Why doesn't Carnival....

Ok first I guess I need to clarify - I am not "upset" about anything. And I have loved every cruise that we have been on and I have zero issue reading fun time the night before. But what I am running into is that there are no FunTimes that I can find for Christmas - especially since things are being stepped up a notch. I have planned a steakhouse dinner for my family Christmas Eve but those can take 2+ hours. I would hate to miss a Christmas show, the atrium snow or other such thing because we are having dinner. Christmas is a HUGE deal for me and we love the idea of trying a cruise now that the kids are older but for me it would be nice to know when the special events are.

 

I'm sorry if anyone feels this is stupid - please don't concern yourselves with my threads if you just want to insult.

We just got back from a cruise on the Conquest. I have the Fun Times for most of the days and will post them or send them to you if you wish. There is an app called the Hub, which is currently useful on 2 Carnival ships. Eventually it will go live on all ships. http://www.carnival.com/cms/shipboard/funhub/funhub-landing.html

You will be able to see the Fun Times, menus, ship maps and also chat via wifi through this app, so if you have a smart phone or tablet, you can leave your walkie talkies at home and communicate via this free service.

I would like to see Carnival allow passengers to "opt out" of the daily printed copies. Imagine the amount of paper and ink it will save if they did that. Not everyone has a device, so this would just be an option.

It would also be nice if the Fun Times would be accessible even when you aren't on board so you can check out what the other ships are doing and where they are.

I have planned a steakhouse dinner for my family Christmas Eve but those can take 2+ hours. I would hate to miss a Christmas show, the atrium snow or other such thing because we are having dinner.

But that is precisely the problem...if you plan your dinner or whatever else around what is scheduled and then if there are changes....that is when you get the snippy little people lining up at guest services complaining that they scheduled their dinner or shore time so they could see this or that, so how dare they re-schedule this or that because this or that was the most important thing in the world to them so the whole plan...nay, the whole day...nay, the whole cruise is ruined!!!!! I wouldn't blame them for not wanting to go down that road. We all know there are plenty of people like this.

It is easy enough already to see samples posted of past ones though...that should be good enough for a general idea.

We just got back from a cruise on the Conquest. I have the Fun Times for most of the days and will post them or send them to you if you wish. There is an app called the Hub, which is currently useful on 2 Carnival ships. Eventually it will go live on all ships. http://www.carnival.com/cms/shipboard/funhub/funhub-landing.html

 

You will be able to see the Fun Times, menus, ship maps and also chat via wifi through this app, so if you have a smart phone or tablet, you can leave your walkie talkies at home and communicate via this free service.

 

I would like to see Carnival allow passengers to "opt out" of the daily printed copies. Imagine the amount of paper and ink it will save if they did that. Not everyone has a device, so this would just be an option.

 

It would also be nice if the Fun Times would be accessible even when you aren't on board so you can check out what the other ships are doing and where they are.

And once the Hub goes active for all ships it wouldn't be hard at all or any more work to make that info available to anyone instead of just those on the ship.

Since you seem to think no one else's expectations or desires matter why do you think your expectations are of any consequence?

 

And actually, I have stated to Carnival on my last two survey's that it would be nice to have that info ahead of a cruise in some fashion or form. I do expect this to take time if they implement it at all. It wouldn't surprise me though if they didn't since they didn't take my suggestion to follow their contract and kick known smugglers off the ship to heart. :(

Where did I say that no one else's expectation or desires matter? Where did I say mine did? If you don't like what I say, that if fine. But don't make things up.

John Heald posted recently (on you-know-where) that they are working on getting current Fun Times for the fleet digitally on his blog as the app expands and asked if it'd be useful to folks, so at least the idea is already in Carnival's brain. I think samples/current are all that's needed, not future with a "Subject to Change" as some kind of thing to cause friction. But just saw today and was happy. Edit: Not that him mentioning it means it'll really happen anytime soon. But with the app, I definitely could see it being automated.

I agreed with OP that it would be a useful resource.

*poof*

who runs this place?

post the FunTimes for each sailing in advance - subject to change of course?

 

There are two types of people that we see very commonly on this board - the "hey it's my vacation and I am just gonna fly by the seat of my pants," and the rest, that are like me and are "planners." Now I understand you "flyers" don't get it and think we "planners" are nuts, but I hope you can accept that is just how we are wired and a "planned" vacation makes for a much more relaxing one for us. On a personal note, I have tried in many things to be a "flyer" and it is just not in my cards - if I do like my BFF and wait until 2 weeks before my kids birthday to schedule his party, they are full up for a month in either direction where as she makes one phone call and they have the exact date and time she wanted. It's just the way it is.

 

Now, back to my question...for all of those "planners' out there, it would be really nice have, in advance, not only and idea of what will be going on but when. I have cruised a fair amount as you can see from my signature below, and know what to expect on your average cruise. But how many new cruisers come on and ask such questions? And now that we are taking a Christmas cruise, and everything is "new," I would love not only to have an idea of things that will be scheduled (another poster has nicely provided a FB response he got about the nature of the activities) but when to expect them.

 

And yes, I know - things can change. Performers miss the port etc. But for me I would love it if I could plan more! Anyone feel my pain?

I feel your pain, especially since it is a holiday cruise and you would expect some different activities.

I was on a ship where they had a White Party. Most cruisers appeared to know about it, but I had no dressy white clothes to wear. We ended up joining the party but was not comfortable with what I was wearing.

We like to blend in, not stand out!

I feel your pain, especially since it is a holiday cruise and you would expect some different activities.

 

I was on a ship where they had a White Party. Most cruisers appeared to know about it, but I had no dressy white clothes to wear. We ended up joining the party but was not comfortable with what I was wearing.

 

We like to blend in, not stand out!

I've seen people show up in their carnival robes!

My Cruise Countdown | I'm sailing to Mexico on 01/11/2016 aboard the Carnival Inspiration! Visit Carnival.com to see all Mexico cruises

I cruise for Creme brulee, chocolate melting cake and lobster!

I feel your pain, especially since it is a holiday cruise and you would expect some different activities.

 

I was on a ship where they had a White Party. Most cruisers appeared to know about it, but I had no dressy white clothes to wear. We ended up joining the party but was not comfortable with what I was wearing.

 

We like to blend in, not stand out!

Grab the bed sheets and make it a toga party.

I posted on John's FB page and here is the response:

"I am working with our digital beards to have a permanent file on my blog of current FUNTIMES for the fleet

This is easier to do now with the technology we have even though I understand it only slightly less then Her Majesty The Queen understands a supermarket self service check out system"

He is even looking into doing it weekly!

So, far all who like to plan bit, looks like things are headed in our favor!:D

I made a discovery on my last cruise, which I just disembarked from yesterday. You can download the current day's Fun Times for free. You have to go through the site where you would sign up for a WiFi plan and select "free sites". One of the sites is where you can get .pdf copies of the newsletter. Here are the ones from the Conquest for December 6-12:

Day 1 - Embarkation, Ft. Lauderdale: http://docdro.id/zVS8f0I

Day 2 - Key West: http://docdro.id/MYHX8tU

Day 3 - Sea Day #1: http://docdro.id/ovuJeP5

Day 4 - Grand Cayman: http://docdro.id/1c9KYdZ

Day 5 - Cozumel: http://docdro.id/C1H9NL4

Day 6 - Sea Day #2: http://docdro.id/stqFP75

Also, I'm a bit of a planner myself and I was happy to make another discovery on this cruise - on embarkation day they gave us a summary sheet of some of the bigger events in the main showrooms. I scanned what we got, so you can look at it here: http://docdro.id/Cti6enD

In case you're not familiar with the Conquest, Toulouse Lautrec is the main theater, and the Degas Lounge is the room in the back where the comedians hang out.

I enjoy returning to my cabin in the evening and reading the fun times before I go to sleep. It gives me something to look forward to when I get back to the cabin.

Neat! Anybody have a 3 day Imagination Sample Fun Times?

Or Inspiration 4-day??

Found this for your 4 day:

http://johnhealdsblog.com/funtimes/2015-08-21/Carnival%20Imagination%204%20day%20Baja/

I made a discovery on my last cruise, which I just disembarked from yesterday. You can download the current day's Fun Times for free. You have to go through the site where you would sign up for a WiFi plan and select "free sites". One of the sites is where you can get .pdf copies of the newsletter. Here are the ones from the Conquest for December 6-12:

 

Day 1 - Embarkation, Ft. Lauderdale: http://docdro.id/zVS8f0I

Day 2 - Key West: http://docdro.id/MYHX8tU

Day 3 - Sea Day #1: http://docdro.id/ovuJeP5

Day 4 - Grand Cayman: http://docdro.id/1c9KYdZ

Day 5 - Cozumel: http://docdro.id/C1H9NL4

Day 6 - Sea Day #2: http://docdro.id/stqFP75

 

Also, I'm a bit of a planner myself and I was happy to make another discovery on this cruise - on embarkation day they gave us a summary sheet of some of the bigger events in the main showrooms. I scanned what we got, so you can look at it here: http://docdro.id/Cti6enD

 

In case you're not familiar with the Conquest, Toulouse Lautrec is the main theater, and the Degas Lounge is the room in the back where the comedians hang out.

Thanks! That is great to know!