Meet and Greet

[debster818]

Anyone know how to arrange a greet and meet with Carnival? I e-mailed them a few days ago and have not heard anything. Would like to meet everyone on our roll call

[DarthGrady]

On our last one, everbody just met at the aft pool at 3 pm. on embarkation day.

 

If you are wanting something more official, or a private room, I would assume you would need to talk to the Cruise Director, or one of the social hosts to arrange something.

[flowerchild]

Carnival offers a cocktail reception that includes dry snacks and open bar for one hour or two hours (your preference). The cost is $11.44 pp (for the one hour), minimum 20 people. We just arranged a party for our roll call...we used paypal to collect the money, I contacted the Wedding Planning department at Carnival and they walked me through the rest. Very easy. It needs to be arranged about a month before the cruise but can be done even later, if there is availability.

[LHP]

Carnival does not arrange a "free official" meet and greet.

 

What we always do is simply announce a time and place to meet on the Roll Call and if sometimes we have folks wear Mardi Gras beads to identify themselves.

 

For example: on the Legend...we met at the Aft Pool Bar on the Port side at 3PM. That gave everyone an hour to chat before the Muster Drill.

 

On the Victory, we had it at 9AM the next morning (AFT POOL AREA). That gave us a couple of hours to chat before the "Shore Talks" started in the main theater.

[farler05]

Carnival does not arrange a "free official" meet and greet.

 

What we always do is simply announce a time and place to meet on the Roll Call and if sometimes we have folks wear Mardi Gras beads to identify themselves.

 

For example: on the Legend...we met at the Aft Pool Bar on the Port side at 3PM. That gave everyone an hour to chat before the Muster Drill.

 

On the Victory, we had it at 9AM the next morning (AFT POOL AREA). That gave us a couple of hours to chat before the "Shore Talks" started in the main theater.

 

That's exactly what we did on the Triumph. We met at the aft pool area & everyone wore beads.

[candigirl41]

Try this e-mail address. I found it on another thread. meetandgreet@carnival.com.

 

Candi

[Wennfred]

Anyone know how to arrange a greet and meet with Carnival? I e-mailed them a few days ago and have not heard anything. Would like to meet everyone on our roll call

 

One thing you need to think about is that not everyone in your roll call will show up to the meet and greet. Its best to just plan to meet somewhere like right after the lifeboat drill and up on deck during the sail away party.

 

Wearing a Cruise Critic shirt helps people from your roll call identify you up on deck at the meeting area. I've had 4 meet and greets so far and I say 2 were great, almost every one showed up. The other 2 only 8 out of 30 people showed up. So its hit and miss.

 

 

 

Fred

[debster818]

That is the e-mail address I used. Still no reply

[scperk]

Like Fred we meet after muster drill but before sailaway at the aft pool and bar on Lido deck....sometimes we have a very active roll-call and lots of people show up, then next time 10 people show up...Dennis

[KatSt]

We posted a message on John Heald's blog and he was able to get us a room with a cocktail waitress for our Meet & Greet on the Miracle this past June.

 

It was a cash bar. We had a pretty good turnout. We didn't know what room it was until we saw it posted in the Capers.

 

This is what we did to get the room. It may take a few weeks to get a response.

 

If ANYONE has a group going on a Carnival ship, by that I mean folks on a roll call... not an official Cruise Critic group necessarily, I'd suggest that y'all drop by John's blog, www.johnhealdsblog.com , and just post a comment headed up by 'John, Please Respond!'

 

Tell him what ship you're on, when you're sailing and how many in your roll call and I'm SURE he'll handle it for you...

[scperk]

On our cruise on the Lirica we met every evening in the piano bar and had drinks before dinner....if you just want drinks just pick any bar and set a time...Dennis

[LHP]

We posted a message on John Heald's blog and he was able to get us a room with a cocktail waitress for our Meet & Greet on the Miracle this past June.

 

It was a cash bar. We had a pretty good turnout. We didn't know what room it was until we saw it posted in the Capers.

 

This is what we did to get the room. It may take a few weeks to get a response.

 

If ANYONE has a group going on a Carnival ship, by that I mean folks on a roll call... not an official Cruise Critic group necessarily, I'd suggest that y'all drop by John's blog, www.johnhealdsblog.com , and just post a comment headed up by 'John, Please Respond!'

 

Tell him what ship you're on, when you're sailing and how many in your roll call and I'm SURE he'll handle it for you...

 

I know John is more than happy to try and help....but sometimes he over extends himself. This could literally open up to him trying to arrange 1,500 meet and greets a year....on top of his regular job.

 

It is simplier (and easier on John) if we just say to the folks on your Roll Call "hey guys, meet us at this bar at this time" ....

 

This is something simple that we can handle on our own....we need to save John for the important stuff! IMHO

[GoinCruisin]

I know John is more than happy to try and help....but sometimes he over extends himself. This could literally open up to him trying to arrange 1,500 meet and greets a year....on top of his regular job.

 

It is simplier (and easier on John) if we just say to the folks on your Roll Call "hey guys, meet us at this bar at this time" ....

 

This is something simple that we can handle on our own....we need to save John for the important stuff! IMHO

 

I don't think it's just John doing it... our group TA said that a M&G was being planned, in addition to our cocktail parties, and that it was something new... I guess we'll find out in October :D

 

Generally for our M&G, we have one the night before at a bar, then we have one once we get onboard that is generic (here is the area we will be, look for the shirts, we'll reconvene after muster drill) and then we have one the morning of the first sea day, or when we are getting our group picture done. We plan several during the week so that everyone can have a chance to meet up. We generally have a cocktail party included with the group, but we also purchase an additional one for the group and those that booked outside the group, so we can all mingle... those are always fun and you can't beat the price.

[LHP]

I don't think it's just John doing it... our group TA said that a M&G was being planned, in addition to our cocktail parties, and that it was something new... I guess we'll find out in October :D

 

Generally for our M&G, we have one the night before at a bar, then we have one once we get onboard that is generic (here is the area we will be, look for the shirts, we'll reconvene after muster drill) and then we have one the morning of the first sea day, or when we are getting our group picture done. We plan several during the week so that everyone can have a chance to meet up. We generally have a cocktail party included with the group, but we also purchase an additional one for the group and those that booked outside the group, so we can all mingle... those are always fun and you can't beat the price.

 

Unfortunately, John just took a heavy brow beating for not attending a Meet and Greet and "he" (or his staff) had helped set up on the Splendor. He did not even know when it was scheduled, because his staff handled it. These people expected him to be there....so while John has the best intentions..."expectations" can easily get out of hand. And when they do, John takes the heat....even when it is not deserved.

 

All I am saying is that with everything he (and his staff) are handling with the growing popularity of the Blog...this is something folks can handle themselves by just saying to their Roll Call...."hey guys...meet at this bar ...at this time".

 

 

A Meet and Greet is something simple that we have been doing for YEARS without the assistance of anyone.

[KatSt]

Unfortunately, John just took a heavy brow beating for not attending a Meet and Greet and "he" (or his staff) had helped set up on the Splendor. He did not even know when it was scheduled, because his staff handled it. These people expected him to be there....so while John has the best intentions..."expectations" can easily get out of hand. And when they do, John takes the heat....even when it is not deserved.

 

All I am saying is that with everything he (and his staff) are handling with the growing popularity of the Blog...this is something folks can handle themselves by just saying to their Roll Call...."hey guys...meet at this bar ...at this time".

 

 

A Meet and Greet is something simple that we have been doing for YEARS without the assistance of anyone.

I understand your concern. John is the one who volunteered to do this and his staff is actually the ones that do it. Many of the other cruise lines already do this. I think it's a nice idea for a team at Carnival to do this for the Meet & Greets. I'm not saying for multiple days per ship, but at least for the first one per ship.

[GoinCruisin]

Unfortunately, John just took a heavy brow beating for not attending a Meet and Greet and "he" (or his staff) had helped set up on the Splendor. He did not even know when it was scheduled, because his staff handled it. These people expected him to be there....so while John has the best intentions..."expectations" can easily get out of hand. And when they do, John takes the heat....even when it is not deserved.

 

All I am saying is that with everything he (and his staff) are handling with the growing popularity of the Blog...this is something folks can handle themselves by just saying to their Roll Call...."hey guys...meet at this bar ...at this time".

 

 

A Meet and Greet is something simple that we have been doing for YEARS without the assistance of anyone.

 

I know what you are saying... and I would not contact him to set something up (and I can't imagine the amount of emails they get). Our group has done it the same way for years, but our TA said that Carnival is doing this now (A CC meet and greet) not through John... now, I assumed it would be for all of CC and not just our group, since we already have 3 cocktail parties on our upcoming cruise... but I'm not sure. I just thought it was interesting that she said we would have a CC M&G to attend as well... we'll see I guess!!!

[LHP]

I understand your concern. John is the one who volunteered to do this and his staff is actually the ones that do it. Many of the other cruise lines already do this. I think it's a nice idea for a team at Carnival to do this for the Meet & Greets. I'm not saying for multiple days per ship, but at least for the first one per ship.

 

I know that RCCL has official Cruise Critic Meet and Greets but it is my understanding that they have some kind of "business arrangement" with Cruise Critic.

 

At least that is one of the other threads I read...of course, I don't know that first hand.

 

And yes, John is the one who volunteered but because he does offer to do everything he can...he has a history of over extending himself. I think it is up to those of us who understand the load he is already under, and want to see him with less stress than more of it,...to handle things like this when we can.

 

As I said earlier..."intentions and expectations often clash" and it really bothered John that a cruiser personally berated him because they expected him to be at the Meet and Greet.... even though it was during the cruise where he was already working over 16 hours a day getting ready for the naming ceremony....attending plaque ceremonies at every port AND doing his blog...on top of the job that John was hired to do by Carnival as Cruise Director.

 

Unfortunately, Meet and Greets are not the only request. Even with a staff to assist...with the potential of 1,500 a year of those alone...not to mention everything from "Supper Club" reservations to beauty appointments (I kid you not).... and with John's sincere willingness to never say no....I just don't want to see him overloaded. It is nothing for him to have 20 emails with "urgent" a day.

 

I am simply suggesting that we try to be as good a friend to John as he is trying to be to us...and take he and his staff's load into consideration when we can.

[LHP]

I know what you are saying... and I would not contact him to set something up (and I can't imagine the amount of emails they get). Our group has done it the same way for years, but our TA said that Carnival is doing this now (A CC meet and greet) not through John... now, I assumed it would be for all of CC and not just our group, since we already have 3 cocktail parties on our upcoming cruise... but I'm not sure. I just thought it was interesting that she said we would have a CC M&G to attend as well... we'll see I guess!!!

 

I agree that it is time that Carnival did step up to the plate and do this for Cruise Critic folks; especially with CC hosting some 15 CC group cruises a year.

 

As long as they don't all have to go through John!! ;)

[deb2543]

Just wanted to let everyone know that I emailed the meetandgreet@carnival.com on July 2nd regarding our meet and greet for our September 6th sailing. I received a response on July 23 and they gave us a time and lounge. Just wanted to let everyone know that you do get a response from Carnival.:D

[debster818]

I e-mailed a few weeks ago, so I will wait a few more weeks. Thanks

[*Luv2Cruz*]

On our last cruise I just setup and time and place and people came!:D