Kind of bummed.....

[Canadian_J]

I think it's awful they charge you to board early!

 

 

Well it's a good thing no one is forcing you to pay that ;) this is a practice among many airlines and hotels as well. A premium charge gets you a premium service.

[gtalum]

FTTF is a great benefit and worth every penny, but it won't even remotely "make or break" your cruise. Check back from time to time but don't worry about it.

[lizardhowson]

I think it's awful they charge you to board early!

 

FTTF does not allow you to board early, this is a common mis-statement.

 

It simply allows you to board quicker once you arrive at the terminal.

[slk09]

Not to mention, I actually enjoy doing all that myself, and I like that I can call someone at Carnival 24 hours a day if I want. No need for a TA anymore. Haven't used one for any vacation in years, not since I could always get the better deals on my own.

 

 

My thoughts exactly!! And I like having control of my booking which a previous poster had mentioned also.

[PoppyandNana]

Yes, but you have to give up control of your booking, which is inconvenient. Not worth it, in my opinion.

 

 

I disagree. One NEVER gives up control of your booking. It's your money, your booking. You can change anything you want, or not, as you see fit. No one can change your booking parameters without your permission.

 

On our 30 plus cruises, most of which were through through a TA, we never had one issue of losing control. We do our own research then call our TA and tell them to book X at Y price, in cabin Z.

Edited August 22, 2015 by PoppyandNana

[gtalum]

I disagree. One NEVER gives up control of your booking. It's your money, your booking. You can change anything you want, or not, as you see fit. No one can change your booking parameters without your permission.

 

On our 30 plus cruises, most of which were through through a TA, we never had one issue of losing control. We do our own research then call our TA and tell them to book X at Y price, in cabin Z.

 

All changes to your booking must go through the TA, though, which is a hassle. We quit using TA's for cruises when they stopped paying us enough for the added hassle.

[gtalum]

FTTF does not allow you to board early, this is a common mis-statement.

 

It simply allows you to board quicker once you arrive at the terminal.

 

You get to board with Platinum and Diamond cruisers, so it is earlier than you would otherwise be able to board. It also guarantees that your stateroom will be ready immediately upon boarding.

[PoppyandNana]

All changes to your booking must go through the TA, though, which is a hassle. We quit using TA's for cruises when they stopped paying us enough for the added hassle.

 

Don't mean to be argumentative but how is this a hassle? If we want to make a change we make a quick call or better yet send an email and viola change is made.

 

Without a TA how would make a change say to dining time?

[lizardhowson]

You get to board with Platinum and Diamond cruisers, so it is earlier than you would otherwise be able to board. It also guarantees that your stateroom will be ready immediately upon boarding.

 

Actually, if you are there early enough, you get to board after wedding parties, Platinum and Diamond are called. Then FTTF. And as they begin allowing FTTF who are waiting to board, they begin general boarding for those early arrivals who are in the front of the general boarding lines.

[gtalum]

Don't mean to be argumentative but how is this a hassle? If we want to make a change we make a quick call or better yet send an email and viola change is made.

 

Without a TA how would make a change say to dining time?

 

Carnival.com makes all changes very quickly and easily. These days we don't actually speak to anyone to make or modify bookings.

 

As for dining time specifically, we are very happy with Anytime Dining so it's not an issue anyway.

Edited August 22, 2015 by gtalum

[gtalum]

Actually, if you are there early enough, you get to board after wedding parties, Platinum and Diamond are called. Then FTTF. And as they begin allowing FTTF who are waiting to board, they begin general boarding for those early arrivals who are in the front of the general boarding lines.

 

On 4 cruises I've taken since the implementation of FTTF (including my last non-Platinum cruise where we used FTTF ourselves), FTTF pax have been called to board with the Plat and Diamond cruisers.

 

FTTF is well worth the expense, but as I noted it's really not a make or break kind of thing.

[Out to sea!]

FTTF does not allow you to board early, this is a common mis-statement.

 

It simply allows you to board quicker once you arrive at the terminal.

 

Actually, it does allow you to board earlier than non-FTTF/Platinum/Diamond cruisers. I believe this is what the poster was alluding to.

[Out to sea!]

I disagree. One NEVER gives up control of your booking. It's your money, your booking. You can change anything you want, or not, as you see fit. No one can change your booking parameters without your permission.

 

On our 30 plus cruises, most of which were through through a TA, we never had one issue of losing control. We do our own research then call our TA and tell them to book X at Y price, in cabin Z.

 

That is incorrect. YOU cannot change anything when booking through a TA. You can ask your TA to change things or contact Carnival for you but you have absolutely given up the ability to negotiate yourself with Carnival.

Edited August 22, 2015 by Out to sea!

[vamartha]

I had to cancel a cruise last fall. Scheduled to sail on Saturday and we canceled on Tuesday. I had FTTF. So yes, people do cancel.

[HaliMakai]

Thanks for all the advice, my plan is to keep checking until past the final payment date, and if it does not pop up again, I will send the email that was suggested. Not getting it will not make or break my cruise. We had it a few years ago on the Legend and we really liked it. We had a family function planned for the first evening and having the luggage early was great. We were all unpacked and ready to party before sail away.

[PoppyandNana]

That is incorrect. YOU cannot change anything when booking through a TA. You can ask your TA to change things or contact Carnival for you but you have absolutely given up the ability to negotiate yourself with Carnival.

 

What on earth are you talking about? You said one can't change anythng when working with a TA. Your comment: you can ask your TA to change things or contact Carnival yourself. But lose control of the ability to negioate yourself.

 

Yea, so? How else would you change your dinning time, go to Carnivals IT center to go into your booking to change dining time? Go to your TA's office and ask to use their computer to change something?

 

Sorry, you're not making any sense.

[Cruise4Music]

You're kidding, right? Do they have a crystal ball that says FTTF became available or spend time checking for you?

 

A good one does just that.

 

Plus their information is a lot more accurate and up to date then then a Cruise Critic message board.

[Cruise4Music]

What on earth are you talking about? You said one can't change anythng when working with a TA. Your comment: you can ask your TA to change things or contact Carnival yourself. But lose control of the ability to negioate yourself.

 

Yea, so? How else would you change your dinning time, go to Carnivals IT center to go into your booking to change dining time? Go to your TA's office and ask to use their computer to change something?

 

Sorry, you're not making any sense.

 

You know you can use a travel agent and still change dining times and things like that online.

[tandemcruzr]

 

Yea, so? How else would you change your dinning time, go to Carnivals IT center to go into your booking to change dining time? Go to your TA's office and ask to use their computer to change something?

 

Easy. Go online to Carnival's web site, log in and go to Manage My Cruise and select Cruise Details and edit Dining Time.

Edited August 23, 2015 by tandemcruzr

[Out to sea!]

What on earth are you talking about? You said one can't change anythng when working with a TA. Your comment: you can ask your TA to change things or contact Carnival yourself. But lose control of the ability to negioate yourself.

 

Yea, so? How else would you change your dinning time, go to Carnivals IT center to go into your booking to change dining time? Go to your TA's office and ask to use their computer to change something?

 

Sorry, you're not making any sense.

 

LOL.......you're funny. :)