Media, Travel 'Feud' Teams Vie at Carnival Studios

It was Media vs. Travel at Carnival's "Family Feud" rehearsal show (NPBL Photo)

Matt Mitcham

It's been almost a year since Carnival Cruise Lines announced their exclusive partnership with the highly popular game show "Family Feud." Now set to debut on Mardi Gras, scheduled to launch in November, it was "time to play the "Feud" last week at Carnival Studios, their giant production facility in Davie, Florida.

The live run-through consisted of two shows -- the regular version Face Off and a round of Fast Money. Two teams were recruited -- one composed of media and one of travel agents. Members of the media, travel reps and Carnival employees comprised the studio audience, who cheered and clapped their encouragement.

Taking the Steve Harvey host role was Matt Mitchum, the newly-appointed cruise director for Mardi Gras. A native of Birmingham, England, Mitcham has been with Carnival since 2009 and has played a key role in
developing a number of innovative entertainment programs, including the sailaway parties.

Both teams went at it hot and heavy, but the eventrual winner was Travel. 

For the onboard version, it was explained that guests will be handed a raffle ticket, and the teams would be assembled by a randon drawing. There will be different versions of show as well -- one that's family-friendly, and one for adults.

In an earlier press release, Rick Glankler, president of commercial operations for Fremantle -- the show's producer -- said, “Our show has been wildly successful for more than 40 years, but it’s never been showcased at sea, so this is an unbelievably exciting opportunity for us. Carnival’s audience is perfectly aligned with our show, and we cannot wait to give Mardi Gras’ guests the chance to play Family Feud Live.”

Mardi Gras, named after Carnival's first ship, will be the largest ship in its fleet at 180,000 tons, and the first of its XL-Class ships. With a capacity for over 5,000 passengers, it will feature BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, as well as Emeril’s Bistro 1396, the first seagoing restaurant by famed New Orleans chef Emeril Lagasse. It will also be the first cruise ship in North America to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), part of Carnival Corporation’s “green cruising” -- GERRY BARKER
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