Faster To The Fun New Orleans

I am considering the FTTF for a cruise out of New Orleans. If I purchase this, what time do I get to board the ship? I currently have a 11:00 AM boarding time and it says noon for the FTTF? Can that be accurate? I am considering buying it since I have kids and would rather not wait.

It has been my experience that the earliest to get on a ship is around 11:30, depending on when they dock, customs, etc. I don't think you will be saving any time by doing FTTF. At least for getting on the ship. You will get on right after FTTF, Platinum and Diamond cruisers (and suites). You are talking a matter of minutes. If you want your room to be ready when you get on, get FTTF, or else wait til 1:30 like everyone else. If you don't want to wait in GS line, get FTTF. If you have tender ports and are not doing a ship excursion and want to be first off, get FTTF. If you have an early flight and need to be off the ship early and can't manage all your suitcases to carry off early, get FTTF. It has its place, and if these appeal to you, then get it. If not, you are wasting your money.

Be advised your 11:00 time is not your boarding time! It is the time you are scheduled to check in at the terminal. Boarding times cannot be pre-determined due to the many factors that could delay boarding.

I am considering the FTTF for a cruise out of New Orleans. If I purchase this, what time do I get to board the ship? I currently have a 11:00 AM boarding time and it says noon for the FTTF? Can that be accurate? I am considering buying it since I have kids and would rather not wait.

Wow, this particular question comes up a lot!

You have a 11:00 CHECK IN time. FTTF guests can check in "at their leisure," which means any time after the port opens in the morning. Boarding time really depends on when the ship is cleared for boarding by the Coast Guard. Guests board in the following order: weddings, Diamond/Platinum, FTTF, then general boarding by zone.

The noon time that you see associated with FTTF is because it is technically an excursion. Carnival's system requires a time to be associated with all excursions, and for some reason that is what they chose. It doesn't mean anything. It's just a placeholder.

I did purchase the FTTF for my NOLA cruise in August and I'm hoping I'll get to use at least a few of the features. I know on my last cruise we were delayed boarding due to a coast guard check, so my friends (who did not have any status) were literally on the ship 15 mins. after us and even though they were not supposed to, went and dropped off their stuff at their cabin. They also got their luggage before us even though FTTF says we get ours priority. However, I have to say that whole cruise was out of whack, so I'm going to chalk it up to fate and hope this next go round is better (I mean after all MUCH MORE worse things could happen and I'm glad to get little nit picky things rather than anything serious).

I think FTTF depends on what perks matter to you and what you will use, like the poster above stated. I will probably not board until 11:30 or 12 (if things are running normally), but that's not truly what matters to me. I like that I can get there about 10am and literally glide through the lines (if any) and then have plenty of open chairs to sit and chat with other cruisers until we are called to board. I think it takes some of the chaos out of boarding. So, I'm the kind of person who would rather sit and wait that be driven through like cattle. LOL. It fits my personality. Other people would rather show up at 2pm (which I've heard isn't a busy time either) and just walk right on. But by then I'm already 2 drinks and a Guy's burger into my vacation. But that's how they like it.

With the new S&S process on some ships (Not out of NOLA yet, I think) your S&S cards will be in your mailbox when you get to your room. So, those with priority boarding will go to their room and find their keys in envelope outside their door. While those who do not, won't have their keys put outside until 1:30pm. So going forward, if its important to have access to your room right away then that might be a consideration as well.

We purchased FTTF for our New Orleans cruise, mainly to get priority on the tenders for Grand Cayman. Also, it's nice to board and take your carry-on bags directly to your cabin!

I was able to snag a FTTF on our cruise going in October on the Valor and I'm surprised it says the time 12pm - 1pm. To me...that doesn't seem really early at all. Can we get there any earlier than that. I could have sworn on our last cruise in 2014 when we purchased FTTF we were on the ship at about 11:30.

I was able to snag a FTTF on our cruise going in October on the Valor and I'm surprised it says the time 12pm - 1pm. To me...that doesn't seem really early at all. Can we get there any earlier than that. I could have sworn on our last cruise in 2014 when we purchased FTTF we were on the ship at about 11:30.

See below from my previous answer to this question:

Wow, this particular question comes up a lot!

 

You have a 11:00 CHECK IN time. FTTF guests can check in "at their leisure," which means any time after the port opens in the morning. Boarding time really depends on when the ship is cleared for boarding by the Coast Guard. Guests board in the following order: weddings, Diamond/Platinum, FTTF, then general boarding by zone.

 

The noon time that you see associated with FTTF is because it is technically an excursion. Carnival's system requires a time to be associated with all excursions, and for some reason that is what they chose. It doesn't mean anything. It's just a placeholder.

Thank you!

That makes me feel so much better now.

Come on October 16th! Only 133 days away!