Before every major event, Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald gets asked about whether the cruise line will broadcast it on board.

During the political season, that answer was easy. Carnival provides some news stations in its cabins, but does not show anything political on public screens.

That included the presidential debates and election night.

It gets more complicated when it comes to award shows like the Emmys or the Oscars. There’s no political reason why the cruise line would not show these, but in most cases, they do not actually have the right to air them.

With sports, it gets a lot more complicated. A lot of people want to know if their local college football team game will be on, and in many cases, it won’t be.

That can include some very major games, but the cruise line has to pick and choose its rights deals.

When it comes to NFL football, however, people ask about more than just whether the games will be shown. In many cases, they want their game shown on the biggest screen possible, which usually means the pool deck.

Heald recently received a question about the upcoming NFL season.

Carnival provides some NFL answers

Heald recently answered an email he received on the NFL and whether Carnival would be showing certain games, but he chose to have a little fun with it.

“Assurances are needed now,” the email began.

Heald noted that he actually slightly corrected the note.

“She wrote insurances with an ‘I,’ but it should be assurances with an ‘A,'” he shared before continuing to share the email. 

“I think. Our group is sailing on September 27 on the Jubilee, and we are all huge NFL football fans. We need a promise that the Chiefs-Ravens game will be shown on the giant screen.

“There are 18 of us in this group. The rest of the passengers will want this too. Do we need to speak to the captain to make sure the game is shown or what? There will be lots of commotion if this request is not met.”

Heald responded in his typical playful way.

“So she’s sailing at the end of this month, and she wants insurances, assurances, that we’re going to show the game between the Chiefs and the Ravens. And for those of you who are not fully familiar with NFL, that, of course, is the Miami, no, that’s the Dolphins, the Washington Chiefs-Ravens, Ravens versus the San Francisco Ravens. Anyway, here’s your NFL news, and it’s important,” he added. 

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The brand ambassador the delivered how Carnival is handling NFL games.

“Now, we are very happy to announce that this year we have licensed the football season, which starts, I’m told from my colleagues, officially on the 4th, that was yesterday, and ending with the Super Bowl, when we have a big, huge Super Bowl. As in previous years, in addition to the games that are broadcast on ESPN networks, we are licensing the NFL syndication and Sunday Ticket. So that means that you should get a multitude of games.”

Carnival won’t make promises on screens

Carnival Jubilee, at maximum capacity, holds over 6,300 passengers. So, the person writing to Heald and their 18-person group likely won’t hold much sway.

Heald did share how the cruise line decides which games to air where. 

“Now, as far as which games are shown, no, no assurances, of which we always try and keep it, if we can. You know, if we’re sailing from the New Orleans, the New Orleans 49ers games will be shown, or if we’re sailing from Texas, the Texan Cowboys. I’m really screwing this up, aren’t I? Will be shown, but we can’t make any insurances or assurances as to what game is going to be shown,” he wrote. 

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He also noted that only some games are shown on the pool deck.

“Now, as far as the big screen, we do try and put some, not all games on the big screen,” he wrote. “It depends on if we have a deck party going on, it depends if there is a movie scheduled to be shown, and a lot of things go into play to that.”

At the end of the day, Heald points out that the cruise line wants to deliver a positive experience.

“We always try to make sure that you enjoy the game, you get to see some football, and hopefully the priority will not be watching the football,” he added. 

Carnival passengers share their thoughts

“So 18 people out of 6,600 passengers want to be assured to see the game on the big screen. Her statement following saying there would be a commotion sounds like a threat. If it’s that important to these 18 people, they should just stay home,” wrote Darlene Davis Cherry on Heald’s Facebook page. 

Pam DeMarco also made a sensible comment.

“Not everyone is a football fan,” she shared. 

Many others made another clear point.

“If people are so obsessed with watching sports games on a cruise ship maybe they should think about planning their cruises before or after the season! Geez,” posted Florence Ann Strickland.

Carnival also shared an official statement on its NFL plans that backs up what Heald said. 

“Carnival Cruise Line has announced that it will broadcast NFL and college football games on board its ships during the 2024-2025 season. The broadcasts will include games shown on ESPN as part of the NFL Syndication and Sunday Ticket package.

“The games will be available in several public venues across the ships, including sports bars, casino bars, pubs, and breweries. However, Carnival has confirmed that the games will not be available in guest cabins.”

How to Watch NFL Games on Carnival Cruises

• Check the Schedule: Before you sail, review the Carnival Hub app or the ship’s daily newsletter to see which games are available.
• Ask Guest Services: Upon boarding, confirm which games are being shown on public screens and the pool deck.
• Plan Early for Big Screens: Popular games may fill up early; arrive ahead of time if you want a front-row view.
• Know the Limits: Not all games are guaranteed on the big screens, and in-cabin streaming is not available for NFL games due to syndication rules.
• Enjoy Alternative Viewing: If your game isn’t on the big screen, check bars, pubs, or casinos onboard. Most have TVs showing selected games.

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