Georgiagolfer

Did you miss the part where they were also upgrading the live bands on the ship in addition to Carnival Live. I didn't vote because none of your options fit how I feel. I think they are heading in the right direction already upgrading the live bands and giving people more choices with Carnival Live. I may not take advantage of the Carnival Live but I think it is great to have the option to give the passengers. I also could care less about Calypso bands. Personally a DJ or a band playing other types of music works just as well for me....I really could care less which because it is usually just background noise to me.

I also did not vote for the same reason as you. DW and I are more interested to see what the improvements are to other live music/bands on the ship. If Carnival Live was the only change, then not a winner with us, but patiently waiting to see what else changes.

When I said people would scream if they raised fares to fund improvements, I obviously wasn't talking about something in the $5-10 range. Come on now.

The $5-$10 pp increase was a little facetious, but use the $10 pp scenario. On the Dream or Conquest size ships, that is more than 4000 passengers, which would be $4,000 plus. Are you telling me CCL can't replace the DJ on Lido with a 2-3 person calypso band in the Caribbean for this $$ amount? Just using this as an example, but eventually CCL is going to have to raise fares, whether making improvements or not, or they will have to make additional cuts.

I agree with you. There's only a handful of people I would book a cruise to see do a concert on it. And I highly doubt any of them would be offered. I'm not into the entertainment either. But the idea/concept I do like. With the list as it is now, I would only pay to see Jennifer Hudson or Chicago, but I'm not going to change anything around to see them. So we pretty much agree. ;)

 

As for improving entertainment overall, the official announcement said other parts of it would be improved upon. So we'll see. The only thing I would like for them to do is replace the DJ on the Lido Deck with the live Caribbean bands like before. Not sure why they won't just give in and make it happen. :cool:

I am with you and hope improvements are made in other areas.

As to why, another poster stated CCL can not make the changes and/or improvements and maintain their profit margin. After 18 CCL cruises, I would say DW and I like CCL, but lets face it, they are a bargain cruise line. Low fares with no frills. That is fine but sometimes we want a little more, and don't mind paying more if that is what it takes.

Seriously?

Do you not think that Carnival knows a little bit about the market? If they could noticeably improve their product but only adding $5-10 to the base fare, and maintain their profit margin, AND customer base, is there any good reason they would not have already done this?

I do not pretend to have any idea what CCL profit margin is. You stated people would scream if CCL raised fares and offered improvements to the cruise experience, and I happen to disagree.

I thought I saw a post where John Heald said on Facebook that the casino will be open in Nassau but not Cozumel. I thought I read that on here.

 

I get the gripe with the casino not being open, but there must be other things to do. I know, because I don't go into the casino often and I'm usually up @ 1am and later. Not always in my cabin either. And like I said before, this leaving the port late stuff isn't new. I know we left Nassau @ 1am last year. Royal Caribbean pulled out @ 12:30. This couldn't have been the first or last time that happened. Everyone managed.

I don't do facebook, so haven't seen that the casino would open in Nassau, not have I read that in any of the threads. As I stated, I am not against the idea, it just doesn't appeal to me and DW, that simple. We book a cruise that fits the date (s) we want and the ship we want, not entertainment. This will not keep us from booking a cruise that happens to offer a concert, but it also will not cause us to book a cruise.

I can only imagine the hell storm on these boards if Carnival ever did make improvements AND raise fares as a result. Somehow, I don't think that would go over too well.

May be true, but the fares can not go any lower can they? I seriously doubt anyone would really complain if fares were raised $5-$10 pp per cruise, if improvements to entertainment were made.

I appreciate that Carnival is at least making the effort.

 

Would I pay if these groups came to town & had to deal with parking, traffic, crowds, etc.? Probably not.

 

Seeing them in a small venue will be very cool. I think even our sons will enjoy it.

 

I was wondering about how the seating will be. Will it be general seating for $20 or what?

Per CCL,the only reserved seats will be those purchasing the VIP concert packages which are $110 to $150, depending on sailing/artist. All other tickets will be general admission. Wonder how CCL will handle this as people who buy tickets will be trying to save blocks of seats?

Got my first ever upsell call today. We are booked in a Category 8F Panorama Deck balcony for Glory on Feb 2nd. We were offered an ocean suite for $210 more per person. $420 total. Thanks, but no thanks!

 

Someone else in my category must have accepted her offer. All 8F's had been sold out until today, but, now showing availability.

 

 

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Good for you, not a very good $$$ difference IMO.

Magic 7 days

Email 45+ days

2

Inside

Deluxe Oceanview $70 total

Accepted offer

For $35 pp, that is a good price, and definitely (IMO) worth the $$. The deluxe OV gives you 220 sq. ft. vs. 185 sq. ft. in an Inside, plus you get 2 bathrooms.

Thanks for the Liberty review, our favorite CCL ship. DW and I have sailed her 2 times out of Miami, and are glad she is moving to Port Canaveral, where we can drive and save the cost of flying.

While I get the casino not being open perspective, I still think this is an added value, not a take away. While I always take a "to each their own" attidtude on things, anybody who needs more time in the "shops" for those couple of hours needs help.....:cool:

jimbo, I agree with you on the shop comment, but disagree on the take away. DW and I have no interest in booking a cruise just to see a concert. When we do go to a show on a cruise, we go to the casino after. From what I understand, the casino will be closed on a concert night until after sail away, which is scheduled for 1 am, which means they won't open until at least 1:30 am. For us, this is a take away. This is not a deal breaker, but having the option of a few hours a certain night in the casino at decent hours has been eliminated. Now if CCL can work something out with Nassau and Cozumel to open their casinos at a decent hour, that would be a plus to us.

I get it that some like the idea, that is great, and I do not condemn CCL for this, at least they are trying to offer something different in their cruise experience.

Thanks for the warning!

 

Here's hoping my Valor cruise coming up in mid-Feb. isn't one of these concert cruises.

.

Don't worry, it's not. The 1st concert is April on the Fantasy.

A few issues with what Carnival is doing.

 

1. They raised the prices today on most, if not all, of the cruises scheduled for a concert. So, in effect, EVERYONE on board is subsidizing the show, but not every can participate unless they buy a ticket. And the ticket # is limited to theater capacity.

 

2. This takes up an otherwise FREE entertainment venue meaning no stage show of any kind for those that don't pay to get in that evening.

 

3. Ship theaters are not conducive to high energy rock shows. The fixed seating and relatively narrow aisles are not ideal (although the same can be said for many venues).

 

4. Part of the allure of a special concert is being up on deck, warm air, tropical scenery, the whole ship vibing and having a great time. That doesn't happen here. If they were going to raise the price for everyone for these particular dates they could have just made a big deck party out of it.

 

5. More time in Nassau or Cozumel...are these ports people want to be wandering around late at night? What about all of the amenities on the ship (shops, casino) that are closed in port, or will they still open up after a certain time?

 

6. Carnival has fundamental flaws in their entertainment; loud and obnoxious pool deck DJ's, blaring big screens, lack of live music/steel drummers. No "vacation" feel. Weak production shows. This sort of plan doesn't address that. I know that Carnival said they are making upgrades to the house bands, but didn't say they will return to live music on the pool deck.

 

7. Seating is first come, first served. That's a recipe for disaster, IMO, no matter what cruiseline or ship.

 

I applaud Carnival for making a new tie in. I am sure some people will pay and this appeals to them. But it still doesn't fix the awful daytime music and lackluster evening performance shows.

While I agree with you on most of your points, and personally am not interested in paying to go to a concert while on a cruise, your comment about CCL raising prices on most if not all of these cruises is totally false. DW and I have been looking at several dates to cruise on CCL this year. I just checked a few minutes ago, and both are still priced the same as they were last week. And for ticket #'s being limited, aren't all concerts limited based o the venue?

I voted No, simply because I don't cruise to see a concert. I am not against the idea, it just doesn't appeal to DW and myself.

Oh I bet Lady A will be awesome. Have a great time. I think there will be probably be others who were on the fence on booking a cruise and the artists playing will help them decide. Extra port time for those that are not into the concerts is a great plus too!

I agree about Lady Antebellum. They are from my hometown, Evans, Ga. DW and I have seen them several times here, but the prices were lower. We have a Town Center with an outdoor amphitheatre that is named after them.

Extra Port time can be good and bad. Good for those wanting to stay longer, bad for those wanting time in the casino. Wonder what CCL will do about the casino on those dates?

Just finished reading all the posts/comments on this. For those who like the idea, great. For those who don't like it, also great.

As for me and DW, we don't cruise to go to a concert. We are not for or against this change, it just does not appeal to us. We only hope the announced changes in other areas of entertainment are indeed improvements.

I see nothing wrong with CCL trying this, it just is not for us. However, it will not keep us from sailing CCL, when date/price/itinerary are what we want.

I guess I just don't understand how everyone else had their docs and not the OP (if they were all in the same household.) It only stands to reason that you don't just grab YOURS, you get everyone's together and pack it in the carryon bag first thing in the car before you ever pack one suitcase or do anything. Before I drive away, I check and recheck and make my husband look for the passports too just so I have an extra set of eyeballs and can finally relax. These docs are THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO PACK even if you didn't pack a single swimsuit or peice of underwear or NOTHING, if you have your travel docs, you can pick up anything else you need close to port.

 

As a PP stated, I never ever trust my honey to pack these things. He can barely keep track of his wallet. My OCD methods include checking the drawer they are in every few weeks to double check the expiration dates and whereabouts. As we get closer to online check-in, they go RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE DESKTOP computer where they are seen on a daily basis and in the info is entered into online check-in. About a week before the trip, I pack my 'boarding backpack' and they go into it and it sits on my kitchen table so I can stare at it for the next week and it stares back at me and I can double check that the passports are in it. Finally, the night before we leave, the carryon boarding back pack is packed into the car, before anything else, and then the other suitcases are packed. And finally, we do the double eyeball check for the documents before we drive away, and I do periodic checks too. We use our passports to fly as well (because they are the most accepted form of ID) and it helps me to keep an eye on them.

 

Basically, I'm just so very very terrified of leaving without them but my obsession has lead to successful trips every single time. But no, I would never leave my honey on his own to pack his documentation. I just wonder how everyone else had theirs but him....

 

Let's all do a DOCUMENT CHECK! Don't just assume they are where you thought they were or that the expiration date is way on down the line!

 

OP, I wish you the best. AlL i can say is that this trip deserves a RE-DO!!!

Well, good for you. Hope you don't ever make this mistake or any mistake for that matter.

thank YOU! I too am hoping so. Today is their first stop in the Bahamas so hoping they get off the ship and have a good time. I like the thought of "girl-bonding" for them. The good news is that nothing is ever 100% bad. You can always find a slither of light if you look for it. We shall sail again :-)

Love your attitude about all this. My DW, ever the optimist, says there is a silver lining in every cloud, we just have to look very hard for it sometimes.

We just got off a cruise on the Victory, out of Miami. FTTF and Platinum were all together in the captain's lounge area. We were all herded out together, as well, when it was time to board. FTTF passengers, once aboard, were allowed to go to their rooms, but we (Platinum) were told we could not go to our rooms until 12:30. I don't have problems with people who want to pay a little extra for some perks. However, Platinum members have already spent lots of money on Carnival (it was our 20th cruise), so we should at least have equal treatment.

There is a sign at each hallway, stating that the rooms are not available, but it also states that Platinum/Diamond and FTTF guests can go to their rooms. Not sure who said you could not access your room or why you were told this, as you did not explain.

First I've heard of anything like this. Is this something Carnival is doing routinely??

CCL is offering this as a perk for red members on certain cruises for a limited time.

Ok I wasn't going to go here but.. Do you know how many times as a paying customer a "silver card" has tried to impose their status to me.. Just as a reminder.. That card means nothing to me.. or the rest of the passengers! It does to Carnival but that is where it stops.. You don't get first in line at the buffet and you don't get to cut in lines getting off the ship at ports (sneaking off the elevator and blending in.. yes I see you). I have been cutoff many times by "silver cards" (yes they were displaying it proudly) in lines that the perks don't even exist for and when I confront them I am told they are Priority! I get you are mad for what ever reason.. take it up with Carnival.. We don't owe you a thing! You have your perks and I respect that, no question about it, but please respect the rest of us, we are just trying to have a vacation.. not a peeing contest!

Wow, did someone not take their happy pill this morning?

Listen, more than likely, the "big" announcement will be like the majority of CCL announcements. A lot of hype and very little substance. CCL has to keep hype active to keep their ships in the public's thoughts, otherwise people will book elsewhere.

DW and I cruised mid-February 2 years ago on Fascination, and there were very few kids on board.

Does everyone in the room have to prepay? I have my children in a room with a non-relative adult. I would like to prepay theirs.

 

If I prepay, what does the onboard statement look like on day 2 when the gratuity charge typically hits? No charges?

 

Going thru a travel agent....do they take care of it for me, or is it part of the online check in process.

 

Thanks!

Just tell your TA you want to pre pay the tips, and they will handle with CCL.

I am just wondering. Those of you that say you have never gotten the call. Do you book thru a travel agent or do you book thru Carnival direct. I have been on 10 Carnival cruises and have gotten the call 5 times. 3 of the 5 where great deals to go into a suite the other 2 where not, so I said no. The first couple of cruises where thru a travel agent then I just started booking direct. Thats when I started getting the calls. So Wonder if that has anything to do with it.

DW and I book through a Carnival PVP, and as I mentioned, never received an upgrade or upsell call. If booking with Carnival rather than a TA causes the calls, then something is missing here.