IS FTTF really worth it?

[elainmir]

For us it's worth it, I'd hate to be without it now. It's great to not worry about waiting in the line for us because of Dh's back and shoulder, getting our stuff and having it put away and having lunch before most have boarded. I say that one of the things that make it most worth it is not having to wait in line at guest services. If you've never had it then get it once and if you don't like it you never have to use it again!

[CraftyScribbles]

I'm an impatient person and standing in long lines isn't a hobby I enjoy :) So, after thinking about it, I decided to invest in FTTF. I want an easy embarkation; so I hope it's worth it.

[MM1998]

It was the best 50$ I spent on our last cruise and will now on, never cruise without it!

[VASOXFANN]

It is for us. We were spoiled being the first people on the ship for our wedding on the Pride, and DH has a bad back, so lines aren't his thing.

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

Is Faster to the Fun worth it? For me I'd rather spend that money in the casino since I'd actually get something back for it. I don't check in until after 1 because it is just easier to hang out at the hotel lobby chatting with friends after enjoying a late breakfast. Once I'm at the pier I check my carry-on suitcase and only take a light tote that has my essentials that I don't want to check. By one the line is gone, I check right in, walk to my room, drop my tote and go the Lido deck for a late lunch...they serve until 2:30 which now has plenty of empty tables. We don't need our luggage so if it makes it to my door before dinner I'm a happy camper.

 

I can't remember ever having to go to guest services...or if I have I get there first thing in the morning and there is never, ever a line. Shore excursions even with a tender won't leave you stranded at the pier...there is always a window between the first tender and the excursion. Besides those tenders hold 250 passengers or more....you can clear the ship in an hour easily.

 

And getting off the ship at the end of the cruise means waiting to be the last soul off....no lines, no hassle, easy to find a cab, and still at the airport by eleven if needs be.

 

Nope would rather blow my $50 somewhere else.

[ldlewis45]

For me, it's worth it. I usually sail solo, so it's nice to be able to drop off my carry-ons in my room and then go get something to eat at the buffet or find a lounge chair to relax. Otherwise, I have to either juggle my plate, silverware, drink, and carry-ons while going through the lines, or I'd have to find a table and leave my stuff there with no one watching it and hope my fellow passengers don't have light fingers. And come on, it's $50. I'm not going to whine over $50 when I've just laid down several hundred to a thousand or more bucks on the cruise and airfare.

[kellylw]

I think that it is for us. We have two little kids and having the option to have things with us asap and not have to wait to get to the cabin is really huge. Plus, I hated waiting in the terminal for check in if I happen to get there a bit later, and I can't imagine doing it with small children and carryons.

 

Now, if I didn't have kids, I would probably just plan to get there as early as possible and take the risk that there was a delay and use the $50 for alcohol ;)

[CheckersMidwest]

We have used it twice and think it's a great deal. We do arrive at the port by 10:00 or 10:30. Why sit around the hotel? Get on that ship ! We enjoy the quick boarding.

 

We also tend to book private excursions and need to be on the tender early to check in on time.

 

I have needed to go to the guest services desk a few times. I like to pick up a copy of our sign & sail account the last night, or to ask questions, etc. The regular line can be extremely long while the most I've had at the FTTF line is 1 or 2 people in front of me and most times I just walk up.

 

Our last cruise was on the Magic out of Galveston. We had 2 cabins and each only had 1 or 2 bags delivered early. We were on board by 11:15 or so. Our luggage along with a lot of others had sat on carts outside the elevators for hours. When it was time to get ready for dinner, my daughter & I went to retrieve it ourselves. We were yelled at by a Carnival guy. (Supposedly a security issue - you know, so we didn't steal someone elses bags that had been sitting completely unsupervised until now ) He was helping with luggage but dressed differently than the cabin stewards. I informed him that these bags had been sitting here for hours now and we had FTTF....they should have been in our rooms a long time ago and we needed to get ready for dinner. He changed his tune really fast. Asked to see our room keys for ID....looked at the FTTF tags on the bags I showed him and he immediately got another guy to help him carry them down to our rooms. That is the only issue we've had with FTTF.

 

So far , it's sold out for our upcoming cruise, but I check diligently several times a day. I'll buy it for both cabins again if it opens up.

[erinmarie424]

Last year we stayed in South Beach for a day prior to our sailing. We left the hotel around 10:45 and past experience had shown we'd be at the boat by 11:15. Unfortunately there was construction and an accident and it took over an hour. It was VERY nice to be able to walk right up to the counter and check in. From the time we got through security until the time we got to our rooms with our bags there was no line anywhere at all. The only wait was at the elevator to get to our room. From the time we got out of the cab until we got to our room was 20 minutes. Dropped off our bags, checked out the view from the balcony, and were on our way to lunch at 12:30. It was nice to go without lugging around a carryon and our 12 packs of soda and wine, or taking turns getting food so the other one could watch the bags. Our checked bags were in our room when we went back down after lunch.

 

We also had to go to Guest Services twice for relatively minor things, it was nice to just walk up when there was a long line.

[Cruisegirl6]

We rarely ever had to go to guest services

We always are at the terminal early before 10:45

We NEVER get off the ship in port early, we are not in a rush so we wait a couple of hours after docking then leave.

 

We ALWAYS purchase it because we like to drop our carry on bags to our room when we first board, we have priority for our luggage and we get priority disembarkation with saved elevators for us to use.

 

Most importantly, if there is something unforeseen happening on the ship such as if the ship breaks down and we needed to fly home from a port I am sure we will get priority service, and that FTTF guest service line may be long it certainly won't be anything imaginable like the regular guest service line because there is a limit of FTTF passes that can be purchased on each cruise.

 

To us, what is $50 more it doesn't put any scratch on us so we do always get it.

Edited March 12, 2015 by lyndamr

[nissach]

We had it on our recent Pride cruise and also booked it for our upcoming Breeze cruise. I like it for the tendered ports. Getting off the boat can be a disaster; everyone all wants off at the same time even though they are supposed to wait until their 'number' is called.

Embarkation was a breeze, no lines, on the ship in about 15 minutes.

Having your room ready early is convenient as are the shorter lines at Guest Services.

If you want off the ship early then it is nice, but I prefer to stay on as long as I can.

[nbcruiser2]

As someone said, it is a subjective decision.

 

I have used it twice now and have it booked on our upcoming cruise. DH is not the most patient man and it's nice to be able to board the ship and be in our cabin in 20 minutes (and drop our luggage). We then go for lunch and, when we are back, our luggage is there. We are unpacked and ready to go before the muster drill, which is wonderful.

 

Also, we had some questions for guest services on our cruise. Nice not to wait on the huge line and to just go up and ask. :)

 

As for tendering, we used this on our last cruise. We just went to the room at the assigned time and they escorted us to the tender line. No waiting around for our number to be called.

 

For the aggravation it saves (and time), well worth it to me!

[SMSACE6]

I actually just booked again for my October cruise. For me; and 50.00 it is worth it, regardless of how I might feel by then (back/disc, leg pain), better to book it now while it is available. I know that I will be checking in early because will be checking out of a hotel that morning, so might as well board early, drop bag/s in room, and then just go relax somewhere. Also being able to disembark early, could be of benifit once I get around to booking flights.

worth it for me, glad to have the option.