Cabin ready upon embark (Platinum/Diamond Suite guests)?

[JXR]

3 hours ago, pe4all said:

On our recently completed Spirit cruise we went to drop our backpacks off in our cabin closet (as we always do) and were immediately admonished by our steward for even being there.   Our cabin obviously wasn't touched yet - beds were stripped, garbage not emptied, so it wasn't like I was going to camp out there.  There was no way I was lugging my 15 lb. backpack around for 2 1/2 hours.  If we were in the cabin 20 seconds it was a lot.  Wasn't a stellar start in our introduction  to our steward.

Same with me and my cruise was on the Spirit as well. So it might be an issue with that ship in particular. My steward ended being amazing. 
joanne 

[nwcruiselover]

3 minutes ago, JXR said:

Same with me and my cruise was on the Spirit as well. So it might be an issue with that ship in particular. My steward ended being amazing. 
joanne 

It’s not just the Spirit.  I have recently been on Panorama, Celebration and Splendor and I definitely felt unwelcome when I went to drop off my bags.  

[staceyglow]

I have never had a problem on any ship. We make it clear that we are just dropping our bags and leaving. I don't know why any steward would have a problem with that. It is literally a 30-second disruption for them. 

 

If you stay any longer than that, I could understand why a steward might be concerned that you will be in their way. They are incredibly busy on embarkation day. 

[Squirreladd]

4 hours ago, BasicSailor said:

I've had a couple of Stewards react the same way when dropping off luggage. It's almost like they were trained to do that . I think they enjoy mouthing off to Diamonds, Plats.  I don't appreciate a Steward giving me the lip on something that was once included for Diamond, Plats. 

Just puts a damper on the rest of your cruise. I'm sure it puts a damper on the tipping pool too.🤐

 

There wage slaves leave off them. 

 

I don't think they care if you oare diamond or platinum. Only your ego. I don't appreciate someone getting mad at someone for doing their job and accusing them of giving you lip.

 

[pe4all]

3 hours ago, Squirreladd said:

There wage slaves leave off them. 

 

I don't think they care if you oare diamond or platinum. Only your ego. I don't appreciate someone getting mad at someone for doing their job and accusing them of giving you lip.

 

   I know the stewards are over-worked.  He was in the hall a few cabins down and saw us enter and literally ran into our cabin to confront us.  I was very polite - as I always am, and even apologized even though I had nothing to apologize for.  I never showed I was mad, because I wasn't.  Just a bit shocked because after 31 CCL cruises this was the first time a steward made an issue of us dropping our stuff off.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I'll have my get-out-of-jail card (printed correspondence - confirmed access upon embarkation), just in case I need to show I'm good to go... errrr.. stay !  🙂

 

Tom

[Guest BasicSailor]

4 hours ago, Squirreladd said:

There wage slaves leave off them. 

 

I don't think they care if you oare diamond or platinum. Only your ego. I don't appreciate someone getting mad at someone for doing their job and accusing them of giving you lip.

 

Were you there Seriously I didn't see you behind me. Honestly, I could care less what you think. Much less you are calling Stewards wage slaves.🙄

[ShakyBeef]

I'm smelling a change in the air, y'all.  I suspect Carnival may be starting to institute the removal of this perk (early access to cabins for dropping off luggage or any other reason) from Diamonds and Platinums.  I have been hypothesizing that they will do this someday due to all the unauthorized PAX who have been doing this, many of them told to go ahead and do so by others on this board and by word of mouth.  They may be starting the process and the Stewards may have already been informed of the new protocol before the PAX have been.  As I've said before, mark my words, it's coming.

 

I just hope it remains a Suite perk that the cabin is fully ready.  This is a legit perk that is worth paying extra for and I'm so glad Carnival has finally stepped up and enhanced their Suite perks.  Traffic into the hallways could be controlled by giving Suite PAX their S&S cards at check-in in the terminal in the old style and presenting them (or boarding passes, with Suite Guest labeling, if the current S&S card delivery system is kept in place) when challenged.  Everyone else gets booted out of the halls. 

[Old Fart Cruisers]

We are Platinum, sailing on the Spirit on March 11th on an Elite offer from the casino.  We DO NOT have Priority printed anyplace on luggage tags or boarding passes.  The Elite offer specifically lists "Early room access, with your preferred drink waiting for you" and "priority luggage and delivery" as two of the included Elite benefits.

 

[staceyglow]

18 minutes ago, Old Fart Cruisers said:

We are Platinum, sailing on the Spirit on March 11th on an Elite offer from the casino.  We DO NOT have Priority printed anyplace on luggage tags or boarding passes.  The Elite offer specifically lists "Early room access, with your preferred drink waiting for you" and "priority luggage and delivery" as two of the included Elite benefits.

 

I don't think "Elite" and "Priority" are interchangeable terms on Carnival.

[JoeMo]

We are Diamond and sailed from Galveston 6 times since last summer. We have 10 AM boarding time, and are generally in the "Carnival Corral" by that time, on board the ship around 11:15.. The nice lady who checks our passport in the terminal says the cabin will be ready for us when we board, but we know better than try to access the cabin before noon. We go muster, find a bite on the lido, a couple of Fun Ship specials, then head to the cabin to DROP OFF carry on stuff. We know the cabin is in process, so we put our stuff in an empty closet and sneak out. If the cabin key is in the mailbox, the cabin is ready. If not, it's Funship Special time (again). Our room Stewards have NEVER given us the stink-eye for dropping off carryons. 

[Old Fart Cruisers]

19 minutes ago, staceyglow said:

I don't think "Elite" and "Priority" are interchangeable terms on Carnival.

 

I know it isn't the same, but it specifically says "Priority" luggage and delivery, yet no mention of priority on the luggage tags.

[Sea Raven]

1 hour ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

 

I just hope it remains a Suite perk that the cabin is fully ready.  This is a legit perk that is worth paying extra for and I'm so glad Carnival has finally stepped up and enhanced their Suite perks.  

This. I pretty much exclusively book suites these days and I hope it sticks around. In the way back time, about 2008 or 2009, when you booked a suite you got cabin ready at boarding and priority luggage. Even though it was never officially stated anywhere. Back then my boarding pass and luggage tags said VIP.  Fast forward to the introduction of FTTF and this suite perk quietly disappeared. Then, at about the same time, equal treatment of cabin ready was given to D and P passengers. It would be nice if this new policy is their way of reinstating a valuable suite benefit. 

[DAllenTCY]

My experience on the last two Carnival cruises as a Platinum guest.

 

           The fire doors were locked until about 1:20 pm 

 

           Deck 2 forward staircase

 

           Horizon and Panorama

 

David

[john91498]

Last 2 cruises was in a suite. We were informed that our suites were ready when we checked in. This was around noon on both cruises.

[happylittlefamily]

58 minutes ago, DAllenTCY said:

My experience on the last two Carnival cruises as a Platinum guest.

 

           The fire doors were locked until about 1:20 pm 

 

           Deck 2 forward staircase

 

           Horizon and Panorama

 

David

I was on the Pride 3 weeks ago and that was our experience as well.  All fire doors were closed and were not open until just before 1:30.

[pe4all]

10 hours ago, happylittlefamily said:

I was on the Pride 3 weeks ago and that was our experience as well.  All fire doors were closed and were not open until just before 1:30.

Were they locked, or just closed?  They have always been closed on our last few cruises, but not locked.  We just push them open to drop our stuff and leave.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

13 minutes ago, pe4all said:

Were they locked, or just closed?  They have always been closed on our last few cruises, but not locked.  We just push them open to drop our stuff and leave.

 

Part of what I received back from Carnival regarding my follow up to their email:

 

Correct; your suite will be ready for you upon boarding and you can proceed to your suite even if you find the hallway doors closed off from the elevator area.

 

Tom

[Guest BasicSailor]

1 hour ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

Part of what I received back from Carnival regarding my follow up to their email:

 

Correct; your suite will be ready for you upon boarding and you can proceed to your suite even if you find the hallway doors closed off from the elevator area.

 

Tom

Hoping you have a blessed cruise. Please report back to us your final thoughts 😉

[mistyinca]

On 2/21/2023 at 5:01 AM, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

Interesting - seems it's clear as mud, like always !

 

My boarding pass for this Saturday on the Mardi Gras (suite and diamond) has nothing "extra" on it regarding cabin availability. 

 

 

 

BTW - It is highly unlikely we'll be there before 11 🙂

 

Tom

I'm sailing MG 3/4 (Platinum) and mine doesn't say Priority...

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

5 minutes ago, mistyinca said:

I'm sailing MG 3/4 (Platinum) and mine doesn't say Priority...

 

It's hard to make heads/tails out of these things. It's as if they don't have a concrete (predictable) way that they assign "priority" labels.

 

Board Zone A1 though, that's the first (after suites/diamond/weddings/etc)?

 

Tom

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

1 hour ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

It's hard to make heads/tails out of these things. It's as if they don't have a concrete (predictable) way that they assign "priority" labels.

 

Board Zone A1 though, that's the first (after suites/diamond/weddings/etc)?

 

Tom

But, couldn't the A1 be the result of the 10am arrival time, and have nothing to do with VIFP status? (other than the 2 day head start on picking an arrival time).

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

2 hours ago, PrincessArlena'sDad said:

But, couldn't the A1 be the result of the 10am arrival time, and have nothing to do with VIFP status? (other than the 2 day head start on picking an arrival time).

 

Makes sense - no point in an early arrival with a late embark !

[jimbo5544]

On 2/23/2023 at 8:06 AM, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

Aft corner deck 9 (yep, I know!... lol)

 

Tom

Be interested in your thoughts of the cabin after you get off.

[Old Fart Cruisers]

22 hours ago, staceyglow said:

I don't think "Elite" and "Priority" are interchangeable terms on Carnival.

 

I just checked my boarding passes and luggage tags.  Now both of them show PRIORTY.   Above Arrival Appointment on the boarding passes and replaced PLATINUM on the luggage tags.