What to expect.

[tucho]

After 2 years of moving the same cruise around. Finally looks like we’re going end of March.

Like to know from Platinum cruisers, that cruised recently. What has changed since pre-covid?

Do we still get all the perks, like before, laundry, gift, party and all others? Or, do we get some and not others?

Any responses we’ll be useful.

[firefly333]

If you want the bottle of water you can go to a bar and ask for it and show your card. The gift can be picked up at pixels. Mine was a plastic luggage tag. You might get a picture or other things but that's all I got. Dont take the water in your cabin..you must go get it.

 

I skipped the party lol. Sorry. But there was a party.

[hapytobehr]

In addition to what firefly said:

 

You can call for your strawberries and Laundry is still available as usual.

 

I did not attend the party on our cruise but i heard that some may or may not have hors d'oeuvres.

[mondello]

In addition to getting your Platinum gift at Pixels, pickup your ship pin. Since the restart they had a generic Welcome Back to Fun 2021 pins; they are now coming out with ship specific pins with ship name.

Platinum, Diamond and suites get a 2 day head start for online check-in to pick your assigned time; 16 days prior instead of 14.

$25 from casino to make up for the suspension of the slots tourney.

Edited February 24, 2022 by mondello
Correction

[mondello]

There is QR code in cabin to scan for VIFP perks.

[csm5986142]

We are Platinum and have been on 6 cruises since cruising resumed, and I think it varies by ship.

In addition to what has already been said, we did attend the party on our cruise in August (Mardi Gras) so back then Covid protocols were still pretty strict.  There was no food, but we were each given a glass of wine at the door and told a free drink of our choice was available on our card to be used any time after that (maybe it was even available before the party, I didn't look).  

As you have probably read here, for the most part priority boarding is not the same as it used to be, however, you will be able to do your online check-in 48 hours early, which will allow you (in most cases) to select an early arrival appointment, and likewise an early boarding group.  Last week in the Long Beach terminal, they also had "priority" lines for guests in suites and Diamond/Platinum regardless of the arrival appointment time (this is the first time I've experienced this cruising resumed) so maybe things are starting to get back to normal.

Also, I believe you are not guaranteed to have your room ready upon boarding (like before) but last week, our room was ready as soon as we boarded around 11:30.

Have a great trip - it's so nice to see cruising get back to normal!

 

[Nic6318]

Hi there

 

Do you still get a early debarkation slot if you want as well?

 

thanks

 

[csm5986142]

17 minutes ago, Nic6318 said:

Do you still get a early debarkation slot if you want as well?

 

Yes!  That has been consistent on every ship we've been on.  

[Happy0810]

My experience on Magic in Aug 2021 and Pride Jan/Feb 2022:

 

Check-In - 16 days before starting at midnight.  I received the earliest arrival time for both cruises 10:00-10:30 with boarding zone A01 (they call zones to board....A01, A02, etc., B01, B02, etc., C01, C02 and so on).  Friends forgot to check-in during the early check-in time and ended up with 11:00-11:30 with boarding zone C03.  It put them about 20-30 minutes behind us but not a big deal.  You can drop off luggage in your cabin but room may not be ready.  Ours were ready on both cruises with cards in the box.

 

Water - Any bar

 

Ship Pin and Platinum Gift - Pixels (Luggage Tag on Magic in August, Photo Album on Pride in Feb)

 

Laundry - Yes (so nice to come home with clean clothes)

 

Chocolate Delight/Strawberries - Yes, call room service to schedule delivery.

 

Platinum Party - Yes.  No limit on drinks and quick service for our cruises.  No hor d'oeuvres at either party.  I have read that Mardi Gras limits the amount of drinks because of the large number of platinums on the cruise.  Not sure on other ships.

 

Priority Tender - Only came into play in Belize in Feb 2022.  Received a letter on where to get priority tender ticket, but we didn't utilize it since we took our time getting off the ship.

 

Priority Debarkation - Yes on both cruises (we use self debarkation).  Zone 1 on both cruises if we wanted to let them take off our luggage.

 

Whew, I think that covers everything.  Have a great cruise!

[Guest BasicSailor]

Perks have become a seek and search procedure that will disappear by way of the dinosaur as people just won't bother the hunt those items down.

[dsfitz]

22 hours ago, hapytobehr said:

In addition to what firefly said:

 

You can call for your strawberries and Laundry is still available as usual.

 

I did not attend the party on our cruise but i heard that some may or may not have hors d'oeuvres.

Yes when we had the party on the Legend in late January, it was drinks only, no hors d'oeuvres.

[pe4all]

On Freedom last month:

Past Guest party had unlimited drinks - no food.  Pixels had gift - luggage tags.  We picked up our water at atrium bar.  Called room service for our chocolate delights.  Laundry fantastic as usual.  Our cabin was ready at 11:15 when we boarded, but our cards were not in mailbox until around 1:00.  No slot tournament, but go to casino cage and they will load $25 onto your card.  On Freedom they gave us a choice of cash or card - we took the cash.  We had zone 2 for debark. 

[csm5986142]

1 hour ago, BasicSailor said:

Perks have become a seek and search procedure that will disappear by way of the dinosaur as people just won't bother the hunt those items down.

 

Very true (this has to be saving Carnival money).  Out of 6 cruises, we only picked up our gift/pins and water bottles twice (and we never called for the strawberries).  I avoid crowds, so I don't like going up to the bar to pick up the water (plus I feel like I'm bugging the very busy bar tenders).  If you don't go to pixels early in the cruise, that area can be chaos too.