Why Does Carnival Still Print" Fun Times"

[dabear99211]

Does not the technology exists today that a "chip" can be implanted onto your S&S card that will contain an "app" that holds a "cube" that you can customize your daily schedule instead of printing a paper daily "Fun Times"...Carnival could place scanners all around the ship where you could swipe your S&S card to receive updates and changes or link it to a kiosh

 

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has such an "app" today that you can download on your tablet or cell phone...would not work on a cruiseship because of high charges for wifi and roaming cost which means most folks turn off their devices for the entire length of their cruise

 

Is JH and "the suits" working on this to be beta testedon the next generationvessel

 

Not everyone is a tech like you seem to be, most are older and don't understand the internet alone the tech world.

[Sh1035]

They print it in order to sell you stuff duh.....don't be so naive. It's a win-win for them they just have to list a few events in between the spa specials, sales, etc. Plus they can fill it full of sales flyers as well.

[Rogueperson]

I think its a great idea, but at the same time, paper is simple. Its easy.

 

I was on Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas last year, and they had interactive sign kiosks where the daily schedule could be accessed and gave you map directions on how to get there. There was never a line for this, but paper was nice being in the room, sitting back and just reading it. There's no reason you can't do both.

[PSkinner]

I wish they could somehow post Fun Times with your documents so that you can look at them before boarding; at least a general idea of what to expect.

[Shmoo here]

Evanbob...thanks for reading my entire post....my point was the technology exists today that be modified for use on a future cruise to implant a chip onto a S&S card with the Fun Times info...you would not need an electronic device (phone, tablet etc.) to access it....the technology exists today in other fields...if you have a history of a heart condition...travel international (example South Africa) and need an emergency bypass operation, the medical team in SA, in theory could scan your medical insurance card with the chip implanted on it, and know where your stents were inserted or what medications you are allergic or send an alert to your heart doctor

 

Cruise lines should be following the leads of airlines in terms of technology and understanding how comfortable our children and grandchildren (future cruisers) are with technology and going paperless....how many times on these boards are cruisers wanting

copies of past Fun Times, info which could be on your S&S card

 

With the next generation state of the art vessels coming online, cruiselines could offer the option..would you like to continue to receive your Fun Times on paper, placed on your bed by your cabin steward on his nightly turn down or would you like it sent to your S&S card

 

Cruising tradionalist (of which I count myself in that group) don't always easily embrace changes in our cruising rituals...read older posts on these boards when cruiselines introduce something new or changes (dress codes, anytime dining, pre paid tips, Carnival "Live" etc)

 

My OP just asked if the technology existed that could have application to our onboard experience

 

Again, I ask, how many scanners/kiosks will there be available (and working) at any given time for people to figure out where they want to be next?

 

Say I'm laying in my lounger poolside, and I remember that there's "something" that I wanted to do/see. I have to get up, locate a scanner, hope there's no line to use it, to find out where and when I need to be someplace?

 

Just so much easier to look at the paper copy I got last night. No sense in getting out of that lounger any sooner than I need to.

[taylorray]

My husband and I are 25 years old and somewhat into technology but not so much that we need out phones while cruising. We keep then in the safe all week. Our nightly routine is to lay in bed with the fun times and highlight everything we wish to do the following day. We carry around the tear off sheet. No to fun times in electronic form

[Aplmac]

I don't carry my phone around the ship

but I love that nifty little tear part of the fun times to carry around.

LowTech ink/paper beats Hi-Tech something silly. :D

 

 

Don't ever do away with the printed-on-paper Fun Times!

 

.

[RuthlessBoss]

My husband and I are 25 years old and somewhat into technology but not so much that we need out phones while cruising. We keep then in the safe all week. Our nightly routine is to lay in bed with the fun times and highlight everything we wish to do the following day. We carry around the tear off sheet. No to fun times in electronic form

 

And how many have a photographic memory? Nope give us the papers we can keep at our side. You would not want to be behind me trying to master a kiosk and remember what I read a few seconds ago.;)

[evandbob]

LowTech ink/paper beats Hi-Tech something silly. :D

 

 

Don't ever do away with the printed-on-paper Fun Times!

 

.

 

Low tech = Carnival ship maps

High Tech = NCL Interactive Map at elevators

 

I liked the NCL idea better - I need my glasses and a spotlight to read the Carnival Maps (either the folded paper ones or those stuck up on a wall in the darkest part of the elevator corridor.

[wrigley80]

No way.....keep the Fun Times. I enjoy going back to the cabin at night and seeing the next days Fun Times waiting for me. I highlight what I want to do the next day and take the Fun Times with me.

[Remus2010]

I go on a cruise and my favorite part is getting unplugged. NO electronics, no phone calls, no txt, no Facebook. Only my kindle paper-white.

[Kcarp]

One thing I do wish was digital is all the pictures we take. It would be nice to be able to view all pictures from the TV in the cabin.

[Carnival_Brides]

Carnival actually already has such capability on some ships. I can not think of what it's called, but if you have a mobile device and connect to the Carnival WiFi, there's a page in the free area that will allow you to view deck plans and the FunTimes. We like the paper ones for scrapbooking, but rarely use them since we can access it on our iPad.

 

I also wish the pictures were digital. They never look the same when they're scanned.

Edited June 26, 2014 by Carnival_Brides

[jmcancruise]

Keep the fun times. Can't imagine not having something readily available to plan my day. DH and I will often sit down and plan out our day from the comfort of our stateroom in the morning, but carry the fun times with us for changing our minds. Don't want to have to wait in line at a kiosk to plan my day.

[soccersharon]

I like to, no, NEED to unplug while on vacation! Keep the Fun Times!

 

Sent from my phone. Typos are inevitable.

[islandatsea]

A big perk of cruising is leaving the electronics behind and putting my cell phone in the safe for a week.

 

Very true !!

[ConshyCrock]

So after reading this thread I'm getting the sense that the paper/hard copy of the Fun Times is just slightly more popular than the idea of going digital...haha!

 

Count me among those who want to see it remain in paper form.

 

 

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[asalligo]

I love my fun times and I do not want to carry my phone around, but I would be fine with 20 or so tv's spread across the ship scrolling the fun times. Much like an airport. I am not sure this saves a dime though our is any more environmentally conscious.

[golfb4cruzing]

The object of a vacation is to unplug. I love watching people struggle without electronics. Maybe they could issue us contacts with all the info for the day. Everything isn't about an app. I have all the latest stuff but do see the need.

[Vitality08]

Someone was recently telling me about a trip to Great Wolf Lodge and she said they have these bracelet type devices that allow you to enter your room and charge to your on board account.

 

How would people feel about that?

 

Here's an image I found on the internet.

 

 

http://www.onpdx.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/IMG_0002.jpg

Edited June 26, 2014 by Vitality08

[vamartha]

I'm just the opposite of most of you. I love that the Fun Times are available on the "free" portion of the Wifi onboard and read them on my tablet on the balcony! I can make the font really big and it is easy to see - far better than trying to read anything on a printed page at my age! I don't even have to hold the tablet at arms length to see it! :D

 

And I am one of those who does carry my cell phone with me on the ship. In Airplane Mode. I don't make calls or text but I do use the camera and I use the free Wifi to refer to the Fun Times or a set of deck plans (especially the first couple of days!) and sometimes I even refer to various notes I have stored on the phone (like excursion information or confirmations)!

[cruise_girl2002]

Does not the technology exists today that a "chip" can be implanted onto your S&S card that will contain an "app" that holds a "cube" that you can customize your daily schedule instead of printing a paper daily "Fun Times"...Carnival could place scanners all around the ship where you could swipe your S&S card to receive updates and changes or link it to a kiosh

 

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has such an "app" today that you can download on your tablet or cell phone...would not work on a cruiseship because of high charges for wifi and roaming cost which means most folks turn off their devices for the entire length of their cruise

 

Is JH and "the suits" working on this to be beta testedon the next generationvessel

 

Im sorry. but the long narrow piece of paper that you tear from the fun times works the best. Easy to fit in my pocket, when im lounging in the sun I don't need to get up to remind myself what time trivia is at. I don't want to get up to find out what time trivia is. I like my funtimes. plus, I keep them all for keepsakes (have all of them from 17 cruises)(sad I know)

[bobsfamily]

The last thing I want to screw with on vacation is more technology. Sorry, but we both work in IT and we go on cruises to get away from it all!

Heck YES!

[Msbabynurse]

Oh PULEEEEZE! Part of the fun of being on a ship is going to your cabin each night after turn down and finding, along with the towel animal, the FUNTIMES for the following day and reading through it and planning. I would be most disappointed if the cruiselines did away with this. The FUNTIMES also make a good souvenir.

 

 

I was just thinking that same thing. I like exploring fun times every night and highlighting what I want to do.

 

 

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[j&tcruiser]

I'm just the opposite of most of you. I love that the Fun Times are available on the "free" portion of the Wifi onboard and read them on my tablet on the balcony! I can make the font really big and it is easy to see - far better than trying to read anything on a printed page at my age! I don't even have to hold the tablet at arms length to see it! :D

 

And I am one of those who does carry my cell phone with me on the ship. In Airplane Mode. I don't make calls or text but I do use the camera and I use the free Wifi to refer to the Fun Times or a set of deck plans (especially the first couple of days!) and sometimes I even refer to various notes I have stored on the phone (like excursion information or confirmations)!

Never knew this existed!! Going on conquest in August....how do I find out about this? Is there an ap I can download on my phone now?

 

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