Beta testing - "Required" Check-In-Times?

[jh2360]

[quote name='kindatravelsavy19']By offering these perks via online check-in might help in Carnivals mass initial roll out. I am sure many will still show up at 9 for the good part of year. Thus giving those who may want to miss these upset crowds an additional reason to wait and giving Carnival some time to ease the confusion. By incentivizing cruisers to keep checking in on Carnivals site for updates could be a good thing.[/QUOTE]

Why do adults need to be rewarded for following the rules? This isn't kindergarten.

[cruizinisthebest]

[quote name='kindatravelsavy19']By offering these perks via online check-in might help in Carnivals mass initial roll out. I am sure many will still show up at 9 for the good part of year. Thus giving those who may want to miss these upset crowds an additional reason to wait and giving Carnival some time to ease the confusion. By incentivizing cruisers to keep checking in on Carnivals site for updates could be a good thing.[/QUOTE]

I'm sorry but I have to respectfully disagree. You asked what people thought, so I gave you my thoughts in summary. However, I have to ask why you think it is a good idea to reward people for doing what they should already be doing anyway? Everyone has to be checked in. Then you have to physically get on the ship. There has to be a process for that. No way around it. These are things you MUST do in order to sail a ship. I see no need for an incentive by way of reward.

So one person gets a $35 steakhouse meal, another a $10 drink. For what? Choosing a specified time? And you think that will really work. Rest assured, if my husband and I and everyone in my cabin could get a free steakhouse meal, I would gladly show up @ 2:45!

Another example, if you're buying Cheers, then why do you care about a free drink? Carnival has already said - pick a check-in time. If you don't want to be bound by that, there are ways that you don't have to. If you do, then pick a time you are comfortable with. Them offering incentives, the cost of which will trickle down to their passengers, is not going to sit well with me and most others who are happy to just pick a time and show up then without some kind of freebie. Again, my opinion.

[mapsmith]

A simple question that has not been answered (or apparently asked). Is it possible to drop off the luggage with the porters before your check in time and then maybe (in Galveston) walk over to the Strand for a little last minute shopping while waiting for your "window" to check in.

Our shuttle is scheduled to arrive in Galveston about 9:30 but the earliest check in that I could get was 11:00. Since it has been about 20 years since I visited Galveston and my wife has never been, it might be a good way to waste an hour and a half, if I could drop the luggage.

[Badfinger]

[quote name='E&B']The way I see it you have three fairly easy choices: check in early and get an early boarding time, pay for FTTF or just stop cruising with Carnival. I don't know why people are so upset about this.[/QUOTE]

I agree with you Maggie.

I love all the posts about folks sharing tips about sneaking booze and what not on the ship, taking profit away from Carnival, then complain when they don't get a chocolate or are asked to board an hour to two later...potentially missing the first feeding of the day....yeah IMO that is the reason right there.

[put me on a ship]

[quote name='KatieCharlotte']Which major cruise line other than Disney is enforcing staggered boarding rather than making recommendations and suggestions? From what I've read, even on Disney, there are significant differences, which I won't go far off topic to list, not to mention the difference in clientele and guest expectations.

I don't think Carnival is trying to save money on lunches. I think they are trying to save money on embarkation staffing and terminal improvements, while at the same time making FTTF more in demand [U]and[/U] encouraging guests to book early.[/QUOTE]

NCL has been doing this for several months now, and seems to be working. There have been some people that said they showed up before their time, and they were able to board. Disney has for awhile, and it worked very well when we cruised with them, and we actually thought it was a great idea.

[Lil2Angelic]

Wow! Lots of replies here. I read through all of them. Thanks for all your input Everybody! I've only boarded at the SoCal ports. I don't remember San Diego being too bad. I do remember the last couple times we boarded in Long Beach thinking "what a mess"! I also didn't realize other cruise lines had already implemented the staggered check in. I guess we'll have to see how it all plays out with Carnival.

[CCLCruiser4321]

I don't understand what happens at checkin. Why does it take so long. Seems like in this day with all the technology they could shorten checkin time to the point that there would not be any wait. Unless you wanted to check in with an actual person.

Edited October 26, 2015 by CCLCruiser4321

[Who Cares?]

NCL has been doing this for several months now, and seems to be working. There have been some people that said they showed up before their time, and they were able to board. Disney has for awhile, and it worked very well when we cruised with them, and we actually thought it was a great idea.

 

How many months has NCL supposedly been doing this as I just sailed on NCL in June/July and nary a peep about boarding times. :confused:

[pe4all]

NCL has been doing this for several months now, and seems to be working. There have been some people that said they showed up before their time, and they were able to board.

??

How many months has NCL supposedly been doing this as I just sailed on NCL in June/July and nary a peep about boarding times. :confused:

I would like to know this also. Just got my e-docs for my NYE cruise, and no specified boarding time. Just requests to not get to terminal before 11.

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

I don't understand what happens at checkin. Why does it take so long. Seems like in this day with all the technology they could shorten checkin time to the point that there would not be any wait. Unless you wanted to check in with an actual person.

 

Typical embarkation procedure:

 

Get to curb. This may be hazardous duty since there are people both leaving the ship and people arriving. So you have cars, buses, people walking from the parking lots, people waiting for their traveling companions, unloading luggage, checking in luggage, forgotten luggage tags, people with guarantee rooms getting luggage tags.

 

Inside the terminal. Getting directed to the right line. People carrying on way more than they easily can handle. Lots of kids. People needing assistance because they are in wheel chairs or scooters.

 

X-ray. People carrying on luggage that is too big. People not emptying their pockets. Through the scanner not once but twice for some. Unloading their belongings and re-situating everything. Finding their kids. Carry-on searches for booze. People carrying on prohibited water.

 

Check-in. Finding the proper line. People searching for their proper documents. Making changes with the check-in crew. Adding cash to their accounts. Arguing.

 

Waiting room. People pushing to the front. People trying to sneak through even though their boarding pass is a higher, not yet called number...so everyone just says "why should I wait". Trying to find traveling companions. The ultimate rush to get ON. Stopping for pictures. Nobody walking around those who are stopping for pictures.

 

Alas, the gangway. Alas, the ship. Waiting for the few elevators actually carrying passengers.

 

I'm exhausted thinking about it. And when you have thousands trying to do this long before boarding begins the congestion just increases and lines become longer and space becomes more precious. It's like an overfilled hour glass with a rock interrupting the constant flow of sand.

[KatieCharlotte]

NCL has been doing this for several months now, and seems to be working. There have been some people that said they showed up before their time, and they were able to board. Disney has for awhile, and it worked very well when we cruised with them, and we actually thought it was a great idea.

 

Are you sure that what NCL has been doing isn't exactly what Carnival had been doing in the past, informing guests of one to two hour windows during which it was recommended they board, and then letting them board if they showed up early? I understand that other cruise lines have done that. But Carnival's FAQ claims that, under this new pilot program, people who show up early must leave the terminal and come back later.

[cruzeluver]

I must be the luckiest son of a biscuit in the world.

 

I have never waited more than a few minutes to check in and board a cruise ship. I am surprised there is even a problem that needs fixing.

 

We have boarded ships in Galveston, Long Beach, Jacksonville, Charleston, Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale and Seward, Alaska. We always arrive fairly early (between 10:30-11:30) and only once had any kind of a wait (in Charleston where we checked in and then had to wait a whopping 15 minutes for boarding to start).

 

Hope this "beta test" goes really poorly.

[ready2cruzagain]

I must be the luckiest son of a biscuit in the world.

 

I have never waited more than a few minutes to check in and board a cruise ship. I am surprised there is even a problem that needs fixing.

 

We have boarded ships in Galveston, Long Beach, Jacksonville, Charleston, Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale and Seward, Alaska. We always arrive fairly early (between 10:30-11:30) and only once had any kind of a wait (in Charleston where we checked in and then had to wait a whopping 15 minutes for boarding to start).

 

Hope this "beta test" goes really poorly.

I am with you, the last several times we have just walked through and not even waited.

 

Now getting off of the ship, that was a different story. In Miami last time was in zone 1 and got off of the ship, there was an hour wait, standing in line through customs. It was awful.

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

I must be the luckiest son of a biscuit in the world.

 

I have never waited more than a few minutes to check in and board a cruise ship. I am surprised there is even a problem that needs fixing.

 

We have boarded ships in Galveston, Long Beach, Jacksonville, Charleston, Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale and Seward, Alaska. We always arrive fairly early (between 10:30-11:30) and only once had any kind of a wait (in Charleston where we checked in and then had to wait a whopping 15 minutes for boarding to start).

 

Hope this "beta test" goes really poorly.

 

Try traveling on the mega ships with 4000+ passengers in a terminal designed when ships were maxed out between 2 and 3k passengers. Its a whole different ball game...especially on cruises that attract lots of kids and first time cruisers who are still learning the ropes. What happened on boarding a half dozen years ago on Carnival is eons different than what happens now with their larger ships.

 

I truly hope, not so much for me because I could care less about early boarding, that this does provide relief for embarkation that is a free-for-all much of the time.

[KatieCharlotte]

Maybe those who are in favor of this have had less fortunate embarkation experiences? :confused: I have also had no problems, whether arriving between 11 and noon (multiple times in NOLA and Port Canaveral), 9:30 a.m. because we mis-timed the drive (Galveston on the Magic), or 1:30 p.m. because of traffic delays (Miami). I've never even seen other guests unhappy about the wait or the check-in process. The only painful experience we've had was disembarking in Galveston. Embarkation that day was probably a pain, but it was caused by unexpected customs delays that pre-booked staggered boarding can't fix.

 

I would like to know how many people in favor of the pilot program are not platinum/diamond, do not buy FTTF, are not able to book every cruise many months in advance due to work or school activities, and normally are on board by 1 p.m.

Edited October 26, 2015 by KatieCharlotte

[ready2cruzagain]

Try traveling on the mega ships with 4000+ passengers in a terminal designed when ships were maxed out between 2 and 3k passengers. Its a whole different ball game...especially on cruises that attract lots of kids and first time cruisers who are still learning the ropes. What happened on boarding a half dozen years ago on Carnival is eons different than what happens now with their larger ships.

 

I truly hope, not so much for me because I could care less about early boarding, that this does provide relief for embarkation that is a free-for-all much of the time.

I was on the Breeze inaugural sailing and had no wait at all. Got to the pier at 12pm and walked right through. I would consider the Breeze a large ship and there were over 800 kids on the sailing if I remember the correct number. I know there were a lot of kids. So your theory does not prove right.

 

I need to add that there were 1500 approx. Platinum and Diamond on board also.

Edited October 26, 2015 by ready2cruzagain

[ready2cruzagain]

Maybe those who are in favor of this have had less fortunate embarkation experiences? :confused: I have also had no problems, whether arriving between 11 and noon (multiple times in NOLA and Port Canaveral), 9:30 a.m. because we mis-timed the drive (Galveston on the Magic), or 1:30 p.m. because of traffic delays (Miami). I've never even seen other guests unhappy about the wait or the check-in process. The only painful experience we've had was disembarking in Galveston. Embarkation that day was probably a pain, but it was caused by unexpected customs delays that pre-booked staggered boarding can't fix.

 

I would like to know how many people in favor of the pilot program are not platinum/diamond, do not buy FTTF, are not able to book every cruise many months in advance due to work or school activities, and normally are on board by 1 p.m.

I believe you have a very good point there.

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

I was on the Breeze inaugural sailing and had no wait at all. Got to the pier at 12pm and walked right through. I would consider the Breeze a large ship and there were over 800 kids on the sailing if I remember the correct number. I know there were a lot of kids. So your theory does not prove right.

 

I need to add that there were 1500 approx. Platinum and Diamond on board also.

 

Boarding in Europe, if you were on the inaugural cruise, is completely different than boarding in the US. Apples to Oranges

[ready2cruzagain]

Boarding in Europe, if you were on the inaugural cruise, is completely different than boarding in the US. Apples to Oranges

Excuse me...I should have said Inaugural US sailing out of Miami so your theory still does not stand.

[cruizinisthebest]

Maybe those who are in favor of this have had less fortunate embarkation experiences? :confused: I have also had no problems, whether arriving between 11 and noon (multiple times in NOLA and Port Canaveral), 9:30 a.m. because we mis-timed the drive (Galveston on the Magic), or 1:30 p.m. because of traffic delays (Miami). I've never even seen other guests unhappy about the wait or the check-in process. The only painful experience we've had was disembarking in Galveston. Embarkation that day was probably a pain, but it was caused by unexpected customs delays that pre-booked staggered boarding can't fix.

 

I would like to know how many people in favor of the pilot program are not platinum/diamond, do not buy FTTF, are not able to book every cruise many months in advance due to work or school activities, and normally are on board by 1 p.m.

For what it's worth, I am a lowly Gold. And while I have gotten fttf in the past, I had already decided after getting it this past Summer that I wouldn't get for my next sailing. So my next check in and boarding experience will be without fttf. Four years ago, which I believe was before fttf or at least before I knew about it, we got onboard around 2 pm -a group of us. And we were fine with that. We didn't miss lunch and a bunch of people also boarded around that same time. And as always, we booked early.

 

Nowadays I arrive about noon and that suits me well. I always book early but I can tell you that my brother who never books more than 90 days out, has no intention on changing that practice because it might result in a later check in slot with the new process. Chances are that by booking late you aren't amongst the anxious crowd to board early, and fttf is usually gone anyway.

 

Not everyone is put off by this attempt to make the check in process better no matter your traveling habits or vifp status.

 

Sent from my SCH-I435 using Tapatalk

[xbatt8]

I must be the luckiest son of a biscuit in the world.

 

I have never waited more than a few minutes to check in and board a cruise ship. I am surprised there is even a problem that needs fixing.

 

We have boarded ships in Galveston, Long Beach, Jacksonville, Charleston, Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale and Seward, Alaska. We always arrive fairly early (between 10:30-11:30) and only once had any kind of a wait

 

Well, I don't see a cruise on your list that sailed out of Long Beach (tho I do see one for San Pedro), but if you arrived at that time at Long Beach and didn't have a wait, then you are the luckiest SOB in the world.

 

I've sailed out of Long Beach a dozen times and it has almost always been a crowded mess. Once or twice, when showing up at 2 o'clock or so, there seemed to be no line, but showing up early.... Lines and lines and lines.

 

My sister almost quit sailing Carnival because she kept waiting in the Spruce Goose dome for more than an hour. Once she hit Platinum, her wait times got better.

 

I think Carnival should have started this program in Long Beach, but I've only sailed out of Galveston once. Maybe Galveston is just as bad...

 

Bob

[cruznjan]

I've seen post after post about people receiving e-mails, etc. about boarding times that they ignored. This is the end result. You didn't listen then, you have to now.

[tkportersat]

Tons of folks don't follow directions getting off the ship....so I doubt they will be willing to follow directions getting on. The key is Carnival actually enforcing said rules. I am more annoyed by debarkation than I have ever been at embarkation. I would rather they work on a better system for that! Just read the posts from the last Magic cruise....

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

This new process amazes me. Why can RCCL with the Allure & Oasis board over 5000 people with no issues but Carnival can't board the Freedom without refusing to let paying pax get on when they arrive? Wow. Thank goodness the Freedom doesn't implement until Nov 12th when I'm getting off the ship. I suspect I won't be back with Carnival if this becomes the norm. I'm platinum with CCL but this seems ridiculous. I am just imagining me cruising with my friends who are not platinum and I get to board the ship at 11 but they can't board until 3pm. I'll be half snockered before they even get onboard.

[StolidCruiser]

I am just imagining me cruising with my friends who are not platinum and I get to board the ship at 11 but they can't board until 3pm. I'll be half snockered before they even get onboard.

 

Your reason for getting on board as soon as possible is readily apparent. You are in excellent company.