Future cruise desks and presentations

Earlier this year Carnival changed the OBC for booking future cruises on a current cruise to $50 per cabin (which was also available to be booked within 2 weeks from the end of the cruise). They were also reported to be phasing out the future cruise desks and the experts that manned those desks.

Has anyone who has been on a Carnival cruise in the past three months report that the desks are officially gone, or are they still there? And also, are there any more future cruise presentations? My inquiring mind wants to know. Thanks in advance!

I don't remember any presentations, but the desk is still manned and ready on the Freedom.

We had a future cruise presentation and a future cruise desk a few days ago on the Miracle.

We have found these people to have less knowledge of Carnival than many of the people posting here.

Future cruise desk available on the Pride - at least as of August 2017.

Future Cruise desk and presentation on Magic last week by ShoreX. Basically said that if you don't know what cruise you want to book, don't bother us and waste our time. Book within 14 days after you get home.

We had the same experience as TomCruise48 on the Conquest in April.

Carnival is actually doing everyone a favor since you are better off relying on yourself than the 'experts' at future cruise desk.

Future Cruise desk and presentation on Magic last week by ShoreX. Basically said that if you don't know what cruise you want to book, don't bother us and waste our time. Book within 14 days after you get home.

Wish they would just go back to letting us purchase FCC's.

I guess the rumors of their deaths are greatly exaggerated. Thanks everyone.

It's still there.

Just off the Vista and the future cruise desk was a waste of time. Asked for a certain room that I knew was available and she was trying to get me to take a different room. Then she wouldn’t take a gift card. I booked when I got home.

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It was really sketchy on Triumph last month. The future cruise desk was small (where they leave the flyers for shopping at the various ports). I wanted to book a cruise...at the desk the posted hours said it would be on Lido that day. I went to Lido..no desk. It turns out the guy who signs you up for the carnival MasterCard is also doing future cruises. Even though the desk said I could book on Lido the guy said I would have to wait until 5pm the next day. It’s crazy. I’m trying to give them money and nobody wants to take it. I ended up texting my PVP and booking through him. But I did see the desk manned on other days.

They haven’t had a future cruise presentation on my last few cruises..instead they’ve had a Q&A with the the cruise director.

We had a future cruise presentation and a future cruise desk a few days ago on the Miracle.

We have found these people to have less knowledge of Carnival than many of the people posting here.

We also attended the Future Cruise Presentation on the Miracle last week. It was not informative in any way. Previous presentations have included handouts that described the basic facts about each of the Carnival ships, but I didn't see anything like that available this time.

Thankfully, I had done my research before our cruise and knew exactly what ship, what dates, and what cabin types we wanted. I had notes of the pricing I was able to pull up from home and could compare it to any specials available while onboard. We were able to get connecting rooms, which we've only ever been able to book by phone or onboard, so that ability was worth booking at the future cruise desk. It was a little crazy trying to book a cruise for 9 while sitting between the casino on our left and a lively 80's music trivia game on our right, but we got it done.

It's always a good idea to do your research ahead of time and to know what you want. The line for the future cruise desk is usually long, and the bars are close, and it's easy to have had a couple of drinks by the time that you reach the front. I think that is one reason why we've ended up booking suites on a couple of our previous cruises (Yikes!!!$$$)

I hope that the Future Cruise desk stays. Booking future cruises while onboard has become a tradition for mom and I! The onboard credits have always been nice, but with or without them, I'd still rather book in person than online or by phone.

Future Cruise desk was not manned on the Dream last week. They did do a future cruise presentation, but I didn't attend. I did hear people complaining that there are no more books, you had to look up cruises online :)

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Soon they will tell us that most of us want to do our research and booking when we get back home and it will be gone.

Maybe a really stupid question.....but can everyone book another cruise from home within 14 days and get the OBC? I've never booked another cruise while on board because it just didn't seem worth the hassle or time.

Maybe a really stupid question.....but can everyone book another cruise from home within 14 days and get the OBC? I've never booked another cruise while on board because it just didn't seem worth the hassle or time.

Sure can. Same deal.

We also attended the Future Cruise Presentation on the Miracle last week. It was not informative in any way. Previous presentations have included handouts that described the basic facts about each of the Carnival ships, but I didn't see anything like that available this time.

 

 

 

Thankfully, I had done my research before our cruise and knew exactly what ship, what dates, and what cabin types we wanted. I had notes of the pricing I was able to pull up from home and could compare it to any specials available while onboard. We were able to get connecting rooms, which we've only ever been able to book by phone or onboard, so that ability was worth booking at the future cruise desk. It was a little crazy trying to book a cruise for 9 while sitting between the casino on our left and a lively 80's music trivia game on our right, but we got it done.

 

I dislike doing business at the future cruise desk for that very reason it’s a noisy crowded & not private. If they’re going to have a future cruise desk it should be in a quiet spot like a small office or cubicle.

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I dislike doing business at the future cruise desk for that very reason it’s a noisy crowded & not private. If they’re going to have a future cruise desk it should be in a quiet spot like a small office or cubicle.

 

 

 

 

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Agreed. Princess does this in a small office

Answers are spot on so far.

The dark haired guy on the Magic a couple of weeks ago seemed truly irked that I asked him two questions. He also didn't know the answer.

I just booked this past weekend on my own and got the "same deal" from CCL. I won't bother with the Future Cruise desk again.

Sure can. Same deal.

Plus no line up, no hassle, no attitude and instant confirmation printout doing the booking online. Wouldn't want it any other way.

The desk was still open on the Paradise last week. It was manned by people from Guest Services who didn't seem very knowledgeable.

The desk was still open on the Paradise last week. It was manned by people from Guest Services who didn't seem very knowledgeable.

And probably not very happy to be there.

Future Cruise desk was not manned on the Dream last week. They did do a future cruise presentation, but I didn't attend. I did hear people complaining that there are no more books, you had to look up cruises online :)

 

 

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I was on the Dream in September and the future cruise presentation was a total waste of time. I could have learned everything she told simply by reading Carnival's Wikipedia page. Then she told us she was having three hours when the desk was open but she couldn't look up cruises. We had to research our desired cruise, then look up the date, then come see her and she could book it.