Is Platinum Worth it?

[G'ma]

[quote name='Bo Didly']Wash , ruined shirts as well as shrunken items.
Fold , [U][B]horrible[/B][/U].

For the most part is useless.[/quote]

Wash and fold on 10 cruises....nicely laundered, folded. No damage, fading, shrinking or any other problems.......and same day service....

[B][U]Great![/U][/B]

[LHP]

[quote name='quickrate']I'm sorry you had that experience. Every time we've used wash and fold everything came back spotless, unwrinkled, and the same size they left the cabin!:D
Pat[/QUOTE]


I can only speak to our experiences. We use the free wash and fold at least once on every cruise...and twice on 7 day cruises.

We have always gotten the clothes back in wonderful condition. That being said, I do not send any clothing that I would hand wash AT HOME. Our youngest son has some vintage Nascar tshirts and I do NOT send those...

but everything else does great....

[G'ma]

[quote name='Bo Didly']Never received any [B][U]chocolate covered strawberries [/U][/B]as a perk :confused:

But that would be better than the other crapola they deliver to your room.;)[/quote]

Good grief!!!

I've never had crapola delivered to my room. I've had nice chocolate confections and lovely canapes...even asked for a veggie tray with dip instead of canapes once...and they brought it.....delicious.

You must not be going on the same Carnival line I travel on.

[PA Dutchman]

Not everything on that list happens, as we found out it seems each carnival ship has its on games.

VIP gets on the ship 10 to 15 min before non platinum, big deal. Platinum used to be called seperate, not any more all in with VIP/suites.

Reservations for the supper club, we were turned down for reservations 2 times. We called in the morn for that night, were told NO. This happened on 2 ships. So big deal for that.

Reservations for the SPA, called in the morn for same day or next day, were told NO, we are full. So big deal for that also.

You cannot take your carry on bags to your room till 1:30 on almost all ship. On some they now lock the doors. Don.t matter if your platinum or not. People do it on there own.
[B][/B]
[B][U]chocolate covered strawberries are given by the players club, not for being platinum.[/U][/B]
[B][/B]
[B][U]The rest you take your chances with if you like or not.[/U][/B]
[B][/B]
[B][U]Tote bags are not the platinum gift as of a few weeks ago.[/U][/B]
[B][/B]
[B][U]Its a nice list but not everything will happen.[/U][/B]

[G'ma]

[quote name='zonabelle']Thank you for answering my questions! I really appreciate it.

One more question! Does platinum help at all in the long lines that sometimes form to get back on the ship from a port, ie Key West? Now that would be a great perk in itself, although I know that in some ports the lines don't seem to be as bad as what we experienced recently in Key West. Is there a "VIP" or "platinum" line to reboard the ship?[/quote]

Nope. That wouldn't be workable.

Best way to avoid those lines for return....is to plan your return a few hours prior to the last minute.

[G'ma]

[quote name='okgirl']Unfortunately there is no platinum line to get back on the ship. I really think they need 2 lines in some ports. One for old and/or handicapped and one for everyone else.

As for debarkation at the end of your cruise, there will be 2 options VIP self assist which are the 1st people off the ship and you meet at like 6:30 in one of the meeting rooms off the DR on the lobby deck and then Zone 1 which will be called after both the VIP self assist and general self assist is finished.

As far as I'm concerned they call all the methods in too rapid succession, so much as I would rather sleep in and have breakfast, I get up early on the last day to do VIP self assist. Thus making it the most dreaded and worst part of my cruise.[/quote]

You don't HAVE to get up early and have a dreadful experience. Heck, I'm never in a hurry to leave. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast, find a comfortable chair, a good book or a place with a nice view..and wait for "last call". No line at the elevator, no line at the gangway...just sashay myself out the door and to the luggage claim....where my bag is easily spotted because all others are gone.

[firefly333]

[quote name='okgirl']
As for debarkation at the end of your cruise, there will be 2 options VIP self assist which are the 1st people off the ship and you meet at like [COLOR=Red]6:30[/COLOR] in one of the meeting rooms off the DR on the lobby deck and then Zone 1 which will be called after both the VIP self assist and general self assist is finished..[/quote]

I dont know if you are part of the Ecstasy Crazies group coming up or not. I just got off Ecstasy one week ago, and we did not meet until 8 am.. and right after 8 am they called to say ok, we can debark. The problem was by then every early flight and platinum was there, 100s of us. They took us all and we had to all wait for elevators and get down one deck. We meet in the rear lounge on promenade. Until we all got there in the lobby of the elevator smashed together .. then then opened the doors so we could all go forward.. I was stupid enough to think first come first off. I got pushed to the back of the line, even though I had waited there since 7 am. Im talking the back of 300 people perhaps. Not exactly special.

Adding all the friends of platinum AND anyone who said they had early flights.. wasnt the smoothest. My one problem with Ecstasy is their debarkation just never quite cuts it.

[G'ma]

[quote name='golfadj']And some day they will change the gift as most platinums have more picture frames than they know what to do with.[/quote]

Not me. They sell on eBay...and bring a good price. Same with the thermos..they sold really, really well.

I sell on eBay to finance my cruise addiction....so, Carnival gets it all back one way or another.....:D

[victoryred]

[quote name='firefly333']I dont know if you are part of the Ecstasy Crazies group coming up or not. I just got off Ecstasy one week ago, and [B]we did not meet until 8 am..[/B] and right after 8 am they called to say ok, we can debark. The problem was by then every early flight and platinum was there, 100s of us. They took us all and we had to all wait for elevators and get down one deck. We meet in the rear lounge on promenade. Until we all got there in the lobby of the elevator smashed together .. then then opened the doors so we could all go forward.. I was stupid enough to think first come first off. I got pushed to the back of the line, even though I had waited there since 7 am. Im talking the back of 300 people perhaps. Not exactly special.

Adding all the friends of platinum AND anyone who said they had early flights.. wasnt the smoothest. My one problem with Ecstasy is their debarkation just never quite cuts it.[/quote]

Don't know where she got the 6:30 time either lol....we have been platinum for a while and it has always been 8:.00 a.m. Normally the ship is still being tied up at 6:30 LOL!
Another reason to not go on a cc cruise.....

[G'ma]

[quote name='SadieN']It depends on what you send out. The clothes get put into a mesh bag and placed into a hot-water washer that holds about 100lbs of clothes. Whites are with darks. One bleeding red shirt can 'pink' the whole load. Dryer is set on hot. Only send clothes that can withstand this treatment: underwear, preshrunk Tshirts, jeans & socks. Do not send anything delicate.[/quote]

......and, you know this is the process because..............??

[SadieN]

[quote=G'ma;27787703]......and, you know this is the process because..............??[/quote]


Behind the Scenes tour;) Took an extra hour because the group I was with asked questions.

Though the bleeding red shirt has been tested at home, lol

[Shelbyjane56]

[quote name='Chris1455']Really??? You are done cruising because of TSA pat downs??? You only live once and you are hurting yourself. The TSA is in effect for all of our safety not because they want a cheap thrill. It's too bad you will not be travelling too much because of such a trivial thing.[/quote]


Goodness we fly a lot, hubby flys at the least 5 times a month if not more and I go when I can...the patdowns are not bad at all, nor is being scanned, we live in indiana, a small and I do mean small airport and we have had the scanner just about as long as any airport if not sooner. We now have the updated scanners where you cant see any body parts. We want to live all we can while we are on this earth, not going to let scanners or patdowns get in the way

[Julienatul]

Its worth it for me, priority embarkation/debarkation, own concierge, guaranteed dinner reservations, small gift each sailing, free laundry etc.

[victoryred]

[quote name='SadieN']Behind the Scenes tour;) Took an extra hour because the group I was with asked questions.

Though the bleeding red shirt has been tested at home, lol[/quote]

Common sense tells me they wash everything in cold water;)

[capndinghy]

[FONT="Century Gothic"][SIZE="4"][B]Yes Platinum Perks are worth it![/B][/SIZE][/FONT]

[Bo Didly]

[quote name='SadieN']You do on the Paradise:D It's actually written on the paperwork that Platinums receive at check-in. Maybe it makes up for no Canapes/Strawberries?



[B]Their last cruise was on the Paradise. 3/4day cruises don't get all the perks.[/quote][/B]


Never been on a [B][U]four[/U][/B] day cruise either , platinum members don't get chocolate covered strawberry's. :eek:

[Bo Didly]

[quote=G'ma;27787403]Good grief!!!

I've never had crapola delivered to my room. I've had nice chocolate confections and lovely canapes...even asked for a veggie tray with dip instead of canapes once...and they brought it.....delicious.

You must not be going on the same Carnival line I travel on.[/quote]

Yep, [B]same cruise line Carnival[/B] ,same crapola. ;) Pretty sure i have traveled with quite a few of you guys over the years too.

Your right its not that its that bad , just tired of the same old thing on every cruise. After awhile it just gets a boring plaid taste .

[firefly333]

[quote name='Bo Didly']Yep, [B]same cruise line Carnival[/B] ,same crapola. ;) Pretty sure i have traveled with quite a few of you guys over the years too.

Your right its not that its that bad , just tired of the same old thing on every cruise. After awhile it just gets a boring [COLOR=Red]plaid[/COLOR] taste .[/quote]

I gave both of my trays away. As far as G'ma asking for something else. They always bring them while Im eating dinner and then Im stuffed. Luckily someone else wanted them.

Im not sure what plaid tastes like .. but it doesnt sound good. I never want those trays either. Since I never took a Carnival cruise just to get to platinum, I wanted to go anyway.. I dont feel like I paid anything to get it, so they can do what they want.

However, I am dying to be diamond on RCL.. Im now Emerald :confused: .. says I need 11 more days of cruising with their new system to be diamond. I want those free drinks in the concierge lounge on the newer ships mostly. lol.

[quickrate]

[quote name='mississauga']John Heald actually posted on one of his blogs that it is a platinum perk. Getting off and back on from the ports.

We are 1st time platinum in less than 2 weeks. Unfortunately we won't be able to test it as we are traveling with 4 new Carnival cruisers.[/QUOTE]

I wish this perk was true across the board on all Carnival ships. Seems to be hit or miss and who happens to be controlling the line that day. Carnival needs to get their platinum perks standardized from ship to ship.
Pat