Faster to the Fun

[SSBrickNJ]

I've already purchased two excursions for the Carnival Valor Cruise that departs 12/26. I know Carnival will have us off and on the ship to meet that schedule. When we leave the ship, we will check our bags. I think I DON'T need Faster to the Fun but I'm willing to read opposing views. BTW, how much is it per person?

Thanks!

Steve

[SSBrickNJ]

Speaking about "when we leave the ship" / disembark....how did anyone who checked their bags find that experience to be?

[elainmir]

It's not per person it's per cabin and it's so worth it for us it's not funny...I won't travel without it now...especially handy if you have children, elderly or injured parties..

[riffatsea]

It is not a question of "need".

It is a question of whether getting on board early with your cabin ready is important to you or not?

It is always important to us!

We also like skipping the line at guest services.

IF you don't want to carry your luggage off early or use the no line for tenders perk then you may not want to buy it but for us all the above perks are important and we won't cruise any more without it!

[PortSideCruzan]

 

Hi SSBrickNJ :)

 

One must evaluate all of the FTTF benefits to see what would be beneficial to you personally, the people cruising with you & your sailing.

 

Faster To The Fun (FTTF) Benefits:

 

1) Priority security, check-in and express Boarding

 

2) Access to your stateroom when you board

 

3) Express luggage delivery to your stateroom

 

4) A dedicated (4-digit phone line) & (priority line) at guest services

 

5) Priority dinner reservations

 

6) Priority tender (Escorted from guest services to next tender)

 

7) Debarkation 'Choices' (Early) 'OR' (Late) Disembarkation

 

$59.95 per stateroom for cruise durations 5 days or longer.

$49.95 per stateroom for 3 & 4 day sailings.

 

Detailed FTTF info & benefits explained, located @:

https://www.goccl.com/~/media/Files/Irman/bookccl/shipboard_knowledge/FastertotheFunPackage.htm

 

 

 

:)

 

[thewynn]

If you chose early debarkation but then decide you don't want to be one of the first to leave, can you leave anytime after - I guess in other words if you chose early can you just leave when you want? Not sure how that process works.

[lizziez00]

If you chose early debarkation but then decide you don't want to be one of the first to leave, can you leave anytime after - I guess in other words if you chose early can you just leave when you want? Not sure how that process works.

Yes, you can leave any time after your zone is called (usually either 1 or 2, depending on how many Diamond/Plat there are)

[SSBrickNJ]

I appreciate all the answers, but I'd like to give a special compliment to post #5. I like the way you formatted your answer :):)

[SSBrickNJ]

We have 6PM dinner reservations in the main dining hall and don't expect to visit a pay extra restaurant except maybe for lunch. FTTF will not enhance that, right? When we did Royal C. we headed to the included buffet (Windjammer) once we boarded. Then after eating we just had a small amount of time to kill and the room was available. If I don't pay $59.99 for my cabin, will that same plan work on Valor as well?

[Badfinger]

I've already purchased two excursions for the Carnival Valor Cruise that departs 12/26. I know Carnival will have us off and on the ship to meet that schedule. When we leave the ship, we will check our bags. I think I DON'T need Faster to the Fun but I'm willing to read opposing views. BTW, how much is it per person?

Thanks!

Steve

 

Faster To The Fun (FTTF) Benefits:

 

1) Priority security, check-in and express Boarding WE ARRIVE AT THE PORT ABOUT 1PM..THE CHECK-IN/SECURITY PROCESS TAKES MAYBE 25 MINTUES TOTAL. CANNOT IMAGINE FTTF WOULD HELP US WITH THAT AT THAT TIME.

 

2) Access to your stateroom when you board ON OUR THREE CRUISES WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD ACCESS TO OUR ROOM UPON BOARDING, OR AT LEAST WERE ABLE TO DROP OUR FEW CARRY-ONS IN OUR ROOM AND BE ON OUR WAY. DONT SEE ANY BENEFIT HERE.

 

3) Express luggage delivery to your stateroom DOESN'T MATTER TO ME. AS LONG AS MY TOOTHBRUSH SHOWS UP BEFORE BEDTIME I AM GOOD. I WEAR COLUMBIA WATER SHORTS AND WATER SANDALS ON THE SHIP SO I AM READY FOR ANYTHING!

 

4) A dedicated (4-digit phone line) & (priority line) at guest services I ONLY USED GS ONCE AND THE WAIT WAS MAYBE 15 MINTUES...PLUS I GOT TO CHAT WITH SOME NICE FOLKS IN THE LINE. MIGHT HELP, BUT NEVER PLAN TO HAVE TO GO TO GS ANYWAY.

 

5) Priority dinner reservations WE DONT GO TO THE STEAKHOUSE, ETC, SO I GUESS THAT IS A N/A

 

6) Priority tender (Escorted from guest services to next tender) ANOTHER N/A AS WE BOOK OUR EXCURSIONS THROUGH CARNIVAL SO THEY GATEHR US ALL TOGETHER AT A SET TIME TO GET ON A TENDER REGARDLESS IF WE HAD FTTF

 

7) Debarkation 'Choices' (Early) 'OR' (Late) Disembarkation WE REALLY LIKE TO HAVE A RELAXED LAST MORNING, MEANING WE HEAD TO THE MDR FOR A RELAXED BREAKFAST, THEN HEAD BACK TO THE ROOM TO GATHER OUR STUFF. WE BOOK ON THE SPA DECK AND THAT SEEMS TO GET CALLED EARLY SO THE PROCESS IS NOT BAD. PERHAPS FTTF WOULD HELP IF WE DID NOT GO TO THE MDR FOR BREAKFAST. PLUS WE DRIVE TO THE PORT SO NO BUMS RUSH TO THE AIRPORT. R-E-L-A-X.

 

$59.95 per stateroom for cruise durations 5 days or longer. WE GET TWO ROOMS SO $120. NO DEAL FOR US.

 

$49.95 per stateroom for 3 & 4 day sailings.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Badfinger

[jeniceglassman]

It would be easier if you shared your ship. Extra charges for lunch is not an option. With your vessel we could share dining options.

[SSBrickNJ]

I'm sure post #10 brought many smiles to all the readers of this thread. Nice job. Well worth the time you spent composing that.

[SSBrickNJ]

How is debarkation for people who check their bags? Anyone want to share their personal experience?

[kwbound]

 

Hi SSBrickNJ :)

 

One must evaluate all of the FTTF benefits to see what would be beneficial to you personally, the people cruising with you & your sailing.

 

Faster To The Fun (FTTF) Benefits:

 

1) Priority security, check-in and express Boarding

 

2) Access to your stateroom when you board

 

3) Express luggage delivery to your stateroom

 

4) A dedicated (4-digit phone line) & (priority line) at guest services

 

5) Priority dinner reservations

 

6) Priority tender (Escorted from guest services to next tender)

 

7) Debarkation 'Choices' (Early) 'OR' (Late) Disembarkation

 

$59.95 per stateroom for cruise durations 5 days or longer.

$49.95 per stateroom for 3 & 4 day sailings.

 

Detailed FTTF info & benefits explained, located @:

https://www.goccl.com/~/media/Files/Irman/bookccl/shipboard_knowledge/FastertotheFunPackage.htm

 

 

 

:)

 

 

We are doing the 4 night Christmas Eve cruise on the Triumph out of Galveston. Our party has 3 cabins booked. Several months ago I was able to purchase FTTF for one of our cabins for $49. It was the only one available at the time. Tonight I noticed it was available again and I was able to get it for the other 2 cabins. However, it was $59 per cabin tonight. They must have had a price increase.

[Badfinger]

How is debarkation for people who check their bags? Anyone want to share their personal experience?

 

It is great. You pack up your bags and set them out in the hallway the night before. You tag them with color coded tags that your cabin steward provides to you. After you leave the ship you pick up your bags prior to going through customs. The trade off is that your zones will be called after all the folks that choose to carry their bags off the ship. So if you have a tight flight connection it could be trouble. OTOH if you pack big suitcases or lots of suitcases hauling them off yourself could be trouble as the elevators and stairs are packed full of people.

[SSBrickNJ]

Thanks Badfinger for your post #15. We do not have a flight to catch. The only thing we have to look forward to is a long ride from Port Canaveral to North Carolina. The day after that we'll drive from there to our home in NJ. We'll be tagging our bags for sure. I feel comfortable having read your post.

Say we are ready to board the ship at 1:30PM on Day 1...but hypothetically we did not have FTTF...for example we boarded at 2:05PM...just for example....would there be any open seating at the Rosie's Restaurant Buffet...the Valor's Lido Buffet? or would practically everybody and there Uncle be already filling up every seat?

[Badfinger]

Thanks Badfinger for your post #15. We do not have a flight to catch. The only thing we have to look forward to is a long ride from Port Canaveral to North Carolina. The day after that we'll drive from there to our home in NJ. We'll be tagging our bags for sure. I feel comfortable having read your post.

Say we are ready to board the ship at 1:30PM on Day 1...but hypothetically we did not have FTTF...for example we boarded at 2:05PM...just for example....would there be any open seating at the Rosie's Restaurant Buffet...the Valor's Lido Buffet? or would practically everybody and there Uncle be already filling up every seat?

 

 

We have only cruised out out of Galveston. Our first cruise we went to the lido and got a table after a couple of minutes. On the last two we went to the Italian restaurant and there was no waiting. I would guess most of the early crowd would be vacating the lido by then and there would be some empty tables.

[Tator]

I agree with Badfinger we always set our bags out the night before then when you go in the terminal to get your bags there's porters that will follow you through customs with your bags and to the front of the terminal to get a taxi, shuttle or you can bring your car up to pick up your luggage. We have even got through customs quicker at some terminals because sometimes the porters go a different route to get to customs than if you take your on luggage. We give the porters $1 or $2 a bag.

We are trying FTTF for the first time in Jan.

[SSBrickNJ]

Tator, did you cruise out of Port Canaveral? The parking at Port C. a year ago for Royal C. was really convenient...like FFTF, it was worth it rather than park off site. Is it equally convenient at Port C. for Carnival? BTW...Thanks for your earlier response. Yup...We'll use a porter and give a tip. :)

[Tator]

Tator, did you cruise out of Port Canaveral? The parking at Port C. a year ago for Royal C. was really convenient...like FFTF, it was worth it rather than park off site. Is it equally convenient at Port C. for Carnival? BTW...Thanks for your earlier response. Yup...We'll use a porter and give a tip. :)

 

Yes we've cruised out of Port Canaveral, but we had a shuttle from a hotel. I think Port Canaveral is just convenient, and we did cruise Carnival. The porter works out great in New Orleans it's a longer walk. When we drive we usually park at the terminal.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Tator

[mousey]

How is debarkation for people who check their bags? Anyone want to share their personal experience?

 

We always check our bags and then in the morning we just take our time and get off the ship when we're kicked off...meaning we're in no hurry to get off the ship. LOL! We've never had to wait for our luggage and once we've gone through immigration, we just pick up our luggage and leave.

 

We've cruised a lot on several different cruise lines. Luggage has never been a problem for us. Never had luggage lost and have always had our luggage in time to change for dinner as we do the late sitting at 8:15p.

 

I see absolutely no reason for us to ever spend money on FTTF. We get to the fun fast enough and don't need to get to our cabin before the all clear is announced to go there.

 

I've never spent any length of time in a customer service line. And...if there is a tender port on our schedule as there will be on our Christmas cruise this year...we just book our excursion through Carnival and no problems there.

 

I just don't see the point in spending that kind of money. But...that's JMHO.:)

[Davey Wavey]

The trade off is that your zones will be called after all the folks that choose to carry their bags off the ship.

 

I have never seen this happen. They call self-disembark by deck and they also start calling zones during this time. FTTF is Zone 1, 2 and gets called well before the last self-disembark does.

 

I will add that we usually hang out on the ship until the bitter end, but the one time we did leave early we had FTTF. We were at the baggage claim at 7:45am and our bags didn't come until 8:30. We weren't happy. If we had an absolutely important need for early disembark, I would have FTTF to make sure we got called very early AND do self-disembark to make sure our luggage was there.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Davey Wavey

[SSBrickNJ]

Thanks Mousey! Reading your post...sentence by sentence..we are on the same page. That was very helpful.

When might we expect Carnival Valor to give the all clear to go in the rooms/cabins?

Oh, Roy. C.

waived" the dress code for dinner on the first night for anyone who didn't get their bags on time. Now I'm on my first Carnival Cruise ever and I have a 6PM seating. Will Carnival turn me away if at 6PM my bag wasn't at my room yet and I have jeans and sneakers instead of men's slacks and dress shoes?

[Davey Wavey]

When might we expect Carnival Valor to give the all clear to go in the rooms/cabins?

 

1:30pm is standard

[SSBrickNJ]

Thanks...and boarding is what? 11:30 'til 3:00ish??