Carnival TV review: The Voyager with Josh Garcia
Cruise industry giant Carnival Corp. brings a light touch to its television programming
While channel surfing recently, we came across a travel series on NBC called Voyager with Josh Garcia. To our surprise, the program became a new favorite in our household.
We’d heard about these and other TV segments produced by Carnival Corp. But we’d assumed they would be nothing more than infomercials in drag. Instead, we found ourselves enjoying the show, and even coming back to watch more episodes.
We found the Voyager program intelligent, informative and interesting. The show gives people who have never cruised an opportunity to see past the stereotypes. We’re glad Carnival is educating novices that cruise travel offers much more than silly poolside contests and queuing up for a buffet.
The episodes we’ve seen merit programming your DVR. The show emphasizes cultural immersion in destinations rather than showcasing Carnival’s ships. The viewer learns that Josh is on a Carnival ship, and there is often a shot of him walking down the ship’s hallway. However, the program highlights his experiences and adventures as he visits various destinations.
Destinations, not ships or brands
We enjoy the way that Voyager showcases the local scene in each port. We’ve watched Josh take salsa lessons in Puerto Rico; learn the basics of stilt walking in the St Thomas moko jumbie tradition, and experience a chocolate ceremony in the Yucatan. Some of the excursions are off the beaten track. I’m looking forward to an upcoming episode in which he “dances with Vikings” in Bergen, Norway. Several episodes feature a cooking demonstration featuring Josh interacting with a local chef as he/she prepares an iconic dish of that port.
Josh Garcia has an engaging presence. He seems comfortable with the camera, creating a relaxed onscreen atmosphere. He interacts respectfully with local people and their cultures. (The fact that Josh is what we call “easy on the eyes” doesn’t hurt one bit.
Bravo to Carnival for producing these segments which will eventually feature all ten of the Carnival brands. This seems to us like a significant step for the largest cruise company in the world. The fact that they chose to put the focus on the fun of cruising, rather than on the Carnival brand, makes the program worthwhile for any travel fan.
We’re looking forward to viewing Carnival’s other series entitled Ocean Treks with Jeff Corwin and Vacation Creation (featuring “In Living Color” star and comedian Tommy Davidson and YouTube celebrity Andrea Feczko as hosts).
If you love to travel, and like to whet your appetite for future journeys by watching travel videos and television programming, we highly recommend Carnival’s Voyager with Josh Garcia.
