Why Does Carnival Still Print" Fun Times"

[SadieN]

Am I the only one who gets a kick out of the typos?

Favorite recent one was Baha. Carnival has had ships sailing Baja California for many years. Probably an autocorrect. 😏

[cathyoo]

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.

totally agree

[winddawn]

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.

Well said.

 

I can think of other improvements I'd much rather see.

[Aplmac]

Well I see this idea went over like a lead balloon! :p

 

I have all kinds of gadgets,

but I don't want to be tethered to them in order to get all the info in the printed version.

 

Obviously there's technology to do it. Just not interested.

I need something to look over and highlight while I'm eating my midnight room service order!

Based on the many 'anti-' responses here

it seems obvious that Humanity is starting to suffer from Technology Overload!!

 

 

Plus, it's just nice to break away from the humdrum electronic tethers for a week!

 

.

[RWolver672]

Considering what they throw away in photo paper every day, I wouldn't worry about the cost of the Fun Times paper.

 

How would we be able to answer any questions from fellow posters about things that were printed in the Fun Times after we get off the ship?

 

It takes me fifteen minutes to text one line on a phone. Then half of the words are spelled wrong. I can just imagine how long it would take me to download an app and get it to work.

 

Remember when computers first came out. It was supposed to be a "Paperless Society". How many of us still print off a copy for our records because our computers have crashed and we lost everything.

 

Instead of having kiosks all over the ship, why not just post the Fun Times in those places. No need for "chips" on your S&S card and it would be a lot cheaper.

[Sparky2]

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

 

I sure don't want your idea to happen. I like the "Fun Times" just the way they are. Your idea would be a PITA, IMHO.

[Sparky2]

I don't carry my phone around the ship but I love that nifty little tear part of the fun times to carry around.

 

Me, too.

[ConshyCrock]

Considering what they throw away in photo paper every day, I wouldn't worry about the cost of the Fun Times paper.

 

Its funny that you mention that because we're always talking about and imagining how many photos they must throw away every single week. Never really given much thought to the Fun Times being a waste though since to me its worth the paper and ink because its so useful throughout the entire day.

[Gamecock_Cruiser]

I am glad that they still print the Fun Times! Once I get on the ship, all of the technology besides my camera gets locked up for the duration of the cruise. I don't want to have to pull my phone out to see the Fun Times.

[YubaSutter]

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

 

A lot of cruisers like a printed schedule. We like to highlight the activities and carry the schedule with us.

[KenMo]

I don't own a tablet, kindle, iphone, smartphone...none of that.

 

I do have a desk top computer and a tracfone we only use while away from home. About 5 people have that phone number. Just don't see the need for one of those expensive phones for us.

 

I cruised recently with my two brothers and their spouses. We were all sitting out on the balcony while arriving back to Tampa. The DH and I thought is looked so funny to see them all with their heads buried in their phones.

 

I know a lot of people would love this app idea.

 

But I'll take paper, thank you!

[wiskt]

In the end as others have posted,,,, it would be far more expensive for "individual chips" per passenger.

 

If any cruise line was going to invest money in a "digital chip per passenger" I would rather it be for a LONG RANGE G.P.S. CHIP that they attach to every life vest on board. A data base of all the "chip ID's" could be stored on board and at the home office to be activated if/when needed at the time of an emergency.

 

However they already have kiosks where you can check your sail-n-sign accounts. I see no reason why the FUNTIMES and daily activities could not also be added to them.... without even needing to swipe anything. Like they are on the TV

Edited June 27, 2014 by wiskt

[Brighton Line]

Disney has done it in all the Walt Disney World Parks but they got AT&T to give FREE WiFi in the parks and Disney owned resorts. The app could make lunch/dinner reservations. Fast pass (or whatever Disney calls it) reservations and changes, ride wait times etc.

The app runs on almost anything but a blackberry and most tablets and worked well for us.

 

For those without smart phone/tablet/pc there were kiosks setup and there were attendants there to help you. They would even help with the app on your device.

 

So its out there, but for me my smartphone goes in the safe as soon as we clear land.

FWIW

[ScubaSteve46231]

I would think it would be less expensive.

 

I think you're underestimating the cost of professionally designing an app and installing and maintaining the technology to apply it while simultaneously overestimating the cost of paper and ink. The latter is not expensive at all when you buy it in true bulk.

[evandbob]

I think you're underestimating the cost of professionally designing an app and installing and maintaining the technology to apply it while simultaneously overestimating the cost of paper and ink. The latter is not expensive at all when you buy it in true bulk.

 

The OP may have also OVER estimated the ability of Carnival IT people to get this done. Consider the problems they have just with their website alone, never mind an individual schedule for each sailing.

 

For all the people who say they put their electronics in the safe, and I do too, I still see a majority of cruisers with IPads and phones out and about. You all are agreeing with the OP, cause he said it wouldn't work through WIFI, so I don't know why ya'll keep bringing that up.

 

What about having it on a Carnival TV channel? Too low tech?

 

BTW, Disney does their photos digitally and you won't see any photo paper wasted there. NCL has interactive maps near the elevators on its newer ships. It can be done, and it can be done well, just maybe not by Carnival.

[crusinpsychRN]

Believe it or not, there are people out here who don't do "apps". Don't have a smart phone. Or have a tablet. And some don't even own a computer.

 

There will still be a necessity for printed materiel.

 

While I do have a computer--which I just updated since my 10 year old one was kind of s l o w, and my printer was no longer listed on the HP list of available printers, I do not use a cell phone, and gave my Kindle to my son after a week of trying to get used to it, I'd be lost without the written Fun Times.

 

If you think the lines are bad at the buffet, what would they be like at the kiosks to check or update the app?

 

I'd need a 14 y/o assigned to me to assist me in just how to use the darn thing!

 

I actually returned to the store where I bought the Kindle and complained there were no directions in the box!!!:eek:

 

P.S. I'd break the thing the first time I tried to use it and everyone in line behind me would get really mad!

Edited June 27, 2014 by crusinpsychRN

[crusinpsychRN]

Just change the name back to Carnival Capers

 

Second that!

[pbsteve]

I do love the Fun Times. Sitting on the balcony with a drink after dinner going over what to do tomorrow.. but I forget it in the room, and what time different things are happening, or where they are happening (can't miss trivia, my family won every time on every cruise). So I would LOVE an app. my phone is my camera, and goes everywhere with me, ever since I lost my camera. If I lose my phone, all the pictures are backed up to google for me so at least I have them.

 

An app that has the fun times, where you can set reminders for events, a ship map (oh the number of times I couldn't remember where something was), and a port info section would be great. Nothing more would be needed. But carnival does seem to be the only line without a single app of any kind.

 

EDIT: I'd still want the paper version, I still have the paper delivered at my house daily.

 

BTW: I can tell that many people here don't understand how apps work very well. There would be no need to go to a kiosk to update anything, or download anything. A kiosk would not be needed in any way.

Carnival can still print the fun times, and also offer the app for the hundreds of people per cruise who still have smartphones, tablets, e-readers, etc and carry them around the ship like me. It's like the MDR, you don't have to choose, they can have both, that work together, my app will not destroy your ability to use the paper version.

 

For an added app benefit, how many announcements can you understand.... now if the announcement also went to the app, how many things have you missed because you couldn't understand what was said.

Edited June 28, 2014 by pbsteve

[morganboys]

not a feature I'm interested in. I don't want to go find a kiosk and possibly stand in line to find out what is going on on the ship. when I get on the ship my phone goes off for the entire length of the cruise so using my phone to see this type of info is also not wanted.

[Jay Sam]

Believe it or not, there are people out here who don't do "apps". Don't have a smart phone. Or have a tablet. And some don't even own a computer.

 

There will still be a necessity for printed materiel.

 

Thank you. Well said.

[rdler]

The Fun Times is really just an envelope for the advertising inside it. Nobody is going to read or even look another Diamonds International Ad on a device they can control! By stuffing it into the Fun Times, people at least have to look at it before they throw it out.

[swscruiser]

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[/quote

 

 

Need more than a few scanners around the ship with 2000 + people on Board

[Honolulu Blue]

What about having it on a Carnival TV channel? Too low tech?

 

They already have a channel where they read the Fun Times. It's in the high-30s, past the PPV channels.

 

If you meant having a digital image available on the screen, that might be an option if all the TVs are up-to-date. But on the Valor, the TVs I got were CRTs, so I imagine there are a lot of them on that ship that will be there at least until its next drydock. I can't imagine trying to read and manipulate a newsletter image on one of those things, though I suppose a constant scroll could work.

[Almost Packed]

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 agree, we do this every night while they eat their chocolates and climb in to bed after brushing teeth. We all grab our differently colored highlighter and highlight away what we are interested in for the next day and compare it with camp's schedule. I for one would not use electronic technology. The paper is recycled, they print their own stuff...not a problem for me.

[Perfect Stranger]

Never mind the fact I'm not a big fan of all the new technology anyway...I like to keep the Fun Times for souvenirs to re-read at home and share with others.