One reason why CC gatherings don't work on Carnival

[princess76021]

On the Freedom, received an invite to our gathering last night (Thursday) it said "Cruise Critic meet and mingle private party, Wednesday- November 8th, 2019 Cozumel 5:00 swing time bar, see you there" if it wasn't for my husband who said today is Friday the 8th I would have thought we missed it!!! We will go and see how many will show up!  One question comes to mind, don't they proof read the invites????

[amyotravel]

Hi.

I was signed up and wanted to go last cruise but once we were on board we found out they gave us a ridiculous time very early in the AM on the first full day. No way my other half would have done that and I would have been really reluctant to get up so early to go by myself. I realize they have to work out something but that was so completely ridiculous. I never found out how many people actually crawled out of bed that early on the glorious first day of a lie-in...

 

Amy

[Jamman54]

14 minutes ago, amyotravel said:

Hi.

I was signed up and wanted to go last cruise but once we were on board we found out they gave us a ridiculous time very early in the AM on the first full day. No way my other half would have done that and I would have been really reluctant to get up so early to go by myself. I realize they have to work out something but that was so completely ridiculous. I never found out how many people actually crawled out of bed that early on the glorious first day of a lie-in...

 

Amy

 

How early was early? 

[amyotravel]

Ha, ha - maybe not early for some people, but I think it was 9:00 am and we are from an earlier time zone so 8:00 to us! Not very vacation-y to many folks. 

[Nic6318]

Hi

 

If you read the "sticky" from when they made the initial announcement three years ago you will see many reasons why they often fail. 

 

A few that come to mind are, they just don't schedule it. Sometimes they don't actually let the people know. Scheduling is most often the issue, they have been scheduled during dinner times, also some scheduled while still in port. 

 

Sometimes they actually come off well. Many times however, even when it doesn't seem like the time was an issue, the people that signed up, just don't show. That's not Carnival's fault.

 

All in all from what I have experienced and from what I have read, it's not a specific priority for Carnival. Other cruise lines do seem to consistently do a better job. For that reason I wonder why, because it really shouldn't be too complicated to have a regular routine that people can count on and that in itself may encourage the people that signed up to actually show up because they know they will have a fun event. 

 

I try to go, sometimes it goes well, sometimes not. Not really much different from when we organized our own from the roll calls.  

[glrounds]

The last one I attended half of those on the list never got an invite. It was held in the piano bar with chocolate chip cookies and lemonade as refreshments ! The Cruise Director showed up about half way through, bragged about Carnival for a few minutes and left. Waste of time, IMHO.

 

Best ones in the past have been put together by the cruisers on the list, basically agreeing on a place where there is food and drink (aft pool by the buffet) on the 1st sea day at 10:00 pm. Great meets.

[amyotravel]

12 minutes ago, glrounds said:

The last one I attended half of those on the list never got an invite. It was held in the piano bar with chocolate chip cookies and lemonade as refreshments ! The Cruise Director showed up about half way through, bragged about Carnival for a few minutes and left. Waste of time, IMHO.

 

Best ones in the past have been put together by the cruisers on the list, basically agreeing on a place where there is food and drink (aft pool by the buffet) on the 1st sea day at 10:00 pm. Great meets.

True. Time before last we did not get our invite. 

[momof3cruisers]

I won’t sign up for these anymore because I felt really bad about our gathering last winter on the Glory. They had lemonade and coffee, lots of cookies, brownies etc and only two of us showed up. It was set for 2:00 on the second sea day. Both the cruise director and the entertainment director showed up. They sat and chatted with the two of us for about half an hour and then we all decided to call it the end.  It was just embarrassing that they both made time in their day and only two guests (out of 37 signed up) bothered to be there. 

[coevan]

We got better results in the slot pull. We had 15 people and had a great time

[DryCreek]

How do you make it to the invitee list?

I may be interested in a CC meet-and-greet.

[RandomUser123]

If Carnival offers complimentary alcohol to these then I will go otherwise sorry but no thanks. So many other things to do on the ship. 

[RWolver672]

8 hours ago, DryCreek said:

How do you make it to the invitee list?

I may be interested in a CC meet-and-greet.

 

At the top of this page is a light blue line and goes across the page.  Click on "Meet and Mingle".  Follow the directions  to find your sailing.  There has to be at least 25 people sign up for it or they won't have it.  

[phoneman69]

Our recent Magic cruise Carnival double booked the room. Ladies pajama party. Never sent out invites to the new date and time so i did not see how many showed up. 

[NCTribeFan]

Originally, they didn't send invitations.  You had to look for it the night before on the dailies and many people missed it.

 

Last week on Sunshine, I received a card inviting me on the first night (and it was listed in the daily for the next day).  The party was scheduled for the next day (the first sea day) at 12:45 in the Pub.  I'm sure that conflicted with some folks who wanted to go to brunch but they could've gone early enough to make it.  It was a conflict for me because I had a noon invitation to my first Diamond Brunch and wanted to go to that.  I still managed to get there just before it wrapped up since I always feel obligated to show if I've said I'd go.

 

I realize that they have to find a time and place that will be at least semi-private and that can be difficult, depending on the number of people that sign up.  Seems like the Piano bar would be a good location during any sea day unless there's a huge crowd signed up.

 

Not sure I'll sign up for any more since I really don't like to say I'll be somewhere and have someone/anyone go to a lot of effort expecting a certain # of people and then maybe only half show.  I'm surprised the cruiselines host these things at all given the level of no-shows.

 

I will say that both NCL and MSC go way beyond what Carnival and HAL do.  MSC especially.  We only had about 15 people on Armonia in September yet they had a Cruise Critic cake, petit fours, drinks (alcoholic and non), the department heads, the CD and even the Captain!  Took a group photo and sent it to the cabin later in the sailing.

[havanadaydreaming]

1 hour ago, NCTribeFan said:

Originally, they didn't send invitations.  You had to look for it the night before on the dailies and many people missed it.

 

Last week on Sunshine, I received a card inviting me on the first night (and it was listed in the daily for the next day).  The party was scheduled for the next day (the first sea day) at 12:45 in the Pub.  I'm sure that conflicted with some folks who wanted to go to brunch but they could've gone early enough to make it.  It was a conflict for me because I had a noon invitation to my first Diamond Brunch and wanted to go to that.  I still managed to get there just before it wrapped up since I always feel obligated to show if I've said I'd go.

 

I realize that they have to find a time and place that will be at least semi-private and that can be difficult, depending on the number of people that sign up.  Seems like the Piano bar would be a good location during any sea day unless there's a huge crowd signed up.

 

Not sure I'll sign up for any more since I really don't like to say I'll be somewhere and have someone/anyone go to a lot of effort expecting a certain # of people and then maybe only half show.  I'm surprised the cruiselines host these things at all given the level of no-shows.

 

I will say that both NCL and MSC go way beyond what Carnival and HAL do.  MSC especially.  We only had about 15 people on Armonia in September yet they had a Cruise Critic cake, petit fours, drinks (alcoholic and non), the department heads, the CD and even the Captain!  Took a group photo and sent it to the cabin later in the sailing.

I agree, MSC went over the top. Great food spread!

 

Ncl did too, but the CC folks were so whiny on Q&A with captain I cringed.  One dude aggressively requested captain to have Lido deck mopped on rainy days.  Dead serious.  

[naxer]

I signed up for two on Carnival.  On the first one, the invitation had mixed up dates and times, and I just didn't want to be bothered to figure it out--other things to do.  On the second one, we went, and the cruise director looked at us in an otherwise empty room and said--"OK, you requested this, what to you want to do?"  We left.  On the only other cruise line I've tried,  one trying to break into the American market, it was an exciting event where we were treated to food, drinks, a video about future plans for the line, a captain's toast, an assortment of officers, and some party favors (...upon reflection, it was actually my favorite part of the cruise!?!).  I will stick with Carnival, but I definitely don't sail for the CC Meet and Mingles.

[martinchem]

Just off the Sunrise,  12 of 62 showed up. I received a note in my cabin and notice in the Fun Times. We went because we signed up for it, others may just get caught up in the roll call, then drop off the Earth.  It was first sea day around 1pm, we worked with it and others could've too, if they cared. We go probably once every 4 cruises to the event to see how it's progressing,  obviously not that well. I will say on NCL it was packed and free beer was flowing in the Brewhouse,  maybe that makes the difference. 

[TrinaLC]

Nobody does it like MSC! Captain ny crews attend, and mingle. Cruise critic cake, petit fours/apps and cocktails. Though it is held at 10:00 a.m. which makes the cocktails challenging.  

[thehappierhomemaker]

Our last cruise on the Sunshine was the first time I signed up for one. I looked and looked for it listed in the FunTimes and never saw it...the last night as we were packing I found the paper invite in my kid's room and it had been the first sea day and we totally missed it. I was super disappointed.

[NCTribeFan]

19 hours ago, TrinaLC said:

Nobody does it like MSC! Captain ny crews attend, and mingle. Cruise critic cake, petit fours/apps and cocktails. Though it is held at 10:00 a.m. which makes the cocktails challenging.  

Ha, yes!  I had 2 mimosas plus took another one back to the cabin and put it in the fridge, then had it as I was getting ready for Elegant night.  It was a little flat by then but, hey, why not?!  I even had a drink package, so it's not like I went for the free booze (even though that didn't stop me from imbibing as those I had!).  I mean, if they went to the effort to make them, I felt obligated to help them out, right? 😄

[simplelife]

The only time I ever even knew there was an M & M was from a listing in the Fun Times Schedule. I was late on the last evening, when we already had our plans for the evening (We were traveling with others, non-CCers).  It seems a waste of time to have a M&M that late into the cruise - isn't the idea that you meet people that you might want to stay connected with on the cruise? 

[LauraS]

Hello All:

Thanks for your feedback; I'll be sharing much of what you've said with the folks at Carnival and making some suggestions.

 

 

[havanadaydreaming]

Missed out on M&G in Sept, was only a 6 nt cruise and needs to be 7+ for a meet. 

 

Ncl had a 1 hour session for anyone with captain, chief engineer, etc that gave a detailed presentation on cruise ship/operations. My wife wouldn't leave her lounger on Lido but I found it fascinating. 

[princess76021]

23 hours ago, LauraS said:

Hello All:

Thanks for your feedback; I'll be sharing much of what you've said with the folks at Carnival and making some suggestions.

 

 

The cruise I just got home from was a journey cruise, 14 days, they had the meet and mingle on next to the last night and it was printed with the wrong day! Correct date but wrong day! I can scan the invite if needed. Got the invite on Thursday, invite stated Wednesday. Also why t the end??? Everyone there wantedq to know!!!

 

[jailer man_sailor sam]

I've signed up and sometimes that CC M&G was cancelled a week before due to lack of interest.  The only one my DW & I attended had about 10 when there were about 25 that originally signed up.    They've all been Carnival M&G.  In speaking with a partial family in the room, the M&G seemed like a good idea when planning it a few weeks out at home, but once on board "life happens," meaning there is a variety to choose once you're dialed in to different ship activities.

 

We had a diverse group from hotel director, kids entertainment director, 3rd officer and housekeeping supervisor come meet with us to answer questions.  I felt the small gathering was worth the time with the visit they made with us.  They left after all questions were answered.  I left with a good taste in my mouth.