Bringing a guitar on Carnival Conquest?

Our son is home from college for spring break and wants to bring his guitar on our cruise (leaving tomorrow, yay!). I'm a little concerned about him playing it in the cabin and possibly disturbing others but he says he remembers people he met on the last cruise playing them on deck. I'm leaning towards letting him but would love any feedback you have.

I've read several posts where people have taken their guitars. If it's an acoustic one, it shouldn't be that much of a problem. I'd treat it like playing the radio or tv (not too loud, not at strange hours). I'm sure there are also nice places throughout the ship he could go to play and not really bother anyone. Actually it might be a nice ice breaker for him to meet people :).

Just remind him that the cabin walls are very thin. Maybe an obscure place on one of the top decks would be a good choice? Hey, he might even draw a crowd and make new buddies!:)

Thanks. Believe me, I've talked about not disturbing anyone, Cotton. It's an acoustic guitar and he can play it quietly. I think you may be right about it being an icebreaker, Big Al B. He made lots of friends last time when he was 16 and hopes it will be the same this time.

 

I guess my only other thought was that it might be a little risky checking it in but he does have a hard cover and it's been fine in the airplane luggage.

Thanks. Believe me, I've talked about not disturbing anyone, Cotton. It's an acoustic guitar and he can play it quietly. I think you may be right about it being an icebreaker, Big Al B. He made lots of friends last time when he was 16 and hopes it will be the same this time.

 

I guess my only other thought was that it might be a little risky checking it in but he does have a hard cover and it's been fine in the airplane luggage.

 

1) By all means let him bring it. He is better off with it and the potential to play, even if he chooses not to. If you don't let him he may focus on what he doesn't have rather than the good fun he could have.

 

2) I would take it as a carry on item onto the ship. He might want to play relativly soon after getting on board and there's no telling when the baggage loaded by the longshoremen will arrive in the cabin.

Our son is home from college for spring break and wants to bring his guitar on our cruise (leaving tomorrow, yay!). I'm a little concerned about him playing it in the cabin and possibly disturbing others but he says he remembers people he met on the last cruise playing them on deck. I'm leaning towards letting him but would love any feedback you have.

 

I say let him. Other teens that my two teens have met have brought along guitars. They get together on deck at night and just have a good time.

Musical Instruments:For the comfort of all our guests, musical instruments can only be brought on board if the guest is performing and this performance has been pre-approved by the Group Department.

from

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/What_NOT_to_Pack.aspx

Musical Instruments:For the comfort of all our guests, musical instruments can only be brought on board if the guest is performing and this performance has been pre-approved by the Group Department.

from

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/What_NOT_to_Pack.aspx

 

Uh oh!!! I hope the original OP saw this before they left. I would hate to see what may happen at the pier if they aren't allowed to bring the guitar along. Hopefully, they will have a vehicle nearby they can leave it in.

When I worked at check-in for Carnival in Tampa, we allowed guitars on board with no problem. My favorite was a Jimmy Buffett fan who played in the line during check-in. It got everyone in the cruisin' mood and made the waiting fun for all.

I've taken one of my guitars for the last dozen or so cruises, never any problems. Sometimes I've carried on board, sometimes sent it with luggage. Normally I play outside or in one of the unused lounges, never in my room. I have also played in the piano bar, while the piano player took his break. He was happy, because he got a long break and no one complained. I was happy because I didn't have to buy a drink the rest of the night!:D Had some great times with other passengers and members of the crew. The two of best players I've met were while on a ship, one was a dealer in the casino and the other, a fantastic young player, was waiter on the Lido deck. My guitar has been used by other guests in the talent show, because the comment I hear most often is "man, I wish I brought my guitar." Note: I bring either my cheap guitar or my stage guitar, I don't take my irreplaceable main guitar. I've seen what the airlines can do! Still deciding which to take on the Conquest in July.

Enjoy

Ron

My DH took his electric and a small amp. He played in the room and on the balcony as well as with the band on the lido deck one day. He checked it with the luggage and we had no problem getting it.

 

 

Candi

Someone in our group cruise last year brought their guitar and had no problems!!

I was just on the 3/6 sailing on the Paradise and the guy in front of me during check in had his guitar.

Must be one of those rules they don't enforce. My nephew bought a guitar in Progreso and carried it back on the ship:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/155417214/1155419541047210933zKImkB

Now I'm very confused about what to do. We don't leave until early tomorrow morning. I guess we'll talk about it at dinner. Thanks for your input.

We were on the Conquest in November. Our neighbor had a violin. He played in on the balcony. You could hear it inside our cabin even with the tv on and the balcony door closed. I didn't say anything, he was quite good. But sometimes it did get a little annoying.

A few years ago my cousin brought his guitar on board the ship. He drew a huge crowd out by the pool at night. No one seemed to mind. The cruiseline employees (cruise director) were his biggest fans. The only problem he had was getting stopped by the custom agents on the way off the ship for them to search his guitar case for anything illegal, and of course he was clean. That was a fun cruise!

there has been at least on guitar on all of last 4 cruises. There is always a quiet place during the day to play in one of the unused clubs. He can tell them he plans to play in the talent show if they give him a hassle(thereby getting approval, which makes him fall within the rules). I don't think it will be a problem at all.

What is the best way of flying with an acoustic guitar? My son wants to take his on spring break. Do we check it through? Does the temperature and pressure of the luggage hold ruin the guitar. will they allow it as carry on? We're flying Southwest.

My dear friend Brett...brought his 6 string...and for the Talent show...he came strolling out on to the stage singing "The LOVE BOAT" in his best Lounge singer voice!:p

....all the women swooned and all the Cruise addicts began to seriously cheer! He got a standing ovation!

The CD kept saying...Sir...this is not a Princess ship! LOL

 

...and when the audience found out he was single~wow~...he had married woman screaming from the audience that they would gladly make his cruise a "love" boat!

....LOL....He had so much fun! I got it all on video!

 

It was on the LEGEND in 2002!

 

Seriously...bring IT and PLAY THE CRAP OUT OF IT, IF YOU ARE GOOD!:D

 

If you suck...leave it at home!:eek:

he can take it my son brought his with him on our cruise they have talet shows on board so if he wants he can enter if he is not shy, room are pretty well sheltered from noise so there should be no problem, have Fun

What is the best way of flying with an acoustic guitar? My son wants to take his on spring break. Do we check it through? Does the temperature and pressure of the luggage hold ruin the guitar. will they allow it as carry on? We're flying Southwest.

 

My son has a hard case and he just checked it in with Southwest. I believe you may have to go to a different area (look on the airport or airline site). It doesn't come down the regular conveyer belt but a separate spot. In Love Field, Dallas it's right by the luggage office. He's only done it on 2 short flights but so far so good. I doubt they'd allow it for carryon as it's too big.

What is the best way of flying with an acoustic guitar? My son wants to take his on spring break. Do we check it through? Does the temperature and pressure of the luggage hold ruin the guitar. will they allow it as carry on? We're flying Southwest.

Depends on the flight and the guitar. I've always checked mine and had no problems. I always take one of my less expensive ones. My brother took his custom built (read worth several tousand $) back to New York. They let him carry it on board going back. Coming home to L.A., the flight was full and they made him check it. Wouldn't even let him buy a seat as the plane was completely full. When he opened the case at home, the finish had all sorts of little cracks running through it. The baggage compartment wasn't heated and the laquer finish had frozen. Still played fine but the tone wasn't as bright and it looked really strange. Sort of an orange peel look. Fortunately my cheaper guitars all have an acrylic finish, so no problem.:D If it's an expensive instrument, it would be best not to chance it. If not, bring it on and join the party. It might be best to just get one of the $100 guitars for trips. If you do take a guitar, make sure to loosen all the strings to take all the tension off. It will make it much less susceptible to damage. If the strings are tensioned and it gets colder, they get tighter. My guitar tech has seen ones where the extra tension pulled the bridge right off the guitar.

Enjoy

Ron

I was onboard the Conquest last summer and a young man came in an area that I felt was fairly secluded, which is why I chose it to read and nap. Since I was there first, I asked if he would stop playing after he had been doing so for about 20 minutes. He got all huffy about it, ended by saying "some people", but left after blowing a small fuse. If people are going to play, they need to make sure other folks want to hear them. I really would not want to hear anybody playing on the lido deck unless it was part of the entertainment Carnival provides.

I have heard a lot of Carnival's music on the lido deck that was extremely loud and not very good, so Carnival doesn't have the market cornered on entertainment.

 

I think there a lot of places where a quietly played guitar would be just fine.

 

being considerate of others is always important though.