Staggered Check in Time....REALLY?!?!?!

[ScottsSweetie]

When I did my online check in there was a choice to make for boarding time. It has been posted on other sites that Carnival was doing this in the Texas port and that people that were not FTTF/Diamond or platinum were being turned away until the boarding time they were assigned. I don't agree with the policy but you may be gambling going to the port before that time but I suppose it is worth a try. This cruise I have booked in April is my first cruise with assigned boarding time.:(

 

As others have noted, this thread is a year old. :(

[jh2360]

You are replying to a thread that's a year old. ;)

 

Their username is fitting.

[KoalaWala]

This is horrible advice being handed out.

 

You need to be in that 30 minute or you will be sent out. If you arrive late, you may be denied boarding.

 

Keep in mind that guests who are part of our Priority Program (Diamond, Platinum and suites), have purchased transfers with Carnival or 'Faster to the Fun' must still select a window online, but are invited to come at their leisure, up to one (1) hour prior to sailing - please select your anticipated check-in time so that we can prepare for your arrival onboard.

 

Miami is the third port to start this, and was just enforced last month. A good chunk of people here have probably been to port before the staggered check in started.

[nwo4life]

This is horrible advice being handed out.

 

 

 

You need to be in that 30 minute or you will be sent out. If you arrive late, you may be denied boarding.

 

 

 

Keep in mind that guests who are part of our Priority Program (Diamond, Platinum and suites), have purchased transfers with Carnival or 'Faster to the Fun' must still select a window online, but are invited to come at their leisure, up to one (1) hour prior to sailing - please select your anticipated check-in time so that we can prepare for your arrival onboard.

 

 

 

Miami is the third port to start this, and was just enforced last month. A good chunk of people here have probably been to port before the staggered check in started.

 

 

There is no problem arriving late to your check in time. But, if you are early you will wait outside.

[KoalaWala]

My fault, I meant you would be denied after the main check in window closed. If you are late, you will be accommodated, just basically put to the back of the line of the next check in time slot.

[MtnDweller]

their username is fitting.

 

Noticed that. :D

[IPlayWithString]

I love when everyone says "Ignore it" These are the same people that Scream on these boards about people Smoking on the Balconies, Kids in the Adults only area, Chair hogs,. If there was an email that say you could only use the hot tubs between 1pm and 4pm. everyone would say Ignor it.

 

So the next time you read a post about someone "breaking the rules" think back and remind yourselves that you just told someone that they can break Whatever rules that they want as long as you Agree and then Bitch about people who break rules that you like.

 

I think people going "Oh just ignore it!" is also the reason they have (at least in NOLA and Galveston anyway) gone to enforced staggered check in.

[cruizinisthebest]

I think people going "Oh just ignore it!" is also the reason they have (at least in NOLA and Galveston anyway) gone to enforced staggered check in.

Miami now too. And you best bet that all of the ignoring of the suggested time is what led to the new and real staggered check in.

 

This thread being a year old shows exactly how Carnival went from asking people to arrive later and space out - to now making you do so.

 

Sent from my SCH-I435 using Tapatalk

[Savlamara]

Miami now too. And you best bet that all of the ignoring of the suggested time is what led to the new and real staggered check in.

 

This thread being a year old shows exactly how Carnival went from asking people to arrive later and space out - to now making you do so.

 

Sent from my SCH-I435 using Tapatalk

 

Exactly. I have never seen anything piloted that didnt come to fruition later.

[CKon57]

I just booked a cruise today going out of NOLA in 18 months. So how far before the cruise is the selection process for getting your boarding time?

[nwo4life]

I just booked a cruise today going out of NOLA in 18 months. So how far before the cruise is the selection process for getting your boarding time?

 

 

You should be able to select your time now.

[Saint Greg]

I used staggered check-in 2 weeks ago in New Orleans and it was a HUGE improvement! I had maybe a 5-10min wait in the security line. Once past security there was no wait. I went right up to the counter got my S&S card, and was on the ship. Six months ago I had another 30-45min wait.

[ManyMore]

these emails aren't like the ones they used to send out. They now do send out actual times and check your time before entering the building.

[ccruisequeen]

Arriving between 3-4 pm is definitely late. Doesn't even fit with what Carnival says regarding the time they pull out of port. I don't understand that. I thought everyone had to be onboard by 3:30pm. The time doesn't make sense to me.

 

That said, I agree with the poster who stated you aren't paying for a full day on the first day. And with everyone showing up hours ahead of time, it's just as crowded (if not worse) than the usual recommended time of 1-3pm. I got into that arriving early thing with my past two cruises. No more after ignoring the email I received last year. Wound up waiting in the terminal two hours. Carnival actually DID mean that boarding would be delayed. From now on, I'll get there after 12. Lunch will still be available and the cabin is already ours for the week.

 

Considering that most west coast muster drill times are 4:15 or so

 

 

 

I no longer see carnival from my condo front porch :(

[bingo3]

For some of the ships, and I do not know which ones, you now have to CHOOSE your embarkation time online and I think they do enforce that. The email you are talking about I think is a standard thing they send out and no one pays attention to! I too am not getting on a ship that late or I just won't cruise any more, especially for a short cruise. That's crazy. I too like to get started as soon as I can!

[Sugar67]

It has been a couple years since we cruised so please forgive if the question has been asked before. We are cruising January 2017 out of Miami and I read that I could choose our check-in time this far out. When I completed our on-line check-in, I could not find the spot where to choose the time. Do we need to purchase FTTF in order to choose a time? TIA for any help.

Edited March 16, 2016 by Sugar67

[shellsd]

It has been a couple years since we cruised so please forgive if the question has been asked before. We are cruising January 2017 out of Miami and I read that I could choose our check-in time this far out. When I completed our on-line check-in, I could not find the spot where to choose the time. Do we need to purchase FTTF in order to choose a time? TIA for any help.

 

No, it will be right here:

[Sugar67]

I asked the question about choosing my staggered check-in time and another member graciously took a screen shot of where the spot should be on the Carnival website. My husband and I went over the site with a fine tooth comb and still could not find the tab.

I just got off the phone with Carnival and the agent said, for some reason that tab isn't on our sailing yet and to keep checking back and it would be obvious when that option was available.

Thanks for trying to help =)

[mbable]

We were on the Pride out of Baltimore last month and can confirm that the staggered boarding was being enforced.

[jimbo5544]

We were on the Pride out of Baltimore last month and can confirm that the staggered boarding was being enforced.

 

 

.... And a perfect port for it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone

[Naomi John]

I agree with the diamond poster, I also pick a late check-in time, (not boarding time), as I know I can arrive and board at anytime. This keeps the earlier slots open for those who are not plats,dias, FTTF etc.

[Shirleybird]

I love when everyone says "Ignore it" These are the same people that Scream on these boards about people Smoking on the Balconies, Kids in the Adults only area, Chair hogs,. If there was an email that say you could only use the hot tubs between 1pm and 4pm. everyone would say Ignor it.

 

So the next time you read a post about someone "breaking the rules" think back and remind yourselves that you just told someone that they can break Whatever rules that they want as long as you Agree and then Bitch about people who break rules that you like.

 

I really wish this board had a "like" button like Facebook does.

 

Absolutely AGREE!!!!

[riclop]

I got an email from Carnival about our cruise that departs on 3/12. It says that we have been assigned a staggered check in time at 3-4 PM. I have never, in my life, boarded a ship that late. I find this irritating since this is only a 3 day cruise and now they are shortening one of those days! How closely do they actually follow that policy? This is for the Imagination 3 day Baja. Anyone have experience with this? It says they can send us away and we will have no where to go...

 

You can get there as early as you want but they will not let you in.

[riclop]

I really wish this board had a "like" button like Facebook does.

 

Absolutely AGREE!!!!

 

Very well said.

[ammoore36]

They will turn you away I learned first hand. You have to sign up for a time. I got there 30 minutes early and they made us wait. Well I am platinum - I can go but my kids are not so I waited with them. Still had to wait for boarding time on our. Boarding pass