What can be done to address crowding at the Punchliner?

[asalligo]

I do not consider it a big problem as I just show up really early and wait, but I did find myself wondering last cruise why the comedy club was being used for a packed crowd while the main stage was holding a barely attended Hasbro game show.

[famof4togo]

I get it H3, its crazy....then again some people seem to enjoy just standing around waiting. Last cruise i was on, it was around 5 pm. I am in the Atrium area, strolling around having a cocktail, window shopping. I see a bunch of people standing around. So i walk over and there has to be 40-50 people just milling around. I am looking around figuring whats going on (Magic show, they setting up some sort of sale for something). So i asked a guy, whats going on. He says to me "Just waiting for dinner"....i look at my watch and Early Seating isnt for 45 mins. I look around and it appears the 40-50 people were all waiting for the same thing. So i said to him "Dinner isnt for 45 mins". He said to me "I know".....Alrighty then, lol, whatever winds your watch i guess :')

 

I can understand this...we love to just people watch and chit chat on a cruise...in our "real" world neither myself or my husband are overly friendly or chatty but on the cruise we are everyone's best friend and love to just meet people and chat...now I'm sure Cheers helps us be social but still we love meeting new people too...lol...

[bigdog1958]

The Punchliner is one of my favorite things about a Carnival cruise. The comedians are great, and the atmosphere is fun. With that said, it is getting pretty crowded. You have to show up very early to get a seat, let alone a good one. I hear it's even worse on the bigger ships.

 

With that said, what are your thoughts? Does something need to be done? Or is it fine the way it is? Here are couple of suggestions. Maybe you have something better?

 

1.) Charge a $5 cover

2.) Mandate minimum of 1 drink per person (deposit placed on card, free for cheers members)

3.) Move to a bigger venue

4.) Nothing. Need more other night life choices though.

5.) Nothing. It is not a problem.

 

I think most people like it the way it is, because most people go on cruises to stand in lines.. I see people line up for dinner for early seating, yet they already have their seats assigned.. I see people line up for the art auction, even though they let you in 45min before they start the auction. People line up ahead of time for the show, I really thing that people who cruise love lines

[mz-s]

The lounge on the Sunshine is way too small for the size of the ship, plus it only has a few good seats. The rest are on the side of the lounge and you have to watch a TV to see the comedian. Horrible design!

 

The Fantasy has a likewise small lounge - it was chopped two for Camp Carnival. The Ecstasy and most (all?) other Fantasy class rear lounges are full-width and the seating issue isn't quite as bad on them. I for one have never had an issue getting a seat at the comedy show on the Ecstasy.

 

The resolution is to move the more popular shows to the main lounge. Even if they close off the balcony to keep the intimate feel, that's still a lot more room for folks.

[Knights Templar]

I think most people like it the way it is, because most people go on cruises to stand in lines.. I see people line up for dinner for early seating, yet they already have their seats assigned.. I see people line up for the art auction, even though they let you in 45min before they start the auction. People line up ahead of time for the show, I really thing that people who cruise love lines

 

 

Bigdog feels me!!!! I thought i was missing something wondering about people standing outside the doors to the MDR 45 mins early for dinner. It wasnt just 1 or 2, there were alot of people just milling around right outside the closed doors. It seemed they were to afraid to venture to far away or else they would lose their spot.....to stand in line.....to wait for dinner where they essentially had a reservation for....45 minutes early :loudcry:

[Midwestgal]

Last week on the Sunshine, you needed to be in line at least 45 minutes prior.

 

 

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Thanks

[Rogueperson]

The Punchliner is one of my favorite things about a Carnival cruise. The comedians are great, and the atmosphere is fun. With that said, it is getting pretty crowded. You have to show up very early to get a seat, let alone a good one. I hear it's even worse on the bigger ships.

 

With that said, what are your thoughts? Does something need to be done? Or is it fine the way it is? Here are couple of suggestions. Maybe you have something better?

 

1.) Charge a $5 cover

2.) Mandate minimum of 1 drink per person (deposit placed on card, free for cheers members)

3.) Move to a bigger venue

4.) Nothing. Need more other night life choices though.

5.) Nothing. It is not a problem.

 

There is a 6th option that would be perfect. Encore performances. If a comedian has multiples presentations of the same show, then the crowds would get cut down because people won't be as stressed to go to that one show if they knew they could catch it later. When i was on a Princess cruise several years back, they labeled the show so you knew if it was a repeat or not. It serviced more of the passengers and didn't feel like you had to go to one particular show. I think the reason why its so packed, is because you're trying to fit a good number of people for ONE showing of a comedian. You see it great, you don't, you're out of luck. So, people are going to try and see it, and if you can only cram 100 people in the lounge with a passenger base of 2000, you're going to have probably 500 angry people who didn't get to see the show. (these numbers are just guesses).

[Midwestgal]

 

With that said, what are your thoughts? Does something need to be done? Or is it fine the way it is? Here are couple of suggestions. Maybe you have something better?

 

1.) Charge a $5 cover

2.) Mandate minimum of 1 drink per person (deposit placed on card, free for cheers members)

3.) Move to a bigger venue

4.) Nothing. Need more other night life choices though.

5.) Nothing. It is not a problem.

 

I would not pay a cover charge for what is included in my cruise price, nor should a drink purchase be required.

 

I would go with holding it in a large venue if there had to be a change. Or do what Royal does on the Oasis class ship.....pre book , there is also a standby line .

 

Piano bar is often crowed , should they charge for that?

They need to stop taking away things that should be included in your cruise fare. I know this isn’t happening they are just suggestions but don’t give them any ideas .

[mara93]

I would hate pre-booking.

Truthfully, IDK how it works. You book once you board? Book once you book your cruise? What if I book close to the cruise date & all spots are taken?

Move the comedians to a larger venue ... they're obviously a draw for passengers.

[Joebucks]

There is a 6th option that would be perfect. Encore performances. If a comedian has multiples presentations of the same show, then the crowds would get cut down because people won't be as stressed to go to that one show if they knew they could catch it later. When i was on a Princess cruise several years back, they labeled the show so you knew if it was a repeat or not. It serviced more of the passengers and didn't feel like you had to go to one particular show. I think the reason why its so packed, is because you're trying to fit a good number of people for ONE showing of a comedian. You see it great, you don't, you're out of luck. So, people are going to try and see it, and if you can only cram 100 people in the lounge with a passenger base of 2000, you're going to have probably 500 angry people who didn't get to see the show. (these numbers are just guesses).

 

I think encore is a fantastic idea. I see only two minor issues there. First, finding enough time which would really only be squeezing in an additional hour of shows a night. Should be fine for a lounge that isn't used for any other purpose. An "early" and "late" show should attract different crowd types. The other thing, is I don't know what additional cost that would be to Carnival. I would imagine small, but an extra cost nonetheless. However, if more people can come now without being shut out or turned off by the idea, it could very well break even with extra drink sales.

 

i think that is one of the biggest oversights. The comedy venues are basically the same size (seating area) across all classes of ships. A ship carrying 3500 people is going to be a lot more crowded as far as the comedy venue as a smaller ship carrying 2000 people

 

 

I went on the Libery and Victory last year. Both ships only hold about 2000 people. Both Punchliners were packed, and had to show up early/wait in line especially as the nights went on. I could only imagine a bigger ship. As much as I prefer the atmosphere of the setup they have, I'd imagine a main stage performance on ships like the Vista is a must.

 

 

We usually see the early & late shows in the Punchliner each night. I HATE getting there early, to be escorted out at the end of the show & not being able to find good seats for the 2nd. I wish they'd use a larger venue.

 

I would not pay to see the comedians. We've had a few duds where we've walked out. Not a good option.

 

 

I really hate being sent out as well. Only one ship did that last year, but it's annoying. I get it that they want to give more people a chance. However, at the expense of people who waited in line and were there, is not the best route. In the end, you have a highly desired activity with customers less than pleased. That needs to change.

 

 

I would not pay a cover charge for what is included in my cruise price, nor should a drink purchase be required.

 

I would go with holding it in a large venue if there had to be a change. Or do what Royal does on the Oasis class ship.....pre book , there is also a standby line .

 

Piano bar is often crowed , should they charge for that?

They need to stop taking away things that should be included in your cruise fare. I know this isn’t happening they are just suggestions but don’t give them any ideas .

 

 

I HATE prebooked free events. I went to Seaworld in Orlando, and you could not try the new rollercoaster unless you had already booked. All seats for the day were booked, and they weren't accepting anymore. How would the average person know this beforehand? They wouldn't. I don't want to be told there are no more options for something.

 

 

The piano bar is a completely different scenario. I have yet to have to wait in line to get there, get kicked out because I was there already for a show, or have the doors closed on me for capacity. It is also not something that you have a narrow 30 minute window to get to or that's it.

 

 

I get what you're saying about charges. I can't really say that's my favorite option either. Although, there is one thing Carnival is good for, keeping fares low, and eliminating waste. There is never a way to please everyone. Let's forget everything we known about cruises. What if there was a lower fare that removed a bunch of things you currently find no value in? Would you see value in that? What if there was a higher fare that included more stuff (like a free excursion, drinks, etc) at only a marginally higher price than we have now? How would that look? You're probably not paying beyond the ballpark of $2 a cruise for comedy.

[crusinpsychRN]

Terrible ideas. No change. I wouldn't pay $5.

[Bllybb758]

Why not move the broadway show to the lido deck and bring the punchliner to the lounge / theater area

[loanshark]

Last cruise on the Victory, we arrived 20 minutes early on 2 separate occasions, only to find no seats available when we arrived. That being said, they need to consider one of the following options:

1. Multiple performances of the same show

2. Use the front showroom, as it is a larger venue

3. Schedule more activities or specials in other parts of the ship at the same times as the comedy shows, so that some people desire to do those activities instead of the comedy show. (For example, Karaoke has generally already finished for the evening by the time the comedy show starts, there is no bingo game at that time, entertainment in the piano bar may or may not yet have started, no drink special at the main dance club to entice people to go there earlier, etc...)

[Computer Nerd]

The Punchliner is one of my favorite things about a Carnival cruise. The comedians are great, and the atmosphere is fun. With that said, it is getting pretty crowded. You have to show up very early to get a seat, let alone a good one. I hear it's even worse on the bigger ships.

 

With that said, what are your thoughts? Does something need to be done? Or is it fine the way it is? Here are couple of suggestions. Maybe you have something better?

 

1.) Charge a $5 cover

2.) Mandate minimum of 1 drink per person (deposit placed on card, free for cheers members)

3.) Move to a bigger venue

4.) Nothing. Need more other night life choices though.

5.) Nothing. It is not a problem.

 

Give one ticket to everyone as they check in for boarding. Each person is allowed only one visit to the comedy club and that ticket (taken at entry) is the only way to get in.

[Lhound92]

Was on the Victory for the NYE sailing, didn’t have a problem getting a good seat, got there about 15 -20 minutes early. Even those who arrived late found seats

 

The last night they moved the rated R comedy shows to the theatre because the ship was going to dry dock the next day and they wanted to get started clearing out the punch liner

 

 

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[funinthesun1964]

We arrive early, find a seat, maybe have a drink and wait. Usually not a problem.

 

On the Vista, we had to wait(stand) in a very long line for about 45 minutes. I don't like crowds and therefore don't like the bigger ships.

[spotdog32]

I wish it would be in a bigger place. My wife is in a wheelchair and at ALL the shows people take their seats and carnival does nothing. We found a place to stand and a lady sitting down told us to move!!! She was sitting in the back but was up on rise. Don't remember which ship. We've been on 15 cruises. Just get a bigger place please!

[DebJ14]

In the old days, before many of you started cruising, the adult comedy show was in the main theater. Considering how popular these shows are, it is a good idea. They also tried a system of picking up tickets. You had to go to the Future Cruise Desk between certain hours to pick up your ticket. Back when there were very few Concierge Club (Platinum) members, we did not have to get a ticket - just flash our card at the door.

I am not sure how they think that their current system is working well since I and many others I know will not stand in line for 30-45 minutes to see some third rate comedian. I certainly wouldn't pay $5.00. We tried to get into a couple of shows on the Breeze last month, but the lines were back to Ocean Plaza. I have better things to do on vacation than stand in line.

 

They also need to move activities out of the Atrium and into the theater. 1. The noise from the Atrium carries up to deck 10 and it seems like they are in your cabin. 2. So few people can comfortably fit in the Atrium and there is precious little seating for those who want to watch. Those who want to participate could go up on the stage, which is larger than the small dance floor in the Atrium.

[riclop]

It's the best entertainment on Carnival and they will not move it to the theater.

[hobster7]

On all my cruises there is definitely a line after the 1st show of the night. 1st one you can walk in and sit until full. For subsequent shows you line up outside the doors until they start letting people in for the next show (after the club empties out from last show). This line can reach around several areas. (this is on the bigger ships --dream, breeze etc--I only sailed 1 smaller ship, fascination, and I don't remember how that one was)

 

 

 

I don't like waiting in that kind of line and would prefer it either be in the big theater or reserve a time.

 

 

 

That’s bc of the class of ship you were on. I sailed on the Magic and had the same problem.

 

This after NEVER having to stand in line on the Spirit class ships (Legend and Pride).

 

Eye opener for me. Never leaving the Spirit class.

 

 

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[Alabaster Cruiser]

We just don't go. Nobody is funny enough for me to stand waiting for 45 minutes. I really don't care for the trashy comedy anyway.

 

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[Micahs Grandad]

That’s bc of the class of ship you were on. I sailed on the Magic and had the same problem.

 

This after NEVER having to stand in line on the Spirit class ships (Legend and Pride).

 

Eye opener for me. Never leaving the Spirit class.

 

 

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With comedy club on different floor of spirit class vessels for some reason lots of people never find it. Very strange.

 

Dream class has large comedy club and usually we can get good seats 30 minutes before show.

 

Rather annoying that Carnival would rather its customers miss shows than use larger available venue to accomodate more people.

[bubba777]

We were on the Magic 1/6/18 sailing and never had a problem getting a great seat for the Punchliner. We got there about 10 minutes early for the family friendly shows, always got the same seats. Maybe it’s different for the adult comedy shows as we didn’t go to those.

 

 

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[TNcruising02]

I really like the comedy shows on the Carnival. That is one of their best perks for me and my husband. They often have performers who have multiple different shows, so we are able to enjoy the comedy shows nearly the entire cruise.

 

The only ship I have been on that the lines were a huge problem was the Vista adult comedy shows. That was crazy. They should have had those shows in the main theater like they did when I cruised on RC's Liberty of the Seas. Although there were a lot of nice things about the Vista, I will not cruise on that ship again because of the extremely long lines and also the main theater. The Vista's main theater was the worst one I have ever seen. Anyway, I think the large ships really need to have the comedy shows in the main theater.

 

On the smaller Carnival ships, we were always able to finish one show, get back in line for the next show, and find decent seats.

[Keys2Heaven]

Sounds like a question the suits need to answer or address. As for you as a cruiser, I would suggest getting to the lounge early enough to get a seat. Seems like the only realistic option.