Historically, shore excursion tickets served as a great souvenir from your cruise vacation, especially to remember the fun activities you've done ashore. However, Carnival Cruise Line is making it easier for guests to check in for excursions with the use of their Sail & Sign card and cell phone.
Instead of providing passengers with tickets, Carnival is streamlining the process by integrating shore excursion check-ins directly into a mobile app.
Before checking in, the new mobile feature will link with the HUB App and give guests their digital confirmation with important details like meeting times and locations.
Plus, the platform will let tour operators make real-time sales and quickly register guests, so it will be easier than ever to book last-minute excursions.
Carnival is piloting its new mobile app with select tour operations in the Bahamas and Caribbean. However, the new platform is live in Australia and has been successful.
They plan to make all shore excursion check-ins mobile at their new private destination, Celebration Key, in the Bahamas by its official July 19 opening for Carnival Vista.
Carnival Conquest is scheduled to call at the destination on the 20th, followed by Carnival Vista again on the 21st and Carnival Glory on the 22nd. As such, guests aboard these first sailings can expect a more tech-enhanced experience ashore.
“Our new ticketless platform prioritizes convenience for our guests and equips our tour operator partners with better tools, making the shore excursion experience more seamless, efficient, and enjoyable,” said Sam Ackrill, Vice President of Shore Excursions for Carnival Cruise Line.
“Eliminating the need for physical tickets and streamlining the process of checking in for shore excursions will be a great benefit, but the real-time functionality that’s built into our platform will give tour operators more opportunities and guests more choices.”
Read more: 15 things I wish I knew before setting foot on a Carnival ship
Guests cruising to Alaska will need to wait a bit longer to experience the new ticketless system
Carnival plans to implement its new system at popular ports of call visited by its fleet of 29 ships.
After ensuring the application is fully functional at Celebration Key, they'll continue working with tour operators across the Bahamas, Caribbean, and Mexico to have it available in more destinations by the end of the year.
The mobile app isn't scheduled to be available on cruises to Alaska and Europe until next summer, though. This means anyone embarking on Carnival Luminosa, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Legend, or Carnival Spirit should expect good old-fashioned tickets delivered to their cabins.
Read more: The best cruise apps you need before your next sailing
Not the first cruise line to introduce ticketless excursions at their private destination
Guests aren't given physical excursion tickets for many extra-cost areas on Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay. Instead, a simple tap of the SeaPass grants admission to the Thrill Waterpark, adults-only Hideaway Beach, or Coco Beach Club.
This makes it easier to come and go as you please, rather than holding up the line to give passengers wristbands or waiting as they shuffle to find the ticket buried at the bottom of their beach bag.
For example, if you're spending the day at Thrill Waterpark but want to grab lunch at Captain Jack's or the Chill Grill, you can simply grab your cruise card, enjoy lunch, and easily return to enjoy more slides in the afternoon.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she traveled frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas during her freshman year of high school. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
