Platinum priority boarding question.

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, ledges1 said:

I like the free beer at the frequent cruiser's party. 

You mean the 45 minutes at 500 pm on the last sea day when people are packing to go home or getting ready for dinner?  Great time.🤔🤔🤔

[maryann2]

1 hour ago, ledges1 said:

I like the free beer at the frequent cruiser's party. I also enjoy the priority boarding and the priority debarkation. I drive to New Orleans and Mobile for a lot of cruises. I can get on the road early after the cruise.

 

Just now, SNJCruisers said:

You mean the 45 minutes at 500 pm on the last sea day when people are packing to go home or getting ready for dinner?  Great time.🤔🤔🤔

I thought they had cancelled that due to lack of interest!!

[SNJCruisers]

20 minutes ago, maryann2 said:

 

I thought they had cancelled that due to lack of interest!!

They might have.  I had my sarcastic response because of the changes that were done over the years.  Back in the day,  it was done  on the first formal night.  You had the option to meet the Captain and they came around with drinks for everyone.  Once it became popular, the venues spilled out into smaller venues that actually had a bar.  Those in the know knew you could go to the bar and order anything you wanted.   You weren't just limited to the drinks on the trays.

It got shifted to the last sea day, was reduced time wise and only had a small print mention in the Carnival Capers.   Just another cost saving gesture by Carnival. 

[maryann2]

Just now, SNJCruisers said:

 

It got shifted to the last sea day, was reduced time wise and only had a small print mention in the Carnival Capers.   Just another cost saving gesture by Carnival. 

That's exactly what they did before cancelling it!

 

My last cruise was the Horizon TA and the big parties in the theatre were back. Showed the ships on the screen to cheer the ones you had sailed on.   Really strong drinks

[BallFour4]

Remarkable speculation on what might happen. So I'll join in.

 

Creating a two hour (or any other time window) for platinum and diamond guests to board early is great for those that arrive early. After that where do those that arrive later fit in? They won't be happy cruisers waiting in the regular line.

On our New Years cruise on the Dream last year the ship was very late arriving here in Galveston due to fog. We dropped off our luggage early and went for a late lunch on The Strand. Boarding time was at 6:00PM and the line stretched from Terminal 2 all the way over to Terminal 1. The Priority Line door appeared to be not staffed, and when my wife and I walked up some fellow passengers voiced their displeasure. 

 I get it, they had been there for a long day as us, and some didn't know priority benefits. New Years cruises bring a big number of first-timers. Once we found someone we breezed through. A couple we met at lunch waited until nearly 9:00PM before they were able to board. 

 It will be interesting to see how this plays out. We don't have anything booked until 2022 so perhaps things will smooth out. Boarding the Mardi Gras in 1976 at the ripe old age of eighteen was much easier...

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[BallFour4]

1 hour ago, SNJCruisers said:

You mean the 45 minutes at 500 pm on the last sea day when people are packing to go home or getting ready for dinner?  

You went to one that lasted 45 min? Wow! The past few have been over in thirty minutes or less. The crew on the Dream and Conquest looked like they wanted to be anywhere but in front of the stage lights waiting to released. 
 Our last cruise on New Years 2020 we found a couple while at Nachi Cocom that had been apart for his tour in the Middle East so we sent them. They came to dinner with frozen drinks in each hand. 
 I will probably go to the bad place on the fast track but I'll take my chances...

 

.

[SNJCruisers]

11 minutes ago, BallFour4 said:

You went to one that lasted 45 min? Wow! The past few have been over in thirty minutes or less. The crew on the Dream and Conquest looked like they wanted to be anywhere but in front of the stage lights waiting to released. 
 Our last cruise on New Years 2020 we found a couple while at Nachi Cocom that had been apart for his tour in the Middle East so we sent them. They came to dinner with frozen drinks in each hand. 
 I will probably go to the bad place on the fast track but I'll take my chances...

 

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I never made it to the ones that were relegated to 45 minutes on the last sea day.  I had the Cheers package by then, so I didn't care about the drinks.  Back in the day however, it was a different story as I mentioned in my earlier post.  The back theater had live music and waiter had drinks on their trays and when the theater became full, it spilled into adjacent smaller venues where those in the know got whatever drink they wanted except for frozen ones for free.  It was great.  Then the cost cutting began and I took a five year hiatus with Carnival until the Havana area came out.

[firefly333]

10 hours ago, maryann2 said:

 

I thought they had cancelled that due to lack of interest!!

On vista we had that guy who now retired, but he let us order any drinks we wanted. Best ever party I've ever been to on carnival.

 

Too bad hes gone. Doesnt take me that long to pack, lol. 

[ledges1]

10 hours ago, maryann2 said:

 

I thought they had cancelled that due to lack of interest!!

Everyone I have been to has been packed.

[ledges1]

Give the waiter a good tip and they will bring you most any drink you want. I started going when  they included gold. They have now limited to Platinum and Diamond. The crowd got to large when it included Gold. The food is not that good and you do have to endure the redundant video. One of the Lounge singers usually plays. The last few I have been to lasted 45 minutes. There is an introduction of the officers along with a trivia game. If it is not something you enjoy, so be it. Let others decide on their own.

[BallFour4]

10 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Back in the day however, it was a different story as I mentioned in my earlier post.  The back theater had live music and waiter had drinks on their trays and when the theater became full...

I truncated your post, but I do remember the ones from the past. The theater of those Fantasy Class ships were busy. It didn't take long for the 3-4-5 day cruises to put people over the ten needed for platinum and the party was perhaps in the hosts eyes too big.
 The most fun for us is seeing a someone like a kid at dinner that would want a pair of binoculars, a Nike hat, a Tervis cup and the list goes on. We haven't brought anything home from a ship since the great tote bag from the Magic inaugural.
 See you at sea!

 

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[Elaine5715]

5 hours ago, BallFour4 said:

I truncated your post, but I do remember the ones from the past. The theater of those Fantasy Class ships were busy. It didn't take long for the 3-4-5 day cruises to put people over the ten needed for platinum and the party was perhaps in the hosts eyes too big.
 The most fun for us is seeing a someone like a kid at dinner that would want a pair of binoculars, a Nike hat, a Tervis cup and the list goes on. We haven't brought anything home from a ship since the great tote bag from the Magic inaugural.
 See you at sea!

 

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Great pictures!