How could Carnival Improve?

[fireofficer5]

NCL was doing the cutting before, now look what they are now.

Better than CCL. IMO

Edited November 13, 2013 by fireofficer5

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

It is what it is though.I would love the old days when they played on deck but to pay a band for the week or pay a DJ to play a cd is cheaper. The only thing I have seen prices going down year after year are cruises (and houses)

 

People want cheap and affordable and people want $250 a night dinners and broadway shows for $40 a night ...we cant have both

 

Sure we can. The DJ could play Caribbean music and it would still be cheap. Instead, its club stuff? It all comes down to CCL choices. Like they want to be the Spring Breaker cruise line or something.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Forums mobile app

[mikel24m]

Sure we can. The DJ could play Caribbean music and it would still be cheap. Instead, its club stuff? It all comes down to CCL choices. Like they want to be the Spring Breaker cruise line or something.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Forums mobile app

 

I agree but they play music for their demographic .They don't care about loyalty or diamond cruisers that have been loyal for years and years. It is what it is if we cannot grasp the $40 a night cruise we need to move on to what suits us and PAY for it

 

We love carnival but I love the old carnival too that was so much more expensive than today.We cant have both .Not everyone can be happy so some of us roll with the punches

[sapphire_407]

I'm leaving Saturday on the Dream and haven't been on a cruise in five years. I know by the posts what I'm going to be unhappy about. The removal of the reggae band, omg. Huge mistake. Also the big screen tv is so not about cruising. We are turning into a society where we need an electronic screen in front of our faces at all time to keep us entertained.

[kcwingwalker]

I'm leaving Saturday on the Dream and haven't been on a cruise in five years. I know by the posts what I'm going to be unhappy about. The removal of the reggae band, omg. Huge mistake. Also the big screen tv is so not about cruising. We are turning into a society where we need an electronic screen in front of our faces at all time to keep us entertained.

 

Agree about the big screen..............it's so out of place!

[SkyMaster]

Bring back the live musicians, and live music, and get rid of the Hip-Hop and Rap Crap that is played by the DJ's so much on Lido.

Fire Malcolm.

 

"SKY"

[AmberTeka]

Get rid of FTTF now.

 

Apologize to the loyal Carnival Cruisers who used to sail cruise after cruise with them.

[mikel24m]

I'm leaving Saturday on the Dream and haven't been on a cruise in five years. I know by the posts what I'm going to be unhappy about. The removal of the reggae band, omg. Huge mistake. Also the big screen tv is so not about cruising. We are turning into a society where we need an electronic screen in front of our faces at all time to keep us entertained.

 

You will have a great time ,its not so bad ;)

[mikel24m]

Bring back the live musicians, and live music, and get rid of the Hip-Hop and Rap Crap that is played by the DJ's so much on Lido.

Fire Malcolm.

 

"SKY"

 

Some of us like top 40 music also known as hip hop and rap to some :)

[sapphire_407]

You will have a great time ,its not so bad ;)

 

I'm determined to have a good time, so I will. I just hope they didn't take away any of the perks for platinum members. That would be really bad business to whack your loyal customers.

[cruzinmamaTN]

I would like to see improved benefits for suite/returning guests. This appears to be an area where Carnival has made cuts.

 

Big Screen/Band on Pool Deck... that's gonna stay... the total market wants it, so it's here.

 

It's easy to get captivated in the "Cruise Critic" world.. but important to remember that generally speaking "Cruise Critic" passangers are less than 1% of the onboard passangers in any sailing.

 

Kinda don't matter much in the overall demographic.

 

If you don't like it, there are plenty of other options.. you'l just have to ante up for them. It's up to you how much those "wants" translate to "dollars". I used to be able to buy gas for $0.95/gallon.. those days are dead and over... move ON!

Edited November 14, 2013 by cruzinmamaTN

[Bobug]

The two main things I would like to see doesn't cost anything!

Enforce the dress code in the MDR.

Enforce the chair hog rule.

 

I am not hard to please :)

[DJandSydney]

Some of us like top 40 music also known as hip hop and rap to some :)

 

Some do. Most don't. Save it for the dance clubs at night. The pool went nuts when on the final day at sea they finally played a Bob Marley tune and K Chesney. For ships that leave Key West a Jimmy Buffett afternoon would be most appropriate and welcomed. Go figure...

[kcwingwalker]

The two main things I would like to see doesn't cost anything!

Enforce the dress code in the MDR.

Enforce the chair hog rule.

 

I am not hard to please :)

 

And, ditching the dance routine in the MDRs might actually save a couple of dimes.

[mikel24m]

Some do. Most don't. Save it for the dance clubs at night. The pool went nuts when on the final day at sea they finally played a Bob Marley tune and K Chesney. For ships that leave Key West a Jimmy Buffett afternoon would be most appropriate and welcomed. Go figure...

 

Why save music for the club ? Why not go to the piano bar for country music I don't want to hear it ?

 

This exact reason is why they have people to play music and its their job and we have choices of places to go and listen to what we like

[CrimsonTideGal]

1. Fresh brewed iced tea, not the instant crap they have now.

2. Real scrambled eggs on the buffet.

3. New release movies on the big screen

4. Turn down the volume on Lido

5. Hot breakfast available through room service

6. Hot dinners that are served in MDR available through room service.

7. Better steak in MDR

8. For ships without steakhouses it would be nice to be able to purchase a upgraded steak in MDR

9. Do away with comedy brunch

10. More shows during the week.

11. Craft classes on sea days

12. Last but not least keep the kids out of the hot tubs!

 

 

There is always room for improvement.:D

[halos]

I agree about the dancing waiters.

Me too. Never liked that.

 

I agree but they play music for their demographic .

LOL...I only wish...

My last CCL cruise was a 15 day Hawaii. Demographic was older than typical CCL crowd. Night club was empty every night because DJ played mostly hip hop.

If you see your disco empty and your passengers average age is 50, don't you think you should adjust accordingly??

This would have cost them nothing. Make that disco a true disco (when you have a bunch of middle aged people sailing) and play some 60's/70's/80's stuff. Little things like this would mean something. They just don't care. It's blatantly obvious when you sail a line that DOES care.

 

 

We love carnival but I love the old carnival too that was so much more expensive than today.We cant have both .Not everyone can be happy so some of us roll with the punches

Not all of us want it both ways though, although I do understand what you're saying.

I have switched lines...it would be nice if CCL upped their cost enough to give what they offered before. I don't think all people who are dissatisfied with CCL right now expect it to remain low cost to get the things we like, back. Truth is, if you really shop around, you don't have to pay too much more (or any more in some cases) to cruise other lines. When booking a cruise, timing is everything.

It just would be nice to have a couple lines to choose from when looking for a cruise and ideally, I'd like CCL to be an option. Right now, it isn't.

 

Agree about the big screen..............it's so out of place!

Agree again. Not fond of that. Obviously, it's not a dealbreaker, I just think that it brings 'home' or 'land' to the sea vacation and to me, that's not a good thing.

 

Some of us like top 40 music also known as hip hop and rap to some :)

...? Top 40 doesn't euqate hip-hop.

There is top 40 Pop, country, jazz, classic rock....

None of that belongs on the lido on a caribbean cruise.

It would be like going to a club at home and them playing steel drums; OUT of place and not good.

 

 

Sorry to say those days are gone !!

 

 

Everything has gone up except Carnival cruises ;)

 

 

Service is always awesome for us .Food is what it is and I have never heard of anyone starving on a ship if you think we should have $250 a night dinners and pay $40 a day to cruise it will never happen, again if one wants top broadway shows its not free we all have options to cruise what we can afford or what we enjoy the most but it comes with a price

 

Yep. Service is not too big an issue. It isn't what it was but it is still excellent for the most part.

Food is cruise food (like every other mass market line) and I think they do a darn good job feeding all those people.

I guess it depends what you cruise for. CCL drops the ball in entertainment as well as the small details. To you these may not be important. To me, they are.

Edited November 14, 2013 by halos

[sjn911]

I think it would be easy to have top 20 something music in one area and varied for 40-50 somethings in another without it costing too much. I also think we give 20 somethings no credit..they like varied too..and jazz area would be fantastic..this would be so cool..tips alone would be ok..these guys love playing... I also think simply watching the cooking and getting back to enough waiters to get it to you in time could make the food back to what is was..they seem to have added some luxury things through steakhouse and that gourmet smaller dinner,and some fun specialty fast food stuff without too much cost..I think like Halos says it could get back to were it was in 2008 or 2009..i was just shocked in 2011 on the Spirit...more bad food than good..even in Steakhouse...I am not that picky..can be happy with hot and tasty like it was in 2009..sometimes reports are like it was then again..but i don't think what most want is the other higher level we will pay a tad more for on other lines...and i'd pay a 100 more a cruise to get it back to 2009 levels..just don't think they would have to spend alot more to get the edge back..ships would be full again ...gamblers happy and heavier drinkers happy..returns good... and all would be back to Carnival we knew...Sarah

Edited November 14, 2013 by sjn911

[jazznj2]

I would love it if the volume of music on the Lido was turned down. It is SO loud you can't even have a conversation. I only noticed this in the past year or two. Used to be my favorite place to hang on a sea day but now it's unbearable. Not because of the music being played but because of the volume at which it is played!

[PresDuLac]

A smoothie bar with real fruit and vegetables, no mixes - I'll gladly pay just like I do for lattes every day.

 

This will probably never happen but I can dream...

Keeping the smokers in balcony rooms on one side of the ship.

Sell the cabins beginning at the aft towards stern.

In the actual aft balconies, keep smokers starting at the top deck then lower decks because all of that smoke drifts up.... ask me how I know - ugh.

 

Some kind of fun point/reward deal for spending money - excluding the casino - on the ship.

Get a voucher with your S&S printout that you can redeem on your next cruise for/towards something fun like a free drink or geegaw of some kind.

 

Unlimited/less expensive internet on all ships but I think that's in the works.

I buy the $159 pkg and it kills me but I'll continue to do so until there's something better.

[Captain Carnival]

I would love to see more diversity in ports.

 

 

I concur. Although I would imagine that ports are as they are, perhaps there could be a bit more diversity by switching things up a little such as substituting Costa Maya for Belize.

[jimbo5544]

Sailed both lines. Carnival MDR food is much better. Either way, you won't go hungry on either line.

It certainly is true that noone will home hungry.

[mikel24m]

Me too. Never liked that.

 

 

LOL...I only wish...

My last CCL cruise was a 15 day Hawaii. Demographic was older than typical CCL crowd. Night club was empty every night because DJ played mostly hip hop.

If you see your disco empty and your passengers average age is 50, don't you think you should adjust accordingly??

This would have cost them nothing. Make that disco a true disco (when you have a bunch of middle aged people sailing) and play some 60's/70's/80's stuff. Little things like this would mean something. They just don't care. It's blatantly obvious when you sail a line that DOES care.

 

 

Not all of us want it both ways though, although I do understand what you're saying.

I have switched lines...it would be nice if CCL upped their cost enough to give what they offered before. I don't think all people who are dissatisfied with CCL right now expect it to remain low cost to get the things we like, back. Truth is, if you really shop around, you don't have to pay too much more (or any more in some cases) to cruise other lines. When booking a cruise, timing is everything.

It just would be nice to have a couple lines to choose from when looking for a cruise and ideally, I'd like CCL to be an option. Right now, it isn't.

 

 

Agree again. Not fond of that. Obviously, it's not a dealbreaker, I just think that it brings 'home' or 'land' to the sea vacation and to me, that's not a good thing.

 

 

...? Top 40 doesn't euqate hip-hop.

There is top 40 Pop, country, jazz, classic rock....

None of that belongs on the lido on a caribbean cruise.

It would be like going to a club at home and them playing steel drums; OUT of place and not good.

 

 

 

 

Yep. Service is not too big an issue. It isn't what it was but it is still excellent for the most part.

Food is cruise food (like every other mass market line) and I think they do a darn good job feeding all those people.

I guess it depends what you cruise for. CCL drops the ball in entertainment as well as the small details. To you these may not be important. To me, they are.

 

That's a lot of quoting lol

 

I have never once heard a rap song on a cruise ,most people on here don't know the difference between top 40 and rap or hip hop.They play whats popular TODAY not 30 years ago,thats a DJs job to keep things jumping .I do agree the clubs are always empty and they for sure do not play club music I have never understood that

[halos]

That's a lot of quoting lol

.They play whats popular TODAY not 30 years ago,thats a DJs job to keep things jumping .

 

On a cruise?

I totally disagree.

The Cruise Director is supposed to know his passengers and then instruct the DJ accordingly. If that means playing 30 year old songs then that is what should be done.

No matter what, if you have an empty club every night, obviously something is wrong and obviously things ain't jumpin'.

 

Fact is, until I actually experienced cruising that is more personalized to the passengers, I wouldn't have thought twice about the empty club or the fact that the cruise didn't adjust for an older crowd. Now that I have experience flexibility in a few sailings, I see how much better my cruise experience is because of it.

[mikel24m]

On a cruise?

I totally disagree.

The Cruise Director is supposed to know his passengers and then instruct the DJ accordingly. If that means playing 30 year old songs then that is what should be done.

No matter what, if you have an empty club every night, obviously something is wrong and obviously things ain't jumpin'.

 

Fact is, until I actually experienced cruising that is more personalized to the passengers, I wouldn't have thought twice about the empty club or the fact that the cruise didn't adjust for an older crowd. Now that I have experience flexibility in a few sailings, I see how much better my cruise experience is because of it.

 

Its wrong sorry if you disagree.

 

Cruise directors job is not to know his passengers and to direct or instruct someone who knows what they do for a living ;)