FTTF or no?

[crisstyd]

We won't get into MIA until 1:30 and wonder if purchasing FTTF is worth it. Any suggestions?

Normally we are much earlier for the cruise. I see it available on the website for purchase but not sure if I should go ahead since we wont get to the port until about 2:30-3. 

[DAllenTCY]

In my personal opinion, the advantage is if you arrive before rooms are ready at 1:30 pm.

 

In your case, why pay extra?

 

David

[crisstyd]

I guess you are right... My husband just likes getting luggage early and also could get a later Debarkation (not too important). Why does it have to be so expensive? It would make it much easier!

[DAllenTCY]

I don't think that luggage to your room has any priority with FTTF.....at least not much.  By the time you arrive at 2 pm, almost everything will be either onboard or in the queue for delivery by deck.

 

 

David

 

 

[SNJCruisers]

How about flying in the night before the cruise, get a good night's rest and then take an Uber and show up at 1030-1100 am so you're in the first group to get on board.

Instead, you're flying into MIA at 130, hoping to be on time, then hoping to get to the port in 60-90 minutes.  Better hope your flight has no mechanical delays, otherwise, you'll be a no show.

[RWolver672]

6 hours ago, DAllenTCY said:

In my personal opinion, the advantage is if you arrive before rooms are ready at 1:30 pm.

 

In your case, why pay extra?

 

David

 

Not knowing when your cruise is, with the current virus, all cabins might not be ready by 1:30.  There has been talk that a lot of disinfecting will be done between cruises.

 

6 hours ago, DAllenTCY said:

I don't think that luggage to your room has any priority with FTTF.....at least not much.  By the time you arrive at 2 pm, almost everything will be either onboard or in the queue for delivery by deck.

 

 

David

 

 

 

Priority luggage delivery is part of FTTF.  When we have used FTTF, we board, drop off our carry on luggage in the cabin, then go grab something to eat.  Then head back to our cabin and our luggage has always been in the passageway waiting for us.

 

Will you be using Guest Services?  Are there any tender ports?  (Not called that anymore but it's early and I can't think of what they call it right now).  

 

Will you want to get off the ship early at the end of the cruise?  There is a lot more to FTTF than just getting on the ship early.  Only you can decide if it's worth it to you or not.  For us, it always was until we made Platinum.

[naxer]

In your case, it doesn't seem to be that much of an advantage, unless you frequently are in line at Guest Services.  As to embarking and having rooms ready, and then disembarking, who knows what the process is going to be like with the Covid measures.  I'll finally turn platinum on my next cruise (whenever I get to take it), and I'm even wondering what advantages will come with that for the foreseeable future.  

[Jamesatgsu]

7 hours ago, DAllenTCY said:

I don't think that luggage to your room has any priority with FTTF.....at least not much.  By the time you arrive at 2 pm, almost everything will be either onboard or in the queue for delivery by deck.

 

 

David

 

 

The one time I didn't have it, I didn't get my luggage until 10pm. With it, I've always had it fairly early. That is why our luggage tags show FTTF on them. 

[rjrice1]

I took advantage of FFTF when it was a fraction of the price (refuse to pay the price now)

Yes, your luggage gets to your room earlier (but not that much earlier )

You get to go to a "special line " at guest service 

Now I will not pay for it.  (unless we have tendered islands and then it's worth it )

.  its extra  $$ money to go to a few different restaurants 

Happy hour a Red Frog

 

[lobster1313]

We had an issue a couple years ago that required mutiple trips to guest services and the amount of time we saved by not waiting in the long line was worth the cost.

[skridge]

8 hours ago, crisstyd said:

We won't get into MIA until 1:30 and wonder if purchasing FTTF is worth it. Any suggestions?

Normally we are much earlier for the cruise. I see it available on the website for purchase but not sure if I should go ahead since we wont get to the port until about 2:30-3. 

No way.  It is not worth it under any circumstance for me.  I am always on board the ship about 10 minutes after the FTTF people with a bunch of extra money in my pocket because I didn't pay for FTTF.  The only time I might see it being worth it is on a cruise that had multiple tendering ports.

[sparks1093]

Since the main benefit for FTTF won't be available to you I would skip it, if it were me. We decided that it's not something we would be getting in any case because none of the perks are worth what they charge (not to us, anyway).

[PhillyFan33579]

2 hours ago, RWolver672 said:

 

Not knowing when your cruise is, with the current virus, all cabins might not be ready by 1:30.  There has been talk that a lot of disinfecting will be done between cruises.

 

 

Priority luggage delivery is part of FTTF.  When we have used FTTF, we board, drop off our carry on luggage in the cabin, then go grab something to eat.  Then head back to our cabin and our luggage has always been in the passageway waiting for us.

 

Will you be using Guest Services?  Are there any tender ports?  (Not called that anymore but it's early and I can't think of what they call it right now).  

 

Will you want to get off the ship early at the end of the cruise?  There is a lot more to FTTF than just getting on the ship early.  Only you can decide if it's worth it to you or not.  For us, it always was until we made Platinum.

I don’t think the previous poster meant to imply priority luggage wasn’t part of FTTF. The poster was more likely referring to the reality that priority luggage doesn’t always get to your cabin early.
 

We have had priority luggage based on our VIFP status for our last 20 or so cruises on Carnival. Luggage has gotten to our cabin as early as 11:30 AM and as late as 5:00 PM.

 

Personally I wouldn’t buy FTTF just for priority luggage because my experience is having priority luggage is no guarantee your luggage will get to your cabin early. 

[tytanbri]

We enjoy all the benefits of FTTF but the special line in guest services is the reason we purchase it. It never fails that when we have an issue, or need a transaction, the line is 20 people long. I prefer not to “waste” valuable vacation time waiting in line. That makes it worth the purchase for me.

[BoozinCroozin]

I bought it for our November cruise. The only reason we got it was to board a little earlier. This is our first cruise, covid may impact when you are permitted at the terminal, and I wanted to see the ship as early as possible. Is it worth boarding maybe 2 hours before others, probably not. Is it worth the splurge on our first cruise after the previous 5 were canceled? Yes. We have so much onboard credit, I don't know what I am going to spend it on anyway. I call this the extra $100 splurge for 20th Anniversary, first cruise, belated 50th BDay present, and pre-Sweet 16 present. 

[phoneman69]

5 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

How about flying in the night before the cruise, get a good night's rest and then take an Uber and show up at 1030-1100 am so you're in the first group to get on board.

Instead, you're flying into MIA at 130, hoping to be on time, then hoping to get to the port in 60-90 minutes.  Better hope your flight has no mechanical delays, otherwise, you'll be a no show.

Yes this is a nice option to have. For years i never could because of work. Does save on the wear and tear but not and option everyone can take.

[BoozinCroozin]

10 hours ago, crisstyd said:

We won't get into MIA until 1:30 and wonder if purchasing FTTF is worth it. Any suggestions?

Normally we are much earlier for the cruise. I see it available on the website for purchase but not sure if I should go ahead since we wont get to the port until about 2:30-3. 

I think you are cutting your time very thin on making the ship. Ideally, getting to MIA 1:30PM and cruising out of POM on time shouldn't be a problem. However, 1 hiccup anywhere and you miss the cruise. Things you cannot control:

 

1. Your flight departing and/or arriving on time. Anything could happen from delays, to emergency landings, mechanical failure, lady onboard having a baby, weather.

2. Getting from the airport to the cruise port on time. You ride breaks down. Your ride gets in an accident. You won't be able to leave the scene without the police report. Knowing how long it takes for that to happen your cruise is over. 

3. A ton of other very plausible issues. You are only giving yourself like 2 hours buffer.

[Lee Cruiser]

The last time we were arriving that late, we just took our own luggage onboard with us.  It was really a very simple process then because there was hardly anyone else boarding then.  Certainly don't think it would be worth the price they charge now for you.

[DAllenTCY]

My experiences in Galveston and San Diego.....the porters stop accepting luggage curbside 2 hours before sailing.

 

Look at your paperwork.

 

David

Edited May 28, 2021 by DAllenTCY

[TNcruising02]

Personally, I would not purchase FTTF unless I wanted to get to the port early and take my carry-on bag directly to my cabin.  That is a huge benefit for me, but I also enjoy the other benefits.

 

As far as flying in the day of the cruise, I would not do it.  The best advice I ever read here was to fly in a day early.  Even direct flights can be cancelled that morning.  I know a lot of people would rather roll the dice, but cruises are much too important.  I would fly the red eye before flying in the same day.  One time we almost missed our cruise when we were flying in a day early.  We definitely would have missed it same day.

[pinklucky61]

5 hours ago, tytanbri said:

We enjoy all the benefits of FTTF but the special line in guest services is the reason we purchase it. It never fails that when we have an issue, or need a transaction, the line is 20 people long. I prefer not to “waste” valuable vacation time waiting in line. That makes it worth the purchase for me.

I agree with guest services vip line was worth it. I used it muliply times, a great way to get bills changed if casino machines out of order

[asalligo]

I personally see very little advantage in it if arriving that late. 

[kelkel2]

On 5/27/2021 at 9:50 PM, crisstyd said:

We won't get into MIA until 1:30 and wonder if purchasing FTTF is worth it. Any suggestions?

Normally we are much earlier for the cruise. I see it available on the website for purchase but not sure if I should go ahead since we wont get to the port until about 2:30-3. 

Honestly, I wouldn’t. IMHO the biggest advantage is getting to your cabin early, which is just about the ONLY reason we’ve booked that in the past. You’re losing out on a lot of benefits by arriving later in the day.  You still get priority disembarkation so if that’s important to you, maybe! 

[cruisingguy007]

On 5/28/2021 at 3:38 AM, rjrice1 said:

I took advantage of FFTF when it was a fraction of the price (refuse to pay the price now)

Yes, your luggage gets to your room earlier (but not that much earlier )

You get to go to a "special line " at guest service 

Now I will not pay for it.  (unless we have tendered islands and then it's worth it )

.  its extra  $$ money to go to a few different restaurants 

Happy hour a Red Frog

 

 

What is the new price now? 

[rjrice1]

2 minutes ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

What is the new price now? 

Think it is $120.00  per cabin;  

used to be under $50.00