Getting access to cabin early to drop off luggage

[Aplmac]

Been platinum for a while now and never heard of this perk.

Been mere Gold for awhile now and my technique works for me.

 

In nine cruises I've never encountered huge hallway doors shut

never encountered grumpy cabin stewards not wanting me in there

and I'm usually getting in a little after noon. I like to board early but not that early.

 

 

You guys encounter some serious hurdles,man!! :D

.

[H82seaUgo]

when they hand you the notice about rooms not being ready untl 1:30, just hand it back to them letting them know you know better, and that you know that carnival does not enforce any rules.

 

then proceed to your room.

[myangel]

I go to my cabin when I want

I smuggle in booze cuz I want to

I cut in front of people in ALL lines cuz I want to

I get up really early and put towels that I have stolen on EVERY lounger in the Serenity area to save them all ( i like privacy so want it all to myself) cuz I want to

I taste test food in the Lido buffet and lick my fingers cuz I want to

I never wash my hands or use the sanitizing station cuz I want to

I do what I want, when I want, to whomever I want,,,,,,,,,,,,, hey guess what? it is MY VACATION not yours and I AM THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS IN THIS WORLD....................... ;)

[Yvonne]

We ALWAYS go directly to our cabin and drop off our luggage. We've met the stewards a few times and they only smile and greet us. Oh, the closed doors simply pull open.

 

The only ones who seem to care are the people on CC who "demand" or "order" you to not do that. :eek:

 

Do you really think the room stewards that smile and greet you when you open the closed doors so that you can go to your room and drop off your luggage are doing so sincerely?

 

I highly doubt it. The doors are closed for a reason. I'm sure the stewards do care, but of course they can't show their disdain for you if they want to keep their tips or their job.

 

The hallways are narrow, and if people like you are "just dropping off their luggage" you're still in their way and hampering their ability to get the rooms ready for everyone.

 

I don't like it that we can't get to our rooms right away when we board early, but we deal with it so we aren't in the way of the stewards trying to do their job.

 

We find a table on the Lido deck and take turns going to the buffet while others stay at the table with the carryons. We eat, have a drink or two, people watch, visit with our friends, etc. and before we know it, it's 1:30 and we can go to our rooms.

[dixieva]

Try looking at it like this-say 2200 passengers all "sneaking" to their rooms through closed doors to drop off their carry on luggage:eek:! While the room stewards are trying to work hard to get all rooms ready by 1:30.

 

What time do you think your room is going to be ready now???

 

And your argument might be well, everyone is not going to do that! Why not? You do it!

 

Some other cruise lines have had to resort to posting crew members on each passenger floor who will stop you from going to your rooms before they are ready.

[5waldos]

One way to get to your room early is to have trouble walking and need a scooter. They are delivered to the room and available on boarding, whenever that is. We went directly to the room and were allowed to leave our bags. Not worth breaking your leg for but it would work.

[cruisinfanatic]

Just like I will smoke where I want because after all they are just guidelines.

they aren't guidelines

[CruiserKid]

When I first started cruising with Carnival in 1989, passengers where allowed to go to their cabins as soon as they boarded. But when the cruise was over, we were rushed out of the cabins at a very early hour so the cabin stewards could prepare the cabins for the next cruise.

 

Sometime later, "Relaxed Debarkation" was introduced so that guest can wait in ther cabins until debarkation time. At the same time, new guest had to wait until 2:00 pm to go to their cabins. Later on, the time was changed to 1:00 pm, but now it's 1:30 pm. The current relaxed debarkation is now asking us to vacate our cabins by 8:30 am instead of allowing us to wait in our cabin until debarkation. Not much different, since debarkation is usually already underway by 8:30 am.

 

I instantly became Platinum when Platnium Status started at Carnival becuase I already had more than 10 Carnival Cruises when Platnium got started. At that time, a specific written Platnium Perk was that our cabins would be Ready when we boarded the cruise. Later, that written statement disappeared from the list of Platnium Perks. When it disappeared, I asked if I could drop off my luggage and was always informed "yes." On one cruise, Carnival had people actually guarding the doors so that guest could not go into their cabins. I asked, and was informed no, so I have stopped dropping off luggage.

 

Last November, I was part of a wedding party. In the information sheet I was given, it was specifically written that cabins would not be ready until 1:30 pm, but that we may drop off our carry-on luggage at our cabin upon boarding. On my way to drop off my luggage, I was informed by a cabin steward that cabins were not ready. I was taking out my wedding party document and started to explain that I was part of a wedding party. As soon as I mentioned wedding party, the cabin steward immediately said it was okay.

 

However, keep in mind that if your cabin is not ready, you are leaving your carry-on luggage in open cabin or if you close your cabin, you are making it harder for the cabin steward to do their job. If a few people do this, it's not a big deal, but if everyone did this, it would be a much bigger problem. Waiting out on deck enjoying lunch and relaxing with my carry-on luggage is not an inconvenience for me, but I could see it as difficult for large families or those with many "carry-on" luggage.

[debbiet70611]

When we did our B2B in June, we were able to go freely to and from our room. I did notice that the hotel director came down to inspect the rooms before the doors were open. When we were leaving our room, the room steward notified her that we were B2B so our room was not inspected.

 

She was going over everything which is probably why the room stewards are not so happy to see the guest go to their room early.

[19snapshot]

I go to my cabin when I want

I smuggle in booze cuz I want to

I cut in front of people in ALL lines cuz I want to

I get up really early and put towels that I have stolen on EVERY lounger in the Serenity area to save them all ( i like privacy so want it all to myself) cuz I want to

I taste test food in the Lido buffet and lick my fingers cuz I want to

I never wash my hands or use the sanitizing station cuz I want to

I do what I want, when I want, to whomever I want,,,,,,,,,,,,, hey guess what? it is MY VACATION not yours and I AM THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS IN THIS WORLD....................... ;)

 

Too funny

[CorvetteLady]

We only did this once. I think it was the first time we had taken a carry-on and it was not that early, maybe 1, we did not encounter any closed doors. The door to our cabin was open, it looked ready but we did not want to leave the carry-on in an open cabin. The steward saw us and said the cabin wasn't ready but he'd finish it for us. I really felt bad that we were rushing him, I think he just had to remove some cleaning supplies. So we never did this again.

 

We have a wheeled carry-on now and it is just not that big a deal to wait. I had not heard it was a platinum perk. Still don't think I'd go through a closed door.

[firefly333]

The middle door is open for luggage handlers. So, the fact a door is open does not mean you are special. I have gone in 10 minutes early, so not going to slam others for doing it.

 

But I dont get the Im too special to follow the rules posts. It is true, anyone can get in who knows how.

[FlaParrotHead]

The doors are closed for a reason and you are not above the rules.

 

@DC -- come on now, you've been here enough to see that some CC members (new and old), as well as non members, blue, gold, silver, or white card holders, are "entitled" to not follow the rules on embarkation, liquor, tendering, debarkation, and anything else. Why would a rule, policy, or anything have to apply to them.

 

They are "special".

 

Oh, and yes, they almost always have a reason, excuse, or expectation for why they should not (or do not) have to follow the rule, policy, or whatever.

 

B&B

[cruznlobo]

Remember one thing.

Your cabin is open.

If you close and lock the door, the cabin steward may have to open it to finish preparing it for you.

If he/she fails to close and lock the door, anything you leave in there is subject to possible theft that you have no recourse on.

We started bringing backpacks on with us so that we had our hands free for eating and drinking. Not a big deal.

[Martini Mom]

We board the ship, plunk down our carry-ons next to our table on the Lido (by the windows), eat lunch, have a couple DODs, take some pics and then it's about time to go to our room at the appropriate time. I don't see the problem.

[cathyz]

Doors are closed, and the Cruise ship ask that you do not enter. As a courtesy, and respect, I follow those requests. It is a matter of courtesy and respect, but not a demand from a CC'er or orderer. Trying to do something that is asked not to, was not the way my mother brought me up. To solve the issue, one could carry on a very small carry on, and than would not be so inconvenienced as to lug it around for an hour. We have one back-pack for 3 people. Not an issue.

 

So beside being a "demander" or "orderer", I can now be a "lecturer":D

Amen!!!!

[pat55]

When carnival starts enforcing thier own rules , then I will start abiding

Until then I got thru the doors and drop off my stuff

Also between the water , soda , wine , 2 smuggled qt size rum runners in my short pockets and my 2 cartons of smokes ( chain smoker here and i cant wait for luggage) It gets heavy

[misguidedangel]

Uhm, I was Platinum in Sept 2010 cruise and the cabin was NOT ready until 130pm and when we went to see if we could drop the carry ons the room was a total mess.....not gonna leave my carryon in that situation........

 

Everytime I have tried those doors they are locked...perhaps a different location they are not locked, but the central elevator bank doors are locked each time I have tried them...maybe some are and some aren't...

[Douglase]

The doors are closed for a reason and you are not above the rules.

 

Very well said!!! Let's not go ruining things for others! You know that this will be addressed and will be an extra hassle for others. Be smart please!!!! Drop off at the luggage cart before you enter the ship and pack a bag of essential items until your cabin is ready, that's what we do:)

[Dmetrius]

Uhm, I was Platinum in Sept 2010 cruise and the cabin was NOT ready until 130pm and when we went to see if we could drop the carry ons the room was a total mess.....not gonna leave my carryon in that situation........

 

Everytime I have tried those doors they are locked...perhaps a different location they are not locked, but the central elevator bank doors are locked each time I have tried them...maybe some are and some aren't...

Quite agree that if you found your cabin a mess, no way do you leave your stuff there.

Clearly the cabin hasn't been cleaned/processed for the new arrival.

 

 

never found the large doors shut (only at dining rooms, too early to open for breakfast yet)

 

 

What irks me is Carnival's unrealistic statement that cabins won't be ready until 1:30/whenever when time and again

I go to check and discover stewards twiddling there thums and if you ask the guy if it's ok

he says sure go ahead and put yet stuff in there -at around noon.

He's had his cabins ready since 11.He has 20 cabins to attend to and if u remember everyone last cruisers was out by 8:30.

Stewards spend maybe 10 mins. per cabin that's all

[dixieva]

Wow that's a little unrealistic- ten minutes????? You have to remember they have to change the sheets on the beds, run the vacuum, dust the furniture, clean the bathrooms, place clean towels etc. Ten minutes?? I think not! And some rooms are suites that are much bigger and take more time to clean.

[Cruzface]

The rules are only guidelines. Do what you want. Just like I will smoke where I want because after all they are just guidelines.

 

There is difference if you are breaking a rule that impacts another passenger's enjoyment of their cruise...

[familycruzr]

I always have my valueables in my carryon bag, so I don't want to leave my things in the room with the door open. I'd rather wait until I can lock the door and only my family and the room steward are going in and out of it.

[alexieb]

There is difference if you are breaking a rule that impacts another passenger's enjoyment of their cruise...

 

 

I agree. Smoking in someone's face would impact another passenger's enjoyment. However, putting your bags in your room early really has no bearing on anyone else. What's the worst that can happen in this scenario, being asked to please wait until the allotted time, I would think.

[Kidsgoneletscruise]

I just don't understand why people have to carry around their luggage and make such a big deal over it. Seriously! This is your vacation people calm down!!! :cool: