Faster To The Fun is back...

[Cruisergk]

I've read so many different explanations on FTTF (availability/new ships). All I know is that as soon it was announced it was available, I purchased it. We're sailing on the Celebration, March 2023.

[poppadevan]

On 11/29/2022 at 4:48 PM, ProgRockCruiser said:

I thought it went live for cruises departing 1 Dec or after.  So we'll find out Thursday?

 

On 11/29/2022 at 4:43 PM, asalligo said:

Anyone tested FTTF yet? I really want to know if you can show up prior to your check in time. 

 

 

I bought FTTF for our Dec 4 sailing of the Legend out of Baltimore.  I went on line at 12:01 AM the 14 th day before the cruise.  I was only able to get a 12:30 to 1:00 boarding time.  We plan to be at the port at 11:30 and believe we will be allowed to board at that time.  Will let you know how that works out.  

[fligster]

I had purchased FTTF for our 12/19 Radiance sailing. I had to select an arrival appointment (got 10:00-10:30) and my Boarding Zone says "FTTF" on my boarding pass. I did the online checking at right at Midnight ET on 12/5 (On west coast so only 9:00 PM on 12/4 for me). 

[asalligo]

7 hours ago, fligster said:

I had purchased FTTF for our 12/19 Radiance sailing. I had to select an arrival appointment (got 10:00-10:30) and my Boarding Zone says "FTTF" on my boarding pass. I did the online checking at right at Midnight ET on 12/5 (On west coast so only 9:00 PM on 12/4 for me). 

I also just checked in for our nearest cruise and snagged the 10am check in time. Seems like FTTF is a waste at this point, but my wife would like to keep it for immediate room access upon boarding to drop off luggage if nothing else. Sure seems like a high price for just dropping off luggage and boarding the ship 10 minutes faster. I will try to catalog the benefit usage in my head on this cruise at least for next time. 

[fligster]

2 hours ago, asalligo said:

I also just checked in for our nearest cruise and snagged the 10am check in time. Seems like FTTF is a waste at this point, but my wife would like to keep it for immediate room access upon boarding to drop off luggage if nothing else. Sure seems like a high price for just dropping off luggage and boarding the ship 10 minutes faster. I will try to catalog the benefit usage in my head on this cruise at least for next time. 

Yea, last month in Long Beach we had a 10:00 arrival time as well, but boarding zone A05. So looks like we will board 5-10 minutes earlier .... Our is only 3 day cruise so was like $50 and we had $500 OBC to use, so will just see what other benefit it will be this cruise. 

[poppadevan]

On 12/2/2022 at 5:20 PM, poppadevan said:

 

I bought FTTF for our Dec 4 sailing of the Legend out of Baltimore.  I went on line at 12:01 AM the 14 th day before the cruise.  I was only able to get a 12:30 to 1:00 boarding time.  We plan to be at the port at 11:30 and believe we will be allowed to board at that time.  Will let you know how that works out.  

So, we actually arrived at the port of Baltimore around 10:45.  Had to wait in line for parking as the ship was still in debarkation mode.  Made it into terminal at 11:30, one hour before our scheduled boarding time.  We were not turned away but directed to the priority boarding area.  They had just started boarding and were on Platinum and Diamond.  FTTF was called at 11:45 and we were in our cabin by 12:00.  Cabin had been made up.  

[Eli_6]

On 12/5/2022 at 6:46 AM, asalligo said:

I also just checked in for our nearest cruise and snagged the 10am check in time. Seems like FTTF is a waste at this point, but my wife would like to keep it for immediate room access upon boarding to drop off luggage if nothing else. Sure seems like a high price for just dropping off luggage and boarding the ship 10 minutes faster. I will try to catalog the benefit usage in my head on this cruise at least for next time. 

You can get off the ship faster...sometimes, that is a big benefit.  

[asalligo]

7 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

You can get off the ship faster...sometimes, that is a big benefit.  

Once upon a time it would have been, but now we live 20 minutes from the port and usually get off last so that we can leisurely collect our luggage and leave. 

 

We have debarking down these days and I love how we do it. I have a collapsible backpack I got on amazon that I always pack empty. We put everything possible in the checked bags and the rest in my backpack and get the last debark ticket. We leave our room when required and head to the restaurant for a nice meal and then find a quiet secluded place to play cards until our number is called. Then when we leave the ship our luggage is usually very evident in the terminal and we collect it and go. 

[opensaysme]

On 11/18/2022 at 8:50 AM, kelhag said:

I purchased mine this morning and it let me pick my check in time for 9:00am. 

 

Hi neighbor! I live in Indy too! I have never seen a check in time as early as 9am! That's awesome! Have you ever had a 9am check in time? If so, how early did you get to board?

[Rudyard]

Quick PSA- After I rebooked my cancelled Jubilee cruise to a 5 day on Breeze next December I decided to see if FTTF was already available since it's a $40 difference between a 5 day and a 7 day cruise. It was available,  but every time I tried to buy it it would disappear from my cart. Turns out I had to click on the More Details button next to the Add To Cart button, then buy it from the next screen. Just thought this might help others who might have the same issue. 

[fligster]

Going on radiance today out of Long Beach . Had 10:00-10:30 appointment time. They have a separate faster to the fun checkin priority line. Arrived around 9:40 all checked in by 9:50. She mentioned that rooms would be ready when board so we can drop our stuff off.

[fligster]

They have a special seating section roped off for FTTF. There is a carnival person letting people in. Just a separate area, nothing special regular benches etc, but right outside captains lounge and boarding doors.

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by fligster

[fligster]

Our room wasn’t  ready at 1:30 but I saw others with FTTF were ready. We got our luggage around 2:00 pm, but not sure if that was any earlier cause there was a lot of luggage being delivered then. Also my AirTag showed my bag was on the dock until 1:30 or so even though checked it in at 9:45

[Bulldogsoc]

Thx fligster.  Very helpful.

[fligster]

The priority line at guest services has the FTTF logo on it.

[fligster]

Just received information about debarkation for faster to the fun. 

[tweak89]

People are getting too hung up on having to choose a boarding time and seeing it as a loss off a FTTF perk.  I had FTTF on 3 cruises and always showed up earlier than my boarding group time each time without issue (under the advisement of Carnival CSR's since I called to find out how it was supposed to work the first time I bought it).   Had to pick a late boarding group?  Don't worry, you can show up early and get on without issue, that's the point of FTTF.

[fligster]

In the end, FTTF didn’t matter for debarkation. We were supposed to go to lounge at 7:15 for self express debarkation, but they ended up calling open self debarkation for all at 7:05.

[Eli_6]

20 hours ago, fligster said:

In the end, FTTF didn’t matter for debarkation. We were supposed to go to lounge at 7:15 for self express debarkation, but they ended up calling open self debarkation for all at 7:05.

Were you able to debark before the masses?  Or did you get hung up in them?

[fligster]

9 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

Were you able to debark before the masses?  Or did you get hung up in them?

We happened to just be walking down to the lounge when they made the announcement, so we just kept walking to the gangway  and we’re maybe one of the first 15 off the ship. I will have a debarkation video as well as other videos from the cruise on our youtube channel. 
 

https://youtube.com/TravelWithFligster

[Bulldogsoc]

We boarded yesterday, the 23rd of December at Terminal A(6) at Port Canaveral.  We arrived around 9:50 with a 10:30 slot. That arrival time was of no consequence as you are directed to the priority line.  Once processed we were placed in the seats (75-100) designated for FTTF.  Platinums were seated in another area (about 200+).  The suites just boarded without an announcement around 10:30 followed by a few diamonds, then Plats and then us. We were on by 10:50 or so. 
 

Again, the boarding times you select are irrelevant for FTTF.

 

The Carnival A terminal is small and there is no way they are going to be able to let you in early if you have a later boarding time at least for the first hour or two IMO. 

[titanic27]

Bought FTTF for our cruise December 18th on Horizon.

When we got to terminal , the line was around the building that morning debarkation was a mess, so we walked in with Fttf to our room in less than 10 min the room was ready.

we had 1 tender port again long lines we enjoyed the perk of going in front of the line .

Debarkation we again used the advantage of leaving early, did not want to risk being later at the airport because of congestion ….

To us the price was worth it

 

[asalligo]

We just cruised on the Pride with FTTF on December 18th. I was concerned FTTF would not be worth the money since we snagged a 10am boarding time, but it came in really handy. I caught an uber from the hotel at 9:35, was in the line at the terminal at 9:40, through security and check in and seated by 9:50 and on the ship at 10:37. We had priority tendering in Grand Cayman which was great and even though I told myself I would have no reason to stand in line at guest services. I needed it three times. 

 

Gift cards applied before cruise did not show on account

FTTF debark tags and meeting location were not left in my room

Changed my shuttle to the airport to the earlier shuttle 

 

The line when I went to guest services was a solid 30 people long each time so this felt like it paid for itself there. Then when I debarked of course I was guided from the ship in one of the first groups. I was off by 7:30. 

 

 

 

[serene56]

On 12/18/2022 at 2:49 AM, opensaysme said:

Hi neighbor! I live in Indy too! I have never seen a check in time as early as 9am! That's awesome! Have you ever had a 9am check in time? If so, how early did you get to board?

i cant even imagine being there that early      and sitting there waiting til almost 11 to board.

 

I am not seeing FTTF for New York sailings either 

[Pellaz]

On 12/27/2022 at 3:17 PM, serene56 said:

i cant even imagine being there that early      and sitting there waiting til almost 11 to board.

 

 

It happened to us once in FLL.  🙂 

We could only get a free 9 am shuttle from the hotel to the pier, and we were there by around 9:15 am.  The nice Carnival gent outside the terminal doors looked at us funny, checked our FTTF boarding passes and said "Okay, wait right here, you're the first!"     

We were first into the terminal and first to the FTTF seating area, where the guy seated us right at the corner "since we were first."   

They boarded the wedding parties, Diamonds and Plats, and then led us first up to the boarding level.   They timed it perfectly:   as the last of the Ds and Ps came through from the VIP lounge we were literally steps behind them. 

It was one of the nicest boarding experiences we've ever had...although to be sure, not the fastest.   (THAT honor goes to the Victory many years ago:  7 minutes from curbside to Deck 3 with FTTF.)