Onboard Entertainment

Ever wondered what activities are offered onboard Carnival Cruises?  We have picked a few of our favorites to tell you about!

An itinerary will be left in your room each day.  It will have a list of the events and their locations for the next day.  You’ll want to check the schedule the night before and make a plan to participate in these hilarious and entertaining offerings!  Prizes vary with each game but they almost always include the coveted Carnival trophy, affectionately known as, “Ship on a Stick.”

The activities featured during each cruise are chosen by the Cruise Director and will vary with each ship and each sail date.

Horse Racing

This fun game of chance is usually held in one of the lounges during the morning.  Wooden horses are placed on the stage and compete in races while the audience places bets for the winners!  The movements of the horses are controlled by the roll of dice.  This activity is designed purely for fun so the bets and pay-outs are relatively small.  We highly recommend this crowd-pleaser!

Bingo

Bingo can be found in the main theater at various times throughout the day and almost always precede the evening shows.  You must be at least 18 to purchase a card.  Cards are $10 each or 3 for $20.  The prizes can be in the hundreds of dollars and EVERY winner is entered into a drawing for a free cruise.  We recommend this game because of these great prizes!

Trivia Games

Trivia-style games are a staple on Carnival Cruises!  There are many different styles of trivia that are played ranging from multi-category, Jeopardy-esque games to themed challenges like movies, music, or sports.  Contestants are picked from audience volunteers.  The winners receive a Carnival Trophy and, if over 21, a bottle of champagne. 

Newly Wed Game

Guests always rave about the Newly Wed Game!  It is held at least once during each cruise in the main lounge.  The contestants are chosen from audience volunteers.  A newly married couple, a couple who has been married over 10 years, and the longest married couple in the audience are usually selected.  The couples will sit back to back and answer questions, occasionally very embarrassing questions, in an effort to determine which couple knows each other best.  These games are always full of humor and entertainment!  You definitely don’t want to miss out!

Scavenger Hunt

This one is for adults only!  It is played in one of the lounges.  Volunteers from the audience will be grouped together into teams.  They will then scavenge the audience for off-the-wall items like a man in women’s shoes, empty purses, yellow flip flops, or a man’s pants (don’t worry, the game stays PG13)!  This is one of the most hilarious offerings on the ship! 

Lido Deck and Pool Games

If you are looking for hilarious outdoor entertainment then you’ll want to head to the Lido Deck!  Here you will find dance contests (serious dancers won’t stand a chance), belly flop contests, and hairy leg contests, just to name a few.   These activities are definitely designed for guests who aren’t afraid to laugh at themselves.  Get ready to have the whole ship laughing with you!

We’ve saved our favorites for the end!

Shipbuilding Competition

Put all those years of watching MacGyver to good use with this contest!  You’ll be given a limited amount of time to scavenge the ship for boat-building materials (think straws, cans, hair ties, and upside down hats).  You’ll then construct your boat and put it to the test in the pool!  The audience will create a “storm” by splashing and kicking.  The boat that floats the longest is the winner of a Carnival trophy!

And our very favorite…

Survivor Challenge

This is the one event onboard that might very well make you famous, at least for the duration of your cruise!  Located in the ships main pool area, guests will be asked to throw their names into a bucket.  Four lucky men and four lucky women will have their names drawn to compete in wacky challenges!  These vary but usually include a group scavenger hunt (where the whole group is tied together but each competing for their own items), a breath-holding contest in the pool, a pool or deck relay involving an egg and a spoon, a handless eating contest, and more!  The competitors are eliminated by losing or failing the challenges.  Once the field is narrowed down to two the audience votes for their favorite!  The winner will receive the title of “Carnival Survivor,” and receive a special prize (like a free shore excursion), not to mention, instant notoriety!