Faster to the Fun program announced today

[GROUCHPUSS]

I thought this was bad at 1st and it was a knee jerk reaction. Then I thought when I started getting free laundry did I think that Carnival should stop doing and charging others to do there laundry? No I was just happy that I did not have to pay for it any more. Nor do I feel that Because I used to get a free entry to the BJ tourney that no one should be able to buy it.

 

If Carnival was charged for anything that I get for free I feel like I saved money.

 

Carnival has now given a monitory value to something we get free it is basically $50.00 and if we were not Diamond or Platinum we would have to pay $50.00 per cruise for the perk. I think that is pretty good because if I had to buy FTTF I would I hate lines. So over the 15 cruises after hitting Platinum I would of spent $750.00 on this perk If I did not get it for free.

 

I know that it has not always been a perk, but this is a what if it was post.

[pe4all]

And the only reason you cruised and spent all that money was to become Platinum?

 

BTW it cost me less for 15 cruises but most of mine were in inside cabins.

Definitely not! But I "paid my dues" to get to Platinum the old fashioned way. Cruising with 4 of us in balconies during holiday high cost periods was our choice. I do not regret one penny I laid out for ANY of my CCL cruises, as it was, and continues to be, quality family time. We definitely don't cruise for perks. (though I'll admit I love coming home with clean clothes due to the free laundry.) In fact, we really never used any of the other perks, except early embark. (which we would have gotten anyway, as we are usually zone 1 or 2 when we get to the port) But I it still hurts that CCL has watered everything down - or maybe I should call it "dumbed it down" in the past few weeks/months....

[GROUCHPUSS]

Here - I'll give you a bit of math also!!:p:D Just figured out it cost the 4 in my family a total of around $45,000 to be recognized as Platinum under the old system of taking 10 cruises - all ours were 6-9 days long - not one less than 6 days. All taken during school vacations/holidays, as that is the only time I can cruise. That does NOT include incidentals on board, (drinks, bingo, photos, excursions bought thru CCL, etc.) Heck - I would be thrilled to pay less than $50 per cruise to get what they are giving with the new program!! $500 vs $45,000??? It's a no brainer!

 

See above!:)

 

But you still would have gone on those cruises and spent that money in cruise fare. If someone wants this perk for free they still have to become Platinum and spend a lot of money getting there. It is like saying someone should not be able to pay to get a bag of laundry done because you get it for free.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

While NCL sells the Posh pass..... is that only once you board the ship so they know exactly how many suite Pax there are prior?

 

With CCL these are being presold..... So how do they know how many platinums will be onboard 2 months out??

 

BTW we are looking forward to exploring the Epic;)

 

I believe it's only after boarding. They sell a fixed amount, as I understand it.

 

a B2B... SWEET! You may have enough time to do most of what you'd like to in that two weeks. ENJOY!!

 

Tom

[Loves_Dogs]

But you still would have gone on those cruises and spent that money in cruise fare. If someone wants this perk for free they still have to become Platinum and spend a lot of money getting there. It is like saying someone should not be able to pay to get a bag of laundry done because you get it for free.

 

EXACTLY...this post makes a lot of sense. Next time I book a Carnival cruise I will absolutely sign up for FTTF.

[Cruise4Music]

But I it still hurts that CCL has watered everything down - or maybe I should call it "dumbed it down" in the past few weeks/months....

 

In your opinion.

 

Not all of us agree.

[adrianypr]

I did a dummy reservation today to see how many passes were left for my liberty booking, last night my 8:00am-9:00am pass said 9 left. When you check now it says 15 left between 11:00am-12:00pm. So I'm guessing it's 15 passes every hour until embarkation is over???

 

 

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[H82seaUgo]

But I it still hurts that CCL has watered everything down - or maybe I should call it "dumbed it down" in the past few weeks/months....

 

yup. and accelerated the night of jan 13, 2012.

[H82seaUgo]

I did a dummy reservation today to see how many passes were left for my liberty booking, last night my 8:00am-9:00am pass said 9 left. When you check now it says 15 left between 11:00am-12:00pm. So I'm guessing it's 15 passes every hour until embarkation is over???

 

 

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lol.

 

expect it to be a fiasco just like everything else they launch, including ships. still funny thinking the breeze couldn't dock on its inaugural, nor could the dream in ny and san juan. written as it occurs.

[jonbgd]

I believe it's only after boarding. They sell a fixed amount, as I understand it.

 

a B2B... SWEET! You may have enough time to do most of what you'd like to in that two weeks. ENJOY!!

 

Tom

Im thinking of maybe surprising my GF for the second week as we are doing the 1st week with a group. And the second week is Thanksgiving so most likely alot more kids

 

Im thinking it might take longer than 2 weeks. The 3rd week pricing looks pretty good:D If only my GF could get that much time away from work

 

NCL is how CCL use to be with their CS

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

In your opinion.

 

Not all of us agree.

 

It's almost a given that as the Carnival "cruise count" increases (into the dozens) people will likely perceive that some aspects of the product have suffered over the last several years. Between just 3 other CC'ers I have cruised with a few times, we have over 200 Carnival sailings over the last decade+... and we SEE it. Yes, there are also vocal people on the board with dozens of sailings who think everything is perfect (has been, always will be) - and they are being honest from their experiences, perspective, and desires.

 

Granted, there are some improvements to partially balance out the losses (again, I am a BIG fan of the Guy's Burger Joint)! :D

 

For the average first time cruiser, the current Carnival cruise experience is likely HIGHLY satisfying!

 

Tom

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I did a dummy reservation today to see how many passes were left for my liberty booking, last night my 8:00am-9:00am pass said 9 left. When you check now it says 15 left between 11:00am-12:00pm. So I'm guessing it's 15 passes every hour until embarkation is over???

 

 

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That's quite interesting.... but no doubt just some type of computer/accounting artifact... ;)

 

:D

 

Tom

[T. Advisor King]

I sail with Carnival more than any other cruise line because of their price, embarkation ports and itineraries, not because I'm "loyal" to them. So I don't feel I have a big stake in their "loyalty" program. If they want to give me certain additional benefits at a certain point, that's fine. But I'm not booking with them just to achieve that status.

 

With that background, here are my thoughts on the "buy your way in" program:

 

The price ($25/person, double occ) doesn't seem outrageous. Whether or not I would buy it would depend on the actual ship, port and itinerary. Some ports and ships are very quick boarding. Others are dreadfully slow. So there may or may not be a benefit to quicker embarkation. The bigger draw for me might be the priority tenders. For me, cruises are all about the destination, so the sooner I can get off the ship and start exploring, the better. Of course, that is only a benefit if the route has mainly tender ports.

 

What will be interesting is what the upatake is and the impact on the "average" customer. If 75% of the passengers buy into it, then it isn't so much a question of whether I'm willing to pay to be first, it is whether I'm willing to be dead last at everything just to save the money. I'm a whole lot more likely to buy in if 80% of the other passengers are than I am if 10% are. That issue goes away if they impose limits. But it may be a case where they start with limited access, then slowly bump it up so it is available to everyone.

 

If they can get 40-50% of thier passengers to buy-up, I think that will be the tipping point where average passengers will start to feel they have to pay -- not to get ahead of everyone else (which is the way it is being sold) but just to keep up with everyone else. In that case, it will soon be just another hidden part of the cabin fare, like tips and taxes.

[Chigirlcruzin]

Yes $700 on one sailing. But add that amount on every sailing on every carnival ship. Its not such a small number anymore.

 

And while people may be mad now how many will actually switch to another line? Very few I would imagine. So they lose a few cruisers but are still making more money with this system.

 

As I already said, I was taught to be greatful when someone gives me something for free, not to complain that it isn't good enough. The only thing they owe you is a cruise. Not freebies.

 

Actually, it's a tiny number. Big to you and me, but a rounding error for a multibillion dollar corporation. 14 ships doing 7 day cruises 52 weeks a year is $ 546,000. The other ten ships doing say 2 cruises a week 52 weeks a year is $780,000. Grand total of $1,326,000. With all the extra work involved, it's not worth it. No way are they going to limit it to 15 per sailing.

[Mikel1733]

Actually, it's a tiny number. Big to you and me, but a rounding error for a multibillion dollar corporation. 14 ships doing 7 day cruises 52 weeks a year is $ 546,000. The other ten ships doing say 2 cruises a week 52 weeks a year is $780,000. Grand total of $1,326,000. With all the extra work involved, it's not worth it. No way are they going to limit it to 15 per sailing.

 

 

I agree there is no way they limit it to 15. I imagine it may be sold 100-200 each ship per cruise. There's no way they would waste their time with the money generated by 15 each cruise.

[Jdfireman]

It is what it is.... I cruise because i like it.. The perks are nice. In the end I am still on Vacation and that is all that matters to me and my friends.

 

I am making a movement that Carnival lets Platinum and diamond members have the option to buy the open bar package with out a group of 30 Now were talking about a perk with paying for..

 

Love to Cruise Love to eat popcorn and read CC

[coops]

Here - I'll give you a bit of math also!!:p:D Just figured out it cost the 4 in my family a total of around $45,000 to be recognized as Platinum under the old system of taking 10 cruises - all ours were 6-9 days long - not one less than 6 days. All taken during school vacations/holidays, as that is the only time I can cruise. That does NOT include incidentals on board, (drinks, bingo, photos, excursions bought thru CCL, etc.) Heck - I would be thrilled to pay less than $50 per cruise to get what they are giving with the new program!! $500 vs $45,000??? It's a no brainer!

 

See above!:)

 

So let me get this straight , you spent 45,000 over 10 years just so you can get perks. Hmmmm. When I spend my money on cruises it is so I can have a vacation and fun and relax. If I get the perks thats a bonus if not I still would be cruising.

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

I agree there is no way they limit it to 15. I imagine it may be sold 100-200 each ship per cruise. There's no way they would waste their time with the money generated by 15 each cruise.

 

If they sold 100 of them, assuming there are only 2 people per cabin (many are 4 or 5/cabin) then thats an extra couple hundred people trying to get x-rayed with the VIFP. That many more people in the priority tender line and the VIP guest services desk. Just sayin.

[coops]

Why can't they let people in the cabins when you first board? I just don't understand that.

Princess does an excellent job of it. We have been in our cabin as early as 11:15.

[SarahQ]

I thought this was bad at 1st and it was a knee jerk reaction. Then I thought when I started getting free laundry did I think that Carnival should stop doing and charging others to do there laundry? No I was just happy that I did not have to pay for it any more. Nor do I feel that Because I used to get a free entry to the BJ tourney that no one should be able to buy it.

 

If Carnival was charged for anything that I get for free I feel like I saved money.

 

Carnival has now given a monitory value to something we get free it is basically $50.00 and if we were not Diamond or Platinum we would have to pay $50.00 per cruise for the perk. I think that is pretty good because if I had to buy FTTF I would I hate lines. So over the 15 cruises after hitting Platinum I would of spent $750.00 on this perk If I did not get it for free.

 

I know that it has not always been a perk, but this is a what if it was post.

 

Finally, some common sense - you very eloquently stated what I was trying to get at earlier. You are getting something for free that others have to pay for - it's still a perk.

 

All of this "I paid $100,000 to get to Diamond etc." that keeps getting posted is nonsense. You paid that money for a vacation and that's what you got - Carnival doesn't "owe" you anything.

 

If you got caught in the trap of booking more cruises to get a higher status,my apologies, but it's called "buyer beware".

[big_duck]

Why can't they let people in the cabins when you first board? I just don't understand that.

Princess does an excellent job of it. We have been in our cabin as early as 11:15.

 

Princess probably has a more Stewards per cabin.

 

One of the inconveniences of cruising the budget line.

[barbatkins]

I did a dummy reservation today to see how many passes were left for my liberty booking, last night my 8:00am-9:00am pass said 9 left. When you check now it says 15 left between 11:00am-12:00pm. So I'm guessing it's 15 passes every hour until embarkation is over???

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

OMG....it that is true.......then we are talking about hundreds of people on every cruise expecting all the perks of the Platinum/Diamond in addition to the ACTUAL Platinum/Diamond guests............. this would end up being a nightmare for everyone.....

[Mikel1733]

If they sold 100 of them, assuming there are only 2 people per cabin (many are 4 or 5/cabin) then thats an extra couple hundred people trying to get x-rayed with the VIFP. That many more people in the priority tender line and the VIP guest services desk. Just sayin.

 

 

I don't think they will mess around for $750 per sailing. They could make more money playing one extra game of bingo and then not piss off all the Plats and Diamonds. 100 packages could be 200-400 passengers. I think there will be many more than 15

[maggieworkman]

I did a dummy reservation today to see how many passes were left for my liberty booking, last night my 8:00am-9:00am pass said 9 left. When you check now it says 15 left between 11:00am-12:00pm. So I'm guessing it's 15 passes every hour until embarkation is over???

 

 

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OK. Are people seeing this??? It isn't limited to 15 bookings!!!!

 

Maggie

[Avril]

I agree with Barb Atkins post about this really program diluting our hard earned benefits. I have seen nothing other than this post to believe it will be capacity controlled. From where did this information come?

 

I hate the new program as well. :mad: Definatly a slap in the face to those of us who have earned our status. To answer your question, it came from here (and this is an article here on cruise critic):

In order to ensure that ships are not overrun with priority access passengers and to enable crew to offer fast-tracked cabin access and true priority service, a spokesman tells Cruise Critic that Faster to the Fun program will be capacity controlled.