I suspect it does probably have to do with the mess. I will say that there is free popcorn when traveling in Concierge. It is bagged popcorn though that you can request and take to the shows/movies/wherever with you.
There are loads of kids on Carnival too. I have no idea why dcl charges for popcorn, but this is a good thread topic because on our first dcl cruise many years ago, the popcorn charge was the one thing that rubbed us the wrong way. It was pretty much the only thing they charged extra for at that time (except for Palo and alcohol) and it just seemed so tacky to charge for popcorn. Made no sense. To this day we have never purchased popcorn on dcl. Lol. Our kids only asked once years ago and we told them that it was an extra charge so no. And even though they like popcorn, they haven't asked since. They are used to being told no when things are "extra charge" on cruise lines. We did bring theater candy with us once in our luggage, but they never ate it. So many other things to eat on the ship that it just is not necessary.
Free popcorn at a bar is usually there to make people thirsty so they buy more drinks. I don't know why they'd want to do that if most of the passengers are on drink packages, though.
The popcorn is only distributed when they are showing movies under the stars. It is in little movie theater bags. It just happens to be at the bar. Forgot to add that you can take as many bags as you want. And the bar is open to the area. The popcorn machine is is on the counter. The bartenders prepare the popcorn.
@Lisa F Yes - we just did this very thing. We brought our popcorn bucket from last year’s cruise and used it with no problem.
IMHO they should give it out for free for, let's say 5 minutes, after popping a batch outside the Buena Vista Theater. Whenever I'm in the aft stairwell, no matter what deck I'm on, all I can smell is fresh popped popcorn and it drives me crazy, see I REALLY like popcorn.
DH and I just returned from Carnival Vista (great ship, BTW.) Yes, the popcorn is 'free' but it is still not as good as DCL's (IMHO.) DCL's taste is true movie theatre popcorn. (Carnival's was bland, but did satisfy the salty crunchiness craving that I have when I consume any alcohol.)
thanks. Hey anywhere I can save a few! We never had room for popcorn on the 4 day dream but thinking we might on the 7 night!
Lisa, I treat the popcorn bucket (and the drink of the day hurricane glasses) as I do the beer mug. Essentially, it is the same. You pay a price for the "container" and refill it for a lower cost. In the cruise suitcase, after every cruise, I put the beer mugs, drink of the day cups (one each for myself and my husband) and the popcorn bucket. Once we board the ship and want a drink/popcorn, we can easily grab the appropriate container.
Pop corn is free on other cruise lines and they seem to be handling the pop corn on the floor pretty well ...
You can refill those drink of the day hurricane glasses? I am not sure I even got one on our last cruise, haha.
They actually have quite a lot of kids around. You'd be shocked... A lot of people won't cruise on Carnival because of that.
It's at one of the bars on the Main Deck and is available for the purpose of "Dive In Movies". Also, most passengers are not on the drink packages. It's expensive and a lot of people don't drink more than 7 drinks per day (which is the amount you have to drink for it to be a good deal).
Reading your post made me realize I was thinking of the Princess name for their movies also with free popcorn. Lol. A Carnival employee serving the popcorn gave one of my sons a clean box to keep when he said that he loved the design. He has it on his wall magnet board right next to a Solo pin. I think you are right that pretty much every other line gives free popcorn for movies. We have had it on NCL too. We find the popcorn quality to be what you find in any movie theater. I am trying to fix this attachment. I am awful at attaching files on disboards.
But the popcorn on other lines (well, the lines I've been on) is only served in the movie venues, so any clean up is restricted to a small area. I think because most people just use it as a movie snack, not a snack to be taken all over the ship (making a mess everywhere). The bottom line is, popcorn has a charge on DCL because that's the way DCL set it up. I doubt that there's any one who here on DISboards who can say definitively why.
(Carnival serve it on the main deck where the main pool is during Dive-In movies.) I also think DCL charges for it because they can.
