FTTF what is it and is it worth it?

[$hip$hape]

As long as there is a willing market, it must be accepted that ongoing degradation of the experience is the order of the day.

 

While fares have not increased, the value received for them is so much less that it cannot be seriously claimed that the cost of "cruising" has not gone up.

Well said.

[NantahalaCruiser]

Businesses will always try to improve overall profitability with yield management strategies that make use of creative market segmentations such as the FTTF. Whether or not they are fair or equitable is a mute point so long as they are legal.

 

Although consumption choices by their customers in the aggrigate will over time influence the success or failure of these marketing strategies and thus the evolution of the market; individual customers have no control of the market.

 

Comments here on CC regarding corporate marketing offers and policies often allow us to vent, but more importantly help keep all of us well informed.

 

The bottom line for each of us is to take advantage of whichever offers will provide us our best value for our money.

 

So often I see some CC members complaining strongly about their latest cruise experience on a given ship and but in the same post mentioning their next cruise with the same line. If you complain but fail to vote with your money by changing where you spend it, you have no one to blame but yourself.

[BDRebel]

How is FTTF taking anything away from anyone?

FTTF boarding after the Suite/Elite/Weddings at most delays group 1's boarding by a minute. It doesn't have any effect at all on any other boarding group.

FTTF does not delay the readiness state of any of the other rooms.

FTTF sharing the priority line at customer service only shortens the line for everyone else.

[navybankerteacher]

How is FTTF taking anything away from anyone?

FTTF boarding after the Suite/Elite/Weddings at most delays group 1's boarding by a minute. It doesn't have any effect at all on any other boarding group.

FTTF does not delay the readiness state of any of the other rooms.

FTTF sharing the priority line at customer service only shortens the line for everyone else.

 

 

If there are 1,000 people waiting to board a ship, it might be assumed that boarding will be first come, first served. FTTF allows later arrivers to board before people who did not buy FTTF -- making them wait longer certainly does take away something. Priority tendering for some similarly makes non-purchasers wait longer. Priority attention to preparing some cabins must come at the cost of delaying the readiness of others.

 

Is it hard to understand that letting some people go first MUST mean that others must go later?

[BDRebel]

So I am assuming that those passengers who are Platinum and above, as well as suite passengers and wedding parties should also not be allowed to have priority?

And really, how long are you delayed? For those FTTFers that board before group 1, they had already arrived early. For those that arrive later, they just board with whatever group is boarding. Although they may be boarding before you, they are not delaying your boarding. You will board at the same time you would have otherwise.

Due to the limited number of FTTFs sold, I cannot seriously believe that it affects tender boarding either.

[navybankerteacher]

 

...

 

Although they may be boarding before you, they are not delaying your boarding. You will board at the same time you would have otherwise.

Due to the limited number of FTTFs sold, I cannot seriously believe that it affects tender boarding either.

 

 

How can you possibly believe that someone who shows up after you being able to board before you NOT delay you? Sure, if only one person who shows up after you gets on ahead of you, the delay might be only 20 seconds- but there surely will be a delay. If there were 3, it might be a minute. If there were over a hundred, you are looking at half an hour. That hundred at a tender port would likely mean you miss a tender.

 

If just 10% of a 3,000 passenger load went for FTTF - that would 300 stepping ahead of those who do not.

[BDRebel]

The number of FTTF is controlled. Probably only about 100 guests (50 staterooms) have it.

Compare that to the many hundreds of platinum and diamond cruisers, the FTTF is only a drop in the bucket.

If it bothers you so much, then you are able to purchase it. If you choose not to, then your "being sent to the back of the line" is your choice.

[luv2trvlnow]

The number of FTTF is controlled. Probably only about 100 guests (50 staterooms) have it.

Compare that to the many hundreds of platinum and diamond cruisers, the FTTF is only a drop in the bucket.

If it bothers you so much, then you are able to purchase it. If you choose not to, then your "being sent to the back of the line" is your choice.

Well there is way more than 100 guests (50 staterooms) with FTTF. On my last cruise they sold out of FTTF twice then about 7 weeks before the sailing they offered more. That time when I checked there were 82 available. We were delayed getting on ship for some reason and we were able to see all the people with FTTF luggage tags and boarding passes. More than double your 100 guest estimate. And I know they were FTTF and not Diamond or Platinum because the Platinum and Diamond guests were in another waiting area. We watched them come from that area to board the ship and all those people with FTTF were also standing there watching the Diamond and Platinum cruisers board.

[BDRebel]

And how much longer did it take you to board? Two minutes?

What plans did you have that were absolutely ruined because you had to wait in the lounge those extra minutes?

 

If it is really that important to you to board before everybody else, then purchase the FTTF!!

[navybankerteacher]

And how much longer did it take you to board? Two minutes?

What plans did you have that were absolutely ruined because you had to wait in the lounge those extra minutes?

 

If it is really that important to you to board before everybody else, then purchase the FTTF!!

 

 

No one is saying that it causes an unbearable delay - just that it is a practice which offers passengers who pay more to get something taken away fro passengers who pay regular fare. That makes it different from simply creating an additional value for passengers who pay more.

[Boston Mom]

Any idea how often/when they might be likely to release more FTTF passes? We aren't sailing until August and FTTF was already sold out when I booked the cruise last month. I keep checking and so far no more passes released.

[BDRebel]

They will usually offer the first round when the excursions are first posted (about a year out), then the second round about final payment time. They may occasionally add one or two as people cancel.

Good luck getting it -- they sell out fast.

[Pudgesmom]

The point is: FTTF is not a matter of the line simply giving more to people willing to pay more; they are not creating any additional value, they are taking away something (their place in line) from some people and giving it to people who are willing/able to pay more.

 

It is like the airlines' current practice of squeezing more rows of seats onto their planes - but keeping the previous space between rows for passengers willing to buy the "more room" seats --- they have not created anything, they have simply taken something away from the majority of their passengers so they can get some more money from the rest.

 

The cruise line is trying to make up for lost revenue actually. They can keep the basic price low and charge a la carte as upgrades. Once again, as long as people shop by lowest price, companies will give them what they want. As costs increase, the only give will be in services rendered. Airlines, same story. This is what the internet has brought us to.

[dsotm73]

Or, you could go on HAL, where they start boarding at 11:30, the cabins are ready, and no extra charge.

At no extra charge? When did HAL start charging Carnival-type fares?

:cool: