Watching a sporting event on a cruise ship can be an amazing communal experience.
It varies by ship and cruise line, but for big playoff games, both Carnival and Royal Caribbean make the biggest games an event. They will play the games not just in their sports bars but on theater screens, at the pool and in other high-traffic locations.
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Last year I watched the Super Bowl on a Celebrity ship and every screen on board carried the game. The cruise line also put out wings, nachos and other popular football snacks at stations all around the cruise ship.
For the Super Bowl before the Covid pandemic, I watched the game on Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas. That ship has a Playmakers Sports Bar right on the Royal Promenade and a large screen at its main pool.
In both cases it was a massive party where seemingly the entire ships were given over to the game. Some people on board probably opted not to watch — there were some live music options and the casinos remained open. But it felt as if everyone was invested in the big game, even people who had no real rooting interest.
Now, sports rivalries may be intense but they're generally friendly. That's not the case with politics, and that's why Carnival has made and outlined a major decision.
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Image source: Michael Owens/Getty
Carnival shares a decision on the presidential debate
While sports bring people together, politics tend to be divisive. And while the approaching presidential debate may be of high interest to some passengers, treating it like the Super Bowl would probably not be nearly as festive.
Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald recently fielded a question on his cruise line's plans.
"DW and I will be on the Breeze from Galveston on 9/11. John, please consider the wishes from many on writing on -------- for the 9/10 presidential debate to be shown on the jumbotron. If not in a bar or at the very least in the rooms. My pronouns are U.S.A.," wrote an unnamed person.
DW is short for "dear wife," and Heald had a very clear message for both husband and wife.
"Respectfully, we will not be showing it," he wrote.
Heald then threw out a question to his more than half a million followers.
"Regardless of political preference is that something you would want to spend your cruise time watching? Or am I wrong?" he asked.
Carnival passengers make a clear choice
More than 10,000 people voted in Heald's poll and the results were overwhelming:
- It is not something I would need to see on my cruise (81%).
- It should be shown, but only in the cabins, because if I was onboard, I would want to watch it (19%)
- It should be shown on the big screen (0%)
Passengers seemed to overwhelmingly agree that politics should not be part of public areas on cruise ships.
"It’s a very important event, something I would maybe want to see if I was on a cruise. Although I kind of want to be out of that mindset," wrote Dayton T. Cripe.
"That said, get that off of public screens, this is a vacation we don’t need the political arguments it would create. Let’s watch with our own opinions if we want in our rooms. I do think it deserves that,"
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Passengers who pay for internet access would be able to stream the debate on their personal devices.
"Showing it on the big screen would be a huge mistake. People get very passionate and it could result in a very agitated if not violent situation," added Debbie Blount Evers.
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Kimberly Blanchard called out the original question asker.
"This is likely to cause arguments and fighting on board...My pronouns are she/her and it’s clear U.S.A and DW are instigators here. They’ll continue to be instigators on board," she posted.
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