Captain's coctails not free anymore?

[Rockitman]

I read this in a thread, is it true?

 

They're charging for drinks at the Captain's party now?

 

Fleetwide?

 

Say it isn't so!!

[LorrieB]

I don't believe that is true. I know they stopped the food stuff during the cocktail party but I haven't heard anything about drinks. Which thread did you read this on?

[Rockitman]

The "Last Carnival Cruise" thread, still on first page.

[*Mach*]

To the best of my knowledge that is only on the Valor. They replaced the free cocktails on the first elegant evening with discounted drinks at every bar on the Promenade Deck and added a farewell party on the last evening with free cocktails.

The remainder of the fleet has stayed the same...

:)

[Barbados1999]

we just came off the Pride (7 night) and the captain's party was free drinks served by the bar staff ..... pre-made drinks such as whiskey sour, lime-something, wines, martini, non-alcoholic fruit punch and some other drinks. we didn't have to pay for anything. there was no food served at this event.

 

at the welcome-back party for previous guests held a few nights later, the same drinks were served, along with a few finger foods (salmon something and spinach something). we didn't pay for anything there, either.

 

maybe if you want something other than one of the free drinks the bar staff is serving, you'd have to pay for it, but i've never had to pay for any drinks at the captains parties.

 

a few months earlier, i was on the imagination and there was a captain's party on elegant night with the same drinks and no food, but there wasn't a previous-guest party at all. i guess it was because it was only a four-night cruise.

 

maybe things have changed for other cruises, but for the ones i've been on, it's been business as usual as far as captains parties go.

[dmdiver]

Our cocktails were free on Conquest at the Captain's reception & the Past Guest reception.

[Froufie]

I read this in a thread, is it true?

 

They're charging for drinks at the Captain's party now?

 

Fleetwide?

 

Say it isn't so!!

 

According to information provided by John Heald (and posted here on CC) they are no longer offering free drinks at the captain's welcome reception - but $1 off.....this is currently being 'tested' out on the Valor but John says it is being well received (can't understand that???) and I suspect it will be rolled out fleet wide at some point.

 

Instead they are now offering free drinks at a 'farewell party' on the last night of the cruise (5-6 pm).....again so far only on the Valor.

 

I presume we will be hearing back from other cruisers if and when this starts to happen on other Carnival ships!

 

I for one would much prefer the free drinks at the Captains' welcome aboard cocktail party......and forget the farewell party - most of us are busy packing the night before we debark.....and can't be bothered to go and drink!

 

I would hope that those that are not impressed with this new system will say so on their comment cards - not sure where John is getting his feedback from saying people 'like' the new set up???:confused:

[LarAndShar]

Champaign for captains party on Splendor

~S

[airlink diva]

Our cocktails were free on Conquest at the Captain's reception & the Past Guest reception.

 

This was true on the Fantasy in May also. We had the finger food at the past guest reception.

Happy sailing!!

[Stacey779]

...most of us are busy packing the night before we debark.....and can't be bothered to go and drink!

 

I'm guessing this is probably what they're hoping for - everyone is too busy or tired to come so they'll save some money. I agree with you - I'm having a hard time believing that this is being "well received." I guess we'll see.

[777mjrseb]

I'm guessing this is probably what they're hoping for - everyone is too busy or tired to come so they'll save some money. I agree with you - I'm having a hard time believing that this is being "well received." I guess we'll see.

 

I would have to agree with you as well! :D

[SenatorsFan]

First Cruise Elegant evening and "Captain's Celebration", as it was called in the Capers, drinks were indeed $1.00 off. Ryan, the CD, even announced it. We didn't bother to go. Past Guest Party was held in the Amber Palace with waiters circulating with trays of drinks and hors d'oeuvres; some salmon, some cheese. I managed to only get one drink and a few snacks. The waiters were going up and down the aisles, but skipping whole sections of people. There was some grumbling on the way out of the theatre. I did put on my comment card that I didn't feel this was the best venue for this event, but the lower level was pretty packed and there were people sitting upstairs, also (don't know if they got drinks and snacks, or not). They were taking invitations at the door, too. Maybe the sheer number of past guests has led them to run the event like this, but it's disappointing, compared to what we had on our past cruises. We did see the video with John Heald and were told to applaud all the Carnival ships we'd been on and also had a head start to buying the win a cruise raffle tickets ahead of first-time pax. Free drinks on the last day were from 5-6 in the Ebony Cabaret. I went in at 5:45 and the waiters were collecting empty glasses and not passing out any more drinks! The room was probably half-full at that point. Regardless, we still had a fabulous cruise, but this does indeed seem to be the new reality.:eek:

Heather

[golfadj]

Find it hard to believe the discounted drinks at capt party is well received. I respect John Heald but lets remember who signs his paycheck.

 

If they did it on a cruise we were on they would have the party without us. For whatever it would be worth would note our displeasure on our comments cards We are platinum cruisers and it is already kind of boring but free drinks have made it worthwhile for us.

[lazydayz]

Captain's Reception on the Inspiration last weekend still had free drinks. Thank goodness.

[Froufie]

First Cruise Elegant evening and "Captain's Celebration", as it was called in the Capers, drinks were indeed $1.00 off. Ryan, the CD, even announced it. We didn't bother to go. Past Guest Party was held in the Amber Palace with waiters circulating with trays of drinks and hors d'oeuvres; some salmon, some cheese. I managed to only get one drink and a few snacks. The waiters were going up and down the aisles, but skipping whole sections of people. There was some grumbling on the way out of the theatre. I did put on my comment card that I didn't feel this was the best venue for this event, but the lower level was pretty packed and there were people sitting upstairs, also (don't know if they got drinks and snacks, or not). They were taking invitations at the door, too. Maybe the sheer number of past guests has led them to run the event like this, but it's disappointing, compared to what we had on our past cruises. We did see the video with John Heald and were told to applaud all the Carnival ships we'd been on and also had a head start to buying the win a cruise raffle tickets ahead of first-time pax. Free drinks on the last day were from 5-6 in the Ebony Cabaret. I went in at 5:45 and the waiters were collecting empty glasses and not passing out any more drinks! The room was probably half-full at that point. Regardless, we still had a fabulous cruise, but this does indeed seem to be the new reality.:eek:

Heather

 

 

Sorry to say I think you are right - how very sad!

 

(and hi from another Ottawa cruiser!!!!)

[MMCS Cruiser]

To the best of my knowledge that is only on the Valor. They replaced the free cocktails on the first elegant evening with discounted drinks at every bar on the Promenade Deck and added a farewell party on the last evening with free cocktails.

 

The remainder of the fleet has stayed the same...

 

:)

 

Sounds like a better deal to me.

 

But a couple of free drinks will not make or break my vacation.

[Pegs222]

We had free drinks on the Spirit on our August 5th sailing to Alaska.

 

John did not say on his blog that drinks are now being charged. He said one of the ships had tried it, gave the pax $1.00 off the drinks.

[SenatorsFan]

Sorry to say I think you are right - how very sad!

 

(and hi from another Ottawa cruiser!!!!)

 

Hi to you, too! I see you have a cruise on Valor to look forward to.:) We really enjoyed our New Year's cruise on Valor and would happily sail her again.

Heather

[glrounds]

I agree, this could maybe be the beginning of a "new reality" when, nowadays, such a high percentage of Carnival's passengers are PAST GUESTS ! ! Speaks well to Carnival's business success, but creates a real headache as to getting them all a couple of drinks and some finger sandwiches. I've personally avoided these "cattle calls" lately as they are starting to resemble hogs vying for position at the trough in order to slam down some FREE DRINKS while being force-fed a promotional video. Pretty chaotic, IMHO.

I'm guessing, Carnival will move toward a PLATINUM past guest party ONLY with strict conditions to enter(Platinum cruiser and guest). NO PLATINUM Sail'n'Sign CARD - NO ENTRY ! !

[SenatorsFan]

I agree, this could maybe be the beginning of a "new reality" when, nowadays, such a high percentage of Carnival's passengers are PAST GUESTS ! ! Speaks well to Carnival's business success, but creates a real headache as to getting them all a couple of drinks and some finger sandwiches. I've personally avoided these "cattle calls" lately as they are starting to resemble hogs vying for position at the trough in order to slam down some FREE DRINKS while being force-fed a promotional video. Pretty chaotic, IMHO.

 

I'm guessing, Carnival will move toward a PLATINUM past guest party ONLY with strict conditions to enter(Platinum cruiser and guest). NO PLATINUM Sail'n'Sign CARD - NO ENTRY ! !

 

You're absolutely right to call it a "cattle call", it was indeed a chaotic event. While I appreciate Carnival wanting to do something for their past guests, I think there are now too many of us to hold a successful event. I was the only one of the four in my family of past guests who actually attended and based on this event, I don't think I'll bother to go again, unless I hear there have been changes in the way the event is run.

Heather

[golfadj]

I agree, this could maybe be the beginning of a "new reality" when, nowadays, such a high percentage of Carnival's passengers are PAST GUESTS ! ! Speaks well to Carnival's business success, but creates a real headache as to getting them all a couple of drinks and some finger sandwiches. I've personally avoided these "cattle calls" lately as they are starting to resemble hogs vying for position at the trough in order to slam down some FREE DRINKS while being force-fed a promotional video. Pretty chaotic, IMHO.

 

I'm guessing, Carnival will move toward a PLATINUM past guest party ONLY with strict conditions to enter(Platinum cruiser and guest). NO PLATINUM Sail'n'Sign CARD - NO ENTRY ! !

 

John keeps talking about doing something extra for platinum but nothing so far.

 

We are platinum and past guest party is getting rather boring. Right now only reason to go is to get free drinks. Tired of clapping whenever we see a picture of a ship we sailed on.

 

Would be nice to have platinum cocktail party and have a chance to speak to the officers of the ship.

[golfadj]

Or even a special platinum lunch for that matter.