What is the difference between a cruise director and a game show host? On Carnival Cruise Line this role is one in the same!
Indeed, Carnival cruise directors wear many hats – from keeping guests informed and safe to hosting themed parties and game shows – like the popular Family Feud Live.
Sharing a sneak peak of her very busy life at sea, Cruise Director and Social Media Star Kyndall “Fire” Magyar shared an exclusive video showing what it is like behind the scenes when she hosts Carnival’s version of Family Feud Live.
She hosted three interactive performances that day, with performances at 7:45 p.m., 9:45 p.m., and 11:30 p.m., and more goes on behind the scenes to make these shows go off without a hitch than you might think.
Magyar shared her enthusiasm with her caption stating, “Ever wanted to know what it’s like to play Family Feud onboard?!? Well I can’t show you everything but here is a sneak peek of what goes on back stage on a TRIPLE HEADER show night!”
While they are not allowed to film performances, crew members are allowed to share glimpses of the backstage areas and preparation for the show – which is typically hosted only on sea days.
When Magyar first enters the backstage, the two teams for the first show were already there and getting ready to go, with the Jubilee Theater filling up fast.
As the Texas native can’t be in multiple places at once (and she is already tied up hosting), she of course had to give a shout-out to the Fun Squad for their assistance behind the scenes.
These high energy crew members help prepare contestants to go on stage and meets with them before and after their performances to make sure they feel ready to play and have a great time.
As Cruise Director, Magyar coordinates the Fun Squad – a group that is known as the life and soul of the party on every deck.
These crew members are not just game show coordinators, but also act as activity hosts for other entertainment onboard and help with crowd control as needed.
But perhaps most striking is the amount of energy these shows take, as Magyar needs to be just as enthusiastic for the third show as the first.
Magyar even admitted that she gets so sweaty on stage, giving each round her all, that she has to hang up her jacket to dry between shows.
In a candid moment, Magyar shared, “This is me sweating backstage in between the shows. I leave my jacket here to dry.”
She wraps up her day at 12:39 a.m., which is around the time when the tech crew starts to break down all the pieces from the set.
The set has to be broken down immediately, as this is only one of many entertainment offerings that take place in the venue.
Beyond Family Feud Live, the game show Love and Marriage also takes place in the Jubilee Theater, as do bigger production shows like Soulbound, Visual Symphony, Dear Future Husband, and Carnival Rio.
After what seems like an extremely long walk back to her cabin, she calls it a night – getting in at least a few hours of sleep before she wakes up early the next morning to keep the fun going onboard.
If you want to watch or play the game with Magyar, Carnival’s popular cruise director is currently onboard Carnival Jubilee, which is the one of the newest ships in Carnival’s fleet.
She comes in at 183,500 gross tons with a guest capacity of 5,374 and a crew capacity of 1,735.
Magyar’s contract makes her the cruise director on the Excel-class ship for several months, which she joined on November 11, 2024, and will be onboard until March 15, 2025.
She will be back on the ship in the same role once again from May 17 to August 17, 2025.
Beyond her duties hosting Family Feud Live, she is also responsible for hosting events, coordinating activities, making announcements, greeting guests, introducing shows, coordinating the Fun Squad, and moderating Q&A sessions.
How to Join the Show
Family Feud Live first debuted onboard Mardi Gras in 2021, but has since been added to 12 other ships in the Carnival Cruise Line fleet.
The said, the game is only played on 7-night itineraries or longer, excluding Europe, Australia, and South Pacific voyages.
Other Carnival ships with this particular show include Carnival Vista, Carnival Legend, Carnival Pride, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Panorama, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Luminosa, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Magic, and Carnival Dream.
Read Also: Holland America Line to Offer Popular Game Show Experience
Family Feud Live consists of two teams of five people competing against each other, just like the TV show hosted by Steve Harvey that inspired it. It also features three rounds of gameplay and a Fast Money round at the end.
The game itself takes place on an authentic Family Feud set, complete with the widely known Face-Off podium.
It is hosted by the ship’s cruise director, which is Magyar in this case, with each host adding their own bit of flair to the experience.
Magyar also had some pro-tips for cruisers who want to get on stage with her. She recommend that anyone interested in being part of Family Feud Live on their next cruise should check their Carnival HUB App for audition information as soon as they make it onboard on embarkation day.
Auditions typically take place a few days before the game show, but the exact timing will vary from sailing to sailing. Contestants must be 12+ years of age and are personally selected by the cruise director.
Funny enough, most groups consist of five strangers who will compete as a ‘family’ during the show – so don’t worry if not everyone in your real family or travel party is up for playing.
While contestants won’t be winning $20,000 like the TV show, they will certainly have plenty of fun and will still be competing for prizes like a bottle of wine or gift certificates.
