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Is FTTF worth it??


bobjer17
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Hi we are considering another Carnival Cruise for January. My two previous Carnival cruises we didn't get FTTF as I felt embarkation lines moved quickly enough that we didn't need it. I know FTTF is more than just getting on the ship faster but is it worth the money?

Thanks :)

NO!!! we got on 5 min after FTTF and we are not constantly going to guest services like some do.

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I said the exact same thing after seeing the long line at check in that I have avoided. I go on cruises to avoid lines and want to relax. If I wanted to wait in lines, I would go to Disney. No lines = no aggravation. If I am on vacation, I want all of my time to be relaxing or doing something other than waiting.

 

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It doesn't surprise me that the price of FTTF goes up every year. Being CCL doesn't announce how many openings there are, it seems there are more than before. I can't help but wonder if this goes hand in hand with the staggered check in policy.

 

Is it worth it? I used to think so, being allowed to drop off our stuff in the cabin, then getting lunch and a place to sit before the "mob" comes aboard.

Plus the purser's, oops, service counter "short line" did come in handy more than once. (Take a gander at the lines on the first and last day of your cruise.)

 

Some will call it a waste of money, some will be willing to pay for some convenience.

I hate to say, but, that's up to you......:rolleyes:

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Hi we are considering another Carnival Cruise for January. My two previous Carnival cruises we didn't get FTTF as I felt embarkation lines moved quickly enough that we didn't need it. I know FTTF is more than just getting on the ship faster but is it worth the money?

Thanks :)

It is worth it to us love having our room ready luggage early usually unpacked by muster and at least by early dining. No line at guest services. But only you can decide if it is worth it to you

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For priority at guest services do you go to the diamond/platinum line?

Always have FTTF, but have never remembered that it gives priority at GS.

 

Yes. Other than the last night of the cruise, I have never had more than 4 people in the line ahead of me.

:)

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We have come to think that it was worth it. We enjoyed not only getting on the ship faster, but also having our room ready right from the get-go. When we have FTTF, we opt to carry our bags onboard, and if our room is ready, we unpack our things immediately in order to maximize our time onboard. Even if you don't want to carry your things onboard, you can pack a bathing suit in your carry on and be up at the pool as soon as possible. We also enjoyed the expedited line at guest services. The make-or-break for us as to whether or not we get FTTF is if there are tender ports. If there are tender ports on your itinerary, I would 100% recommend it, as you get priority ship debarkation. However, if you plan on doing an excursion, that's kind of irrelevant, because your excursion will meet onboard the ship. But, if you're like us and enjoy just finding some nice beach chairs, having an island lunch, and doing some shopping, then the priority tender debarkation will be worth it.

 

Best of luck, have a great cruise! :)

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For my first cruise, I wish I had it. The line to get in and off of Key West was unbearable. It didn't help that we were only there from 7:30-1. So everyone was trying to get off at the same time.

 

For my second cruise, it served absolutely no value. Embarkation was painless @ 1:30 and my room was ready, luggage came within a half hour. Both ports of call were 8-5. We left the boat around 9 and there was no line to get off or back on. I mean I guess I waited in guest services line once for 5 minutes.

 

I guess it's different for everyone. For me, it was also different by experience. I could also imagine that the more you do this, the more likely you want to just fly the lines. If I was Carnival, I would raise the price for something that is so popular and sells out so quickly.

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For my first cruise, I wish I had it. The line to get in and off of Key West was unbearable. It didn't help that we were only there from 7:30-1. So everyone was trying to get off at the same time.

....

I guess it's different for everyone. For me, it was also different by experience. I could also imagine that the more you do this, the more likely you want to just fly the lines. If I was Carnival, I would raise the price for something that is so popular and sells out so quickly.

 

FttF would not of helped in Key West as it's not an embarkation port nor a tender port. So no priority escorted on or off the ship.

Also it has jumped in price from $49.99 and only available on cruises 6 days and longer to being available on 3 day cruises on up, on a sliding scale (based on how long the cruise is) that ranges from $59.99 - $89.99.

 

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To some it's not worth it, to others it is. We like it. We like getting on the ship as soon as possible. We like having our cabin ready when we board. We like being able to get on a tender when we want. We like not having to wait on long lines for GS. If these things don't matter to you, then FTTF will will not be worth it.

 

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  • 4 months later...

Kind of in a dilemma - our flight arrives at 9:05 am to FLL - we have transportation through Carnival and the booking says it starts from 8:30-1:30pm (is this usually correct?) What I'm asking is will we be able to get on a bus and get moved to the pier after we land without having to wait for others (I know the bus should be somewhat full).

 

We also have FTTF and I saw we could check in early and get on board early? Do you recommend we just Uber from the airport to the pier and cancel our transportation? We want to get on the ship as early as possible. Recommendations or suggestions? Thank you!

 

pay for free service??

 

Its only free service if your already Diamond, Platinum or book a suite.

 

I'll gladly pay extra to walk right in to the terminal first thing in the morning and go right through check in without waiting is worth it instead of waiting in line outside possibly in the rain, hot sun or cold depending where you embark.

 

I'll gladly pay extra for having your luggage at your stateroom door when you board instead of after dinner 6 hours later AND access to your stateroom at 11:30 am when you board instead of sometime after 1:30 pm and i've heard as late as after 3:00 pm sometimes too.

Which brings me to being able to board the ship with diamond and platinum members. Embarkation day counts as one of the days you paid to be on the ship. Why would I want to wait till 3-4 o'clock in the afternoon to board when most of the day is already gone that I again paid for?

 

Some excursions will only wait so long for you to arrive and when its a port that's tendered like Belize and the ride is 20-25 minutes to the dock once the tender begins to move. Some cave tubing guides will only wait 1 hour after the boat arrives. FTTF meet at guest services and someone takes you right to the head of the tender lines with diamond and platinum members and you get on the next tender. Sure I could get up really early in the morning to get a number for tenders but i'm on vacation, I dont want to get up at 4 or 5 in the morning to wait in a line in the dinning room for hopefully a low tender number. I'll gladly pay extra to just have a crew member take me right down to the head of the line so i can get to my shore excursion that takes all day to do.

 

I might have a problem and need to speak to guest services to get it resolved. I dont want to spend an hour or more waiting in line at guest services. Again, I'll gladly pay extra to use the priority line. I'm on vacation, I dont want to waste time standing in lines.

 

It may sound selfish but every passenger has the same opportunity to purchase FTTF or a suite and get the same perks. To me its a small price to pay to avoid waiting during my vacation. $70 for a 7 day cruise equates to $10 a day and covers everyone in my cabin. NOOOO PROBLEM MON. Its worth it to me.

.

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It’s worth it for me.

 

But, I travel with a busy toddler and I have a joint disorder that makes standing for lengths of time painful. Not having to manage my high energy kid in lines any longer than I have to is worth a lot to me. Being able to get right to the room is nice too.

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Hi we are considering another Carnival Cruise for January. My two previous Carnival cruises we didn't get FTTF as I felt embarkation lines moved quickly enough that we didn't need it. I know FTTF is more than just getting on the ship faster but is it worth the money?

Thanks :)

Is a waste of $$$. IMO

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We never get it for a few reasons.

 

First DH needs wheelchair assistance to embark and disembark at the start and end of the cruise so early boarding isn't an issue We don't have to wait long in special line to check-in with the first chair/pusher BUT ... we're then dropped off in a special needs area where we have to wait for a 2nd chair and pusher to be available to a board. We never beat others we entered the terminal with getting aboard. :) (although DH couldn't cruise without the assistance so it's totally not a problem for us)

 

Secondly, we check all bags except for a rolling tote bag which is not a problem to take it with us to have lunch and then an umbrella drink waiting for the cabins to be ready around 1:30.

 

If I have an issue that I need to go to Guest Services I try to drop by when it's not likely to be busy and it's never a long wait in that case. I use the kiosks every couple of days to check the accuracy of my bill.

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  • 3 months later...
  • 4 weeks later...

I have an upcoming cruise leaving out of San Juan. We have a junior suite so I am waffling back and forth on getting FTTF. I have cruised with and without it. I see value in buying it but it seems like a duplication with having a suite. My primary reason for getting would be cabin access. There are no tender ports. Since we don't leave until 10 pm I could take my luggage to the room and leave the ship and spend the day exploring San Juan. With just the suite I could board but I wouldn't have early access to my stateroom to drop off my luggage. How soon can non diamond/platinum/FTTF access their staterooms when leaving out of San Juan? Is 1:30 pm like the rest of the fleet or later? If it only 1-2 hours early stateroom access than I will probably skip it. The GS line is nice but I just make it point to go at times when the line is shorter w/o FTTF.

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Following.... we are booked in a family Harbor Suite over Christmas. I called to confirm that that means that we will get some of the priority benefits. But not all. Fttf is currently sold out for our cruise, but I am curious if there's any point in ever getting it on top of suite benefits.

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Depends. Do you want to pay Carnival for items that are free? If so, and you want to gain an extra 15 minutes than it is worth it. For me, I think people give Carnival enough money, and paying for free items is just silly.

 

 

How did you calculate saving 15 minutes ?

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