Is a Tiny Cabin TV a Cruise Dealbreaker? One Carnival Guest Thinks So
Many cruisers may believe size matters for their travel plans – larger ships typically have more specialty restaurants, more activities onboard, and more venues to enjoy. Larger staterooms can be more luxurious, and even larger (longer) itineraries can offer more ports to experience.
But does the size of the television in one’s cabin make that much of a difference?
To one Carnival guest, the answer is a resounding yes – so much so that they reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, to express their disappointment.
“DH and I had an awesome time on the Freedom but WTH is up with these tiny TVs?” the guest asked. “The computer monitor I am viewing while I type this is larger than the TV was. I would guess around 40-42 inches would be a minimum for most normal cruisers.”
Okay, I’m a “normal” cruiser and have never been bothered in the slightest by the size of the stateroom television, even as deteriorating eyesight might make it more challenging to watch without my glasses. I’m not on a cruise to watch television, but of course some travelers prefer quiet time watching shows or movies.
“Most other lines we have cruised with … have 50 inch TVs in every stateroom,” the guest continued. “This didn’t spoil our cruise experience as we chose not to let it but it will be a dealbreaker next time we choose a ship.”
Would the size of the stateroom television be a “dealbreaker” for travelers? Carnival’s booking engine does not list television sizes with stateroom details, so how would one even know prior to booking what size the screen might be?
Heald does respond to the guest’s concern by asking other travelers whether or not their TV screens were large enough, of course with his characteristic wit.
“Thank goodness this guest didn’t go all Mick Jagger and rip the TV off the cabin wall and throw it in the swimming pool on Lido,” he quipped. “Anyway, was your TV screen big enough on your last cruise?”
Many commenters – Heald has more than 600,000 followers on his Facebook page – noted that they don’t watch much, if any, television while on a cruise.
Other cruisers agree that the TVs do occasionally seem small, especially just after ships have returned from dry dock upgrades but still have relatively puny televisions.
Depending on the ship and sailing, larger televisions can also be very welcome.
“They could use some bigger TVs, Especially for those [rough], wet, cold sea days when not much is going on and you can’t be outside,” one guest noted.
Guests also commented on their favorite “channels” – often the ship’s bow view or the location channel with the ship’s speed, wind directions, and other information.
“Watching the ocean is a much better scene,” one guest noted about the real-life views.
Other Television Options Onboard
Guests on Carnival cruises aren’t limited to just watching television in their staterooms, no matter what the size of the screen.
Read Also: Carnival Cruise Line Cabins and Suites – What Are the Options?
There are often larger screens and multi-screen setups in different bars and lounges onboard. During a June 2024 cruise aboard Carnival Celebration, my husband and I spent many exciting hours watching the NHL playoffs in the Heroes Tribute Bar and Lounge with huge screens and the fun company of other hockey fans.
Many Carnival ships also offer the Seaside Theater jumbo screen on Lido Deck with popular movies playing almost nightly. This can be a great way to enjoy time on the deck, but bring blankets – it can get pretty chilly and breezy after sunset.
Of course, Carnival Cruise Line also offers Starlink-supported internet packages. Interested guests can opt for the Premium plan with faster speeds that permit movie streaming as well as apps such as Netflix, Hulu, and Spotify for favorite shows to watch on their own devices.
Is a Tiny Cabin TV a Cruise Dealbreaker? One Carnival Guest Thinks So