Platinum days counts to get Early Dining?

[firefly333]

I booked a couple months back and seems like I always cleared the wait list and got early dining before when I asked for it. I dont ever remember getting a email from carnival with a pdf attachment. The letter says its first come first serve on dining, sorry we cant give you early dining, but we are pleased to confirm you at any time dining.

 

I dont actually mind anytime dining this time as Im not cruising alone, but I thought days on Carnival counted toward clearing the wait list? I think Im at about 160 days on carnival, maybe 170. I know Im getting close on both Carnival and RCL, about the same needed. Just curious if platinum and # of days on Carnival is still a perk to help clear the wait list? or thats gone and its really now totally first come first served.

 

My cruise leaves Sunday.

 

Edited November 8, 2018 by firefly333

[bigdog1958]

13 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I booked a couple months back and seems like I always cleared the wait list and got early dining before when I asked for it. I dont ever remember getting a email from carnival with a pdf attachment. The letter says its first come first serve on dining, sorry we cant give you early dining, but we are pleased to confirm you at any time dining.

 

I dont actually mind anytime dining this time as Im not cruising alone, but I thought days on Carnival counted toward clearing the wait list? I think Im at about 160 days on carnival, maybe 170. I know Im getting close on both Carnival and RCL, about the same needed. Just curious if platinum and # of days on Carnival is still a perk to help clear the wait list? or thats gone and its really now totally first come first served.

 

My cruise leaves Sunday.

 

Yes being platinum moves you up the waiting list above people who are not... However, there may be other platinum ahead of you, or there just is no more room for early dining...  

[Schoifmom]

Diamonds receive guaranteed preference, Platinum receives priority on the wait list.  If they aren't able to move anyone off the wait list, then they simply can't accommodate your.  It doesn't matter if you have 140 days or 75 days, Platinum is Platinum.

 

Platinum:  Priority reservations at Main Dining Room and Specialty Restaurant

Diamond:  Guaranteed seating time requested in Main Dining Room for dinner only

[firefly333]

Yes, i remember that it was a perk before and what it said.

 

Just this was the first time I ever got a pdf i had to download saying I didnt clear, though I had already noticed ... and the wording of the letter said first come first served, nothing about platinum. I was commenting on the wording of the pdf file letter. 

 

Just dont remember getting such a letter before, or maybe it was pre tablet and didnt have to download the file to open it to see what it said. 

[Micahs Grandad]

If you do not get what you want go to see the MD on embarkation day. As platinum they will try and give you what you request but no idea how much trying they really do

[Hotdog 52]

We are platinum and we put in for ATD. We received a letter also but, it stated that we were assigned early dining. Called carnival and they told me it was first come first served. She also told me that being platinum, it would have ATD on my card when boarding. She was correct, it was on my card.

With that said, I think a change is coming. That's the way carnival makes its changes, same with your room being ready when you board.

[evandbob]

P&D now get priority, no longer guaranteed, reservations for MDR time and specialty restaurants.  If a P&D books or chooses a dining time late, they may be waitlisted, or even shut out of their choice.  Another P&D cutback.

 

It was a shock to me when I was refused a steakhouse reservation since they claimed to be fully booked.  I brought the Diamond welcome letter in my cabin to GS, since that still had the old wording of "guaranteed" on it and was reluctantly granted a seating at the time of my choice. Then they even offered a free bottle of wine, which I declined since I don't drink booze.

[firefly333]

I also wonder if a change is coming, just the wording of the letter was odd.

 

I had already decided anytime was fine, as I wanted to see us pull away from roatan at 6 pm which is the same time as early dining. So, i was ok with it and knew I hadnt cleared the waitlist. I had looked just 2 days ago at my boarding pass info on carnival. 

 

It did make me wonder if they are going to quit giving preference to platinum and/diamond folks. Ive just never had a problem clearing before when i booked months out. Luckily I dont care lol. just more puzzled by the wording of the letter in the pdf file they sent to me last night for my sunday boarding.

[firefly333]

21 minutes ago, evandbob said:

P&D now get priority, no longer guaranteed, reservations for MDR time and specialty restaurants.  If a P&D books or chooses a dining time late, they may be waitlisted, or even shut out of their choice.  Another P&D cutback.

 

It was a shock to me when I was refused a steakhouse reservation since they claimed to be fully booked.  I brought the Diamond welcome letter in my cabin to GS, since that still had the old wording of "guaranteed" on it and was reluctantly granted a seating at the time of my choice. Then they even offered a free bottle of wine, which I declined since I don't drink booze.

 

See Im not the only one wondering if this is a change in perks. 

[ZoeyVictoria]

When I booked a very last minute cruise in August I was assigned late dining but preferred early or even ATD.  My PVP (who I have worked with for years, has proven to be very  knowledgable, and never gave me bad information) said that I was waitlisted for early dining but he was positive that I would not get it because, "You are not Platinum".  He certainly did not say, "first come, first serve".  From this I assume that whatever changes are in the works were not known in August.  I will be Platinum when I board the Conquest next month; just my luck that when I finally reach that level, changes are probably going to be made to downgrade it.  

 

I am slightly nervous that whatever changes are going to be made will become in effect immediately upon the announcement and I might not be Platinum in December after all.

[sanmarcosman]

1 hour ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

I am slightly nervous that whatever changes are going to be made will become in effect immediately upon the announcement and I might not be Platinum in December after all.

As you should be, sadly. It stung when I went from being Gold for two cruises and was dropped to Red. Now that I've been Platinum for two cruises I'm concerned a similar situation will befall me. 

 

[ZoeyVictoria]

1 minute ago, sanmarcosman said:

As you should be, sadly. It stung when I went from being Gold for two cruises and was dropped to Red. Now that I've been Platinum for two cruises I'm concerned a similar situation will befall me. 

 

My late SO was Platinum, so I enjoyed his benefits for four years.  It was disappointing to drop down to Gold again, once I knew what I was missing.

[PhillyFan33579]

2 hours ago, evandbob said:

P&D now get priority, no longer guaranteed, reservations for MDR time and specialty restaurants.  If a P&D books or chooses a dining time late, they may be waitlisted, or even shut out of their choice.  Another P&D cutback.

 

It was a shock to me when I was refused a steakhouse reservation since they claimed to be fully booked.  I brought the Diamond welcome letter in my cabin to GS, since that still had the old wording of "guaranteed" on it and was reluctantly granted a seating at the time of my choice. Then they even offered a free bottle of wine, which I declined since I don't drink booze.

 

According to Carnival's website Diamonds still get guaranteed seating in the MDR and priority in speciality restaurants. 

 

Since turning platinum I have been waitlisted for early dining 4-5 times. Every time my dining was updated to early dining confirmed, usually within a few days of booking the cruise. 

[GA_Transplant]

3 hours ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

When I booked a very last minute cruise in August I was assigned late dining but preferred early or even ATD.  My PVP (who I have worked with for years, has proven to be very  knowledgable, and never gave me bad information) said that I was waitlisted for early dining but he was positive that I would not get it because, "You are not Platinum".  He certainly did not say, "first come, first serve".  From this I assume that whatever changes are in the works were not known in August.  I will be Platinum when I board the Conquest next month; just my luck that when I finally reach that level, changes are probably going to be made to downgrade it.  

 

I am slightly nervous that whatever changes are going to be made will become in effect immediately upon the announcement and I might not be Platinum in December after all.

I'm kind of nervous about that as well!  We are heading on my "platinum" cruise on December first, and I'm hoping that I will actually be platinum on that sailing.  I printed my boarding documents, and my boarding pass does say platinum, so I hope yours does as well.  . 

[ZoeyVictoria]

28 minutes ago, GA_Transplant said:

I'm kind of nervous about that as well!  We are heading on my "platinum" cruise on December first, and I'm hoping that I will actually be platinum on that sailing.  I printed my boarding documents, and my boarding pass does say platinum, so I hope yours does as well.  . 

Yes, it does.  So we can at least board as Platinum, even if we are still Gold (or some new category) once we are on the ship.  If there are going to be changes, I would think they would be announced in advance and made on a certain date, hopefully the end of the year or later. If not, I will be really disappointed.  When changes were made in 2013 (from number of cruises to number of nights), there was more than six month’s notice.  I took a three-nighter in August for the usual reasons, but also to make sure I would hit Platinum before the end of the year, as there have been rumors/grumbling about changes for a while.  I have 70 nights, with a six-nighter coming up.

[PhillyFan33579]

I assume (I know never good to do that) if they make a change to the Platinum level like increase the number of days required, they will do something similar to last time and grandfather people who are already Platinum and give some time for people who are close to Platinum to reach that level under the current requirement (i.e 75 days).