Five Faves: Bands, ho!… with Carnival LIVE

Porthole’s Five Faves

Bands, ho!

Five favorite things to love about a Carnival LIVE concert cruise

There’s something to be said about mixing a cruise with your favorite music. Let’s face it, we love to walk around the ship and hear music in the lounges and on the Lido Deck – it enhances your mood. This year, Carnival Cruise Lines brought the music experience a step further with Carnival LIVE, which brings your favorite musical artists aboard your cruise ship for a concert like no other.

Last week, I had the chance to check out Carnival LIVE on a 4-night sailing aboard Carnival Ecstasy from Miami. The itinerary included calls in Key West and Cozumel, with the highlight, of course, being an onboard Martina McBride concert in the ship’s Blue Sapphire Lounge.

Reporting back, here are my five faves about a Carnival LIVE concert:

 

Affordable. With ticket prices between $20-$40 each, it’s one of the best concert values anywhere.

Intimate setting. A majority of the Carnival LIVE shows are held in 800-seat theaters, which means the furthest back from the stage you’ll be is 12 rows.

VIP Experience. For $100-$150, this is hands-down the ultimate value. Your VIP lanyard gets you a meet-and-greet with the artist, Champagne reception with the artist, seating in the first three rows of the theater, and a photo opportunity.

Unique venue. When you see a top-tier performer like Lady Antebellum, you’re usually in a 10,000-seat arena or amphitheater. When artists perform in a cruise ship theater, it gives them a chance to interact more with the audience.

Later port day. Since artists don’t actually sail, the ship has to stay in port later so the band can load in, sound check, perform, and load out – which gives you a later departure time.

All in all, the Carnival LIVE concert experience rocked and I will be booking another one very soon.

Click here to check out Carnival LIVE’s upcoming bands and concert dates.

 

Click here to hear my complete broadcast of the cruise.

 

— Doug Parker, Creator and Host of Cruise Radio