Priority Boarding question

[darjensil]

There will be 12 family members cruising on Carnival Splendor out of Long Beach.  Six of us have priority boarding.....would we be able to have the other 6 in our family join us through the priority boarding or do they have to wait?  Thanks for any information.

[PhillyFan33579]

Short answer is no, they would have to wait. There are exceptions, for example, if one person in a cabin is a Platinum or Diamond, everyone staying in that cabin would get priority boarding.  

[crzndeb]

As previously answered No, but the priority can wait and board with the non priority. If they have an early check in time, there really won’t be that much time in between priority and the rest.

Edited June 21, 2019 by crzndeb

[jmcathome]

First answer is the correct one. It will depend on who is in what roo. If it is broken up one priority in each room, the non priority can enter with you. I guess that it is not set up that way.

[Schoifmom]

The only non-priority guests who can board with priority guests are those who in the same room with priority or minor children of the priority guests staying in other rooms.

[maryred]

You may also want to know that Diamond, Platinum, and suite priority waiting areas are different from special invitee waiting which is different than the FttF guest waiting areas area at most ports. So even if priority check-in and boarding you may find your group split to various waiting areas based on why they have priority. 

[jsdst12]

2 hours ago, maryred said:

You may also want to know that Diamond, Platinum, and suite priority waiting areas are different from special invitee waiting which is different than the FttF guest waiting areas area at most ports. So even if priority check-in and boarding you may find your group split to various waiting areas based on why they have priority. 

Hi Maryred!  This is our first time sailing out of Port Canveral.  We have sailed out of Charleston before which is very small and pretty smooth.  I'm assuming Canaveral is much more intensive due to the size and number of ships.  We have booked a suite which comes with priority boarding.  So is there a different part of the terminal you have to go to?  Is everything laid out pretty clearly as to where folks have to go upon arrival to the terminal?  I'm sorry for the simple questions...I just like being as prepared as I can be!  Sail in eight days and I cannot wait! 🙂

[panoramaofthepast]

2 hours ago, jsdst12 said:

Hi Maryred!  This is our first time sailing out of Port Canveral.  We have sailed out of Charleston before which is very small and pretty smooth.  I'm assuming Canaveral is much more intensive due to the size and number of ships.  We have booked a suite which comes with priority boarding.  So is there a different part of the terminal you have to go to?  Is everything laid out pretty clearly as to where folks have to go upon arrival to the terminal?  I'm sorry for the simple questions...I just like being as prepared as I can be!  Sail in eight days and I cannot wait! 🙂

Carnival's boarding procedures are pretty standard and they have lots of people to direct you. Priority boarding is usually a separate line once you are inside. There are signs and helpful folks, so you shouldn't have any trouble at all. 

[jsdst12]

7 minutes ago, panoramaofthepast said:

Carnival's boarding procedures are pretty standard and they have lots of people to direct you. Priority boarding is usually a separate line once you are inside. There are signs and helpful folks, so you shouldn't have any trouble at all. 

Appreciate it!  I figured it would be somewhat similar!  I think I am trying to stress myself out for absolutely no reason at all! 

[PhillyFan33579]

3 hours ago, jsdst12 said:

Hi Maryred!  This is our first time sailing out of Port Canveral.  We have sailed out of Charleston before which is very small and pretty smooth.  I'm assuming Canaveral is much more intensive due to the size and number of ships.  We have booked a suite which comes with priority boarding.  So is there a different part of the terminal you have to go to?  Is everything laid out pretty clearly as to where folks have to go upon arrival to the terminal?  I'm sorry for the simple questions...I just like being as prepared as I can be!  Sail in eight days and I cannot wait! 🙂

 

Carnival currently uses terminals 5 and 6 at Port Canaveral.  The port isn’t too bad congestion wise due to the way the terminals are spread out and it’s not crazy busy like Port Miami, for example. There are clearly marked signs outside the terminal that tell you which line you need to get in. If you are cruising in 8 days, I assume you are on Breeze, which should use terminal 6. When looking at terminal 6 from the front, the priority line will be on the right side of the terminal. The priority waiting area is located on the second floor of the terminal. There will be employees inside letting you know where to go. 

[maryred]

4 hours ago, jsdst12 said:

Hi Maryred!  This is our first time sailing out of Port Canveral.  We have sailed out of Charleston before which is very small and pretty smooth.  I'm assuming Canaveral is much more intensive due to the size and number of ships.  We have booked a suite which comes with priority boarding.  So is there a different part of the terminal you have to go to?  Is everything laid out pretty clearly as to where folks have to go upon arrival to the terminal?  I'm sorry for the simple questions...I just like being as prepared as I can be!  Sail in eight days and I cannot wait! 🙂

See PhillyFan33579's answer. I can give you a great amount of details on embarkation from and about the terminals in NYC (either pier), Baltimore, and NOLA and a little about Tampa (plus lots on Cape Liberty NJ if ever sailing on other lines). But Canaveral is only a port of call to us, so no embarkation day specific procedures we've needed to follow.

At almost all terminals suite passengers wait with Platinum+ passengers in the Captain's Lounge if they arrive prior to the ship being cleared for boarding. Other types of priority passengers wait elsewhere. But once boarding has begun and these waiting areas are empty when someone with priority (regardless of what type) processes through the physical priority check-in they go right on board and rarely even see the priority lounges.

 

(At some ports like, NYC pier 90, the Captain's Lounge has a nicer set of seats and complimentary pre-boarding non-alcoholic beverages and snacks. While those that purchased Faster to the Fun wait in their own little waiting area that is more or less a section off part of the general boarding wait area, and special invitees of the cruise line or casino are in yet another different waiting room.)

[rvsullivan]

Anyone know about suite guests boarding in Galveston?

[panoramaofthepast]

Boarding in Galveston is basically one big room, with designated areas for suite guests and other VIPS. I think [not totally sure] that the suite guests may be in a smaller room off the main waiting area. Once boarding starts, the VIPs go first, as in other ports. They usually start boarding between 11-11:30.

 

[rvsullivan]

2 minutes ago, panoramaofthepast said:

Boarding in Galveston is basically one big room, with designated areas for suite guests and other VIPS. I think [not totally sure] that the suite guests may be in a smaller room off the main waiting area. Once boarding starts, the VIPs go first, as in other ports. They usually start boarding between 11-11:30.

 

Thanks for the info!!! Appreciate it!

[HectorAchilleus]

There really is not much difference if they have an early check-in time. On our last cruise (we are diamond) we went with two other groups - one with an earl check-in time and another with FTTF. We boarded after a wedding party and went to our rooms first. We all had agreed to meet by the Pizza Pirate as soon as we got on. After dropping off our stuff, we went to the meeting place and both other groups were already there. The FTTF people got on about 1 minute before the other group. The new boarding system is so much more efficient!

 

[TNShadyLady]

If you have Priority boarding (casino offer) do you still have to abide by the "arrival time" printed on your boarding pass? We are traveling in a group and all have the casino priority boarding, but different arrival times to the port. Can we still all go inside by virtue of the priority, or must we wait until our official arrival time?

[maryred]

9 hours ago, TNShadyLady said:

If you have Priority boarding (casino offer) do you still have to abide by the "arrival time" printed on your boarding pass? We are traveling in a group and all have the casino priority boarding, but different arrival times to the port. Can we still all go inside by virtue of the priority, or must we wait until our official arrival time?

This depends on the offer. As long as your boarding pass has "PRIORITY" on it you can ignore the Arrival Appointment.

[TNShadyLady]

17 minutes ago, maryred said:

This depends on the offer. As long as your boarding pass has "PRIORITY" on it you can ignore the Arrival Appointment.

It does. And that's what I thought, but just wanted to be sure. Thanks.

[yogibear]

Cruising out of Baltimore in September. I was able to get us FTTF.

Do I get to ignore our boarding time too??

 

Karen

[Florida Paesano]

5 minutes ago, yogibear said:

Cruising out of Baltimore in September. I was able to get us FTTF.

Do I get to ignore our boarding time too??

 

Karen

 

Yes, you can ignore your arrival appointment time but you still need to select one.  Your boarding pass documents should indicate priority and/or FTTF IIRC.  

[yogibear]

39 minutes ago, Florida Paesano said:

 

Yes, you can ignore your arrival appointment time but you still need to select one.  Your boarding pass documents should indicate priority and/or FTTF IIRC.  

Thanks!!

 

Karen

[jsdst12]

On 6/21/2019 at 3:07 PM, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

Carnival currently uses terminals 5 and 6 at Port Canaveral.  The port isn’t too bad congestion wise due to the way the terminals are spread out and it’s not crazy busy like Port Miami, for example. There are clearly marked signs outside the terminal that tell you which line you need to get in. If you are cruising in 8 days, I assume you are on Breeze, which should use terminal 6. When looking at terminal 6 from the front, the priority line will be on the right side of the terminal. The priority waiting area is located on the second floor of the terminal. There will be employees inside letting you know where to go. 

Thanks for the all the great info!