First Funship 2.0 Experience - Hits and Misses

We just returned from the 8/2/14 sailing of Carnival Glory, Western Caribbean. I'm planning on doing a full-blown review of this cruise and our July cruise on Carnival Miracle (tentative title: Ice and Fire:p), but since I'd read so much about 2.0 and the new dining room menus I just wanted to give some thoughts about this particular aspect of the cruise - especially since our cruise on Miracle was a very traditional experience.

I'm going to start with the American Table/American Feast dining room experience and menus. We had a four-top in the Golden Dining Room, upper level. I didn't miss the tablecloths one bit. In fact, it made it easier getting in and out of our seats, since we didn't get tangled up.:p (For those who say you can't have a fine dining experience without tablecloths: we live not far from the Culinary Institute of America, which has restaurants staffed by students. The high-end restaurant at the school does not have tablecloths.) The tables are nicely finished and I thought they were attractive. On non-elegant nights there is a box with a variety of breads for sharing. There was plenty, and it was nice (especially for our sons the carb eaters) not to have to ask for more. My one complaint? The menus are "clunky." It's a large board handed out to each diner with appetizers and extra-cost items to the left (yes, for an extra $20 you can order items from the steakhouse menu - we didn't), daily entrees top right, and every day, "port of call," and side items beneath. And then there's suggested drink and wine selections. I liked the "American Feast" menu much better - it's just a card, slipped into your napkin. Much easier to navigate.

American Feast nights have the more traditional settings - tablecloths and bread served by the servers.

As for the food - I thought there was a good selection. One notable addition (for me) to the appetizer menu was a flatbread with varied toppings on several nights. They were really good. Soups were very good - the lobster bisque stands out for me as much better than the version previously served in the dining room. (Still not up to the steakhouse version, but I didn't pay extra!) Entrees were all good (filet mignon on the second elegant night was a bit fatty), sides were nice. And as for desserts - the only item I noticed missing was bitter and blanc. There was a Nutella tiramisu the first night and youngest son loved it. Overall, American Table/American Feast worked well for us. Not that we didn't enjoy the more traditional menus we had on Miracle....

On to the Lido Deck. The two main changes are the additions of Guy's Burgers and Blue Iguana Burrito Bar. During the week I had four Guy's Burgers :o and two Blue Iguana tacos. Both are really good. I really liked being able to use the toppings bars to make them my own. My personal favorite from Guy's was a "Plain Jane" with cheese topped with bacon and mushrooms. For tacos, I went for chicken topped with lettuce, salsa, fresca, and cheese. The tortillas are fresh and very good.

A few other 2.0 experiences. The EA Sports Bar is a much better sports bar than the earlier incarnation. Cherry on Top was well done. And while I didn't go to the Alchemy Bar, they had a lot of offerings and seemed to have a good crowd.

Which brings me to... Playlist Productions. I had read negative reviews before we sailed, but I vowed to keep an open mind. The first night, the Welcome Aboard Show included "Latin Nights," one of the shows. Unfortunately, I agreed when DH described it as "an assault on the senses." Loud, canned music with a light show and (sweaty) dancers. It really wasn't enjoyable. That was the end for DH. I wanted to give Playlist another chance, so I tried "Divas." Didn't like that one at all either. Just as our previous experience, I thought it was too canned and too much of a light show. I did try a third time with "Epic Rock," and I did enjoy that show. The music was good. However, it was still canned music - I really missed having a live band.

Overall, I thought most of the 2.0 changes were fine. The menu changes were good. But I doubt I'll watch too many Playlist Productions again.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I really would like to try the American Table, and like you, dont have a problem with no tablecloth. I am not hearing very many positive reports about playlist productions. I will experience it myself on my next cruise, but sounds like it will be somewhat lacking from what I am used to in showroom entertainment. Thanks again for your review.:)

Thanks for the input. I appreciate all the info , especially on the American table/American feast menus.

Thanks for the nice review.

As far as the playlist productions...I truly believe that they are going to be so bad people will not go, so....then the talking beards will say people do not want shows. That will save them a LOT of money! :(

Have done Glory and agree with you.

Playlist is just bad bad bad.

Have done Glory and agree with you.

 

Playlist is just bad bad bad.

Yep, I agree. It doesn't look like they're planning to get rid of them anytime soon due to the latest casting calls for "Singers that Dance" and "Dancers that Sing" :(

Thanks for the nice review.

 

As far as the playlist productions...I truly believe that they are going to be so bad people will not go, so....then the talking beards will say people do not want shows. That will save them a LOT of money! :(

That will be really a shame though, because I think Carnival has really nice theaters, I love that the rows are nicely spaced apart, with tables for drinks. If no one went to the shows, that would be a sad waste of big space. And if people dont go to the shows..there is not much else, beside comedian shows, and maybe a movie on deck. What will they do with that space? I shudder to think.

The last production show we went to, we got up and walked out. I don't recall the name of it, but the performers were wearing cardboard cars. I thought it was a high school performance that's how awful it was. We've never been back to a production show since. The no table cloths doesn't bother me. It makes perfect sense to me and the saving of water goes a long way. We're going to Santa Catalina at the end of the month and they have a water problem there - major. Restaurants are serving meals on paper plates to save on water when washing dishes. It won't take away the experience for me, Carnival is just being practical. Nice review.

Yep, I agree. It doesn't look like they're planning to get rid of them anytime soon due to the latest casting calls for "Singers that Dance" and "Dancers that Sing" :(

I'm a lawyer, and when I first started reading about the Playlist Productions shows my thought was "I hope Carnival has a limited contract with Playlist so they can see how the shows are received before they expand it across the fleet." I'm not sure that happened. Another thought that occurred to me was that in 2007 we sailed a Carnival Liberty cruise on which I actually got into an argument with another cruiser about seat saving (he saved an entire row of seats in the main lounge for a show on formal night). On this cruise on Glory, there were no concerns about seat saving at any show. I'd imagine the bar revenue from these shows is less, given what I saw attendance-wise.:confused:

I did miss the ship's orchestra. There were other good options; one group, Deja Vu, was particularly good. However, I really like live music and singing in the main lounge, and Playlist Productions doesn't fit the bill.

Thanks for sharing your take on the 2.0 sailing. Good info!

Glad to see a good review of American Table.

I love, love the Glory. Can't wait for the rest of your review. Embed a bit of case law or something into it for the other lawyers in your audience.

Playlist: res ipsa loquitor

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and views on the Funship 2.0 Experience.

If no one goes to the Playlist Productions and the theater is empty, maybe they will move the comedy shows to the main theater and they'll be room for everyone to sit down and see.

I agree 100% with your assessment of the 2.0 food, and shows. I too, totally enjoyed the 2.0 food upgrades, and was totally disgusted with the 2.0, Playlist Production shows, and the lack of live musicians. As a singer/musician, I just couldn't get into the shows, without real, live musicians. BRING 'EM BACK CARNIVAL! :rolleyes:

"SKY"

I guess I'm the only person who has actually liked the new shows. I'm not even sure what is "Playlist" and what isn't and when it switched. I don't miss a live band at all. OK, maybe a little, but it shouldn't be the focus of the show.

And, imho, the singers have been better than they used to be AND they can dance. The dancers always had to sing, too, so I don't see how that's changed. Singers used to have to sing and dance and didn't do either well. Seems the female lead was always pretty awful (I cannot abide off-key singing from someone who is supposed to be a singer!).

I didn't like the Latin Nights show on Conquest last November just because we sailed from San Juan and I kept thinking "I wonder what the Puerto Ricans think of this?" It just felt strange.

I have actually started going to shows again. After the first few cruises, when I thought the production shows were pretty awful, I stopped. I started going again when I first saw Ticket to Ride. I've enjoyed The Brits and the Motown show, too.

But I don't cruise for the shows, just as I don't cruise for the food or the ship's decor. If I think I want to go to a show, I go. Even if it isn't terrific (I really don't expect the cast on a cruise ship to be Broadway-bound), it's an evening's entertainment. That's all.

I would never, ever get up in the middle of a performance and leave. Ever. I don't even get up and leave the piano bar in the middle of the song. Rude, rude, rude!

I guess I'm the only person who has actually liked the new shows. I'm not even sure what is "Playlist" and what isn't and when it switched. I don't miss a live band at all. OK, maybe a little, but it shouldn't be the focus of the show.

 

And, imho, the singers have been better than they used to be AND they can dance. The dancers always had to sing, too, so I don't see how that's changed. Singers used to have to sing and dance and didn't do either well. Seems the female lead was always pretty awful (I cannot abide off-key singing from someone who is supposed to be a singer!).

 

I didn't like the Latin Nights show on Conquest last November just because we sailed from San Juan and I kept thinking "I wonder what the Puerto Ricans think of this?" It just felt strange.

 

I have actually started going to shows again. After the first few cruises, when I thought the production shows were pretty awful, I stopped. I started going again when I first saw Ticket to Ride. I've enjoyed The Brits and the Motown show, too.

 

But I don't cruise for the shows, just as I don't cruise for the food or the ship's decor. If I think I want to go to a show, I go. Even if it isn't terrific (I really don't expect the cast on a cruise ship to be Broadway-bound), it's an evening's entertainment. That's all.

 

I would never, ever get up in the middle of a performance and leave. Ever. I don't even get up and leave the piano bar in the middle of the song. Rude, rude, rude!

Never used to leave but the flashing lights were starting to trigger a migraine for my wife and was not going to stay.

It is my vacation and if I think the performance is that bad I have ever right to leave. Perhaps if enough people did it the "beards" might realize what a terrible mistake they made with these horrendus shows.

My concern is they will decide we really dont want theatre entertainment and will add lots more cabins when reducing the size of the theatre.

Remember they axed the farewell party when they didnt publicize it and few came and decided nobody would care if it went away.

I normally wouldn't leave in the middle of a show either, but I agree with golfadj. The bright, strobing lights and blaring music made me leave. When I am unsure if I will stay, we sit in the balcony so not to be "rude".

Thanks for your 2.0 report, will look forward to your full cruise review.

Thanks for your 2.0 report, will look forward to your full cruise review.

Thanks for sharing your review.

The Playlist shows, at least in my opinion, are physically uncomfortable. Bright flashing lights directed toward the audience and music so loud as to be painful. Forget the fact they are also "amateurish" they just plain hurt. And I don't see how leaving in the middle of a terrible show could ever be considered rude.

Just returned from "Liberty", where, IMO, you can experience the best of both worlds! They offer the 2.0 food, with GUYS, and all the other new stuff, but they still have the 1.0 entertainment, with a TEN PIECE BAND, EIGHT FEMALE DANCERS, FOUR MALE DANCERS, TWO PRODUCTION SINGERS, and GREAT shows! C.D. Cory, does an excellent job of keeping the fun going, and the whole cruise is truly outstanding. Book it while you can, and lets hope that Carnival notices that many, many cruisers like me, are booking these ships that still offer the 1.0 entertainment, over, and over again......:cool:

Just returned from "Liberty", where, IMO, you can experience the best of both worlds! They offer the 2.0 food, with GUYS, and all the other new stuff, but they still have the 1.0 entertainment, with a TEN PIECE BAND, EIGHT FEMALE DANCERS, FOUR MALE DANCERS, TWO PRODUCTION SINGERS, and GREAT shows!

@SkyMaster,

You hit the nail right on the head here. After witnessing the junk that passes for entertainment on the Freedom (see review here), I cornered a high-ranking staff member on the ship and he was very interested in what I had to say (or at least pretended to be).

After listening to me, he mentioned that the ships that receive the highest customer satisfaction ratings are those with the newer amenities (Guy's, Blue Iguana, new menus) except for retaining the old entertainment style. He mentioned the Liberty specifically as consistently being top rated.

Hopefully, Playlist Productions will be forced to walk the plank sooner rather than later.

Brian