Past Guest Party Experiences and Opinions

[gman0119]

Discussion on another thread has led me to ask this opinion of those that attend Past Guest party.

 

I was on the Triumph a few weeks ago, and there were so few drink servers that some people ended up getting no drinks at all. People were walking up to servers as they came in the room, trying to get drinks, and the servers were justifiably getting upset, saying they had to go to a certain area. Once they would get to there area, they were only able to serve about 5 people, because everyone wanted all they could grab! Many guests left the party saying they were mad, not cruising Carnival anymore, yada, yada, yada...

 

How was your last Past Guest Party??? Good drink service or bad?

[firefly333]

Iv been saying farewell party better because you can get drinks.

 

Hard to get a drink, let alone two lots of times at past guest. I enjoy the movie, but dont go there for the free drinks or you are apt to be dissapointed. Half the time what I like is already picked off the tray.

[QVickiB]

I've never been to either...

Are there only froo-froo drinks passed by waiters on trays, or can you actually order from a bar?

and/or, do they carry beer, too?

Thanks!!

[InitialD]

Last year our experience was exactly as you said, firefly333. Not many knew about the last night party so it wasn't crowded. There were TOO many free drinks haha! I had to cut myself off.

[gman0119]

I've never been to either...

Are there only froo-froo drinks passed by waiters on trays, or can you actually order from a bar?

and/or, do they carry beer, too?

Thanks!!

 

There is beer and wine, and mostly stuff like Whiskey Sour, Blue Margarita, and maybe a couple of others. On the Triumph, and other ships I've been on, since it is held in the main auditorium, the bar was not visible or accessible to the guests. You just had to wait...

[KenMo]

I haven't been to a PG Party in quite awhile. Too many pax bringing non-PGs and it just becomes a madhouse for the free booze. I don't go for the booze, I like to clap for the ships...dorky, I know!

 

But, when I did go, we had no problem getting drinks. We just arrived early enough to get a seat at or near the bar and ordered what we wanted...free.

 

Don't know if you can still do that though.

[Brian2204]

This is an excerpt from my Travel Journal aboard the Splendor in June of 2010. The event was held on the second day:

 

This was the afternoon for the Past Guest Reception held in the Spectacular Lounge. I arrived about 15 minutes tardy to find many couples on stage dancing to a young blond female singer. This was Adrian the featured female singer for most of the shows. Waiters were coming around with pre-made drinks but I was staying sober, remember Nurse BV, and ordered a club soda with a squeeze. Upon arrival the waiter refused a tip which I thought was a nice touch. At this point Adrian had already dismissed the dancing couples and was looking for someone to dance with her as she sang her next song. Being the ham that I am (did community theatre for 40 years) and since no one else was bounding up to the stage, I jumped up and decided to give her a helping hand…or foot as it were. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no stranger to the stage or performing in front of an audience but apparently I lost all my stage presence when I got up there. I couldn’t tell you what song she was singing but I was trying to do the Hustle and just couldn’t keep the steps in the right order. Poor Adrian was trying to following along but finally gave up. So her song finishes and she tells me to stay there cuz I’m gonna teach everyone the Electric Slide! Oh crap….I can barely stumble out the steps to a dance I KNOW let alone one that has about a hundred variations. Luckily by this time there were a bunch of others on the stage, some of whom grew up on this particular dance, so I just fell into step and followed along. The entire reception lasted about an hour, was well attended and provided an almost a private show as there were less than 200 people in the room. Do check it out if invited and have nothing pressing. A brief stop at the casino for a smoke then back to the room to check on my charge.

[AWCHIEF]

Discussion on another thread has led me to ask this opinion of those that attend Past Guest party.

 

I was on the Triumph a few weeks ago, and there were so few drink servers that some people ended up getting no drinks at all. People were walking up to servers as they came in the room, trying to get drinks, and the servers were justifiably getting upset, saying they had to go to a certain area. Once they would get to there area, they were only able to serve about 5 people, because everyone wanted all they could grab! Many guests left the party saying they were mad, not cruising Carnival anymore, yada, yada, yada...

 

How was your last Past Guest Party??? Good drink service or bad?

 

I was on the Triumph the first week of March and my experience was just the opposite of yours. I asked for a gin martini when the service first came around. He was back very quickly with not one but two. He came back by 4 or 5 times and each trip would set down two more without me having to ask for a refill. He was also the server covering the section that I was in on the last nights party. Again I did not even have to ask, he brought me over two gin martinis from the get go and kept them coming. He also refused a tip both nights.

[gman0119]

Iv been saying farewell party better because you can get drinks.

 

Hard to get a drink, let alone two lots of times at past guest. I enjoy the movie, but dont go there for the free drinks or you are apt to be dissapointed. Half the time what I like is already picked off the tray.

 

Yeah, I would prefer the Farewell also. Much more relaxed.

 

Just interested to see if others have had the same experience for PG. I hate to say it, but it almost seems like it might be another way Carnival is "saving money". If you only put 1 drink server per 150 people, we won't have to give much out...

[gman0119]

I was on the Triumph the first week of March and my experience was just the opposite of yours. I asked for a gin martini when the service first came around. He was back very quickly with not one but two. He came back by 4 or 5 times and each trip would set down two more without me having to ask for a refill. He was also the server covering the section that I was in on the last nights party. Again I did not even have to ask, he brought me over two gin martinis from the get go and kept them coming. He also refused a tip both nights.

 

Hey Chief!!! That was the same cruise we were on. If you were looking at the stage, we were on the far right side of the room, main floor, about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way back. I was hoping that we just had some poor servers and that it wasn't widespread! Where were you seated?

[serene56]

I haven't been to a PG Party in quite awhile. Too many pax bringing non-PGs and it just becomes a madhouse for the free booze. I don't go for the booze, I like to clap for the ships...dorky, I know!

 

But, when I did go, we had no problem getting drinks. We just arrived early enough to get a seat at or near the bar and ordered what we wanted...free.

 

Don't know if you can still do that though.

 

 

On the Pride in February-- they were taking the invitation at the door- some people were turned away. One couple said it was back in the cabin and the guy said-- go get it---LOL

 

There was only about 5 drink servers for the whole lounge. Nope, people were not happy. Our drink waiter was only allowing 1 drink pp and stated when he picks up the glass I may have another--- i thought it funny watching people down the drink so they can have another. (is free really all that worth it???) (I had 4 fancy drinks and they were warm and no alcohol in them-- no way could I have 4 and walk out of there all stright==

they did play music== the dancers were the kids in the audience

 

I find the Farewell Party was better- It was in the Fun Times and well attended- Now those drinks were cold-- and good. I had one and that was enough--lol

Music was played and again the kids in the audience were the dancers.

[Scottohiocpa]

I was on the Triumph the first week of March and my experience was just the opposite of yours. I asked for a gin martini when the service first came around. He was back very quickly with not one but two. He came back by 4 or 5 times and each trip would set down two more without me having to ask for a refill. He was also the server covering the section that I was in on the last nights party. Again I did not even have to ask, he brought me over two gin martinis from the get go and kept them coming. He also refused a tip both nights.

 

We were on the Truimph last March and we had head that you could get custom ordered drinks on these boards. I tried to get a whiskey on the rocks but was told that you can only get what is on the trays by a waiter and an officer who appeared to be supervising the waiters. We are going on the ship again on Monday, so I will try again and see if they can get me a real drink instead of the pre-made watered down ones.

[RWolver672]

Past guest party on the Dream was held in the main theatre. Butch said there were so many past guests that for the first time, they had to hold two past guest parties. There were many servers and we had all the drinks we wanted. They had screw drivers, whiskey sours, champagne, margaritas, bloody Mary's and a few others on their trays.

[suezyq50]

Elation had a good past guest party and Farewell Party. Lots of drinks past at both.

[PA Dutchman]

Never had a problem getting all the drinks we wanted on any cruise for the past guest party. Somepeople don't live right.:D

[Chip1]

Trying to get a glass of pop at the past guest party can be difficult to impossible. In order to get a drink I need to ask at least 4 members of the bar staff. I have also had many times when I asked 6 members of the bar staff for a pop I ended up with nothing to drink.

[JennLuvs2Cruise]

I was on the Dream last year & there was also 2 Past Guests parties due to the amount of guests. I thought it was tacky how so many people were anxiously waiting at the door & making comments about sucking down as many drinks as possible. But hey, some people just love free stuff, right? Once the doors opened, some people literally made a run inside & grabbed drinks off the trays while they were passing by waiters, which I thought was rude. My mom, aunt & I (DF was not a past guest so he was left behind :( ) sat down & waited for a server to give us drinks. We all got 2 drinks during the party, which was nice & we enjoyed being there. My aunt also won a dinner for two at the Chef's Art Steakhouse.

[richstowe]

Never had a problem getting all the drinks we wanted on any cruise for the past guest party. Somepeople don't live right.:D

 

So tell us, what's your secret. (We won't tell)

[krhpee]

Never had a problem at either of the parties. I find the area where my MDR bar waiter is covering. ALways get what I want.

[golfadj]

We have always had as much as we wanted to drink at the past guest party. Gave server a few bucks and they kept coming with what we ordered.

 

However on the Miracle last month sat toward the front and was only able to get one standard drink. First time this has ever happened to us.

[serene56]

To the people who state they got a few drinks at the same time at the PG party== was that recently??? like this year?

 

Parties from a year ago are so different compared to now.

[pnjkeith]

Discussion on another thread has led me to ask this opinion of those that attend Past Guest party.

 

I was on the Triumph a few weeks ago, and there were so few drink servers that some people ended up getting no drinks at all. People were walking up to servers as they came in the room, trying to get drinks, and the servers were justifiably getting upset, saying they had to go to a certain area. Once they would get to there area, they were only able to serve about 5 people, because everyone wanted all they could grab! Many guests left the party saying they were mad, not cruising Carnival anymore, yada, yada, yada...

 

How was your last Past Guest Party??? Good drink service or bad?

 

Once upon a time..................Can say that about lots of Carnival cutbacks...

[cruiseluver323]

I see numerous mentions of a "Farewell Party"...is this something new? We last cruised with Carnival in July 2009 and I don't ever remember a "Farewell Party" (where there were free drinks, anyway).

[ree1009]

I miss the pins they used to give out!

[Bo Didly]

To the people who state they got a few drinks at the same time at the PG party== was that recently??? like this year?

 

Parties from a year ago are so different compared to now.

 

Yep you can still double up, be sure to tip em ;)