From John Heald

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

What about FTTF? - they pay good money to be put in the front. Unfortunately, as Carnival implements this policy, they will have much more demand for FTTF, and then will probably raise prices.

 

Good for Carnival if they can find more ways for people to pay for basically nothing tangible....keeps the costs down for cruising for the rest of us.

[cruzelover55]

I have read about the emails sent by Carnival telling cruisers when to arrive for years! I myself, have never received one. I did notice the choose your boarding time, during my check in process, for my next cruise.:)

[nydney1]

What is an HMC Cabana?

 

 

At Half Moon Cay you can rent a Cabanna as shore excursion. There are about 15. While you can reserve the Cabanna, you can't pick the specific one you get until you are onboard.

 

Some people like the higher numbers which are away from the crowds.

[dhaza]

Good for Carnival if they can find more ways for people to pay for basically nothing tangible....keeps the costs down for cruising for the rest of us.

 

The best of the platinum perks are only worth $59.99 and how many cruise and thousands of dollars do you have to spend to get platinum status. LOL

Edited November 30, 2015 by dhaza

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

The best of the platinum perks are only worth $59.99 and how many cruise and thousands of dollars do you have to spend to get platinum status. LOL

 

Actually that's apples and oranges...besides I'm not a fan of loyalty perks either unless they were to have tangible perks like "discounts" off of cruises and OBC to cover tips.

 

No way would I spend lots of money to get "early" something or not have to wait in line. Wonder if people would be loyal to a movie theater if their perk was early admittance...sounds ridiculous.

[KatieCharlotte]

What about FTTF? - they pay good money to be put in the front. Unfortunately, as Carnival implements this policy, they will have much more demand for FTTF, and then will probably raise prices.

 

That's the other piece of this that makes me nervous. Will Carnival significantly increase the number of FTTF they're selling, as well as charging more for it?

 

Will they reduce the number of early slots available in anticipation of early-arriving FTTF people? I believe the time slots in John Heald's FB survey started at 11 a.m., not the 10:30 a.m. we've seen so far. And yes, I realize no one is actually boarding at 11 a.m., but they are starting the process well before that under the current procedures.

Edited November 30, 2015 by KatieCharlotte

[cruzeluver]

Methinks this has everything to do with selling more FTTF than anything else which will probably increase once implemented fleet-wide.If terminal crowding is such a big issue, how come I have not even seen any discussions on other cruise line's boards, only Carnival's? In all of our cruises across multiple lines and multiple ports of embarkation I have never once spent more than 30 minutes inside a terminal checking in and boarding, and that is without paying for early boarding or receiving it as some kind of loyalty perk.

[cruizinisthebest]

Methinks this has everything to do with selling more FTTF than anything else which will probably increase once implemented fleet-wide.If terminal crowding is such a big issue, how come I have not even seen any discussions on other cruise line's boards, only Carnival's? In all of our cruises across multiple lines and multiple ports of embarkation I have never once spent more than 30 minutes inside a terminal checking in and boarding, and that is without paying for early boarding or receiving it as some kind of loyalty perk.

I think legitimately something needed to be done. I and many others have had to deal with big crowds at check in and chaos. People show up earlier and earlier.

 

To your point though, fttf will sell no matter the cost. I think I might literally be the only one on this board that said the $10 increase on longer cruises would change my mind about fttf. Nobody cared or blinked. And while there are other perks, most buy it to get onboard asap. I'm all for the new check-in process, but if Carnival really wanted to thin the heard, they would have eliminated early boarding as a fttf perk. Or at least truly minimized availability like they claim. My August 2016 sailing started off with 35 fttf slots. So that whole 15 at a time with a max of 30 is a big fib. Nowadays you can email the excursions department and ask for a slot so I've read! So yes you do have a point. If they charged it per person people would still buy it. Well not me.

 

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[luv2trvlnow]

That's the other piece of this that makes me nervous. Will Carnival significantly increase the number of FTTF they're selling, as well as charging more for it?

 

Will they reduce the number of early slots available in anticipation of early-arriving FTTF people? I believe the time slots in John Heald's FB survey started at 11 a.m., not the 10:30 a.m. we've seen so far. And yes, I realize no one is actually boarding at 11 a.m., but they are starting the process well before that under the current procedures.

For our Magic cruise in March the first boarding time you could select was 10:30 when this was first announced. But this weekend when I checked again they had added a new time of 10:00. It makes me wonder if they realized they had to start earlier than originally planned. So it looks like they are willing to make changes if circumstances warrant.

[overeasy]

For our Magic cruise in March the first boarding time you could select was 10:30 when this was first announced. But this weekend when I checked again they had added a new time of 10:00. It makes me wonder if they realized they had to start earlier than originally planned. So it looks like they are willing to make changes if circumstances warrant.

 

Thanks for the heads-up! Edited my check-in time.

[belkin]

Was just talking with my husband yesterday wondering how long it would be before Carnival decided to roll this program out to other ships.

 

So what is on my Facebook... today an article from Cruise Fever stating that Carnival will be rolling this out in 2016. I have not seen anything from Carnival yet.

 

Here is the link to the article

 

http://cruisefever.net/11291-carnival-rolling-out-staggered-embarkation-in-2016/

[cruizinisthebest]

Was just talking with my husband yesterday wondering how long it would be before Carnival decided to roll this program out to other ships.

 

So what is on my Facebook... today an article from Cruise Fever stating that Carnival will be rolling this out in 2016. I have not seen anything from Carnival yet.

 

Here is the link to the article

 

http://cruisefever.net/11291-carnival-rolling-out-staggered-embarkation-in-2016/

This thread is based on John Heald saying this would be rolled out fleet wide in 2016.

 

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[luv2trvlnow]

For our Magic cruise in March the first boarding time you could select was 10:30 when this was first announced. But this weekend when I checked again they had added a new time of 10:00. It makes me wonder if they realized they had to start earlier than originally planned. So it looks like they are willing to make changes if circumstances warrant.

 

Thanks for the heads-up! Edited my check-in time.

 

You are welcome. I did the same thing. We were already planning on arriving at 10 and then waiting outside. But now there will be no waiting to get inside. Unless of course the arriving cruise is delayed. Hope not!!!

[cruzelover55]

For our Magic cruise in March the first boarding time you could select was 10:30 when this was first announced. But this weekend when I checked again they had added a new time of 10:00. It makes me wonder if they realized they had to start earlier than originally planned. So it looks like they are willing to make changes if circumstances warrant.

 

Another example that it is not wasting my time to read these threads! Would not have known otherwise. Thanks for posting!:)

[Cruise, J.D.]

Thanks for the heads-up! Edited my check-in time.

 

Me too. Thanks also.

[belkin]

This thread is based on John Heald saying this would be rolled out fleet wide in 2016.

 

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Opps... I guess I need a vacation from all the vacations I am planning, lol.

[DaisyGirl55]

I'm glad that I'm Platinum also. Hopefully, changes won't affect Platinum cruisers.

 

My DH and I are Platinum. On our Breeze cruise last month, our boarding times on my documents said 1:30 to 3:30. Perhaps because we live in Florida and drove to the port? I don't know....

 

I was not waiting until then to board. I wanted to get on, go to my room, get settled and grab a light lunch before muster. We got to the ship around 12ish and were onboard around 12:45.

 

I for one hope that if they do assigned times, at least give the Platinum cruisers prime boarding times! No, I am not being a Platinum snob - but after being loyal enough to achieve this status, and after sailing with Carnival 23 times I believe that allowing me to board with the first group is not too much to ask.

[Pops, Esq.]

My DH and I are Platinum. On our Breeze cruise last month, our boarding times on my documents said 1:30 to 3:30. Perhaps because we live in Florida and drove to the port? I don't know....

 

I was not waiting until then to board. I wanted to get on, go to my room, get settled and grab a light lunch before muster. We got to the ship around 12ish and were onboard around 12:45.

 

I for one hope that if they do assigned times, at least give the Platinum cruisers prime boarding times! No, I am not being a Platinum snob - but after being loyal enough to achieve this status, and after sailing with Carnival 23 times I believe that allowing me to board with the first group is not too much to ask.

 

Platinum passengers can show up whenever they want. The new process does not affect you. You still have to select a time, but you show up whenever.

 

If nothing else, the new check-in procedures adds some value to being Platinum.

[fireofficer5]

This is not about anything other than saving on the counter check in people.

Normally there is 30.

Now with staggered boarding times, they will need 20.

Its all about making more money.

 

Those numbers are just examples.

Edited November 30, 2015 by fireofficer5

[Elaine5715]

Methinks this has everything to do with selling more FTTF than anything else which will probably increase once implemented fleet-wide.If terminal crowding is such a big issue, how come I have not even seen any discussions on other cruise line's boards, only Carnival's? In all of our cruises across multiple lines and multiple ports of embarkation I have never once spent more than 30 minutes inside a terminal checking in and boarding, and that is without paying for early boarding or receiving it as some kind of loyalty perk.

 

Other lines, for example Disney, assign and enforce check in times.

[KatieCharlotte]

Other lines, for example Disney, assign and enforce check in times.

 

According to everything I have read, Disney is the only major cruiseline sailing from the U.S. that has any type of enforced boarding, and even their system seems pretty flexible in actual practice. NCL, RC, Princess, etc., all sometimes suggest staggered boarding times via email just like Carnival has, but none have enforced them.

[mayesq]

Disney has been doing this for years and it is not a problem. You pick your port arrival time upon making payment in full.

[cruizinisthebest]

According to everything I have read, Disney is the only major cruiseline sailing from the U.S. that has any type of enforced boarding, and even their system seems pretty flexible in actual practice. NCL, RC, Princess, etc., all sometimes suggest staggered boarding times via email just like Carnival has, but none have enforced them.

Well Carnival is allowed to do something first before those you named. It is a problem that needed solving.

 

I wonder how many of their passengers ignored the suggested email almost universally. Also, those other lines don't sell priority boarding passes, which in my opinion is a huge part of the problem.

 

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[jimbo5544]

This is not about anything other than saving on the counter check in people.

Normally there is 30.

Now with staggered boarding times, they will need 20.

Its all about making more money.

 

Those numbers are just examples.

 

All cruise lines attempt to save money, Carnival is no different in that regard. While neither of us know the true motivation, my take is different than yours. I think it is more about making the embarkation process better. Under the old scenario, everybody in the free world showed up at 10:00, sat around and checked in when their number is called (after weddings, diamonds, platinums and FTTF). The end result is 3,000+ people sitting in a smaller than designed space to get on the ship to start their vacation. Under the new system the experts (the cruise line, because they are in fact the experts after all) stagger these to make that process better. This by the way, is the way most other cruise lines already do that.

[clhayes]

IMO the majority of those who actually experienced the new process in Galveston responded in favor of it. It made a significant difference/ improvement to the old. The majority also shared there are still opportunities; better directional signage, etc. Im looking forward to a smooth process Dec 13. Keeping my fingers crossed.