Questions about becoming platinum

[Drew B 58]

I currently have 63 VIFP points and am planning an 11-day cruise this Fall.  This would bring me to 74 points - one shy of hitting Platinum!

 

I’m wondering if it might make sense to book a cheap 3 or 4 night cruise this Summer so that on the longer cruise I would then hit the Platinum level.  I have the following questions:

 

• I believe that I would be considered Platinum from the START of the cruise where I reach the threshold.  Is this correct?

• I assume that if I am Platinum, my companion (who is only “red”), would still get to accompany me on the priority embarkation and disembarkation.  Is that correct?

• Would my companion get to join me for priority tendering?

• Would I be able to bring my companion to the Platinum & Diamond VIFP party with me or would I only be able to attend alone?

• Opinion - do YOU think the platinum benefits warrant the plan to sneak in a little Summer cruise to make me platinum on the bigger one?

 

Thanks!

[ninjacat123]

17 minutes ago, Drew B 58 said:

I currently have 63 VIFP points and am planning an 11-day cruise this Fall.  This would bring me to 74 points - one shy of hitting Platinum!

 

I’m wondering if it might make sense to book a cheap 3 or 4 night cruise this Summer so that on the longer cruise I would then hit the Platinum level.  I have the following questions:

 

• I believe that I would be considered Platinum from the START of the cruise where I reach the threshold.  Is this correct? Correct

• I assume that if I am Platinum, my companion (who is only “red”), would still get to accompany me on the priority embarkation and disembarkation.  Is that correct? If companion is staying in your room, yes

• Would my companion get to join me for priority tendering? If staying in your room, yes

• Would I be able to bring my companion to the Platinum & Diamond VIFP party with me or would I only be able to attend alone? I took my mom, so yes

• Opinion - do YOU think the platinum benefits warrant the plan to sneak in a little Summer cruise to make me platinum on the bigger one? I snuck in another cruise so my DDs turn Platinum.  Do it!

Remember to get your platinum benefits ($25 casino, water from bar, special coozy cover 😂 from Pixels, last day drink, order Chocolate Delight from Room Service, etc.) when aboard. Remember you get a Priority line for Guest Services and on an 11 day cruise, that could come in handy.

Have a great cruise (or two😎)!

Thanks!

 

Edited March 24, 2023 by ninjacat123
I keep remembering more stuff :)

[csm5986142]

You have a great response already, but one thing to add (and not sure if it applies) ... if your 11 day cruise this fall is a "Journeys" cruise, the platinum/priority benefits are a little different on a those cruises.  

[Drew B 58]

7 minutes ago, csm5986142 said:

You have a great response already, but one thing to add (and not sure if it applies) ... if your 11 day cruise this fall is a "Journeys" cruise, the platinum/priority benefits are a little different on a those cruises.  

Can you elaborate on what the differences are for “Journeys” cruises?  Thanks!

[ninjacat123]

16 minutes ago, Drew B 58 said:

Can you elaborate on what the differences are for “Journeys” cruises?  Thanks!

What ship and Embarkation date is your 11 day cruise in the fall?  DH and I are on a 10 day cruise this October and it's not a Journeys cruise.

[TrqoisWtrs]

55 minutes ago, Drew B 58 said:

Opinion - do YOU think the platinum benefits warrant the plan to sneak in a little Summer cruise to make me platinum on the bigger one?

Don't forget the laundry benefits; you can get 3 free bags of laundry done on the 11 day.

 

[csm5986142]

36 minutes ago, Drew B 58 said:

Can you elaborate on what the differences are for “Journeys” cruises?  Thanks!

 

I haven't experienced it myself yet (our Journeys cruise is coming this fall) but from what I have read here (with reference to an email from Carnival) is that the priority benefits (like boarding/tenders) are not available on Journeys cruises because of the high number of Diamond/Platinum passengers.

 

[Drew B 58]

25 minutes ago, ninjacat123 said:

What ship and Embarkation date is your 11 day cruise in the fall?  DH and I are on a 10 day cruise this October and it's not a Journeys cruise.

The Venezia on 11/9.  Haven’t booked it yet, but I’m almost 100% there…

[Drew B 58]

19 minutes ago, cruisin*tigger said:

Don't forget the laundry benefits; you can get 3 free bags of laundry done on the 11 day.

 

Yes, laundry service is something that sounds really attractive!  Although I’d do it mid-cruise and simply pack less!

[Drew B 58]

2 minutes ago, csm5986142 said:

 

I haven't experienced it myself yet (our Journeys cruise is coming this fall) but from what I have read here (with reference to an email from Carnival) is that the priority benefits (like boarding/tenders) are not available on Journeys cruises because of the high number of Diamond/Platinum passengers.

 

Ah, I see.  I thought you meant MORE benefits rather than fewer.  In any case, being able to check in two days earlier is a form of priority embarkation in and of itself!

[csm5986142]

3 minutes ago, Drew B 58 said:

The Venezia on 11/9.  Haven’t booked it yet, but I’m almost 100% there…

 

This does not appear to be a Journeys cruise, so you can ignore my comments 😃

Have a great trip - that ship looks beautiful!

[ninjacat123]

9 minutes ago, Drew B 58 said:

The Venezia on 11/9.  Haven’t booked it yet, but I’m almost 100% there…

Great itinerary and since it's not a Journeys cruise, your Platinum benefits should be good to go!!

[Drew B 58]

Oh.  I thought 9+-day cruises were automatically “Journeys”…

[havanadaydreaming]

Drew, the laundry is one of the best benefits of platinum.  my wife has been Plat for a while and I'll be joining the club the cruise on the Venezia right before yours.  

 

i dont send any of my "new" shirts for fear they will shrink.  but most everything else is fair game.  i looooove having clean clothes to take home.  i dont have to pack as much clothing which will help on our 12 nighter.  

[Cruising_Addict]

Personally, as a Platinum, I can say that being one really isn’t that big of a deal. Definitely not worth booking a short cruise for the sole purpose of being Platinum for your longer cruise. The perks aren’t that great, especially since rooms are no longer ready when you board. That was really the only perk that I looked forward to becoming Platinum to get, so I wouldn’t have to buy FTTF anymore. Yes, we can bring our carry on bags to our rooms. But it’s not really the same, in my humble opinion. So, book the other cruise if you really want to do it. But don’t go crazy trying to make Platinum by booking a cruise you really don’t want to go on. 

Edited March 25, 2023 by Cruising_Addict

[Laurab23]

4 hours ago, Drew B 58 said:

Can you elaborate on what the differences are for “Journeys” cruises?  Thanks!

I have done 2 Journeys cruises and have seen nothing different for platinum.

 

Laura

[Guest BasicSailor]

1 hour ago, Cruising_Addict said:

Personally, as a Platinum, I can say that being one really isn’t that big of a deal. Definitely not worth booking a short cruise for the sole purpose of being Platinum for your longer cruise

I could not agree more with your comments.👍

[Drew B 58]

3 hours ago, Cruising_Addict said:

Personally, as a Platinum, I can say that being one really isn’t that big of a deal. Definitely not worth booking a short cruise for the sole purpose of being Platinum for your longer cruise. The perks aren’t that great, especially since rooms are no longer ready when you board. That was really the only perk that I looked forward to becoming Platinum to get, so I wouldn’t have to buy FTTF anymore. Yes, we can bring our carry on bags to our rooms. But it’s not really the same, in my humble opinion. So, book the other cruise if you really want to do it. But don’t go crazy trying to make Platinum by booking a cruise you really don’t want to go on. 

Well, I’d certainly ENJOY the short cruise!  The only downside would be having to take extra days off work…

[Illbcruzn4life]

Im in the same boat with Royal. Im one point short of Diamond. I have a 7 day cruise on Royal in October. At least if I did the short cruise to get the point my wife and I could get 4 free drinks per day for our 7 day cruise.

 

all that said Im still not spending $1000 to get free drinks.😉

[Honolulu Blue]

13 hours ago, Drew B 58 said:

I currently have 63 VIFP points and am planning an 11-day cruise this Fall.  This would bring me to 74 points - one shy of hitting Platinum!

 

I’m wondering if it might make sense to book a cheap 3 or 4 night cruise this Summer so that on the longer cruise I would then hit the Platinum level.  I have the following questions:

 

• I believe that I would be considered Platinum from the START of the cruise where I reach the threshold.  Is this correct?

• I assume that if I am Platinum, my companion (who is only “red”), would still get to accompany me on the priority embarkation and disembarkation.  Is that correct?

• Would my companion get to join me for priority tendering?

• Would I be able to bring my companion to the Platinum & Diamond VIFP party with me or would I only be able to attend alone?

• Opinion - do YOU think the platinum benefits warrant the plan to sneak in a little Summer cruise to make me platinum on the bigger one?

 

Thanks!

I was on the other side of this when I turned platinum a few years ago.  I had 62 points and booked a 14-day cruise, so I was platinum at the start of it.

 

BTW, I think platinum is the biggest status jump on Carnival.  I doubt I would have considered a short cruise to bridge any gap between gold and platinum.  I am certainly not considering one to go from platinum to diamond.

[pe4all]

I had the same issue going from Plat to Diamond.  Truthfully it wasn't worth it to me to book an extra cruise just to get the 1 point I needed.  I waited until I hit a ship, itinerary and cabin I really wanted.  Laundry perk is the most important to myself and my family.

[Drazil65]

If you have a good promo or just love the idea of platinum at the beginning of that extra long cruise you have coming up, then do it!  You obviously enjoy cruising as you are about to level up so why not do a quick hitter if its in your budget, take a long weekend cruise and gain that 1 point as a bonus. 

 

I know many cruisers that have done the bridge cruise just to gain an extra point or two and only you can decide if it is truly worth it at this point.  Good problems to have 🙂.

[EngIceDave]

The 22-day Luminosa repositioning from Brisbane, Australia to Seattle that leaves in 2 weeks is a "Journeys Cruise"

 

This is our first Journeys, but there are supposed to be extra speakers and classes to keep you busy about where your cruise has been or is going.

 

They do not tell you in advance of the speakers or topics, trust me, I've asked, but they're supposed to be relevant to the cruise.

 

I can only assume Pacific Island folks join and tell us about living on Fiji, Tahiti and Hawaii

 

BTW, I turn Platinum on this cruise, knowing most of the benes will be lost because everyone is likely plat or diamond

Edited March 25, 2023 by EngIceDave

[Drew B 58]

16 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Im in the same boat with Royal. Im one point short of Diamond. I have a 7 day cruise on Royal in October. At least if I did the short cruise to get the point my wife and I could get 4 free drinks per day for our 7 day cruise.

 

all that said Im still not spending $1000 to get free drinks.😉

My short cruise definitely wouldn’t cost $1,000!  The 11-day one wouldn’t even cost that.  Most likely, it would be “free” under a casino offer, and I’d just be paying taxes, port fees, tips & expenses…

[momof3cruisers]

2 hours ago, Drew B 58 said:

My short cruise definitely wouldn’t cost $1,000!  The 11-day one wouldn’t even cost that.  Most likely, it would be “free” under a casino offer, and I’d just be paying taxes, port fees, tips & expenses…

In that case, I’d definitely go for it! As someone said, that guest services priority line on an 11 day might be very much appreciated.  Plus the chocolate  treat would be a nice extra on a longer cruise.  I just did my first Platinum cruise in Feb and while I forgot to get most of my benefits (I’m sad about the pin!) my son got Covid (thus why I forgot) and being able to speak with guest services quickly was awesome.  I had to go twice and no one else was in that line.  It definitely relieved some stress of worrying about my kid.