how does the in-person check-in process work so this is sort of one of our
carnival basics topics for people who haven't really cruised before so we've
got our tutorial video up on YouTube and there's gonna be an update to that on
how to do the online check-in but what's it like once you're there physically in
person what's that like so one thing you're absolutely gonna
want to do as part of your online check-in process is you do have the
opportunity to print out your check-in form it also allows you to print like
baggage tags and general information and that is up to you but you absolutely
want to print into your check-in form and so this will have your name on it
it'll have your cabin number it'll have your arrival time that kind of
information very important you want to have a physical printout
of this with you the piece of paper in your hands when you're at the port
getting ready to go on the ship and you're also gonna want to have your
passport now as Canadian cruisers we always use
passports you there might be some options where you can do other things we
don't know a lot about that but even if you do I highly recommend just using a
passport it is universally identifiable and it and because it is compatible with
so many computer systems and people are trained on passports it's gonna make
your time easier so my advice is just have a passport it's better all the way
around so you want to show up with this printout and your passport have the
printout inserted into your passport to the picture page so that it's all there
and accessible very quickly so that's half of the prep you're going to want to
do the other half of your preparation before going to the port or once you
arrive at port is you're gonna be going through a security check that is similar
to the airport it's not quite as rigorous it feels sometimes like I like
they don't ask you to take your shoes off but it's basically like that so
you're going through a metal detector so my advice is before you get in that
lineup take a second to take all the metal
things and put it in your backpack or your luggage
so you know your watch your cell phone your glasses your belt a lot of those
things don't actually have metal or not enough metal to trip the the sensor if
it's just like a little screw or something like a little screw in your
glasses but if if you don't need the glasses to see I recommend just putting
all that in your bag it makes it go faster and it makes it go easier and
you know there's enough going on that you don't need that distraction or that
delay so that's basically it go in with your printed out check in form your
passport and all the metal stuff the changed the keys in your pocket whatever
in your backpack you're not supposed to be taking pictures or filming or being
on your phone in the security area anyways so if you're thinking oh you
know what if I want to you know text somebody or take a picture or something
in the security area you shouldn't be doing that anyway so just put it in your
bag once you're through security then you can bust it out and going forward
you can you can do those things but just through through the security line so
normally when you arrive at the port and let's say you've got all that stuff
ready to go there's gonna be carnival staff out and there's gonna be signs
that will tell you where to go if you have faster to the fun or you are a
platinum or diamond guest or a suite guest you have priority and it'll say
that on your printout it'll say the word priority and there will be a separate
line up for those people otherwise it's just a basic general line up there might
have a line up based on your check-in time that'll be pre assigned when you go
through the online process but it's pretty straightforward so you'll go up
and normally there'll be someone who will verify your documents just to make
sure you know that you are the person on the picture and that you're there at the
correct time in the correct place it's nothing too rigorous in the past there
used to be a Health Questionnaire you had to declare if you were pregnant
all this other stuff it seems like Carnival has completely gotten away with
that paperwork I have encountered at some ports still that they might have a
tablet where they verbally ask you the questions but you don't have to worry about
any extra paperwork so it's the one piece of paper your passport and have
all the metal stuff in your luggage and you're good to go so after that first
initial check-in then you'll go through security while you put your stuff up on
the metal detector and it'll go through you'll walk through a metal detector and
if it goes off they might wand you take stuff out of your pocket make you go back
that's why it's a good idea to have all the metal in your bags but ideally you
just walk through if you have a hat take the hat off and hold it so they can see
the inside they might want to touch the brim just to make sure it's okay
it goes super fast they're super polite they normally have a good sense of humor
on this particular trip there were people staff that were
singing outside the terminal and during the check-in process and even in the
security area so still people in a really good mood for the most part and
that's that's pretty much it then you just follow signs to get on the ship now
if you're there early or there's a delay you might have to wait in sort of some
seating areas or whatever there might be public announcements just follow the
basic instructions but it's really straightforward and if you show up at
the appropriate time and you come prepared generally there's not much of a
wait unless the computer systems have crashed or something but by and large
it's a real easy seamless almost fun experience and you know you're mileage will
vary at different ports but like Long Beach has recently renovated itself and
they've got the seating area it's really quite nice it's it is a very civilized
way to go and check in and go through security so that's pretty much the
experience and again they might take your picture after you get through
security continue to check in or they may not and
they might give you the card and you know at the counter after you've gone
through security or it might be waiting for you on the ship but they'll explain
things really well if you ask for a ship map they'll give you one that can help
you find your way around it's really quite an easy process and once you're
onboard the ship if you want to find your cabin you can ask anybody they can
show you how to get to your cabin