FTTF Worth purchasing?

Will be cruising on the Fascination in October. First cruise in 10 years. Last time we went the was no such thing as FTTF. Is this worth the purchase? Thinking since it's the last week of October there should not be many kids on board. All comments welcome!

Search the forum under FTTF, this question is asked every week if not almost daily. Only you can decide if it's perks are worth it to you.

Only you can decide if the perks are worth it

^^^ Agreed. Very subjective and each cruise, itinerary may or may not add value if you decide to purchase. We've had it twice .First time, I'd say we got a few good uses out of it. The second time was a complete waste of money.

The number of kids on board would seem irrelevant as to the value of FTTF .

Was just thinking not as many families with kids due to school being in session. Preschool teacher! Love kids! Not a negative!

If being first on the ship (after Diamond, Platinum, suite guests, and wedding party guests) is important, it might be worth it. If having a dedicated line at Guest Services is important, FTTF might be for you. If your itinerary has any tender ports, and you want to get on one of the first tenders, FTTF might have some value.

Otherwise, it's pure profit for Carnival.

Personally it would not be worth it for me just to board early, especially now they have the staggered boarding times.

Also - are we talking the Fascination out of San Juan - if so, absolutely not. We were able to walk on at 1:30 without issue.

The ONLY things it would be useful for is an early privately booked shore excursion in a tender port or, if you have a cash account and think you will be using guest services - where the lines seem to get longer and longer each cruise I take!

I just bought it, and am so excited about it! To bypass the long lines, get priority boarding, and early access to cabin makes it 100% worth purchasing in my opinion.

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Let me add that on my last cruise where we did have staggered check in times, we still waited in line for over an hour! No thank you! Worth every penny if I can avoid that again!

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We had FTTF in February on our Fascination cruise. We were able to board at noon without any waiting in the very long line outside the terminal. Our cabin was ready at boarding. The lines at guest services made FTTF worth every penny for us. They were long all the time, day and night. Our luggage was delivered by 1:30. There are no tender ports on this itinerary.

This was our third time buying FTTF and I have purchased it for our cruise out of San Juan next February.

Thinking since it's the last week of October there should not be many kids on board. All comments welcome!

there will ALWAYS be kids onboard and the last week in October is a halloween cruise but san juan cruises not so much.

Normally, I'm not a fan of FTTF. On a Fascination cruise, I'm even less of a fan. It generally has a late sailing of around 9 pm. Combine that with the fact that it is a smaller ship, with staggered check in, and some people will be getting on a Barbados (a small portion, but still a portion), I just don't see $90 worth of value there. The lines were non-existent, and it's a great opportunity to check out San Juan, which isn't an everyday thing for most of us. Personally, I'd get more enjoyment out of even spending half of that $90 at San Juan than FTTF.

Just want to give you the "reality" of what generally happens vs. those short burst statements shown online at Carnival.com. See my comments in red.

"Priority Check-in with Express Boarding

The quicker you board the ship, the quicker you're holding a frosty drink.

Yes you get to use the priority line in the terminal the same as those in suites and with Platinum + loyalty status, and ignore your arrival time appointment. BUT for boarding you will be boarding after the Back2Back passengers, the Wedding party & guests, Diamonds, Platinums, suite, and special invite passengers, basically a mere few minutes prior to them calling the first general boarding zone #s. Also none of the port terminals that have the Captain's Lounge allow FttF passengers to wait in that priority lounge with the Platinum + and suite passengers, if you arrive prior to officially cleared boarding time.

Where FttF pays off here is if you have an arrival appointment time that does not agree well with your travel plans that you can enter the terminal prior it, you need not wait outside the terminal for your appointment window to open. And the second instance is when it is of help is when your travel arrangements have you arrive at the port during the general boarding "rush hour". Usually between 11:30am and 12:30pm when the terminal is still playing catch-up with the general boarding passengers seated and waiting with zone #. Since the advent of Carnival using the arrival appointments and the S&S cards in your cabin's mailbox lines for security and check-in have become vastly shorter making then more manageable. Having FttF once boarding has begun will get you once finished w/ check-in to the next group heading on board.

Guaranteed Stateroom

Your stateroom will be ready as soon as you board, so you can relax or freshen up for the fun you're about to have.

This along with the priority tendering is perhaps the biggest selling point to most passengers.But if your travel plans have you arriving at the terminal about 12:30/1pm by the time you get through general boarding the cabins are ready anyway. With FttF your cabin will be cleaned and ready enough that you can drop off your carry-ons and for you to take a nap or shower.

Where the big payout here is if you are arriving early and will be boarding early (before 1pm) this is just as described. BUT if you have any online FunShop preorders, like cabin decorations, half cases of water, or bottles of liquor don't expect them to be there on arrival. These things are generally brought up to the stateroom between noon and 3pm.

Express Luggage

Your luggage will be expedited to your stateroom so you can unpack and get settled in for a great vacation!

This perk is relative. It also depends on the port authority curbside porters (that have no affiliation to any particular cruise line) marking and sorting you bags dockside correctly. The way this works if you and another passenger arrive at the same time curbside to hand over your checked luggage your bags to the same porter yours will arrive at your cabin door prior to that general boarding passenger next to you curbside. Now this "sooner" could be 3+ hours, but it can also be just a mere 15 minutes sooner.

Guest Services

You'll have a dedicated phone number and line at Guest Services so you can quickly have your questions answered.

This is not a move to the front of the line type of situation. Just like the terminal it is a priority line shared by special circumstance guests, Diamonds, and Platinums. There have been actual times I have witnessed on board where this line is longer than the general guest services line. Plus with the installation of the S&S kiosks, the interactive in cabin TV, and the Carnival HUB app many of the minor things like ordering excursions, depositing more funds, or viewing your on board account can now be done at these usually these no wait machines.

Dining Reservations

Priority Main Dining Room and Specialty Restaurant reservations (excluding Your Time Dining).

Another subjective perk. If you are already confirmed for your preferred dinner time and speciality restaurants in your cruise manager this does nothing for you except maybe move you higher on the Chef's Table seating chart. If not confirmed or no response on specialty dinner reservations this will move you higher on the waitlist right behind Diamonds, Suites, and Platinums waiting for dining assignments and reservations. For YTD this does not get you a table from the hostess any faster than anyone else on line with you at the desk.

Tender Priority

You will have the option to choose a priority tender from the ship to shore (multiple departure times may be possible), so you can explore ashore as quickly as you would like.

A great perk if you have tender ports a wasted effort if you don't.

Just remember those with ship sponsored excursions generally will have guaranteed tender seats, and could be boarded to a tender before those with "priority" status. Also to receive this perk you need to follow the instructions delivered to your cabin concerning where to find your priority escort to the tender. You can not just start cutting the line on your own. This is only for outbound from the ship tenders, everyone has the same status on the return from port tenders.

Debarkation

We're always sad to see you go. But when your cruise is over, you may choose an early or late disembarkation time upon arrival to your homeport."

If looking to leave last, any passenger is eligible to do that, just wait for the last call ashore for your prefered type of debarkation, self assist or relaxed.

Where this really pays off, as long as you follow the special instructions sent to your cabin, is on priority self assist debarkation. Depending on how many Diamonds, Platinums, and suite passengers decide on this method you will be among the first 1 to 4 groups let off the ship. It is also helpful for those that choose relaxed debarkation but still want to get off among the earliest zones allowed. Again depending on those with higher priority than you, you will be entitled to receive tags for zones 1-4. Again follow the special instruction to fully utilize this perk, as the first few calls for these low zone numbers will only be made in the lounge or restaurant that priority disembarkation passengers are meeting in.

If you believe that the perks offered that apply to your particular cruise are worth the fee being asked then go ahead and buy it. If on the fence and it's available you should buy it just to lock it in, as it can always be refunded (1-4 weeks processing) to the method you used to pay for it up to 2 days before the cruise without penalty fees. If it seems not to fit your vacation outlook just ignore it.

We purchased it for our next cruise, the benefit to me is getting our room and luggage faster! If it doesn't come faster than normal, I probably won't purchase again! I can't relax until I get unpacked!! HA HA that's just me, so the hubs said to get it! (I'm sure I drove him nuts last cruise running back to the room to check) Not sure it's worth the $$, but I got it!!

We purchased it for our next cruise, the benefit to me is getting our room and luggage faster! If it doesn't come faster than normal, I probably won't purchase again! I can't relax until I get unpacked!! HA HA that's just me, so the hubs said to get it! (I'm sure I drove him nuts last cruise running back to the room to check) Not sure it's worth the $$, but I got it!!

Me too! Vacation has not started until I am unpacked!!

Will be cruising on the Fascination in October. First cruise in 10 years. Last time we went the was no such thing as FTTF. Is this worth the purchase? Thinking since it's the last week of October there should not be many kids on board. All comments welcome!

To me yes it is worth it

Will be cruising on the Fascination in October. First cruise in 10 years. Last time we went the was no such thing as FTTF. Is this worth the purchase? Thinking since it's the last week of October there should not be many kids on board. All comments welcome!

Our schools, in Indianapolis, are on fall break for 2 weeks in October :), which is when we are going , not that is should matter, but just sayin' LOL

:):)

Some great advice has been given on this thread

Wow, thanks all! I guess it's just a matter of preference.....

Just another opinion. If you are doing it for the luggage option. Last 2 cruises we received our luggage with every one else’s even with 2 platinum tags on each bag

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will be cruising on the fascination in october. First cruise in 10 years. Last time we went the was no such thing as fttf. Is this worth the purchase? Thinking since it's the last week of october there should not be many kids on board. All comments welcome!

yes!!!!!!!!!

We purchased it for our next cruise, the benefit to me is getting our room and luggage faster! If it doesn't come faster than normal, I probably won't purchase again! I can't relax until I get unpacked!! HA HA that's just me, so the hubs said to get it! (I'm sure I drove him nuts last cruise running back to the room to check) Not sure it's worth the $$, but I got it!!

We carry on, despite being Platinum. It is for this reason as after lunch, we generally go back and unpack and are well settled before muster.

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Will be cruising on the Fascination in October. First cruise in 10 years. Last time we went the was no such thing as FTTF. Is this worth the purchase? Thinking since it's the last week of October there should not be many kids on board. All comments welcome!

What dollar value do you put on your time?

How much time do you think FTTF would save you and those in your cabin?

Now multiply.

There is your answer.

For me, it is an easy no. As if I bought it, I know I would want to get my money's worth. So on embarkation day, I would get up at 5:30 am so we could be to the port NLT 11:00. That is like getting up for work...Ugh. So no thank you. Given it is my first day of vacation I prefer to sleep in until 8am, make the drive, Get on the ship, drop the luggage (yeah 1:30 baby) and start the vacation And since we are usually on Deck 12 or 11, which are the first ones called self-carry your luggage off the ship, no real time savings there. And we book are excursions through carnival, so we gather up in the theatre on those tender ports, so no need there. I just see zero benefit for our approach to a cruise.

I think it's worth it! We carry on our luggage, toss it in the room and back out before noon. Vacation is officially started after that. 2 more cruises and we'll be platinum.