Carnival Cruise Line has a key boarding rule that many passengers love to break. However, there are good reasons to follow this rule, even if it doesn’t seem necessary at first glance. Let’s dive into the details and uncover why adhering to this boarding protocol is crucial for everyone’s cruising experience.
A Hotel Analogy to Start
When you arrive at a hotel before the check-in time, your room might not be ready. What do you do? Typically, you can check your bags, grab a coffee, and return later. Sometimes, you get lucky, and a room is available early, or you can pay for early check-in. On a cruise ship, the process is somewhat similar but with unique twists.
Cruise Boarding Timelines
For most Carnival and Royal Caribbean cruises, boarding starts between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., with the last boarding slots around 2 p.m. or a bit later. However, cruise cabins aren’t generally available until 1 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. This gap creates a bit of a logistical challenge.
Most passengers board the ship with a carry-on bag containing essentials like a bathing suit, a change of clothes, medication, and other necessities. Royal Caribbean passengers must keep their carry-ons with them until rooms open unless they’ve purchased the early boarding package, “The Key,” which allows for quick bag delivery. Top-tier suite guests get immediate cabin access.
Celebrity Cruises’ Drop-and-Go Policy
Celebrity Cruises, a Royal Caribbean Group subsidiary, invites all passengers to drop their carry-on luggage in their cabins upon boarding. However, passengers must quickly leave the room so that the finishing touches on cleaning can be made. The cruise line even posts signs on the cabin doors reminding passengers to drop their bags and leave.
Carnival’s Unique Approach
Carnival Cruise Line has a mixed boarding policy. High-tier Diamond and Platinum loyalty members, suite guests, and those who pay for the “Faster to the Fun” early boarding package can drop off their carry-on luggage before cabins open. This privilege, however, comes with a catch: some passengers abuse it by not leaving their cabins promptly after dropping their bags.
Brand Ambassador John Heald often addresses this issue on his Facebook page, pleading with passengers to follow the rule. Heald emphasizes that when a housekeeping crew member asks you to leave the cabin, they’re not being rude—they need time to clean.
A Plea from the Brand Ambassador
In a recent post, Heald explained the situation:
“Again, I have to say that when a housekeeping crewmember asks you to please leave the cabin, he is not being rude. He is saying I still need time to clean your cabin. Yes, you can put your carry-on bags in the closet, but please leave straight away. I need to clean the cabin. He wasn’t being rude. He just needed the time to get this done.”
Heald’s message is clear: follow the boarding rule to help the housekeeping staff do their job efficiently.
Support from Carnival Customers
The over 300 comments on Heald’s post showed broad support for the cabin stewards and the boarding rule. Raymond Owens summed it up nicely:
“Yep. Respect the cabin stewards, who work hard to let us have a great cruise. They have a job to do. The last thing they need is someone getting in the middle of their job. Nobody needs to sit in their cabin the minute they walk on board. Give them time to take good care of you.”
Some passengers expressed frustration over others not following the rule. Mike Scotty remarked:
“It’s really not that hard to understand that cabins aren’t ready until a certain time. So that means don’t go there until that time. Some people have to be entitled and expect that the rules don’t apply to them. It’s sad, really.”
Others worried that abusing the privilege might lead to its removal. Diana Dirla cautioned:
“People, please drop and go so we don’t lose this wonderful perk! Why do people always have to push the limits?…Just because no one calls you out doesn’t make it right. Play nice and have a great cruise.”
The Bottom Line
Carnival’s boarding rule isn’t just a suggestion—it’s crucial for a smooth embarkation process and a pleasant cruise for everyone. Respecting the hard-working cabin stewards and following the rules ensures that all passengers can enjoy a clean and comfortable cabin. So next time you’re on a Carnival cruise, remember to drop your bags and go. Your compliance helps keep this perk available for everyone.
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