Assigned check in...you got to be kidding me

[caymancouple]

We are doing a cruise on Carnival out of Galveston this Coming Sunday....6 rooms...we all have different check in times.... so how are we supposed to coordinate picking up family members from hotels...flights....others driving in..... We are Elite on Celebrity and Diamond Plus on Royal...earned both....not real impressed with Carnival so far....:mad:

Edited February 21, 2016 by Host Graham
Disguised cursing removed from post-post adds good discussion value but did not adhere to TOS

[LMaxwell]

you're gonna get flamed so bad here unfortunately.

 

I'd show up at the port when everyone is ready and try to check in together if your reservations are linked. Let them know on their survey this was a bad way to start your vacation

[bakersdozen12]

You can't show up earlier than your scheduled time, but you can show up after and Carnival will accommodate. So, figure out who has the latest check-in time, and then you guys can all go at that time together.

[skrufy]

What would be your suggestion to solving your dilima? Heres mine. You can all arrive anytime after your assigned boarding time. So all can arrive based on the latest boarbing time, and board together.

[BallFour4]

I'd show up at the port when everyone is ready and try to check in together if your reservations are linked. Let them know on their survey this was a bad way to start your vacation

 

This will only work if they show up after the latest time on their group. Galveston enforces this. On Sunday there were at least 250 people lined up outside waiting for their time spot to be called. You can board any time after your time slot, but not before.

 

The part time agents working in Galveston don't have access to a computer terminal to see if booking numbers are linked. They do have a printed copy of the priority boarding list, but nothing else.

 

We've seen this on the Triumph in January and the Magic this past Sunday. The regular boarding line looked like Black Friday at Walmart. Priority was empty. By 2:00 pm the line was empty. Our friends walked on.

 

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Edited February 11, 2016 by BallFour4

[BallFour4]

What would be your suggestion to solving your dilemma? Here's mine. You can all arrive anytime after your assigned boarding time. So all can arrive based on the latest boarding time, and board together.

 

You posted this the same time I replied, and it's 100% accurate.

 

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Edited February 11, 2016 by BallFour4

[momdaughterondestiny]

We are doing a cruise on Carnival out of Galveston this Coming Sunday....6 rooms...we all have different check in times.... so how the #/^÷/%_£^/#= are we supposed to coordinate picking up family members from hotels...flights....others driving in..... We are Elite on Celebrity and Diamond Plus on Royal...earned both....not real impressed with Carnival so far....:mad:

 

Maybe everyone can just use the latest check in time that your group has? I know we will be on the conquest one cabin is platinum, one has FTTF one has kids who are linked to the platinum and one cabin first cruise so we are all going to check in with the first cruisers if they've started it in June in FLL we will pick the earliest time for the one cabin with the first timers. You can check in after your assigned time just not before . And boarding does not go by your check in time.

[kona_wahine]

You can't show up earlier than your scheduled time, but you can show up after and Carnival will accommodate. So, figure out who has the latest check-in time, and then you guys can all go at that time together.

 

This is what I was going to say. I believe Galveston has had assigned boarding times for quite some time. I'm curious, did you book last minute or just not check in until recently? Carnival just started assigned times for Miami and we were able to pick our time when we filled out our docs online.

[jsfromsc]

Not going to flame you. I think it's rotten, too. Are your reservations linked together? This is unfortunate but if the reservations weren't linked there's no way for them to know you're all traveling together. I hope you requested to eat together. And I hope this doesn't ruin your cruise experience on Carnival.

[Podna's]

I agree with everyone here. All can show up at the latest assigned boarding time and board together. No biggie. We have a group of 16 family members going out of Nola in April. One simple phone call or text to the others and we all got the 10:30 check in. Not flaming but wondering how this is Carnival's fault that you all got different times?

Edited February 11, 2016 by Podna's

[Jimmy Geegitz]

Not sure what Elite on Celebrity and Diamond on RCI has to do with your complaint.

[martini_guy]

I personally prefer to get on towards the end of check-in time. Usually the lines are cleared up by then, and you'll still be in time to grab some lunch when you get on.

[Hoosierpop]

I've got preferred status on Avis, silver status with Hilton, and my wife thinks I'm peachy. Therefore, with all that status, I agree with the advice that you all just go when the latest boarding time in your party is.

 

I guess you could call me a statustician.

[cruizinisthebest]

You should be able to go back and coordinate the same check-in time, since you guys failed to do that the first time. Pick one time. Problem solved.

 

Or show up at the latest time within the group and board together. Problem also solved.

 

This is Carnival's new process. Everyone has to pick a check-in time. There are some exceptions beyond that. None of which you qualify for. Enjoy your cruise.

[FTLCruiseGal]

I agree with everyone here. All can show up at the latest assigned boarding time and board together. No biggie. We have a group of 16 family members going out of Nola in April. One simple phone call or text to the others and we all got the 10:30 check in. Not flaming but wondering how this is Carnival's fault that you all got different times?

 

My thoughts exactly. A few "group" texts, and we coordinated our entire group to choose the same time. I chose my check-in time -- Carnival did not choose it for me. The only time Carnival chooses your check-in time is if it is day of embarkation and you have not done so yourself.

 

Also, I believe someone else mentioned this, but if you are traveling together and want to dine together, you need to link your bookings. If you have not done so, you can call Carnival or go through your travel agent to do this. If your group is as large as you say it is, they may not be able to accommodate you when you get on board.

[ABQrobin]

Our last cruise out of Galveston (last Feb), they did this. Our checkin time was like 1:30pm or something in that area. That did not work for us as we had to check out of our hotel by 11am. So at 11am we parked and went in with our luggage and got in line. We were never questioned, never made to sit back down, or anything. Got checked in and one of the first groups onto the ship.

Don't know if it has changed, but that is what happened to us.

[TerReuv]

Don't you chose your boarding time yourself? I thought that was what you were supposed to do now when doing your online check in. If that is the way it is, why in the world are you upset with Carnival if you didn't pick the same times?

[KatieCharlotte]

Our last cruise out of Galveston (last Feb), they did this. Our checkin time was like 1:30pm or something in that area. That did not work for us as we had to check out of our hotel by 11am. So at 11am we parked and went in with our luggage and got in line. We were never questioned, never made to sit back down, or anything. Got checked in and one of the first groups onto the ship.

Don't know if it has changed, but that is what happened to us.

 

It has. Check-in times used to be a recommendation and are now being enforced at certain ports, including Galveston, with guests forced to wait outside the terminal until their time.

 

Carnival has done a poor job communicating this information to people who already had cruises booked when the new system started. Some people have reported receiving one email that appeared to be spam. Many people, especially frequent cruisers, complete their online check-in when they book or make their final payment. Hence, many people don't know to choose times and coordinate with family members and are assigned random times. Whether those times can be changed at the last minute, I don't know, but it's worth checking.

Edited February 11, 2016 by KatieCharlotte

[ABQrobin]

It has. Check-in times used to be a recommendation and are now being enforced at certain ports, including Galveston, with guests forced to wait outside the terminal until their time.

 

Carnival has done a poor job communicating this information to people who already had cruises booked when the new system started. Some people have reported receiving one email that appeared to be spam. Many people, especially frequent cruisers, complete their online check-in when they book or make their final payment. Hence, many people don't know to choose times and coordinate with family members and are assigned random times. Whether those times can be changed at the last minute, I don't know, but it's worth checking.

 

Good to know.

I know they started it last year because of that other cruise line terminal remodel going on. On a Saturday check in, there were hundreds of cars and taxis and people everywhere, getting on and off several ships at the same time.

[cruizinisthebest]

Our last cruise out of Galveston (last Feb), they did this. Our checkin time was like 1:30pm or something in that area. That did not work for us as we had to check out of our hotel by 11am. So at 11am we parked and went in with our luggage and got in line. We were never questioned, never made to sit back down, or anything. Got checked in and one of the first groups onto the ship.

Don't know if it has changed, but that is what happened to us.

Things have changed from a year ago. Now you have to choose a check in time during the online check in process. And if you show up earlier than the time you yourself chose then you will not be allowed to check in anyway. Suggested times weren't working, as you described in your post, hence the new process.

 

Sent from my SCH-I435 using Tapatalk

[bamagirl16]

Did you pick your check in times? If so I don't see how this is Carnival's fault. They started this process in Galveston a few months ago. We are sailing out of New Orleans in March and we were sent an email to choose a check in time. Everyone in our party got together and picked a time so we could check in together. If you did not get an email it was also listed on the "things to do" on the booking. So if everyone picked a different check in time that is not the fault of Carnival. Also if people are showing up before their check in time and they have to wait that is not the fault of Carnival.

 

I would see who has the latest check in time and have everyone arrive then since you can check in later than your time.

[Jana60]

We are doing a cruise on Carnival out of Galveston this Coming Sunday....6 rooms...we all have different check in times.... so how the #/^÷/%_£^/#= are we supposed to coordinate picking up family members from hotels...flights....others driving in..... We are Elite on Celebrity and Diamond Plus on Royal...earned both....not real impressed with Carnival so far....:mad:

 

The boarding times listed are the earliest times they will allow you to board not the latest. The simplest solution would simply be for everyone in your group to arrive at the same time with the last boarding time listed on all of your boarding documents. Alternatively any of your group who are not assigned to the earliest boarding group could simply sign up for faster to the fun to their cabin. But if all of you would need to do this for six cabins that would run $300 which in my opinion would be cost prohibitive!

Edited February 11, 2016 by Jana60

[Jana60]

i've got preferred status on avis, silver status with hilton, and my wife thinks i'm peachy. Therefore..........

 

lol!!!!!!

[Jana60]

Our last cruise out of Galveston (last Feb), they did this. Our checkin time was like 1:30pm or something in that area. That did not work for us as we had to check out of our hotel by 11am. So at 11am we parked and went in with our luggage and got in line. We were never questioned, never made to sit back down, or anything. Got checked in and one of the first groups onto the ship.

Don't know if it has changed, but that is what happened to us.

 

Yes this has changed! Due to the fact that the crowds we're just unbearable at the Galveston port they had to begin and did announce in advance that they were enforcing boarding times and making everyone choose a boarding time to alleviate this

Edited February 11, 2016 by Jana60

[kayhold]

I just purchased FTTF for all 7 of our cabins. Thats worth it for us, plus we don't have to drag our luggage around? Sure.