Boarding times

[panoramaofthepast]

How closely does Carnival adhere to the boarding times assigned? We booked our cruise late and FTTF was not available, so I am trying to gauge travel time to the port. Normally we would show up around 10:30, however our boarding time is 12 noon. Since I don't care to stand outside in the Texas heat, I was wondering about this. I am not trying to spin off commentary about whether the boarding times are a good idea; I just want to know how closely they are enforced in Galveston.

[PhillyFan33579]

You didn’t select your boarding time, you selected the time you can check-in at the terminal. I can’t speak for Galveston, but they enforce the check-in times pretty strictly at Florida ports. Keep in mind there is an early/late line, so you can always show up early and hope this line isn’t too long. We are Platinum and always show up at the terminal between 10:00 AM and 10:30 AM. I have seen everything from the early/late line not being too long to the line being ridiculously long. 

[jsglow]

It's enforced.  Arrive at the front door at noon.

[evandbob]

Arrive at your check in time of noon and you will avoid a long wait in the Texas heat.  This is a rule that is enforced for the most part throughout Carnival's main ports in Fl and TX.   It's not like a dress code guideline, that is sometimes enforced and mostly ignored.  If you arrive early, you'll be outside waiting until your check in time comes around.

[Indiansbaseball]

Hi, 

Does platinum still arrive at assigned time or can they come early ? 

Thank you

Jennifer

[coevan]

platinum can board at their leisure

[Purvis1231]

On our cruises in Mobile and New Orleans they have not honored the check it times. I am glad to know they do in Florida and Texas. 

[Indiansbaseball]

Thank you ! 

[TNcruising02]

6 hours ago, Purvis1231 said:

On our cruises in Mobile and New Orleans they have not honored the check it times. I am glad to know they do in Florida and Texas. 

When we cruised out of New Orleans earlier this year, we arrived before our appointment time and had to wait in a very long, slow moving early/late line. Our cruise out of Baltimore last year, nobody paid attention to our appointment times.  Our cruise on the Vista out of Miami, we were five minutes late for our appointment time and had to go to the early/late line, which thankfully was not long.

Edited August 4, 2019 by TNcruising02

[Purvis1231]

1 hour ago, TNcruising02 said:

When we cruised out of New Orleans earlier this year, we arrived before our appointment time and had to wait in a very long, slow moving early/late line. Our cruise out of Baltimore last year, nobody paid attention to our appointment times.  Our cruise on the Vista out of Miami, we were five minutes late for our appointment time and had to go to the early/late line, which thankfully was not long.

Last year at New Orleans we had a check in time at noon. We arrived at the parking garage at 10:30 with plans to walk around for a while but the shuttle driver told us we needed to go on over. So we did. There was a large crowd but we were on the ship about 11:45. 

[Lottacruises]

Boarding begins once the ship is empty and cleared.

[Too blessed to be stressed]

How does priority boarding work with a premier cruise? Husband booked a premier cruise and I am not sure what priority boarding for premier looks like.

[Shaded Lady]

3 minutes ago, Too blessed to be stressed said:

How does priority boarding work with a premier cruise? Husband booked a premier cruise and I am not sure what priority boarding for premier looks like.

I think that priority boarding would work the same- it's not a Journeys cruise that doesn't have FTTF. So unless I'm wrong (and hey- it's happened before!) then the boarding process would be the same- wedding parties, then Diamonds, then Platinums, then Suites, then FTTF... then the rest by zone. Note I am specifically referring to boarding, not check in time, before anyone corrects me on that!

[Too blessed to be stressed]

3 hours ago, Shaded Lady said:

I think that priority boarding would work the same- it's not a Journeys cruise that doesn't have FTTF. So unless I'm wrong (and hey- it's happened before!) then the boarding process would be the same- wedding parties, then Diamonds, then Platinums, then Suites, then FTTF... then the rest by zone. Note I am specifically referring to boarding, not check in time, before anyone corrects me on that!

So I will still need to register for a check in time?

 

[RWolver672]

1 hour ago, Too blessed to be stressed said:

So I will still need to register for a check in time?

 

Yes

[Wheels87]

You always have to register for a check in time.  Whether or not the folks at the port honor it is another story. Also, if you have the words "Priority" or "Faster to the Fun" on your boarding pass, you can ignore your assigned check in time and show up as early as you want. 

[CruizinKittie40]

 When we ported out of Jacksonville they didn't even seem to know what time we were supposed to board and didn't even care.  I can't remember but I think we were a little early and they didn't say anything. 

[Shaded Lady]

9 hours ago, Too blessed to be stressed said:

So I will still need to register for a check in time?

 

Everyone needs to have a checkin time, but remember, that is only for when you can check into the terminal and make your way to the boarding lounge... so even though you have a checkin time, as a suite guest you can check in whenever you want, disregarding your checkin time. Once you're in the boarding lounge they'll ask us to board according to priority,  'wedding parties, then Diamonds, then Platinums, then Suites, then FTTF... then the rest by zone.'

[JFasbender]

We have always completely disregarded the check-in time and arrive between 10:30 and 11:00 and have had no problems usually being some of the first on the ship.  We are gold, so we don't usually have priority boarding unless we book a suite.  YMMV.

[VentureMan_2000]

Is there a separate check-in/boarding line inside the terminal for wedding parties, then Diamonds, then Platinums, then Suites, and FTTF ?  That is, once you have dropped off your luggage and go to check in...

[PhillyFan33579]

41 minutes ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

Is there a separate check-in/boarding line inside the terminal for wedding parties, then Diamonds, then Platinums, then Suites, and FTTF ?  That is, once you have dropped off your luggage and go to check in...

 

Yes, there is a separate check-in line that usually starts outside the terminal doors. 

[PhillyFan33579]

1 hour ago, JFasbender said:

We have always completely disregarded the check-in time and arrive between 10:30 and 11:00 and have had no problems usually being some of the first on the ship.  We are gold, so we don't usually have priority boarding unless we book a suite.  YMMV.

 

How are you one of the first on the ship without any priority?  In 29 cruises on Carnival, no matter what the check-in process was at the time, they have always boarded people with some kind of priority first (weddings, D&P, suites, and FTTF). I have never seen them deviate from this process and have never seen or heard of a gold member being one of the first ones on the ship. Even as a platinum I am never one of the first on the ship because, at least in ports in Florida, they always board Diamonds first, so they are always the first ones on the ship. 

Edited August 6, 2019 by PhillyFan33579

[VentureMan_2000]

On Journey cruises, I understand that 60% of the passengers are wedding parties, Diamonds, and Platinums -- which is why they do not offer FTTF on Journey cruises.

So... does this mean Gold cruisers will have a shorter line to get on-board...?  😂😂😂🤣

[evandbob]

1 hour ago, JFasbender said:

We have always completely disregarded the check-in time and arrive between 10:30 and 11:00 and have had no problems usually being some of the first on the ship.  We are gold, so we don't usually have priority boarding unless we book a suite.  YMMV.

 

What port can you do this?  I'm Diamond and in the last 2 years, they don't even start boarding until after 11 or 11:30 in MIA and FLL.   

[TNcruising02]

Being on the ship early when you have a late appointment time will go away once all of the ports have switched over to assigning a boarding zone during the online check-in. Then you can arrive early, but you will still have to wait until your boarding zone is called in order to board. On my last cruise in June on the Magic, my boarding zone was assigned during the online check-in process.  Had I not been able to get FTTF, I would have had to have waited until my boarding zone was called.  This is better than the old way of getting a boarding zone after arriving at the terminal.  The new way should help the entire boarding process.