Shaq-Yea or Nay

I'll repeat what I said in another posting on this subject. Show me actual cruisers having fun on your ships and show me the different venues you have on your ships, not some overpriced celebrity.

When was the last time you saw a commercial on TV about Carnival cruises? That's how you get your name out in the public to attract customers.

That is all!

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How do you feel about Carnival Cruise Line bringing Shaquille O'Neal onboard the Carnival brand? Money well spent or a waste of money?

Just curious......do you analyze every company's new hires for whether it was a waste of money or money well spent?? As with any new hire, only time will tell.

Cut back to pay for over priced clowns!!

Just to be clear, I agree with your last statement. Kanye West is probably the only person who could endorse something and would make me consider purchasing it. I trust his stylistic, artistic and cultural comments/critiques. Donald Trump, George W. Bush and maybe Tom Petty if he were alive would also be contenders. I just don’t connect with too many “celebs” really. Carnival couldn’t afford those guys anyways so if they were to endorse, you’d have to think they really believed in what they were saying. The fact that Shaq peddals so much stuff, it kind of cheapens his endorsement.

So you would believe anything these guys are saying and endorse? Wow, explains so much! Ok, I think we totally understand your position and opinion, thank you!

Just to be clear, I agree with your last statement. Kanye West is probably the only person who could endorse something and would make me consider purchasing it. I trust his stylistic, artistic and cultural comments/critiques. Donald Trump, George W. Bush and maybe Tom Petty if he were alive would also be contenders. I just don’t connect with too many “celebs” really. Carnival couldn’t afford those guys anyways so if they were to endorse, you’d have to think they really believed in what they were saying. The fact that Shaq peddals so much stuff, it kind of cheapens his endorsement.

 

So you would believe anything these guys are saying and endorse? Wow, explains so much! Ok, I think we totally understand your position and opinion, thank you!

No Thank YOU for the positive affirmation

I always liked Shaq, from his playing days, to his (not so great) movies. He is one heck of a nice guy, and funny as heck for a BIG man. No, I don't know him personally, but I never hear of any bad things he ever did.

I hope he helps Carnival, and would love to see him on a cruise ship sometime.

A Kanye West endorsement is an eye roller for me, as well as a few other names mentioned in this thread.

Endorsements or whatnot from a few of the names I've seen tossed out here would be enough for me to take my business elsewhere.

That's why companies need to tread very carefully when it comes to these sorts of things - one slip and next thing you alienate more customers than you attract.

And one comes full circle to the fact that a huge percentage of people couldn't care less about some celebrity stamping his name on things. I don't make my vacation decisions based around what celebrity accepted a cheque for a few hundred thousand dollars just so "Company X" could pointlessly use his/her name for their brand.

I have a few thoughts on this one. I have nothing against Shaq, but I have to wonder why he would get in bed with Carnival. I doubt he needs the money. I would much rather see families or married couples having fun on a cruise. That makes me smile. Secondly, do you think he would be comfortable in one of those little tiny bathrooms? Lastly - Kanye West= Really?!?!

Makes absolutely no difference to me. They could bring on Fred Flinstone for all I care .

Complete waste of money and a turn off. I am sure shaq is a perfectly nice guy but it makes no sense. Hate the way NCL does it too. If you notice DCL doesn't feel like it has to do this stuff. Also, everything is so politicized nowadays that no person will appeal to all segments of society. Shaq has campaigned for democrats and I don't know why a company would align itself with any political party. I thought their job was just to make money. How about just improving the cruise experience? Oprah on Celebrity? I didn't know about that, but it is just plain awful. Another vocal democrat. I really hate companies getting political. Also makes no sense. Oprah does not seem like she would cruise on Celebrity. Oprah is just annoying (at least Shaq isn't outright annoying). I would feel the same way btw about a company using a vocal republican.

Complete waste of money and a turn off. I am sure shaq is a perfectly nice guy but it makes no sense. Hate the way NCL does it too. If you notice DCL doesn't feel like it has to do this stuff. Also, everything is so politicized nowadays that no person will appeal to all segments of society. Shaq has campaigned for democrats and I don't know why a company would align itself with any political party. I thought their job was just to make money. How about just improving the cruise experience? Oprah on Celebrity? I didn't know about that, but it is just plain awful. Another vocal democrat. I really hate companies getting political. Also makes no sense. Oprah does not seem like she would cruise on Celebrity. Oprah is just annoying (at least Shaq isn't outright annoying). I would feel the same way btw about a company using a vocal republican.

I agree with this, yet another reason why the people whose endorsement would carry weight for me would be terrible spokespeople except Tebow who I believe stays out of politics. For better or for worse, a lot of my favorite NFL players got tangled up in the national anthem "controversy" and would probably be bad spokespeople. That being said, if Carnival wanted a fun and current athlete, Marshawn Lynch would be awesome. I'd definitely take a Beast Mode cruise. Given all the washed up musicians that Carnival has cruising with them for Carnival Live, I'm surprised JH and his beards haven't tried to do something athlete focused. I know Royal has a couple Buckeye themed cruises and I believe a Reds themed cruise (don't quote me on the Reds, may be another non-CCL line, just heard about it from some poker buddies)

I don't care much, either way, but as a stock holder I kind of think that it might be a waste of money. In any case, he's GOT to be better than George Lopez! :')

"SKY"

A Kanye West endorsement is an eye roller for me, as well as a few other names mentioned in this thread.

 

Endorsements or whatnot from a few of the names I've seen tossed out here would be enough for me to take my business elsewhere.

 

That's why companies need to tread very carefully when it comes to these sorts of things - one slip and next thing you alienate more customers than you attract.

 

And one comes full circle to the fact that a huge percentage of people couldn't care less about some celebrity stamping his name on things. I don't make my vacation decisions based around what celebrity accepted a cheque for a few hundred thousand dollars just so "Company X" could pointlessly use his/her name for their brand.

Steve is just being Steve....

I agree with this, yet another reason why the people whose endorsement would carry weight for me would be terrible spokespeople except Tebow who I believe stays out of politics. For better or for worse, a lot of my favorite NFL players got tangled up in the national anthem "controversy" and would probably be bad spokespeople. That being said, if Carnival wanted a fun and current athlete, Marshawn Lynch would be awesome. I'd definitely take a Beast Mode cruise. Given all the washed up musicians that Carnival has cruising with them for Carnival Live, I'm surprised JH and his beards haven't tried to do something athlete focused. I know Royal has a couple Buckeye themed cruises and I believe a Reds themed cruise (don't quote me on the Reds, may be another non-CCL line, just heard about it from some poker buddies)

They have a relationship with the Cowboys. This in their best producing cruise port.

They have a relationship with the Cowboys. This in their best producing cruise port.

Jimbo, you're not even in this "Ionsphere" if you think Dallas/Fort Worth is a cruise port.

Who?

Shaq is a great guy, talented spokesman, but why does Carnival need him when they have John Heald?

Jimbo, you're not even in this "Ionsphere" if you think Dallas/Fort Worth is a cruise port.

Steve, the cruise port is Galveston, which is in Texas. Galveston serves as the cruise port for 3 of 7 largest cities in the U.S., all within a short 3 hour ride to the port. These are Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. I can go deeper into Carnival's relationship with Texas and COWBOYS if you want.

Tim is a minor leaguer for the Mets, arguably one of the worst franchises in MLB. Before we go there, the Mets play in Queens NY which is also a cruise port.

Shaq is a great guy, talented spokesman, but why does Carnival need him when they have John Heald?

John, Carnival senior cruise director and who has the biggest travel blog site on the net, has great presence and represents Carnival very well. While they did not consult me, Shaq has a much much larger presence and even more importantly, Carnivals market approach is for first time cruisers, who would not even know who John is (at least until they cruise (in all probability). Shaq on the other hand is recognized by a vastly larger audience.

Shaq is a great guy, talented spokesman, but why does Carnival need him when they have John Heald?

Most people don’t know who John Heald is. I did carnival trivia on my last cruise and the girl doing it was shocked I knew the John healds blog answer. She said “you must be diamond”

How do you feel about Carnival Cruise Line bringing Shaquille O'Neal onboard the Carnival brand? Money well spent or a waste of money?

While the current Carnival commercial with Shaquille O'Neal is entertaining, it has no more influence on me than his commercials for General Insurance, or any other product that he's paid to endorse. "Money well spent or a waste of money?" Don't know, don't care. When we book a cruise, it's because it's when we want to go, and where we want to go. NOT because of some celebrity's paid endorsement.

Shaq in the paint, Yay.

Shaq trying to shoot the 3, Nay.

But in all seriousness doesn't really change it one way or another for me.

If you notice DCL doesn't feel like it has to do this stuff.

DCL doesn't have to hire celebrities and mascots. They ARE the celebrity mascot brand. Carnival could only dream of a cast of characters like that, in house.

I'm a Charles Barkley fan myself. Shaq who?