If there’s one thing that’s not really fun when it comes to cruising, it’s standing in line. You stand in line for the rides and waterslides. You stand in line at dinner. You stand in line to get off at port. Lines, lines, lines.
What if you could just do away with all those lines during your next cruise, and without needing to upgrade to a fancy VIP suite? That’s exactly what Carnival’s Faster to the Fun pass (also simply known as FTTF) offers you. Here’s everything you need to know, so you can decide if this extra cruise purchase is worth it for you and your family.
In This Article:
What Exactly is Carnival Cruise Line’s Faster to the Fun?
So what exactly is Carnival Cruise Line’s Faster to the Fun? Essentially, it’s a package that you can pay to add on to your cruise fare, and that gives you extra benefits, starting with priority check-in and with perks lasting all throughout your cruise, until you finally disembark.
While you won’t be as highly prioritized as the ship’s VIFP Club Diamond and Platinum members, or as highly prioritized as the ship’s suite guests, you might not mind so much.
After all, you’re paying to be ranked right beneath them, and you neither needed to upgrade to a suite or spend lots of money and time racking up loyalty program rewards.
Along these lines, it’s worth noting that if you ARE a VIFP Club Diamond or Platinum member, or if you did book a suite on your upcoming Carnival cruise, there’s no need for you to purchase Faster to the Fun. You already get all the included benefits, or better.
What are the Faster to the Fun Benefits?
So what all do you get when you purchase Faster to the Fun, which can start at just around $60 per cabin? Here are the top benefits offered to FTTF guests.
1. Priority Check-in
There are a lot of people on a Carnival cruise — a lot. If you don’t want to wait behind them all when you board your cruise, that priority check-in will come in handy. All you’ll have to do, upon arrival to the cruise terminal, is look for the priority line. You’ll be sped along and be on the ship before you know it!
2. Stateroom Access and Express Luggage
If you’ve never cruised before, you may be surprised to know that you can’t often just walk onto the cruise ship and immediately go to your stateroom. On the day of embarkation, you’ll have to wait until your stateroom is ready for you — much like you’d have to wait until check-in time at a hotel, in order to access your hotel room.
Read Also: Tips to Embarking a Cruise Ship
When exactly your stateroom is ready will differ depending on your cabin class, as well as the cruise itinerary. However, if you purchase Faster to the Fun, you’ll have earlier access to your stateroom, as you’ll be prioritized, along with suite guests and loyalty club members.
Even if your stateroom isn’t ready, you’ll still be able to drop off your luggage at the room, while you wait. This will keep you from needing to lug your bags around, whether you’re headed directly to your stateroom or anywhere else on the ship. You can spend your time conveniently and comfortably waiting at the buffet, pool or anywhere else!
3. Expedited Checked Luggage Delivery
Likewise, if you’re a new cruiser, you may not realize that, just as is the case when flying, when you cruise, you can bring both carry-on and checked luggage. You drop your checked luggage with a porter at the terminal, and then that checked luggage is delivered to your cabin.
However, there’s sometimes a wait for that luggage delivery. That wait can take a few hours to even a day. That’s not the case if you paid for Faster to the Fun, though. Your checked luggage will be delivered to your room via an expedited service, so you don’t have to wait as long as other cruisers.
4. Better Guest Services
If you have any sort of issue during your cruise, you’ll need to contact guest services. However, just as is the case with everything on a cruise, you may find yourself waiting in line, behind other passengers, before you can even talk to a human being.
With Faster to the Fun, you get access to a dedicated phone number with guest services, so there’s less of a wait. You can simply call in, have your questions answered or your concerns addressed, and move on with your day.
5. Priority Dining Reservations
If you’re eating in the main dining room or at one of the ship’s specialty restaurants, you’ll very likely need to make a reservation, if you want to eat at a certain time and not be left waiting for a table. With Faster to the Fun, you’ll have access to priority reservations, so it’s more likely that you’ll get to eat where you want, when you want.
Do note that this perk does not apply to Your Time Dining in the main dining room, if you opted for it. If you purchase Your Time Dining, you can eat in the main dining any time between 5 and 8:30 p.m., but only if there’s open seating.
6. Priority Water Shuttle Boarding
When it’s time to disembark at the various ports of call along your cruise itinerary, you may find that you don’t just walk off the ship and onto the dock.
In some cases, you’ll need to take a tender boat, which is basically a small boat that takes cruisers from the ship, to the shore, in ports where the port can’t accommodate the ship for whatever reason.
These tender boats can only accommodate so many people, though, so you’ll need to wait in line to get a spot on one. The more time you spend waiting in line for a spot on the water shuttle or tender boat, the less time you spend having fun in port.
With Faster to the Fun, you get priority access to these water shuttles, for just that: a faster ride to the fun!
7. Choose Your Own Debarkation
Once your cruise is over, you’ll debark at your home port. With Faster to the Fun, you’ll be able to choose between two debarkation times: early or late. Choose an early time if you want to catch a flight or if you just otherwise have somewhere to be. Choose a later time if you want to sleep in a bit.
Whatever the case, you’ll be able to pick a debarkation time that fits your needs and then speed right through the lines, rather than waiting in super-long lines without any clear idea of when you’ll actually get through.
Which Carnival Homeports Use Faster to the Fun?
Not all Carnival cruises offer Faster to the Fun. The package is often available, however, when sailing on cruises out of the following Carnival homeports:
- Baltimore, Maryland
- San Francisco, California
- Seattle, Washington
- Brisbane, Australia
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Jacksonville, Florida
- New York City, New York
- Galveston, Texas
- Miami, Florida
- Mobile, Alabama
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Port Canaveral, Florida
- Tampa, Florida
- Long Beach, California
How Much is Faster to the Fun?
The FTTF price varies heavily based on factors such as individual cruise, cruise length, homeport and more. However, for cruises departing the U.S. or Canada, FTTF prices start at:
| Length of Cruise | Prices per cabin start at… |
| 2-3 days | $69.95 |
| 4-5 days | $99.95 |
| 6-8 days | $139.95 (Excel class $159.95) |
| 9 days or longer | $189.95 |
Do note that Faster to the Fun can only be purchased ahead of your cruise. Additionally, Carnival only allows a certain number of passengers to purchase Faster to the Fun, and the available slots fill up quickly.
If you think you want to purchase this perk, it’s best to do so right when you book your cruise. Not only will this ensure you actually get to enjoy the perk, but the also price increases the closer you get to the cruise date, and as fewer slots become available.
Is Faster to the Fun Worth It?
So, is it worth paying a few extra dollars for Faster to the Fun? It will depend on your desired cruising experience, as well as your overall travel budget and your schedule both ahead of embarkation and after debarkation.
For example, if you have a crammed scheduled during embarkation day — maybe your flight gets in right before the cruise is set to leave, or you’re driving in from another city (though we always recommend staying the night before the cruise in the port city, just to be safe) — you might appreciate priority check-in and access to the ship.
You’ll be able to get aboard before everyone else and, for instance, head to the dining room for fast service, ahead of the packs.
Likewise, if you have plans to do a lot of sightseeing or excursions while the ship is in port, you might appreciate being able to leave the ship first, so that you can fit as much into your day as possible. Even if you’re just headed to the beach while you’re in port, priority debarkation means you can snag the best spots on the sand.
Worth Reading: Are Carnival Cruises All Inclusive?
It’s also worth considering that Faster to the Fun applies to all the occupants of the stateroom. So, if you’re on vacation with a large number of people, or with small children, you may find that Faster to the Fun is well worth the cost for the convenience it provides. (Because no one fancies standing in hours-long lines with a toddler, or herding a group of extended relatives to the tender boats.)
Real cruisers who have purchased Faster to the Fun have left positive reviews on the Carnival website, saying that the extra perks you get with FTTF are incredibly worth the money, and some even say that they never cruise without it now. The only complaints seem to be that sometimes cabin access and luggage delivery isn’t quite as expedited as cruisers would like.
All of the above considered, though, if you can get Faster to the Fun for around that starting price of $60, then, yes, it is definitely worth it.
Is Faster to the Fun Right for You?
Only you can decide. However, for many cruisers who want a more convenient, more enjoyable cruise, and who get frustrated by waiting in the long lines that so often come with cruising, Faster to the Fun is a must-have for any upcoming Carnival cruise.
