Being one of Carnival’s most loyal cruisers certainly comes with benefits – some of which are priority embarkation and early access to cruise cabins to drop off belongings.
These exclusive benefits are only available to elite Diamond and Platinum members of Carnival’s VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) Club or guests who purchase the Faster to the Fun (FTTF) package.
These elite loyalty members also typically get priority to leave and re-board the ship within ports of call.
However, two upcoming sailings will not be able to accommodate these perks because there are simply too many elite loyalty guests booked on the voyages.
“Due to the high number of Diamond and Platinum guests joining us on this voyage, we will not be able to provide priority embarkation or debarkation (including at any of the ports of call).” read a letter from Colleen Oliverio, Vice President of Guest Services.
Additionally, Diamond guests will not be guaranteed their usual main dining room seating requests for dinner due to the anticipated number of guests onboard.
The removal of these perks is fairly common for Carnival Journeys sailings – which both of the impacted voyages are – due to a larger number of VIFP guests that choose these voyages. Even so, the change is likely still frustrating.
“These operational changes are consistent with other Carnival Journeys cruises where we have a very large number of Diamond and Platinum guests. We apologize for any disappointment and thank you for your understanding,” continued the letter.
The first impacted sailing is a cruise to Hawaii that will be operated by Carnival Radiance – which will embark from Long Beach, California, on December 1, 2024.
The 14-night cruise calls for stops at Hilo, Hawaii; Kahului (Maui), Hawaii; Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii; Nawiliwili (Kauai), Hawaii; and Ensenada, Mexico.
The second impacted sailing will be the December 6, 2024, embarkation for Carnival Venezia.
The 12-day one-way sailing will embark from New York – calling on St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; St. Croix, US Virgin Islands; Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curacao; and Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos.
The 4,090-guest ship will disembark in Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, on December 18, 2024 – which will be her new homeport for the winter.
Why are These Cruises so Busy?
Lately, many Carnival guests have noticed that their sailings have felt extra crowded – and it will likely only get worse through the holiday season.
December is a popular month to travel, as people find their jobs slow down for the holidays and kids go on school vacation.
Perhaps more so because of the crowds, Carnival’s most elite VIFP members will likely be displeased by the lack of perks – especially after all the money they would have given the cruise line.
For context, Platinum guests have to be on a Carnival ship for 75-199 cruise days and Diamond guests have to sail with Carnival for 200+ cruise days to reach their status.
Read Also: What to Expect When You Go on a Carnival Cruise
But while the loss of perks is annoying, what will likely be the biggest issue is the reminder that staterooms are only available for a brief visit upon boarding and won’t immediately be ready for guests to settle in.
“Staterooms will be ready after 1:30 PM. Once on board, please feel free to drop off any carry-on luggage in your stateroom before heading to lunch,” wrote Oliverio.
As is the norm, this perk is meant to add convenience by allowing guests to drop off their belongings and then clear out until the cruise cabins are officially available. However, this often isn’t good enough for many guests.
Indeed, the drop-off perk is frequently a hot button topic on Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald’s Facebook page, as many guests want immediate full access to their staterooms.
As recently as earlier in November, a fiery Platinum guest confronted Heald virtually because they misunderstood the early access policy.
After a 14 hour drive to the cruise port, all the passenger wanted to do was take a nap – but was furious when they realized they weren’t able to stay in their cabin just yet.
Paired with the loss of perks, bringing up the cabin access rules may add more fuel to the fire for guests who don’t agree with the policy.
