FTTF Disasterous waste of money

[lizardhowson]

Or maybe the OP was tempted to only remove the portion of the tips that goes to guest services, which might have been warranted here.

 

So you are saying you can remove a portion of your automatic tips and designate to whom the remaining amount is directed to ?

 

That doesn't sound plausible via the Carnival system.

[Banks822]

I was on the same cruise and I also had FTTF. This time for us it wasn't actually helpful, but I will use it again in the future. The FLL port is really unorganized compared to Charleston and Miami. The only plus was how close it is to the airport which meant we could fly in the morning of cruise and save money on previous cruise hotel. I didn't complain because at least I was on vacation, but I can see where the OP was frustrated. It wouldn't of been so bad if they wouldn't of told us boarding at 11:30 at check in and if they would of had places for people to sit. Also if they would of prevented the people from crowding in front of the FTTF zone and bombarding the doors when they called us. It was so crazy they couldn't even check cards to make sure people were really FTTF. So basically they need to get it together at the cruise port.

As far as tendering. We were told to be in the deck 3 theater at 7:50 for priority tendering. When we got there they said there's no line so just go on down. It would of been faster for us to of gone straight down, but it was no big deal. I'm thinking the OP must not of gotten to the lounge before 8 like they told us to since he said there was a long line.

I never had to go to Guest Service this trip so no issues there. This just happened to be one of those times when FTTF didn't work to my advantage, but it has been so helpful in past cruises that the good definitely outweighs the bad.

[k2excursion]

So you are saying you can remove a portion of your automatic tips and designate to whom the remaining amount is directed to ?

 

That doesn't sound plausible via the Carnival system.

 

Perhaps. I don't know. I'm just speculating. I do know that there is a breakdown with the tips in regards to stewards & dining room waiters. If one of those were extremely poor, I would hope that we could adjust the tips down for those that did poor, while leaving the others alone. I have never adjusted tips downward, nor have I looked into doing that, so maybe it's possible, maybe not. If we can, and if guest services gets a portion of the tips, then we might be able to take theirs away or reduce them if they weren't doing their job, while leaving everyone else's alone. If this is not possible, and every department takes a hit for any reduction, then perhaps the OP also doesn't know this. I'm just simply not assuming the worst in the OP's statements.

Edited May 3, 2016 by k2excursion

[Dave994]

What does a long time cruiser have to do with this? Op said he voted against cruising Carnival but it was a group decision. That speaks volumes to me. So I stand by what I said. Moving on' date=' I hope Princess gives him more of what he's looking for.[/quote']

 

 

It means he is not simply a troll coming in to bash Carnival. He has experience to draw on in terms of expectations. Yes, he didn't want to cruise Carnival, but I have read enough from the OP to know that he would not be biased going into the cruise and would give the ship a fair chance.

[golfb4cruzing]

You mention removing the tips....did you also have issues with the service staff (wait staff, bartenders, room steward and staff)?

 

 

 

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Wait staff in MDR was beyond slow, on Lido, we sat next to table with dirty dishes for 40 minutes. Bartenders, couldn't get a drink on Lido within an hour. Inside was better but still a too long wait. Room steward was great. If we had removed, we would have still taken care of him. We actually did give him an additional, in his hand, before we left. I asked him for a couple of things out of the norm and he took care of it promptly. Many of the staff we encountered were just rude. Not sure if it's a tired ship, bad crew or bad management. We listened to a Lido buffet supervisor yelling in his phone, at someone, telling he didn't care, they do what he tells them to do. Bottom line is Carnival has just cut to the bone on the poor workers. How else is a person to voice their concerns? Do you think Carnival really cares about our opinions??

[RiotAct]

This went well.

[golfb4cruzing]

It's experiences like the OPs that make me really glad that we always wait until 1pm to arrive for check in. The herds are on the ship and its check in, walk on for us. Besides it saves us $$ that we would rather spend elsewhere. Besides we can immediately drop off our luggage, the buffet is over the initial stampede, our luggage always seems to arrive fast since, it seems, luggage is off-loaded from the top down (or that has been our experience). "Time" is of little importance to us on a cruise. We are controlled by clocks at home in our regular lives and we pretty much throw away the clocks while cruising. And we are always last off the ship when its really easy to find our luggage and there are always plenty of cabs at the curbs who have dropped off the next batch of impatient early arrivals. And now I will get off my soapbox.

 

I agree with you but after a 19 hour drive down, anxiety rules. Our luggage was delivered "wheels up". They must have came down the hallway pushing luggage off as they went.

[golfb4cruzing]

Not questioning the embarking mess. Really sorry they couldn't be more organized. Op didn't want to go on this cruise to start. He could've wrote his review before the cruise. (He probably did) [emoji4]

 

I went into this cruise with very low expectations. The bar was barely off the floor. After living in a flooded suite 4 years ago, for a week, I held out hope Carnival might have slightly improved. I hate it when I'm right.

[golfb4cruzing]

Well, did anything good happen on your cruise?

 

The Fish N Chips was stellar as we had remembered. We always enjoy the islands. First time on DR and was an interesting excursion, albeit it the wrong one. Who can say anything bad about HMC, it's paradise. I also picked up a very nice pair of tanzanite earrings onboard for the wife. We met 7 people from FB, that we have talked with for 4 years. We all have never met in person and had very good times and conversations over cocktails. We all with cruise again together.

[lizardhowson]

OK, we get it ! Nothing was acceptable.

Hopefully the Princess cruise will be more to your liking or you may have to just have to stick with golf.

Edited May 3, 2016 by lizardhowson

[golfb4cruzing]

How was evening shows? I've read some ppl say there are hardly any and others willnsay there was a show every night. Don't know who to believe? Ship is local and priced right. I can avoid embark and debark hassles easily enough

 

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We went to the Epic Rock show and I thought it was a lip sync contest. I enjoyed the music but the theatrics were underwhelming. I remember someone swinging on a rope, a la Wrecking Ball, but not sure what show that was. Being diabetic, I do not consume much alcohol so my memory is fairly intact.

[Jdfireman]

Oh well thank you for your donation...

[Dave994]

Wait staff in MDR was beyond slow, on Lido, we sat next to table with dirty dishes for 40 minutes. Bartenders, couldn't get a drink on Lido within an hour. Inside was better but still a too long wait. Room steward was great. If we had removed, we would have still taken care of him. We actually did give him an additional, in his hand, before we left. I asked him for a couple of things out of the norm and he took care of it promptly. Many of the staff we encountered were just rude. Not sure if it's a tired ship, bad crew or bad management. We listened to a Lido buffet supervisor yelling in his phone, at someone, telling he didn't care, they do what he tells them to do. Bottom line is Carnival has just cut to the bone on the poor workers. How else is a person to voice their concerns? Do you think Carnival really cares about our opinions??

 

 

We had issues on our cruise as well on Conquest in March with service and rude staff. Service was very slow everywhere. At one point on the lido deck there was a very attractive woman in a bikini waiting for a drink at the red Frog bar for like 10 minutes...I figured I had no hope in ever getting a drink :)

 

Food wasn't as good as our 2 trips on the Pride as well, but I have 3 more trips coming up to see if that was just a one off.

[golfb4cruzing]

On both the Miracale, the Spirit when she was still in California and the Conquest, there is a meeting place for priority folks(platinum, diamond, FTTF) . It is usually in the dining room . You are told that if you carry your luggage off you can meet there and then will be escorted off the ship first.

After that they do the other self assist people but we have walked in line with a staff person on each cruise off the ship while everyone else is still waiting to line up to do their self assist debarkation.

This is not a point to argue but is the procedure that is used. Perhaps it was different before FTTF but now this is the procedure.

 

Our instructions were to meet on Deck 3 in the Renoir dining room. I was just amazed at the shear numbers of people off before FTTF. Isn't that the point that is touted by Carnival for the ability to go very early in any process? Don't forget that on debarkation Day they cut the AC off and everyone is sitting in a dining room. After 2 hours, having FTTF, not moving and inch is frustrating. If we were catching a plane then it would have been less stress because we are looking at a 19 hour drive back home. I thought it would be better to pick up a really cheap excursion and be one of the first off instead of wasting the FTTF dollars.

[TerReuv]

It must be exhausting to be you.

 

To post the same gibberish on every thread over and over and over again.

 

It's kind of sad actually.

 

LOL - and under different screen names in the same post!

[A&Jfamily]

The OP is a long time cruiser and I trust that what he says is the truth. I doubt he spent the time going on a cruise to just post a fake report. We all have our own expectations and this one didn't meet his.

 

How does your flawless experience with FTTF have any bearing on what Golf went through? It amazes me sometimes here how everyone has to defend carnival as if a bad trip couldn't possibly happen because they had the cruise of a lifetime. We all see the world differently and I for one appreciate that in others.

 

Golf...sorry about your trip and happy sailing on Princess. I will have to try that line one day when kids get older [emoji4]

 

Don't "not try" Princess just because you have kids; my pre-teen likes Princess more than Carnival. He is an active kid and I think they do a better job than Carnival at having a more energetic program. My teenage son, of course, prefers the Carnival bikinis, but also really liked Princess. They are more similar than different - like going to Target vs. Walmart. You can get what you need at either, the former is just going to be a slightly more "upscale" experience with less of the herd, me-first pushing and shoving mentality. We will sail Princess again, with or without the kids when the price and destination are right!

[cruizinisthebest]

Even in ideal situations, fttf is a complete waste of money. This is coming from someone who has gotten it, so my opinion is not out of thin air.

 

That said, ship inspections will always hold up boarding. Nothing can be done about that. And an experienced cruiser should know not to pack a steamer.

 

Enjoy Princess if that's what makes you happy.

[lizardhowson]

Even in ideal situations, fttf is a complete waste of money. This is coming from someone who has gotten it, so my opinion is not out of thin air.

 

But that is still just your opinion and at the end of the day, each of us has an opinion on the value of FTTF.

And one person's opinion, regardless of how they believe they arrived at that opinion, is still nothing more than an opinion.

 

For some, it has value, perhaps great value. For others, no value at all.

So while posters will continue to post their opinions of FTTF and attempt to justify their opinion as being more valid than the opinions of others, at the end of the day, different things are more important to us as individuals.

 

I for one would love to see the day when all these "opinion" threads about FTTF just go away.

[asalligo]

I purchase FTTF for two reasons, to get on the boat a little earlier and for priority tendering. If I felt that was not honored, I would go to guest services and ask that I be refunded or credited $60. If they said anything but yes sir right away, then yes I would remove $60 in tips.

[cruizinisthebest]

But that is still just your opinion and at the end of the day, each of us has an opinion on the value of FTTF.

And one person's opinion, regardless of how they believe they arrived at that opinion, is still nothing more than an opinion.

 

For some, it has value, perhaps great value. For others, no value at all.

So while posters will continue to post their opinions of FTTF and attempt to justify their opinion as being more valid than the opinions of others, at the end of the day, different things are more important to us as individuals.

 

I for one would love to see the day when all these "opinion" threads about FTTF just go away.

Right. I believe I said it was my opinion based on experience. Others have another opinion based on experience. I would suggest people get fttf at least once if they want to try it. Then that way they can judge the purchase for themselves. Having had it, I find it a waste and clearly said that. Not sure what you take issue with in my post.

 

And as long as fttf is around, the threads will continue.

 

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[lizardhowson]

I purchase FTTF for two reasons, to get on the boat a little earlier and for priority tendering. If I felt that was not honored, I would go to guest services and ask that I be refunded or credited $60. If they said anything but yes sir right away, then yes I would remove $60 in tips.

 

Yep, punish the crew financially for not getting what you want at Guest Services.

Seems logical to me. NOT ! :rolleyes:

[tinkr2]

Even in ideal situations, fttf is a complete waste of money. This is coming from someone who has gotten it, so my opinion is not out of thin air.

 

That said, ship inspections will always hold up boarding. Nothing can be done about that. And an experienced cruiser should know not to pack a steamer.

 

Enjoy Princess if that's what makes you happy.

 

That's what I was saying to the op. Those are well known problems in cruising. FTTF can not fix those. I do not cruise carnival that often as my experience has varied from stellar on the Breeze , to horrible on Glory, so I am not discounting that he had a rough cruise. That being said , a 60 buck upgrade doesn't guarantee a perfect experience... Actually 30pp.

[chengkp75]

Our instructions were to meet on Deck 3 in the Renoir dining room. I was just amazed at the shear numbers of people off before FTTF. Isn't that the point that is touted by Carnival for the ability to go very early in any process? Don't forget that on debarkation Day they cut the AC off and everyone is sitting in a dining room. After 2 hours, having FTTF, not moving and inch is frustrating. If we were catching a plane then it would have been less stress because we are looking at a 19 hour drive back home. I thought it would be better to pick up a really cheap excursion and be one of the first off instead of wasting the FTTF dollars.

 

Oh, boy, another urban myth. "They cut the A/C off"? Really? Why? Because it saves $10 per cabin and then costs $20 to re-cool that same cabin?

[cruizinisthebest]

I purchase FTTF for two reasons, to get on the boat a little earlier and for priority tendering. If I felt that was not honored, I would go to guest services and ask that I be refunded or credited $60. If they said anything but yes sir right away, then yes I would remove $60 in tips.

Well regardless of what time boarding begins, those with fttf still get onboard earlier than general boarding. If you think there's a certain time you should be onboard or that ship inspection delays should delay boarding for everyone but you, then perhaps you misinterpret fttf's priority boarding definition.

 

As far as removing tips because of a failure to get refunded fttf should you be denied, one has nothing whatsoever to do with the other.

That's what I was saying to the op. Those are well known problems in cruising. FTTF can not fix those. I do not cruise carnival that often as my experience has varied from stellar on the Breeze , to horrible on Glory, so I am not discounting that he had a rough cruise. That being said , a 60 buck upgrade doesn't guarantee a perfect experience... Actually 30pp.

 

Exactly.

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Edited May 3, 2016 by cruizinisthebest

[Hog Rider]

FTTF is the best thing going. Diamonds are NOT forever, Carnival will in time dilute all loyalty programs.