.Question for Platinums

[vicky3vicky]

We will be turning Platinum on our Breeze Journey cruise in early November. I have been excited for this for so long. I have replayed over and over in my mind about how fun it will be to reveive the pin, go to the cocktail party, find a small gift and a plate of strawberries in my room, etc. I am wondering, after so wanting this for so long, if when it happens, it'll actually feel anti-climactic. That it won't be as thrilling an experience [the first time] For those of you who are Platinum, was the "first time" as a Platinum as wonderful as you had imagined it would be?

[RRLLAL]

29 minutes ago, vicky3vicky said:

We will be turning Platinum on our Breeze Journey cruise in early November. I have been excited for this for so long. I have replayed over and over in my mind about how fun it will be to reveive the pin, go to the cocktail party, find a small gift and a plate of strawberries in my room, etc. I am wondering, after so wanting this for so long, if when it happens, it'll actually feel anti-climactic. That it won't be as thrilling an experience [the first time] For those of you who are Platinum, was the "first time" as a Platinum as wonderful as you had imagined it would be?

 

Because of the priority embarkation.....yes. 

[Essiesmom]

I was excited to be able to bypass the checkin lines on my first platinum cruise....  However, the cruise was from Civitavecchia and we flew in the morning of the cruise, took a transfer with tour of the Vatican.  Thus we didn't arrive at the terminal until 5:50pm or so, no lines at all.  But the cruise was a TA, so the free laundry was great.  EM

[xDisconnections]

I hope you aren't disappointed. Platinum benefits nowadays aren't as good as they once were.

[lcarp]

37 minutes ago, vicky3vicky said:

We will be turning Platinum on our Breeze Journey cruise in early November. I have been excited for this for so long. I have replayed over and over in my mind about how fun it will be to reveive the pin, go to the cocktail party, find a small gift and a plate of strawberries in my room, etc. I am wondering, after so wanting this for so long, if when it happens, it'll actually feel anti-climactic. That it won't be as thrilling an experience [the first time] For those of you who are Platinum, was the "first time" as a Platinum as wonderful as you had imagined it would be?

Journey cruises have a lot of Diamond and Platinum cruises, so don't expect much in boarding early . Im going on the Panama full transit this year and Im told there are over 900 Plats & Diam . They also don't usually leave the gifts till a few days into the cruise, but it is a nice perk. The laundry is the one i appreciate the most. Enjoy your triple

Lesley

[crzndeb]

I became Platinum on a B2B2B back in 2012. I can’t even remember if I felt any sort of excitement, because there wasn’t really anything that was a big deal to me. I can understand if some of the perks are important to you and the first one being exciting. I don’t use the free laundry service (laundry snob), and I don’t really attend the past guest parties much anymore, since they have become so overly crowded. Now granted, they are longer cruises, and there are a ton of Plats and Diamonds.

I finally hit Diamond this year, but I don’t know if there is anything I’m excited for. Itineraries are what’s important to me. 

 

 

Edited July 13, 2019 by crzndeb

[coevan]

42 minutes ago, xDisconnections said:

I hope you aren't disappointed. Platinum benefits nowadays aren't as good as they once were.

 

 

can you list a few benefits no longer offered?

[xDisconnections]

Edit

Edited July 13, 2019 by xDisconnections

[CruisingAgain]

I have been platinum on 11 cruises so far and I am excited to be platinum for every one. Getting to board earliest, some ports with a special waiting room and pastries, chocolate covered strawberries.  I always whisper to my husband "it's great to be special".   YES ... it doesn't take much to make me happy!!

[evandbob]

When I turned platinum, priority boarding and free laundry were my fav perks.  There was even a priority line for Plats & Diamonds when returning to the ship after a port stop!  I still enjoy both the priority boarding and disembarking now as a Diamond with unlimited laundry.  The Captain's Diamond brunch or get-together is also fun.

 

The plat perk I enjoy most on NCL is the 2 free specialty dinners for 2 each cruise - wish Carnival would offer the same.  Carnival can keep their strawberries, they are usually immature white rejects that they can't sell in their candy shop.

[May1cruiser]

early boarding and laundry are top two benefits for us.

It does feel a "little special" to have some priority benefits on occasion.

 

One unique observation was from the waitstaff last year.... they mentioned how nice we were to them. I asked why they said that and the response was "many platinum are not as nice to the crew".  This really bothered me. The crew really works hard and should be appreciated for the effort they give.

[Bookbug53]

1 hour ago, coevan said:

 

 

can you list a few benefits no longer offered?

I would interested to hear as well. I still have all benefits that I first received. xDisconnections, which ones went away?

Edited July 13, 2019 by Bookbug53

[PhillyFan33579]

I just finished my 10th cruise as a Platinum and to me it doesn’t feel that much different than my previous cruises before I turned Platinum. The only perks we consistently take advantage of are the two for one slot/blackjack tournament tickets and we now consistently get to the port early since we now have priority boarding. The one thing I think Carnival does exceptional well is treat every passenger the same, with the possible exceptions of Diamonds. I think the best perk Carnival offers is the special event for Diamonds. I have attended 4-5 of them as a guest of a Diamond and they have always been a great experience. I am definitely looking forward to 2021 when I will finally be able to attend the event as a Diamond, assuming the VIFP program doesn’t change before then.  

[RRLLAL]

2 hours ago, coevan said:

 

 

can you list a few benefits no longer offered?

 

I don’t recall anything being taken away. Changed maybe. I almost feel like I get more things than when I first became platinum. He provided a link that he thinks was the answer to your question but actually it didn’t support his accusation so he deleted it. 

[mmb3124]

Early embark. Immediate access to your room. Two or three free bags of laundry (for each of us). Priority tender. The priority line at guest services. Free drink & party, goofy pin & gift. Maybe I'm easily pleased, but those things make me pretty happy. What's not to like?

[RRLLAL]

9 minutes ago, mmb3124 said:

Early embark. Immediate access to your room. Two or three free bags of laundry (for each of us). Priority tender. The priority line at guest services. Free drink & party, goofy pin & gift. Maybe I'm easily pleased, but those things make me pretty happy. What's not to like?

 

Exactly. And don’t forget the 2 for 1 slots or blackjack tourney entry. . 

[nycruise1]

Even better than I thought.  See what I wrote a couple years ago while discussing our first Platinum cruise.  Since then we have been on a number of cruises and it is still great.  Some things I did not mention below is the priority line at guest services.  Although there should not be much reason to go to guest services, there often seems to be a need a couple times per cruise and the short line is great.  Also, now that my kids are Platinum they get the arcade card which they enjoy using as a special perk.  They also love the sushi at the PD party and eat a ton of it.  We strongly prefer early seating and being platinum has gotten us off the wait list.  Another thing is getting into the room upon boarding.  Luggage often arrives pretty quickly and we can be fully unpacked long before the muster drill.

 

 

 

It really is nice. We were leaving out of Baltimore, and arrived about noon, and noticed a car in front of us made a u turn and parked at the side just before the entrance gate. When we moved up the attendant said they were only letting in priority. I told her we were and after having to show her our boarding pass she let us right in. In the terminal we went on the priority line and right when we got our cards heard the announcement for priority boarding so we walked through the priority waiting lounge and boarded and never had to actually sit down in the terminal!

 

Other great things:

Not having to wait on the long line to get a tender ticket and being on the first tender to HMC

Plat/Diamond Party (having been to a bunch as golds nice to go back again)

Laundry bags! Each time came back same day

Tervis tumbler and nightlight (got both at once?!)

Chocolate covered strawberries

Nice lounge to wait in for debarkation and in the parking lot less than an hour after we arrived

 

Would we have had a great time anyway, yes, but it was nice to enjoy these perks from Carnival for our loyalty.

Edited July 13, 2019 by nycruise1

[mets123]

Keep in mind that the current gift is the famous lanyard. I hope it's not a forerunner of things to come for their gifts.

[cucruizin]

5 hours ago, vicky3vicky said:

... I am wondering, after so wanting this for so long, if when it happens, it'll actually feel anti-climactic. That it won't be as thrilling an experience [the first time] For those of you who are Platinum, was the "first time" as a Platinum as wonderful as you had imagined it would be?

We turned Platinum last month and it was a little anti-climatic...for me. Yes, I was hyped; had booked first time on the Horizon, celebrating 30 yr anniversary and turning Platinum on the cruise. The one perk I was looking most forward to (priority boarding) came to a screeching halt when we entered got to the Port of Miami, to find there was delayed boarding (TSA issue), and there were at least 150 Plats/Diamonds in line, outside in the heat no less! By the time they started, the non-priority cruisers were being boarded at the same time of priority passengers. It was absolutely awful...but not Carnival's fault. Next, I was so hoping for a nice first Platinum gift. The lanyards were nice 😄, but I can't lie, I really was hoping for something else. I loved my first pin and the strawberries. The cocktail party was nice and we had a good time; but honestly they had more and better hors d'ouvres at the Premier casino party. That was my experience. Am I complaining? Heck no!! Little glitches don't spoil your experience; how you react to them does! It's a blessing to be in a position to even take a cruise. Hubby and I had a wonderful time. Met some really nice folks while waiting in the 90 degree heat (lol), had a ball at the cocktail party and wore my lanyard every day. 

 

You'll have a wonderful time as we did; you'll be on a cruise!!! 😄 

[GLCM GUY]

We have loyalty status and it is always fun to be given a gift--brightens an already bright day!

[Richjoxyz]

I like being able to access my cabin before 1PM.

[Lottacruises]

8 hours ago, vicky3vicky said:

We will be turning Platinum on our Breeze Journey cruise in early November. I have been excited for this for so long. I have replayed over and over in my mind about how fun it will be to reveive the pin, go to the cocktail party, find a small gift and a plate of strawberries in my room, etc. I am wondering, after so wanting this for so long, if when it happens, it'll actually feel anti-climactic. That it won't be as thrilling an experience [the first time] For those of you who are Platinum, was the "first time" as a Platinum as wonderful as you had imagined it would be?

 

Yes, enjoy!

[ETHS1965]

1.  Free laundry.  Use it every cruise.

2.  Platinum and Diamond line at Guest Services.  Haven't had to use it often, but when I did I got dagger looks from people in the long regular line.

3.  Chocolate covered strawberries.  Never met one I didn't like.

4.  Lounges for waiting.   If I have to wait, I'm always glad to sit down.

5.  Gifts.  Tervis glasses, need I say more.

Those are my top reasons but I appreciate many of the other perks, as well.

[CruiseHealing]

To answer OP's  question yes our first Platinum cruise met and exceeded our anticipation.  And we feel that way on every cruise since. Congratulations on becoming reaching the Platinum level.

 

p.s. We had our phone's camera ready as we took our first step on the ship when we became platinum.  A photo to capture the event!

[modes]

11 hours ago, vicky3vicky said:

We will be turning Platinum on our Breeze Journey cruise in early November. I have been excited for this for so long. I have replayed over and over in my mind about how fun it will be to reveive the pin, go to the cocktail party, find a small gift and a plate of strawberries in my room, etc. I am wondering, after so wanting this for so long, if when it happens, it'll actually feel anti-climactic. That it won't be as thrilling an experience [the first time] For those of you who are Platinum, was the "first time" as a Platinum as wonderful as you had imagined it would be?

It's no big deal just priority embarkation and debarkation is what we like.