Staggered Check In - HELP

[LMaxwell]

It is a pretty easy to one to defend....the reason why is it is a better solution. period. The "tell me what happens when you get a late slot simple has no weight". It works, much to all the posters who had negative comments when it came out dismay.

 

 

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It works for you because you have priority boarding and so will never be forced into a late slot no matter when you book your trip. I'm fine with it working for YOU. But when you say "it works" you should be up front and tell people why, in your situation, it does.

[d12j28]

I thought everyone on this site checked in later to avoid those "firsties" anyways......:rolleyes:

 

I have done the staggered check in 3 or 4 times now. I always do my online check in stuff as soon as I book a cruise and pretty much have my pick of times. Going through security and check in goes pretty fast I have to say. I would be a little upset if they gave me a check in time that is the same as MDR time. I would hope they'd still let you in to eat later.

[LMaxwell]

No different than booking late and getting a less desirable cabin. There are ways to get around it as you are well aware of if you so happen to get a late time. You can either get FTTF, or worst case scenario take a Carnival transfer from the airport. Sure, you're giving Carnival more money, but you don't have to if you can just accept what time you get. Sometimes you have to pay for convenience.

 

Since it was no problem getting through as early as I went, I'm guessing the later times experienced the same thing. The goal after all is to stagger the arrival of guests as to ease the lines. Overwhelming majority says it's working. You will always say it's terrible. Quite a difference between reality and perception.

 

I wonder if I can pay for a Carnival transfer and just arrange my own transport anyways? Does it show as a paid for item?

[firemanbobswife]

I wonder if I can pay for a Carnival transfer and just arrange my own transport anyways? Does it show as a paid for item?

 

 

You do pay for it ahead of time so I think it would probably work but I don't know if they will be looking for you or not. I have never used a transfer. Maybe someone who has can help.

[jimbo5544]

It works for you because you have priority boarding and so will never be forced into a late slot no matter when you book your trip. I'm fine with it working for YOU. But when you say "it works" you should be up front and tell people why, in your situation, it does.

 

 

It has always worked for me, on that I can't argue. My comment was based upon everyone, not me. Glad you are thinking about me though.... I believe it works for everyone... It simply is a better way to check in and also to get on the ship.

 

 

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[wilmingtech]

There are tons of things to do in Charleston with kids - why not make it a tourist vacation day? (Make lemonade from that lemon!)

 

 

The Aquarium - very near the port - is wonderful! Plenty of free parking and you'd be minutes from the cruise ship parking area, with no need to wrestle with downtown Charleston (though of course downtown Charleston is one of the loveliest cities in the World).

 

Also, though you'll need reservations, take the trip to Fort Sumter - it leaves from the same place as the Aquarium. Great boat ride (we had dolphins swimming along side), and all ages can enjoy Fort Sumter (great place for kids to run around, explore, and get a piece of American history).

 

Between the Aquarium and the Fort Sumter excursion, you'd easily use up all the time after check out and before boarding.

 

Again, look at this as a wonderful opportunity to add a second vacation to your holiday!

I agree with this. We love downtown Charleston and we would love to spend a day there with our 4 kids.

 

I totally understand the OPs position. It similar to Southwest. If you forget to check in exactly 24hrs before your flight you end up in the middle seat in the last row by the bathrooms. Totally sucks.

 

If our kids were younger and we were in that situation we would try changing the kids schedule. Get up early and spend a day in Charleston. They have a great kids museum. (Children's museum of the lowcountry). Feed them a late breakfast (10am). A late lunch (2-3pm) and if you wipe em out in Charleston they will hopefully be in the perfedct spot for a quick snack and movie and go right to bed.

 

Then you get to relax. I would check to see if Carnival offers child care in the room and then have a night to yourself.

 

Just an idea. I know its not for everyone and have no idea how old your kids are but I'd try to make the best of the day. Life's to short to sit in a parking lot for 3 hours with your kids.

 

-Sean

[LMaxwell]

 

I totally understand the OPs position. It similar to Southwest. If you forget to check in exactly 24hrs before your flight you end up in the middle seat in the last row by the bathrooms. Totally sucks.

 

 

Southwest has no assigned seating though. Or are you saying being assigned a boarding position?

[wilmingtech]

Southwest has no assigned seating though. Or are you saying being assigned a boarding position?

Boarding position.

[DopeyRN1]

I am on the Dream right now. We showed up at noon which was our check in time. There was mass confusion. We stood in a line for about 20 minutes. Then they said everyone with boarding times after noon, move to check in B. We speed walked to that area to find ourselves in a line 4 times longer and out in the heat. We were noon like I said, there was someone right behind us who was 2:30. Well that worked like crap. Now this was New Orleans, and this sort of thing was typical for NOLA. I love NOLA, but we are a bit slow. Anyway, what you do is up to you. After my experience I would say you may do ok arriving early.

[poobears]

There are tons of things to do in Charleston with kids - why not make it a tourist vacation day? (Make lemonade from that lemon!)

 

 

The Aquarium - very near the port - is wonderful! Plenty of free parking and you'd be minutes from the cruise ship parking area, with no need to wrestle with downtown Charleston (though of course downtown Charleston is one of the loveliest cities in the World).

 

Also, though you'll need reservations, take the trip to Fort Sumter - it leaves from the same place as the Aquarium. Great boat ride (we had dolphins swimming along side), and all ages can enjoy Fort Sumter (great place for kids to run around, explore, and get a piece of American history).

 

Between the Aquarium and the Fort Sumter excursion, you'd easily use up all the time after check out and before boarding.

 

Again, look at this as a wonderful opportunity to add a second vacation to your holiday!

 

This is exactly what I'm talking about. Make it a fun day for the kids. Why sit and pout in a parking lot for hours when you don't have to? There are tons of things to do around town, make it part of your vacation, that's what we would do if we had a late to take a late check in. In fact we'd probably check out of the hotel earlier in the day instead of a late check out so we could get in lots of activities prior to boarding.

 

Guess it's all in the attitude, if someone wants to start your cruise off with a bad one, nobody can stop them. I sure don't.

[berrieh]

It works for you because you have priority boarding and so will never be forced into a late slot no matter when you book your trip. I'm fine with it working for YOU. But when you say "it works" you should be up front and tell people why, in your situation, it does.

 

Southwest has no assigned seating though. Or are you saying being assigned a boarding position?

 

It's really just about the same situation as the check-in times. If you get a poor position on Southwest, the system seems just awful (unless you take responsibility for and understand why you got the poor position -- i.e. you bought the fare last minute, you forgot to check in, etc, and then you recognize the flaw is yours and not the system). If your only experience with the system was with a poor position, of course, it would not seem good. But, at the end of the day, as long as the system allows you ways to get a good position, especially in the case of both Southwest and Carnival, where you can either pay for position OR simply be conscientious and early to both book and check-in, I think it's a fair and good system.

 

I confess I avoided Southwest for a long time and did not like the sound of the system, and I confess I get nervous about staggered check-in as well... but this is as much my own aversion to change as anything else, if I really think about it. What is not fair about those who check in later getting less desirable times? And isn't it more convenient for the vast majority of responsible passengers to check in earlier for a desirable time than to simple arrive and bum rush to be first in line? It seems like it would be, and this would also favor people who book early (which makes sense since last-minute fares are often a bargain, etc). Basically, with proper planning, you don't get that poor position and with improper planning, you take your lumps, yes, but isn't that a good way of dividing the lumps?

 

Now, I am never comfortable on embarkation day until I have checked in (I'd sooner wait in the terminal for 3 hours checked-in than come later, myself) so I understand the criticisms to be sure. But I also know there are ways to put myself into greater position, via planning and paying for it, if it's important to me, as it is. And if that should fail me, I would understand that it was my flaw for not checking in sooner and not the system, unlike OP who wants special treatment.

[tonit964]

There are tons of things to do in Charleston with kids - why not make it a tourist vacation day? (Make lemonade from that lemon!)

 

 

The Aquarium - very near the port - is wonderful! Plenty of free parking and you'd be minutes from the cruise ship parking area, with no need to wrestle with downtown Charleston (though of course downtown Charleston is one of the loveliest cities in the World).

 

Also, though you'll need reservations, take the trip to Fort Sumter - it leaves from the same place as the Aquarium. Great boat ride (we had dolphins swimming along side), and all ages can enjoy Fort Sumter (great place for kids to run around, explore, and get a piece of American history).

 

Between the Aquarium and the Fort Sumter excursion, you'd easily use up all the time after check out and before boarding.

 

Again, look at this as a wonderful opportunity to add a second vacation to your holiday!

 

This was a very helpful response. :)

OP: I feel bad you didn't get the check in time you were expecting. I think this is the best solution to your dilemma.

 

Or, you might be able to talk to the hotel and they will let you stay in your room a little bit longer if they're not booked up, possibly for a fee.

 

Enjoy your cruise with your family.

[clambert1273]

I get it.. I really really do but I have sails from Charleston and will vote the aquarium... my kids LOVED it. It is an excellent aquarium.

 

My rules all the time.. I fly southwest and ALWAYS buy early bird checkin lol and I always get FTTF as soon as I can...

 

It may not be available for you now but keep stalking it. As they said earlier, get the transport if you need to or do the aquarium and show up later. I have never experienced being turned away for dinner or anything else the first day. They know it's a cluster the first day and are usually pretty accommodating.

 

 

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[ScottsSweetie]

We haven't cruised for four years so this staggered check in was new to me. However, it wasn't hard to find out the information, both at Carnivals web page and here at CC. We like to board as early as possible so I made sure to sign up immediately for the earliest time slot. I don't understand why you feel it's Carnivals fault, or surprised that early time slots are already taken, and no, I don't think they should make exceptions.

 

 

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Agree completely with this poster. It's called personal responsibility. We all know that the only thing constant with cruise lines is change. I would never make plans and then not check to see if changes have been made since I last sailed. It is MY responsibility to know what the cruiselines policies are.

 

Wonder if next she'll complain that all of her bottled water was confiscated at check-in? :rolleyes:

[poobears]

It's kind of like finding a hotel in New Orleans for a Halloween cruise. My favorite hotel could have been booked earlier in the year for $79 on Hotwire for next weekend according to some others that will be cruising then, by the time I checked hotels that same one was running around $200-250 a night. I didn't really want to pay that much knowing we never paid that much before. Then the price went to $400-500 per night :eek: Obviously I wasn't paying that but all other hotels in the area that were safe and decent were high or sold out too. My fault for not paying attention when I should have early on. I had no idea Halloween was such a big weekend in NO, plus they have a big football game going on that weekend.

 

Calling hotels and pleading my case sure wouldn't have gotten me anywhere. Nor should it have, it was on me for not doing my part, not on them. I guess I could say I'm never cruising out of NO again or never staying at that hotel again but why? I'm the one that didn't look when I should have.

Edited October 22, 2016 by poobears

[Homosassa]

OP, about your concerns about the MDR the first night: You will most likely find that you will be allowed to eat in anytime dining or will be allowed in late to your fixed early seating due to your late assigned check in. Check with the maitre d' at the door of the dining room Things are usually more flexible on embarkation night.

 

In any case, have some snacks available for the little ones to avoid cranky hungry kidlets.

[LMaxwell]

OP, about your concerns about the MDR the first night: You will most likely find that you will be allowed to eat in anytime dining or will be allowed in late to your fixed early seating due to your late assigned check in. Check with the maitre d' at the door of the dining room Things are usually more flexible on embarkation night.

 

I'd be very surprised, in a pleasant way, if they allowed that. They don't typically allow switching back and forth.

[LMaxwell]

It's really just about the same situation as the check-in times. If you get a poor position on Southwest, the system seems just awful (unless you take responsibility for and understand why you got the poor position -- i.e. you bought the fare last minute, you forgot to check in, etc, and then you recognize the flaw is yours and not the system). If your only experience with the system was with a poor position, of course, it would not seem good. But, at the end of the day, as long as the system allows you ways to get a good position, especially in the case of both Southwest and Carnival, where you can either pay for position OR simply be conscientious and early to both book and check-in, I think it's a fair and good system.

 

I confess I avoided Southwest for a long time and did not like the sound of the system, and I confess I get nervous about staggered check-in as well... but this is as much my own aversion to change as anything else, if I really think about it. What is not fair about those who check in later getting less desirable times? And isn't it more convenient for the vast majority of responsible passengers to check in earlier for a desirable time than to simple arrive and bum rush to be first in line? It seems like it would be, and this would also favor people who book early (which makes sense since last-minute fares are often a bargain, etc). Basically, with proper planning, you don't get that poor position and with improper planning, you take your lumps, yes, but isn't that a good way of dividing the lumps?

 

Now, I am never comfortable on embarkation day until I have checked in (I'd sooner wait in the terminal for 3 hours checked-in than come later, myself) so I understand the criticisms to be sure. But I also know there are ways to put myself into greater position, via planning and paying for it, if it's important to me, as it is. And if that should fail me, I would understand that it was my flaw for not checking in sooner and not the system, unlike OP who wants special treatment.

 

Southwest Check in Opens for everyone at the same time; does not matter when you booked your ticket.

 

Also, everyone once onboard has the same accommodations. No one is being forced to miss a paid for meal based on their boarding. Everyone boards a plane within 20 minutes from start to end and there are no "services" before being in-flight.

 

I don't really think it is analogous.

[ekajun1957]

If the OP is "one trip away from Platinum" don't you think they should have known that things change constantly with Carnival? And would have checked on Carnival page and here to make sure of no changes? I travel for business every single month, I never book something months ahead and never go back and check for changes, never trust any company to inform me when changes are made. Oh got to go, just remembered need to go make sure of my seat ssignments for next months flights.

[FLSteve11]

Everyone thinks they should be the exception. You have the option of FTTF but you don't want to take it so you accept the alternative of being patient and boarding later. If it's not worth $70 or whatever FTTF would cost to make sure the kids are on board, fed and comfortable then it's really not important enough to make a fuss over. IMO

 

I'm sure you can find a local childrens museum or park for them to spend some fun time at instead of sitting in a car if you want. Have a picnic and some family time pre cruise.

 

FTTF is quite limited. Not everyone can just purchase FTTF and use it, it does sell out pretty much every cruise. I would bet on a cruise with check-in's this late, it would go very fast. I would bet if they got stuck with this late a check-in time that the FTTF's are long gone as an option, unless they lucky and one comes up from someone dropping.

[BeachChik]

Oh, you have NO idea!! Thanks for your opinion.

 

I have two kids under three. I get it. However sitting in your car for hours only affects your family and makes everyone miserable, carnival doesn't care.

 

If this ruins your cruise that's pretty sad.

[97TJ-Neil]

Good grief. Your kids will survive being up an hour past their bedtime once. Dont let this ruin your entire vacation.

[poobears]

FTTF is quite limited. Not everyone can just purchase FTTF and use it, it does sell out pretty much every cruise. I would bet on a cruise with check-in's this late, it would go very fast. I would bet if they got stuck with this late a check-in time that the FTTF's are long gone as an option, unless they lucky and one comes up from someone dropping.

 

My point was OP stated even if was available they wouldn't have given Carnival more money to get it. Of course later they came and said well it's not available anyways. But originally they wouldn't have taken the option even if they could just because they didn't think they should have to because they should be an exception due to having kids. Tons of cruisers have kids, that doesn't make them unique and neither does being almost platinum.

[KatieCharlotte]

So...People who defend strictly enforced staggered check-in say that it works great and the response is overwhelmingly positive...But when someone says that it didn't work great for them and is actually causing a big hassle, they get a bunch of responses criticizing them for their lack of personal responsibility and telling them they need to stop complaining? :confused:

 

Can we just acknowledge that Carnival's unique enforced check-in time is a negative for some guests who are forced into later times than they want? Telling OP they should have selected their time sooner would not actually eliminate this reality, because there are a limited number of early slots available -- if OP had gotten the early time, someone else would have been shut out. Unfortunately for the OP, the problem is magnified because of the late start to check-in on that cruise.

[ScottsSweetie]

So...People who defend strictly enforced staggered check-in say that it works great and the response is overwhelmingly positive...But when someone says that it didn't work great for them and is actually causing a big hassle, they get a bunch of responses criticizing them for their lack of personal responsibility and telling them they need to stop complaining? :confused:

 

Can we just acknowledge that Carnival's unique enforced check-in time is a negative for some guests who are forced into later times than they want? Telling OP they should have selected their time sooner would not actually eliminate this reality, because there are a limited number of early slots available -- if OP had gotten the early time, someone else would have been shut out. Unfortunately for the OP, the problem is magnified because of the late start to check-in on that cruise.

 

While I can't speak for others, I'm not defending the staggered check-in. However, every company has regulations, rules and policies, and like them or not, one has to abide by them, beg for an exception, or not give them your business.

 

As a previous poster replied, this policy was not difficult to find.

 

The onus is on the consumer - buyer beware. One can argue whether or not staggered check-in is a good policy. For the present time, it's the policy on the books and has to be dealt with.