Past Guest Party Experiences and Opinions

[Bo Didly]

I miss the pins they used to give out!

 

Good thing is you can still get em in the gift shop, a bit different yes but still nice. When you hit platinum you will still receive them.

[gman0119]

Well, it does appear by these comments that:

 

There are fewer servers in recent history than say, about a year ago.

 

If you tip, you will get better service and more drinks

 

Non adverstised (almost) Farewell Party beats the stuffing ot of PG Party.

 

Thanks to those that replied, and if anyone else wants to, keep em coming!

[H82seaUgo]

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 think i only took a drink off the tray my second cruise.

 

after that, i went right to the bar and got my own preferred drinks.

 

then i learned to sit at the bar.

 

then they got so crowded i started skipping them altogether. sorry to see what animals free booze drags out since cruising went mainstream.

[gman0119]

i think i only took a drink off the tray my second cruise.

 

after that, i went right to the bar and got my own preferred drinks.

 

then i learned to sit at the bar.

 

then they got so crowded i started skipping them altogether. sorry to see what animals free booze drags out since cruising went mainstream.

 

LOL, for some of these people, you would swear there is gold filling the glass, not booze!!!

[cruizinator]

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.

 

 

Serene56,

 

I posted on the previous thread also and want to add that the couple we cruised with on the Spirit last month... asked for..and received... 2 drinks each at the same time. They had 5-6 drinks each during the PG party!!

[doctordi]

I think the idea of a past guest party is nice, but I wish they would be held at a more convienent time. Last week on the Legend it was held at sailing time from Belize. No way we were going to make that after cave tubing and needing to take a shower.

[nikita]

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).

 

I have the same question? Haven't sailed on Carnival for 5 years so this must be a new thing?

[crusinpsychRN]

Farewell Party is last sea day about 7pm. It's listed in the Fun Times or whatever they call it. One little line...Lots and lots of very strong drinks...stop before it's too late!

 

At the Past Guest the server would get right to our row and run out, get more and start at the front again! It was maddening. Too many times it's chaos. But I still like to watch the movie.

[nikita]

Farewell Party is last sea day about 7pm. It's listed in the Fun Times or whatever they call it. One little line...Lots and lots of very strong drinks...stop before it's too late!

 

At the Past Guest the server would get right to our row and run out, get more and start at the front again! It was maddening. Too many times it's chaos. But I still like to watch the movie.

 

Is everyone invited to the farewell party or is it just for past guests? Where is it usually held? And what is the "movie"? Thanks!

[gman0119]

Is everyone invited to the farewell party or is it just for past guests? Where is it usually held? And what is the "movie"? Thanks!

 

The movie is at the past guest party. Just a little history lesson on Carnival, and a thank you for repeating. They go through all the boats and people applaud for the ones they have been on.

 

The Farewell party is for all. Usually held in a much smaller area, like the disco or something. Like it was said, the only mention of it will be in the last day's FunTimes, and it will be in the section where the time is listed, then the event. No write up, no anything. It will just say Farewell Party. It is easier to get what you want to drink at this one. You can go to the bar. On the Triumph, for PG party, the bar was behind closed doors where only employees could go, so we were SOL and just waited and waited...

[golfadj]

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.

 

Feb 2011 on the Miracle, Only got one drink both me and DW.

[Chris41]

On the Dream in Jan we were well taken care of with what we asked for in fact I ended up walking out with 2 vodka and tonics in my hand.

[LHP]

We have attended the Repeaters Party on the Elation, Triumph, Liberty, Destiny and Glory since October......

 

our son LOVES to go clap for all his ships....

 

and while we do not attend for the free booze, we have never had an issue getting as many as we wanted at any of the above.

 

We always sit 3rd row on the right ....they keep Funship Freddie to the back and to the left.

[dolphinwyo]

3/13 Splendor past guest party - 4 of us, including 2 kids - all past guests. Only choice for kids was punch - they wouldn't get us soda. Never did get waited on by food servers for cheese, breads, etc. Too busy. Had a couple of blue margaritas. People were going up to waiters in aisle and trying to get drinks off tray - waiters told them they had assigned areas to wait on and to sit down. Will probably skip next time.

[mzloolue]

On the Triumph, for PG party, the bar was behind closed doors where only employees could go, so we were SOL and just waited and waited...

 

On triumph in January they held the past guest party during the Cozumel port time.

 

We were back so we went.

There were a lot of people and a lot of waiters with meat balls and baby food on toast.

 

But there were very few drink waiters.

They finally brought us one drink each and never came back.

We left...

 

It sounds like past guest parties on Triumph are especially sucky.

 

My mama was a southern lady and she taught me that when you invite people over you have something for them to drink.

If you are just serving iced tea that's fine, but have enough for everyone and make sure that all your guests are comfortable.

[rnvattes]

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.

 

So you're saying you had between 8 and 10 gin martinis at the past guest party?

 

:rolleyes:

[Frank12]

Our last PG party was in the big lounge on the Fascination. Plenty of servers and plenty of drinks.

[crusinpsychRN]

Is everyone invited to the farewell party or is it just for past guests? Where is it usually held? And what is the "movie"? Thanks!

 

All are invited. It was held in a small club on Inspiration and Glory. People walk past thinking it's a private function. Officers and staff attend also. It's one of the best parties on the ship! (Don't tell anyone!) :rolleyes:

 

The movie is shown at the PG party. It covers the history of Carnival, including the grounding of the Mardi Gras on it's initial outing when drinks flowed freely because of the inconvenience. That's when they became the Fun Ships. At the end each ship is shown and the crowd is asked to applaud for each one they've been on.

[javamom]

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

 

On the Fascination in December, drinks flowed freely at both Past Guest and Farewell parties.

[FreezingInMichigan]

We've only been to one Past Guest party and one Farewell party, so our experience is limited.

 

Past Guest party was November 2010 on the Liberty. Party was held in the theater and well attended. Drinks were flowing freely. My husband and I both stopped at four and were telling the waitstaff no thank you. Canapes of several kinds were circulated as well. We loved the hokey ship movie and clapped like typical newbies. :p

 

Farewell party was March 2011 on the Paradise. Party was also held in the theater but not as well attended. Again, drinks flowed freely but no canapes. We kept waiting for the ship movie to start but instead it was an hour of a stage singer. Took us that long to figure out the difference between Farewell and Past Guest. Again - typical newbies... lol

[gman0119]

I'm relieved to see that some boats are still treating guests good. It does seem that the poor service is more a ship characteristic than a fleet characteristic.

 

There are so many possible reasons, we could list them forever, so I think I will just go with the most general summation I can: Nobody knows till they go!