FTTF not selling out.

[sammee]

Well I swore this would be my last FTTF purchase with having one CPAP and a carryon, We graduated to 2 CPAPs, uggh, they may just have us.

[Gamecock_Cruiser]

I'm not sure that this statement is accurate. I was able to get ours about a week before our 7 day cruise when it was still $49.95

[ray98]

They always come out ahead. The product is a free product, and so any and all money collected is pure profit.

 

 

FTTF isn't a product.

[Taytravels]

I can guarantee there were 300 sold on the Triumph 3/22 sailing. We sat & counted all the chairs roped off in that section reserved only for FTTF. Many employees made us make sure our bags were directly in front of us & nobody allowed to put on seat next to you etc. They kept emphasizing they had to reserve that many chairs in that section because they had 300 FTTF this time.

[Taytravels]

Also it was the largest amount I've seen but our last trip had at least 100-150 in FTTF. The trip before that had 80.

[Taytravels]

some one is pulling your leg.

 

there is no way that 300 cabins were sold for FTTF because it would defeat the purpose of standing inline

 

We didn't stand in line. Which is why we buy FTTF.

[tree.critter]

I can guarantee there were 300 sold on the Triumph 3/22 sailing. We sat & counted all the chairs roped off in that section reserved only for FTTF. Many employees made us make sure our bags were directly in front of us & nobody allowed to put on seat next to you etc. They kept emphasizing they had to reserve that many chairs in that section because they had 300 FTTF this time.

 

If there was 300 people that doesn't mean they sold that many. FTTF is sold one per cabin and occupancy can be up to 4 people in some cabins. Maybe somewhere between 100-150 max would be my guess. I haven't seen that many yet myself.

[Taytravels]

You are correct. The employees told me " 300 FTTF sold " so I shouldn't have stated people but cabins. 300 cabins.

[jonboy9756]

I can guarantee there were 300 sold on the Triumph 3/22 sailing. We sat & counted all the chairs roped off in that section reserved only for FTTF. Many employees made us make sure our bags were directly in front of us & nobody allowed to put on seat next to you etc. They kept emphasizing they had to reserve that many chairs in that section because they had 300 FTTF this time.

 

So how many chairs did you count? If they sold 300 FTTF cabins that would be at least 600-800 persons. That would mean 25% of the people on the Triumph had FTTF. Sorry but i doubt that. If it was 300 people/chairs that would make more sense.

[Pellaz]

They always come out ahead. The product is a free product, and so any and all money collected is pure profit.

 

Not hardly. There are additional costs to the cruise line for providing the extra services. Additional employees in the boarding area to radio ahead to the ship to ensure cabins are ready, additional employees to handle priority tender embark, etc. There are also some additional infrastructure costs with website programming.

 

You are correct. The employees told me " 300 FTTF sold " so I shouldn't have stated people but cabins. 300 cabins.

 

Nope, 300 people. They doubtless quoted you the total number of people expected and associated with the FTTF bookings. At double occupancy that would be 150 FTTF slots; with some cabins holding 3 or 4 people the number is probably closer to 100-120. Still a lot, but it means that there were not too many Ds and Ps on that sailing.

[Drazil65]

$90 is a lot of money for what you get so I'm thinking they might have pushed it a little too far. I won't do it again at that price.

 

Still good for us and if people will not pay that price...great!!!! More than ample opportunity for me to get it sooner until we are platinum (close). Have purchased it for last 8 trips, had it last week on the Magic, boarded at 11:06, in cabin at 11:17 putting carry ons away and eating at Tandoor at 11:26 (they opened a little early for us!). Very few people eating at that time, could get Guys, Mongolian or whatever, no problem.

 

By time the masses boarded and were tripping over their carryons, we were finished and our luggage was at our cabin door. Put everything away in cabin and enjoyed the balcony and a glass of wine, we have been on Magic a couple of times so were already familiar with ship.

 

We consider FTTF an excursion, a cheap excursion so it is all good for us. :D

[serene56]

We didn't stand in line. Which is why we buy FTTF.

 

 

with 300 cabins for FTTF you would be standing in line.

 

(just because there were 300 chairs doesnt mean they all were for FTTF people. Those chairs stay there week after week. In case of an emergency when the ship did not dock on time they would need a place for people to sit. ()is FTTF waiting area the same place as plat and diamonds?

what about HC people? Wedding guests?

[pittsburghcruise23]

Now that they have the times slots for your check in it has never taken me more than 1/2 hour to get on the ship what is the point of FTTF? Waste of Money

[jimbo5544]

FTTF is not a product, it's a service. And services cost companies money to provide just as products cost to produce. While FTTF comes with minimal expense to Carnival and has a high profit margin, it is not free to them nor is it "pure" profit.

While I do not like to agree with my friend on any Carnival post, I cannot think of any cost for FTTF (I have said in the past, whoever thought of it should have gotten a raise). Have they hired more help to get the room ready? no Have they increased shore side staff? no (just the opposite actually) Does someone have to manage the program and allotment of slots? no Where is the increased cost?

[Retired_to_Cruise]

At the end of January, 2018, we were waiting in the Diamond area to board ship. When they called boarding we got up and were the first in line to go. Believe it or not, we had 2 different couples push their way in front of us to try to get on the ship first. The first one pushed one of the line entry poles out of her way so she and her husband could squeeze between it and us to get ahead if us. Needless to say I commented on how rude some people can be. Her response was "We're Diamond and we board first". I not so calmly explained that we were Diamond as well but she waved us off and ran for the ship. When we were about to go up the last ramp to the ship, another woman squeezed past us to get in front. Another comment from me regarding rudeness and another wave off of "We're Diamond". I cannot write here what I said to her!

[Organized Chaos]

While I do not like to agree with my friend on any Carnival post, I cannot think of any cost for FTTF (I have said in the past, whoever thought of it should have gotten a raise). Have they hired more help to get the room ready? no Have they increased shore side staff? no (just the opposite actually) Does someone have to manage the program and allotment of slots? no Where is the increased cost?

Any time they have to reallocate their resources, even if it's just temporarily, to provide a service, there's a cost to the company. As someone else pointed out, even the IT involved with the website is an expense. Without FTTF, they wouldn't need anyone to do any of the website work for it. There's always a cost. But as I said, with FTTF that cost is minimal, so it does have a very high profit margin. No doubt about it. Too many people try to portray it as some big scheme by Carnival to cheat people out of their money. If they truly believe that, those people have very little understanding of the most basics of business.

 

FTTF gets picked on a lot, but many who put it down then go on to, for example, tout the Cheers package. If you ask me, Cheers is a service that costs Carnival less to provide than FTTF, but none of these same people attack it or the passengers who purchase it. Carnival profits heavily from Cheers. I've seen countless people who admit they don't drink a lot, but purchase it for the convenience. In all of those cases, Carnival gets to keep more of its alcohol products, but still gets the same amount of money from those Cheers customers. Even if someone drinks what they consider to be the equivalent of the cost of their Cheers package, Carnival still profits thanks to the heavy mark-up. Where are these same people who bloviate over FTTF when it comes to some of the other services Carnival provides?

Edited April 12, 2018 by Organized Chaos

[BlerkOne]

While I do not like to agree with my friend on any Carnival post, I cannot think of any cost for FTTF (I have said in the past, whoever thought of it should have gotten a raise). Have they hired more help to get the room ready? no Have they increased shore side staff? no (just the opposite actually) Does someone have to manage the program and allotment of slots? no Where is the increased cost?

 

Of course there are costs - certainly administrative and IT overhead. Usually a separate check in area at embarkation. Housekeeping needs to prepare the lists or rooms to be cleaned first. Luggage needs to be sorted and delivered. Early cabin availability and priority luggage didn't exist until FTTF.

[AmberTeka]

Not the issue. For most of us (and I don't buy FTTF because I am Platinum, but I would if I wasn't), it is lugging the suitcases around with you.

 

We pack exclusively in carry on luggage only (airline size), two suitcases, two shoulder bags. It is a pain to have to manhandle that around while you are eating etc. Did that quite a few years before the early access to room started? It is nice to be able to drop our bags and then be able to eat and start relaxing.

 

And before a lecture ensues about we could check our bags.... we prefer not to take the chance of lost/wet/damaged luggage - which happens at least 30% of the time we have cruised (that infamous letter in your room "Have you seen this suitcase" - and happened to my mother.

 

 

 

Some people have physical issues and need, or feel more confident, if their grown children board when they do, or close to it.. I buy it for my daughter and her family. I am most thankful they have the program.

[bury me at sea]

Some people have physical issues and need, or feel more confident, if their grown children board when they do, or close to it.. I buy it for my daughter and her family. I am most thankful they have the program.

 

As am I. I would never try to convince anyone else to buy it, or Cheers, or spa services, etc. etc. etc.

 

The more people who disparage it, the easier it is for me to buy it on my cruises.

 

Happy sailing.

[texast518]

Platinum and Diamond not happy, RAISE the price.

[jimbo5544]

Of course there are costs - certainly administrative and IT overhead. Usually a separate check in area at embarkation. Housekeeping needs to prepare the lists or rooms to be cleaned first. Luggage needs to be sorted and delivered. Early cabin availability and priority luggage didn't exist until FTTF.

It is a minor point and won't degrade the thread any more other than to respond to your reply. Once enabled (the program) there is no additional admin cost, the program runs, same for IT, not a human hand to view watch and or make changes..... Baggage handlers add a priority tag (or tape) bags still get delivered (either priority or not, they get delivered once). You are correct early cabin availability was not available before this program, but so what? Are there extra porters? no Are they working additional hours? no Are they delivering more bags? no By far the most profit-centric addition since we started cruising in 96, at the very least over 90%

[jimbo5544]

Platinum and Diamond not happy, RAISE the price.

The price will keep raising until the demand levels off, trust me the reason will not be to appease diamonds or plats.

[stellarose]

wow. i booked it for my june 2018 cruise last november (2017). i just assumed it would not sell out. looked at it today for the first time- SOLD OUT.

 

wow.

[Homosassa]

Well I certainly appreciate you sharing your experience. I'm not a complete newbie but I've never sailed out of Tampa so I don't know how many terminals or other cruise ships may be in town Saturday. I will definitely be checking with the porter to make sure we are all going to the same place. Had I not read this it might never have occurred to me to ask.

 

The terminals in Tampa are widely separate with different roads into each terminal.

 

There is no way a porter will just take your luggage and bring it into the wrong terminal. First of all, one would have to either be dropped at the wrong terminal (and the entrance roads for the terminal are clearly labeled and you can easily see the ship at that terminal) or one would have to walk from parking to the wrong terminal. Second the porters are only at the drop points right outside the terminal and only take luggage for that terminal.

 

As long as you are at the correct terminal, your luggage will be on the correct ship.

[MBP1]

Just booked a cruise on the Vista for July 2018, it will be our first cruise on Carnival. We had no idea FTF existed, but it is already sold out, the response I got below is from Carnival after I inquired if more spots would open up. I keep checking a few times a day, but no luck so far. Boarding early, having the room ready and priority to tenders were things we thought were worth a little extra money, especially after having to wait hours for our cabin to ready on a previous NCL cruise.

 

"Unfortunately, due to its popularity, and as required by its very nature- FttF is kept very limited, and is at its absolute final capacity in total for this voyage… typically sold out is sold out. But if you wish to keep checking online that is absolutely your prerogative. Please know they have shut down the fttfinfo email/waitlist due to hundreds of requests for each sailing was deemed giving false hope."