Platinum and Diamond now have to show up at check-in appt slot

[mizLORInj]

So this is a hot topic on various forums, and I'm pretty sure John Heald said just recently that Plat/Diamond can show up whenever they want and did not have to adhere to a timeslot.  It appears that has now changed.  

 

I received an email from Carnival last night titled VIFP Platinum and Diamond Guests Update and Online Check-in Invitation that says you must show up during your timeslot as "we will not be able to accommodate guests who show up outside their Arrival Appointment."   

 

My (same VIFP level) travel partner did NOT get this email and we're on the same cruise. 🤨

 

For informational purposes only.  🙂  

 

Happy cruising! 

 

 

[firefly333]

I've never heard that plat and diamond are ok to show up whenever they want. 

 

Too early I can understand having to wait, but if you are late, I dont see how they can turn you away. Unless someone is late and turned away and misses their cruise I wouldn't worry. Worrying about wording is beyond what I can do right now. Got enough going on. 

[mizLORInj]

2 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I've never heard that plat and diamond are ok to show up whenever they want. 

 

Too early I can understand having to wait, but if you are late, I dont see how they can turn you away. Unless someone is late and turned away and misses their cruise I wouldn't worry. Worrying about wording is beyond what I can do right now. Got enough going on. 

 

Right, I paid for the cruise and how can you not let me on as long as I'm there before the cut-off time.  

[shof515]

I also received the same email too. This is the first time I am seeing that you can not arrive early 

[VentureMan_2000]

Sounds reasonable.  If you have a desire to arrive early, then you need to do your on-line check-in during that first 48 hours prior to everyone who is not Platinum/Diamond and select an early time that fits your needs.

On my last cruise, the Platinum/Diamond port check-in line was 3 to 4 times longer than my line... I'm sure this is the reason -- too many Platinum/Diamond people showing up early and creating long lines, like in the old days before they implemented selecting a check-in time.

I was checked in before that huge priority line...  😂

Edited August 4, 2023 by VentureMan_2000

[trummy]

I don't see this as a problem.

[dmarie1623]

Is the brunch beverage available once per sailing or at each brunch meal?

 

 

[wemjam]

19 minutes ago, dmarie1623 said:

Is the brunch beverage available once per sailing or at each brunch meal?

 

 

Once during a Sea Day brunch day only

[wemjam]

Since restart we has stuck with the arriving only during the window we selected.

 

It amazed me how many times I have seen them waving through everyone and anyone with later times though.

 

We were the first arrival window on the last 2 cruises, and arrived toward the end of the 30 minute window and kid you not there was already probably 200-300 people in the terminal and I was glancing at boarding passes and they were most certainly there early. 

[Old Fart Cruisers]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

Too early I can understand having to wait, but if you are late, I dont see how they can turn you away. 

 

They won't turn you away, but they will take care of the people who arrived within their time slot first, and you may have to wait in line a while until a slot opens up. 

[odis]

Miss your designated hour time slot?  Sorry, no cruise for you.  🤣

Edited August 4, 2023 by odis

[stobe1]

16 minutes ago, wemjam said:

Since restart we has stuck with the arriving only during the window we selected.

 

It amazed me how many times I have seen them waving through everyone and anyone with later times though.

 

We were the first arrival window on the last 2 cruises, and arrived toward the end of the 30 minute window and kid you not there was already probably 200-300 people in the terminal and I was glancing at boarding passes and they were most certainly there early. 

Yeah I have seen both extremes of this. I have seen it like you describe where they just let anyone through. I have also seen the extreme opposite where they were turning people away that were arriving too early. Just like at the airport, some agents are good at monitoring the boarding groups and some just don't care and let anyone on whenever because they either don't care or don't have the energy to argue with entitled Karens and Brads all day that are showing up outside of their arrival window.

 

It probably just boils down to what port agent is working that day and what kind of mood they are in.

[ryanpatricksmom]

Typically I've found that they have lines marked with arrival times, and the expectation is that you join that line.  They have been pretty diligent about holding everyone in those lines until they've finished with the earlier boarding groups.  I've only gotten the diamond treatment once it's been our turn to enter.  Having said that I've only arrived early twice....in San Francisco where I did wait for my turn, and in Port Canaveral, where I was asked to wait a bit while they cleared up the congestion in the terminal.  Our next cruise is a Journeys cruise out of Baltimore, so that's going to be a PITA because checkout at our hotel across the street is noon, and our boarding slot is 1pm (which I think is the earliest).

[staceyglow]

5 minutes ago, ryanpatricksmom said:

Typically I've found that they have lines marked with arrival times, and the expectation is that you join that line.  They have been pretty diligent about holding everyone in those lines until they've finished with the earlier boarding groups.  I've only gotten the diamond treatment once it's been our turn to enter.  Having said that I've only arrived early twice....in San Francisco where I did wait for my turn, and in Port Canaveral, where I was asked to wait a bit while they cleared up the congestion in the terminal.  Our next cruise is a Journeys cruise out of Baltimore, so that's going to be a PITA because checkout at our hotel across the street is noon, and our boarding slot is 1pm (which I think is the earliest).

It will never hurt to ask if you can stay in your room an extra half hour.  Sometimes hotels will accommodate you.

 

Worst case scenario, you have a cup of coffee in the lobby before you head on over.

[hard_eight]

We'll just walk right through the priority line...Pick an early check-in and walk right through. 

[pogoism9]

Yeah kind of defeats the purpose of having to select an appointment at check in doesn't it? As Plat and Diamond you already get the best times, so whats the big deal? Its not like you are getting on before the ship has been cleared.....

[LPut714]

3 hours ago, mizLORInj said:

So this is a hot topic on various forums, and I'm pretty sure John Heald said just recently that Plat/Diamond can show up whenever they want and did not have to adhere to a timeslot.  It appears that has now changed.  

 

I received an email from Carnival last night titled VIFP Platinum and Diamond Guests Update and Online Check-in Invitation that says you must show up during your timeslot as "we will not be able to accommodate guests who show up outside their Arrival Appointment."   

 

My (same VIFP level) travel partner did NOT get this email and we're on the same cruise. 🤨

 

For informational purposes only.  🙂  

 

Happy cruising! 

 

 

We are Platinum and just did the Miracle to Alaska out of San Fran-just stood in our assigned boarding time line. Not a prob. Once on board too early to access cabins as only suites can do that so just hung out.

 

[stevethepirate]

I'm guessing that priority boarding will be replaced with a special Welcome Back! greeting on the Carnival Hub app.

[Colorado Beach Bum]

3 hours ago, mizLORInj said:

John Heald said just recently that Plat/Diamond can show up whenever they want and did not have to adhere to a timeslot.  It appears that has now changed.

Did JH walk this back and confirm P&D must adhere to their time slot or is it just because of the recent email?

[Drew B 58]

3 hours ago, stobe1 said:

…It probably just boils down to what port agent is working that day and what kind of mood they are in.

Just a guess, but I would bet that it has next to nothing to do with the port agent and their mood and everything to do with how backed up they happen to be at that moment.  If there’s a line, it would be unfair to the folks who are there at their proper appointment time to make them wait for someone who isn’t.  If there’s no appreciable line, then there would be no good reason not to let people in outside of their appointed slot.  Getting them in now would mean less crowding later, which benefits everyone…

[pinto18]

In Long Beach we did get there early for our assigned time and so had to stand in line with our time group . But, once the line moved and we got into the terminal  we went one way for priority and everyone else went the other way..it was still much quicker for us

[Essiesmom]

My bet is that just being plat. Dia. Will no longer get you priority walk up checkin.  It will get you the two day priority in choosing you your checkin time.  Because too many p/d were not checking in or not choosing an early time, because they didn’t need to.  So non p/d got those early times, and when they showed up, and the p/d showed up at the same time, there was double the number for those time slots.  So now the priority will be the ability to choose two days earlier than the others.  EM

[mizLORInj]

5 hours ago, Colorado Beach Bum said:

Did JH walk this back and confirm P&D must adhere to their time slot or is it just because of the recent email?

I posted it due to the email I got last night.    John is on vaca right now but I'm sure someone will bring to his attention on another platform since there was a lot of dialogue when plat/dia had an issue in (I think it was) Galveston.   

 

[VentureMan_2000]

A whole lot of angst and whining going on...

[AtSeaWithChris]

10 hours ago, mizLORInj said:

I received an email from Carnival last night titled VIFP Platinum and Diamond Guests Update and Online Check-in Invitation that says you must show up during your timeslot as "we will not be able to accommodate guests who show up outside their Arrival Appointment."

I’m pretty sure this is just in Galveston only. 
 

 

10 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I've never heard that plat and diamond are ok to show up whenever they want.

Other than during covid protocols platinum and diamonds as well as FTTF are required to choose a time during checkin but may arrive whenever and use the priority line. That’s been the way for years other than recently at Galveston where they don’t have adequate space for a priority line. It’s one line until you get through security then they have priority line inside. 

 

7 hours ago, Colorado Beach Bum said:

Did JH walk this back and confirm P&D must adhere to their time slot or is it just because of the recent email?

I have not seen him walk it back. He confirmed it last I saw him talk about it.