How bad is the hawking on Carnival

[Mary229]

41 minutes ago, sanmarcosman said:

Park Worst Art

I remember those.  The only good thing to be said is you could get free Champagne during their "auctions"

[sanmarcosman]

1 minute ago, Mary229 said:

I remember those.  The only good thing to be said is you could get free Champagne during their "auctions"

It was never Champagne, just a ho-hum sparkling wine. You're right about the auctions: the only "art" there was Art the auctioneer running the fleecing.

I agree with the other poster, these companies are in business to make money and they aren't shy about reminding us to part with it.

[Mary229]

@Roz  Thank you.  I think maybe the best thing to do is take a short jaunt from a nearby port and decide.  I usually only like long cruises and am considering their transatlantic.  We like to sail those as an alternative to flying.  

[fair-winds39]

Been on many, many cruises, 9 of which were with Carnival and we've never been hawked by anyone, except photographers in the DR. After the first or second night, they got the hint. Occasionally, a waiter may stop by if we are at the pool and ask if we wanted a drink, but that's about it. If we didn't want anything we would just say "no thanks" and he/she wouldn't ask again.

 

[Mary229]

Just now, fair-winds39 said:

except photographers in the DR. After the first or second night,

That is a good report.  Princess was awful about letting the sales staff loose in the dining room.  I have never been accosted in the HAL DR for photos, actually the only place they have the photo set up is on the gangway.  I don't remember that level of hawking on Carnival, either but it has been many, many years since I sailed Carnival.  Carnival keeps getting named the world's best cruise line and I assume there is a reason

[sanmarcosman]

6 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I tell them I have religious and spiritual objections to being  photographed.  This only works on smaller ships (under 2000) where they can remember you.

Yours is a genteel and intellectual approach. When we were younger and the paparazzi photogs were approaching us we'd hold up our hands in front of our faces like celebs and in a New Yawk accent say : NO Pictures! No Pictures! as we hustled past them. This worked like a charm. 

Edited March 20, 2021 by sanmarcosman

[glrounds]

34 cruises on Carnival, I never noticed it all that much. A simple "no way in hell'" usually sets the pattern for future hawking when you're recognized enough that they don't even ask. Tickles me. :-)

 

I always thought Jamaica was the ultimate in persistent nauseating hawkers (especially Ocho Rios).

 

Edited March 20, 2021 by glrounds

[Aplmac]

6 hours ago, coloradocruiselover88 said:

I generally feel like the spa folks are pushy

and even pushier at the end of your service

to buy the products they used on (like after getting a facial)

 

 

You got that ^ right.

 

I avoid Spa like the plague, even more than the photographers -lol

[simplelife]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

So I guess I got my answer.  If you don't like the constant sales pitches Carnival may not be the cruise line for you.  Thanks guys.  We all have differences, that is what makes it all work, something for everyone.

I don't notice much "hawking" on Carnival. If you go to the "port talks", or to the onboard shop events, yeah, you are going to hear it. I rarely go to those , so it's not a problem. 

[quickrate]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

@Roz  Thank you.  I think maybe the best thing to do is take a short jaunt from a nearby port and decide.  I usually only like long cruises and am considering their transatlantic.  We like to sail those as an alternative to flying.  

We have been on 3 TA cruises with Carnival and do not remember there being a lot of sales pitch at all. I have never felt overwhelmed with pushy sales people on Carnival.

Pat

[DAllenTCY]

The only times I notice sales pitches:

 

         When I change channels on the TV and 11 out of 14 are promos

 

         When they come on the intercom in the hallway to pitch an event.

 

 

David

[Mary229]

8 minutes ago, DAllenTCY said:

The only times I notice sales pitches:

 

         When I change channels on the TV and 11 out of 14 are promos

 

         When they come on the intercom in the hallway to pitch an event.

 

 

David

Thanks for the report.  That sounds reasonable 

[getting older slowly]

We just turn off... to the sales pitch... Art Auctions as good... ties up lots of people.. clearing out public spaces......   Spa selling.. just don't go near the spa...

 

Photographers, no thanks is good... one thing I tried at the MDR...  pulled out my small Digital Camera and asked them to take a photo of us..... they politely said they were not allow to do that... So asked the waiter instead... bingo  free photo...

 

Don't buy things on ships... and tune out to sales promos....

[scpirate]

They tried to sell you things the first 2 days on most any cruise line.for me celebrity was the worst on embarkation day.the same waiter must have asked us if we wanted a drink or drink package seems like 50 times.we are generally a memorable couple.not a lot of white men got black wives.i told him no every time.we quit drinking and smoking 20 years ago.i don't think MSC was so bad but we had 5500 passengers that sailing they might have been stretched thin.

[cruisingguy007]

Not a problem at all. Ignore any hecklers and move on. Honestly, no one ever stops me but it could be how I look (I'm generally one of the biggest folk on the ship) but that said, just keep it moving and don't engage if you don't want to be bothered. I actually felt offended when the spa ladies didn't even consider speaking to me...lol. I'm used to being discriminated against because of my size (think NFL linebacker). 

Edited March 21, 2021 by cruisingguy007

[lilchuckie]

The art gallery and spa fliers are a sore subject for me. I understand not wanting plastic straws and asking people to reuse towels for the environment. It makes me question how much they care though when I’m sent several reams of paper to my room for advertisements every cruise.

 

 

[SNJCruisers]

Since you like longer cruises, I would suggest the TA on the Celebration in November of 2022 or any of the journeys cruises, which are longer and have some of the nuances from cruises from yesteryear. 

[RWolver672]

We always just walk past them like we didn't hear them.  It helps if you don't make eye contact with them too.  Most times, a simple "No thank you" works.

[Honolulu Blue]

I started cruising on Carnival in 2014 and my last one was last year.  I think the hawking on Carnival has gone down across the board.  There seem to be fewer and less aggressive photographers, less traffic at the spa and steakhouse info tables, fewer flyers, the end of the sample tables and the future cruise desk, less aggressive specials in the shops... the shoppies and excursions are much the same.

 

Here's one of my more speculative predictions about after-the-pandemic cruising - the selling is going to start to come back.  Gotta make those bond payments somehow!

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, Honolulu Blue said:

I started cruising on Carnival in 2014 and my last one was last year.  I think the hawking on Carnival has gone down across the board.  There seem to be fewer and less aggressive photographers, less traffic at the spa and steakhouse info tables, fewer flyers, the end of the sample tables and the future cruise desk, less aggressive specials in the shops... the shoppies and excursions are much the same.

 

Here's one of my more speculative predictions about after-the-pandemic cruising - the selling is going to start to come back.  Gotta make those bond payments somehow!

Thank you for your report.  I have a cruise on another line for next spring.  Perhaps I will write a review on that subject.  I think I might do a 2 or 3 day out of Galveston or New Orleans next year to get an idea of the new atmosphere.  HAL decided to be more inclusive on their fares and raised them.  I haven't tracked Carnival fares but they seem a bit lower than HAL but not a lot!  I keep coming back to the fact that year in and year out, they are voted the best cruise line.  

 

[sanmarcosman]

Just now, Mary229 said:

I think I might do a 2 or 3 day out of Galveston or New Orleans next year to get an idea of the new atmosphere.  

That's apples and oranges with a transatlantic. How many college kids will be sailing with you on your transatlantic partying like they did last night in Miami? 2-3 day cruises are party ships. Covid precautions may change this for a while but it is the norm for short cruises.

[Mary229]

Just now, sanmarcosman said:

That's apples and oranges with a transatlantic. How many college kids will be sailing with you on your transatlantic partying like they did last night in Miami? 2-3 day cruises are party ships. Covid precautions may change this for a while but it is the norm for short cruises.

I understand that but I would be going to consider the my big beef - which is hawking.  The last times I sailed on Carnival I took my teenage nieces so I know about the parties

[sanmarcosman]

Just now, Mary229 said:

I understand that but I would be going to consider the my big beef - which is hawking.  The last times I sailed on Carnival I took my teenage nieces so I know about the parties

Of course there will be upselling to young people on a short cruise, most of whom are on their first cruise.

[florida eagle]

53 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I understand that but I would be going to consider the my big beef - which is hawking.  The last times I sailed on Carnival I took my teenage nieces so I know about the parties

People can be a bit frazzled when embarking on a cruise. The photographers are there from the beginning and for some a bit unnerving. The price for the packages can be high. On the Lido deck on embarkation there is also a push for drinks with the special commemorative glass or coconut holding the drink which may not be explained for the extra cost.  A poster made a statement about upsells in the main dining room. That is excessive. It reduces a bit from there but as another poster said there is announcements all the time and the cabin TV is constant. A lot of stuff is good to know though. 

[Bevv]

I have gotten sales pitches/offers for:
Art auctions, drink packages, to buy bottles of wine, taking pictures, spa, "drawings" when walking past shops, drinks from roving servers,

Not a major impact to my cruise day