What ever happened to the steel drums?

[SpeedsterX]

I am a newer cruiser, been on RCL's Freedom and Carnival's Dream and Ecstasy. I have been to St. Thomas, St. Martin, Freeport, Nassau, Belize and Cozumel. Not one time, NOT ONCE did I hear a steel drum or any "Caribbean music" to speak of. While in Nassau as we were walking down the street near the market I DID see a set laying against a souvenir shop, laughed and pointed them out to my girlfriend.

 

I expected when I first cruised that I would be hearing that kind of music quite often but never did. In fact the only time I saw a live band on the outside deck of any ship was on the Freedom Of The Sea's but no Caribbean music. The 2 Carnival ships I sailed on with Carnival it was a DJ all day and super loud. I felt like I was at an open air nightclub. Mind you, I am in my mid 40's and still like current and loud music at times but not when I am trying to relax.

 

What the hell happened to Caribbean music?

[Cruising Golfer]

Sorry Man, bands on board are a thing of the past!!!:(

I miss the steel drum bands and the great Bob Marley music that used to play all hours. Cut backs have removed them, but I still hold hope that someday they will return.:D

Maybe we should start a thread to get them back???:eek: C.G.

[Georgie562]

Part of Carnival cutbacks!

[Julienatul]

Gone gone gone! But I do wish they would come back. We recently sailed NCL and it was so refreshing to have that poolside band and live entertainment again.

[Big_G]

Part of Carnival cutbacks!

 

That one isn't exclusive to just Carnival. I can't even remember the last time I saw steel drums on a ship.

[cruiser9800]

It actually IS an exclusive cutback to Carnival.

 

Every Royal Caribbean and Norwegian ship I've been on in the last few years has had a 4-5 piece reggae/calypso band playing ALL DAY on the deck.

 

Carnival is the only line to replace this with a dj or nothing, RUINING the daytime cruise pool atmosphere. It is also the only to to just about cut back on all live music, with only a couple solists and no show band (this is in the process of being faded out) when other lines have multiple 4 piece bands and show bands and trios/duos.

[Ship's Wake]

Carnival used to sell music cds of tropical music they played poolside. I purchased several in the past and this music gets loaded on my ipod and brought on every Caribbean cruise I take.

 

You can still obtain these steel drum cds at:

http://www.tropicalmusicinternational.com/products.php?id=4?#anchor_vol1

 

As for why they don't have a steel drum band playing onboard, this is obviously an improvement to the cruise experience as seen by Carnival and their cheerleaders.

[GTO-Girl]

What the hell happened to Caribbean music?

 

 

 

This is the question hundreds of us would like to know!!!!! I miss it so much!!!!!

[OCruisers]

Sadly, steel drums on Carnival cruises are now only a Fond Memory ....

 

LuLu

~~~~

[sandinmyshoes]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE to the Carnival powers that be ... bring back the steel drum and tropical music on the pool deck. I get club music at home. When I'm spending my money to be in the sunny Caribbean, I want a true escape where I am on a floating tropical island in the middle of the ocean!

Love Carnival, just wish the deck music was reflective of the destinations they travel too. :)

[vacruisin]

Carnival had a 2 man live calypso band playing on the Lido deck on the Freedom last summer when I cruised. Also, when we got off the boat in Antigua there was a full band playing on the dock. I think it's not on every ship or sailing but there are some live bands still being used on random trips.

 

We'll be sailing on the Breeze this summer (my countdown clock has the wrong information) and I sure hope that they have a live band on that sailing.

[loxley]

Part of Carnival cutbacks!

 

One of the best ones, but I will admit I don't care for the rap crap much either.

[FriedPickle]

Even off the ship in the Ports I didn't hear any music that was of that country.

In Jamaica we did hear a small marching band, they weren't playing Jamaican music though.

In Cozumel we heard one reggae song at Rasta's.

 

I do wish Carnival would have had Caribbean music live or a CD playing!

 

I thought for sure Jamaica would have had musicians on the corners like they do in New Orleans but they didn't at least not where we went

[bbqman]

RCL and NCL have never had a band play ALL DAY. In fact no cruiseline has.

[beachbum53]

Sorry Man, bands on board are a thing of the past!!!:(

I miss the steel drum bands and the great Bob Marley music that used to play all hours. Cut backs have removed them, but I still hold hope that someday they will return.:D

Maybe we should start a thread to get them back???:eek: C.G.

 

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE to the Carnival powers that be ... bring back the steel drum and tropical music on the pool deck. I get club music at home. When I'm spending my money to be in the sunny Caribbean, I want a true escape where I am on a floating tropical island in the middle of the ocean!

Love Carnival, just wish the deck music was reflective of the destinations they travel too. :)

 

Maybe the time has come to start a letter-writing campaign to Carnival asking that they bring back the pool-side Calypso/steel drum bands. If, as most people are saying, the bands were eliminated due to cutbacks, what's it worth to get them back? How much of an increase in the cruise fare would you be willing to pay to have the live bands come back? $25.00 pp? $50.00? $75.00? $100.00? Yes, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian may have live bands on their ships, but people cruising on those ships pay more per person than on Carnival.

[Big_G]

It actually IS an exclusive cutback to Carnival.

 

Every Royal Caribbean and Norwegian ship I've been on in the last few years has had a 4-5 piece reggae/calypso band playing ALL DAY on the deck.

 

Carnival is the only line to replace this with a dj or nothing, RUINING the daytime cruise pool atmosphere. It is also the only to to just about cut back on all live music, with only a couple solists and no show band (this is in the process of being faded out) when other lines have multiple 4 piece bands and show bands and trios/duos.

 

Apparently we haven't been sailing the same ships.

[SpeedsterX]

Maybe the time has come to start a letter-writing campaign to Carnival asking that they bring back the pool-side Calypso/steel drum bands. If, as most people are saying, the bands were eliminated due to cutbacks, what's it worth to get them back? How much of an increase in the cruise fare would you be willing to pay to have the live bands come back? $25.00 pp? $50.00? $75.00? $100.00? Yes, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian may have live bands on their ships, but people cruising on those ships pay more per person than on Carnival.

 

I really wouldn't care if they kept the DJ's, but play Caribbean music! They could have a couple hour blocks of it at least. Although a live band would be more authentic but a DJ could suffice.

[LKYGSR]

I still get all the great carribean music on my cruises....from my personal band, maybe you have heard of them, they are called IPOD :D

[Sargent_Schultz]

What the hell happened to Caribbean music?

 

It evolved.

[cruiser9800]

You cheerleaders are ridiculous.

 

What used to be a staple and clearly made for a fun, energetic, and relaxing lido deck disappeared because of a cut back. How anyone could spin this into a positive is beyond me. I can listen to Caribbean music on an ipod any day, the calypso / reggae band made for a truly special atmpshere, one fo the few things we love about cruising.

 

The lido is now dull. What's next? If lobster is taken off the menu for baked ziti, will that be a positive? I'm sure some will say "the baked ziti is the best ziti I've ever had, I can have lobseter any day at home!"

 

Admit the faults, admit when something crosses the line. Admit that the new Carnival is really just a poor quality product that has crossed the line. Enough of the I am on a boat and everything is perfect. Carnival has ruined their product. It shows by the bookings, it shows by their recent safety record, and it shows by polls where 25 percent of people will no longer cruise Carnival because of these CUT BACKS.

[ShanteS]

I too used to LOVE the live reggae/calypso bands on the Lido deck. I remember how much I loved it on all of my previous cruises but am already planning on not seeing on this year and I'm really disapointed about that. I want the bands back and if that means paying a little more per person I'm willing to pay it. If not, I'll be taking my business elsewhere. I don't want to hear the same music I can hear at home! The entire point of going on a cruise is to escape every day life and for me being in the caribbean and hearing/listening to the calypso band on the lido with a funship special in my hand is my escape!! I can listen to the other stuff in the club. Depending on my experience this year I might be sailing RC or NCL for next years cruise.

 

Let's start a petition and/or email/message John Heald about this!

[Sargent_Schultz]

The whiners are what are ridiculous. You are lucky if you hear steel drums in tourist traps on land. Steel drums are monotonous and boring and they aren't coming back.

[CDNseekingheat]

When sharing my experiences on Carnival and give examples of why it is such a great experience for me, I usually start by saying "Imagine getting onto the ship and heading up to the Lido deck... pool, food, live calypso music....." D'oh!!

[ShanteS]

The whiners are what is ridiculous. You are lucky if you hear steel drums in tourist traps on land. Steel drums are monotonous and boring and they aren't coming back.

 

Oh OK I get it. So since it's something you don't care about those of us who do care are "whiners". :rolleyes: How about everyone is entitled to their own opinions and that doesn't make us whiners! Since some customers absolutely LOVE the calypso bands and others like yourself hate them, I'm sure Carnival can come up with some way to compromise and please both sides. Like have a calypso band on the Lido for a few hours every day and play other music with or without the DJ or other band for the rest of the day. That way everyone is happy. :)

[luddite]

Live music has been cut. An idiot DJ doesn't cost them as much as talent.