When Carnival Cruise Lines announced their Carnival LIVE Concert Series roster for 2015, I was SO excited to see bands like Journey, Rascal Flatts, Little Big Town, Smokey Robinson, and Styx on the list! I was invited to attend a complimentary press cruise to experience one of these legendary acts for myself on the Carnival Breeze and let me tell you...it totally lived up to my expectations!
The Carnival LIVE experience was created in 2014 to give guests the opportunity to experience exclusive live entertainment from major music artists, all at a tremendous value and with great convenience. Guests attend shows in the ship’s main theaters – which range in seating capacity from 900 to 1,300 – for an intimate on-board performance where there is never a bad seat in the house. I had a seat in row three during my press cruise, but even those without media credentials are guaranteed a great seat because the venue is so small and intimate.
When I go to concerts, I have one rule: I have to be close to the stage. I think there's just such a huge difference between sitting on the lawn somewhere, watching the show on monitors and being so close to the band that you can see the sweat glistening on their brows. I love feeling the bass in my chest, having the possibility of making eye contact with one of the band members...it's what live music is all about!
“Our 2014 Carnival LIVE shows have been tour standouts, so we are thrilled to get on board again to rock the boat next year,” said Tommy Shaw, singer and guitarist for Styx. “The audience of cruisers in a vacation state-of-mind combined with the ship’s theater design creates an incredible energy that’s fun for everyone, including the band.”
On the Carnival Breeze, this is what our venue looked like - even those in the balcony had an amazing view of the stage!
If you take into consideration that tickets to the Carnival LIVE shows run between $20 and $60 for general admission and just $100-$250 per guest for VIP tickets, you can see what a value this experience truly is!
Rascal Flatts gave an amazing performance while I was on the Carnival Breeze. I just love when a band performs live just as well as they do when you're listening to them on the radio, a CD or online.
Yes, I still have a few random CDs floating around the house. What can I say, I'm old.
I really love what Carnival Cruise Lines has done with the Carnival LIVE concert series. I have always seen cruising as such a valuable vacation experience because it's really an all-inclusive vacation as such an affordable price. Bringing the opportunity to see a band perform live in such a small venue just reinforces that model of affordability - where else can you get a ticket to such a small, intimate venue for just $20-$60?
I've been to many concerts at what I consider to be a small venue, and the least I've paid for those tickets is $75 - and those venues weren't anywhere near as small as the Carnival LIVE concerts!
Guests will have even more Carnival vessels, home ports and itineraries to choose from with a total of 10 “Fun Ships” departing from six convenient U.S. home ports hosting concerts in spring 2015. Carnival LIVE voyages will originate in Miami, Port Canaveral, Tampa, and Jacksonville, Fla; Charleston, S.C.; and, for the first time, Galveston, Texas, the line’s second largest home port.
The 2015 Carnival LIVE Concert Series kicked off in March and features one or more major artist each month, performing multiple shows on Carnival vessels docked in one of three ports of call: Cozumel, Nassau and a new port for the program, St. Thomas. Artists board the ship in port, perform in the main show lounge, and then debark following the concert.
Remaining 2015 Carnival LIVE Concert Dates
STYX
- June 13, 2015 Carnival Fantasty - 7 Day Eastern Caribbean from Charleston, SC
- June 14, 2015 Carnival Sensation - 4 Day Bahamas from Port Canaveral, FL
- June 14, 2015 Carnival Sunshine - 5 Day Bahamas from Port Canaveral, FL
- June 19, 2015 Carnival Ecstasy - 3 Day Bahamas from Miami, FL
The Band Perry
- July 26, 2015 Carnival Sensation - 4 Day Bahamas from Port Canaveral, FL
- July 26, 2015 Carnival Magic - 7 Day Bahamas from Galveston, TX
- July, 27 2015 Carnival Fascination - 5 Day Bahamas from Jacksonville, FL
Boston
- August 15, 2015 Carnival Fantasy - 7 Day Exotic Eastern Caribbean from Charleston, SC
- August 16, 2015 Carnival Sunshine - 5 Day Bahamas from Port Canaveral, FL
- August 20, 2015 Carnival Sensation - Carnival Sensation from Port Canaveral, FL
- August 21, 2015 Carnival Ecstasy - 3 Day Bahamas from Miami, FL
Lionel Richie
- October 10, 2015 Carnival Freedom - 7 Day Bahamas from Galveston, TX
- October 11, 2015 Carnival Pride - 7 Day Bahamas from Baltimore, MD
Heart
- October 17, 2015 Carnival Paradise - 5 Day Western Caribbean from Tampa, FL
- October 18, 2015 Carnival Breeze - 6 Day Western Caribbean from Miami, FL
- October 19, 2015 Carnival Ecstasy - 4 Day Western Caribbean from Miami, FL
You can book your Carnival LIVE cruise here!
