Listen! Linda...

Who is Linda?

 

 

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Linda, honey, just listen!

Mateo wanted his cupcake.

Also the last few cruises our luggage was very late arriving and our room wasnt all the way ready on one cruise so we disnt reallyfind it all that useful

Who is Linda?

 

No Point now Check in is so fast with staggered times.

I had it a few weeks ago on Magic and was glad I did, straight onto the ship and to my cabin, maybe 15 mins from parking lot to the cabin! Ship was nearly empty, no lines at all at the buffet. My luggage was there within an hour, my daughters arrived late- I went to guest services, bypassed the HUUUUUGE line (I think maybe the new door check in system is adding to this GS congestion, people with special needs and inquiring about upgrades, etc. not sure, but I do know I never saw a line that long on boarding day before!) went to the priority side and was helped immediately. Inquired about bag. They took a note. That evening they called to confirm daughters bag arrived- and offered to send a gift. The next day they sent a HUGE i mean HUGE cheese and fruit platter and bottle of sparkling cider to apologize for her bag getting there at 6 pm!! I couldn't believe it!! I used the priority line multiple times on the cruise and I REALLY liked the group 2 disembark perk!!

We purchase when its available. Plan on doing so until we are Platinum after 2019 cruise.

Like the early boarding, right to stateroom, luggage early, priority guest services line, and priority debarkation which we will take advantage of with an earlier flight.

Worth it to us.

So....

theres no way in heck im paying $79.00 for FTTF. And i bought it every cruise i have gone on since its been a thing.

My question is this:

Since they are doing the check in times at the port is it even really worth it anymore?

I checked in at the airport, that group went in behind the FTTF group. I do not know how it will work on getting off the ship. I was on the 4th floor and we departed from the 3rd so I was out pretty fast.

Never found it worth it for us, especially now that we began purchasing Cheers and all we take on it a small carry-on each (no more hauling cases of soda and wine bottles) that we easily stash under our chair while we relax. Rarely have we ever waited any significant amount of time to get on board, the few times we have had to wait it was simply because they weren't boarding anyone yet.

I've also been happy with the arrival of luggage. It's usually there by about dinner time, if not sooner. As for tenders, if we are an on excursion its been my experience you disembark with your excursion and when we aren't, we have no problem waiting for the crowds to die down and then leave the ship.

I can definitely see the advantage of it for families with strollers, multiple carry-ons, etc. For just my DH and I and our cruising habits, never has been worth it, would prefer to put the money towards something else.

Preacher!! You took away from me the only thing I ever loved....my Linda!!!

Is it really appropriate to quote the Position Adventure on a cruising website? ;)

We have gotten FTTF each time we have cruised since they started offering it. Even though the price went up, we have it on our upcoming cruise in May (a 4 day out of Mobile) due to having our grandkids. For us, its worth it on THIS cruise. Our next cruise is in September and I refuse to pay for it. We are sailing out of NOLA on the Dream for a 7 day cruise and the cost has jumped to $89. It's just hubby and I and we will take our time that morning, go have beignets before heading to the port. :D

Is it really appropriate to quote the Position Adventure on a cruising website? ;)

It's Poseidon and yes, very and please do see the thread title for relevancy. Thank you :)

It's Poseidon and yes, very and please do see the thread title for relevancy. Thank you :)

I don't know if I would buy it now. When we first bought it, it was like 35 or 40, totally worth it. I think they even raised it maybe to $49, still worth it. At that time our DD was small and in a stroller and we would bring on water. We would stay in a hotel near port, so a later arrival is not really ideal, because we would be checked out of the hotel with little to do. So it was really worth it for early boarding and early cabin access. And we also liked it for debarkation, because we could get off the ship and on the road quicker, without having to use self debarkation. Since we drive we would always end up with a later debarkation time. Unfortunately for us, it is a 12 hour drive and we usually do park and stay with a hotel, so we have to wait for hotel shuttle or get a taxi to the hotel and then get our car, load it up and start driving home- making it more like a 13 hour drive.

But NOW, DD is 7 so she can walk on her own. By the time we go on another cruise she will be 8 or 9. And it sounds like carnival started offering cases of water at a decent price, so we would probably just preorder that and not carry on any drinks, but the two bottles of wine. Which means we could probably get down to one or two carry on bags. So the early cabin access is not as big of a deal. As far as debarkation, we would probably just do self debarkation. We did it on our last RCCL cruise and it was not that bad. It would not have been doable when DD was in a stroller, but now, she can walk on her own and possibly even push a light suitcase or carry a smaller bag (maybe- I am not sure I am confident in her ability to not lose something).

So- long story short, I just talked myself out of needing FTTF.

My 2 cents. Peace of mind is worth whatever you are willing to pay for it. I don't like obsessing over how much I've accumulated in sodas so I buy the bubbles package on RCL. Will be bringing my own on Carnival bc they don't have Freestyle machines and I don't like Coke. But whatever someone decides is worth it for them.... why do I care? :) Peace of mind is quite priceless if it makes you feel more at ease.