carnival. Thanks for taking the time to make me more excited. :D

Diane

(Bob needs a proofreader or a new typist. I can't believe stationery was spelled wrong.):D

After you wrote that, I double-checked, and sure enough, that's the way it's spelled on the letter! I caught the grammatical errors, but not that one! :D

Forgot to mention that the special Carnival logo item is a really nice navy blue tote bag. (Much nicer than the one I got on Celebrity concierge class, which was made of really flimsy material - the handle broke shortly after I acquired it!)

Is this new program fleetwide now? I know they were trying it out on just a few ships. I was on the Triumph in November and there were no perks at all. Sailing on the Glory in 3 weeks and hopefully will be able to enjoy some of the benefits of a platinum card.

Thanks M, glad to see they actually do have a plan. Thanks for sharing.:)

Good eye Cotton.:)

Thanks so much for posting this!! There has been a lot of ??? as to what actually happens and it is so nice to know what you actually experienced!!

I have a few cruises on Carnival to go before I am Platinum but I have a personal goal to reach this status within a couple of years :p

Really glad to see your post as we sail on our 10th Carnival cruise in April. I had been told that Platinum status would not be on all ships until the end of the year, sure hope that's wrong! Really looking forward to cruise # 10! Thanks for posting!

According to the Power Point Presentation I saw, this "trial" (on one ship) was suppose to go through February 12th. At that time, the "powers that be" were suppose analyse how the trials went and implement any changes they felt were needed before proceeding fleetwide.

I think that "on one ship" was not realistic with the Internet and communication between cruisers today. I would expect that it is already fleetwide or certainly by the end of February.

So, this weekend on the Fantasy was our first cruise as Platinum card holders/Concierge Club members (10+ Carnival cruises.) Here are my impressions.

 

Upon arrival at Port Canaveral, after we went through security, we told the first Carnival rep we saw that we were Platinum and were immediately whisked away to the Skippers Club. We got to sit down in a comfortable room and listen to soothing music while the check-in staff did all the work for us and treated us like VIPs.

 

When we got to the cabin there was a letter waiting for each of us.

 

 

 

When our cabin steward introduced himself, he told us he understood we were platinum and if there was anything extra he could do, to let him know.

 

We checked our dining reservations (which, for the first time in several cruises, were what we actually requested!) with the maitre d’ and he could not have been more accommodating.

 

Most of the staff seemed to recognize the Platinum card and wanted to chat about ships and how many cruises we’d been on. We were frequently thanked for coming back.

 

When I decided to enter the slot tournament, the casino cashier did not seem to recognize the platinum card and had no idea that I could enter for free. I had to go to my cabin, retrieve the above letter, and show it to him. He made a copy of it. He did let me enter free, though.

 

The petit fours came the evening of formal night. There were eight fancy little sweets arranged on a plate with “good night” in the center written in chocolate. They tasted just as good as they looked, too!

 

The one time I needed something at the purser’s desk, the wait for the regular line was shorter than the special Concierge Club line.

 

We didn’t use the free laundry service.

 

On Saturday (sea day) the purser’s desk called our room to let us know there would be a behind-the-scenes tour at 4:30. The tour was really interesting. My husband didn’t want to go so I brought my sister-in-law (who has a gold card.) They didn’t check to see if everyone who met for the tour was platinum. The tour met in the main show lounge. First there was a question-and-answer session with the cruise director, the hotel manager, the food-and-beverage manager, the chief engineer, and several other officers. Then they took us backstage and showed us the props and mechanisms for the shows. Next we took a galley tour. Very interesting. There were about ten people on the tour.

 

Everywhere we turned, the staff seemed to want to go out of their way to help us.

 

Priority debarkation was the only hiccup. We got special priority luggage tags so we put them on our luggage and put it out that night. We also got a letter saying to meet in the card room at 7:45. No one checked to see if everyone in the card room was platinum. Around 8:00, a staff member came and got us to take us off the ship. They let the people with early flights file in line behind us, and we could see the self-assist people standing on the stairways waiting to go.

 

When we walked into the baggage area, that’s when the problem started. The priority luggage had not been set aside and had been mixed in with the regular baggage. We found one of our bags in the Riviera Forward area (which is where our cabin had been) but not the other. Several other priority people had the same problem. We wandered around for twenty minutes looking through all the bags for ours, and it simply wasn’t there. The staff was extremely unhelpful, telling us to “just keep looking” or “talk to that person, they’ve been here longer than I have.” Finally, after my husband sat down on one of the luggage tables so that he would get more attention, someone came out from a back room with our bag and another priority passenger’s bag. I don’t know where they had been but they were not out with the other luggage.

 

Overall, the platinum card perks were really nice. I’m glad Carnival has instituted them. They helped elevate this cruise from ordinary to extraordinary.

 

Any questions, just ask.

Great ! Glad you got the perks. Hope ours are as good Apr 1 on the Liberty.

Mrs Michelle P, you mentioned the behind the scenes tour that you went back stage, and also to the galley. Were there any other areas that they showed you. I will be Platinum on our next cruise in October, and I have always been interested in the going on's in the back of the house.

Thanks for the info.

Pennme - Sometimes, you don't have to be of any certain 'status' to do these things.

Once, I walked into the main showlounge to watch the dancers rehearse. The cruise director, Michael, was in there, and we chatted a bit - and I asked him if I could go backstage and see what all goes on. He took me back there for a little tour, even showed me the dressing rooms and costume rooms.

On two cruises, I asked the Maitre d' if I could see the galley (I'm a retired chef & F&B director), and told him of my interest. I ended up spending about an hour one time, and half hour the other time. Most interesting. I even got to sample some of the food.

So - sometimes, all you have to do is ask. I'm not shy.:D

So - sometimes, all you have to do is ask. I'm not shy.:D

On land, I am one of those people that don't say anything or ask. But on the ship I learned just ask and may be supprised by the answers, but dont be upset if its still no.

I have been on at least 40 cruises, half of them on Carnival ships. We are looking forward to these perks on our May Triumph cruise!!

Okay we just booked number 5, I guess we need to book a couple of those 3 day cruises so we can get to that status. I really wish they would at least give us a credit for 2 cruises since we did book the 12 day Europe during its inaugral season.

OH well working my way to 10

You said that your sister had a "Gold" card. What is that?

Umm..." stationary" was correct, unless of course they spell it differently in different places, but in Canada... its correct with an " a" ( Guess whoever writes the letters must be Canadian! lol )

;)

We need more cruises to get to the platinum stage, guess we better get started! lol

The Gold card represents 2 - 9 cruises. It lets the staff know that you are a repeat customer.

Umm..." stationary" was correct, unless of course they spell it differently in different places, but in Canada... its correct with an " a" ( Guess whoever writes the letters must be Canadian! lol )

stationary - not moving

stationery - paper for writing on

10th Carnival Cruise starting Tommorow....I'm I platnum or do I have to wait till number 11 ?

10th Carnival Cruise starting Tommorow....I'm I platnum or do I have to wait till number 11 ?

You are in!!! As long as all your cruises are recorded. Some people have had a problem if they cruised back in the 1980's getting those cruises posted to their "record" since computers were not used back then.

If your docs don't say VIP Check In, just ask (sweetly) the first Carnival Rep you see to direct you to the Skippers Club.

Let us know how it goes!!

The Gold card represents 2 - 9 cruises. It lets the staff know that you are a repeat customer.

2-9? So if my next cruise will be my 2nd cruise, does that mean I get a gold instead of a blue? I think my mom's on her 2nd (my first) was blue...