Carnival Stop misleading guest with embarkation time

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

Those calling cheers will do anything to make something wrong look right. Its not misleading...it is an outright lie. If they want to RECOMMEND a certain time for all the reasons noted above, that is what they should state. If they will ACTUALLY start earlier, they should give the details noting it depends on circumstances. They actually do this somewhat in the FAQs. People plan their days based on information they get. If they want to get there early to get good parking and "free" lunch, they need to be told that could happen if circumstances permit. Otherwise they may need to pay late check out at the hotel, or find something else to do including buying lunch. I once showed up in New Orleans at 1:30 and had a heck of a time finding parking in the garage and I'll never do that again. This is like a retail store opening at 10 but telling folks not to bother showing up until 2. Not going to happen. No other business lies like this...why does Carnival get away with it?

 

Carnival opens early when everything is going well...workers show up on time, disembarkation goes without a hitch, security is available, customs has no issue, wedding parties are small and controllable. They print a boarding time because "they will" be open at the printed times and passengers then have full access to the ship, their rooms, etc.

 

We can ALL relate stories where embarkation doesn't start until 1:00 and we have been left, stranded, on the hot concrete with no one to take our luggage, no drinks, no food, no movement. And we have no recourse but to wait.

 

When Carnival is ready they open the doors...some cruises it can be as early as 11:00 for everyone other than priority. And some embarkation points are well-oiled machines moving quickly.

 

I can remember one cruise where (we eventually discovered) there were over 1/3 platinum or diamond cruisers. Well, everything virtually came to a standstill for everyone while these priority boarders were ushered to all the available check-in stations, and filled the waiting rooms. The rest of us kept getting pushed back farther and farther and had to wait longer and longer...that was the day I decided I wasn't coming early ever again.

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

Surprised you couldn't find something more recent. But then, all the responses in every one of these threads is the same and probably will be over and over and over. :p

 

And inexperienced cruisers still have the same questions and people will continue to give their opinions and why they have formulated these opinions. CC is supposed to be an information based forum....who cares if the thread is new or old or been done a million times. There is always a newbie who really "cares" about the answers and opinions of other, more experienced, Cruisers.

[nokidz]

Leave hotel on the shuttle at 1030 / 11, get to the port by 1130, on the ship between 12 and 1. Let the party begin.

[tawaik]

I think you are the one who is misleading people as Carnival sends those messages to stagger boarding times. Not everyone gets a notice to board from 1:30-4PM. We have gotten them saying to be at the port at 11AM, others have gotten them for later.

 

They are also taking into consideration that there are people who will 1- be arriving by plane and will arrive earlier than 1:30 2- people who are staying in hotels with check out times like 11AM or noon, and 3-people who feel they can do whatever the heck they want and show up when they want.

 

Whether you agree or not, it is just to make things easier for people to board, the intent is not to tick you off!

 

I have to agree with you on this one. I stayed in a hotel pre-cruise and my boarding said to arrive at 1:30. After checking out, there several people lounging around the hotel lobby. After chatting with a family while my husband made a run to Walgreen's in San Juan, PR she mentioned their boarding time was not until 12:30 and decided to wait around.

 

Although our boarding was 1:30 we left left a little before 12:00 and was on the ship not far after that. Therefore, I think Carnival takes into consideration flights arriving that day and guest who arrive the day before to prevent overcrowding.

[styxfire]

In 5 cruises from Miami or FLL, I can guarantee that there is NO WAITING AT ALL if you show up within the last hour. Zip through bag check, zip through the counters, zip through the escalators & gangplank and onto the ship and your room is ready. 10 minutes, total, 3 out of 3 times. Winning!

 

One cruise I tried to be earlier. Got in line at 12:45. Nightmare, took almost 2 hours of standing and waiting.

 

Another cruise I tried to be obscenely early: 11:30am. 2 hours in line, and room not ready.

 

Therefore, my experience has been the later, the better. It's true that you miss the first "free" buffet, but crepes, there'll be plenty more where that came from, and you're in a brilliant mood when stepping on board rather than a muscle-torn, sweaty, peeved mood after carrying your crap for 2 hours.

 

I can't tell you how nice it is to show up at 3pm after the crowds, walk straight on as if you're the Queen of England, and not even the photographers hassle you because they're tired of hassling people at that point. It's fab.

Edited November 23, 2015 by styxfire

[dabear99211]

Just printed out my documents for next weeks Glory sailing and of course it states boarding 1:30 -4pm. Now I have been on 26 cruises, 5 being with Carnival so I know better. But with the low prices Carnival is promoting there are many new people cruising for the 1st time. Can you imagine the mayhem at the pier if everyone showed at 3pm. There is no way in heck they could board so many in such a little time frame. Fact is Carnival as well as many other cruise lines count on the fact that many guests will arrive early to space boarding out. How about being honest and state boarding begins at approx 11:00, but the least crowded time to board is between 1:30 and 3:30.

Just a suggestion!

 

and how stupid would it be if everyone showed up at 11:00AM, Carnival has said for a long time that boarding time 1:30-4PM.

[ready2cruzagain]

I was reading this from the beginning and when I seen Hurricane Sandy referenced as last year...I was like:confused::confused: Then I realized this thread is 2 years old.

[LaCal]

I was reading this from the beginning and when I seen Hurricane Sandy referenced as last year...I was like:confused::confused: Then I realized this thread is 2 years old.

 

Me Too 🙈🙈

 

Plus none of this is gong to be relevant soon with Carnivals new Staggered boarding policy that's starting where you CANT enter the terminal UNTIL YOUR TIME on your boarding pass has come

[cruizinisthebest]

I was reading this from the beginning and when I seen Hurricane Sandy referenced as last year...I was like:confused::confused: Then I realized this thread is 2 years old.

Yeah I don't get why it was resurrected. There's much more relevant information and threads now about the boarding process.

 

Sent from my SCH-I435 using Tapatalk

[cruisinfanatic]

In 5 cruises from Miami or FLL, I can guarantee that there is NO WAITING AT ALL if you show up within the last hour. Zip through bag check, zip through the counters, zip through the escalators & gangplank and onto the ship and your room is ready. 10 minutes, total, 3 out of 3 times. Winning!

 

One cruise I tried to be earlier. Got in line at 12:45. Nightmare, took almost 2 hours of standing and waiting.

 

Another cruise I tried to be obscenely early: 11:30am. 2 hours in line, and room not ready.

 

Therefore, my experience has been the later, the better. It's true that you miss the first "free" buffet, but crepes, there'll be plenty more where that came from, and you're in a brilliant mood when stepping on board rather than a muscle-torn, sweaty, peeved mood after carrying your crap for 2 hours.

 

I can't tell you how nice it is to show up at 3pm after the crowds, walk straight on as if you're the Queen of England, and not even the photographers hassle you because they're tired of hassling people at that point. It's fab.

11:30 is obscenely early to you?

I've been on a whole lot of cruises and have never waited 2 hrs in any line. Get there at 10-10:30 and walk right in, get checked in, and sit down. A few minutes wait and you're eating luch.

Sure you can walk right on at 3. You've just missed much of day 1 of your 7 night (or whatever) cruise

[simplelife]

And inexperienced cruisers still have the same questions and people will continue to give their opinions and why they have formulated these opinions. CC is supposed to be an information based forum....who cares if the thread is new or old or been done a million times. There is always a newbie who really "cares" about the answers and opinions of other, more experienced, Cruisers.

I agree. If the person started a new thread, there are those (few) that would scold them because they didn't search for an older thread. If the answers are still relevant who cares how old or new the thread is?

[Sparky2]

I just checked my boarding pass for next January's Glory cruise, and it says Embarkation - 1:00 - 3:00.

 

Since I'm Platinum, I know better and will be there before 10:30 since we have to get out of the hotel.

[taymiss2]

In 5 cruises from Miami or FLL, I can guarantee that there is NO WAITING AT ALL if you show up within the last hour. Zip through bag check, zip through the counters, zip through the escalators & gangplank and onto the ship and your room is ready. 10 minutes, total, 3 out of 3 times. Winning!

 

I can't tell you how nice it is to show up at 3pm after the crowds, walk straight on as if you're the Queen of England, and not even the photographers hassle you because they're tired of hassling people at that point. It's fab.

 

 

Yeah! Sailing out of Miami on Jan 2 and this is my plan. Is 3pm OK or do we have to be there 2 hours before sail away which is 4. We are spending our day on the beach rather than sit for hours waiting to embark.

[SHayesShip]

On my last CCL cruise 10/31 my documents advised to be at the port no later than 90 minutes prior to sailing time. That was out of Port Canaveral. It must vary from ship to ship and/or port.

 

Yeah! Sailing out of Miami on Jan 2 and this is my plan. Is 3pm OK or do we have to be there 2 hours before sail away which is 4. We are spending our day on the beach rather than sit for hours waiting to embark.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

I have FTTF and got the e-mail.

 

I guess the room ready early and boarding after PLatinums and such is negatged. One reason we booked it was so we could get on earlier and chill in our rooms without babysitting our stuff until 1:30. Normally I board around then but figured buying FTTF would make getting on near the first boarding would have been nice and we have first timers with us. Figured they would want on near first boarding and have fun,. Whats the point of buying it then? Rooms are ready at 1:30 anyway and Plats and such boarded hours ago.

 

I guess I have to stand in line if there is one and do like I normally do, but just pay more for the FTTF on the luggage tag? I mean the priority tendering will be nice I guess.

Edited November 23, 2015 by Rottweiler Puppy

[asalligo]

I have never had a problem with the policy for selfish reasons. Those of us in the know will show up when we want and the more people who show up at 1:30 to 3, the better for me.

 

Now Carnival would appear to be considering a scheduled time to arrive for each passenger and that I would have a big problem with. I look at it as paying for time on the boat. If I board at 3pm as opposed to noon, I have wasted 3 hours of my paid cruise.

[asalligo]

I have FTTF and got the e-mail.

 

I guess the room ready early and boarding after PLatinums and such is negatged. One reason we booked it was so we could get on earlier and chill in our rooms without babysitting our stuff until 1:30. Normally I board around then but figured buying FTTF would make getting on near the first boarding would have been nice and we have first timers with us. Figured they would want on near first boarding and have fun,. Whats the point of buying it then? Rooms are ready at 1:30 anyway and Plats and such boarded hours ago.

 

I guess I have to stand in line if there is one and do like I normally do, but just pay more for the FTTF on the luggage tag? I mean the priority tendering will be nice I guess.

 

Unless something has changed, I got this email when I cruised this year, it advised something like 2pm. I showed up at 10:30 and boarded the boat. My Advice, ignore the email, I personally will always be there when the gates open.

[Wilgr]

How do so many people know how to run a multi-billion dollar cruise company? LOL

[Pops, Esq.]

I just checked my boarding pass for next January's Glory cruise, and it says Embarkation - 1:00 - 3:00.

 

Since I'm Platinum, I know better and will be there before 10:30 since we have to get out of the hotel.

 

Since you are platinum, you can do whatever you want without issue.

[styxfire]

Yeah! Sailing out of Miami on Jan 2 and this is my plan. Is 3pm OK or do we have to be there 2 hours before sail away which is 4. We are spending our day on the beach rather than sit for hours waiting to embark.

I would hate to cause you to miss the boat.

 

The rules DO say something like 60/90 minutes prior to sail away. Each of the 3 times I showed up late, I was worried that I'd get turned away. But each time, they just sent me on through without a prob. Duration-wise, they really were my quickest boarding experiences ever.

 

But I don't really condone being late. It's just the situations I was dealing with on each of those days, prior to the port, that delayed my arrival until 3pm.

 

If you do have earlier plans, make sure you know exactly how long it will take you to travel the route, park the car, unload, drag your luggage around, and fill out paperwork. If you can "cut it close" without "cutting it too close", then more power to ya!

[ready2cruzagain]

Yeah! Sailing out of Miami on Jan 2 and this is my plan. Is 3pm OK or do we have to be there 2 hours before sail away which is 4. We are spending our day on the beach rather than sit for hours waiting to embark.

:eek:3pm and the ship sails at 4pm? Ouch, too close for comfort for me. What if there was traffic, a flat tire, etc. No way would I plan on being there at 3pm. Believe me, the ship will not "wait" for you if you are late.

[jh2360]

I just checked my boarding pass for next January's Glory cruise, and it says Embarkation - 1:00 - 3:00.

 

Since I'm Platinum, I know better and will be there before 10:30 since we have to get out of the hotel.

 

Since you are platinum, you should know that that is a standard window they put on the boarding pass and has nothing to do with the Galveston embarkation trial.