Why wasn't FTTF offered when I booked?

[Markmom18]

 Hi,

  Another question.

 

I've booked 2 cruises in the last 4 months.  A Feb  2020.  And a Feb 2021.  I booked on Carnival's Official Site. 🛳🛳

 

FTTF was not & is still NOT being offered under the Home Port Excursions. In the past, I have added on FTTF at the time of booking. 

 

What's up??

 

Thank You,

🌻🌻

Bobbi

 

 

Edited July 5, 2019 by Markmom18

[jbethel11]

6 minutes ago, Markmom18 said:

 Hi,

  Another question.

 

I've booked 2 cruises in the last 4 months.  A Feb  2020.  And a Feb 2021.  I booked on Carnival's Official Site. 🛳🛳

 

FTTF was not & is still NOT being offered under the Home Port Excursions. In the past, I have added on FTTF at the time of booking. 

 

What's up??

 

Thank You,

🌻🌻

Bobbi

 

 

Typically available 6-8 months before sailing date, so check back soon!

[shof515]

Depending on the ship and the type of you cruise you booked, it may not be available:

 

Quote

Faster to the Fun is not offered on Carnival Journeys departures, cruises in Europe, nor on cruises from the following home ports: Honolulu, Norfolk and Vancouver. It will be offered on the Carnival Panorama, starting with departures in February 2020, Carnival Radiance, starting with departures in January 2021 and Mardi Gras, starting in 2021 (date to be determined).

Edited July 5, 2019 by shof515

[Markmom18]

26 minutes ago, shof515 said:

Depending on the ship and the type of you cruise you booked, it may not be available:

 

Thanks, I'm sure this is very helpful to those cruisers on the cruises listed.  

 

Neither of mine are are in these categories. 

[Organized Chaos]

For your Feb. 2021 cruise, it's very common not to be available this far out from it. For your Feb. 2020, I've seen others say they're still waiting for it to become available for that same month, too, so you're not the only one. It was available for our March 2020 cruise one year out (March of this year), but I wouldn't panic if I were you. Just keep an eye on it.

[Markmom18]

53 minutes ago, jbethel11 said:

Typically available 6-8 months before sailing date, so check back soon!

 

Oh yeah, I've been checking daily.  Which is probably why I asked my question , it's frustrating playing this FTTF 'GAME' with Carnival.  It should just be offered at the time of booking, like the option to pre-pay grats.

 

Since I have in past cruise bookings, it has been available. But, what do I know??

🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

Bobbi 

[Markmom18]

 

Organized Chaos thanks !!

🙂🙂

[hotsauce126]

3 hours ago, Markmom18 said:

 

Oh yeah, I've been checking daily.  Which is probably why I asked my question , it's frustrating playing this FTTF 'GAME' with Carnival.  It should just be offered at the time of booking, like the option to pre-pay grats.

 

Since I have in past cruise bookings, it has been available. But, what do I know??

🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

Bobbi 

 

Its not a game, it's because the amount of faster to the fun spots they release varies depending on the amount of platinum and diamond passengers that book

[RWolver672]

7 hours ago, Markmom18 said:

 Hi,

  Another question.

 

I've booked 2 cruises in the last 4 months.  A Feb  2020.  And a Feb 2021.  I booked on Carnival's Official Site. 🛳🛳

 

FTTF was not & is still NOT being offered under the Home Port Excursions. In the past, I have added on FTTF at the time of booking. 

 

What's up??

 

Thank You,

🌻🌻

Bobbi

 

 

 

The best answer  I can give is that you were lucky in the past that it was available when you booked.  Rarely is it ever available as far in advanced as  your two new booked cruises.  We have a cruise booked for Feb 2021 and there are no excursions listed yet.  (FTTF will be listed as an excursion.)  

 

You may want to sign up for the Roll Calls for your two cruises.  Usually someone on those Roll Calls will let everyone know when FTTF becomes available.

[sunonfire]

I was able to purchase FTTF for 2 of my cruises. I purchased it in February 2019 for my January 2020 cruise. I also purchased FTTF in May 2019 for my cruise in November 2020. Both  cruises are still showing FTTF available. I think it depends on the port. We leave from Tampa. Keep checking.

[bury me at sea]

FTTF went on sale on March 22, 2019, for my March, 2020 Freedom cruise.  It is not yet being offered for my April, 2021 Freedom cruise.  I expect that will happen next spring.

 

 

 

 

[TonyinMD]

One additional thing to look at in addition to how long in advance those cruise dates are,  from what I've seen the last couple cruises I've booked,  the longer cruises on the newer ships tend to have more diamond and platinum cruisers than the shorter ones on the older ships...which lowers the amount of available FTTF slots.   Vista and Horizon were the only 2 cruises I've booked where FTTF wasn't available when I booked and I had to check daily to be able to eventually grab one.

 

What ships are you cruising on?

[ishap]

7 hours ago, Markmom18 said:

 

Oh yeah, I've been checking daily.  Which is probably why I asked my question , it's frustrating playing this FTTF 'GAME' with Carnival.  It should just be offered at the time of booking, like the option to pre-pay grats.

 

Since I have in past cruise bookings, it has been available. But, what do I know??

🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

Bobbi 

 

Is it showing as an excursion but sold out or is it not even showing as an excursion?

 

The 2021 cruise won't be available till sometime next year.  For the 2020, that may be the case as well.  I have never seen it available at the time of my bookings.  As others have said, the more popular ships have less available due to the number of diamond and platinum members.  I would count yourself lucky that it was available at the time of booking for your other cruises and just keep checking back. 

[meanjean80]

Agreed with what others have said...Carnival bases FTTF on how many Diamond and Platinum passengers are sailing.  For your February 2020 it's entirely possible that there are so many Diamond and Platinum that they may offer no FTTF.  That was the case when I sailed the Panama Canal crossing...our waiter told us (and the lines at embarkation bore this out) that the ship was at least 85% platinum and higher.  

[bakersdozen12]

8 hours ago, Markmom18 said:

It should just be offered at the time of booking, like the option to pre-pay grats.

 

They can't offer it when itineraries first open up because they need to know how many Diamonds and Platinums are going to be onboard first, so they can know how many FTTF spots they can open up.  Otherwise, they would exceed their capacity for Priority embarkation, and would make it impossible for the room stewards to have all the necessary rooms ready for when boarding starts.  In fact, there have been cruises that have had so many Diamonds and Plats that they can't make rooms ready when boarding starts.  Anyway, once it's closer to the sail date and they have a good idea of the number of Diamonds/Plats booked, they start opening up some FTTF spots.

[Tracy_A7X]

10 hours ago, Markmom18 said:

 Hi,

  Another question.

 

I've booked 2 cruises in the last 4 months.  A Feb  2020.  And a Feb 2021.  I booked on Carnival's Official Site. 🛳🛳

 

FTTF was not & is still NOT being offered under the Home Port Excursions. In the past, I have added on FTTF at the time of booking. 

 

What's up??

 

Thank You,

🌻🌻

Bobbi

 

 

I'm also sailing in Feb. 2020 and have been "patiently" waiting for FTTF to become available.  I know it's several months away so I just keep checking daily to see if it shows up.   Okay, so maybe I'm not so patient!

[teknoge3k]

FWIW, FTTF went on sale March 22 2019 for my May 31 2020 sailing. It went on sale July 16 2018 for my May 25 2019 sailing, April 2017 for my July 2018 sailing, and April 2016 for my May 2017 sailing. 

 

If any of that kinda gives you a heads up about when it should go on sale. Usually 12-14 months'ish in advance. 

[1025cruise]

Keep in mind that FTTF is capacity controlled (via the number of Plat+ guests), and is not available on Journeys cruises, or new ships for about 6 months.

[Markmom18]

Hi,

 

   Thank each of you for replying to my question. I just didn't even think about the P & D factor in determining FTTF!   I learned something new and that takes away my frustration.  

 

  I only need 7 more Cruise days till I'm Platinum, then these FTTF waiting days will be behind me. 🙂🙂.   

 

 🌻🌻

 Bobbi

 

 

[Markmom18]

Oh, if it matters .....

 

The 2020 cruise is on the Inspiration B2B

 

The 2021 cruise is on the Magic (7 days). 

 

🌻🌻

 

 

[meanjean80]

Sounds like you are very soon to be platinum, so the worry will be behind you!  Congrats.

 

PS...nice cat.  🙂

[jlabs03]

I just recently books two cruises one for March 2020 (booked about one month ago), out of NOLA, and one for May 2020 (booked last week), out of Galveston.  The March cruise had it available when I booked, but it showed up about two days after for the June cruise.  I bet you have a high number of D & P or they are expecting a high number on your cruise based on the port you are sailing from so they may be waiting longer to release it.

[LuckyStar]

15 hours ago, Markmom18 said:

 Hi,

  Another question.

 

I've booked 2 cruises in the last 4 months.  A Feb  2020.  And a Feb 2021.  I booked on Carnival's Official Site. 🛳🛳

 

FTTF was not & is still NOT being offered under the Home Port Excursions. In the past, I have added on FTTF at the time of booking. 

 

What's up??

 

Thank You,

🌻🌻

Bobbi

 

 

FTTF has been really wierd.  Sometimes it's available, sometimes, not.  I just booked a Nov 2020 cruise yet I was able to book FTTF pm 6/7/19.  I had always heard it was only available 6-9 mos out.  I booked 1 1/2 years out.  

[Organized Chaos]

4 hours ago, Markmom18 said:

Hi,

 

   Thank each of you for replying to my question. I just didn't even think about the P & D factor in determining FTTF!   I learned something new and that takes away my frustration.  

 

  I only need 7 more Cruise days till I'm Platinum, then these FTTF waiting days will be behind me. 🙂🙂.   

 

 🌻🌻

 Bobbi

 

If you only need 7 days to turn Platinum, will you be turning Platinum on either leg of your 2020 B2B? Because even if you turn Platinum on the second leg of a B2B, as long as the two are linked, you should be Platinum for both legs of the B2B. You wouldn't even need FTTF if that's the case.

[Shaded Lady]

Like others, I've found FTTF to be somewhat inconsistent when Carnival releases it, and they test to do it in one wave at the beginning, then in fits and starts after that... my cruise 2 weeks ago FTTF was available for the first time 13 months before the cruise for over a month, then 3 months before it was open for 24 hours. After that it was only available in single units sporadically.

 

I booked my Thanksgiving 2020 cruise 16 months out and FTTF was available as soon as I booked it! So I'm not sure there's an exact response to your question, Markmom18!