Diamond and faster to the fun

[Lottacruises]

The last few cruises I've been on they have had diamond and fttf meeting in the same place on the morning we get off the ship. The platinum have met elsewhere. I know we are all used to seeing them all together, and I know that's how it was on YOUR cruise, but this is what I'm seeing now. 

 

How long before platinum no longer receives priority debark, in your opinion?

[TNcruising02]

I was on a cruise earlier this month on the Breeze out of Port Canaveral.  FTTF, suites, and early flights met in the theater.  Platinum and diamonds met in the restaurant.  It was very organized.  Once people arrived in the theater, they were seated in the order they arrived.  Once they were ready for people to leave, everyone got up in the order in which they were seated.  First to arrive were the first to leave.  The only other time I have seen it this organized was on the Vista out of Miami when Matt was there keeping everything in order.

Edited September 22, 2019 by TNcruising02

[N7786W Flyer]

2 hours ago, Lottacruises said:

The last few cruises I've been on they have had diamond and fttf meeting in the same place on the morning we get off the ship. The platinum have met elsewhere. I know we are all used to seeing them all together, and I know that's how it was on YOUR cruise, but this is what I'm seeing now. 

 

How long before platinum no longer receives priority debark, in your opinion?

 

Nothing would surprise me, but in answer to your question, I don't think taking away the Platinum early debark is on the table.  Given that the process (usually) is very smooth and requires few Carnival resources, I think Carnival will probably leave this perk alone.

 

Having said that, I do fully expect Carnival to take some form of action as it relates to Platinum early EMBARKATION.  Getting on the ship as a priority and being able to go directly to your stateroom definitely requires much more of the housekeeping staff...and as we've all experienced and seen previously, sometimes the staff just isn't up to the task given the labor cutbacks and the growing # of Platinums.

In the past year, I've been on two cruises where we were told that our room won't be ready at embarkation.  We were able to drop off our carry-on luggage, but asked to leave the stateroom until 1:30.

 

Given the above scenario...and from a business perspective...it makes sense (to me anyway) to switch your focus from a very large group of passengers (Diamonds, Platinums, FTTF's) and re-focus on a smaller group of passengers....especially, when that smaller group includes FTTF passengers who are generating basically free money.  Honestly, if Platinums are excluded in some way going forward, I would expect to see the FTTF offerings increase.  i.e. for example, instead of offering 50 slots per cruise, increase it to 100 slots.

 

Bottom line, for Platinum passengers, I see Carnival preserving the early debarkation, but putting some form of restriction on the early embarkation. 

 

Only my opinion...

 

Garnett

[Organized Chaos]

4 minutes ago, N7786W Flyer said:

Given the above scenario...and from a business perspective...it makes sense (to me anyway) to switch your focus from a very large group of passengers (Diamonds, Platinums, FTTF's) and re-focus on a smaller group of passengers....especially, when that smaller group includes FTTF passengers who are generating basically free money.  Honestly, if Platinums are excluded in some way going forward, I would expect to see the FTTF offerings increase.  i.e. for example, instead of offering 50 slots per cruise, increase it to 100 slots.

 

If they ever make the decision to reduce Platinum perks to relieve some of the "pressure" caused by a large number of Platinum passengers, it would negate all that if they turned around and offered more FTTF slots.

 

I know some P/D's want to see the number of FTTF reduced. There's even some who want to see FTTF eliminated because they potentially impact when the cabins are ready or when luggage arrives. First, that'll never happen because it's way too profitable. But on a ship of a few thousand passengers, I'm guessing the large number of Platinums has a much greater impact on priority workload than the smaller number of FTTF. Just guessing.

[N7786W Flyer]

1 hour ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

If they ever make the decision to reduce Platinum perks to relieve some of the "pressure" caused by a large number of Platinum passengers, it would negate all that if they turned around and offered more FTTF slots.

 

 

Possibly, but only if they exchange each Platinum for a FTTF passenger.   However, if they continue to control the amount of FTTF offerings based solely on the amount of Diamonds sailing, they could still increase FTTF revenue.

 

Regardless, this is only my speculation....nothing else.

 

Garnett

 

[TNcruising02]

4 hours ago, Lottacruises said:

The last few cruises I've been on they have had diamond and fttf meeting in the same place on the morning we get off the ship. The platinum have met elsewhere. I know we are all used to seeing them all together, and I know that's how it was on YOUR cruise, but this is what I'm seeing now. 

 

How long before platinum no longer receives priority debark, in your opinion?

I don't know why they would ever take away platinum priority debark since it costs them nothing. Giving platinum and diamond priority to get on the ship and get off of the ship first takes maybe 15 minutes.  I just don't see them changing it since other lines give priority to their passengers who have priority status.

If they make any changes, I think it will be adding additional status groups and moving some of the current benefits to higher status groups.  As far as the cabins being ready for priority passengers, they could change it to being able to drop off carry-ons and maybe the cabins being ready an hour early or something.  I can see them making changes to that too, but not to priority boarding or priority leaving the ship.

Edited September 22, 2019 by TNcruising02

[Elaine5715]

Sooner if Platinums won't stop bringing extra people with them.  The best CDs separate Diamonds from Platinums and FTTF and call each.

[Elaine5715]

3 hours ago, TNcruising02 said:

I was on a cruise earlier this month on the Breeze out of Port Canaveral.  FTTF, suites, and early flights met in the theater.  Platinum and diamonds met in the restaurant.  It was very organized.  Once people arrived in the theater, they were seated in the order they arrived.  Once they were ready for people to leave, everyone got up in the order in which they were seated.  First to arrive were the first to leave.  The only other time I have seen it this organized was on the Vista out of Miami when Matt was there keeping everything in order.

Same when I was on the Breeze with Schwartz in charge.  He even separated 1 and 2s.  My experiences with Matt was the same, very organized .  The worse was the CD that kept announcing if you kept all your luggage, you could leave immediately so everyone did.

[Sean_B]

I don't think they'll eliminate any levels, but I can certainly see Carnival limiting how the program is used. With the number of D/P/FTTF passengers increasing, it wouldn't surprise me to see Carnival saying "ok, if you want the benefits that come with being a P/D/FTTF, you have to be in a designated cabin category or above" (ie: middle, ocean view or higher). If you're a Platinum guest, but choose an interior cabin on deck 2, you don't get any of the Platinum benefits. If you choose a middle balcony cabin, then you can use your Platinum status benefits.

 

Essentially, no more D/P/FTTF guests in the cheap seats, racking up points at the lower end of the profit margin.

 

One other option is for the company to limit the points actually accumulated by passengers, based on fare category. Airlines do this quite successfully; economy airfare (interior cabin) would earn a minimum number of points (or none at all), while business class (suites) would earn a larger number of points. If you need 75 points to reach Platinum, then it may take you 150 days if you only sail in interior cabins (earning 0.5 point per day), but a middle balcony cabin may earn you 1 full point per day.

 

These things aren't outside the realm of possibility.

Edited September 22, 2019 by Sean_B

[Lottacruises]

Some don't see it being taken away for platinum, but I think I do. 

Edited September 22, 2019 by Lottacruises

[Nic6318]

1 hour ago, Lottacruises said:

Some don't see it being taken away for platinum, but I think I do. 

 

 

Hi

 

Yes. Anything is possible and if it does happen somehow we will manage.

 

Of course if it does happen the chorus about more cutback will have something new to whine about. Until then, I don't think it is  something that rises in most peoples' lives as something to be concerned about.

[TNcruising02]

2 hours ago, Lottacruises said:

Some don't see it being taken away for platinum, but I think I do. 

When I cruised on the Vista out of Miami, the meeting place for early flights, FTTF, diamond, and platinum was in the restaurant.  So, although everyone met in the same restaurant, FTTF and early flight people lined up their luggage at the left and the diamonds and platinums lined up their luggage at the right.  The diamonds and platinums got to leave first, even though everyone waited at the same place.

[Lottacruises]

1 hour ago, TNcruising02 said:

When I cruised on the Vista out of Miami, the meeting place for early flights, FTTF, diamond, and platinum was in the restaurant.  So, although everyone met in the same restaurant, FTTF and early flight people lined up their luggage at the left and the diamonds and platinums lined up their luggage at the right.  The diamonds and platinums got to leave first, even though everyone waited at the same place.

 

Yes, I know. That is what I've seen many times. But now they seem to be moving the platinums to a different area. Do you think they will let diamond off, then go to the platinum area located elsewhere, and let them off, then come back to let fttf off?

I think those that have paid (fttf) would cause an uproar.

[TNcruising02]

28 minutes ago, Lottacruises said:

 

Yes, I know. That is what I've seen many times. But now they seem to be moving the platinums to a different area. Do you think they will let diamond off, then go to the platinum area located elsewhere, and let them off, then come back to let fttf off?

I think those that have paid (fttf) would cause an uproar.

Which ships are having the platinums in a separate area than FTTF and diamonds?  I haven't seen it yet.

[Lottacruises]

49 minutes ago, TNcruising02 said:

Which ships are having the platinums in a separate area than FTTF and diamonds?  I haven't seen it yet.

 

The one that's in the pic I posted for one, the one I was on last week for two.

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, Lottacruises said:

 

Yes, I know. That is what I've seen many times. But now they seem to be moving the platinums to a different area. Do you think they will let diamond off, then go to the platinum area located elsewhere, and let them off, then come back to let fttf off?

I think those that have paid (fttf) would cause an uproar.

We were all separated on the Breeze and each called individually.  Diamonds, Plats with zone 1, Plats with zone 2 and FTTF last

[Lottacruises]

4 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

We were all separated on the Breeze and each called individually.  Diamonds, Plats with zone 1, Plats with zone 2 and FTTF last

 

It could be logistics, more or as many platinum as there are diamond and fttf put together. 

[Elaine5715]

2 hours ago, Lottacruises said:

 

It could be logistics, more or as many platinum as there are diamond and fttf put together. 

No, it was the CD.  We were sorted out as we entered and they physically blocked the group they didn't want leaving.  It was very well done.   The CD, Schwartz was in and out of the dining room controlling the flow.  

[RWolver672]

For our last cruise on the Horizon, we were told to meet at the front dining room.  We went down about ten minutes before we were suppose to meet there.  As we got off of the elevators, a worker told us we couldn't get in the dining room, to just get in line to get off the ship.  Never had that happen before.

[Lottacruises]

7 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

No, it was the CD.  We were sorted out as we entered and they physically blocked the group they didn't want leaving.  It was very well done.   The CD, Schwartz was in and out of the dining room controlling the flow.  

I guess that's great if everyone fits.

[BallFour4]

On 9/22/2019 at 7:02 AM, Lottacruises said:

How long before platinum no longer receives priority debark, in your opinion?

Never.

Depends on the ship how they divide you as for debarkation. Conquest class ships hustle all of us in the dining room and then at some fashion sent you out by groups and we've been aboard all in that class. The rest are a mix; depends on the number of plats and diamonds I'd suggest.
You ask for opinions, and while not one is wrong, I'm saying no change or at the very least nothing taken away.

.

[Lottacruises]

9 minutes ago, BallFour4 said:

Never.

Depends on the ship how they divide you as for debarkation. Conquest class ships hustle all of us in the dining room and then at some fashion sent you out by groups and we've been aboard all in that class. The rest are a mix; depends on the number of plats and diamonds I'd suggest.
You ask for opinions, and while not one is wrong, I'm saying no change or at the very least nothing taken away.

.

 

The photo was from a conquest class ship. Maybe there were a lot of platinums and that's why they had them meet elsewhere, and only allowed diamond and fttf in the dining room

[Schoifmom]

On my last cruise, Platinums and FTTF met in the restaurant and the Diamonds in a separate room off the restaurant (where they got special goodies just for them).  Diamonds were escorted off first, then Platinums, and then FTTF.  While they were all in the same room, they were separated by classification and it was all very orderly.

[Elaine5715]

5 hours ago, Lottacruises said:

I guess that's great if everyone fits.

This would have been the "carry off" group.  The "put bags out the night before" groups come in later.

[Organized Chaos]

9 hours ago, RWolver672 said:

For our last cruise on the Horizon, we were told to meet at the front dining room.  We went down about ten minutes before we were suppose to meet there.  As we got off of the elevators, a worker told us we couldn't get in the dining room, to just get in line to get off the ship.  Never had that happen before.

 

That happened to us last year aboard Glory. We had FTTF and were assigned to wait in the MDR. The lobby was roped off in such a way that there was only one way from the elevators to the MDR. We got off the elevator and as we passed a Fun Squad squad member, she told us to get in line to debark. I told her it wasn't our turn yet, we were FTTF and supposed to go to the MDR. She told us to just get in the debark line. We tried to follow the rules, but she wouldn't let us. How many P/D's did we get put ahead of because they weren't following their own debarkation procedures? If they make a habit of not following their own procedures put in place to make debark as smooth as possible, it can and will cause problems at some point.