Carnival Sunshine - Free Drinks and Priority Boarding

[Mklbee]

Hello all, 

 

 I just put a deposit on the Carnival Sunshine - Panama Canal trip leaving New York on May 27th 2019 (Memorial Day). This will be my 7th cruise. I am a Gold VFIP member, but will have 'Priority Boarding' and free drinks while in the casino. All of this is pretty new to me. I have bought FTTF before, but I am guessing that the Priority Boarding may be a little different?? Instead of guessing, Id like to ask a few questions to those that might know.

 

1. How does the free drinks while playing in the casino work? If anyone has done this before, please educate how the servers know I get free drinks? Guessing my card.

2. Is the 'Priority Boarding' the same as FTTF?

3. I plan on staying in New York Saturday and Sunday, but want to know if anyone has cruised out of New York and where they flew into, and how did they get to the cruise 'area'?

4. I have never cruised more than 7 days before...so I am wondering what others have done differently for packing clothes, etc. ?

 

Any information would help an awful lot. I have received great comments on this board, and I am VERY thankful for the comments.

 

Thanks

[obx_fintoo]

I can only help with your 2nd question.  When you get your room key, it will already have a Premier Drinks on us card attached.  Servers will see that and know that you have the free drinks.  They will get your folio # and usually that's it.  We tend to tip a good server every few rounds and they come back quickly and remember our # for the whole cruise.   Enjoy and I hope that someone can help with your other questions soon!

[Cruiser_1977]

Priority Boarding and FTTF are different.

You will get to be among the first to board...AFTER Plat/Diamond.

FTTF also gives you immediate access to your cabin.

• Priority boarding does NOT mean you will be able to go to your room upon boarding.

Airports - 15 miles from Newark International Airport; travel time is approximately 45 minutes. 15 miles from LaGuardia Airport; travel time is approximately 45 minutes; 20 miles from JFK International Airport; travel time is approximately 60 minutes.

Edited November 19, 2018 by JennyB1977

[Mklbee]

19 minutes ago, obx_fintoo said:

I can only help with your 2nd question.  When you get your room key, it will already have a Premier Drinks on us card attached.  Servers will see that and know that you have the free drinks.  They will get your folio # and usually that's it.  We tend to tip a good server every few rounds and they come back quickly and remember our # for the whole cruise.   Enjoy and I hope that someone can help with your other questions soon!

Thanks! That makes sense. I usually get a double in a short glass for an extra $3. Ill be ready for that. I always travel with extra singles on the cruises. I like to take care of good servers. Thanks for the info!

[Mklbee]

9 minutes ago, JennyB1977 said:

Priority Boarding and FTTF are different.

You will get to be among the first to board...AFTER Plat/Diamond.

FTTF also gives you immediate access to your cabin.

• Priority boarding does NOT mean you will be able to go to your room upon boarding.

Airports - 15 miles from Newark International Airport; travel time is approximately 45 minutes. 15 miles from LaGuardia Airport; travel time is approximately 45 minutes; 20 miles from JFK International Airport; travel time is approximately 60 minutes.

Thank you. I plan on travelling to Newark and then staying near Times Square for the weekend. Maybe I will get an Uber to get from New Jersey to the Manhattan area. Thanks for educating me on this!

[ToriB]

We cruised out of NYC last October. We flew in the day before to LaGuardia and took a taxi to our hotel. (Hilton Garden Inn Times Square) we mainly took taxis for the ease. They are all over and you can easily get one. We took one to the port as well. 

[Nic6318]

Hi

 

As far as your being on a longer cruise, if you don't want to pack extra clothing, you can consider sending out clothing for cleaning, or, all the Carnival ships have self serve laundromats available. For a little effort and a few dollars, you can considerably cut down on how much you have to pack.

 

hope this helps

have a great cruise

[Schoifmom]

15 hours ago, Mklbee said:

Hello all, 

 

 I just put a deposit on the Carnival Sunshine - Panama Canal trip leaving New York on May 27th 2019 (Memorial Day). This will be my 7th cruise. I am a Gold VFIP member, but will have 'Priority Boarding' and free drinks while in the casino. All of this is pretty new to me. I have bought FTTF before, but I am guessing that the Priority Boarding may be a little different?? Instead of guessing, Id like to ask a few questions to those that might know.

 

1. How does the free drinks while playing in the casino work? If anyone has done this before, please educate how the servers know I get free drinks? Guessing my card.

2. Is the 'Priority Boarding' the same as FTTF?

3. I plan on staying in New York Saturday and Sunday, but want to know if anyone has cruised out of New York and where they flew into, and how did they get to the cruise 'area'?

4. I have never cruised more than 7 days before...so I am wondering what others have done differently for packing clothes, etc. ?

 

Any information would help an awful lot. I have received great comments on this board, and I am VERY thankful for the comments.

 

Thanks

 

First, it looks like you will be on the Sunrise, not the Sunshine 🙂

 

Priority boarding is just that, priority boarding.  It does not get you any of the other benefits of FTTF (1st access to stateroom, priority luggage, priority line at GS, etc.).

 

I have sailed out of NY, but we drove, so I can't help you with airports.  I will say that we stayed on the NJ side and then took a hotel shuttle to the cruise port, but you will be there for a few days.  I think it all depends on your comfort level with subways as to how you get around.  Other than subways, you have the standard options of hotel shuttles, Uber, Lyft, and taxis.

 

You seem to indicate that the cruise is longer than 7 days, but you don't say how much longer.  That would impact how I would pack.  I agree with the previous poster, though, that making good use of laundry facilities is a must.

 

Have a great cruise.