Staggered Check-IN

[rhelms]

Received my text with my assigned check-in time of between 2:00 and 3:00 PM. Since the ship leaves at 4:00 I would guess that this is the last boarding time. Under what criteria does Carnival use to make the assigned. Cuz this sucks!

[SeeBurd]

Received my text with my assigned check-in time of between 2:00 and 3:00 PM. Since the ship leaves at 4:00 I would guess that this is the last boarding time. Under what criteria does Carnival use to make the assigned. Cuz this sucks!

 

Fear not. Delete the text and show up when you like. They have not developed a way to match the times to anything. They even send these to diamond guests, as well as those that have paid for FTTF.

[SadieN]

Unless it states a specific reason and/or the cruise before you had done an odd itin arrive when you want.

No one knows the criteria. Even pax in the same cabin have been assigned different times.

[pacer1]

Yes, this is just when Carnival would like you to board but so far, there's been no effort to enforce. Unless there is an issue with ship, then they will send out alerts the day before or during the night.

 

Depending on port, I usually check in between 10-11. Almost always onboard within 30-45 minutes. The nice thing about Priority or Fttf boarding is that your room is ready. Otherwise it's 1 or 130 (I've forgotten).

[Bride2Be]

I received an email and a phone call stating that after they debark everyone, they were going to be conducting tests on board so I should not arrive until 1pm. Considering that I have to check out of my hotel by 11am AND I purchased FTTF, I will be arriving at the port as previously planned. If indeed my entry is delayed until 1pm, then they best credit me something for not being able to use an aspect of my FTTF.

[SeeBurd]

I received an email and a phone call stating that after they debark everyone, they were going to be conducting tests on board so I should not arrive until 1pm. Considering that I have to check out of my hotel by 11am AND I purchased FTTF, I will be arriving at the port as previously planned. If indeed my entry is delayed until 1pm, then they best credit me something for not being able to use an aspect of my FTTF.

 

Your FTTF is priority boarding, not early boarding.

 

So even if embarkation starts at 6PM, you will boards after earned VIP, and before general admission. They will owe you nothing should embarkation start late or is delayed.

[Nic6318]

Your FTTF is priority boarding, not early boarding.

 

So even if embarkation starts at 6PM, you will boards after earned VIP, and before general admission. They will owe you nothing should embarkation start late or is delayed.

 

 

This is exactly the case.

 

If you have priority boarding, you will board first ( with everyone else that has priority boarding ).

 

Of course asking someone to arrive at 2p.m. is meaningless if they arrive by plane at 09:00 for example, they will be at the port by 09:30. No matter how early you get there they have to finish the debarkation process before allowing anyone onboard. We were on the Breeze last week and they had debarkation times as late as 10:45. When we were waiting to board we could see passengers still getting off the ship well after 11a.m.

We started boarding shortly after 11:30, but if they had to do any special tasks to make the ship ready for the next cruise we would just have to wait. There is no guaranteed boarding time.

 

When cruising it is best to just be patient, no guaranteed sailing time, no guaranteed port of call, it's all stated in the contract. If they choose to give a credit it is usually a show of goodwill and not a requirement.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

I received an email and a phone call stating that after they debark everyone, they were going to be conducting tests on board so I should not arrive until 1pm. Considering that I have to check out of my hotel by 11am AND I purchased FTTF, I will be arriving at the port as previously planned. If indeed my entry is delayed until 1pm, then they best credit me something for not being able to use an aspect of my FTTF.

 

You would be using this aspect of your FTTF.

 

If we both get to the port at 11, and you have FTTF and I do not...

 

You will be boarding before me.

 

FTTF is priority boarding, meaning boarding before those with general boarding.

 

It does not guarantee what time boarding will start.

[Canadian_J]

You would be using this aspect of your FTTF.

 

If we both get to the port at 11' date=' and you have FTTF and I do not...

 

You will be boarding before me.

 

FTTF is priority boarding, meaning boarding before those with general boarding.

 

It does not guarantee what time boarding will start.[/quote']

 

Absolutely correct. This is a very common misconception.

[cruiser fanatic]

I get those emails and texts every cruise and I am Platinum with Priority Boarding. I read it, laugh, and then delete it. I ignore it and show up when I want, not when Carnival wants me to show up.

[kelkel2]

Every week someone on this message board posts that they got an email or a text like that. Often they are plats/diamonds, or FTTF people. They seem to be sending them out randomly.

Honestly, until Carnival actually states that they are starting to stagger check in and are going to actually enforce it, you know this is another one of those things they say they enforce but we all know they don't, you have no obligation to actually show up at that time.

I have gotten one of those emails before and I have NEVER mentioned it and have never been told I was too early or it wasn't my time to be there. I honestly think the people at the check in gates have no idea who gets them.

Now, if Carnival actually wanted to do this, I think Disney does, they would need to get ALL EMPLOYEES on board with this and actually check your time given when arriving to the port. Then there would be a great value in being Plat/Diamond and FTTF!

[Bride2Be]

I received an email and a phone call stating that after they debark everyone, they were going to be conducting tests on board so I should not arrive until 1pm. Considering that I have to check out of my hotel by 11am AND I purchased FTTF, I will be arriving at the port as previously planned. If indeed my entry is delayed until 1pm, then they best credit me something for not being able to use an aspect of my FTTF.

 

WOW! I didn't think I would get the beating I did! Thanks everyone for pointing out that I would still get priority boarding! Just another example of sarcasm not coming across in written word!

 

I have read so many posts that these emails are bogus. Not sure why Carnival sends them out if they never enforce them.

 

As others have pointed out and I also stated, some of us have no where else to go between hotel check out time/plane arrival and arriving at the port. I might as well go there and sit and wait.

 

Again, no more beatings please - it was a joke! (I do have a few cruises under my belt) :)

Edited July 22, 2015 by Bride2Be
add info

[skittl1321]

 

I have read so many posts that these emails are bogus. Not sure why Carnival sends them out if they never enforce them.

 

Because cruise critic is a very small portion of the cruise population. Enough people clearly pay attention to them.

 

And hopefully they will keep doing that and Carnival doesn't come up with some sort of "time entry ticket" to make us pay attention to these announcements.

 

With the number of things on the ship that are signed up first come first serve, doing this on anything other than FTTF, cabin category or loyalty category seems incredibly unfair.

[terpfancruiser]

I'm desperately trying to get the people in my group to go along with your advice. Of course I got 12 check in and my cabin mate got 2-3, and the other four got anytime between 1 and 3:30. Seems like we'll be conceding to the rule followers on this one.

[Wheels87]

There is no way that you should comply with that. Just show up whatever time you want. You will get in line and get on the ship in the order in which you arrived.

 

Have fun!

[StolidCruiser]

WOW! I didn't think I would get the beating I did! Thanks everyone for pointing out that I would still get priority boarding! Just another example of sarcasm not coming across in written word!

 

I have read so many posts that these emails are bogus. Not sure why Carnival sends them out if they never enforce them.

 

As others have pointed out and I also stated, some of us have no where else to go between hotel check out time/plane arrival and arriving at the port. I might as well go there and sit and wait.

 

Again, no more beatings please - it was a joke! (I do have a few cruises under my belt) :)

 

Apparently only one on Carnival but we won't hold that against you. :)

[Bride2Be]

Apparently only one on Carnival but we won't hold that against you. :)

 

And you just joined Cruise Critic this year - but we won't hold that against you! :)

[rhelms]

Thanks all. Guess I will just show up when I show up just as I always have.