The embarkation and check-in process for Carnival Cruises is slowly returning to the pre-Covid days. Earlier this month Carnival Cruise Line announced priority boarding was returning for Platinum & Diamond guests on most sailings. This past week Carnival announced the option to purchase Faster to the Fun was returning. This post will take a look at the updated check-in & embarkation process that is now taking place for Carnival Cruises.
Priority Boarding For Diamond & Platinum Guests
Carnival announced priority boarding was returning for Diamond & Platinum VIFP guests effective November 3, 2022. This reinstatement is for ships that sail from North America or Europe. Journeys cruises will not have this benefit available according to communication from Carnival. This priority boarding benefit was suspended when the post-shutdown cruise restart took place in July 2021 in order to focus on the health & safety protocols that were required at the time.
Although priority boarding is back for Diamond & Platinum VIFP guests, guests with the priority boarding benefit are still required to select an online check-in arrival appointment time. When arriving at the cruise terminal Diamond & Platinum guests should look for the priority check-in line.
As part of the return of Diamond & Platinum priority boarding, Carnival is bringing back priority luggage delivery service for these guests. However, Carnival asks that guests with priority boarding not linger in their stateroom or the stateroom hallways until staterooms open for everyone. This is because the housekeeping team is working to still prepare staterooms.
Priority Boarding For Diamond & Platinum Guests
Carnival announced priority boarding was returning for Diamond & Platinum VIFP guests effective November 3, 2022. This reinstatement is for ships that sail from North America or Europe. Journeys cruises will not have this benefit available according to communication from Carnival. This priority boarding benefit was suspended when the post-shutdown cruise restart took place in July 2021 in order to focus on the health & safety protocols that were required at the time.
Although priority boarding is back for Diamond & Platinum VIFP guests, guests with the priority boarding benefit are still required to select an online check-in arrival appointment time. When arriving at the cruise terminal Diamond & Platinum guests should look for the priority check-in line.
As part of the return of Diamond & Platinum priority boarding, Carnival is bringing back priority luggage delivery service for these guests. However, Carnival asks that guests with priority boarding not linger in their stateroom or the stateroom hallways until staterooms open for everyone. This is because the housekeeping team is working to still prepare staterooms.
Faster to the Fun (FTTF)
Faster to the Fun is a program that allows staterooms to purchase some extra benefits, including priority boarding and express luggage delivery on the first day. The Faster to the Fun program is scheduled to return for sailings departing on or after December 1, 2022. Carnival's website shows the Faster to the Fun program includes priority check-in, stateroom ready upon boarding, express luggage, dedicated line at guest services, priority dining reservations, priority water shuttle boarding to go from ship to shore, and priority debarkation. One thing to note is Carnival's brand ambassador John Heald posted on Facebook that for now Faster to the Fun guests can drop off their bags to the stateroom, but it is not guaranteed that the stateroom will be ready before 1:30pm.
Guests who purchase Faster to the Fun also have to select an arrival appointment time when completing online check-in. The Faster to the Fun package is by stateroom and you do not have to purchase for each guest within the stateroom. Carnival's price for Faster to the Fun will vary based on the ship, homeport, and length of cruise. If you wish to purchase Faster to the Fun you will need to login in to your booking manager on Carnival's website. It is available as a shore excursion on the first day of the cruise. A limited number of Faster to the Fun spots are open so once they are filled the program will show as sold out and you will have to watch to see if someone cancels prior to the cruise.
If you are a VIFP Platinum & Diamond guest or a suite guest that has priority boarding benefits, you do not need to purchase Faster to the Fun for your stateroom. You should already have priority boarding that will be before Faster to the Fun guests.
For embarkation day and check-in, guests with Faster to the Fun will follow posted signage at the cruise terminal to make sure they are going into the correct check-in lines and in the designated place for boarding.
I will discuss Faster to the Fun in greater detail in a future post! Stay tuned.
The Scheduled Boarding Order To Get On The Ship:
With priority boarding back for Platinum & Diamond VIFP guests and now guests can purchase Faster to the Fun, a common question has been who gets on first. Carnival's brand ambassador John Heald covered this question in a post on Facebook. The order of boarding is planned to be the following:
1. Diamond Guests & Suite Guests
2. Platinum Guests
3. Faster to the Fun
4. Boarding Times
Please note both programs are subject to change!
Faster to the Fun is a program that allows staterooms to purchase some extra benefits, including priority boarding and express luggage delivery on the first day. The Faster to the Fun program is scheduled to return for sailings departing on or after December 1, 2022. Carnival's website shows the Faster to the Fun program includes priority check-in, stateroom ready upon boarding, express luggage, dedicated line at guest services, priority dining reservations, priority water shuttle boarding to go from ship to shore, and priority debarkation. One thing to note is Carnival's brand ambassador John Heald posted on Facebook that for now Faster to the Fun guests can drop off their bags to the stateroom, but it is not guaranteed that the stateroom will be ready before 1:30pm.
Guests who purchase Faster to the Fun also have to select an arrival appointment time when completing online check-in. The Faster to the Fun package is by stateroom and you do not have to purchase for each guest within the stateroom. Carnival's price for Faster to the Fun will vary based on the ship, homeport, and length of cruise. If you wish to purchase Faster to the Fun you will need to login in to your booking manager on Carnival's website. It is available as a shore excursion on the first day of the cruise. A limited number of Faster to the Fun spots are open so once they are filled the program will show as sold out and you will have to watch to see if someone cancels prior to the cruise.
If you are a VIFP Platinum & Diamond guest or a suite guest that has priority boarding benefits, you do not need to purchase Faster to the Fun for your stateroom. You should already have priority boarding that will be before Faster to the Fun guests.
For embarkation day and check-in, guests with Faster to the Fun will follow posted signage at the cruise terminal to make sure they are going into the correct check-in lines and in the designated place for boarding.
I will discuss Faster to the Fun in greater detail in a future post! Stay tuned.
The Scheduled Boarding Order To Get On The Ship:
With priority boarding back for Platinum & Diamond VIFP guests and now guests can purchase Faster to the Fun, a common question has been who gets on first. Carnival's brand ambassador John Heald covered this question in a post on Facebook. The order of boarding is planned to be the following:
1. Diamond Guests & Suite Guests
2. Platinum Guests
3. Faster to the Fun
4. Boarding Times
Please note both programs are subject to change!