Faster to the Fun question

[HodgeNNicole]

We are booked in an OS cat on the Mardi Gras.

It looks like most of the perks available with the "faster to the fun" plan are available with the OS category booking.

I am mainly asking about that ability to go to our cabin upon embarkation to drop off our carry-on bags then go exploring.  

Also wondering about the expedited delivery of our luggage.

 

Can anyone share some experience regarding this topic?

[ShakyBeef]

Yes, with a Suite you get priority luggage and first access to your cabin.🙂

 

https://help.goccl.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3593/~/suite-amenities-and-perks

 

Confirmed Dining Preference in our Main Dining Room
Guests traveling in suite accommodations will be guaranteed their dining option choice.

• If their preferred dining is closed, their request will be entered into the system as a waitlist.
• Overnight, the system will retrieve information and automatically clear the waitlist.
• The waitlist clearing process stops 4 days prior to the sail date. Within this 4 day period, any upgrades/changes to suites or new bookings in suites will not result in the waitlist clearing. In these cases, guests will be guaranteed their dining choice once onboard. The Maitre d’ will send a confirmation to their suite confirming their requested dining time.

Priority Check-In and Boarding
Carnival’s Priority Check-In is an exclusive service designed to afford our guests traveling in suite accommodations with special check-in privileges. Cruise documents are stamped, 'Priority' and state, 'If you have priority check-in (listed on your documents), please proceed to the Priority lounge'. We provide Priority Check-In at all embarkation ports. 

At time of booking, you will need to instruct guests that they must ask for ‘Priority Check-In’ upon arrival at the cruise terminal. Embarkation staff will ensure that guests are expedited through the check-in procedure as quickly as is possible, while providing quality service.

Priority Water Shuttle Boarding / Priority Debark at Ports of Call with Arrivals Later than 9:30am
Guests can take advantage of priority water shuttle service from ship to shore (multiple departure times may be possible) so they can explore ashore as quickly as they want to. For ports where we do not use a water shuttle, to make debarkation as smooth as possible, we also offer priority debark at ports of call with arrivals later than 9:30am.

A letter will be placed in the guest's suite with instructions where to meet and the window of time this service is available. This service is not for those booked on a Carnival shore excursion as these guests are given separate instructions when and where to meet.   

Exclusive Access to the Havana Pool Area 
Guests in Grand Suites on board the Carnival Horizon, Carnival Panorama and Carnival Vista may take advantage of our exclusive Havana experience, which features a beautiful lanai, pool and hot tub spa. To utilize the amenities, guests must be 12 years of age or older. Suite guests will receive wristbands, delivered to their stateroom to wear when taking advantage of the exclusive daytime and nighttime access to the outdoor Havana area.  

Exclusive Access to Terrazza Carnevale and Carnevale Lounge & Bar 
Guests in Ocean Suites and Junior Suites on board the Carnival Venezia may take advantage of our exclusive Terrazza Carnevale experience, which features an elegant outdoor terraced deck with two whirlpools,a bar and tranquil lounging space to take in breathtaking views. To utilize the amenities, guests must be 12 years of age or older.  In addition, guests will be entitled to: 

• Exclusive access to Carnevale Lounge in the morning with complimentary continental breakfast
• Specially-curated brunch on select sea days at our specialty Italian restaurant with a complimentary Spritz or Mimosa
• An exclusive sail-away event in Terrazza Carnevale with live music 

Priority Debarkation
Guests will receive a debarkation letter offering a choice of how they would prefer to disembark the ship. They will be given the option of Self Assist (where offered) or Priority Debarkation; for Priority Debarkation, guests will receive special luggage tags which will entitle them to leave the ship after the Self Assist guests but before the remainder of the guests.

Suite Amenities
In addition, guests in suite accommodations will receive:

• Priority luggage
• First Access to stateroom
• A high level of service provided by our most highly-rated stateroom attendants
• Two complimentary in-suite large bottles of water 
• One complimentary bag of laundry

The following perks are not for those guests traveling in suite accommodations unless they are VIFP Diamond or Platinum guests or have purchased Faster to the Fun.

• Priority line at Guest Services desk
• Dedicated onboard Guest Services phone number

[tcmagnum]

On 1/4/2023 at 9:22 AM, ShakyBeef said:

Yes, with a Suite you get priority luggage and first access to your cabin.🙂

 

https://help.goccl.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3593/~/suite-amenities-and-perks

 

Confirmed Dining Preference in our Main Dining Room

Priority Check-In and Boarding

Priority Debarkation
Suite Amenities
In addition, guests in suite accommodations will receive:

• Priority luggage
• First Access to stateroom
• Two complimentary in-suite large bottles of water 
• One complimentary bag of laundry

 

Thank you for this response.

We knew about priority check-in/boarding and debarking, but we didn't know about the 2 large bottles of water or the bag of laundry.  

And the First Access to Stateroom??  Does this mean we get to go straight to our cabin or just able to go and drop off our stuff so we don't have to carry the stuff around?

 

Starting to get so excited.  Now if only Carnival would release a sale on the drink package.  Lol.

[ShakyBeef]

8 minutes ago, tcmagnum said:

Thank you for this response.

We knew about priority check-in/boarding and debarking, but we didn't know about the 2 large bottles of water or the bag of laundry.  

And the First Access to Stateroom??  Does this mean we get to go straight to our cabin or just able to go and drop off our stuff so we don't have to carry the stuff around?

 

Starting to get so excited.  Now if only Carnival would release a sale on the drink package.  Lol.

 

 

You're very welcome.

 

I have not cruised since 2020, but in all my past Suites, our room was ready for us upon boarding.  This is supposed to be still be the case.  But there are mixed reports from recent cruisers, some saying their Suite wasn't ready upon boarding.  The Room Stewards assigned to the Suites are the best of the lot and priority is given to theses cabins to get them cleaned and ready for embarking guests.  But with staffing shortages, they may not be getting them all done in time on all ships.  Either way, you are allowed to go straight to your room and at least drop off  your luggage.  I wish you the best of luck with your Suite being ready for you upon embarkation and a fabulous cruise!😁

[Schoifmom]

1 hour ago, tcmagnum said:

 

And the First Access to Stateroom??  Does this mean we get to go straight to our cabin or just able to go and drop off our stuff so we don't have to carry the stuff around?

 

We were in a suite in August and it was ready when we boarded.  Worst case scenario is that you may have to drop and go, but either way you don't have to carry anything around.

[trishweber22]

Check your boarding passes about stateroom access times...

 

We are booked on an Ocean Suite on the Magic in about 2 weeks.  The boarding pass I printed this morning specifies that cabin access for ALL passengers will be after 1:30pm (Including Diamond, Platinum).  I called and confirmed that restriction with Carnival and was told it was ship specific and also affected passengers who had paid for Faster to the Fun early access.  No guaranteed access until after 1:30pm.  I'm not looking forward to schlepping my carry on around, but it is what it is.

[trishweber22]

Duplicate post...

Edited January 7, 2023 by trishweber22
System created a duplicate post.

[Drazil65]

We were just in a OS a couple weeks ago on MG, we boarded at 10 mins to 11, went straight to muster (total 3 mins) to check in there, then directly to our cabin.  Our S&S cards were waiting at cabin door and our cabin was good to go.  We were walking around and exploring MG by 11.15 with drink in hand.  

Edited January 7, 2023 by Drazil65

[kelkel2]

On 1/5/2023 at 10:51 AM, tcmagnum said:

Thank you for this response.

We knew about priority check-in/boarding and debarking, but we didn't know about the 2 large bottles of water or the bag of laundry.  

And the First Access to Stateroom??  Does this mean we get to go straight to our cabin or just able to go and drop off our stuff so we don't have to carry the stuff around?

 

Starting to get so excited.  Now if only Carnival would release a sale on the drink package.  Lol.

From what I understand is they allow you to go to your room as soon as you board did drop off your stuff. But I’ve also read in other places that some stewards allow you to stay if the room is ready. The intent from carnival is just for you to drop your belongings. 

[ShakyBeef]

3 minutes ago, kelkel2 said:

...some stewards allow you to stay if the room is ready. The intent from carnival is just for you to drop your belongings. 

 

If this is now the case for Suites, it is a change from how it has been.

[mz-s]

49 minutes ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

If this is now the case for Suites, it is a change from how it has been.

 

The way things are now is suite, VIFP, FTTF - hopefully their rooms will be ready by the time you board and they probably usually are. But it is not guaranteed like it was before. Now the only guarantee is your room will be ready when everyone else's is. However you can go through the doors to drop off your carry-ons if you wish.

[ShakyBeef]

5 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

The way things are now is suite, VIFP, FTTF - hopefully their rooms will be ready by the time you board and they probably usually are. But it is not guaranteed like it was before. Now the only guarantee is your room will be ready when everyone else's is. However you can go through the doors to drop off your carry-ons if you wish.

 

I knew it had changed to this for Ps and Ds (and FTTF, since it's come back), but I was under the impression that Suites would still be ready upon Embarkation.  No longer any guarantees of course, but still pretty much understood to be guaranteed.😉  I hope it is still the case that Suites are ready.

[mz-s]

7 minutes ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

I knew it had changed to this for Ps and Ds (and FTTF, since it's come back), but I was under the impression that Suites would still be ready upon Embarkation.  No longer any guarantees of course, but still pretty much understood to be guaranteed.😉  I hope it is still the case that Suites are ready.

 

Right that's essentially how it is, it's not a "30 minutes or less delivery" guarantee. But it is still expected that your suite will be ready when you board.

[ShakyBeef]

5 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

Right that's essentially how it is, it's not a "30 minutes or less delivery" guarantee. But it is still expected that your suite will be ready when you board.

 

I have to admit, if my room isn't ready until 1:30, it will be an appreciable downgrade to my Embarkation Day experience.🙁  I'm not interested in dropping off my luggage.  My carry-on luggage has cash and valuables that I will not leave in a cabin with a propped-open door.  I want to take possession of my cabin, do my bedbug check, my cleaning and sanitizing of particular things in the cabin, and the start of my unpacking.  And I want to have all of that done before the masses are onboard and the lunch venues and bars get crowded.  It's what I've always been able to do, so I hope I'll still be able to do this.

[trishweber22]

This just arrived in my email and I thought I'd share, maybe there's hope for being able to drop off our bags early...

SUITE UPDATE AND ONLINE CHECK-IN INVITATION

Dear Valued Suite Guest, As you get ready for your cruise, we want to make you aware of an important update regarding some of your suite priority benefits.   Suite guests will be given 48 hours advance access to select their preferred Arrival Appointment. Please visit My Cruise Manager on Carnival.com starting at 16 days prior to sailing to complete your Online Check-In and select the Arrival Appointment that works best with your plans. We will not be able to accommodate guests who show up outside their Arrival Appointment. Upon arrival to the terminal, look for the Priority line to check-in. Once on board, you will be able to access your stateroom.   Priority luggage delivery is available for checked-bags. Priority debark and water shuttle debark is available at the home port and ports of call. Thank you for your business.  Our great staff and crew can’t wait to welcome you on board!

[kelkel2]

11 hours ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

I knew it had changed to this for Ps and Ds (and FTTF, since it's come back), but I was under the impression that Suites would still be ready upon Embarkation.  No longer any guarantees of course, but still pretty much understood to be guaranteed.😉  I hope it is still the case that Suites are ready.

I will try to find this post and come back and let you know. We board 1/21 on the Mardi Gras in a suite. 

[Pellaz]

 

On 1/4/2023 at 9:22 AM, ShakyBeef said:

Exclusive Access to the Havana Pool Area 
Guests in Grand Suites on board the Carnival Horizon, Carnival Panorama and Carnival Vista may take advantage of our exclusive Havana experience, which features a beautiful lanai, pool and hot tub spa. To utilize the amenities, guests must be 12 years of age or older. Suite guests will receive wristbands, delivered to their stateroom to wear when taking advantage of the exclusive daytime and nighttime access to the outdoor Havana area.  

 

 

Interestingly, the Excel-class ships are specifically excluded.   Probably because their Havana areas are comparatively much smaller and just not as good.  😮 

[fozzy1975]

On 1/4/2023 at 9:22 AM, ShakyBeef said:

Yes, with a Suite you get priority luggage and first access to your cabin.🙂

 

https://help.goccl.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3593/~/suite-amenities-and-perks

 

Confirmed Dining Preference in our Main Dining Room
Guests traveling in suite accommodations will be guaranteed their dining option choice.

• If their preferred dining is closed, their request will be entered into the system as a waitlist.
• Overnight, the system will retrieve information and automatically clear the waitlist.
• The waitlist clearing process stops 4 days prior to the sail date. Within this 4 day period, any upgrades/changes to suites or new bookings in suites will not result in the waitlist clearing. In these cases, guests will be guaranteed their dining choice once onboard. The Maitre d’ will send a confirmation to their suite confirming their requested dining time.

Priority Check-In and Boarding
Carnival’s Priority Check-In is an exclusive service designed to afford our guests traveling in suite accommodations with special check-in privileges. Cruise documents are stamped, 'Priority' and state, 'If you have priority check-in (listed on your documents), please proceed to the Priority lounge'. We provide Priority Check-In at all embarkation ports. 

At time of booking, you will need to instruct guests that they must ask for ‘Priority Check-In’ upon arrival at the cruise terminal. Embarkation staff will ensure that guests are expedited through the check-in procedure as quickly as is possible, while providing quality service.

Priority Water Shuttle Boarding / Priority Debark at Ports of Call with Arrivals Later than 9:30am
Guests can take advantage of priority water shuttle service from ship to shore (multiple departure times may be possible) so they can explore ashore as quickly as they want to. For ports where we do not use a water shuttle, to make debarkation as smooth as possible, we also offer priority debark at ports of call with arrivals later than 9:30am.

A letter will be placed in the guest's suite with instructions where to meet and the window of time this service is available. This service is not for those booked on a Carnival shore excursion as these guests are given separate instructions when and where to meet.   

Exclusive Access to the Havana Pool Area 
Guests in Grand Suites on board the Carnival Horizon, Carnival Panorama and Carnival Vista may take advantage of our exclusive Havana experience, which features a beautiful lanai, pool and hot tub spa. To utilize the amenities, guests must be 12 years of age or older. Suite guests will receive wristbands, delivered to their stateroom to wear when taking advantage of the exclusive daytime and nighttime access to the outdoor Havana area.  

Exclusive Access to Terrazza Carnevale and Carnevale Lounge & Bar 
Guests in Ocean Suites and Junior Suites on board the Carnival Venezia may take advantage of our exclusive Terrazza Carnevale experience, which features an elegant outdoor terraced deck with two whirlpools,a bar and tranquil lounging space to take in breathtaking views. To utilize the amenities, guests must be 12 years of age or older.  In addition, guests will be entitled to: 

• Exclusive access to Carnevale Lounge in the morning with complimentary continental breakfast
• Specially-curated brunch on select sea days at our specialty Italian restaurant with a complimentary Spritz or Mimosa
• An exclusive sail-away event in Terrazza Carnevale with live music 

Priority Debarkation
Guests will receive a debarkation letter offering a choice of how they would prefer to disembark the ship. They will be given the option of Self Assist (where offered) or Priority Debarkation; for Priority Debarkation, guests will receive special luggage tags which will entitle them to leave the ship after the Self Assist guests but before the remainder of the guests.

Suite Amenities
In addition, guests in suite accommodations will receive:

• Priority luggage
• First Access to stateroom
• A high level of service provided by our most highly-rated stateroom attendants
• Two complimentary in-suite large bottles of water 
• One complimentary bag of laundry

The following perks are not for those guests traveling in suite accommodations unless they are VIFP Diamond or Platinum guests or have purchased Faster to the Fun.

• Priority line at Guest Services desk
• Dedicated onboard Guest Services phone number

Where did you find this information? I looked all over. So according to this FTTF also gets water and laundry!

[fozzy1975]

1 minute ago, fozzy1975 said:

Where did you find this information? I looked all over. So according to this FTTF also gets water and laundry!

Ok never mind just answered my question! The answer is no lol

[ShakyBeef]

2 minutes ago, fozzy1975 said:

Where did you find this information? I looked all over. So according to this FTTF also gets water and laundry!

It's on goccl, which I believe is the ccl website for travel agents.  A TA that's a member here posted it and i just bookmarked the link.  (I am not a TA).

[ctlyf]

15 hours ago, kelkel2 said:

I will try to find this post and come back and let you know. We board 1/21 on the Mardi Gras in a suite. 

We're on the same sailing in a spa Balcony. We got FTTF so looking forward to quick boarding 😊