Would you sail without FTTF?

[h_blond2]

We've only sailed with FTTF one time. We did enjoy being able to go straight to our room and drop our luggage off, but I doubt we will ever purchase it again.

[First and Ten]

People book Carnival to save money, then they pay $60.00 to obtain items that are free. :D:D

 

 

I think you nailed it, well said!!!! [emoji106]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Edited June 27, 2016 by First and Ten

[Raxter54]

We buy it if available, but it's not a necessity for cruising.

[RHilla619]

Did not buy it on my first 2 Carnival cruises, but I did buy it for my upcoming cruise in August. When I went last August out of NYC the check in line was HORRENDOUS, legitimately took 2 hours from the time we arrived to the time we got onboard. So if $60 lets me cut that line and not start my vacation stressed out and in a bad mode (lines/traffic are my hell), it's well worth it.

[Foxinspace]

Been on 3 cruises and we've never had it. As far as I can tell it isn't a good value. Don't mind the lines for check-in. Never had a problem leaving the ship fast enough. The few times we've gone to guest services we've never had to wait (well I lie we went once, saw the line and decided to come back later). Never had a problem with our room being ready. We fly in a day early and we like to sleep late. We usually check out with minutes to spare from our hotel. Hop the shuttle go to the port, get through the line, get on board, buy our bubbles and guess what it's darn near 1:30 anyways! We drop our carry-ons and go get food.

 

Value for $, it's not for us.

[cruizinisthebest]

I would and have. It's not essential for us. I think them raising the price $10 to offer nothing additional for services that cost Carnival nothing to begin with is whack. Yet smart business for Carnival since they, I'm sure, have seen and heard people say many times how it's worth every penny. I bet it would sell just as fast for $100 per cabin or $50/60 per person. But not over here. We're already down to buying it just for one cabin even though we book two rooms. And for one sailing next year we aren't getting it at all. I certainly don't NEED it to enjoy my cruise.

 

The room stewards and porters are the only ones working harder and I guarantee their pay hasn't gone up. Whoever came up wit the idea truly deserves employee of the decade.

Edited June 27, 2016 by cruizinisthebest

[loxley]

For me, its 59.95 wasted so I wont be buying it. Being mobility impaired, I was already on the ship pretty fast. Also being mobility impaired got me off the ship in a timely manner too. It is not important to me to have my cabin ready when I board the ship and I just dont need a special line at Guest Services as Im hardly ever there and the couple times I did visit GS, there was no line. I know there are a few other benefits included with FTTF but none of them important enough to me to spend the money. Thats about six drinks or almost the whole fee for two at the steakhouse.

 

No thank you to FTTF.

The beautiful thing about it is no body forces you to buy it, but I if you want it, it is available.

[cruizinisthebest]

The only reason I could be enticed to do so is if I had a time sensitive non Carnival excursion in a tender port. (Follow that logic?!)

 

I can wait an extra hour before I get in my cabin that I will inhabit for the duration of my cruise. And the wait in line feature, ehh...I've had so few needs to stand in line in over 20 cruises...if I need to, I find an off hour to get my business done.

 

FTTF a need and a fixation to check daily...no thanks, I can find better ways to donate money to Carnival!

 

Those booked on Carnival excursions at tender ports get first dibs on tenders, so no need to buy it just for that.

[DnD_Cruisin]

I think you nailed it, well said!!!! [emoji106]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Respectfully I am confused by your position on this topic. You and I seem to be on the same page on a myriad of other topics on CC.

 

If I have read your position correctly you are against FTTF solely because in your opinion it costs Carnival nothing to provide this service.

 

I would imagine there are some logistical costs, probably minimal, but in truth that's irrelevant.

 

To me "time" is a valuable commodity. If I am able to save just 45 minutes waiting in a line over the course of a cruise it has paid for itself. I base that statement on the only quantifiable time/cost measurement I have, which is my salary.

 

So if I win and Carnival wins ... where is the issue?

[Heather1972]

Of course I'd sail without it. I bought it for the first time for our Dream cruise as I wanted my son and husband to be able to get off the ship first in Belize. I was disappointed we couldn't get to our room once we got on the ship. The doors were locked. Any Carnival staff standing around couldn't/wouldn't help. They just told us to go stand in line at guest services. :(

[mbet]

We buy it because DH is unable to stand in line for long or deal with the very real danger of falling over people's stuff. Before FTTF we purchased suites to solve the problem. So $60 is much less expensive than a suite, and we will always purchase FTTF if possible. If not, we will board late so all the people who carry on tons of items will be gone. We aren't concerned about early luggage delivery or being first to the food. But FTTF is very helpful for us.

[HectorAchilleus]

We buy it because DH is unable to stand in line for long or deal with the very real danger of falling over people's stuff. Before FTTF we purchased suites to solve the problem. So $60 is much less expensive than a suite, and we will always purchase FTTF if possible. If not, we will board late so all the people who carry on tons of items will be gone. We aren't concerned about early luggage delivery or being first to the food. But FTTF is very helpful for us.

 

Good point. I have always felt that people who have physical challenges should be given first priority at purchasing FTTF, but I am not sure how they would actually do that.

[ourcruiseyears]

We buy it because DH is unable to stand in line for long or deal with the very real danger of falling over people's stuff. Before FTTF we purchased suites to solve the problem. So $60 is much less expensive than a suite, and we will always purchase FTTF if possible. If not, we will board late so all the people who carry on tons of items will be gone. We aren't concerned about early luggage delivery or being first to the food. But FTTF is very helpful for us.

 

This is exactly our reason as well. I wasn't sure how to put it but your "$60 is much less expensive than a suite" said it perfectly!

[cruizinisthebest]

Good point. I have always felt that people who have physical challenges should be given first priority at purchasing FTTF, but I am not sure how they would actually do that.

 

I see nothing wrong with that in theory, but in practice it wouldn't work because too many people would take advantage of the privilege.

[First and Ten]

Respectfully I am confused by your position on this topic. You and I seem to be on the same page on a myriad of other topics on CC.

 

If I have read your position correctly you are against FTTF solely because in your opinion it costs Carnival nothing to provide this service.

 

I would imagine there are some logistical costs, probably minimal, but in truth that's irrelevant.

 

To me "time" is a valuable commodity. If I am able to save just 45 minutes waiting in a line over the course of a cruise it has paid for itself. I base that statement on the only quantifiable time/cost measurement I have, which is my salary.

 

So if I win and Carnival wins ... where is the issue?

 

I am not "against" it for you....if you think it is worth it, who am I to say its not worth it....I thought the poster summed it up in a humorous manner, thus my "thumbs up". I shared my experience concerning FTTF out of my last cruise on the Elation in May....we were walking up to the terminal, chatting with another couple who had FTTF. They were curious if it was worth it, as was I. We literally walked into the terminal at the same time. they had a much shorter line for the screening, so right away they were way up ahead of us....we ended up seeing them on the Lido deck, and we compared times....they got on 10 mins before we did....My room was ready and there was no FTTF line for the tender to HMC....so in theory, FTTF saved them 10 mins....its all about perception. For this one instance, if the 10 mins saved time is worth $60, more power to you. So by you saying I am "against" it is not correct....I am "against" chair hogs and shorts in the MDR....I am not against anyone spending $60 if they think it is worth it to them

Edited June 27, 2016 by First and Ten

[DnD_Cruisin]

I am not "against" it for you....if you think it is worth it, who am I to say its not worth it....I thought the poster summed it up in a humorous manner, thus my "thumbs up". I shared my experience concerning FTTF out of my last cruise on the Elation in May....we were walking up to the terminal, chatting with another couple who had FTTF. They were curious if it was worth it, as was I. We literally walked into the terminal at the same time. they had a much shorter line for the screening, so right away they were way up ahead of us....we ended up seeing them on the Lido deck, and we compared times....they got on 10 mins before we did....My room was ready and there was no FTTF line for the tender to HMC....so in theory, FTTF saved them 10 mins....its all about perception. For this one instance, if the 10 mins saved time is worth $60, more power to you. So by you saying I am "against" it is not correct....I am "against" chair hogs and shorts in the MDR....I am not against anyone spending $60 if they think it is worth it to them

 

I did misconstrue your earlier comments ... thanks for the clarification 😀

 

Hopefully we can agree to disagree on the shorts in the MDR. 😎

[maldenmusic]

10 cruises, 1 with FTTF and for us, it was NOT worth it.

[First and Ten]

I did misconstrue your earlier comments ... thanks for the clarification

 

Hopefully we can agree to disagree on the shorts in the MDR.

 

of course we can disagree, that's what makes the world go around....there is another poster who jumps all ugly with me because my PREFERENCE is no shorts in the MDR.....he goes off "Well maybe you should cruise another line then!!!!" I laugh, its not a deal breaker. Would I be in favor of a rule of no shorts in the MDR, sure....do I "hate" it, no....its an opinion, a preference. But that's just me and my opinion. There are some very nice dress shorts on the market that would be more than appropriate for the MDR (my opinion). Here is the rub however. When you say "shorts" you get people showing up in basketball shorts and tanks. so that rule is stretched. Now, I realize I am in the minority about shorts, but it is my opinion. Carnival differs with my opinion and they make the rules. That's fine

Edited June 27, 2016 by First and Ten

[Staceelvls]

If you think it's worth then go for it. But getting to my room, tender, or guest services earlier is not that big of a deal to me. We just go with the flow.

Edited June 27, 2016 by Staceelvls

[HectorAchilleus]

If you think it's worth then go for it. But getting to my room, tender, or guest services earlier is not that big of a deal to me. We just go with the flow.

 

I have to say that I consider the Guest Services perk to be highly overrated. On my last two cruises there were a considerable number of people that were either Plats or FTTF and the line was five or six people during peak times. The other line probably had three times as many people, but there was only one person doing priority and three doing the regulars. Not really much of an advantage.

[riclop]

We have better things to do with $60.

[Badfinger]

I have heard many people sing praises to FTTF, even saying that they will not cruise without it. Really? Is this just rhetoric, or are they really serious?

 

Knowing a little bit about economics and the law of supply and demand, at what point would FTTF be too much to pay. When they raised the price from $50.00 to $60.00, it did nothing to affect demand. What if they raised it to $80.00 or $100.00/ Would you still buy it?

 

I purchased it when it first came out, and I am now a Plat, so I know the value of the perks it offers, but I was just curious as to the market value of the program.

 

I would never purchases FTTF.

 

1. We like to arrive at the port late, say 1pm or so. Why? Because we have a 4 hour drive and there is no way I am going to get up early on my vacation. We are packed and ready to roll, so even if I sleep in until 8am, no biggie. And that still leaves plenty of time if we have a flat tire, etc. We might carry 2 backpacks on the ship, so early room access is not a concern.

 

2. We book our excursions through Carnival for peace of mind. And at tender ports, they have you gather in the theatre and take you to the tender. No FTTF needed there.

 

3. We stay in a spa cabin...deck 11 or 12. For self disembark, they are the first zones called. Plus no plane to catch. No need for FTTF.

 

4. GS - We only know of one reason that we will go to GS...to get keys for both cabins. Yeah we can handle a short wait once.

 

5. Note I said two cabins. So that would be $120. I see no value. Waste of money.

[Tripper10]

FTTF is stupid

[HectorAchilleus]

FTTF is stupid

 

Hard to argue with logic like that.

[cdamion]

People book Carnival to save money, then they pay $60.00 to obtain items that are free. :D:D

 

Not always. I am on Carnival in September instead of Royal because I really like Breeze - specifically the lanai on sea days. It is the first time I have ever picked Carnival because of a ship. IF FTTF becomes available I will be booking it in a heartbeat, but I am certainly not skipping out on the cruise because it isnt available (yet).