FTTF not selling out.

[BlerkOne]

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%

 

Time is money and is accounted for. It doesn't matter if more people are added or not. Any time spent on the program or in servicing customers is a cost.

 

Someone has to enable FTTF to be purchased on carnival.com, someone has to account for the money. Someone has to determine when more FTTF slots open up, purchasing re-enabled, etc.

 

Luggage is still sorted and there is time spent deciding which luggage has priority.

 

 

There is still the separate check-in area that has to have floor space and staff. Someone has to bring the S&S cards to the check-in area.

 

 

There is time spent on FTTF lne at Guest Services and when tendering, someone escorts FTTF down.

 

These are just some examples of time/cost spent on FTTF. $90 is an absolute bargain - almost free!

[Lottacruises]

Additional employees in the boarding area to radio ahead to the ship to ensure cabins are ready .

Lol, no.

Every morning (turnaround day that is) staff is briefed on the number of diamond, platinum, fttf, milestone, weddings, (sailing and non sailing). The steward already know which rooms to have ready at 1130.

 

Also, they begin boarding when they begin boarding, rooms ready or not.

[Organized Chaos]

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."

Technically, they're telling the truth, but there's still a chance one will open up. The way their system is designed, if someone who has FTTF cancels, that FTTF is automatically put back into the system. We had another family cancel on us for our June cruise. We all had FTTF (3 cabins). We booked ES, so we had to cancel our son's cabin (since he was rooming with their three kids) and re-book him into the same cabin. I asked if we can save his FTTF, but our PVP said no, as soon as he cancels that cabin, its FTTF is automatically thrown back into the system. I'm not exactly sure when it went back in. I checked a few times that evening and it wasn't there. I ended up getting it back the next morning.

[jimbo5544]

Time is money and is accounted for. It doesn't matter if more people are added or not. Any time spent on the program or in servicing customers is a cost.

 

Someone has to enable FTTF to be purchased on carnival.com, someone has to account for the money. Someone has to determine when more FTTF slots open up, purchasing re-enabled, etc.

 

Luggage is still sorted and there is time spent deciding which luggage has priority.

 

 

There is still the separate check-in area that has to have floor space and staff. Someone has to bring the S&S cards to the check-in area.

 

 

There is time spent on FTTF lne at Guest Services and when tendering, someone escorts FTTF down.

 

These are just some examples of time/cost spent on FTTF. $90 is an absolute bargain - almost free!

I give up

[Lottacruises]

I give up

 

I understand, lol.

[geckoaz]

So being plat is worth 90 dollars? The cruise lines just do what all airlines and amusement parks do. Fly southwest airlines pay to move to front. Go to disney park pay more bypass lines. The mistake carnival made was first to room. That takes additional personnel. :cool:

[jimbo5544]

So being plat is worth 90 dollars? The cruise lines just do what all airlines and amusement parks do. Fly southwest airlines pay to move to front. Go to disney park pay more bypass lines. The mistake carnival made was first to room. That takes additional personnel. :cool:

How is that?

[JMAE]

Double the original price so now it is let you are paying/person. Don't know if the get is worth $90 now.

[stellarose]

when I did in november it was 70 not 90

[bmwdod02]

They usually open them up later. When I booked that Triumph cruise - I only booked it 8 weeks prior & FTTF was available. However for our current Oct cruise on another ship it says sold out but I usually snag it a few weeks before. Ive heard that sold out isn't truly sold out.

It is based on how many platinum and diamond members are booked, so as it gets closer they have a better idea of how many they can offer.

 

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[geckoaz]

How is that?

For an airline to let passengers board first does not require more personnel, the only inconvenience is those who are pushed back. Likewise letting guest cut in line ahead of others has minimal increase in personnel. However, for a cruise ship to take out of order luggage and rush to prepare cabins first around the ship pulls off key personnel to get them done. There is already a race against the clock to flip the cabins and this is an added complexity. The other fttf benefits do not really cause such planning and execution. So if plat/diamonds and fttf board first and get room and luggage first.. it is more than just a cut in line. Just my thoughts. They should have just made fttf to get on ship first (of course after weddings diamond plats. People hate to wait and will pay just to be first. And that is pure profit for carnival.

[Thorncroft]

FTTF isn't a product.

 

 

It's an excursion, much like the $250 smoking package.

[jimbo5544]

For an airline to let passengers board first does not require more personnel, the only inconvenience is those who are pushed back. Likewise letting guest cut in line ahead of others has minimal increase in personnel. However, for a cruise ship to take out of order luggage and rush to prepare cabins first around the ship pulls off key personnel to get them done. There is already a race against the clock to flip the cabins and this is an added complexity. The other fttf benefits do not really cause such planning and execution. So if plat/diamonds and fttf board first and get room and luggage first.. it is more than just a cut in line. Just my thoughts. They should have just made fttf to get on ship first (of course after weddings diamond plats. People hate to wait and will pay just to be first. And that is pure profit for carnival.

Again, I will reply and move on. Other than label and throwing the bags in a different bin (all bags have to go on the ship) there is no additional effort. Cabins have to be flipped, it is a race each and every week. The difference is the order in which they are done. There are no extra personnel to accomplish this. I don't see any planning. I have talked to several room stewards on this topic. They receive a listing the night before of the FTTF and VIP cabins and those are the ones they first, again no extra effort or cost. The system that produces these has been in place for a long time, again no extra cost. I totally agree on the pure profit.

There has been much rumor (it was my thread that started it, but it went poof) on whether this was planned or just happened. If I was a conspiracy type of guy (I am not) I would say they will continue to raise the price so that the few that buy it (significant increase) is an easier workload for the RS, and only offer it for free for Diamonds.

[jimbo5544]

For an airline to let passengers board first does not require more personnel, the only inconvenience is those who are pushed back. Likewise letting guest cut in line ahead of others has minimal increase in personnel. However, for a cruise ship to take out of order luggage and rush to prepare cabins first around the ship pulls off key personnel to get them done. There is already a race against the clock to flip the cabins and this is an added complexity. The other fttf benefits do not really cause such planning and execution. So if plat/diamonds and fttf board first and get room and luggage first.. it is more than just a cut in line. Just my thoughts. They should have just made fttf to get on ship first (of course after weddings diamond plats. People hate to wait and will pay just to be first. And that is pure profit for carnival.

dup post

[cruziJenn]

As soon as they announced that increase my husband and I decided it's no longer worth it. We like getting to go to our room as soon as we get on the ship, but not $90 worth of like. We can either go to the ship a little later, or lighten the load we bring with us when we get on the ship. We will enjoy our last FTTF cruise this October for sure though.

 

Totally agree. $70 was questionable and so $90 takes it totally out of consideration.

[Organized Chaos]

Again, I will reply and move on. Other than label and throwing the bags in a different bin (all bags have to go on the ship) there is no additional effort. Cabins have to be flipped, it is a race each and every week. The difference is the order in which they are done. There are no extra personnel to accomplish this. I don't see any planning. I have talked to several room stewards on this topic. They receive a listing the night before of the FTTF and VIP cabins and those are the ones they first, again no extra effort or cost. The system that produces these has been in place for a long time, again no extra cost. I totally agree on the pure profit.

Again, I'll reply as well. Providing a service comes with a cost, period. True, Carnival already has the personnel on hand who will prepare the cabins, regardless of what order they prepare them in. That doesn't mean there isn't a cost to providing a priority service and additional perks to a certain number of passengers. To a company, time is money, effort is money, moving personnel around to fill the needs of priority passengers is money. High profit margin, yes. No expense to Carnival equaling pure profit, no.

[ray98]

Again, I'll reply as well. Providing a service comes with a cost, period. True, Carnival already has the personnel on hand who will prepare the cabins, regardless of what order they prepare them in. That doesn't mean there isn't a cost to providing a priority service and additional perks to a certain number of passengers. To a company, time is money, effort is money, moving personnel around to fill the needs of priority passengers is money. High profit margin, yes. No expense to Carnival equaling pure profit, no.

 

 

Correct....as someone who has managed plenty of service based project I can verify there is certainly a cost to things like this. As you said, time is money. The organizational efforts have a cost. Employees working longer on a task has a cost. Even impacting the efficiency of workers by having them prioritize tasks instead of using the most efficient manner has a cost which is exactly what happens with sorting luggage and having stateroom attendants bounce back on forth on cabins.

 

It is likely a profitable programs as is any service based add-on is designed to be, but it does not come without cost.

Edited April 13, 2018 by ray98

[lazydays2004]

Until October 2017, I hadn't cruised in 12 years so I had no clue about FTTF but I figured out quickly as we stood in a VERY long line at check in that it would be a great option to have. We also stood in a long line at the guest services desk (two hours later there was no line). I didn't book it for my upcoming cruise so I hope that we don't encounter the same lines plus I haven't seen where to purchase it if happens to not be sold out.....

[lazydays2004]

Until October 2017, I hadn't cruised in 12 years so I had no clue about FTTF but I figured out quickly as we stood in a VERY long line at check in that it would be a great option to have. We also stood in a long line at the guest services desk (two hours later there was no line). I didn't book it for my upcoming cruise so I hope that we don't encounter the same lines plus I haven't seen where to purchase it if happens to not be sold out.....

 

I found it. My cruise does still have FTTF still available.:)

[cruizinisthebest]

Totally agree. $70 was questionable and so $90 takes it totally out of consideration.

$50 was more than enough but I allowed for one increase, because I figure it would happen. Not paying one penny over $60 for it. And that's a stretch. I've gone without it and gotten onboard before people with it. There isn't a tender port that I'm that anxious to get to ASAP. Guest services lines aren't always long. You don't need to pay a premium to avoid a long line. And I don't bring a bunch of stuff with me onboard. Even if I did, I'm content waiting for my room. I will still buy it, but the price increases are outrageous to me. I see no cost involved. Hell, Carnival won't even make a separate priority logo for platinum diamond folks. Everything priority uses the fttf logo. Lame.

 

Everyone has their personal max on how much they will spend on things. In the end, suit yourself.

[USNUZULOOSE]

Had no idea it was that much. I may need to put my stuff down, but not at that price. I guess I can put mine and hubby's bag on my little scooter.

[shipbound2]

I was diamond when the FTTF program started but if I wasn't I would not pay for that service but I think there will be a point

when guests think the cost is too much.

 

 

 

Gary

[CJHAN]

At $45 i think it was well worth the price but at $90 that's just to high for for what you get.

 

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[Elustriah]

We have bought it for every cruise (50.00) and I do enjoy having my room ready.

 

This time when I went to book and saw 70.00 I was like hmmmm do I need it that bad. We decided yes, but 90.00 will be a different story I'm thinking!

[exarkkun]

We have it for our May Glory cruise this year and though no excursions have dropped for our May Legend cruise next year, we will probably buy it for that. It will be a family trip and we will be totally out of our leauge there. Unless it ever drops to something reasonable though, we won't buy it after the Legend.

 

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