Boarding a cruise ship can be stressful, since thousands of people are trying to get on at the same time, balancing their luggage and travel documents and, in many cases, wrangling kids.
When boarding, passengers can either check their bags at the curb or keep their bags with them. Many people split the difference and hold onto a carry-on bag that contains their passports and other travel documents.
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Many people want to get their carried-on bags into their cabins as soon as possible. Every cruise line, including brands owned by the same company, has a different set of policies when it comes to cabin access.
Royal Caribbean does not allow nonsuite passengers to access their rooms until they open for full access (usually at 1 or 1:30 p.m.). Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean's sister brand, allows all passengers to drop their bags off in their cabins and then leave.
On Celebrity you're not supposed to unpack, use the bathroom or do anything except leave your luggage in the cabin. Sometimes, your room steward will pop by for a quick introduction, but in all cases you're supposed to get in and out quickly so cleaning can be finished.
Carnival Cruise Line's policy allows some passengers limited early cabin access.
Many people seem confused about the rules, however, and that led Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald to respond to an angry passenger.
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Carnival's boarding policy is clear
"If we are Platinum you said we can go straight to our room. That is a LIE John Heald," a passenger who wasn't identified wrote.
"We took our bags to our room. We had a 14-hour drive from Mechanicsville to Miami. My husband needed to sleep. -----is our steward. He had no sympathy and bluntly told us to leave. This is another perk pulled from under our feet. Our steward's name is---------. Some person in authority needs to tell her."
Heald was kind but firm in his response.
"Thank you, and of course, I understand that your husband was tired after a long drive like that. However, as others have been agreeing with you and to make sure that I once again clarify this please allow me to be as clear as possible," he wrote.
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Heald then explained Carnival's boarding policies, which have not changed.
"Diamond, Platinum, Faster to the Fun Guests, those in suites, and anyone from Cleveland, Ohio (kidding FFS) can go to their cabins as soon as they go on board," he explained.
"They can drop off their luggage, but please leave straight away. The cabins will not be ready to the high standard you will all expect until approx. 1:30 p.m. Please then leave. No shower, no unpacking, no napping, no rumpy pumpy, and this is all to support the brilliant hard work of your stateroom steward."
FFS is Heald's slang for "for fun's sake."
Carnival passengers speak out on boarding
"The answer is so simple ... Just stop the entire boarding process for the other 4,000 people, meet this disgruntled person in the parking lot with a gurney so he can start his nap straight away. Then, wait until they are tucked in to their cabin before restarting the boarding process for the balance of the cruisers," posted Jeff Bacon.
Rose Didion showed little sympathy for the angry passenger.
"We’ve been Platinum for many years and cruise at least 2x a year. We knew about the dropping off bags rule for as long as we’ve been platinum. I just don’t understand how these people don’t know this. It’s like they just ignore everything and make it all about themselves. Self-entitlement is what they are," she wrote.
Few if any of the more than 1,200 comments on Heald's post seemed sympathetic to the original poster.
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"Good morning, John. I’m just thinking of how many times you’ve repeated this same message in the year since I’ve been following you and shaking my head—Everyone should know this," added Ellie Hook.
"A word of advice to Mrs. Glitterknickers: drive in a day early and get a hotel. You can arrive at the ship on embarkation morning refreshed and in a better attitude."
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