Poll Question on boarding/disembarking

[movinout]

Just wondering...we just returned from the Carnival Splendor July 25 sailing and have a question for you all. Would you trade getting on board 2 hours later to start your cruise if it meant you weren't treated like old used up customers from the night before your cruise ended?

 

Example...we were able to board by 11:45 AM the day of sailing, but when it came the end of the cruise..the afternoon before, we got back to our stateroom about 5:00 PM and already our mini bar fridge was emptied and locked. The milk and yogurt we had in there was out on top, the shelves in the bathroom were already lined with kleenex, our things put on top of these "liners" in preparation for the next guests so we wouldn't mess them I guess, and then later, no chocolates! (not that we needed them but you know...:( ) The day of disembarking, we got up early before docking, went up to get a bite of breakfast as we were docking and before we could finish they were calling our number to get off and we were in the 3rd group called! I mean it was like boom...get off quick because you are history. We hurriedly left and joined the line leaving. thinking we needed to get on our ship transfer...only to find all luggage wasn't there and we spent an hour and a half trying to find ours. It was still being brought out.

 

Now I'm thinking yes, it is nice to be able to board so early, but on the other hand perhaps I would like to have my leaving be not so apparent the night before so as to enjoy my last night. It was like they were cleaning the room and we were still in it. I wanted that chocolate milk that was put out of the fridge by 5!:mad: ;) It's like they want to make the new folks happy, since the old folks are just that...old folks.

I'd rather get on later on the first day, giving them more time to prepare, if they'd let me end my cruise with a shred of feeling like we weren't being tossed with the old fish. To paraphrase WC Fields....cruise passengers and fish smell before the cruise is about to end. How about the rest of you?

[cruisetobeaches]

A good part of that sounds like more of an issue with a room steward. We don't use the mini-bar, so that would have made no difference to me, but having things 'prepped' like that by the steward would TEND TO TICK ME OFF A LITTLE!

 

I would imagine that the mini bar would be cleared or locked on the last night so that inventory could be taken and billing done for any 'refreshments' taken. that I can understand, but the rest..............No.

[StrangeBrew]

The lock is easy to pick ,,lol .:D oops did I just let that out , not that i've ever taken anything out on the last night .

[beachbum6264]

We've had our # called while still eating breakfast before. We just took our time and finished. As far as I know, you can get off later than your #, but not before (I guess you COULD get off before, but your luggage wouldn't be there, so what's the point?).

I would have just used the room as usual, if I "messed up" what they had ready for the next cruise... well, sorry ;) I paid for the cabin for that night, I'm using it.

[steve4040]

We were told that we could remain in the cabin/leave our stuff in the cabin until 8:30, and we were able to go eat breakfast in the buffet area. Breakfast was fine, and we actually lost track of the time and rushed back of the room to get our stuff out. I felt bad because I did not want to disrupt the crew. We moved our bags to a table on the promenade deck, waited about 30 to 45 minutes, and then our group was called. I think it was group 8, but do not remember. I did not feel rushed, nor did I feel that the wait to get off was to slow. I did want to get off in a somewhat timely manner because we were meeting somebody, and he needed to help us check in at our hotel so we could benefit from the employee rate (he was staying there too, and we had had to sign some papers so that we could get the rate too). Overall, itw worked very well.

[Rowan555]

We've never noticed anything like that, EXCEPT that the mini bar was cleaned and locked the last evening while we were at dinner - which is to be expected, even though it might be an inconvenience. I'd have written a letter of complaint to Carnival if I was made to feel unwelcome at any point of my cruise, including the last night.

[farler05]

I've never experienced anything like that. The mini-bar fridge, I understand because they need to account for everything. They could have put your milk on ice. They could have at least warned you. But the kleenex on the shelves, that is not acceptable.

[CWcruisers]

As cruisetobeaches said, it was more a cabin steward problem than a cruise line issue, with the exception of why it took 1 1/2 hrs to get your luggage after you had been called. I have had cabin stewards remove my bathrobe on the final night, and I count on that robe because I do not wear PJ's! But it has only happened twice in my 15 Carnival cruises, and the first time it happened, I put it on a comment card, and did not have it happen again until recently.