FTTF Worth It?

[handbellplayer]

We are sailing on the Sunshine July 2019 as a high school graduation gift for our granddaughter. We will have three cabins - DH and me, dad of grad (divorced) and grad, and son, DIL and other granddaughter (3 yrs. old when we sail). We are Diamond on RCCL. We chose this cruise because it's out of Charleston (shorter drive with the 3 yr. old).

 

It looks like you are assigned boarding times on Carnival that are enforced. We never experienced that on RCCL. From what I've read on these boards, it sounds like we might have long lines and late boarding unless we purchase FTTF. DH thinks this is a ridiculous charge, but I think it would be worth the $240 for three cabins. I need some advice from Carnival cruisers. Thanks!

[poz222]

Worth it is very subjective... Booking this far in advance you should be able to select an earlier boarding time. With a 3 year old you might want to have your room ready upon boarding which would be a bonus. Do you have tender ports? Or do you go to Guest services often? These would all be factors.

[robc1972]

If getting on early and having rooms ready an hour and a half before everyone else is a priority then yes.

Since you are driving just plan your arrival time at port with check-in time.

 

Choose a 12:30 or 1PM check in time and by the time you are through everything and on the boat your rooms will be ready for you.

[riclop]

We are sailing on the Sunshine July 2019 as a high school graduation gift for our granddaughter. We will have three cabins - DH and me, dad of grad (divorced) and grad, and son, DIL and other granddaughter (3 yrs. old when we sail). We are Diamond on RCCL. We chose this cruise because it's out of Charleston (shorter drive with the 3 yr. old).

 

It looks like you are assigned boarding times on Carnival that are enforced. We never experienced that on RCCL. From what I've read on these boards, it sounds like we might have long lines and late boarding unless we purchase FTTF. DH thinks this is a ridiculous charge, but I think it would be worth the $240 for three cabins. I need some advice from Carnival cruisers. Thanks!

Too much $$$$.

[Organized Chaos]

Just to clarify, you do not pick a boarding time. You pick an arrival, or check-in time. That's when you'll be allowed in the terminal to go through security then check in. The boarding process calls priority passengers first (platinum, diamond, suites, & FTTF), then they begin general boarding by zone numbers. The earlier the arrival time you choose, and are there at that time, the sooner you'll be on board. You will be able to choose an arrival time when you reach 90 days from your cruise. You have to keep an eye out for it in your Cruise Manager and catch it when it opens up if you want the earliest time possible.

 

With that said, if you purchase FTTF, you still have to choose an arrival time, but you will be allowed to enter the terminal before that time if necessary.

 

As everyone will say, the value of FTTF is up to you. Look at all of the perks it includes and decide if the cost is worth it to you. We did our first FTTF a couple weeks ago and would say yes, it was most certainly worth it to us. Then again, we bought it at the old, cheaper price. Is it worth the higher price to us now? That's yet to be determined.

 

One of the biggest advantages, if not the biggest in my opinion, is immediate access to your cabin. Since you're cruising with a group, and especially since you have a toddler, being able to put your carry-on bags away as soon as you get on board would be a huge advantage. Otherwise, you'll have to carry them with you until your cabins are ready. Or arrive at the terminal late enough so your cabins are ready when you get aboard. For non-priority passengers, they're generally ready by 1:30. FTTF boards the ship after platinum/diamond and suites. It's nice to get on board, put your bags away, and go have lunch before the big crowds hit the Lido deck. Another great perk is the priority line at Guest Services. When you see how long the regular line gets at times, you'll be glad to have access to the priority line.

 

Good luck on your decision. Let us know what you think.

[skrufy]

Filling out your boarding docs and selecting a check in time cannot be done until 90 days prior to the cruise. This is a recent Carnival change. I would purchase the FTTF and wait to see what check in time you get. Then decide what you would like to do. You can always cancel FTTF.

[bingomamma19]

We are sailing on the Sunshine July 2019 as a high school graduation gift for our granddaughter. We will have three cabins - DH and me, dad of grad (divorced) and grad, and son, DIL and other granddaughter (3 yrs. old when we sail). We are Diamond on RCCL. We chose this cruise because it's out of Charleston (shorter drive with the 3 yr. old).

 

It looks like you are assigned boarding times on Carnival that are enforced. We never experienced that on RCCL. From what I've read on these boards, it sounds like we might have long lines and late boarding unless we purchase FTTF. DH thinks this is a ridiculous charge, but I think it would be worth the $240 for three cabins. I need some advice from Carnival cruisers. Thanks!

 

Since you are just a 3 hr drive away, I would aim for a 1:30 check in time--that way there are way less crowds, basically walk in, check in and walk right on. Your rooms will be ready at that time also.

 

Its up to you if its worth paying $240 to check in a few hours earlier.

 

We fly in a day before and get a late check out at the hotel we stay at, then we head over about 1:30pm, we love doing this for the ease of it all. Even after my next cruise, when we will be platinum (therefore allowing us the benefits of FTTF with no cost), I still will not go any earlier.

[lazydays2004]

If getting on early and having rooms ready an hour and a half before everyone else is a priority then yes.

Since you are driving just plan your arrival time at port with check-in time.

 

Choose a 12:30 or 1PM check in time and by the time you are through everything and on the boat your rooms will be ready for you.

 

 

I agree with this comment. My last cruise we arrived at the parking garage at 11:49 and were walking on the ship an hour later. We grabbed some lunch , 30 minutes later we were able to go to our rooms. I don't feel that FTTF is worth it for me but in your situation it's worth considering what it is about the perk that you will be mainly getting it for.

[poz222]

Arrival at port at 1 pm is our sweet spot target.. I have priority boarding but prefer to wait till after the zoo has cleared out. For those without FTTF, if you arrive at 1 you will breeze through Check in and be onboard at 1:30, time to drop off your bags cause general rooms are ready by then and go grab a bite as food lines between 1:30-2:15 are short because people are going to their rooms with stuff... it’s all in the timing!

[evandbob]

Someone posted a photo of long lines snaking outside the terminal as justification for their decision to purchase FTTF. They said they didn't want to wait in such a long line in the hot sun, etc.

 

I thought the majority of those waiting had arrived prior to their check in time and were denied entry to the terminal. I thought if anyone came to the terminal during their check in window frame,and even afterwards, they would be allowed inside and not have to wait outside for very long.

 

There are only so many guests allowed to pick each 1/2 hour of check in time that the process works so much better than the old cluster muck of everyone booked on the ship trying to get on at the same earliest time. If all would arrive at their check in time, the line outside the terminal would be minimal.

 

Is it worth $240 for 3 cabins? Only the OP knows that answer.

[handbellplayer]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. We are arriving the night before (let's just say some people in our party have a hard time getting started on time). The drive from where we live is more like 4 1/2 hours than 3 hours. I was worried about having to check out of a hotel at 11:00 and dealing with a toddler until mid-afternoon. If selecting a check-in time 90 days will help me get an earlier check-in time, I'll probably just do that. I was afraid we'd be assigned a time like 3:00 and have to fill the time with a fussy toddler. What are the latest check-in times that you can be assigned?

[maryred]

... What are the latest check-in times that you can be assigned?

Check-in appointments end 90 minutes prior to sail away. But the only time you will be assigned a check-in time is if you fail, in a timely manner, to fill out your prefered available choice of appointment time during the online check-in. The sooner in the 90 days prior to sailing window that you start your online check-in the better your chance of getting to pick an early check-in time.

Please don't confuse the check-in time with the time boarding will begin, when deciding on which time to pick your appointment. Some ports offer check-in appointments starting as early as 10-10:30am for general boarding passengers. BUT general boarding may not occur until 11:30/noon, so that means up to a 90 minute -2 hour wait inside the terminal (priority will have less of a wait generally about 1 hour with the earliest check-in). Until the terminal clears the backlog of waiting passengers you will not check-in then board. In many cases picking a time of 12:30pm or later without priority, will get you to board almost immediately after finishing the physical check-in process.

Also keep in mind without priority you can not go to your cabin till 1:30/2pm. In fact many ports now employ a new method at check-in, instead of receiving your cabin keys at the check-in desk you now have the keys in your cabin's mailbox. In ports employing this method, the keys will not be in the mailbox prior to the cabins being ready for occupation.

[mz-s]

I wouldn't do FTTF for Charleston. The only terminal I've used is Charleston and can say that the later you arrive, the better.

 

If you check out of your hotel at 11:00, I'd say go downtown and walk around the market (there is a parking garage behind Hyman's Seafood you can use) or the Harris Teeter close to the entrance of the terminal to kill an hour or so, then drive over to the terminal and walk right on the ship after a short wait. After 1:00 the lines are very minimal.

 

If you want to arrive at the terminal early and do not want to wait in a ~30 minute line, buy FTTF. That will cut your wait down to maybe 10 minutes.

[disneylover89]

For me personally, the biggest plus about the FTTF is having a designated line (much shorter) at guest services. Every cruise I have had to go to guest services for an issue. Either a card stops working, unexplained charges on my account etc. We also bring our ice pack that keeps insulin cold during travel to guest services to put in their freezer. I do not want to stand in line for over an hour each time I need to visit. Having access to the room earlier is also a big plus. Lugging around four carry ons is a pain and yes, we need four carry ons for 4 people. We always have a balcony and we enjoy fixing a plate of food and bringing it back to our balcony to eat away from the crazy crowds on embarkment day. Having FTTF allows us to do this because our room is ready early.

Edited June 25, 2018 by disneylover89

[mdsgu]

We have Platinum privileges on Carnival, so we can basically arrive whenever we want. On our last cruise, we had another family with us (all first-timer cruisers). We got them FTTF so we could all enter the terminal together. That worked quite well, and, yes, Carnival allowed us to cut the line. With FTTF, you also get to use the priority line at Guest Services. The general line is very long at times, but the priority line is always empty. If you have any tender ports, FTTF will get you priority tender boarding. And last, but not least, FTTF can get you off the ship faster. For our situation, it was worth it. For yours --- only you can answer that. If it is available, GRAB IT now. You can always cancel later if you decide against it. but it tends to sell out quickly.

[Ehpride]

It's not worth it for me personally. I can sit with a drink while I wait for my cabin to be ready.

[Purvis1231]

I can tell you why FTTF is not worth it to me based on my last cruise. We dropped off our luggage early and it was at our cabin by 2:00. We board just 10 to 15 minutes after FTTF holders. We did not mind waiting for our cabin to be ready- we ate, connected with friends (would have swam but there was lightening.) The line at customer service never long (except the day the auto-tips were posted.) Although we had a tender port since we have a Carnival excursion we had a spot of the first tender.

[Sailing Smooth]

I wouldn't do all the cabins. One would suffice for dropping off carry ons or changing clothes.

[scoobikins]

I normally jump on FTTF when it's available, and I bought it for my cruise in May of 2019. However, I just booked another cruise for October 2019 out of New Orleans, and the price for FTTF is almost $90. I've never sailed out of New Orleans, so I'm not sure it will be worth it or not, but I find that a little steep.

[Organized Chaos]

Most people who argue against buying FTTF tend to use boarding as the basis of their argument. Just arrive later, they always say. FTTF comes with more perks than just priority boarding. To decide if it's worth it to you, you have to weigh the pros and cons of having all of those perks available to you, not just one.

[dsotm73]

I normally jump on FTTF when it's available, and I bought it for my cruise in May of 2019. However, I just booked another cruise for October 2019 out of New Orleans, and the price for FTTF is almost $90. I've never sailed out of New Orleans, so I'm not sure it will be worth it or not, but I find that a little steep.

 

 

 

I’ve sailed out of NOLA seven times and even before staggered check-in we found it to be a very efficient port. We bought FTTF once back when it was only $49.95 and didn’t think it was “worth it” at that price.

 

 

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[scoobikins]

Thanks for the feedback. I've been looking for that kind of info all day today. While I like to get on early and drop off my carry on bags in the room, I think we'll probably skip FTTF this go 'round. We'll likely just show up a little later, and be careful to travel light.

[girlsjustwannacruise]

We had purchased the FTTF the last 4 cruises, but the last cruise we had already pretty much decided it wasnt worth it anymore and that was at the cheaper price, lol.

 

1. The last 2 cruises we went on our luggage was NOT in the room any earlier than our friends who did not do FFTF. And it was showing up like a bag or 2 at a time. This was at the port of Baltimore, and also the port in New Orleans. Strange.

2. I did not find the guest service line to be long enough to really make it worth the extra money.

3. One of the cruises, our room was clearly not ready. We didnt have our waters waiting. (No big deal, but usually they are), we did not have beach towels, and we didnt have the luggage pads on the beds. It was clean, of course, but obviously was rushed through, im assuming because we had fttf and they needed to get the room ready first. Not a big deal, but again, not worth it to me.

4. The tendering was better with FTTF, but its not an instant thing. You might go to the front of the line but your still waiting on the tender to come get you and then you and ALL those people behind you just get on the same tender. LOL>

 

But.....

I have enjoyed it other times. I think it depends. If you have to purchase for 1 room its different, imo than if you must purchase for 2 or 3 rooms.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[elcuchio24]

We are sailing on the Sunshine July 2019 as a high school graduation gift for our granddaughter. We will have three cabins - DH and me, dad of grad (divorced) and grad, and son, DIL and other granddaughter (3 yrs. old when we sail). We are Diamond on RCCL. We chose this cruise because it's out of Charleston (shorter drive with the 3 yr. old).

 

It looks like you are assigned boarding times on Carnival that are enforced. We never experienced that on RCCL. From what I've read on these boards, it sounds like we might have long lines and late boarding unless we purchase FTTF. DH thinks this is a ridiculous charge, but I think it would be worth the $240 for three cabins. I need some advice from Carnival cruisers. Thanks!

 

I would never pay that. Whats the big deal if you get on at noon or 2? I dont mind the assigned boarding times because it has seemed to help with the onboarding process, but no way am I forking out $250 get get on a couple hrs early on embarkation day.

[Organized Chaos]

I would never pay that. Whats the big deal if you get on at noon or 2? I dont mind the assigned boarding times because it has seemed to help with the onboarding process, but no way am I forking out $250 get get on a couple hrs early on embarkation day.

As I said just a few posts above, most people who argue against FTTF base their entire argument on one single perk, priority boarding. And here's yet another example of that. Again, FTTF comes with more perks than just priority boarding. But most importantly, different people find value/worth in different things. It was more than worth it on our last cruise at the old, lower price. It did become more difficult of a decision for many people after they raised the price, but we still find it to be valuable enough that we'll strongly consider it on our next one.