When does FFTF go on sale?

[Eli_6]

We have a cruise on the Panorama (sp?) with my two boys booked for next June.  If it is just my husband and I, I don't mind standing in a line and we usually aren't at the ship early anyway if we are cruising out of our home port of Galveston. (We live in Houston.) However, with flying to CA and having my boys (they will be 6 and 7 then), I would prefer the fast embarkation. 

 

Anyone know when Fast Forward to the Fun typically goes on sale?

 

I noticed for my Christmas cruise, it was sold out at the time we booked, but today FFTF was available for a short cruise we booked out of Galveston in March.  

 

Google says 6 to 18 months, but that's a huge variation. Is there any way to know when it is going on sale ahead of time?

[Joe817]

Eli, Faster To The Fun(FTTF) never goes on sale, as the positions are limited and they run out very quickly. My wife and I have booked a cruise on the Freedom in Sept. 2020, and I was so concerned that they would sell out in a hurry I purchased that last week. If it's within your budget, I'd say go for it. Just my opinion. 

[Organized Chaos]

Joe, if I'm understanding you correctly, you're referring to it going "on sale," as in a lower "sale" price. I think the OP just means when do they open it up in general for each cruise.

 

FTTF is often released around 1 year out, give or take. There's really no way to tell when exactly. For the Panorama, they won't sell any FTTF for the first few months the ship sails. They do that with all their ships, probably because there's so many P/D's on new ships and FTTF is capacity controlled based on the number of P/D's that book. It'll be offered on Panorama starting with Feb. 2020 cruises, but there's no telling when they'll first open them up. You just have to keep looking.

 

 

[VentureMan_2000]

I understand what you are asking... You are asking when FTTF will become available. 

It is not always available.  FTTF availability is dependent on the number of Platinum and Diamond members that may be on the cruise, as they get the same benefits of FTTF due to their status.  So, basically, FTTF is a back-fill to the benefits these folks get.

It becomes available when they think the number of Platinum and Diamond members, plus number of current FTTF folks is less than expected. 

[VentureMan_2000]

Also, certain ports, and/or cruises (Journeys) do not offer them.

[Eli_6]

Sorry for the confusion...

I am asking when they become available to purchase.

 

There is not even an option for purchasing FTTF on Panorama tight now best I can tell...or is it Panomera? I can't recall...

 

But suffice it to say, it isn't even an option.  I don't know if this means that they aren't going to offer it at ALL or if it simply isn't available yet.

 

I booked the TA Mardis Gras and my understanding is that it will not offer FFTF because it sails from Europe, but I thought out of LA, they might offer it...

 

Edited September 16, 2019 by Eli_6
I am out of it and had a bunch of errors in my post

[VentureMan_2000]

Oh... Also, it will be available as an excursion on the home port -- if it is available.  Just click on the port you are leaving from.

 

[Markmom18]

As an aside here ...  I'm booked out of Long Beach for an end of Feb 2020 Inspiration, 4 Day cruise.  I've diligently checked everyday since booking months ago, no luck yet. 

 

Regular Board Posters, I do understand about the whole process involved. Just hoping it'll open up for me. 🛳🙂

 

🌻🌻

Bobbi

 

 

Edited September 16, 2019 by Markmom18

[Organized Chaos]

1 hour ago, Eli_6 said:

There is not even an option for purchasing FTTF on Panorama tight now best I can tell...or is it Panomera? I can't recall...

 

But suffice it to say, it isn't even an option.  I don't know if this means that they aren't going to offer it at ALL or if it simply isn't available yet.

 

You got it right the first time, it’s Panorama.

 

Other than the first few months a new ship sails, I feel like they always offer at least a handful of FTTF. Then decide whether or not to release more after they get a better idea of how many P/D’s book.

 

 If it becomes available but sells out, it’ll still show in the excursions, but as “Sold Out.” 

[athlonnx]

I'm booked for Panorama's inaugural cruise in December of 2019.  It shows Faster To the Fun in the excursion's section of the website, but it also shows as "sold-out."  It shows the price at $39.99 for the 3 day cruise.

 

Not sure if anyone was actually able to purchase it, I certainly wasn't.

 

I'm also booked for a 4-day cruise on the Imagination for June of 2020.  I do not yet have the option of purchasing Faster to the Fun. 

Edited September 16, 2019 by athlonnx

[Illbcruzn4life]

I'm booked on the Horizon for December 2020 and it's available for $109.95 for a 6 day cruise.

[Joe817]

11 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

Joe, if I'm understanding you correctly, you're referring to it going "on sale," as in a lower "sale" price. I think the OP just means when do they open it up in general for each cruise.

 

FTTF is often released around 1 year out, give or take. There's really no way to tell when exactly. For the Panorama, they won't sell any FTTF for the first few months the ship sails. They do that with all their ships, probably because there's so many P/D's on new ships and FTTF is capacity controlled based on the number of P/D's that book. It'll be offered on Panorama starting with Feb. 2020 cruises, but there's no telling when they'll first open them up. You just have to keep looking.

 

 

Ahhhh, I see. Yes I was thinking of the 'lower price' angle. Thanks for straightening me out O.C.!

[Shaded Lady]

As athlonnx said, you can easily tell if FTTF has been offered and is sold out- it will appear under excursions for your home port but will say Sold Out... it may reappear periodically, nothing you can do but watch for it. If it doesn't appear there at all, then they haven't offered it yet- maybe that they won't offer it at all, as others have said- no Journeys cruises and sometimes inaugural sailings offer FTTF.

[skrufy]

The best thing to do now is keep checking a couple of times a day. There’s no formula for when they are released. Close to final payment date some might appear due to cancellations. Good luck.

[Bases5]

It's hard to say.  Our Sept 2020 magic cruise it's already for sale.  Sometimes new ships don't offer it on their early sailing that I notice.

[marci4tony]

I watch almost daily...

 

If you have a port that tenders, it is well worth it

 

[Eli_6]

9 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

 

 

[Eli_6]

It is not sold out. They seem like they have not offered it yet.  I guess I will just check intermittently until it comes available.  

[Shaded Lady]

3 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

It is not sold out. They seem like they have not offered it yet.  I guess I will just check intermittently until it comes available.  

That's a good sign then... when it comes available initially it should be for sale for a few days anyway, from my experience. It's when that is over and they offer it occasionally that it becomes hit or miss- grab it when it's available because you don't know when/if it will be offered again.

[Shaded Lady]

@Eli_6 another tip- if you are part of a roll call, either here and/or Facebook, make sure you ask often for people to let you know if they see it available... my last 3 cruises I got FTTF because someone on our roll call mentioned it.

Edited September 16, 2019 by Shaded Lady

[Eli_6]

That's a great suggestion @Shaded Lady!  Thanks for the idea.

[Organized Chaos]

16 hours ago, athlonnx said:

I'm booked for Panorama's inaugural cruise in December of 2019.  It shows Faster To the Fun in the excursion's section of the website, but it also shows as "sold-out."  It shows the price at $39.99 for the 3 day cruise.

 

That's odd because Carnival's FAQ's state that it will be available on Panorama starting with its Feb. 2020 cruises.

 

[geoffrywillhardt]

On 9/16/2019 at 8:26 AM, Shaded Lady said:

As athlonnx said, you can easily tell if FTTF has been offered and is sold out- it will appear under excursions for your home port but will say Sold Out... it may reappear periodically, nothing you can do but watch for it. If it doesn't appear there at all, then they haven't offered it yet- maybe that they won't offer it at all, as others have said- no Journeys cruises and sometimes inaugural sailings offer FTTF.

 

Just because it appears and says sold out does not mean that it is offered on that particular cruise. I am booked on the Dec 21 sailing of this year (4th trip for the new ship) it shows sold out and Carnival has already announced that it will not be available until Feb.  

[Organized Chaos]

6 hours ago, geoffrywillhardt said:

Just because it appears and says sold out does not mean that it is offered on that particular cruise. I am booked on the Dec 21 sailing of this year (4th trip for the new ship) it shows sold out and Carnival has already announced that it will not be available until Feb.  

 

It’s weird that they put it out there and show it as sold out for a cruise where it isn’t for sale at all. I think it’d be better to not show it at all. Because in all other cases, when FTTF shows as sold out, you can keep watching it and get one if someone cancels. Showing it as sold out is going to make a lot of people (who think it is being sold) watch it with no hope of getting it.

[LibratPDX]

It varies!  I have been able to purchase it when I booked a cruise (at least a year ahead) and other times it's 90 days before the cruise...........but sometimes they open it back up again in the month before the cruise.