How to get VIP

[halos]

You're assured a VIP move to steerage accommodations!

 

:cool:

 

LOL..how true!

[ib4cruzn]

This thread got me thinking. Carnival is missing out on a potential source of revenue. Southwest Airlines offers priority boarding on its flights for a small fee. I'm thinking something along those lines.

 

Don't give them any ideas or we'll be paying for silverware...

[crusingluver2009]

okay it seems that this post has blown up in its entirety.. i first of all did not know john heald had a blog until i read all of this just now, secondly... i didnt ask him for an upgrade.. especially publicly on a website i wouldnt even know to be legitimately associated with carnival considering i did not even know who john heald was until i looked him up just now... i simply posted on cruise critic asking if any of you had heard of the upgrading process to VIP and/or seen the video on youtube. now if youd like to contine to try to follow my everyday affairs of cruisecritic.com go right ahead... but i certaintly did not post anything on such a website, and i especially will not understand the humor people can get from a critical error upon their behalves. so. have a pleasant day all, enjoy believing what you will! :o) in the end.. i still have my little interior cabin that i have worked very hard to pay for and am tickled to pieces to be cruising!

[crusingluver2009]

also.. the serious flaw in everyones assumption of this being me...

 

Nurse A and Nurse H Asked:

Hello John Please Reply

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1376528&highlight=how+to+get+vip

I am a Cruise Critic member and was told as per this here to ask you to upgrade us and allow us VIP status for our cruise on the Legend on April 10. We are both nurses and work very hard and so would like you to help us get a suite and VIP perks please for cabin number 1106 as we are Cruise Critic.

Thanks from us both

John Says:

Hello Nurse A and Nurse H,

I had a quick look at the link and see that the chap who suggested you write to me actually added at the end “please don’t” because he was joking, of course. That’s because I cannot give upgrades. I see that you are both nurses and we all appreciate just how hard you work that I will be sending you a little something to wish you a wonderful cruise.

Best wishes to you both.

John

 

my husband and i are not crusing in april, we are not cruising on the legend, and my husband is not a nurse.

 

perhaps the thought may have occurred that someone somewhere read my post and got the idea to ask this man for a VIP upgrade. ... on second thought.. no.. i guess its not possible for someone else to entertain the same thought i had.

 

oh well. best regards.

[richstowe]

OK, it's not you. Letter to Heald is still funny.:D

[mississauga]

also.. the serious flaw in everyones assumption of this being me...

 

Nurse A and Nurse H Asked:

Hello John Please Reply

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1376528&highlight=how+to+get+vip

I am a Cruise Critic member and was told as per this here to ask you to upgrade us and allow us VIP status for our cruise on the Legend on April 10. We are both nurses and work very hard and so would like you to help us get a suite and VIP perks please for cabin number 1106 as we are Cruise Critic.

Thanks from us both

John Says:

Hello Nurse A and Nurse H,

I had a quick look at the link and see that the chap who suggested you write to me actually added at the end “please don’t” because he was joking, of course. That’s because I cannot give upgrades. I see that you are both nurses and we all appreciate just how hard you work that I will be sending you a little something to wish you a wonderful cruise.

Best wishes to you both.

John

 

my husband and i are not crusing in april, we are not cruising on the legend, and my husband is not a nurse.

 

perhaps the thought may have occurred that someone somewhere read my post and got the idea to ask this man for a VIP upgrade. ... on second thought.. no.. i guess its not possible for someone else to entertain the same thought i had.

 

oh well. best regards.

 

If it wasn't you, then don't take it personally. The fact is that someone did have the audacity to ask and the posters making fun of the request were making fun of the poster ( not you ) on the blog.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Blind Squirrel]

crusingluver2009,

 

The odds of another nurse posting on John's Blog with the same question is very low. ( not that it couldn't or didn't happen) However the odds that it was someone that fell out of the good graces of cruise critic and just wanted to stir the pot is pretty good. The fact that it was Golfadj that suggested it was probably just too hard for them to pass up, as John has singled him out on cruise critic. All in all this board is like a soap opera that can be fun as h*ll to read at times. My guess is that someone is going to get a nice gift waiting for them in their cabin and not have a clue as to why.

[mississauga]

crusingluver2009,

 

The odds of another nurse posting on John's Blog with the same question is very low. ( not that it couldn't or didn't happen) However the odds that it was someone that fell out of the good graces of cruise critic and just wanted to stir the pot is pretty good. The fact that it was Golfadj that suggested it was probably just too hard for them to pass up, as John has singled him out on cruise critic. All in all this board is like a soap opera that can be fun as h*ll to read at times. My guess is that someone is going to get a nice gift waiting for them in their cabin and not have a clue as to why.

 

They'll know as the OP on the blog knows who he/she are and what he/she posted.....lol. Let's hope JH does not send the gift or the message to the CD staff requesting the gift gets "lost".

[Shelbyjane56]

I called Carnival to ask if I could PAY for VIP status. I booked an aft wrap and would prefer that to a suite but, unfortunately, you cannot pay extra for it. You HAVE to be booked in a suite, or of course, have 10 CCL cruises under your belt.

 

When those who book a suite and get VIP, all they are getting is early boarding, and thats all. Those who are true VIP get all the perks.

[jhale]

When those who book a suite and get VIP, all they are getting is early boarding, and thats all. Those who are true VIP get all the perks.

 

Yep. And if people could simply pay or request VIP status it would lose it's sparkle.

[Nezmo]

Yep. And if people could simply pay or request VIP status it would lose it's sparkle.

It has sparkle? Okay.

 

I only care about priority on and off the boat. I don't need the laundry, have visited the purser's desk maybe once ever and I really don't need the stationery... I find there's plenty of TP provided already. :D

[jhale]

It has sparkle? Okay.

 

I only care about priority on and off the boat. I don't need the laundry, have visited the purser's desk maybe once ever and I really don't need the stationery... I find there's plenty of TP provided already. :D

 

I use sparkle as a relative term, perhaps I should've said allure?

 

I suppose my point is if you could pay to get priority embark/debark so many would do it, that it wouldn't make a difference. I mean people sell the "1" debarking luggage tags on ebay.

 

I enjoy the free laundry because it's less for me to do when I get home and am nursing my post-cruise depression, lol.

[LHP]

I use sparkle as a relative term, perhaps I should've said allure?

 

I suppose my point is if you could pay to get priority embark/debark so many would do it, that it wouldn't make a difference. I mean people sell the "1" debarking luggage tags on ebay.

 

I enjoy the free laundry because it's less for me to do when I get home and am nursing my post-cruise depression, lol.

 

This reminds me of when we were getting off the Glory. Since VIP Debarkation is suppose to be a Platinum perk...it has little value if all you have to do is book a flight before noon to get Number 1 tags.

 

Carnival tells people not to book a flight before noon and then rewards them for being irresponsible.

 

On the Glory, there was a lady on her first cruise (not a suite) that was livid because VIP (Platinum) self assist folks were ahead of her in the VIP Debark self assist line. She had booked a 9:40AM flight out of Miami and had just gone to Guest Services and gotten number one tags.

 

It got me to thinking...why should she get VIP Debarkation just because she booked an unreasonablely early flight?

[jhale]

This reminds me of when we were getting off the Glory. Since VIP Debarkation is suppose to be a Platinum perk...it has little value if all you have to do is book a flight before noon to get Number 1 tags.

 

Carnival tells people not to book a flight before noon and then rewards them for being irresponsible.

 

On the Glory, there was a lady on her first cruise (not a suite) that was livid because VIP (Platinum) self assist folks were ahead of her in the VIP Debark self assist line. She had booked a 9:40AM flight out of Miami and had just gone to Guest Services and gotten number one tags.

 

It got me to thinking...why should she get VIP Debarkation just because she booked an unreasonablely early flight?

 

I've seen this a lot too, and several times there really was no flight to be caught. People just used that excuse to get the 1 tags. They should at least have to show proof that they have a flight, IMO.

[geezersgirl]

It has sparkle? Okay.

 

I only care about priority on and off the boat. I don't need the laundry, have visited the purser's desk maybe once ever and I really don't need the stationery... I find there's plenty of TP provided already. :D

 

 

I have never understood the rush to get off the ship. I usually have breakfast and sit on deck watching all the chaos for a couple of hours. I want to milk every last second out of my cruise.

[friedshrimp]

As a cancer patient I can tell you that my nurses were some of the hardest working and compassionate people I have ever met. Thank you for being a nurse and I am sorry if some on here have made you feel foolish. I believe that there are no dumb questions. It would serve some to remember that they too were new to cruising at one time and had many questions. I hope you have a fantastic cruise. Be sure to come back and give us a review.

 

I disagree.....people have the ability to ask some very dumb questions, one that anyone with a lick of common sense would know not to ask, especially in public, even if they didn't really know the answer!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1362375&highlight=top+10+dumb+questions

[Nezmo]

I have never understood the rush to get off the ship. I usually have breakfast and sit on deck watching all the chaos for a couple of hours. I want to milk every last second out of my cruise.

Actually I agree, it's really getting on I care about. I'm certainly in no hurry to get off the boat. And even with getting on, it's not a rush thing, I just hate lines. I feel like my life is passing me by while I stand idle.

[kr8z]

We have an autistic child. Carnival gives us VIP boarding (last time they actually escorted us through every line - it was amazing!) and #1 tags due to his special need. Personally, I am fine standing in lines. Heck, after 10 years in the army I am used to lines and "hurry up and wait." My son, however, will make everyone around him miserable if he has to wait to get in "his" ship. Right now he is behaving really well because I remind him that he may get kicked out of Camp Carnival if he does not have "nice manners." But yeah, those are the "VIP" perks that we get. Same as one who books a suite, I believe. We are more than halfway to platinum, but not quite there yet.

 

On a related note, I sent out laundry once on Victory a few years ago. They ruined some of my items (gave me OBC, so it turned out ok for me). I suspect they throw everything in together and wash it all on hot. Do you who receive the free laundry or pay for it satisfied with that particular service. If it has improved, I am willing to give it another try. I would simply not send anything which was irreplaceable.

[jhale]

On a related note, I sent out laundry once on Victory a few years ago. They ruined some of my items (gave me OBC, so it turned out ok for me). I suspect they throw everything in together and wash it all on hot. Do you who receive the free laundry or pay for it satisfied with that particular service. If it has improved, I am willing to give it another try. I would simply not send anything which was irreplaceable.

 

I believe how they do it is to put all of your cabin's belongings in a mesh bag, and then wash them all together with other cabin's mesh bags. I've always had great luck with the service, once they wouldn't wash a sweather until they talked to me because there was a tine hole in it. I knew it was there as I'd done it on the ship, but I thought it was nice that they were paying attention as to not get blamed for damaging it themselves.

[kr8z]

I believe how they do it is to put all of your cabin's belongings in a mesh bag, and then wash them all together with other cabin's mesh bags. I've always had great luck with the service, once they wouldn't wash a sweather until they talked to me because there was a tine hole in it. I knew it was there as I'd done it on the ship, but I thought it was nice that they were paying attention as to not get blamed for damaging it themselves.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I suspect you are correct. I think we'd be safe if we just don't send light colors that could get dingy when washed with darks.

[sarahleebones]

When those who book a suite and get VIP, all they are getting is early boarding, and thats all. Those who are true VIP get all the perks.

 

I thought you got off at ports earlier too. To me, it's worth it not to wait. Now, if they DID offer it and it cost 1000 bucks, no...but a few hundred pp, I would do.

[Nezmo]

When those who book a suite and get VIP, all they are getting is early boarding, and thats all. ....

... and early debarkation.

[Nezmo]

I thought you got off at ports earlier too. To me, it's worth it not to wait. Now, if they DID offer it and it cost 1000 bucks, no...but a few hundred pp, I would do.

Only Platinum and up get that.

[capndinghy]

I must say that the Platinum VIP perks are Great. :D

[Serangel71]

I called Carnival to ask if I could PAY for VIP status. I booked an aft wrap and would prefer that to a suite but, unfortunately, you cannot pay extra for it. You HAVE to be booked in a suite, or of course, have 10 CCL cruises under your belt.

 

Will 3 day cruises count? How far back can you go? My first Carnival was in 1978 on the Festival and one on the Mardi Gras in 1981. If they count, then I have 7 -- # 8 coming up in less than 2 months -- Spirit to Alaska.

 

Thank you for your input.