Is this true ???

[fsugurl]

So I have a question. We booked our Holiday cruise through a travel agent which is actually a friend of ours. I called Carnival to tell them I have received no information in the mail about our cruise just an email. According to my travel agent she said that I am supposed to get a package in the mail, but according to Carnival they said since I booked through an agent that's not the case. I am confused ? I already have my fun pass completed, but I feel like I am totally unprepared as far as packing, how many bags we can take, dining times, etc. Can someone answer this for me ?

[Kurbanfan]

We book thru a TA and she delivers our docs to us.........

[CruizinMom2c]

it also depends on when you booked...if you just booked then you wont get anything in mail since its a certain amount of time that you need before the cruise.

[G'ma]

So I have a question. We booked our Holiday cruise through a travel agent which is actually a friend of ours. I called Carnival to tell them I have received no information in the mail about our cruise just an email. According to my travel agent she said that I am supposed to get a package in the mail, but according to Carnival they said since I booked through an agent that's not the case. I am confused ? I already have my fun pass completed, but I feel like I am totally unprepared as far as packing, how many bags we can take, dining times, etc. Can someone answer this for me ?

 

If you booked through a brick and mortar travel agency, the documents will be sent to the agent who made the reservation. He/she should call you as soon as she receives them and make an appointment for you to come in and go over everything in the document package....and answer any questions you have.

 

If your friend isn't with a travel agency, then I don't know what to tell you except get ahold of her. When you get your documents depends upon when you are sailing and when you paid.

 

I'd keep track of this.....

[okgirl]

The last time I used a TA our docs were mailed to her then to me......Since the advent of edocs, I'm not sure how that works......I have heard that once you make a selection for either paper or electronic documents then you won't be able to change that selection......Could you have inadvertantly selected edocs?? I think there is something on your Carnival profile that tells you what choice you've made........

But don't fret, I've been told many times that as long as you've completed your fun pass (and be sure to bring it with you) everything else can be done at the pier, including tagging your luggage, filling out your S&S information etc.....

[old sole]

If they mail the documents they will go to your TA. I think you just recently booked, right? If you book within about three weeks of sailing they won't have time to do the mailing, but your e-docs (all the same information as in the mailed docs) should be available to you online. You can pull them down and print just what you want. I usually just print the "ticket" page and some luggage tags.

 

The only extra thing that would have come in the mail is a "Things to Know" brochure. That may have answers to some or all of your questions. You can find that online too. It's the second brochure from the left in the second row at http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/brochure.aspx

 

For the two specific questions you just asked, there's no limit on luggage by the cruiseline (air carrier is different if you're flying as I am sure you know) and dining times are 6:00 PM for the early seating and 8:15 PM for the late seating if your ship has gone to the two-seating schedule that Carnival is rolling out fleetwide. If not, it may vary from those times by 15-30 minutes. Your dining room name, table number, and dining time will be printed on the Sail & Sign card that will be issued to you when you check in.

 

The main thing is to relax - you don't actually need anything to check in as long as you filled out your info online and it says Funpass complete. Even luggage tags will be at the port if for some reason you can't print them; the porters will be able to find you on the manifest and write the correct cabin number on those tags.

 

Just by virtue of having read these forums and researching the Carnival website you already know more than many, many other people who have cruised and they all managed to get on the ship! You'll be fine.

[misguidedangel]

I suggest you not wait any longer. You can create a log in at the website, create a profile, enter the booking number, and then view what information that is available on the site. You can log into MY Documents and select paper, but you will still be able to view the info as edocs. I prefer edocs now because the paper docs are giving less and less info and the edocs are preferred by the cruise line. I downloaded my edocs for the first time when the final payment was applied. I then kept an eye on when the flight was booked and when it was I did the final download then.

 

I am set to go in 49 days, so I will be printing two copies of the edocs and keeping them with me at all times travelling to Miami/the ship and then getting off at Miami at the end. I choose paper for my cruise in February and was disappointed with the luggage tags in the package, so I printed them off and instead.

 

I am the type who wants to know all about it ASAP, not wait until two weeks before I leave....

[dan40]

In addition to all of the above, dining times are "requests" only, not reservations. You will not get your dining time until you get your S&S card when boarding. If you do not like the time or/and table, see the Maitre'D and try to change it. That usually happens but it is not always possible.

Once you have booked with a TA, you are the TA's customer, not Carnival's. So Carnival will not talk to you about your booking. But you can still call Carnival and ask general questions, just act like you're seeking general info. Or talk to your TA and make them earn the commission she/he is getting from Carnival.

 

Dan

[mzloolue]

 

But don't fret, I've been told many times that as long as you've completed your fun pass (and be sure to bring it with you) everything else can be done at the pier, including tagging your luggage, filling out your S&S information etc.....

 

You don't need that packet from the mail...I've sailed last minute without it.

 

And one time when it never showed up.

 

And I filled out our fast passes last cruise and for some reason although it showed complete online, but there was no record of them when we got to the pier so they just did it over again at the pier.

 

So apparently as long as you are in the computer and have your creidt card and clean underwear, then you are good to go.

[firefly333]

Our TA said it now costs extra to get paper docs, so I said fine edocs lol. We cruise this Labor Day.

[fsugurl]

Our TA said it now costs extra to get paper docs, so I said fine edocs lol. We cruise this Labor Day.

 

Thanks for the info everyone ! I sneakily called Carnival and talked to a really nice rep. She said that once my funpass is completed I am good to go ! She said the only thing I needed to print was the funpass and the luggage tags, but the luggage tags were optional. PHEWWW !! I feel much better !

 

As far as my TA is concerned she is a very good friend. She actually cut all of her commision so I was able to get this cruise at the TA price. I hate to keep hounding her so I took it upon myself to find the answer.

 

Thanks for the info guys ! :)

[Cotton]

The best source of answers to all your questions (since the TA/friend isn't helping - is to go to the Carnival website. All your answers will be there.:)

[big_duck]

Before they switched to edocs Carnival used to deliver a Welcome Aboard booklet with your ticket package.

 

It contains all the types of information you are looking for and is available here:

 

http://www.carnival-brochures.com/welcome/ebook.asp

[katerkat]

My TA said the documents will come a month before the cruise, and that she would walk them down the street when they came. (Not only did I book with a neighbor, but the base travel agency is less than a mile from my house!) I'm usually pretty anal about these things, but I figure I can find out most of what I need to know online before mid-August. (Ask me again in mid-August when I'm panicking over a lack of documents!)

[LHP]

Thanks for the info everyone ! I sneakily called Carnival and talked to a really nice rep. She said that once my funpass is completed I am good to go ! She said the only thing I needed to print was the funpass and the luggage tags, but the luggage tags were optional. PHEWWW !! I feel much better !

 

As far as my TA is concerned she is a very good friend. She actually cut all of her commision so I was able to get this cruise at the TA price. I hate to keep hounding her so I took it upon myself to find the answer.

 

Thanks for the info guys ! :)

 

You will need luggage tags ON YOUR BAGS before you give them to the porter. What the Carnival rep meant is that you can get luggage tags at the port...just make sure you put your cabin number on them and they are on your luggage before you hand them over.

 

If you do this, I would suggest that you take some self adhesive address labels to quickly stick on them before you put them on your luggage.

 

Have a great cruise!

[Pegs222]

Our TA said it now costs extra to get paper docs, so I said fine edocs lol. We cruise this Labor Day.

 

We are getting paper docs and we were not charged more from our TA. I wonder if your TA is trying to cut the cost of the mailing which is very high, and she wanted to charge you for the mailing.

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

[Essiesmom]

Cotton is right. If you read EVERYTHING on the Carnival website, ESPECIALLY the FAQ, you will find out all you need to know and more. EM

[queenanneitis]

If you book through a TA and are doing paper docks they will be delivered to the TA who get them to you. As for packing and other questions, you can find it all here.

 

http://www.prucha.com/modules.php?name=Cruise_Mania