Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald was open for issues that are not clear for the ones interested in cruising, answering many questions recently, referring to the increased capacity, pier-side testing, football and more.
Well known fact these days is that the capacity of guests across the fleet is increased. So, here's what he said to the media about it: "We sailed with more guests on each ship than we have so far. We upped the capacity a little bit as well,” Heald said in reference to Thanksgiving week cruises. “Certainly not sailing at full even though we could, if we wished to, sail at full capacity. But baby steps, as they say.”
This is great news for all those cruise lovers that missed their opportunity to go on a ship when the companies were sailing with massively reduced capacity. Pier-side testing will be extended through the next month, he continued, adding that this inevitable process was "not easy" and is "a little stressful".
He shared his opinion that this should not be someone's first choice, but should be considered only if no other way is available for the passengers. He assures the guests that the "peace of mind" when having the negative test before boarding is one of the most important things to " pack in your suitcase".
He gave a warning to those who are not taking the appointments seriously, that they will be charged, whether they show up or not, because some people who really need it are prevented by them, the ones that filled the lists of appointments. The price for testing is $100 per person.
Heald also announced the reopening of Camp Ocean for the next week. “Camp Ocean is opening next week, and we are very excited,” Heald shared. “Not just the company, but specifically the youth staff. Those who’ve dedicated their lives to giving our children, your children, the best of times.” The facility will re-open to vaccinated children on the weekend of Friday, December 3.
To respond to the complaints about the pins given to VIFP Members, specific to the ship they are sailing on, Heald had another good explanation. He said that resuming cruises were not certain for exact ships, and since the company didn’t know this information in advance, it couldn’t waste money for ordering ship-specific pins. He added that hopefully, they will return next year.
And the last, but not the least is the answer for the sports lovers, that is why some football games are not shown.
“I just wanted to explain that we do not have the ability to broadcast the college game unless it’s shown on ESPN,” he explained. “The requisite cost of doing so runs into the millions of dollars [in licensing fees] for the cruise industry, and we just do not have that money at the moment, as I’m sure you understand.”
