Faster to the fun - worth it? or not so much?

[Badfinger]

We are sailing on our cruise on October 1st on the Valor out of Galveston. Our check in time is noon. I was looking at the FTTF and it shows check in time noon - 1pm as well. Is FTTF worth the 80.00? Is there really that much of a difference?

 

On our recent Breeze cruise, we did not buy FTTF. I never considered it.

 

We arrived at parking about 12:00. We were seated in the Italian restaurant by 12:30, only having to deal with one small suitcase loaded with soda's.

 

Our tender port we booked a non-carnival excursion. We left our cabin at 8:00 were onshore by 0830.

 

Debarkation they called our deck 10 for self assist at 7:40. We were driving in our vehicle by 0800.

 

I went to GS twice. The first time I waited 3 minutes. The second time 16 minutes. Both time there was one person waiting in the priority line.

 

Our luggage was outside our door after muster, so no big deal there.

 

So the only benefit for us would have been saving about 12-15 minutes at quest services and the ability to take one small suitcase to our cabin on deck 10 directly instead of taking it to the Italian restaurant and than back to our cabin. We had two cabins..so $160 for that benefit...um..no thanks.

[riclop]

We are sailing on our cruise on October 1st on the Valor out of Galveston. Our check in time is noon. I was looking at the FTTF and it shows check in time noon - 1pm as well. Is FTTF worth the 80.00? Is there really that much of a difference?

A waste of $$$.

[bobandsherry]

I'd say only you can answer that question for yourself. Responses you'll get will be yes and no.

 

Those who don't mind spending the money will say yes. Those who have someone else pay will say yes.

 

Those who don't want to spend the money will say no. Those who are platinum or diamond will say no. Those who plan to arrive late at a port will say no.

 

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So after all the responses, basically what i said. Lol

 

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[DramaQueen22]

I have done most of my cruises without it. Last cruise we drove to the port. The ship was late getting in, delaying everyone getting onboard anyway. No big deal there.

 

I have already purchased for our upcoming Horizon cruise. We'll be staying in Miami the night before, and FTTF will allow us to pretty much check out of our hotel and walk on board with our luggage. That is worth it to me rather than having to kill time somewhere until our arrival appointment. Grand Cayman is a tender port, so I suspect it may be handy there too.

[PhillyFan33579]

I can actually do this without FTTF. I walk right to my room and put the bag in there. I have no interest in being the first person on the ship.

 

However, I think FTTF adds value for those who want the early access to their room. Whether you are driving in and want to be done with the whole process, or just want more time on the boat. I can see the interest there. Priority tendering can also be a good thing.

 

For me, I don't really care for it. Bought it once, and quickly realized how I wouldn't use any of it

 

You can't do this anymore at ports that provide S&S cards at the rooms. Unless you have some kind of priority, your cards will not be put in your mailbox until 1:30 PM.

 

I have never understood why so many people state they like FTTF because they can drop luggage off in the room right away. Maybe I am missing something, but we have always dropped off luggage with porters when cruising with Carnival. I always carry on a small bag with important stuff like medications, electronic devices like a Kindle, etc. I can easily carry this around the ship all day if needed. However, the first thing we do every cruise is head right to the atrium bar and usually spend 1-2 hours there. By that time our room was available in our pre-platinum days.

 

But from a business perspective, you have to respect Carnival for providing a "service" that is free for passengers and getting them to pay up to $100 for it depending on the length of the cruise.

[teknoge3k]

I have never understood why so many people state they like FTTF because they can drop luggage off in the room right away. Maybe I am missing something, but we have always dropped off luggage with porters when cruising with Carnival.

 

For us, it's nice to drop the 48 sodas off in the cabin. You can't leave your sodas with the porters.

[bobandsherry]

For us, it's nice to drop the 48 sodas off in the cabin. You can't leave your sodas with the porters.

So you pay for FTTF so you can drop off 48 sodas. For 2 people in the cabin that's $200, so you are paying $4.16/can plus the cost you paid for the soda, and a lot more hassle to drag that with you. You can have soda delivered to your cabin for half that, or pay for the Bubbles program.

 

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[JaxsMama]

So you pay for FTTF so you can drop off 48 sodas. For 2 people in the cabin that's $200, so you are paying $4.16/can plus the cost you paid for the soda, and a lot more hassle to drag that with you. You can have soda delivered to your cabin for half that, or pay for the Bubbles program.

 

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Fttf is per cabin, not per person. Don't know where you got $200 from.

 

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[teknoge3k]

So you pay for FTTF so you can drop off 48 sodas. For 2 people in the cabin that's $200, so you are paying $4.16/can plus the cost you paid for the soda, and a lot more hassle to drag that with you. You can have soda delivered to your cabin for half that, or pay for the Bubbles program.

 

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FTTF is per cabin, not per person. Plus there are other perks we love besides the ability to drop our soda off. That was just an example of not being able to drop certain things with porters. As far as Bottomless Bubbles or ordering soda to our cabin, Carnival only has Coke products, we like Pepsi. There's no Dr. Pepper or other Pepsi products on the ship. With Bottomless Bubbles you get a warm can poured over ice. No thanks, I would rather drink out of a cold can with no ice. Not to mention it's half the cost to take your own soda on vs buying on the ship.

[bobandsherry]

FTTF is per cabin, not per person. Plus there are other perks we love besides the ability to drop our soda off. That was just an example of not being able to drop certain things with porters. As far as Bottomless Bubbles or ordering soda to our cabin, Carnival only has Coke products, we like Pepsi. There's no Dr. Pepper or other Pepsi products on the ship. With Bottomless Bubbles you get a warm can poured over ice. No thanks, I would rather drink out of a cold can with no ice. Not to mention it's half the cost to take your own soda on vs buying on the ship.

Guess you see I don't pay for FTTF, [emoji3]. But if it makes you happy to get the chance to drop off soda then it's all good, the perks then are a plus.

 

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[teknoge3k]

Guess you see I don't pay for FTTF, [emoji3]. But if it makes you happy to get the chance to drop off soda then it's all good, the perks then are a plus.

 

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That's just one of the perks we enjoy. We also enjoy getting on earlier so we can get our vacation started sooner. I enjoy the priority line at guest services because the last night of the cruise I go to GS to pay off my onboard balance with gift cards. The last 2 sailings I have been on, the GS line was backed up into the theater on 2 different ships. Finally we enjoy the priority tendering because we want to get off of the ship ASAP to begin our excursions. We don't do excursions through Carnival so the quicker we get off, the quicker we can get up with our driver and begin our day.

[Baylormonica]

Yes! Definitely worth it! We arrived for our scheduled time, and the line was about 100 people long. Lots of frustrated adults and children in the 90 degree heat of Miami in February. We jumped right to the front of the line, were through in about 20 minutes, and had a mojito in hand in about 45 minutes from our arrival total. I'm currently stalking it for our next cruise, but it still says "sold out".

[AmberTeka]

My grand child started cruising with us when she was 3 years old. I bought FTTF four years in a row. To me...they are worth their weight in gold. She is on board quickly, her dad takes her swimming, and her favorite vacation is on "The Big Ship" This time, two cousins and their parents will be sailing with us. One child, who has a sweet disposition most of the time, but suffers from autism, ( mild) does not do well in long lines. we are long time Platinum, so the only people in line will be the other Granny and Papa.

When we sailed by ourselves, we just got there about 2 in the afternoon. Boarded every time right away, except one time we got caught up in a bridal group People kept hustling us here and there and we kept trying to tell the people we were not with them. NO. We did not want photos. They were nice, and it turned out to be funny.

[CupKayke]

Hi

 

 

If you arrive before your scheduled time, you may not be allowed into the terminal building at all.

 

This is new to us.... is this the case in Miami? (Carnival Victory, 4-day)

[Badfinger]

You can't do this anymore at ports that provide S&S cards at the rooms. Unless you have some kind of priority, your cards will not be put in your mailbox until 1:30 PM.

 

I have never understood why so many people state they like FTTF because they can drop luggage off in the room right away. Maybe I am missing something, but we have always dropped off luggage with porters when cruising with Carnival. I always carry on a small bag with important stuff like medications, electronic devices like a Kindle, etc. I can easily carry this around the ship all day if needed. However, the first thing we do every cruise is head right to the atrium bar and usually spend 1-2 hours there. By that time our room was available in our pre-platinum days.

 

But from a business perspective, you have to respect Carnival for providing a "service" that is free for passengers and getting them to pay up to $100 for it depending on the length of the cruise.

 

They did not come up with this idea...Six Flags, etc have had flash passes that put you to the front of the line for at least a decade. Costs the park basically nothing.

[mkdreams]

Not so much.

[theboatahoy]

Price keeps going up and up with nothing new added. Certainly not worth it and makes me glad the wife is platinum and I will be next year.

 

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[PhillyFan33579]

They did not come up with this idea...Six Flags, etc have had flash passes that put you to the front of the line for at least a decade. Costs the park basically nothing.

 

This is a very poor comparison. The pass systems at parks like Six Flags, Disney, Universal, etc. have cost these companies millions of dollars to implement. And unlike FTTF, these systems definitely provide a huge benefit to the customer.

 

At the current prices I think FTTF is a waste of money. But I know a lot of people feel differently based on what I read online on sites like this one and that I notice FTTF is frequently sold out on cruises I go on. Based on that, I think it is only a matter of time before Carnival raises the price again. A product is definitely not priced right if it consistently sells out months before the cruise starts.

[Cheezus]

And unlike FTTF, these systems definitely provide a huge benefit to the customer.

 

Lol, really? So front of the line at Six Flags "huge benefit" - front of the line on cruise ship and cabin access hours ahead, "waste of money"....

[PhillyFan33579]

Lol, really? So front of the line at Six Flags "huge benefit" - front of the line on cruise ship and cabin access hours ahead, "waste of money"....

 

FTTF does not get you to the front of the line when boarding the ship. You are still behind wedding parties, Diamonds, Platinums, and Suite guests. And I don't understand the fascination with getting to your room early. Maybe I cruise the wrong way, but I don't spend too much time in my cabin during a cruise. I never go to my cabin right away when I board the ship, even though that is a benefit of being platinum. But I understand people feel differently than I do about FTTF. I don't think I am right and they are wrong, or vice versa, it's just a difference of opinion on the value/cost of the product.

 

As for the Six Flags comparison, buying their fast pass allowed me to ride every roller coaster at least 4 times last Summer in under 4 hours at Great Adventure. Without the pass I would have been lucky to ride every roller coaster once, and that would have required spending 10-12 hours in the park.

[lcat02143]

I used FTTF recently and found it worth the money. I do believe that it is a benefit with different value to different people. In my case I am not platinum nor am I close, I cruise with my mother who is 78 and has mobility and health issues.

 

The day of travel at both the beginning and end of the cruise is very stressful for her. She does not handle confusion well. She also refuses to use wheelchair assist in getting on/off the ship. We used FTTF for our recent Sunshine cruise and it helped immensely. Being able to get on the ship early and have access to the room allowed her some time to decompress. and stow away the carry-ons, We were able to grab a table for lunch and after eating retreat to the room and wait for the luggage to unpack.

 

We had some issues with our room which I was able to address in a much shorter guest services line.

 

We had one of the easiest debarkations I have ever experienced. We ate breakfast. From breakfast to our shuttle to the airport was 25 minutes. ( we did not do self debarkation and we were not in any particular rush.)

 

If the cost of FTTF ensures my mother has a better cruise experience, I would pay double the current prices.

[Cheezus]

FTTF does not get you to the front of the line when boarding the ship. You are still behind wedding parties, Diamonds, Platinums, and Suite guests. And I don't understand the fascination with getting to your room early. Maybe I cruise the wrong way, but I don't spend too much time in my cabin during a cruise. I never go to my cabin right away when I board the ship, even though that is a benefit of being platinum. But I understand people feel differently than I do about FTTF. I don't think I am right and they are wrong, or vice versa, it's just a difference of opinion on the value/cost of the product.

 

As for the Six Flags comparison, buying their fast pass allowed me to ride every roller coaster at least 4 times last Summer in under 4 hours at Great Adventure. Without the pass I would have been lucky to ride every roller coaster once, and that would have required spending 10-12 hours in the park.

 

There is no right or wrong when it comes to opinion. Six Flags offers a lot more than rides. Kind of like saying fast pass is a waste of money if you don't ride the rides. Maybe it comes off as something so obvious it doesn't need to be said? Anyone asking if FTTF is worth it, is because they would "ride the rides" and use the benefits, right?

 

For us, we do self-disembark. So I don't mind self-embark all the same. We brought our 2 bags with us, walked on when FTTF was called and unpacked immediately. After unpacking, checking out our room, etc... we headed up to Lido for lunch and were still there prior to crowds. We didn't have to periodically check hallways hoping our luggage arrived or wasn't lost. We were ahead of the crowds at Lido and fully unpacked and ready for our vacation.

 

A bartender mixed up my ship card on the first day. I went over to guest services, skipped a line with at least 20 people in it, and got a new ship card..

 

When disembarking, they let us just walk right off without sending us to the lounge to join a group as well.

 

Carnival also has strict boarding times. So if you get a later boarding time, FTTF could save you hours just on boarding alone.

 

If you are Platinum, of course there is no value in FTTF. But getting the priority treatment for a pretty small fee is worth it to a lot of people, especially if you use it as intended.

[Havingfun2010]

They did not come up with this idea...Six Flags, etc have had flash passes that put you to the front of the line for at least a decade. Costs the park basically nothing.

 

Big difference between a park, and the ship. The park you are there one day, with really long lines all day. With the ship, you really don't need to wait in a long line all day.

 

The one amazing thing I find is the number of people, who get this marketing gimmick, to get on the ship fast, to drop luggage in the room, and throw in they have 48 sodas in a bag to "save money". Yet, I have been cruising for well over 25 years. I get to the port. I give my bag to a porter. I get on the ship. I have a back pack. Go get lunch, sit for little bit at a bar, and go to my room. Usually have my bags before muster drill. Simple to unpack anytime. Never use guest services. Get a soda package. I do all this free of any stress and money (except buying the soda package).

 

Almost forgot. Bring soda on, pay FTTF so not to lug it, and than tip extra for ice. That's a very expensive soda.

[Lottacruises]

Not so much

[cheermomof2girls]

We always get it if we can, and will continue to. Especially when we cruise with our kids, it's just a little less waiting, which for us, equals a little more fun. We cruise for sea days, not really ports, so we dont spend much on excursions- spending the little extra on FTTF is worth it to us. But each traveler/family is different.

 

We go to the port the day before and stay overnight. I like being able to check out and go straight to the port without having to wait around and kill time, I like being able to get on the boat a little sooner and I like being able to access our rooms to drop off our carry on.

 

Would I cruise without it? ABSOLUTELY. The perks are very nice and worth it, but they dont make or break my cruise. But for us, it's worth it at the current price. If it gets any higher, I would have to rethink it. Especially on cruises without our kids.