Carnival Live concert series a hit
ABOARD THE CARNIVAL BREEZE — While fans may view the Carnival Live concert series as a way to see great acts and take a cruise on the world’s largest cruise line, executives see it as one more extension of the company’s ascension to the positive brand recognition it enjoyed prior to the ill-fated Carnival Triumph cruise in February 2013.
The ship was dead in the water in the Gulf of Mexico and had to be towed to Mobile, Ala., over a four-day period as the world watched live on television.
The Carnival brand took a massive beating.
“We could have moved forward with a myriad of image enhancers,” says Jennifer DeLaCruz, Carnival’s vice-president of communication. “However, we did the smart thing. We allocated $300 million, brought in the best experts — from outside the company — made the engineering changes on our ships to ensure an incident like this would not happen again.”
Once Carnival was convinced the engineering was right, starting the brand’s comeback was next.
“We had to win back the public trust so a straightforward, easy-to-understand guarantee was offered,” DeLaCruz said.
In part it reads like this: If you’re not happy with any three- to eight-day Carnival vacation, let us know within 24 hours of your departure. We’ll refund 110 per cent of your fare and our Guest Services will get you back to your home, free of charge. No hassles and no questions asked.
Regular customers who had sailed with Carnival continued their patronage, despite the bad publicity. Some of these customers then became part of the new television commercials — real people telling their real stories.
Next stop: Families. Carnival needed to extend its brand to cater to this crowd. So Dr. Seuss was added and, having seen the characters and the kids marching around the Breeze, I can tell you it was obviously a good move.
Camp Ocean, DJ training by pros for teens on board and Carnival Live — the reason for my being on this ship — were all part of the brand-building blocks.
So far this year acts such as Chicago, Kansas, Olivia Newton-John, Lady Antebellum, Jewel, Jennifer Hudson, Styx, REO Speedwagon and Foreigner have entertained passengers — for between $20 and $40. Upclose and personal encounters with the stars, complete with pictures, went for over $100. Carnival Live has been so successful that prices are going up in 2015.
Last week’s announcement aboard the Breeze about the first acts for 2015 is further proof that it’s working. Signed for 2015, to date, are: Smokey Robinson, Rascal Flatts, Little Big Town, Styx (one more time) and Journey, with more to be named later this year. These performers will join the ship when docked in Cozumel, Nassau and — an addition starting next year — St. Thomas.
With only 1,200 seats, powerful speakers and hot lighting, Styx rocked the boat for over an hour on my cruise.
In a side pool, some of us agreed Huey Lewis could be in the next group and I would be back on the boat for Tom Petty — but we’re just guessing.
Show dates for the remainder of this year and for the first group in 2015 are at Carnival.com/carnival-live.
Phil’s Pick of the Week
This Carnival Glory cruise is a last-minute bargain at $30 a night.
Departs: Nov. 15 from Miami
Duration and ship: 7 days (return)
Ports: Half Moon Cay, Bahamas; Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos; San Juan; St. Thomas
Staring price: $205 per person, double occupancy
See Carnival.com