FTTF Arrival & Boarding Times?

[SoundsOfSand]

I know experiences vary between different people and different ships, but what has your experience been when boarding a Carnival Ship using the Faster To The Fun program (or Diamond or Platinum)? We are going specifically on the Carnival Conquest.

 

What time have you arrived at the port, how long did you have to wait to board, how long til your bags got to your room, were they sitting outside your door or inside, ect?

[bills blasters]

Last month on the Dream, we got to the port about 10. We were sent to a special section of chairs to wait. A little before 11 we started heading on to the ship. There was some holdup, so we waited about 10 minutes in line before we got on. We were on the ship just a few minutes after 11. We went right to our rooms. The sign on the doors said you could enter if you had faster to the fun. Our luggage was not there. We went to the Lido deck to eat. After 12 we came back, and one of our bags was at the door. The other bag arrived about an hour later. We had some friends that did not do the FTTF, and one of there bags actually got to their room before our second bag got to our room.

Claudia

[C MONEY]

I would also like some insight on this matter. We are sailing on the Magic out of Galveston on 3/10 and each of my party has signed up for FTTF.

 

I have read in places Carnival was already making changes to the program due to the disgruntled responses of diamond/platinum members?

[okgirl]

I would also like some insight on this matter. We are sailing on the Magic out of Galveston on 3/10 and each of my party has signed up for FTTF.

 

I have read in places Carnival was already making changes to the program due to the disgruntled responses of diamond/platinum members?

 

Galveston is my homeport and I'm also Platinum.

 

I arrive at the pier around 10:30 and check in through the VIP lounge. Boarding usually begins shortly before or after 11:30.

 

The order of boarding is the same in all ports:

 

Weddings

Handicap

Diamond/Platinum

FTTF (if that's an option)

Zones

 

So FTTF doesn't impact me at embarkation and I haven't heard of any disgruntled fellow Diamond/Platinum guests because it's a non-issue.

 

The firedoors do say that Diamond/Platinum/FTTF guests are welcome to proceed to their cabin.....again no impact having FTTF doing this along with us.

 

On the Conquest in NOLA (as well as any other port that I sail from), I still get to the pier around 10:30....In NOLA specifically I do like that the VIP lounge (for Diamond/Platinum/Suites) is set up to call people to the next available agent in the order that they arrived in the lounge. They used to just leave it up to an honor system and people recognizing who was suppose to be next.

 

If I wasn't Platinum I couldn't imagine purchasing FTTF if I wasn't planning on arriving at the pier early so that I could be among the 1st on board.

 

Priority tendering isn't a big deal to me and even when I do I never use the head of the line perk....it's just not that important to me to get on shore a few minutes early.

 

I don't think that FTTF should get to use the VIP line at Guest Services.....that's the ONE area that does have a negative impact on me as a Platinum cruiser.

 

Carnival should never have let someone buy for $50 something that cost me thousands of dollars to become entitled to.

 

BTW....when you say everyone in your party has purchased FTTF.......you do mean that every cabin in your party has purchased it, not each individual in each cabin has purchased it.....right?????

[serene56]

FTTF works the advantage if you arrive to the pier when boarding has already started.

 

arriving before that you are going to have to wait.

 

When we arrived after one the lines were very long in the regular check in

having the FTTF would put you in front of all those people and onboard within 15 minutes to 30 minutes.

[gelo7]

Galveston is my homeport and I'm also Platinum.

 

I arrive at the pier around 10:30 and check in through the VIP lounge. Boarding usually begins shortly before or after 11:30.

 

The order of boarding is the same in all ports:

 

Weddings

Handicap

Diamond/Platinum

FTTF (if that's an option)

Zones

 

So FTTF doesn't impact me at embarkation and I haven't heard of any disgruntled fellow Diamond/Platinum guests because it's a non-issue.

 

The firedoors do say that Diamond/Platinum/FTTF guests are welcome to proceed to their cabin.....again no impact having FTTF doing this along with us.

 

On the Conquest in NOLA (as well as any other port that I sail from), I still get to the pier around 10:30....In NOLA specifically I do like that the VIP lounge (for Diamond/Platinum/Suites) is set up to call people to the next available agent in the order that they arrived in the lounge. They used to just leave it up to an honor system and people recognizing who was suppose to be next.

 

If I wasn't Platinum I couldn't imagine purchasing FTTF if I wasn't planning on arriving at the pier early so that I could be among the 1st on board.

 

Priority tendering isn't a big deal to me and even when I do I never use the head of the line perk....it's just not that important to me to get on shore a few minutes early.

 

I don't think that FTTF should get to use the VIP line at Guest Services.....that's the ONE area that does have a negative impact on me as a Platinum cruiser.

 

Carnival should never have let someone buy for $50 something that cost me thousands of dollars to become entitled to.

 

BTW....when you say everyone in your party has purchased FTTF.......you do mean that every cabin in your party has purchased it, not each individual in each cabin has purchased it.....right?????

 

That's good information.

[okgirl]

FTTF works the advantage if you arrive to the pier when boarding has already started.

 

arriving before that you are going to have to wait.

 

When we arrived after one the lines were very long in the regular check in

having the FTTF would put you in front of all those people and onboard within 15 minutes to 30 minutes.

 

I know that you are right, but I'm just not a go to the front of the line type person......I do prefer to get to the pier early, get checked in (I don't really relax until I have my S&S card in my hand)...and I don't mind sitting for 30 minutes or so until boarding starts....

 

The real advantage that FTTF has opened up for me is that as a Platinum cruiser my cabin will be ready early too and I like being able to go directly to my cabin and drop off my stuff before starting to wander......

 

Even though I know a lot of people have always done this, I just never felt comfortable leaving my valuables in the cabin before I know the cabin has been inspected and made secure.

 

Even the priority tendering doesn't interest me....I would never ask to be taken down to deck zero and bypass others in line.....I do take advantage of not having to get a tender sticker...I just go down and get in line when ever I feel like it.......my sister never tenders anymore, and I rarely get off the ship in a tender port unless there is something I really need that I can't purchase on the ship......

[SoundsOfSand]

I've read somewhere (if I'm not mistaken) that either FTTF or Diamond/Platinum people have a special waiting area in the terminal, a special waiting area or lounge while waiting to tender, and a special waiting area/lounge when doing disembarkation first thing. Can anyone that has gotten FTTF in the past comment on whether any or all of these are true (or help me get my facts straight)?

 

We will be going out of the New Orleans port.

[bills blasters]

I've read somewhere (if I'm not mistaken) that either FTTF or Diamond/Platinum people have a special waiting area in the terminal, a special waiting area or lounge while waiting to tender, and a special waiting area/lounge when doing disembarkation first thing. Can anyone that has gotten FTTF in the past comment on whether any or all of these are true (or help me get my facts straight)?

 

We will be going out of the New Orleans port.

 

 

Last month on the Dream we did have a special place to sit after we checked in. It was not in the VIP lounge, But an area of chairs just outside the lounge.

We we went to disembark, we were given a 2 luggage tag, and when we asked, we were told we could just head down to get off the ship anytime we wanted. We were not told to meet any special place.

We did not do the tendering, but from what I heard, you go to the pursers desk when you want to tender, and they send you to where you need to go.

Claudia

[TerReuv]

I've read somewhere (if I'm not mistaken) that either FTTF or Diamond/Platinum people have a special waiting area in the terminal, a special waiting area or lounge while waiting to tender, and a special waiting area/lounge when doing disembarkation first thing. Can anyone that has gotten FTTF in the past comment on whether any or all of these are true (or help me get my facts straight)?

 

We will be going out of the New Orleans port.

 

We too will be leaving on the Conquest out of NOLA in October. But note that FTTF just became available for the Conquest so not sure how many specific answers you will get. The special lounge is for Diamond/Platinum and I do not believe it is available for FTTF. Do not know about disembarkation.

[fergusonvt]

On the Valor on 2/3 we got to the port just before 11:00am and were on the ship in about 15 minutes. We were relaxing on our balcony at noon after grabbing a quick bite to eat on the Lido. My husbands suitcase was in the room but unfortunately mine did not get here until around 3pm even though they were right together when we dropped them off and it was clearly marked FTTF. All in all it was worth the $50.00 though.

 

FYI, if you get one of those emails telling you to arrive after 1pm just ignore it (we did). My assumption is they send these out randomly and don't look to see who might have bought FTTF.

[okgirl]

We too will be leaving on the Conquest out of NOLA in October. But note that FTTF just became available for the Conquest so not sure how many specific answers you will get. The special lounge is for Diamond/Platinum and I do not believe it is available for FTTF. Do not know about disembarkation.

 

I will be very disappointed if the FTTF guests are allowed to use the VIP lounge in NOLA. There is suppose to be a completely separate checkin line and seating area for FTTF.

 

NOLA's VIP lounge is VERY small and as I said there should be a very clear separation of the VIP's and the FTTF's.

 

Even though they have improved the VIP experience in NOLA I was still disappointed last fall when we started being led from the lounge to board the ship AT THE FAR END OF THE TERMINAL and they started calling Zone 1's to board AT THE NEAR END OF THE TERMINAL (which is a much shorter trek.....:mad:), so when we got to the actual gangway over to the ship the two lines were fully merged with zone one's in front of VIPs.

[ccruisequeen]

In Long Beach platinum and weddings go before disabled. Then FTTF and Zones

[okgirl]

In Long Beach platinum and weddings go before disabled. Then FTTF and Zones

 

I'm surprised they don't get some pushback over that. However, many of the people I see boarding before Platinums don't have Platinum cards...but usually the group isn't very large.

[C MONEY]

 

BTW....when you say everyone in your party has purchased FTTF.......you do mean that every cabin in your party has purchased it, not each individual in each cabin has purchased it.....right?????

 

Thanks for all the info!! And yes, just each cabin has purchased it, not each person.

 

We actually had an issue with this after some misinformation was provided to us by carnival. We were told each person in each cabin had to purchase it....after we realized otherwise we phoned carnival and they corrected it AND comped us a FTTF on one of our cabins. So for 6 people we ended up paying only 50 bucks total. Looking forward to seeing if it will be worth it.