Good Evening.

What a day. I am writing the start of this blog from a beautiful Dubrovnik, Croatia which has been bathed in sunshine all day long. However, it has been a long day due to the ship using a tender service for the first time to get guests ashore. The pier facilities in Dubrovnik are limited to say the least and today and on two more occasions later in the season, we are tendering guests ashore.

Now, the tender operation in Cannes is usually very smooth and extremely quick with the locals providing us with five big and modern tenders. Here in Dubrovnik, we had two small tenders provided by the folks from Dubrovnik plus our own tenders from the vessel. We have 3,400 guests onboard and they all leave together and return at the same time……………………….the result………………………….lines…………….sometimes longer than we would want to see them but as always the reward is waiting when they discover the beauty and history of Dubrovnik.

OK, all guests are onboard and its away we go. Tomorrow we have a day at sea and then we will head to Canoli……….or Messina as it is sometimes known.

How about some photos. Here are today’s selections.

1. Photos from our Sail Away From Venice Mask Party

2. The Realto Bridge, Venice ……………… (why did I write Venice?) ……it’s not like you are thinking, oh, is that the Realto bridge in Venice or the one in Ohio?

3. George Hamilton who I think I saw in Harry’s Bar with two stunning ladies, one blonde and one brunette………lucky man.

I have been in a quandry over AJ…………….I have had sleepless nights and now I need to discuss this with you. I have always wanted her as godmother of the Carnival Splendor and I have to admit I am getting nowhere. She has chosen to ignore all forms of communication, letters, phone calls to agents and friends and even a special message of admiration which I sent to her written across a pair of my old drawers……………………………but nothing.

It takes months of planning to organize a naming ceremony and I hope that this one can be the best ever…………..but, reality is setting in. I will never get to drive an Aston Martin or my new favorite a Bentley Continental GTC and therefore I must accept that AJ is forever lost and move to new fetishes…………….in this case, the beautiful, gorgeous, vivacious and Welsh Catherine Zeta Jones…………………all I need now………………..is your permission.

Here is a comment I received today from a guest……………..Once again I have taken out their name but it is another one of those daily comments that I enjoy sharing with you all………….here it is.

Hello John,
Can you please kindly advise if you were able to speak with the guest below and what was the outcome of your conversation?
Thank you kindly for your feedback in advance,
Kind Regards,
Zuzana Treska
Purser’s Office
Carnival Freedom

2344 – Comments about Children
Mr __________ came to the Purser’s desk shortly after 12pm to bring to our attention that he is very upset with the number of children onboard. Purser asked what his concerns were and he replied that if he had known there would have been so many he would have taken another cruise line instead. He then said he wanted to talk with the cruise director
Purser thanked Mr ——– for stopping by and sharing his comments with us and apologized for his disappointment and that the cruise director would contact him soon. Purser thanked him again and he left the Desk.
[7/5/2007 3:05:03
Purser sent email to Cruise Director.

So, I just spoke to the guest who, before we start, I should mention that he is sailing on his first ever cruise. Anyway, I explained that we had 500 people under the age of 21 out of the 3,400 onboard and asked him what his concerns were specifically. I won’t waste my fingers on typing everything he said because the bottom line is………………………..he and his wife do not like children…………it’s that simple. I explained also that other cruise lines can also carry similar number of children and he seemed to accept this. Anyway, the call came to an end and I encouraged him to relax and not worry about children and to enjoy the cruise. I got a sense that he really dislikes kids…..I wonder why? Anyway, I will be calling him in a few days to follow up with him and see if he is a bit happier, I hope so.

Here is some news I just received about the Private and Exclusive tour of the Vatican.

We have just been advised by the Vatican that it will not be possible to operate the Exclusive Private View of the Vatican on July 12, 23 and 24 for security reasons – the Pope will be on vacation (Mountain Retreat) and therefore no one will be allowed in His private apartments.

Sorry about that news but obviously we are under the constraints of the Vatican itself. The regular Vatican Tours will run as normal.

OK, here is today’s special guest interview. Today, we move into the dark and mysterious world of public relations, a world filled with secrets and inhabited by strange Troglodytes that sleep hanging upside down for wooden beams………………….rather like bats.

Here is the head of our PR department, Mr. Tim Gallagher.

1. Tim, please can you tell us about your career so far and how you came to be in your current position.

In 1981, the PR agency I was working for got the Carnival account. My first project for Carnival was the Tropicale introduction. When the owner of the agency passed away seven years later, Bob Dickinson asked me to set up Carnival’s first in-house PR dept. I did and I’m still here.

2. Public Relations may be something that some readers may not understand, especially in the cruise industry. Therefore, could you tell us what the Carnival PR department is all about?

In its purest form, public relations is media relations. We have the responsibility of disseminating any news about the company to the media which is most frequently done with press releases and media advisories but there is obviously a lot of phone work involved in that effort as well. My department deals with the press on a variety of issues. Sometimes the media are calling us for info and we are also out there pitching stories to them. Hey, we’ve even been pitching stories on your blog. . . . and, as you may be aware, have landed a few. In addition to handling all of the brand PR for Carnival Cruise Lines, my department is also charged with the PR responsibilities for our parent Carnival Corporation & plc. So I actually have two jobs, but only one paycheck. . . . kind of like you.

3.You have a fantastic team. Can you introduce them to us.

I have only five people that work for me which frankly, is not enough to do everything we are charged with.

Director of PR is Jennifer de la Cruz, who I hired at the PR agency when she was directly out of college. It was her first job. I felt sorry for her because she was a graduate of Florida State University and so, couldn’t find a job. You see, most people who go to Florida State do so because they couldn’t get into the state’s preeminent college, THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, home of the world champion Florida Gators. . . . but that’s a whole other story.

Vance Gulliksen is our PR manager. Vance was doing PR for Miami Dade College when we hired him almost 13 years ago. Vance has a knack for writing and probably drafts more copy then anyone else in the department.

Aly Bello is news bureau manager. She actually is the longest company tenured employee in our dept. She started with Carnival a year before the PR Dept was established and spent a couple of years in what was then known as our inside sales department, which today is called the business development services department.

Laurie Mahle is the department’s administrative assistant and as her title suggests she performs the full gamut of administrative tasks that support the PR effort. She has been with us for 9 years.

Joyce Oliva is the newest member of our team and joined us in April of ’06 from a well-known NY-based PR agency where she handled travel and tourism accounts. She earned her communications degree from the University of Miami.

4. What are the most common requests and questions you receive from the press.

The most common requests are for a variety of factual information about our ships and the company, cruise schedules and photos.

5. Over the years you have built a wonderful relationship with the press. What is your secret?

You have to establish credibility with the media and then maintain it. That means that they have to know that when they call you (or you call them) that they are getting the straight true story. If you lose your credibility then you’re done.

6. From a PR standpoint what has been the most difficult situation you have had to deal with.

Well, by the very nature of this question it would have to be some unfortunate incident. One of the tenants of PR is that you should never repeat negatives so I’m not going to recount my most difficult situation but suffice it to say we’ve been in a few tight spots over the years.

7. What is the most unusual request you have ever had …………..I mean from the press…………not personally

Well, we certainly get a lot of requests that are out of the ordinary. Some of those we accommodate: “Can you lower a lifeboat so I can get pictures?” We’ve done that on occasion. The one we haven’t: “Can I drive the boat?” Sorry, no one gets to drive the boat.

Personally, someone once asked me to play the role of a Bond girl; I vigorously objected and declined.

8. On line cruise chat rooms are growing every day. Why do you think they are so popular?

The boards give everyone a voice and a venue to express their opinion. They all get to be critics; just like those guys in the newspaper; they get to say exactly what they liked and didn’t like. But it’s really happening in every industry, not just the cruise world. It’s just another of many changes that the Internet has brought with it.

9. OK, to the fun stuff. If you had to handle PR for one person from history who would it be and why

James Bond. What do you mean why? Isn’t it obvious?

10. Back to the desert island for you…………….what would you take.

Are there actually islands in the desert?

What newspaper – Well whatever paper it was, it would be old news, so I guess I’d need something with really high-quality, soft paper that I could use it to. . . . well, you know.

What book – I never read the same book twice so it would have to be something I’ve not read. I’ll say THE NAVIGATOR, by Clive Cussler with Paul Kemprecos which seems to be making a steady climb up the New York Times bestseller list and should be fairly mindless, entertaining reading. Hopefully it’s printed on good quality paper too.

One CD — The Best of John Heald AKA, The Worst of John Heald

One Movie — Well I never watch the same movie twice either so it would have to be something I have not seen. I hear that Knocked Up is supposed to be pretty good.

11. Do you have any PR suggestions for me? Yes, but they are way too extensive to list in this space. We’ll do some media training the next time you are in Miami.

Thanks Tim. The Public Relations Department are a vital part of our continuing success and Tim and his staff are the BEST in the business and are some of the most fun people I have ever met. So. Thanks again Tim and we salute you, your department and Jennifer’s tights – remind me to tell you all that story one day.

Here are the answers to the last set of Anagrams

ATHENS, ACROPOLIS

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE

ISTANBUL

And, here are today’s

PILBUC LATENORIS

EGGROE MOLTANHI

PRESSME FO BRAINIT

And so, we start with a marathon Q & A session.

CAROL SCHOENBERGER – I can see you have been playing catch-up with all the blog thingies and your comments and notes are well taken as always. You asked about the library hours on the Carnival Freedom. The library is in my opinion too small and I wish we had a grand library like Cunard, however, we have a varied selection of books and a big collection of reference books specific to the ports of call we are calling at. The hours are varied but on a sea day it is open for three hours in the morning, two hours in the afternoon and one hour in the evening. On the trans-Atlantic crossing we have it open all day and I have a staff member walking around with a trolley stacked with games and playing cards. I hope this answers your question and please never apologize for not knowing something even after 11 cruises. I have been at sea for nearly 20 years and I only just discovered there’s a gym onboard. Congratulations, all three anagrams are correct. Hope all is well Carol and please write soon.
BIG ED – I saw your album today and it looks amazing. I will keep posting photos which I hope you enjoy. Next week, I have a very important conference call with Roger, Christine, Roberto etc in the office to discuss the future of the blog and to decide what should happen once I take a vacation. I will write about that in a few moments. I think Alan, you and I should rehearse a Spice Girls routine. Alan could be Ugly Spice, I could be Sperm of the Devil Spice and you could be…well…….Big Spice. All we need now is for you to sail on the bloggers cruise, which I am told, is nearly sold out and we can perform all together…..come on mate, the show must go on.
A CRUISE BY ANY OTHER NAME – I have to agree with you that a child as young as yours will have memories of vacations even at that age. I remember at the age of five going camping with our friends Norman and Doreen Smith and cooking in the middle of a field. It might not have been a cruise but I remember it like it was yesterday. Therefore, I truly hope you will think about bringing the whole family and as soon as 2009 scheduling is discussed for Europe I am sure PA 007 will be there using their high-tech listening device (a glass pressed up against a wall) and will advise me and I in turn you. I appreciate your kind words about “my enthusiasm” and I truly hope it will rub off on you and you will come and see just what the Carnival experience is all about. Thanks mate. Big Ed has asked about my thoughts on RCI’s Mega Ship which will carry 6,000 passengers. This may sound like sour grapes, it may even not be thoughts shared with Carnival as a company but as a sailor and as a cruise director, the Carnival generation of new ships are big enough for me. I am sure the amenities onboard will be varied however – 6,000 people, well the mind boggles. Personally, I do not think the industry is about who has the biggest (Alan and I used to play that game when were kids……….well…………..17) ship but who can offer the best value for money cruise…….is bigger always better…………you tell me. What a stupid question that is, asking that to someone called BIG ED. So, for now I am happy and to be honest, we still have lots to improve on in managing 3,400 guests without thinking about doubling that amount. What is everyone else’s though on this?
VICKI – Congratulations on sailing on the Holiday. You will love the ship and the crew who love the guests who board in Mobile that bring a special kind of fun onboard. Congratulations also on this being your 30th Carnival cruise; I hope it is the best.
LINDA HERNACKI – Linda, I promise you that I am not ignoring the question about if Heidi and I will be onboard for your cruise at the end of November. That is certainly the plan, however, I want to mention also that I will be working 10 straight months by then and I will also have to bear in mind who I am feeling. I want to be there for you as much as you want me to be here and I know regardless that you and Mike will have the time of your life. For now, see you in November
JO MYERLY – Did you book a Carnival Splendor South American cruise? If so, tell us which one. Hope to hear from you soon.
J – JOHN – 117 F in Arizona……….I can’t imagine how you live normal lives in that heat. I guess you are just used to it but I think Heidi and I will wait until it cools down to 90 before we visit. The no carb diet is going well, most of the time. I was a bit naughty at Harry’s in Venice and had some rice, it was delicious. It was very warm in there as well but I think the heat was emanating from a very tanned man sitting in the corner. I see that you don’t usually read BLOG stuff but the fact that you have taken the time to read mine makes me very happy………..thanks mate and go stick your head in the freezer and cool down a bit.
NANETTEALI – Beautiful words as always Nanette. How wonderful that you should take a family drive to the port of San Juan to see two of our ships docked there. Anyone associated with Carnival reading this I know will feel superb about hearing this……….it’s things like this that make us realize we are doing something right. I hope it is not too long before you walk up the gangway again and until then I will always be here for you. Buenos Nachos a grande hugo para U O.
NANCY LIEDEL – I am sure everyone feels the same Nancy and we must never let our normal day-to-day lives be affected by the people who would take away the name of this ship….Freedom. I hope you and your family are well and please keep reading the blog thingy.
BELLA – Welcome home and its sounds like you had a fantastic time on the Carnival Freedom. I have noted what you have said about seat saving in the theatre and I am now taking extra steps to enforce this by having extra staff patrol the lounge 30 minutes before and up until show time. My apologies that you encountered the one person who thought he was above the rules that we have in place. I am sorry that you felt that there were people who were treating others of different creeds and colors with contempt. I have to say I did not see this myself however I know it happens and happens everywhere……….even Princess cruise Lines I am sure. The only thing I can say is that in my humble opinion you should never let other people dictate what you choose to do. If you had a great cruise, then cruise again and don’t let one or two peoples beliefs influence what you want to do. Let’s discuss this further and therefore I hope to see you soon.
JENN – I am glad to hear you enjoyed the interview with Vicki Freed. She is a wonderful lady and of course as you said, travel agents are our lifeline so we are very lucky to have someone like Vicki who has built up such a wonderful relationship over the years with them all. This blog must always have a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly and if that means admitting my mistakes and sharing guests comments then so be it and it seems people like yourself appreciate it being so candid. Heidi and I send our best to you and please come and sail with us sometime.
CATMAMA 44 – Congratulations to you and of course your daughter in law on her engagement. I am CHUFFED (a local English word meaning very happy) to discover that after the wedding the happy couple will spend their Honeymoon on a Carnival ship. If you need help deciding which ship, of course I am here to help. Wow, you also seem very chuffed to hear about the Carnival Splendor’s South American cruises………..and well you should be as they sound so exciting. Which one are you interested in doing. Anyway, I am sure there are many busy weeks and months ahead preparing the wedding so once again, congratulations. Hope to hear from you soon.
FLCHELSEA – If you get your Mum to take a Greek cruise, I will dance Zorba The Greek with her. Welcome back and it is great to hear how much you enjoyed your Grand med cruise.
MARK TWAIN AND A HALF – There is nothing wrong with my cooking although I did once try and boil an egg in the microwave. Now, you asked about the debarkation system known as SELF ASSIST. This is available on most ships but depends on the permission from the local Customs Officials. This is where, instead of placing your bags outside of your cabin door, you carry all of them yourself the morning of debarkation. This is OK if you are physically able to do so and the cases have wheels on them and then you can go directly to your transportation. My advice, if you are in no rush, put your bags outside your door and let us do the carrying. However, if you are on a tight schedule and on a Caribbean Cruise, then use the self-assist program as usually those guests are allowed of the vessel first. I will outline my plans for the blog come vacation a little later. Hope that answers your questions and come over for some Tripe and Chips sometime. Thanks also for the link to the anagram site; I think I will keep doing this on my own though because it keeps my old brain ticking over. My best to you and your other half.
BRYAN – The answers you are missing are:
SAPPHIRE PRINCESS
NATKO NINCEVIC
Did you get today’s?
SUSAN AND RALPH – I am glad you enjoyed the Carnival Comfort Pillow and I will find out which one you had and get back to you on the next blog. I am also happy that unlike the guest and her quilt that you decided not to steal your pillow The beds and pillows are so comfortable and I am e-mailing the man responsible for bringing them onboard and will pass on his advice. Stand by……….and sleep well. Best to you both.
JUST HEARD YOU HAD THE DUCK DOWN PILLOW – hope this helps.
CARL HARMON – I think you are the first person to book BACK TO BACK TO BACK cruises on the Carnival Splendor and her South American Voyages. So, congratulations and as to your question if I will be the cruise director, I don’t know. This up to the office to decide but I am sure there is a great chance I may be. I am sure this will be one of the most amazing cruise vacations any of us will ever get to do and I will let you know any news on specifics as soon as I can. Best to you and Mrs. Bear.
IVANA – The interview with PA 007 is just around the corner and I can tell you, it’s dynamite with some more sparkling revelations. Don’t worry about the guests who were concerned about the lady who is wearing the Burka this cruise. I saw them again yesterday and they were very “happy” so I guess Mr. Budweiser had helped them have a good time and forget about their unfounded concerns. I will chat with you in a minute about the blog and its future. Glad you are enjoying the photos and I will keep adding as many as I can to each blog. Thanks for your support and please keep reading.
KEVIN – You are the first to offer readers a discount on anything………………did you hear that readers……………..10% discount at THE PICCOLO RESTAURANT ON LONG ISLAND……………just mention you are a blog reader………………..Thanks Mate. It seems you have the “sea in you ” and if you are serious about a life at sea then let me know and I will try and help you in anyway I can. How about listing some of your specials, I may never get to the restaurant myself but I am sure anyone from the New York area will be making their reservation now. I am off to look at your Aston photos and I thank you so much for all your kind offers. Let me know now, how I can help you mate.
DOUGNEWMANATSEA – Hello Doug. How are you? I was talking about you the other night with a colleague, were your ears burning? Thank you for your praise of PA 007 and yes the interview with him/her will debut on Monday’s blog……………AND IT IS WELL WORTH WAITING FOR. Thank you for your posting about the Carnival Victory and your lunch there, I shall read this after I have finished this blog and as for people who wouldn’t touch Carnival then all I can say is “don’t knock it until you have tried it.” Thank mate and when you finally do get to experience the FULL MONTY of a Carnival cruise I truly hope I am onboard. Always a pleasure and please write soon.
MARK CHAMBLISS – Depends will be available for the Bloggers Cruise, I think we will all need them. I actually have some news just in on AJ and I will share that with you in a moment. Then, as far as the Bloggers Cruise itself, we have a meeting (on the telephone) next week and we will be making sure that this is the best cruise ever. We do need to release some information on what we have planned so I will share this with everyone ASAP. I personally have some special “shows” planned for that cruise and I am very much looking forward to it as I hope all of you are. Thanks mate and watch this space.
KERSPLOTT – correct……A +
PAULMEDIK – Your words about Vicki Freed are right on the money and I hope you also enjoy the interview above with Tim. The guest blogs will keep coming and I hope therefore you will keep reading. Thank in advance and all the best from us both.
DEBRA HEHN – You are welcome
PA DUTCHMAN – So, you and the sisters have just booked the cruise, that’s brilliant news. I look forward to meeting you and Heidi looks forward to speaking Dutch with you. See you soon or as they say in Holland. Doooeeee.
DWA76 – How about Dad pays for your RCI cruise and then you pay for one on the Carnival Conquest. I think I know which one you will enjoy the most, what do you think?
LYLEBA – What a dreadful experience for your son and his fiancé in Maui……….I guess you are correct they should have taken a cruise. Of course, we still make mistakes here at Carnival, most of them are made by me, but I strongly believe that taking a cruise is simply the best vacation anyone can ever have……..I am biased naturally but having traveled a lot there is nothing to compare what cruise lines can offer. Heidi has told me that maybe a jacket will be needed for your trip to Amsterdam as the evenings can get a little on the cool side in September. You also asked about the formal nights on your 9/22 cruise. These will be on 9/24 and 10/01.
Thank you so much for all your kind words and I will see you in a few weeks.
PAUL F. PIETRANGELO – Mate, you could never bore me and as always your words are those of a sincere person whose feelings are truly expressed and for that, I say thank you. The guest interviews will keep coming and I have some excellent ones planned for next week’s blog thingies. I am going to keep the caricature I have decided, it means a lot that Anita gave it to me but maybe we can make some copies. Please keep writing and I also feel like I have known you for years even though we only meet over this electronic fence. Stay well and best from us both.
DORTHE CALIMBAS – You and I are having some pillow talk…….don’t tell Heidi.
The pillow you had is the duck down (poor duck) one and the one up from that is a little more expensive. Personally, I have the duck ones and find them fantastic although by the morning I have no pillows, no duvet thanks to Heidi and her Starfish impression every night. I will indeed be having some guest interviews from crewmembers onboard and they will start very soon. Let me know if you order the pillow and hope to hear from you soon.
MRS MTSFP – can I help?
THE JOHNSTON 4 – Let me get straight into answering your questions. Here we go.
1. The July 24 sailing is showing 430 under the age of 21 which will be a nice mixture and both you and the kids will have a brilliant time.
2. The Emerald Princess is also in with us in Venice as it was a few days ago but this will not make the Vaporettos extra busy. The time you have read about we had four big ships in port so all should be well.
3. Heathrow airport’s shops and restaurants will accept Euros so no need to change to pounds especially with the dollar being weaker than me seeing AJ in bikini.
4. You can book the Messina Beach Tour onboard as we will try and get more spaces.
Isn’t it a small world that there you were having dinner and the folks at the next table just took a cruise on the Carnival Freedom. You will be here soon and the fun is here waiting for you. Travel safe and see you soon.
ERIC R THAVER – No need to apologize, you have every right to be excited about the Fish ‘n Chips Restaurant………….you have to try the Beer Battered Cod and the Calamari………….mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
FREDDY BEACH – Is that really your name? Anyway, let’s get on with answering your questions. The Currency Exchange Desk will indeed cash Euro Travellers Cheques (spelled correctly) as well as U.S. Travellers Cheques (spelled correctly again) as well. The minimum is $50 or 50 euros but there is no maximum or amount of times you can cash them. All the restaurants and shops in the European Ports except Dubrovnik will accept these cheques and all take major credit cards. My advise bring a mixture of the above and remember that all the European ports except Dubrovnik will have ATM machines where you can use your card and its 4 digit personal number. Hope this helps and let me know if you need anything further. The book is certainly in the works and I hope to have more information on this soon.
See you in October.
CAPTAIN CHUCK – Sorry to hear about the illness in the family. Heidi and I are thinking about you tonight.
SOUTHERNDREAMS – Roscoe, please help her out, I think she will be in jail soon for abusing a leaf that refuses to grow. By the way, in reference to Bella’s posting and in all seriousness, what is a redneck?

OK, THAT’S ENOUGH FOR NOW.

I realize I am way behind in answering your questions and I promise to catch up over the weekend. I have 20 plus to answer from the It Takes All Sorts blog plus 50 from the When Harry Met Heidi Blog and I will do so very soon so please be patient with me.

Here are two letters from the “In Their Own Words ” section

BREAKING NEWS

I have just heard that we have made contact with AJ’S MANAGEMENT TEAM AND THIS IS WHAT THEY SAID…………

“we will let you know”

I can’t believe that we have made contact and you will never guess who got us where we are today………………..YEP………………PA 007……………he managed to track down her management team from his cubicle, put all the blogs on a disk and sent it to her Manager and they contacted me with that message……………So, AJ now knows that she is wanted as godmother of the Carnival Splendor and its thanks to all of you for your support ………..how could I ever have doubted her. Even if she says NO, at least we got to her and she knows my name…………….sigh………………..and of course thanks to a junior manager who once again has gone above and beyond…………thanks PA 007……….let’s see what happens……………..I am rejuvenated

So, what to do about the blog when I finally go on vacation. I have decided that it will be a mixture of me blogging from home and also a big bunch of guest bloggers who will help fill in the gaps. The only think is I may only have blog three times a week if that is OK. Carnival are going to provide me with a RaspBerry e mail thingy so I can stay in touch, etc., and this will help. My aim is to keep this blog going as long as I can or until people stop reading. Is this ok with you all or Y’all for Roscoe and other Southerners……………..please let me know. I am very proud of this blog, which by the way is …………………………NUMBER 100. yep, I have posted 100 blogs in just 4 months………….not bad, even if I do say so myself. Anyone volunteer to count how many words I have typed?

So, there is much to look forward to, including PA 007′s interview and other guest blogs. There will be more information on the Bloggers Cruise which if you have not already will have you rushing to book it.

In closing today, here is a quick note as to why my job is so wonderful and how lucky I am to do what I do.

Today, I hosted the Marriage Show and as always I had a lot of fun with the Honeymooners. After the show I was stopped by a couple who had been on stage with me. They are Kevin and Colleen Pedwoski. Kevin wanted to say thanks for making he and Colleen laugh so much and they owed me a lot…………………..why I asked…………….The answer…………………they had a huge argument over Kevin spending too much time in the casino, the argument was so bad that he had slept on deck the night before and they had spent the day in silence.

The fact that I had picked them and made them stars as well as making them laugh made them realize how much in love they really were.

That’s it……not a great story but a simple one that made me feel like a million dollars knowing I had made a difference. Hopefully they will not argue for the rest of the cruise…………………hopefully for the rest of their lives…………………..hopefully they will live together in peace and happiness……….who am I kidding their married……….wait until he leaves his underwear on the bathroom floor.

Off to bed

Goodnight

Your friends

John and Heidi

A big Venetian Hello to you or as they say in Italian……Bon Journo froma sunnya Venicea (say this in an Italian accent while moving your left hand up and down).

So far, the sun is shining and I still get nervous here because so far this season the weather here has always been unpredictable. We sailed in to Venice this afternoon and as usual it caused a stir for the guests onboard as well as the guests ashore who no matter who in awe of St. Marks Square and the area they are, they all come running over to the canal side to take photos of this magnificent lady of the sea entering port.

I was on the bridge as usual giving my usual commentary of what people are seeing and it always makes me feel very proud to see all the people ashore taking photos of the ship. I was looking at them through binoculars and saw two men at the Monaco Hotel terrace looking and pointing and getting quite excited. I think it was the first time they had ever seen a big cruise ship before.

I hope you have enjoyed the recent blogs. The photos seem very popular and I await your feedback on the interviews and the idea of maybe thinking about CZJ should AJ continue to be as elusive as a DoDo Bird (or is it a Doe Doe Bird?)……………anyway, you know what I mean and I need your advice.

I have met lots of bloggers this cruise and as always it makes a cruise that more special to actually meet people who have been writing to and reading the blog each and every day. One of them is HIJEAN (Jean Tessier) who is here celebrating her niece’s exam success in becoming an Occupational Therapist. She also wanted me to tell her sister that they are both fine and having a great time and to stop worrying! Oh, and they send their love.

This cruise again we have 60 pieces of missing luggage. Some but not all will be arriving today in Venice. We have done our best here to look after them all and last night I personally went to meet four guests from the same family who, out of 7 pieces they left with from New York, they have just one that arrived on the plane with them. Therefore, I personally walked them to the dining room as they only had jeans and shorts and made sure they were comfortable………….I hope all the luggage arrives as soon as possible.

Also, today, I fell in love. Now you may think I change my allegiance to quickly, and you may be right but as much as I love Aston Martin I have realized one will never be mine. I also realize that getting in and out may be a problem as well and as I don’t want to end up on the floor every time I get out I have decided to change. The other reason is I saw a Bentley GT Continental, the chosen car of the very tanned and famous……………..and wow, that’s the car for me. So, Mr. Bentley dealer, expect loads of free advertising in the weeks to come…………………

So, it’s me and AJ in a Bentley, that’s my dream for tonight………………………….except, I just looked in the rear view mirror and CZJ is sitting in the back seat!

Here are today’s photos for you.

1. Coves at Capri

2. Some nice Greek Asses

3.A Bentley Continental GT

4. St. Marks Square Today

5. My friend Alan Adkins – he is the one on the left

THE ANSWERS FOR YESTERDAY’S ANAGRAMS ARE

SAPPHIRE PRINCESS

CARNIVAL MIRACLE

NATKO NINCEVIC

HERE ARE TODAY’S

HASTEN CRAPSOLIO

LANDHOL CREAMIA NILE

BUSTNAIL

There now follows an interview with a great friend of mine Chris Prideaux. He is in charge of our Cruise Directors and Entertainment Program. Here are the answers to the questions that I put to him and they are preceded by a photo of Chris and his son Deacon.

1. Chris, tell us about your Career with Carnival from the beginning until where you are today.

I started with Carnival as a bass player in the show band in May 1991. My first ship was the MS Jubilee and my first cruise director was the famous (or infamous) Steve Cassel. Either way, he’s a great cruise director and a wonderful entertainer. Don’t miss him rippin’ on his fiddle in the XTreme Country! show on the MS Holiday. Anyway, within a few months of joining the company, I was asked to become the Musical Director for the ship. I accepted. Right about the time that I became a musical director, my future wife signed on as a dancer. It’s the typical shipboard love story, American musician meets a British dancer and the rest is, as they say, is history. In late 1994 I was offered a position shore side booking musicians for the Show band. The offer couldn’t have been timed better. We were getting married in June of 1995 and having a secure job on land fit into our plans perfectly. Once again, I accepted the offer and we moved from a 112 sq. ft. cabin on the MS Celebration to a luxurious 900 sq. ft. apartment in Miami. Oh the life. Through the years, I have worked with musicians for the Show bands and Lounge bands, I’ve booked and scheduled headline entertainers, and I’ve worked with cruise directors and their staff. Today, as the director of onboard entertainment I am responsible for our cruise directors and I oversee a staff of 11 hard-working people that together provide all of the personnel for our “fantastic” entertainment teams on board.
2. You are responsible for scheduling all the Cruise Directors. Can you tell us how many CD’s there are in the fleet and something about their demographics.

Carnival has 21 full-time and four acting cruise Directors whose nationalities are American, British, Canadian, and Australian. Combined, this group has over 250 years of cruise industry experience to share ensuring that our guests have the best cruise vacation in the world.

3. How do you think a Cruise Director can impact the guests’ cruise in a positive way.

The Cruise Director enables the FUN on the Fun Ships and can get the guests to forget their cares and truly immerse themselves in all that a Carnival Fun Ship vacation has to offer. Your Cruise Director is trustworthy, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent (well, maybe not all that stuff). In general, they’re good scouts whose primary goal is to make sure that everyone on board has a memorable cruising experience.

4. Let’s talk about the recruiting process for the entertainment staff. How do you employee the musicians, entertainment staff and theatre technicians and what advice would you pass on to anyone who may be thinking of a career within this field.

We employ people from all around the world. Several times a year we’ll have audition tours, which hit major cities in the USA, Canada, and the United Kingdom. We’ve expanded our scope recently and gone to Romania and South Africa to audition musicians for our Show bands and we regularly hire our lounge bands from the Philippines. If one is unable to audition live, we accept promotional material sent by mail or we can go to a web page to see what an entertainer can do. We also have a web site (http://www.carnivalentertainment.com/) which offers information about the positions that we have available and how to contact the Entertainment department.

As far as advice; Focus on what you want to do, prepare yourself thoroughly to do it, and when you think you’re ready to do it, JUST GO FOR IT!

Come on out to Carnival and have the time of your life. It’s FUN I tell ya’.

5. How many entertainment employees including dancers, singers, technicians and musicians etc does Carnival employee?

We currently have 1,263 extremely talented people whose passion is to provide our guests the finest entertainment they’ll find aboard any ship, anywhere.

6. Tell us about our fly on entertainers and what that means and what their life is like.

We have somewhere around 80 Fly-On entertainers who perform full-time on our ships. Their talents are varied; we have Comedians and vocalists, jugglers and sword swallowers, and the occasional illusionist or hypnotist thrown in for fun. No matter who is assigned to your cruise, you are going to see something that you like. Their title comes from the fact that we fly them in and out of the various ports that we call upon. As we only have two cabins assigned to the acts per ship, and sometimes as many as six acts performing per cruise, we need to “hot bunk” the beds. It goes something like this. Your first two entertainers will join the ship in Miami, do their shows and disembark in San Juan. The next two acts will join in San Juan, perform and then disembark in St. Maarten. The last two entertainers of your cruise will join in St. Maarten and leave with the guests when the ship returns to Miami. Their life involves a lot of travel. We all know how much fun flying can be these days and our acts are in and out of airports sometimes as many as four or five times a week. Imagine having to go through airport security that often, and don’t forget a pleasant visit with Customs and Immigration officials each time that they fly in or out of a port or get on or off a ship. Sound like fun? Once they have made it to the vessel, an act might have to perform that same evening that they arrive. Up at 4 am to get to the airport, arriving to the ship at 3 pm, rehearsal at 4 pm, dinner at 6 pm, and their first show will be at 7 pm, or 8:30 pm that night. It can be exhausting but they are pros giving it all that they’ve got to entertain our guests. My hats off to them.

7. What famous acts have you employed during your time with Carnival.
Over the years we have seen the likes of Michael Bolton, Shirley Jones, Charo, John Davidson, Ben Vereen, Alan King, George Wallace, Richard Jeni, and Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., perform on our stages.

8. Carnival has recently got involved with a new movie called Hairspray. What does this involve and what can guests look forward to onboard.

We’re holding a promotion for the month of July on all of our ships for the new blockbuster hit Hairspray. Look for Hairspray “Hairioke” in our Karaoke lounge, Hairspray-based activities (parties, bingo, trivia contests, etc.), Hairspray dance classes and Hairspray dance contests, and Hairspray look-alike contests. The studio has provided prizes (Movie tickets, t-shirts and tank tops, cameras, wigs, and movie posters) for us to award to some of the participants at our Hairspray events. If you’re cruising in July, join in the Hairspray FUN. The more the merrier.

9. One of the greatest additions to our program has been the Club O2 for 15 – 17 year olds. Please tell us what this program is all about and why everyone is singing its praises?

A few years ago we identified the need to provide the 15-17 age group with their own programming on board. We felt that they should have their own dedicated lounge (Club O2), their own Cruise Director (Club O2 Director) and activities and events which suited their interests, tastes, and needs. Through a partnership with Coca Cola we have developed this industry-leading program that has given our teens a place to meet, socialize, dance, and chill out. Our clubs are fitted with the latest in video gaming equipment and games in the game pod, a dance club playing the latest hits, a non-alcoholic bar serving Coca Cola products and fruit drinks, and comfortable areas to just hang. The teens in Club O2 are supervised by the Club O2 Director who is someone that the teens can identify with. A Club O2 Director is a fun, non-threatening older brother or sister type who can motivate and entertain the Club O2 teens making sure that they have a great cruise. Happy kids equal happy parents you know.

10. Finally, money is no object. Please hire one of each of the following for a Carnival ship. (stars can be alive or not).

This is a tough one. Our guests represent a very broad demographic and it’s difficult to choose entertainers who would be universally appealing one and all. If I could narrow it down to a particular itinerary or season, the question would be a little easier to answer but I guess that I’ll have to aim somewhere down the middle. I’ve made it a little more fun and added who I would like to see perform on a Carnival ship.

1. ONE MALE SINGER
Guests Elton John (he’s got so many great tunes)
Me Peter Gabriel

2. ONE FEMALE SINGER
Guests Tina Turner or maybe Madonna. (Definitely not Paris)
Me Joni Mitchell (Definitely not Paris)

3. ONE ROCK BAND
Guests The Beatles
Me Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention

4. ONE GUEST MALE SPEAKER
Guests Bill Gates
Me Neil Armstrong or Buzz Aldrin (I’m a bit of a spaceman)

5. ONE GUEST FEMALE SPEAKER
Guests Catherine Zeta-Jones (Definitely not Paris)
Me Joni Mitchell (Definitely not Paris)

6. ONE COMEDIAN
Guests Bill Cosby
Me George Carlin

7. ONE FAMOUS MOVIE STAR TO ACT AS CRUISE DIRECTOR.
Guests Catherine Zeta-Jones (Definitely not Paris)
Me Catherine Zeta-Jones (Definitely not Paris)

Thanks Chris, I am sure everyone thanks you for your time and also I thank you for your support of CZJ. If you have any comments for Chris please hang on to them for now and I will be arranging a Q & A later this month…………thanks again mate

Talking of Q & A…………here is today’s.

SCOTT – Hello Scott. Yes, the photos look brilliant now and thanks to Roberto and the team for their help with this. The news from PA 007 about the Carnival Splendor’s run was very exciting and I am sure there will be a few lucky people who will be able to sail from Florida, all the way around to California. Congrats on getting all the anagrams correct and your thanks for the hard work is so appreciated. Please keep reading.
MTSFPBLFTTNSFCF – I decided to give you your full title today. Thank you for the compliments that you paid to PA 007……….I am getting nervous now that their cover may be broken and M (his boss) will discover their true identity. If that happens, there will be an empty cubicle in the Miami offices. As for the mask, I was walking around Venice yesterday and I saw very few people smoking, even outside so hopefully your mask will not be needed unless you pop up to my cabin after I have had those pistachios. Hope you are both well and see you soon.
MARK GOECKE – Thank you for the encouraging words mate. Now, to answer your question about the typical provisions list for the Carnival Freedom, here are some facts and figures for you…………………note, this is for the entire ship, not just for me:)
During an average week on Carnival Freedom Guest will consume:

• - 2,200 pounds of prime rib
• - 4,500 pounds of chicken
• - 2,500 steaks
• - 15,000 pounds of shrimps
• - 1,000 pounds of lobster tail
• - 400 pounds of veal
• - 4,800 hamburgers
• - 2,200 hot dogs
• - 1,300 pounds of baby back ribs
• - 600 pounds of ham
• - 900 pounds of Salmon
• - 1000 pounds of pasta
• - 7000 pizzas
• - 3000 pounds of tomatoes
• - 6,700 pounds of potatoes
• - 5,300 heads of lettuce
• - 4320 bananas
• - 2,500 apples
• - 1,003 melons
• - 1,100 pineapples
• - 6,200 pounds of flour
• - 22,000 eggs
• - 36,000 slice of bacon
• - 12,900 slices of white bread
• - 20,000 Danish pastries
• - 900 gallons of milk
• - 1,000 pounds of coffee
• - 620 gallons of fruit juice

The Bars

• - 24,500 cans of soft drinks
• - 28,150 bottles/cans of beers
• - 1,420 bottles champagne
• - 3,502 bottles of wine
• - 4,000 liters of spirit

COLEEN O’LEARY – Please do not feel embarrassed to ask me for assistance. I have made the corrections to your Supper Club reservations and they are now confirmed as you requested. Don’t worry about the repeated questions, trust me, you know more about these things than I do. Let me know if you need any help because that is what I am here for.
BILL – ZYDECOCRUISER – Looks like the plot to explode car bombs was indeed thwarted in time. It also seems that the people were all doctors who were working in the U.K. What a mad, mad world we live in where the people who can cure you want to kill you. Thanks for your concern mate. As for the problem with reserving deck chairs, I have to admit we (like most lines) have yet to come up with a foolproof solution. However, I have now started to make announcements and also I mention live at the morning show on the big screen asking people not to do so. It has helped a little, however, it is a continuing problem. I do like the suggestion of a White Elephant Sale and I am sure if we did that we would have the world’s biggest collection of towels, beach bags and loads of flip flops, which seems to be the favorite thing to leave on the chairs. Suggestions are welcome. You asked about Harry Connick Jr and yes, he is on my wish list of star performers for the Carnival Splendor. As for Dover Sole, it’s always in season but due to fishing restrictions the sole decided to move to Holland where they can enjoy feeding on the local “plants” which makes them very Happy Soles especially David….Soul. A Soul was once swimming when it hit a wall and the Souls said…………..DAM? Thanks also for the photo links and I am sure all of us are very grateful. Thank again Bill and hope you are well.
LOVE TO TEACH – Can you tell me when your son’s birthday is and I will make sure that the decorations are up in your son’s cabin on time. You are correct that the Carnival Splendor does indeed have the most exciting itinerary. I know they are long cruises but hopefully some of you will find the time to experience these amazing ports. See you in a few days and leave me a note when you are onboard.
BRYAN – As a university student I realize that your money is being invested in your future and rightfully so and therefore a Carnival Splendor cruise is out of the question. However, you do ask about the 12-day carnival Splendor European Baltic cruise and what the ports of call are. Here then, as requested please enjoy looking at this;
Carnival Splendor’s inaugural season will kick off with a series of 12-day Northern Europe cruises operating round-trip from London (Dover) July 13 – Aug. 30, 2008. Ports of call include Copenhagen; Warnemunde (Germany); Helsinki; St. Petersburg; Tallin (Estonia); and Amsterdam.
The ship will also operate on a special one-time 12-day western Mediterranean cruise departing London (Dover) Sept. 11, 2008, calling at Le Havre (Paris), France; Vigo, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Malaga and Barcelona, Spain; Cannes, France; and Livorno, Italy.
There you go then and if you are interested and want to book and need advice before I will be happy to help you anyway I can. Now, get back to your studies.
JENN – My goodness, your question is a hard one to answer. For the sake of the readers I have stuck it here again so they understand.
Hi, John! How many little kids do you have on your European cruises? I’d like to book the July 13 Splendor, but am wondering if we bring the kids (who will be ages 8 and 3), or leave them with their grandparents. On one hand, hubby and I haven’t had a vacation alone since 1999; on the other hand, I’d miss them terribly for two weeks.
What do you think? I love the itinerary and would want to take it all in, which is probably a strike against the kids. Also, the Spa Suite is just screaming to me. Decisions, decisions…
Now, I can only answer this honestly and this is just my opinion. Yes, it would be great for you to have some time alone with your husband and I am sure you deserve it. However, if there is even a doubt (which there already seems to be) that you will not enjoy the cruise as much because you will miss them, then it is simple. BRING THE KIDS. Why?…………………….Two reasons, the first being that the kids will have a great time themselves. They will have a great kids program of fun and activities to enjoy and while I do not know yet how many other children will be onboard, I do know that there will be others for them to make friends with. Then, the second reason and the most important. If you have a chance to spend a vacation with family, take it. There is nothing more important than family time and it seems that the world we live in with all its gadgets for communicating that actual time together gets less and less each day………..bring them……………you will have time alone with your man…………and that will happen in the knowledge that the kids are having a wonderful and safe time and rather than being thousands of miles away, they will be one deck above you! Just my thoughts…..hope that they were of some help.
STACY – Seems like you and Big Ed are going to be fighting this spa contest out to the bitter end. I am trying to get some insight as to who is going to win and I should have some news soon. I see that you have a three-year-old who you state “likes to climb.” I was the same and I remember my Mum always shouting to me, “If you fall out of that tree and break your leg, don’t you come running to me.” I hope you win and if you do then we will look after the mountaineer while you enjoy the Spa. Good Luck…………………….and yes, to you too Big Ed.
EVE AND IAN – Thanks for saying how much you enjoy the blog and I appreciate the kind words. Here, as requested are the smoking areas on the Carnival Freedom.
Smoking is allowed only in:
THE CASINO
THE SPORTS BAR
THE 70′S DISCO
THE PIANO BAR
THE HABANA BAR (THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE WHERE CIGAR SMOKING IS ALLOWED)
Smoking is not allowed in:
ALL RESTARAUNTS AND DINING ROOMS
THE MAIN THEATRE
ALL LOUNGES ON PROMENADE DECK EXCEPT THE ONES LISTED ABOVE
GUEST ELEVATORS
ALL CORIDOORS AND LOBBYS
THE ATRIUM
THE PORT SIDE OF THE OPEN DECKS
There you go. I know smoking continues to be a “hot topic” and we will I am sure revisit this subject many times in the future. Hope this helps mate and thanks for your kind words.
KERSPLOTT – I had to stick on your comment because it made me smile and again assured me that writing this blog is the right thing to do. Here it is again:
Every time you laugh it is supposed to add an hour to your life so I am guessing that with reading your daily blogs I will live forever………
Thank you!
So, 91 days and counting to your Carnival Victory Cruise to Canada and 379 days to your Carnival Splendor cruise. Now, as you stated PA 007 throws in the new South American cruises as well and I see you are considering doing all 49 days…………If I am there I have a feeling we will be best friends by the time the ship gets into California. I do not know if I will be there, that’s up to Roger and Chris but if I am I think it will be the most fantastic of voyages.
Chris Prideaux will advise me as to who the cruise director will be on your September 2007 Carnival Victory cruise and I will let you know on the next blog. Cooking classes are on the way and should be added very soon and this again will be thanks to the great readers of this blog. The laughter will continue as requested and thank you again for all your support.
JIMNI – Thank you for the link to the cooking school, which I have passed to our shore excursion department. I can tell you that we have a very similar one nearly ready to go in Provence in France. I agree with you that cooking and eating sounds like a great tour…………..well, maybe without the cooking bit. I will let you know the details very soon. Meanwhile you can come to my house anytime, cook me a meal and I will eat it. Hope you are well and see you soon.
BARB AND CARL THE BEARS – The thanks for the information on the Carnival Splendor South American cruises should go to PA 007 who made sure, at the risk of their own job, that we all new before anyone else in the industry. If you are considering all three of the cruises then I think as said above that it will be the most amazing time together and I hope I am lucky enough to be there with you. Best to both Bears from Heidi and I.
JANFR WA – Yep, PA 007 has started the thoughts of BACK-TO-BACK-TO- BACK cruises. I am not sure if anyone is qualified to actually teach kids here onboard, however, if we do have kids on for the entire 49 days of the Florida to California cruise I really think that we need to have a look at holding educational days for the children and that is something that we will be looking at. Keep thinking about the BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK cruise and I am hear to help should you need it. By the way, think of this, if you do take the BACK-TO-BACK-TO BACK cruises then you will be able to have 49 warm chocolate puddings at dinner………….mmmmmm.
JENNIFER – By the time you have read this blog thingy the pricing for the Carnival Splendor should be ready either through your travel agent or through a Carnival vacation planner.
I was so sorry to read about your husband’s serious illness and I am sure I am joined by all the Bloggers when I say that we wish him continued good health and we all congratulate you in advance for your new arrival in December.
NANCY LIEDEL – Then, come to Italy. Operators at Carnival are standing by to take your call or give your agent a buzz. I am glad you like the photo but seeing it for real is something very special. Let me know if I can help.
PHIL – It is good to know that you are enjoying the blog so much and I hope you will continue to do so. You asked about the public health requirements and who deals with this. Onboard we have a whole team of managers and officers who are fully trained in the various and strict United States Public Health requirements. There are constant onboard training programs for all the crew that also include environmental training. We have a team also in the office in Miami and I will be slapping on a Q & A with one of the, Ian Smith who is the company and industry expert with regard to this subject. Look out for this shortly Phil.
LONGIN2CRUISE – I understand that you were skeptical about me after reading the praise I received on Cruise Critic but I am relived to hear that you felt that I exceeded your expectations. It is also wonderful news that you have booked the Carnival Splendor’s first Baltic cruise and I am as excited as you about this wonderful itinerary. Reservations can also now be made should you be interested in the South American cruises in 2009. There is so much to look forward to.
KATHY KROLL – It is quietly satisfying that I am able to get information out to you before anyone else knows about it. This is of course thanks to PA 007 who is risking their job each and every time they calndesnt……clandesina……….cladistena………………..secretly obtain the information that is supposed to be classified. This was shown when you spoke to someone at Carnival and they had no idea about what was happening with The Carnival Splendor and her visit to South America……….I am sure I am upsetting some people by putting information out before it should be made available but so far I am managing to dodge the bullets. Thank you for your continued support of the blog and my best top Paul.
LISA AND ELAINE – Hello to you both. In answer to your “Will PA 007 be on the Bloggers cruise?” The answer is “YES.” However, you won’t know who they will be. I am saving up my own money to pay for PA 0007 to come and sail as it is the least I can do. PA 007 has only ever sailed on a three-day cruise and cannot afford to jet around the world taking cruises so I am going to reward PA with a seven-day trip. I will be talking more about PA 007 later in this blog thingy.
The situation in the U.K. and the various terror threats did not change anything here. We are already at a very high state of security and as the safety of the guests is and always will be our number one priority.
I hope that you both are enjoying reading the blog and as always, I remain at your service.
PAUL F. PIETRANGELO – Hello mate and as always I have a smile on my face when I type in your name. Let me start today by saying that I am happy to hear you enjoyed the interview with Steve Williams our medical director. These guest blogs continue to be popular I see so I in turn will continue slapping them on the blog. You asked about the Carnival Splendor’s trans-Atlantic cruise, so here is the itinerary for the 16-day voyage.
Ports of call include Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Malaga, Spain; Funchal (Madeira), Portugal; and St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles.Sounds great and of course there are the five straight sea days in which to relax after the ports of call.
Now, you ask “WHO IS BIG ED?” and I can only tell you what I know. He has been here from the beginning; I don’t mean from the beginning of time, I mean the beginning of the blog. He has started his own web site on which he posts all the photos I slap on and he hates sitting in a booth in the dining room. I know he and my mate Alan have a lot in common and that his wife hates flying (Mrs. Big Ed). For more information I will have to ask the man himself and maybe we should have a BIG ED Q & A one day.
I hope you are feeling well Sir and as always I thank you for everything you write and Heidi sends her best to you and is happy to hear you are enjoying the photos.
LISA BISTI – Today we are in Venice and the temperature is just 84 degrees. You are correct though that Greece was very, very hot and hopefully things will cool down by the time we get there next voyage. I will see you in three weeks and will keep you informed as to the weather.
SOUTHERNDREAMS – No gifts needed, it was a pleasure to give you a mention. We did have a wonderful dinner and I will have a chat about that with you in a moment. Seeing two leaves fall of a tree must have been the most amazing experience and the only thing that may top that would be a cruise. Give my best to his Highness and write soon.
LEASA – Hello and thanks for your posting here. No need to apologize for not writing earlier as I know it’s hard during the workday to find the time to read this blog. Heidi and I had a wonderful dinner and I can tell you that the cruise director for your Carnival Liberty cruise will be chosen in a few weeks time and I will make sure I tell you immediately.
You really have to go to the Supper Club, it is without doubt one of the most fantastic additions to the Carnival product and not to go there is like visiting Egypt and not seeing the Eiffel Tower….sorry, I mean the Pyramids. Seriously, it is truly outstanding and for just $30!
Thank for the hug and one is returned to you forthwith.
KIM NOTTINGHAM – I share your pain. Looks like you have a busy cruising season and I am here to help you decide and sorry for causing you pain as you decide which of the new itineraries you decide to take…………………..you could take them all………..then you will feel no pain.
JO MYERLY – I have never heard of people sending luggage ahead of time via FED EX. That’s a new one on me. I guess it is possible to do this but I would not know where you would send it. I just checked with the port and they will not accept luggage this way for security reasons. Do any other bloggers know about doing this?
I can tell you that we have 7,000 pieces of luggage each cruise on the vessel and the average lost luggage list is between 40 and 80 pieces. I really do not what else to say Jo except I hope that yours arrives safely and I will continue to check into what else can be done. I will get back to you soon.
FAITH – Yes, he was. Welcome home Faith and I hope you and your husband had a great cruise. What was your favorite port? I hope you enjoy reading the blog and hopefully it will keep you going until your next cruise.
VIKKI AND MATT – No pressure. Just pick a cruise for us. Well, for me, out of the three cruises the Carnival Splendor will take during its repositioning to California, I would probably take the second. I have always wanted to go to Brazil and this will hopefully give me a chance to so. I think they will all have their special flavor so choose carefully, maybe you should do all three! Hope you are both well and let me know what you decide to do.
BIG ED – It’s a deal. If I can get enough people interested I will indeed make one of the Carnival Splendor cruises a bloggers reunion cruise. Which one do you suggest? Thanks for helping me answer Paul’s question as it seems you are a wanted man……………and not just by my friend Alan.
Hello Mrs. Big Ed – hope you are well and please think again about the January 2008 cruise, I need my Hardy!

That end’s today’s Q & A…………..more later tonight.

Here is some extraordinary news from PA 007 regarding the goodbye to the Queen Elizabeth II season……………..here is PA’s BREAKING NEWS.

Just heard the 4 farewell to QE2 cruises sold out in 36hrs. In Australia they had to get up at 2am to book it and 300 got confirmed. The waitlist on the last cruise is already at 1,500…..amazing.

PA007

So, there you go, it looks like a so many people want to say goodbye to the Queen Elizabeth II. I think out of respect and forever we should refer to the Cunard ships in full. Therefore, let it go forth that the ships will now be called as so required by Royal proclamation…………….QUEEN ELIZABETH II, QUEEN MARY 2 AND SHORTLY THE QUEEN VICTORIA………………I would hate for her to be called the QV……….so, lets start the trend here and others will follow.

And now, here is the latest in the new section “IN THEIR OWN WORDS” and today it is a letter from Kim Algero

Its very late here, 1:55 am in fact. Heidi and I just returned from dinner ashore with some wonderful friends. We went to Harry’s Bar, probably the most famous restaurant and bar in the whole of Venice. It is small, slightly cramped but, the moment you walk in you are hit by some invisible magic that makes you forget how small the place is and that is replaced by a feeling that you are somewhere special.

Now, the food, Heidi had the Shrimp Risotto with Zucchini and I had a traditional Italian dish………….Curried Chicken……………..and it was……………HISTORIC.

It really was outstanding and if you go, this is one of the many things I would recommend. The other of course is the Bellini which Heidi said was outstanding and of course you must have if you go there. My friend also had something called a Scallponi, or Scollopani or a Sculapenny or a Stropiardi or a Stromboli or a Strombowlani………anyway, it’s a famous desert drink that’s made out of Vodka and ……………..something. Anyway, go to Harry’s, tell them you are on a Carnival Cruise Line Ship, even if you are not and they will welcome you with open arms. It is an incomparable experience and I highly recommend this special place for drinks or dinner.

After dinner we took a stroll to St. Marks Square pausing only to squat away the annoying little sods selling roses who appear out of nowhere attempting to sell you flowers that look like they could do with a Bellini themselves. I know they are just trying to make a living but there was one tonight who would not take no for an answer, and if he hadn’t left when he did I would have used his bottom as a vase. The friends we were with are sailing on the Emerald Princess, which was in Venice with us.

Heidi and I enjoyed their company so very much and we had lots of laughs especially when after drinking a Frangelico our friend said she saw a man with three legs …………..strong stuff that Frangelico.

Oh, one last thing. Eating at Harry’s was brilliant and I would have no fear in saying it was the best food I have eaten in Venice. The only problem……….you may have to mortgage your house and sell the kids for medical experiments to afford it……….cheap it is not……………..

There are always stars at Harry’s and indeed I am sure I saw a very tanned George Hamilton sitting at a corner table with two stunning ladies next to him and I guess what was his big brute of a bodyguard.

The best part of the night though……………………………………I DIDN’T PAY!

2:34AM

Time for bed

Goodnight

Your Friends

John and Heidi

As we sail form Civitavecchia, I wish you all a very good evening.

One cruise finishes and another starts today with 3,409 guests including 700 under the age of 18, our largest number of children so far. I am writing tonight’s blog as I listen to the news about the two car bombs that were discovered before exploding in the heart of London and now tonight two lunatics have driven a car into the terminal at Glasgow Airport in Scotland and tried to explode the vehicle. I have no reason to discuss or comment about this on the blog however, it would be amiss of me if I did not spare a thought for the UK and my fellow countrymen.

OK, let’s get back to normal and let me start by telling you that I am writing this blog before I read any comments slapped on by all of you regarding the blog which broke the news of the Carnival Splendor’s South American cruises. I am being questioned by many at Carnival as to whom my PA 007 is but I can never reveal his/her identity as it would mean opening a huge tin of trouble for PA 007 from M and the other Carnival bosses. However, let us all say thank you to PA 007 for risking their job to provide me with this information.

We just finished boat drill and now guests are eating dinner, dancing to the brilliant live music, watching tonight’s Big Screen Movie “Night At The Museum” or more than likely and even though it is only 9:05 pm ………..many are in bed.

Time for the answers to yesterday’s anagrams…………..they were too easy.

STARBOARD SIDE
SUPPER CLUB
ALAN ADKINS IS UGLY

Here are today’s………….by the way is anyone actually doing these as they take ages to think up?

ARSEHIPP CIRPSENS
LAVINARC EARMILC
TANOK VICECINN

I hope you are enjoying the guest interviews and here is another very special one. The lady I am about to introduce is respected and loved, yes, loved by a very discriminating breed of people, travel agents. She is Carnival’s senior vice president of sales and marketing the one and only Mrs. Vicki Freed.

1. Vicki, please can you tell us something about your career in the cruise industry from the beginning to where you are today. I have been blessed to have worked for Carnival Cruise Lines for 29 years. As you can tell, Carnival grabbed me back before the labor industry had child labor laws in place Actually, I started right out of college as a sales representative for Carnival Cruise Lines in the Southern California area. After several years as a sales rep, a new position was created – director of sales, western region. It became my responsibility to oversea all the Western states and the sales team which serviced them. Then, in 1993 — when Bob Dickinson was promoted to president — I was asked to move to Miami to take over his role as senior V.P. sales and marketing.

2. Vicki, can you tell us what your job as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing involves and what your main responsibilities cover. There are many facets to my job, but my everyday focus is the “view from the guest.” I want our guest experience to be the best in the travel industry. Our goal is to treat people with respect and offer all of our guests a vacation experience they will enjoy and remember throughout their lives. As you know John, there are many “magic” moments that take place on board a Carnival ship. When people recall their vacation experience, those special moments come to mind. John, you and your incredible staff really make my job easy because you make the guest experience come to life. You and your team make it easy for us to fulfill our vision statement. We know that when people buy a Carnival Cruise, it is not only their money they are spending but their precious time. At the end of the day, we need to do more than meet our guest expectations, we need to exceed them.

3. You are (and stop blushing) one of the most popular people in the industry especially with travel agents. Can you tell us about Carnival’s relationship with travel agents and why they are so important to you and to Carnival? Travel agents have been instrumental in making Carnival the most successful and popular cruise line in the world. Today, more then ever, the role of the travel agent is vital because of the crazy and hectic lifestyles so many of us have. Their expert knowledge and experience save the consumer time and energy. There is no replacement for a professional travel agent.

4. I understand you are writing your own blog directed specifically towards travel agents. What can you tell us about it? First of all, I’ve had a great time doing it. I’ve heard from a lot of old friends in the business. Second, and more importantly, it helps us to maintain a close relationship with our primary distribution system. We do not reside in an “ivory tower” and this blog is a fantastic way to touch our valued travel agent partners. Of course, we still use old fashion methods of communication such as personal visits and phone calls to our travel agents. Here is a link to the blog at http://vickilovestravelagents.com/

5. I am asked a lot on the blog thingy about the Platinum Rewards card that is so popular with our guests. Please can you discuss the benefits of this card and is there anything new in the future we can look for. The Platinum Rewards card is one thing no cruiser should be without. Once you reach your tenth sailing, you’re entitled to a whole series of exclusive events including: Priority embarkation and debarkation, personalized stationery, guaranteed dining times and supper club reservations, Spa Carnival priority reservations, Complimentary wash and fold laundry service and much more. We even have a gold Program that guests are eligible for after only two sailings. You can visit http://www.carnival.com/CMS/static_templates/concierge.aspx for details on both programs. We are working on a few ideas for future programs. Don’t worry John, you’ll be the first to know.

6. Repeat guests are so important to us. Can you tell us some facts and figures about repeat passengers? About 50 percent of our guests are, in fact, repeat and experienced cruisers. The saw what a “Fun Ship” cruise is all about and they know that is what a vacation should be. We are extremely grateful for their repeat business and are always looking for new ways to show it. The Carnival Concierge Club is a good example of that. And, we make it a point to feature great rates and special promotions that are exclusively for our past guests. But, what is equally gratifying to us is the number of experienced cruisers – who have sailed with other brands — who are trying Carnival for the first time. It shows us that people are talking about the fact that our product keeps getting better. Word of mouth from our past guests is playing a big role in attracting experienced cruise guests to try the Carnival brand.

7. How important is the Internet to Carnival with regard to Marketing and Sales. Carnival.com is a fantastic resource for both prospects and guests alike. Virtually anything they are looking for about Carnival is just a few clicks away. We’ve worked very hard to develop an immersive online experience where guests can experience our brand and see the scope of our product. Whether it’s images, video or virtual tours, Carnival.com is more than informative, it’s interactive. John, be sure to look out for new and exciting internet endeavors coming real soon.

8. During your many years with Carnival, what has been the one biggest change within the industry that has impacted your job? An easier question to answer would be “What hasn’t changed?” But, at the end of the day, brand strength and guest satisfaction have always been a constant. The means in which we market and sell cruises may be different, but the mission remains the same. We are here to provide fabulous cruise vacations that everyone can afford. From expanded dining and entertainment options, to new itineraries and ships, we’ve continued to raise the bar while remaining one of the best values in the business.

9. Please let us know a few of your favorite things

Favorite Ship The ships are almost like children to me. And while I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite, I do have soft spot for the Carnival Legend. That’s because two out of my six annual Christmas group cruises were on this beautiful ship. This year, though, we’re sailing on the nine-day Carnival Miracle cruise departing December 24 out of Port Everglades. Who knows, maybe the Miracle will become my new favorite ship? Christmas and miracles do go hand-in-hand. I’m very excited about this – our 6^th annual cruise — because we’ll have over 150 family and friends on board. What makes it so special is we bring along family, friends from college, from all over really. The great thing about it is I don’t have to worry about anyone not having fun. Our “Fun Ships” have something everyone will like, no matter what your idea of fun is.

Favorite Port Believe it or not John, the ships themselves are some of my favorite destinations. And, of course, anywhere that involves shopping. J Actually, we love Belize because of the cave tubing excursion that we did as a family. Barcelona was another unforgettable port. We toured around as a family on bikes and got a real feel for what an amazing city it actually is.

Favorite Movie As you know John, I’m a romantic at heart. That being said, here are a few of my favorites: Serendipity, Sleepless in Seattle, Notting Hill, Love Actually, The American President

Favorite Band/Singer/Style of Music Barbra Streisand and Harry Connick Jr.

Favorite Cruise Director Hmmm, let me think. JOHN

10. As you know we are trying via the blog to have Angelina Jolie be the Godmother of the Carnival Splendor. What do you think of this idea and if she says NO, please choose someone from this list to replace her.

PARIS HILTON
DAME EDNA EVERAGE
HILARY CLINTON
OPRAH WINFREY – Yes.

Thank you Vicki and I’m sure some of you may have follow up questions and if you do hold onto them and we will arrange a special Q and A session with Vicki very soon.

Time for me to blister my fingers with tonight’s Q & A.

DAVE MYERLY – Congratulations on 42 years of marriage mate, Heidi and I should be so lucky. I see you will be with me in August and I have a feeling the temperatures will be pretty high if last weeks Greece/Turkey cruise is anything to go by. You mentioned the Web Cams and the fact that you want them updated more often. I assure this will happen and it is being worked on as we speak by Roger and his team so just like the photos we will fix this ASAP.
I am sorry that the photos took so long to fix. No excuses here except that the popularity of this blog took me by surprise and I really had no idea what I was doing – I still don’t. Roberto however does and he and Frank are working on new ideas each and every day that will eventually make this humble blog the best in the world……well………..the best at sea. Heidi will be writing a new blog tomorrow and she is very happy to be called a blond bombshell. I look forward to seeing you in August and maybe you and Jo can tell Heidi and I the secret to 42 years of marital bliss.
PAUL F. PIETRANGELO – Typing your name I feel like I have known you for years even though we have never met. You asked about the Russian man who wanted to be closer to me and if it was my after-shave. I have no idea if Old Spice is popular in Moscow but it certainly brought out his wild side. Now, as for the caricature. This was given to me by Anita Dunham Potter and I would need her permission to auction this off as someone suggested and give the money to one of the orphanages we support. Anita, what do you think? I can make copies as well and Roberto is going to help me with this. I have a feeling that the caricature is the closet I will every get to AJ as she is being pretty elusive. Also, I received a magazine from a blogger from the UK called Bill………Thanks Bill, I am very grateful. As I was saying, on the front page is a photo of AJ and she has had her lips pierced and she looks like Brad attacked her with a stapler! What should I do, I am finding myself thinking more and more about Catherine Zeta Jones. I have no more an idea of how to reach her than I do AJ ………….I am so confused. Heidi sends her best Paul and also we both say hello to your son and your future daughter in law.
CAPTAIN CHUCK – As I said in yesterday’s blog thingy I would also be thinking that some of these stories are made up but I assure you they are all true and can only happen in real life. There are many days that are normal and uneventful but as you have seen there are days when the cruise ship characters come to life. You asked about paying to upgrade your cabin that you won during bingo, who’s a lucky captain then. Please send me your sailing date and full names with booking number and I will see what I can do mate…sorry, shouldn’t call you mate……….I meant, Captain. I wish my dreams were the same as a Benny Hill sketch but believe it or not they tend to be about the blog and Big Ed, My Mate Alan and a large bowl of whipped cream. I need help.
SUSAN B – Let’s start with the bit where I say “never worry about asking questions or my fingers” it is why I am doing this blog — to help people. You asked about tender ports on the Bloggers Cruise and the answer is we have just one – Grand Cayman and it is a very quick system indeed. The T-Shirts will be ready soon to buy and the special addition Bloggers Cruise Shirts will be a gift to each guest along with loads of other goodies. Hope this answers your questions and I hope you send me some more soon.
PA DUTCHMAN - How funny that you should ask and I just talked a little about it as above. I can also tell you that we will have special guest stars from the press who will discuss their blogs and Internet reporting. I have also finalized some of the gifts that everyone will get and I want most of them to be a surprise. More will follow soon I promise….are you a PA?………….are you Dutch?
LYNN – Thank to you and please contact me as soon as you come onboard.
GARY – I am happy to hear that you will keep what you know to yourself as 410,000 readers would revel in what you could tell them. Maybe we should do a reunion, Carl, Barry, Tim, Andrew, Alan, etc……………what do you think. I am not sure we could get Sid Kneller to come though. I saw your website and it looks great, congratulations. Send my best to the family and FAV.
DWA76 – Glad you are enjoying the blogs so much. You asked about cruising out of Galveston. I see that you are considering a Royal Caribbean cruise and I would never dream of trying to talk you out of sailing on the Rhapsody of the Seas……..OK…that was a lie……don’t sail on her….come and have some fun. You have two choices.
Carnival Ecstasy
Offers four- and five-day cruises to locations along the Mexican coast and the Western Caribbean.
Carnival Conquest
Sails year round every Sunday offering 7-day cruises on to various ports in the Western Caribbean including Montego Bay, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and Cozumel, Mexico.
What can I do to talk you into taking one of these cruises….why should you…….simple……you will have more fun. Bombard me with questions and let’s chat. Thanks mate.
MARIJ………………Here is Heidi to speak Dutch .. dooooooooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiii..
Hallo Marij. Heidi hier. Niet lang meer voordat jullie aan boord komen nu. Je moet helaas heeeeeel lang op de foto wachten, sommige dingen moeten we helaas voor onszelf houden. Ha ha! Voor de trip in Rhodos wil ik je graag een tip geven, zorg er alsjeblieft voor dat jullie op tijd terug worden gebracht naar de pier en neem een Carnival Caper mee waar een telefoon nummer opstaat in geval van nood. Je weet maar nooit.
Tot gauw.
Heidi
A CRUISE BY ANY OTHER NAME – It sounds like you have had quite a varied selection of cruises but now, it’s my turn to meet you and the family. Have you considered the Carnival Freedom or the Carnival Splendor in 2009? If so, please allow me to be your guide and try and help you decide what to do. How long did it take you to read all 96 blogs at once? I send my best to you and the family and I truly hope you try the Carnival brand soon……….you will not be disappointed.
BONNIE AND PRINCE CHARLIE – Hello Bonnie and here are the answers to your questions.
1. You asked how much a nice ass costs to get you to the top of Lindos in Rhodes. This is not included in the price of the tour however you can pay an extra 10 euros once you are there. You can get a big ass or a small ass, Heidi had an ass called Bella which means beautiful…it’s the first time she has ever had a beautiful……………never mind. Best to you, the Prince and the leaves.
VICKI – What great news. Congratulations on booking the Holiday, she may be our oldest ship but she has the most character and the fun will be never ending. The cruise director will be Steve Cassel who is from California. Steve is a juggler and a violin player and is part of the country show along with the dancers and if you get to meet him I would ask that you pass on my kind regards. So, sit back now, relax and September will be here before you know it. Keep reading the blog and I will be here should you need any advice.
JTODDINMAN – So, you met two of my great friends Rocco and Vincenzo. Well, Rocco is the perfect example about promotions from within. Rocco and I started on the same ship and in the same year and we have been life long friends. Rocco started as a Fire Patrol Officer. He then was promoted to a Cadet Bridge Officer and now he is Captain of the Carnival Conquest. He is a lot of fun and although we see little of each other we have stayed great friends. As for Vincenzo, he is one of a kind. The Bosun, or first mate works closely with the ship’s command and is responsible for the maintenance of the outside of the ship, the rope decks, lifeboats and so much more. The Bosun has a big team of deck hands and usually you find that they have been at sea all their lives. Vincenzo is a firm favorite with everyone and I have worked with him many times on new ship deliveries. What a voice he has and he loves nothing more than coming on stage and performing for the guests. How lucky that you have met them both. There are many success stories about people who have started in position onboard and end up doing another……….and I will share more with you soon. Great to hear from you as always.
LYLEBA – Thank you for sharing the Houston chronicle article written by Harry Shattuck, it was a fantastic article and I thank Harry so very much for the kind words. Harry, if you are reading this I want you to know how honored I am that you took the time to write it………thanks mate. You asked about a shuttle service to Rome. We do indeed offer such a service, the tour is called ROME ON YOUR OWN………great name eh. Basically, the bus will take you with a guide and for about 30 minutes around Rome to show you were everything is. They will then provide you with a map and then you are, as the tour says, on your own for the next 9 hours. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for you and I look forward to seeing you.
BOB HICKLY – Indeed, as you said, great minds think a like, however, the Noel Coward quote I referred to is the only one I know. The book is really a great idea and I am working with Christine and others in the office to get this accomplished. You are the first person also to tell me it’s OK to have thoughts about Catherine Zeta Jones and therefore I feel a little better. I still go weak at the knees when I think about AJ but suddenly, something has started to happen and as AJ continues to be my wanted woman, Catherine is getting me all of a dither.
I shall expect more therapy from you again very soon mate.
SHERRIFF ROSCOE P COLTRANE – Flash, that’s right. Thanks Sherriff and now, what was the name of the police officer?
HEIDI – BETH – Thank you for the beautiful words that once again you have found the time to write. I am sure you and Kevin are getting excited as your cruise is not that far away. I hope you and Kevin are well and your comments about Shelly were truly kind. I hope you keep reading the blog and slapping on your thoughts.
KEVIN – So, you are a chef at what sounds like a very exclusive restaurant. Feel free to give it a plug sometime and maybe a 1% discount to my PA 007 should they ever be in the Big Apple, a small reward for helping out with the breaking news. PA 007 earns an average salary and will even help with the washing up. So, you have a bit of a thing for (CAZ – SHE WILL NOW BE OFFICIALLY KNOWN AS THIS) do you…….I can understand why. It’s not that I don’t think AJ would be a great Godmother, of course I do, it’s just proving impossible to get to her and I have to start thinking about another choice in case someone at Carnival decides that as we can’t get AJ that they decide to choose someone with ………ummm……………well let’s just say someone who doesn’t light my fire. You are so lucky to drive an Aston. I looked into hiring one the other day for the two months I will be home and let’s just say I maybe could have offered to hire one wheel. Oh, well a boy can dream. If though, you do become a chef onboard I will take over as chef at your restaurant and drive your Aston, although. I don’t think you will have many stars left when you get back as Mr. Michelin doesn’t award culinary stars for Baked Beans on Toast.
So, let’s advertise your restaurant and would love a photo of the Aston.
NANCY LIEDEL – Glad you like the photos and the new layout, thanks to Roberto. We had 56 people miss the vessel again tonight and they will join us in Naples tomorrow. This is due once again to flight delays and cancellations. Hope you are enjoying the blog and more beautiful photos of the ship and ports will follow. All the best Nancy.
NANETTEALI – .Grasyarse para el Cruiseo Critico Articalyo……Meo bino mucho famoso…….buenos sombreo amego. I don’t ask for canolis usually and when I do I just have a nibble of one……the rest are shared amongst guests and crew. The most I have ever received is 67. I am going to ask for an Aston Martin this time:)
KAREN TESSIER – Thank you for your tour suggestions Karen. You will be happy to know that we offer varied Wine Tours in Barcelona, Messina, Dubrovnik, Tuscany and Cannes. The one you have chosen with the Pisa visit is particularly brilliant and I know it will be one of the many highlights of the cruise. See you in a few weeks and please let me know if you need any other assistance.
GORDON – It’s great to hear from you and I am happy to know that you have been enjoying the blog thingy so much. I do try and find a balance between important facts and information and fun as well as bringing you the good and the bad days from my life at sea. I am thinking of new things to add all the time and wonder what this blog will look like by the end of the year.
You mentioned how popular cooking shows are on TV in the U.S. and it is the same in the U.K. as well. It seems that these days the only thing on tele (as we Brits call it) are reality TV shows and cooking shows. Heidi loves a chef called Gordon Ramsey and it is one of her dreams to eat in his restaurant at a five-star hotel in London called Claridges…..maybe one day I can pull up outside in my Aston Martin, escort my beautiful lady to the table, Gordon Ramsey himself will cook a special meal for us and I can sit and look at the gorgeous lady in front of me and realize I forgot to call Heidi to tell her AJ and I were having a great time…….I nearly wrote CZT then, dam, I can’t get her out of my mind. Anyway, we are seriously looking at a cooking class for Europe however I don’t think there will be a chance for one on the Carnival Liberty when you sail but hopefully, next year, when you decide to sail in Europe you will have a chance to experience Italian for yourself. However, how hard can it be to cook Pasta? Just throw a load in water, when the water starts bubbling it’s done. Put the pasta on a plate, pour loads of ketchup over it and watch football. Cheers Kevin, write soon mate.
BIG ED – Indeed mate, you are my sidekick, of that there is no doubt and with Alan (who by the way can’t wait to meet you ) along for the ride as well the Bloggers Cruise will be something special. You hit the nail on the head when you asked if I was surprised that the Blog had gone over 400,000 hits in four months…………….well indeed I am. Honestly, I intended to stop on May 1. That had been the date that I and the folks in Miami had talked about but now, there is no way I can stop as I know that so many people would be disappointed. The big question that needs to be answered next is what do I do with this blog when I take two months off in November? Do I pass it over to someone else or do I blog from home………..BLOGGERS, WHAT DO YOU THINK. Maybe, I have to get one of those Blue Berry Things. Any movement from Mrs. Big Ed? I mean……..on the Bloggers Cruise……..not……….movement induced by her love of prune juice.
Ed, you are indeed a very special person and I thank you for your continued support and friendship.
MRS. MATS – Wow, I think that is the most I have ever seen you or Mr MTSFPBLFTTNSFCF write. If I had any doubts that cooking tours were something we should add they have been dispelled by your exuberant posting. We are currently working on adding cooking tours in Italy and France and also maybe one or two Caribbean destinations as well. I also expect that my pasta dish that I mentioned above will also become universally popular. I loved your reference to the yacht cruise. I think you are referring to The Americas Cup tour in St. Maarten. This is where the retired boats used in previous competitions are used to race each other in the stunning waters around the Dutch side of the island. The passengers act as crew and are responsible for pushing up the sail thing and winding in the Spinach sail or whatever it’s called. The real race is being run now in Spain and I understand from Heidi’s gossip magazines that Catherine Zeta Jones is there and was photographed with a very sun tanned mystery man on her arm as they danced the night away…………………lucky git. Anyway, back to cooking. I am going to make this my new project and of course it will be done in a smoke free environment. Thanks as always and I will let you know when we get this going.
GIRLDOC – OK, another vote for cooking classes ashore…………….watch this space Doc……………do doc’s have a favorite food? A guy walks into a doctor’s office and says “Please help me. In the morning I dream of being a Wigwam and in the evening I dream of being a Marquee.” The Doctor says………….”Sir, you are two tense”
COLEEN O ‘LEARY – Being confused is a normal symptom common among tourists Therefore let me ease your trouble and strife. You asked about debarkation times from the Carnival Freedom once we arrive back into Civitavecchia. I see that you have a meeting planned with friends in Rome at 9 am. This will be fine as we start debarkation at 6 am. It takes an hour to arrive from the ship into Rome so I would purchase a shuttle service to the center of Rome or if you are booking private transportation arrange to pick you up at 7:45 am. Hope this is ok and let me know if I can help further.
JO MYERLY – .What’s the best bargain you ever bought from QVC? The people who missed the ship arrived ok and as we start this next cruise I hope that it is a voyage where nobody misses the vessel at all. Keep laughing Jo and hope you enjoy this blog.
PEG FORGOTCH – Thank you for your kind words and I am glad we got to sail together on the Carnival Glory. I always feel honored when I see that a Travel Agent is reading the blog and if there is anything I can do to help you or perspective clients I will be here for you. My regards to you and your colleagues.
LINDA HERNACKI – I love Laurel and Hardy but I think Big Ed and Ugly Alan Adkins would make great partners and can just see them playing around together. Many of the bloggers have asked for signed photos of the caricature and we will have those soon and of course T Shirts and Photos etc are on the way. I will be sending Mike one of a ship’s light bulbs. I hope you are both well and it will soon be Turkey time!
TAZMAN – Yep, one more cruise and you walk up the gangway. You asked if the Supper Club is open on the last night of the cruise and indeed it is. In fact, the last night carries a casual dress code to allow people to wear what they want with packing having to be done as well. If you need help with reservations, please let me know. See you soon mate.
JENN – Good morning. What an awful way to spend your birthday, in bed, with a sinus infection and having to read my blog thingy. I see that you sailed on the Carnival Inspiration, a beautiful ship. Well, once the nose is unblocked and you and the family are deciding where to go on vacation, why not slap a few questions on the blog and let me try and help persuade you to try one of the Inspirations beautiful sisters. Hope you feel better and thanks for reading the blog.
JIMINI – The cooking tour seems to have struck a positive cord and the Shore Excursion Department and myself will try and have this up and running within a few days. You asked about Gondola Rides in Venice where you will be visiting after the cruise. I have two words of advice when it comes to this.
1. Always ask the price of the tour and how long it will last. You should expect to pay 100 euros up until 6 pm and after dark, when the canals are romantically lit up, well, the skies the limit, so please fix the price.
2. As for the Champagne Dinner we sell with a gondola trip, some hotels will offer a package like this so shop around a little.Can you tell me where you are staying in Venice and then I can help you out more specifically. There you go then, I will wait to hear from you and Heidi and I send you our best.
OKTEACH – Thank you for the nice words about the Cruise Critic article. Seeing myself on the front page was very strange but made me fell very proud and grateful to all of you who have made this blog so popular. I look forward to meeting your group and let me arrange a place and time for you all to meet and of course, Heidi and I will be there with you. Carry on teaching; it’s the most important job in the world.
MRS. MTSFP – I think the Sipper Club has been named “The Pinnacle” as it sits atop of the vessel…………but I am checking to confirm. We shall find out very soon who has won the name the spa contest, what were your entries?
VJROMANO – I am glad I was able to help with your cabin problem and of course I will be available to help with your questions about the right tours for you and Mum to take. Just sit back and relax in the knowledge that all the staff and crew will do their utmost to make sure you have a wonderful time. Keep reading the blog thingy and see you soon.
TOM RACHFORD – Thanks to you both for saying how much you enjoy the blog. I will be on the Bloggers Cruise and the cruise after that as well but probably during the month of February I will be elsewhere. I am excited to hear that you have booked this cruise and I promise both you and Jane a fun and exciting voyage. The biggest vote of thanks though goes to you for sailing with Carnival 35 TIMES…………….We here, salute you both.
RAY MCTEAGUE – Hello Mate. I am glad your aunt and uncle enjoyed the book. I was going to send champagne but the book is indeed an everlasting memory of the cruise. It sounds like you and the family had a fantastic time on the Carnival miracle. I have never actually stepped foot on the ship but it sounds like the staff and crew gave you eight fantastic days. I have passed on your heartfelt thanks to the Hotel Director and Brent the CD as requested. If there are any other comments you want to post here please go right ahead. Believe it or not, we do not filter any comments, I want to hear about the good and the things that need improving on so please let me know your thoughts. It seems that you are true carnival fans and therefore I thank you so very much for booking the Carnival Splendor and it will be tremendous to sail with you again. All the best Ray and I look forward to your next posting.
LISA AND ELAINE – I am indeed proud that we have reached 400,000 plus readers. I hope to hit the half a million mark by the end of the month of July. I am glad you are enjoying the photos and I will continue to place as many as I can on the blog thingy. You asked what Heidi and I do for vacation. Well, this time very little. Spending time with family and doing everyday normal things is a vacation for us. I miss driving a lot although I wish it were in an Aston Martin
I will see you soon Elaine and please keep reading the blog for more information and fun.
JAMES EMM – Bring a wide angle lens mate
BARB AND CARL THE BEARS – Always good to hear from the bear family. Thank you for comments about Shelly and her family. They are what a family is all about, supporting each other through the good and the bad times. I will be hopefully telling you about the T Shirts very soon and as for Catherine and AJ I guess we have to see what happens. AJ feels further out of reach than ever. I have no idea why but I feel like we have hit a wall trying to get to her. It may be the same with CZJ but for some reason I have a strange feeling that she may be the one.
What do other bloggers think? See you for a Gelato soon and best to both the Bears from Heidi and I.
BILL (ZYDECO CRUISER) – I really enjoyed the Brian Jack album and as for the front cover of Cruise Critic, well, I am humbled by the whole thing but it is a great feeling to know that my hours of typing and follow ups are appreciated by so many people including of course your good self. See what an influence you have on me, just typing your name has made me put the Brian Jack album on again.
DAVE S – How wonderful to know that you have booked the Carnival Splendor. You asked about the back-to-back situation should you decide to sail for 24 days. The answer to your question is that you certainly do not have to disembark and check in all over again. All that needs to be done is for you to have your security photo taken for new cruise and this is done at the gangway onboard, it is that simple mate. Hope this answers your question and if you have others, please let me know.
TVLADY – Hello Vladimir. I have checked for the cruise that you are sailing on and there will be 49 other Russian-speaking guests onboard. We have nobody sailing from Israel but we do have many Russian speaking crew onboard who will be able to help you and your family every day. I have no idea how many of the 49 Russians are children until the cruise starts but I am sure there will be others. Please let me know if you need help. You will have a wonderful time.
BOB POLAND – Thank you for the story about your ass experience and the advice is well taken. The cooking demonstration tour is in the works and I expect to have it up and running very soon. Shelly’s letter was inspirational as you said and I am sure she will appreciate reading your kind wishes and congratulations. Thank to you mate and thanks from Heidi and I for the kind words about us and this blog thingy.

That’s it for today’s Q & A except to say WELCOME HOME TO GEORGE AND LINDA. They have been reading the blog from the start. They sailed with me for 24 days and were so kind and thoughtful. I apologize to you both that time ran away with me and we didn’t get to spend much time together but Heidi and I enjoyed having you here. We miss you already.

Next week, you can look forward to guest blogs from some very important people in the Carnival family ………………..and………………as requested an interview with My PA 007.

As usual I started this blog on Naples morning and am finishing it on the sea day on the way to Venice where we sold out all 500 spots on the Gondola tours, those are going to be some very busy men tomorrow. I hope the weather stays fine.

And now, a sensitive subject. This is one of those that I am in two minds to tell you about and I decided to run this past the folks in the office before I did….they gave me the OK……….normally, I write what I feel without a care but this one, well I needed a sound board and the timing of this is very relevant.

I met with two guests this morning at 9 am in the Lobby. They had asked to meet with me and the Captain. I apologized for the Captain’s absence and said I would pass on the discussion with him later this morning. The two men who were both from the U.S. were very upset…why…because they had seen the family we have onboard from Jeddah who have the three women wearing the traditional Burkas. For those not familiar with this form of dress, it is the all in one black robe that just have the eyes showing. It is a religious statement and the guests were very angry about the fact we allowed them onboard. I asked why and was informed that they were scaring the children and that it could be a “security risk.”

As usual I tried to explain that the photos of the women were taken with their faces revealed so they could be checked by security staff on returning to the vessel and that the family in question was understanding about. In fact, this family from Jeddah had sailed three times previously on a Carnival ship. However, as I expected, the conversation turned to the state of the world and that they may be…………………….and I stopped them both there. I said that was a conversation that I was not prepared to have with them and that they had passed through various immigration checks in the European airports and before boarding the ship.

The men were really getting wound up so I suggested that they just enjoy their cruise and not to worry about something that was not going to change. I had no more right to ask the ladies to remove the Burkas as I do to ask someone not to wear a Christian Cross or a Star of David……….that’s my thoughts anyway.

They seemed much calmer and more understanding when I finished talking to them and hopefully they will relax now and not worry about something they cannot change.

The guests were from a remote destination in the U.S. and not one we usually see folks from and I think they may not have come into contact with this sort of thing before. I totally understand why they may feel like this, the world is on guard, just look at the UK these last few days. Here though, we have a family on vacation and we want them and everyone else to have fun…….life’s to short not to.

Finally, I want to say hello to a blogger who is onboard. Mr. Bill Peden. ……….he reads the blog a lot and is here with his wife Erika. Bob is a special man………why…………………..because even though he was paralyzed by a drunk driver last year as folks who are onboard this week will tell you, he was the star of the show last night and a shining example to us all.

Just one final note from last cruise and it’s another great comment. This morning during debarkation three guests approached the Information Desk and asked if they could leave the ship because they had all their own luggage with them and had not placed it outside the cabin door and had private transportation picking them up. The Purser (Joanne) told them this was OK and she though that was that……..until she noticed that one of the guests had a garbage bag with what looked like one of our Carnival Comfort Bed duvets inside it. Noticing this, Joanne and another Purser (Alex) followed them and as they went down to the gangway they stopped them at security. Asking to see in the garbage bag there, sure enough was one of our duvets.

When security asked why she had taken it her reply was “I thought that they were for the guests to take home.” Anyway, we removed the duvet and returned it to its rightful owner but not before checking the cabin to make sure the TV, towels and toilet paper were still there. Heidi was on the gangway organizing debarkation and witnessed this and she said the surprising thing was the lady (who was in her 30′s) showed no guilt and looked angry that we dare take it back from her. I am surprised she didn’t complain that the towels were so fluffy that she couldn’t close her suitcase.

That’s it for now. Heidi and I are looking forward to a nice dinner with friends in Venice tomorrow……………………….I bet I end up paying

Cheers

Your friends

John and Heidi