Back in the Game! Few questions for those who just cruised in the last week or two

[wemjam]

Finally decided to jump back in and booked a last minute 4-day cruise in week and a half.  Been reading the board but not seeing these specific questions answered, can anyone that has traveled out of Miami port in the last couple weeks (since March 1st) answer please if you know.  Appreciate any help.

 

1.  I know boarding is timed for everyone, but do they still have the Diamond/Platinum area for you to wait in or is everything just general seating now?

2.  We ALWAYS carry on all our own luggage so it doesn't get lost.... just checking we can still do this?

3.  Are they allowing early access to the rooms for Diamond/Platinum?

4.  I know mask madidates were lifted, but it said may still be required in some areas.  Anyone experience this, if so where are they required please?

5. Do they have priority debarkation for Diamond / Platinum?

6. VeriFly is being pushed by Carnival in all the emails I am getting, but it doesn't say it is mandatory - anyone that didn't do this in advance was checking in really that much longer or harder as long as you had all your docs ready to go (Negative Covid Results, Passports, Vaccine Card)?

7.  STUPID one last, just making ABSOLUTELY sure, since we are indeed leaving the country we don't have to have a negative Covid test to get back through USA customs at the port right ?  I know dumb, but just want to ask to make sure we don't have to take extra Tests with us to do with our phones or something stupid.

[Lane Hog]

Cruised on RCL, not CCL, but

4) We were on the first RCL cruise to depart without guest masking.  No masks required anywhere except on a tender at one port, and at the departure port during embarkation.  Technically we also needed it for disembarking, but I never quite got it put on before I had to take it off for the facial recognition exit at Customs... and nobody said anything to me.  Your mileage may vary.

7) No test needed if you're vaccinated and already tested negative for boarding.

Edited March 19, 2022 by Lane Hog

[firefly333]

You get access to get your boarding time at 16 days out. That is all for boarding so far ... but cdc has said they will allow more.  ..so it could change soon.

 

On debark yes diamonds sat in the dining room and platinum in theater my last cruise. So you get off sooner.

 

Some have left their luggage in their cabins when they board. I put mine in the closet but my cabins have not been ready when I boarded so far. .. but john has said it's ok to just stick your luggage in. I put mine out of sight in the closet while she was cleaning.

 

Idk about where masks required, maybe kids areas.

[groundloop]

46 minutes ago, wemjam said:

 

 

1.  I know boarding is timed for everyone, but do they still have the Diamond/Platinum area for you to wait in or is everything just general seating now?

2.  We ALWAYS carry on all our own luggage so it doesn't get lost.... just checking we can still do this?

3.  Are they allowing early access to the rooms for Diamond/Platinum?

4.  I know mask madidates were lifted, but it said may still be required in some areas.  Anyone experience this, if so where are they required please?

5. Do they have priority debarkation for Diamond / Platinum?

6. VeriFly is being pushed by Carnival in all the emails I am getting, but it doesn't say it is mandatory - anyone that didn't do this in advance was checking in really that much longer or harder as long as you had all your docs ready to go (Negative Covid Results, Passports, Vaccine Card)?

7.  STUPID one last, just making ABSOLUTELY sure, since we are indeed leaving the country we don't have to have a negative Covid test to get back through USA customs at the port right ?  I know dumb, but just want to ask to make sure we don't have to take extra Tests with us to do with our phones or something stupid.

1.  No, Diamond and Platinum have to sit and mingle with the rest of us mere mortals.  Your "priority" will be the availability of selecting your boarding time two days before everyone else.

 

2.  Yes, you can carry on however much luggage you can lug around.

 

6. No, not required.  I still use paper documents and to be honest it just takes a few seconds for the gate agent to look through those.

 

7.  No.

[scorpioncrawl]

But yet, regarding Verifly, the email states your reservation will be cancelled if you don't follow thru?

 

[jerseygirlinAZ]

9 minutes ago, scorpioncrawl said:

But yet, regarding Verifly, the email states your reservation will be cancelled if you don't follow thru?

 

 I thought I read in another post that those are canned emails.  

 

We sailed out of Long Beach last weekend and masks were required in the waiting/check in area.  

[SNJCruisers]

1. No

2. Yes

3. Yes

4. YMMV

5. Yes

6. Don't worry, you can ignore it.

7. No

[wemjam]

11 minutes ago, scorpioncrawl said:

But yet, regarding Verifly, the email states your reservation will be cancelled if you don't follow thru?

 

It does not say you HAVE to do Verifly, it says (right from the canned email I keep on getting - even though I have already done my online vaccination verification lol):

 

"We recommend vaccinated guests download VeriFLY, a secure, free digital health application that allows them to submit required pre-embarkation information"

[cruisinqt]

Just got off of the Horizon a few weeks ago. 
1. No separate waiting area for Diamond & Platinum. But they were called way before everyone else and had priority boarding. 
2. Yes. Saw several bringing on all of their luggage. 
3. Yes we got early access because we were Platinum. 
4. Masks were worn by all staff everywhere. Guests weren’t required that I saw except when exiting the ship for a port. 
5. Yes as Platinum we met in the MDR and were escorted off first. 
6. We didn’t use Verifly. 
7.  They didn’t require covid tests to come back through customs. 

[wemjam]

I wasn't asking about priority seating for any other reason than when they have boarded in the past they go to the different "areas" and load accordingly.  They don't even make an announcement over the load speaker they just have an agent come into the area and get people.  Not being "uppity" just trying to make sure we are in the correct area we need to be in when the time comes. 

 

Thank you for the other info.

[wemjam]

6 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

1. No

2. Yes

3. Yes

4. YMMV

5. Yes

6. Don't worry, you can ignore it.

7. No

Thank you!   Forgive my ignorance but what is YMMV?   Don't' know that one.

[Tnlynch81]

Masks are required to be worn in cruise terminals, and most ports. As far as on the ship they are only required in the medical center. I was on the Vista 3/5 and this was written on a handout that was on the desk in the room.

Edited March 20, 2022 by Tnlynch81

[wemjam]

45 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

You get access to get your boarding time at 16 days out. That is all for boarding so far ... but cdc has said they will allow more.  ..so it could change soon.

 

On debark yes diamonds sat in the dining room and platinum in theater my last cruise. So you get off sooner.

 

Some have left their luggage in their cabins when they board. I put mine in the closet but my cabins have not been ready when I boarded so far. .. but john has said it's ok to just stick your luggage in. I put mine out of sight in the closet while she was cleaning.

 

Idk about where masks required, maybe kids areas.

Thanks!  That's what we do to.  We run in and throw the suite cases in the closet and let them know and leave (we always pack light).  We just don't like risking lost suite cases by checking them in.  Almost every cruise we have been on we see that letter about "have you seen this missing suite case" lol.  And we had to go down with my mom one time when one didn't show up at the room by 10pm,  and luckily we were able to go find it in an unclaimed luggage area -  they couldn't deliver because all the tags were ripped off.

[d9704011]

3 minutes ago, wemjam said:

Thank you!   Forgive my ignorance but what is YMMV?   Don't' know that one.

Your Mileage May Vary -  a little unpredictable, may depend on circumstances.

[cruisingguy007]

Glad to see you back! I remember you throwing your hands in the air and walking away. Things are looking up and it's definitely time to get back in the game! 

[vamartha]

 

1.  I know boarding is timed for everyone, but do they still have the Diamond/Platinum area for you to wait in or is everything just general seating now? No, it is only for Suite passengers now.

2.  We ALWAYS carry on all our own luggage so it doesn't get lost.... just checking we can still do this? Yes

3.  Are they allowing early access to the rooms for Diamond/Platinum? You may drop off your bags in your cabin and then quickly leave. Our cabins were ready by 1:30, on every ship we've been on.

4.  I know mask madidates were lifted, but it said may still be required in some areas.  Anyone experience this, if so where are they required please? On the Spirit, they didn't require them anywhere other than in the terminal for both embarkation and debarkation.

5. Do they have priority debarkation for Diamond / Platinum? It depends on the particular ship and more on the amount of Platinum and Diamond that are booked than anything else. If not a lot, you won't have an issue. If it is a lot, it might not seem like it is much faster.

6. VeriFly is being pushed by Carnival in all the emails I am getting, but it doesn't say it is mandatory - anyone that didn't do this in advance was checking in really that much longer or harder as long as you had all your docs ready to go (Negative Covid Results, Passports, Vaccine Card)? It has been available for two ships that I have been on but I have not used it yet. No particular reason, just already had everything ready to go on paper and stuck with that.

7.  STUPID one last, just making ABSOLUTELY sure, since we are indeed leaving the country we don't have to have a negative Covid test to get back through USA customs at the port right ?  I know dumb, but just want to ask to make sure we don't have to take extra Tests with us to do with our phones or something stupid. As of today, there are no return tests required.

[wemjam]

11 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

Glad to see you back! I remember you throwing your hands in the air and walking away. Things are looking up and it's definitely time to get back in the game! 

Thank you!!!!   So VERY Excited.  After 2 years of pushing cruise after cruise out we are holding our breath praying this goes off without a hitch.  Had tip toed into the water again last year and booked one, and was a week away from going last August and right before they moved the goal post with the mask requirement stuff and we backed out (was all packed and ready to go and cancelled).  NO masks and we are back in the game!  Can't wait.

 

We have one booked for 1st week of May (was a push from last year), and one for September with family (again another push x3 from two years ago).  Have another one booked for next year too that was a push x2 from 2 years ago - hoping by then maybe everything will be normal.

[skrufy]

20 hours ago, wemjam said:

Finally decided to jump back in and booked a last minute 4-day cruise in week and a half.  Been reading the board but not seeing these specific questions answered, can anyone that has traveled out of Miami port in the last couple weeks (since March 1st) answer please if you know.  Appreciate any help.

 

1.  I know boarding is timed for everyone, but do they still have the Diamond/Platinum area for you to wait in or is everything just general seating now?

2.  We ALWAYS carry on all our own luggage so it doesn't get lost.... just checking we can still do this?

3.  Are they allowing early access to the rooms for Diamond/Platinum?

4.  I know mask madidates were lifted, but it said may still be required in some areas.  Anyone experience this, if so where are they required please?

5. Do they have priority debarkation for Diamond / Platinum?

6. VeriFly is being pushed by Carnival in all the emails I am getting, but it doesn't say it is mandatory - anyone that didn't do this in advance was checking in really that much longer or harder as long as you had all your docs ready to go (Negative Covid Results, Passports, Vaccine Card)?

7.  STUPID one last, just making ABSOLUTELY sure, since we are indeed leaving the country we don't have to have a negative Covid test to get back through USA customs at the port right ?  I know dumb, but just want to ask to make sure we don't have to take extra Tests with us to do with our phones or something stupid.

1. Two different boarding experiences happened on our last two cruises. December cruise out of Miami, we are platinum and arrived in our check in window, 1100-1130am. Went right in the terminal and on board in 15 minutes. The second was out of Long Beach in February. There was not check in times observed. You got on line and waited . until you got to the Diamond and Platinum line. Again from here 15 minutes to on board.

2. Yes

3.Yes, if doors are closed, just go through them.

4?

5. you get a low numbered luggage tag.

6. Not mandatory, have not tried to use the app. Many have had trouble using it and gave up.

7.No return test needed. Just your  2 day prior to cruise test.

Edited March 20, 2022 by skrufy
Change

[septemberbabycruising]

4.  Once through the terminal, we took our masks off and didn't need them on the boat.  Masks were only worn by staff on the boat.  There were 3 masks provided in our state room.  We needed them for disembark through the terminal and also as you walked through the Duty Free shops at the ports. 

 

6.  Just returned from a cruise yesterday-   I went to great lengths to use Verifly and submit all the paperwork there before we went.  Our check in guy didn't care-- still looked every single hard copy document up and down.  Our friends in the next stall said their check in guy was thrilled with their Verifly and whisked them right on through with a quick glance at the app (which was pure luck b/c he had forgotten to bring his actual vaccine card with him-- just had the picture on his phone and had it loaded into Verifly.)