RCI Karaoke policy...?

[terri910]

Hubby and I are just about 4 weeks away from our first Royal Caribbean cruise....just a 3-nighter out of Los Angeles.

 

We have previously sailed Carnival and NCL, and all our weekend cruises, like this upcoming one, have been on Carnival. One of the ship acitivites we enjoy is Karaoke, and we have a number of our own karaoke discs (songs/arrangements/key we like). However, our last Carnival weekend cruise (the weekend before Christmas), they said they had a new policy of not allowing the use of passengers' personal karaoke discs! :(

 

This was a disappointment to us, as we didn't think their song catalog/selection was anything to write home about.

 

Hubby asked me to get on the RCI boards here and find out if RCI has any sort of policy prohibiting passengers from utilizing their own karaoke discs in the karaoke lounge.

 

Hmmm. Assuming there IS karaoke on the Monarch of the Seas 3-day cruise to Ensenada. Maybe I shouldn't assume even that!??

 

Anyone that has info regarding this, thanks in advance for your reply!

[terri910]

Perhaps I thanked tooooo far in advance.

 

:)

[Tahoestarr]

Yes, the Monarch does have karaoke, and I don't know about the disc's. I would doubt if they allow you to bring your own CD's. I'm sure there would be licenses issues...but what do I know? There tracks weren't great either :rolleyes: as you said, nothing to write home about. But fun nonetheless :D

[terri910]

Thanks, Tahoestarr.

 

I guess we will take some of our favorite disks and see what the karaoke host says!

[funat55]

I took my own discs when I was on the Monarch. Sorry to hear that Carnival has implemented their new policy. I have songs that regular karaoke kj's don't have and the ship karaokes never have a big selection or anything that I sing. I've never had a problem bringing them before and they are original discs not copied or pirated so there was never a licensing problem. The only ship that didn't allow me to use my own discs was the Disney ship. They were afraid my "used discs" might ruin their equipment. Ignorant! Do what you said you were going to do and take them anyway and have fun!

[TahoeBob]

I'm sure there would be licenses issues...but what do I know?

 

 

TahoeBob to Tahoestarr: you hit right on the head on this one it is all about licenses issues.

 

I've never had a problem bringing them before and they are original discs not copied or pirated so there was never a licensing problem.

There is a licensing problem. they just chose to ignore it. When an person buys a CD, DVD, or even a MP3 all that you can do with it is play it for your own use. when that cd is played at a bar or in a store or anywhere there it is being used for your customer benefit with the licenses for that type of use not paid it is in violation of some law. (don't remember what law)

[realtreebar]

TahoeBob to Tahoestarr: you hit right on the head on this one it is all about licenses issues.

 

There is a licensing problem. they just chose to ignore it. When an person buys a CD, DVD, or even a MP3 all that you can do with it is play it for your own use. when that cd is played at a bar or in a store or anywhere there it is being used for your customer benefit with the licenses for that type of use not paid it is in violation of some law. (don't remember what law)

 

it called ASCAP they charge so much per head for royalty rights! you can ignore them and not pay but in the end you will.

[cck0000]

Sorry to report, but we brought our own karaoke discs this March on the Radiance, and sadly, they would not allow us to use them.

RCCL explained that its a licensing issue. Only the music in their karaoke books can be played/used.

We were also dissappointed in their lack of selections, especially show tunes.

[terri910]

Well....I have been told that with Carnival it isn't a company-wide policy so much as a decision made from ship to ship, by the Hotel Director! And licensing was never given as a reason. The two reasons given to us (we spoke to the karaoke host and the Cruise Director) were: (1) liabiity issues -- the chance that a passenger's disc might be damaged and then sue them, and (2) not knowing if the lyrics were acceptable on disks they didn't supply (i.e., some people had brought rap karaoke discs with some objectionable lyrics).

 

Both seemed a little lame to me, but, hey. John Heald (Senior Cruise director for Carnival) told us that it was not corporate policy.

 

Anyway, I'm having difficulty seeing the licensing issue, as well. If I have brought MY disc that I have purchased legally so that I can sing to it, that IS "for my own use."

 

But, it is what it is. We'll take the discs and see what happens.

[kingsgirl]

Karaoke Policy = if you are bad, you must sing and pretend you are a superstar.

[buckanear]

Anyway, I'm having difficulty seeing the licensing issue, as well. If I have brought MY disc that I have purchased legally so that I can sing to it, that IS "for my own use."

 

It may be for your use, but not the cruiseline's. It's for your own private use (in your home) and not the cruise ship's karaoke machine. If you are singing in their bar, they are benefiting from it. It is the bar's responsibility to pay licensing fees for any karaoke song being performed there, whether it's their disc or not. There have been some crack downs about karaoke and I'm sure that has an effect. Here's a link to a news report. And songs that aren't protected by ASCAP have to be paid to the individual copyright holders. Plus, if they have a camera crew for the week in review video, then they run into issues with selling a video with copyrighted material that the cruiseline doesn't have a license for. It's a big mess. I dealt with this when I worked for a dance studio.

[buckanear]

I found this at ascap.com that explains it better...

You need a license if you are performing in public defined as...

"A public performance is one that occurs either in a public place or any place where people gather (other than a small circle of a family or its social acquaintances.) "

and you need permission (a license) if you are playing a recording (cd, tape etc.) in a public place (as defined above).

[funat55]

I'm still confused, so someone may have to explain it to me like I'm a first grader. There are major companies that produce karaoke discs and kj's are constantly adding to their libraries with the addition of the newest discs and latest songs. The companies that produce these discs know full well that the majority of their discs will be used in public venues i.e. bars, restaurants, karaoke establishments, rather then by private individuals. If the establishment is paying a fee to ASCAP, then why can't they play your original karaoke disc?

[buckanear]

If the establishment is paying a fee to ASCAP, then why can't they play your original karaoke disc?

 

Not every artist/song/producer/writer choses to use ASCAP as their copyright license management. The establishment has to look up every song on the disc to make sure that they are under that specific license.

[terri910]

Karaoke Policy = if you are bad, you must sing and pretend you are a superstar.

*LOL*....That is universal karaoke Policy!

[terri910]

If you are singing in their bar, they are benefiting from it.

Obviously, you have not heard me sing!

 

 

 

*LOL*

 

 

Well, if "licensing" is the problem I believe those issuing karaoke discs are shooting themselves in the foot. If an activity is no longer enjoyable, people won't do it.

[terri910]

cruiseloverandagent, thanks for the link....although I didn't see where it addressed people bringing their own karaoke discs....

 

But, like I said before, if RCI (and/or other cruiselines) decides to limit this, it just is what it is.

 

Cruising is like anything else: as long as we feel we are getting good value for our hard-earned $$$, we will continue to be a happy customer. If changes are made (and change is just a given, in life) and it turns out that the scales tip in the other direction, we'll spend our vacation $$$ in a way that best suits us.