Priority rooms ready at 130 today....

So in boarding the Freedom today they said the rooms would be ready at 130. I said even for priority? The agent says, I'm not sure but we were instructed to not say the rooms would be ready at 1130. I saw the little speech that they give at check in has changed also, with no mention of priority at 130. Honestly, there was no mention of FTTF being ready early either, so not sure what has happened or if it is finally happening.

These are the facts, and not my opinion. You may form your own.

Anyone else noticed anything unusual like this today? I know how it was two weeks ago because I sailed then too, it is different today.

Someone posted on John Heald's page about this, apparently it was a misunderstanding.

So in boarding the Freedom today they said the rooms would be ready at 130. I said even for priority? The agent says, I'm not sure but we were instructed to not say the rooms would be ready at 1130. I saw the little speech that they give at check in has changed also, with no mention of priority at 130. Honestly, there was no mention of FTTF being ready early either, so not sure what has happened or if it is finally happening.

 

These are the facts, and not my opinion. You may form your own.

Anyone else noticed anything unusual like this today? I know how it was two weeks ago because I sailed then too, it is different today.

Who are "they"? Terminal staff? Did you see the sign behind GS that said differently?

The person who posted on JH's page came back and said Guest Services told them it was "misinformation". Sounds like the port staff was misinformed.

On our Fascination cruise last February when we checked in the customer service rep told us that our rooms would be ready at 1:30. I told her that we were priority and that our rooms were to be ready when we boarded. She then said she had worked at that desk for 16 years and no rooms were ever ready before 1:30. I politely thanked her, boarded and we went to our rooms, which were ready. 16 years of misinformation?

I thought if you had FTTF you could go directly to your room?

16 years of misinformation?

Sadly, I'm not surprised. I see a lot of this everywhere.

On our Fascination cruise last February when we checked in the customer service rep told us that our rooms would be ready at 1:30. I told her that we were priority and that our rooms were to be ready when we boarded. She then said she had worked at that desk for 16 years and no rooms were ever ready before 1:30. I politely thanked her, boarded and we went to our rooms, which were ready. 16 years of misinformation?

Not 16 years, no rooms were available before 1:30 until FTTF was introduced, which was 5-6 years ago.

On his Facebook page was it the port of Galveston mentioned? If not, there were two misinformed ports.

I thought if you had FTTF you could go directly to your room?

Yes they are supposed to be.

So in boarding the Freedom today they said the rooms would be ready at 130. I said even for priority? The agent says, I'm not sure but we were instructed to not say the rooms would be ready at 1130. I saw the little speech that they give at check in has changed also, with no mention of priority at 130.

I'm confused - 1130am or 130pm? Priority at 130pm is not right based on my (platinum) experience. I have never purchased FTTF though.

I thought if you had FTTF you could go directly to your room?

I was on The Legend this July and I had FTTF and my room was ready at 11:30.

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Just off Fantasy today - my room was ready upon boarding, but the normal ‘FTTF and Platinum/Diamond guests welcome to proceed to their cabins’ type signs on the closed fire doors were nowhere to be seen. I thought it odd, but as I mentioned, my room was still ready.

I know how it was your last cruise, my last cruise, your cruise last summer. Today was a different speech, when asked specifically they said it started today.

I'm just curious if any other ports experienced this, that started today? Or was it as John Heald said,there was a misunderstanding? And if it was a misunderstanding, was it only at Galveston?

I know how it was your last cruise, my last cruise, your cruise last summer. Today was a different speech, when asked specifically they said it started today.

 

I'm just curious if any other ports experienced this, that started today? Or was it as John Heald said,there was a misunderstanding? And if it was a misunderstanding, was it only at Galveston?

Sorry, was just sharing my experience that the normal invitations to proceed to cabins were no longer posted a few days ago. I thought it might be pertinant if it is related to a possible upcoming change. I’ll see myself out. ;p

Just off Fantasy today - my room was ready upon boarding, but the normal ‘FTTF and Platinum/Diamond guests welcome to proceed to their cabins’ type signs on the closed fire doors were nowhere to be seen. I thought it odd, but as I mentioned, my room was still ready.

The sign is now only behind GS saying P/D/FTTF are welcome and only the sign telling people rooms aren't ready are posted in hopes that people will not go to their cabins.

Sounds to me like they just wanted to make a clear policy. Rooms ready at 1:30 unless you have priority. No need to ask before then.

I board at 1:30 anyways. Room is ready, I have my luggage in hand. Not sure why so many let this topic stress them out so much.

we are platium and when we board we take our carry ons up to lido and find us a nice table and eat lunch. when we finish we go on to our room. it is not hard to take carryons to the lido.

We like being totally hands-free. Even carrying a cellphone onboard is a bother. :)

I thought if you had FTTF you could go directly to your room?

You can. Somebody was misinformed. This is one of the perks that you pay for when purchasing FTTF.

So, tempest, teapot, um, anything else?

Really?

We boarded the Imagination last Sunday, and the lady at check-in said the same, that our room would be ready at 1:30. I had to tell her that no, we had FTTF and it would be ready when we boarded. And, it was. These workers simply don’t know what they are talking about, and if you don’t go straight to your room anyway if you are Diamond/Platinum/FTTF, you are losing out.

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According to the Carnival site, early room access is no longer listed as a benefit for P/D.

https://www.carnival.com/vifp/benefits.aspx

We boarded the Imagination last Sunday, and the lady at check-in said the same, that our room would be ready at 1:30. I had to tell her that no, we had FTTF and it would be ready when we boarded. And, it was. These workers simply don’t know what they are talking about, and if you don’t go straight to your room anyway if you are Diamond/Platinum/FTTF, you are losing out.

 

 

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The EXACT same thing happened to us when we sailed Conquest last year - we just went straight to our room and it was ready!

On the Elation cruise that embarked 9/1, our room was ready at 11:30....even though the sign outside the Riviera Deck corridor said rooms wouldn't be ready until 1:30.

I think the signage that invited priority guests to enter were changed some months ago...there were multiple threads about it on Cruise Critic at the time of the change. Regardless, in this instance, the crew didn't challenge our presence in the corridor and, as I mentioned earlier, our room was ready.

Having said that, we'll be sailing out of New Orleans on the Dream on 9/30 (only 3 weeks between cruises...which is a first for us), so I'll be sure to pay attention to any subtle changes between that of the 9/1 boarding process and that of the 9/30.

Garnett