Turning Platinum!

[Ohio Bucki]

I will be turning Platinum during my next cruise, day 5 of 7. I understand that I will be Platinum from the beginning of the cruise, my Cruise Documents are marked Platinum and have "Priority" printed on the booking summary. My question is now that I am Platinum, what is the embarkation/check-in process. I see that I now get priority tender boarding, how does that work?

 

I understand that there are other new benefits now, but is there anything specific I need to know? I will be sailing out of Miami if that makes any difference.

[JohnSpo]

There will be a separate check in line for Diamond/Platinum/FTTF passengers so look for the signs. I just turned Platinum on my last cruise and the check in/boarding was very quick. Some of the other Platinum perks I can think of are laundry, the past guest party, a Platinum gift, "chocolate delight" plate delivered to the room, a free drink coupon, and a bottle of water in the cabin.

 

I did enjoy the Platinum perks on my last cruise. It made it a more enjoyable cruise.

 

Congratulations on becoming Platinum and enjoy your cruise and the perks that are coming you way. :cool:

[funship freddy]

As you enter the cruise terminal in Miami look to your left and there will be a private room (I think it says Captains Lounge) Open the door and you will be greeted by a hostess. They will process your documents and you will go directly on board and to your cabin. It will be ready. Enjoy. :D:D

[092306]

For priority tender, when you are ready to leave the ship, go to guest services and they will escort you to the front of the tender line or if you are planning to disembark on the first tender, there is sometimes an area where they ask priority tender guests to wait and you're escorted as a group. Its only for the tender going, not returning. Also, each Platinum guest can bring up to 5 non-platinum guests for that tender.

Edited February 12, 2016 by 092306

[mamajules]

We had Faster to the Fun this past cruise, and the night before we were in Grand Cayman, we got a letter in our stateroom instructing us on priority tendering. We reported to a lounge between certain hours that morning, and they escorted us directly down to the tender.

[mpdog42]

Anybody ever go out of San Juan, How is their Priority System on Embark?

[Ohio Bucki]

Thanks for the info. Any other comments?

[HamSammie]

Anybody ever go out of San Juan, How is their Priority System on Embark?

 

It is a little bit of a headache prior to boarding. After boarding, it is a easy experience. The lounge, and the whole terminal, is not that large. There is not a lot of seating areas, so the non-priority cruisers are standing around clogging up the limited walkways between check-in and the security check (it takes place prior to boarding here compared to prior to check-in at other ports).

 

We had FTTF, arrived around 11:00 a.m., and found some seats next to the lounge. By noon, there was not even any room to stand in the lounge area. Boarding started around 12:30 p.m., but the sound system was so horrible you could not hear any announcements. They opened the doors to the security check and begun processing the non-priority cruisers that crowding the doors first. A couple minutes later, a port employee attempted to lead the priority cruisers from the lounge to the security check, but since the walkways and security check queue were clogged with non-priority people, they did not get far. My guess it probably 150 non-priority cruisers went through the security check and were on-board before the first cruiser that was in the priority lounge.

 

While FTTF has other benefits besides priority embarkation, I would not recommend purchasing if that is the primary purpose when sailing out of San Juan.

Edited February 13, 2016 by RDPDGX

[HamSammie]

We had Faster to the Fun this past cruise, and the night before we were in Grand Cayman, we got a letter in our stateroom instructing us on priority tendering. We reported to a lounge between certain hours that morning, and they escorted us directly down to the tender.

 

This has also been my experience. If you want on the first tender, you report to a pre-announced area (usually the lounge) and you are there with all the other cruisers with Carnival booked excursions. After the first couple of tenders, if there is still a line or if they are still calling group numbers, just go to Guest Services and someone will escort you to the front of the line.