Here we are again in Civvi and it is the last day of the cruise. This morning, 1,000 people went on tour but I am guessing most of the ship have already done pre-cruise tours as it is now 10:38 am and we 1878 guests still on the ship. As I mentioned before, we treat this day as a sea day and run activities and events the whole day. I think we expected more people to explore Rome when this itinerary was put together but of course as I just mentioned, many people have already explored before joining the vessel.
At the end of the cruise I have to report that we started of with a total of 70 pieces of missing luggage and as of today, 21 bags are still missing. I have spoken personally to many of the poor people who still do not have their luggage and most seem to be facing this with a smile and a positive attitude. Some people are mad at us and have been very aggressive to our purser’s team. I have a question — if you lose your luggage on your way to Las Vegas would you expect the hotel you are staying in to find it for you? This is not a sarcastic question, it’s just a question I do not know the answer to and wondered if you could let me know the answer. I lost a bag when I was flying from London to Miami. I was staying at the Marriott but I never thought to have them help me. They had not booked my flight so I did all the follow up with the airline myself ……………….did I do the wrong thing? The reason I am asking is based on this comment here. I am showing you this because I am not sure if she is right or wrong…………..you tell me.
[15/8/2007 11:53:26 AM JIHC]
Mrs. _______ came to the Purser’s desk asking about their luggage lost by Delta not by Alitalia. Guest was very loud saying that it was Carnival’s responsibility to have found this luggage at that now the cruise was over she expected Carnival to pay her for the inconvenience. Purser explained that they had been calling and asking the airline everyday for information on the luggage but Delta were still not able to find it. Guest demanded to see the Cruise Director. Purser explained that he was not responsible for lost luggage but she would not leave the desk until John had spoken to her. Purser called the CD who came down and spoke to the guest in the lobby. Report from CD to follow….AM JIHC.
It was obvious that it was just frustration that made the guest upset and I can totally sympathize with her. After our meeting she had calmed down a bit and we left as friends. However, she still felt that Carnival was responsible and we should be held accountable. Luggage has been and will be a continuing saga out here and unfortunately I do not see the situation improving much. We will continue to assist the guests but I hope they understand we do this because we want to help not because we accept the responsibility of the lost luggage.
Anyway, as the cruise comes to an end I think that most people have had a good time. Usually, I would have replaced the word KNOW instead of think but because we have so many non-English speaking guests, I am not totally sure that this is true. We have all done our best here and I think that we could do more and I am working with the office to see if we can have more tools to help us entertain these guests, but, for now, I think we did very well and they will leave the ship tomorrow having had a wonderful cruise vacation.
HERE ARE TODAY’S PHOTOS WHICH ARE ALL OF THE VATICAN, Rome and the area. The last one is of the wildlife seen during an Alaskan Carnival Spirit cruise.
Here are the letters from today’s “In Their Own Words” section. These include two from kid’s corner and one about Young Love which we will talk about later.
Now, time for the Embarrass John section, here is a photo taken of me as a wine steward and yep, I am DJing. I used to host the wine and cheese party and I would play the music and then host the event. Anyway, here I am………………good grief.
I also want to thank my blog friends that took the time to send Heidi and I gifts and cards. Thank you to:
BILL – ZYDECOCRUISER – DECK PLAN ON THE WAY
CARL AND BARB
FRANK AND JENNIFER
LAURA TYRRELL
RUTH JAMISON
LENORE AND MARVIN
Words cannot express what receiving these gifts means to Heidi and I and as you will see from the following photo it is quite a collection. I also received two bags of Sugar Free Jelly Beans and my Jet Pack is now fully fueled again. However, as you will see from the second photo, Carl and Barb sent me something else, obviously with Heidi in mind!……………………Please excuse my hair as this photo was taken at 6:05 am.
Here are today’s Q and A’s starting with one last question from the blog titled “Highlighting the Holiday and Steve Cassell and then the rest are from the blog called “Highlighting the Carnival Fantasy and Big Tex.”
Here we go.
TERRI 910 – It’s a small world after all. I see that you live close to where the kids who sent in their drawings went to school. Their drawings were brilliant and I was so happy that I was able to be part of their lives even for a few short moments. It would indeed be a treat if we could get those kids onboard one day………you never know. Thank you Terri for your kind words and my best to Larry.
FRANK C – Thanks for the joke about the French. I have to tell you a story about the time I flew with Air France in economy of course. It was mealtime, “Would you like dinner?” the flight attendant asked me. “What are my choices?” I asked. “Yes or no,” she replied. I am happy you enjoyed your cruise on the Carnival Fantasy and also Big Tex the Cruise Director. I hope one day we will be together soon and we can swap more stories. All the best mate.
A CRUISE BY ANY OTHER NAME – I read up about the meteor shower and then I felt pangs of guilt flow out of my body……….actually it was some of Fatima’s Turkish water but I still felt guilty that I had not let the guest know. Anyway, I spoke to him but he said it was too late and he hung up on me…….ces la vie. As for the kids running around the ship……………well, we have 800 on board and 780 are well behaved, pleasant and enjoy the company of their parents and the facilities of Camp Carnival and Club O2. The remaining 20 are the ones who have been causing the disturbances at night. The only disturbance I ever made at night when I was 14 was…….well, that’s a story for another day. Thank you as always for your posting and I hope you enjoy today’s blog thingy.
BIG ED..Official Assistant to Me – I hope it can be 14 days. The Grand Old Opry cruise afterwards have their own entertainment etc so I am not sure if I will be the CD which is why I was so anxious for you to be on the Bloggers Cruise. Maybe, I will just sail as a guest and relax, we shall see. Thank you for your praise of Roberto Castro. He is amazing and I hope he is recognized at the end of the year as he has done so much to make this Blog Thingy successful. His as fast as a Meteor but not as fast as my jet pack. That has given me an idea for a new activity. Office Chair Racing. You, Alan and I will all eat a bag of Sugar Free jelly beans and then see who gets propelled across the finishing line first…………..Game On.
KAYENTA.JANE – I am so sorry to hear about your car and the resulting cancellation of the Carnival Splendor. If I had an Aston Martin I would lend it to you. Hopefully this blog thingy will keep you going a little until you book your next cruise. All the best and keep smiling.
JO MYERLY – With regards to the next Bloggers Cruise I am thinking of April 2009 as roughly the time we could do this. I will have a think about it over the next few weeks and of course listen to the words and advice of all my friends out there. Let’s see what happens. For no, you have to concentrate on your forthcoming cruise here for which I remain at your service should you or Dave require anything at all.
J TODDINMAN – A brilliant poem about Alan and one that I have printed and framed for him. It will be his Xmas gift this year and one I am sure he will cherish forever. I thought I would write one myself………..it’s not up to your standard but here goes.
I may not be handsome,
I may not be smart.
I may be overweight and buy my clothes from WalMarts
But now I have my jellybeans, boy can I let out some Far……….bulous noises.
Thanks again and you remain the official Poet Laureate of the blog.
DWA 76 – You are welcome mate. Thak for reading it and hope all is well.
BIG ED – Now you have booked the Bloggers Cruise you can be whatever you want to be………..except a fitness instructor:)
DIVETRASH – Thank you so much for the Turkish translation of Exit Only. It is however a little late and my horror will be forever with me as will the mark of her huge clumping fist on my soft lilywhite buttocks…………….to much information I know but we are friends………….I hope.
Thank you so much for the Salt Water Taffy. I just had a chocolate one and it is mixing rather well with the jellybeans. Thank you for your kindness and one day soon I hope to repay that kindness ten fold. All the best and thanks again.
LAUREN – Thank you for the update on the Meteor Shower which this time I will publicize in every language including French…………Le meteor et dans le sky. As for Alan’s pictures, well lets just say he has been the subject of much discussion this cruise and he will be finally unveiled at the Bloggers cruise in January. We will be providing sick bags. Thanks for reading the blog thingy and I hope you will continue to do so.
CANUCK CRUISER – Firstly and most importantly…………….HAPPY 25TH ANNIVERSARY from Heidi and I and all the thousands and thousands of bloggers. I hope you had a wonderful day of celebration and I am sure that celebration will continue when you cruise on the Carnival liberty in a few days time. I have forwarded your request to take part in the Newlywed Game with Todd and I am sure it is one he will honour and I look forward to hearing how many answers you matched on. Have a wonderful dinner and I hope you have a night and a cruise to remember.
DORTHE CALIMBAS – What beautiful words you have slapped on today. I am happy to hear that you are addicted to the blog and therefore I will keep feeding that addiction as long as my two typing fingers allow me to. Thanks again and have a wonderful day.
SOUTHERN DREAMS – Thanks for the great news, is that true, is Mrs. Grabacruski really going on the Bloggers Cruise? Thank you for the great news. Wish I was there with you both eating Grits and something called smothered covered and chunked. Best to you both.
NOT BIG ED – Now that has to be the best screen name I have heard for some time…………..See what an influence you have on people’s lives Big Ed, you now have people calling themselves Not Big Ed, even Alan Adkins is now calling himself Big Alan and I am sure it won’t be long before PA 007 starts calling themselves BIG PA 007. Anyway, back to NOT BIG ED and thank you for the memories of the Whale joke back on the Imagination some 10 years ago. I have not done that prank since but maybe it is time to bring it out of retirement. Have a wonderful time on the Carnival Glory and please send my best to the CD Wee Jimmy and ask him this “have you ever had blow through “…..it is a code word and will win you a great prize. Have fun and thank you for publicly declaring how much you love Carnival Cruise Lines on this blog thingy………………………..and less of the Gomer Pyle reminders
NANETTEALI – I have to disobey your orders and answer you………….sorry. Just wanted to say thank you for thinking of Heidi and that you are a true friend. How is it in Sanguine? I hope you have no hurricanes this season and that all is well with the kids and their first days back at school. Grasyarse mi amor ……buenos deeaz.
LEASA – Thank you for those sweet words and I am very humbled by them. The young man who is sight impaired is actually only 14 years of age and he has been in his front seat each and every show. His Mum told us that he can see changes of light patterns and that during the big review shows he was as excited as he had ever been and enjoyed the show more than anyone. Thank you for saying that I should win the Seatrade award…………I am truly grateful to have been nominated at all. My French friend is very unhappy with me and in all honesty I wish it didn’t bother me but it does. I hate the feeling of knowing that someone is leaving the vessel thinking I am a bad person………it gets to me, it shouldn’t but it does…………..oh well.
Thank you again for your kind words of support and I wish you all the best.
CATHERINE EBERT – I have ordered you a Chiropractor as you requested and he speaks FrenchYou asked if the Carnival Liberty and Carnival Freedom are the same size and build and the answer is YES they are. They are part of the Conquest class of vessels which includes the Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Valor, Carnival Freedom and Carnival Liberty. The next ship, the Carnival Splendor will be a new design for us and we are all very excited about her. If you have any specific questions about any of these ships please let me know. Until then, I hope you keep slapping on a posting and reading the blog thingy.
LINDA HERNACKI – Hello Linda. The reason I have not shown Alan’s face is simple…………I really want this blog to continue and I do not want to be shut down by the FBI for showing graphic photos on the blog. I am glad you got your T Shirts today and I hope we can all have a photo wearing our shirts all together in November. I hope Mike is well and the bulbs are all working. See you soon.
KEVIN AND HEIDI – BETH – It is always good to hear from my three friends. How are you all? It will not be long until you will be on the Carnival Glory with Wee Jimmy and I know you will have a great time. Are all three of you staying in one cabin? I am sorry to say that we do not keep back copies of the Travel Log past a few weeks of that voyage as we have so many ships. Make sure you get one from the Carnival Glory though because I know it will be fantastic voyage and the three of you will have so many happy memories. All the best and have a great day..all three of you.
PAPANH – Nothing has fallen out of the sky yet and if it has I think France may be the target
LISA AND ELAINE – I am glad to hear that you are feeling better and if the blog helped make you smile, well that makes me feel good. Laughter is a great medicine and I hope I helped a little. I am not sure if my schedule allows me to have dinner with you both but I promise we shall have Tea on the sea day afternoons along with scones and cream…………….I can’t have the scones or the cream but oh well. Actually, my Mum makes the best CHEESE SCONES and they are sugar free…….if anyone wants the recipe please let me know and I will make sure she passes it on. Actually, she makes the best homemade cakes and dinners English Style, anyone fancy knowing her recipes? So, stay well and see you in 70 something days. Cheers.
DIANE – Your vote has been cast and that’s another in the YES column for Alaska. I am not sure as to when and where the second Bloggers Cruise will happen but its great getting everyone’s feedback. Thanks Diane and I hope you are well.
NANETTEALI – Tell your husband thank you..
JAMIE & KEVIN – Congratulations…………This is Fantastic news………you conceived in cabin 7298………..In 9 months time you will have the joy of a new born baby. Now we have to think of a name for it………….John is popular……….or if it’s a girl and weighs 400 pounds when she is born then Fatima may be appropriate. Seriously though, congratulations and we are all so happy for you both. I just looked up the names of the people staying in cabin 7298 this week and maybe they will be as lucky as you. I am going to call them and let them know they are in the lucky cabin….I wonder if Heidi and I can sneak in there tonight……..it is Thursday.
DOUGNEWMANATSEA – Have fun cruising in France……….please be nice to the locals
KICIASKI – Hello George and hello Linda. That’s another two people who want a Bloggers cruise in Alaska, the contest is heating up. I have never been but I really do want to go sooner rather than later. Your seats on the front row are waiting for you……….we miss you.
SUSAN B – I am not sure if I can all myself John almighty. Although, I would like Heidi to call me that. I am glad you enjoyed the pictures of Alan, they really are life like and when you finally see a photo of him, you realize why I never got a girlfriend. I am sorry Jason did not make it into the final four on America’s Got Talent. I am sure however, that this will not halt his career and that he is destined for great things. The reason Heidi has not written a blog is I never give her time on the computer. Maybe I should get her one of those lapdance computers. I promise she will write one soon. All the best Susan.
CAPTAIN CHUCK – How are you Captain? Thank you for your prediction. They really were wonderful and probably all correct, accept the one about me getting an Aston Martin. You must have seen some wonderful sights from the cockpit of your airplane. Can you share any? Also, I got your e-mail via Roberto, can you just confirm your sailing date please. All the best mate, hope to hear from you soon.
EVA B – You are right, I should be punished and I have spanked myself and put myself on the naughty step for not informing my French friend about the sky at night. Your grandchildren will have a wonderful time on the Carnival Miracle. The facilities on Spirit class ships are fantastic and if the kids want to get involved then I know they will have a wonderful time. Now, as for the CD, his name is Chris Roberts. I just featured him in a blog a week or so ago. He is a terrific guy and I know you will love his sense of humor and do not miss his Blues Brothers Show. If you have questions about specific shore excursions or anything else, please let me know. What a great way to spend Christmas.
J TODDINMAN – Wonderful ideas and I will be hosting a table every night in the dining room with exception of maybe the night of the Talent Show. We can indeed auction dinner with John & Heidi and the money would go to the AMF……the Aston Martin Fund. I am joking of course; we could indeed put this toward one of the children’s charities that I hope we will involve on this cruise. Thank you so much for these wonderful ideas and even though he cannot be with us, we all appreciate your constant support of this blog thingy.
INEZ – Your lap dancer computer must be exhausted after catching up on all these blogs but I am glad you did. Thank you for saying how much you enjoyed everything and the congratulations on our 500,000 slaps. Today, we actually have 541,000 slaps so we are still moving in the right direction. You are correct, I really did think that I would be doing this blog just a couple of weeks, but now, who knows how long it will continue? Thank you for the wonderful words about Heidi, she truly is a wonderful lady and I am so lucky to have her by my side.
Welcome back and I hope you have had fun reading the latest blogs.
THE CHADS – The winning numbers of the lottery will be 4, 7, 8, 17, 24, 48, 62. If you do win, I will gladly accept the Aston Martin. I always think this blog can’t develop into anything else, yet it continues to surprise me, as today here I am predicting lottery numbers. Good Luck mate and I would like an Aston Martin Vanguish S in black….
KEVIN – I got your note from Roberto and will be acting on it over the next couple of days. I did not get a package from you yet, but I am sure it will be here soon. Thank you mate.
CINDY 56 – I am glad you have been laughing at all the blogs. It’s what makes the hours that we do this worthwhile. I hope there are many more laughs to come.
CRUISINSUE – Thank you for your kind words about Risa and Big Tex. It’s great to hear that you enjoyed these two young Cruise Directors. I look forward to meeting you in October and hopefully you will have the best cruise you have ever had.
ALASTAIR MCKENZIE – I am prepared for the meteor shower next year. I must admit, I was unprepared however, I still would not have made this announcement that time of the morning and certainly, unless it involves the words cheese and surrender, I would not have been able to have done it in French. Thank you for the information and of course thank you for reading the blog.
CLEO AND GARTH – OK, I will make a bet. If Australia wins the rugby World Cup, I will personally do a New Zealand style huka in the lobby, dressed only in a loincloth. We do hire shoes on board with tuxedo rental; however, I am not sure if we have tuxedos to fit your husband’s mighty chest at 54 inches. Let me check. I see Big Ed has given you the information on how to order a tuxedo should we not have one on board. Thank you for your kind words and I am looking forward to cheering Australia to victory right up until the moment when they lose to England in the final.
TRAVIS AND MARY – Thank you, thank you, thank you. Oh, and sugar free please. See you in September.
KANUCK CRUISER – Thank you for the information. Who needs to watch the news when I have you bloggers to look after me? Say hello to Brad.
KATHY KROLL – I was indeed standing for the God Save The Queen reference and I am glad things worked out with the beautiful Queen Mary. I have been reading about your career, I wish I could have seen you dance.
BIG ED – You are hired as a guest bingo caller and I will be your assistant.
GIRLDOC – Thank you for the information on curing jellyfish stings. Heidi wants to know if there is a cure for uncontrollable gaseous explosions.
ALLIE DONNEGAN – Welcome home, I am glad you and the family had such a wonderful time. Congratulations on deciding to live in Italy, it truly is the most beautiful country and maybe one day we will see each other again. I certainly hope so.
RICK D – Don’t worry Rick. I will not be making any announcements about astronomical happenings unless I am certain I see it first. If I say something is going to be there and it’s not, of course it will be my fault. I am taking the necessary precautions and have learned from my previous mistakes. Thanks for the update mate.
CINDY - Welcome back after your cruise here on the Carnival Freedom and I am so sorry to hear of your Alitalia experiences. I have to say, this airline leaves so much to be desired. I have said Hello to Natasha and Davor and I am very happy to tell you they remember you and wish you well as do I. Please continue to enjoy reading my thingy.
RIKKI BOYZE – Another astronomy question. Is there a place on the ship that is dark where you can see the stars clearly? The answer is yes. If you walk to the front of the ship on decks 6, 7, 9 you will see that these are dark decks because lighting disturbs the navigation from the bridge. These are great places to see the sky at night. I am looking forward to meeting you on the TA cruise and I am sure you will see many spectacular things on our crossing.
SHERYL PELTON – I don’t know about me, it’s you we should be saying “how do you do what you do?” to. Being a labor and delivery nurse and working with troubled youngsters means you deserve a medal. I will be able to give you that medal when I see you in September. Thank you for offering to bring Heidi some treats and I would love to try the Jelly Belly brand of beans. By the way, you do know we don’t serve Pepsi on board? It’s Coca Cola here, I’m afraid. See you soon.
LOIS GETYOURJELLYBEANSKI – Thank you for booking the bloggers cruise. We do have a fishing excursion available in Cozumel and I do suggest you book this through carnival.com to avoid disappointment. Heidi and I are thinking of you as you look after your dad and step mum and wish them both good health. Heidi says Hello and we look forward to seeing you in January.
LISA K – I am especially glad you enjoyed Big Tex as a CD. It is people like him that are the future of my profession and your kind words will mean so much to him. I am so happy to read that the blog means so much to you and therefore, you give me the strength to carry on. Thank you again.
Ok, I am going to stop there. I will continue tomorrow with GRACE’s question tomorrow and answer the ones from the blog called Grand Design.
We continue today with our features on Cruise Directors. Today, I would like to feature the Carnival Destiny and Cruise Director Steve Knisley. Enjoy his interview.
1. Please can you tell us about your career with Carnival so far? How did you start and when?
I joined carnival in 1998 as a DJ on the Carnival Destiny, and in the last nine years worked in many other positions including backstage manager groups coordinator, social host and assistant cruise director until getting my first shot as Cruise Director on the Carnival Elation sailing from LA, in 2003.
2. What ship are you currently on and what is its itinerary?
Currently I am on the Carnival Destiny cruising from San Juan Puerto Rico and calling on St. Thomas USVI, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia and Antigua
3. Please can you pick two excursions from each port and tell us why you recommend them so much?
St. Thomas
St. Thomas Ocean Race, it’s an incredible opportunity to actually sail these beautiful racing yachts. The views are spectacular as the boats jockey fro position and you play an integral part as your load and unload your winch in order to capitalize on wind conditions. It’s excellent.
St. John Champagne Catamaran, this tour features a beautiful coastal sail to the island of St. John, there you drop anchor at Honeymoon bay. The water is the clearest I have ever seen and there is beautiful fish and coral to view. The ride back also features a great selection of snacks and you drinks, a really great way to spend a day.
Dominica
Wacky Rollers Rainforest Adventure – This tour allows you to see the real beauty of Dominica from the open air trucks that take your to the botanical gardens, the sulfur springs and finally to the location where they filmed “Pirates Of The Caribbean” Floating through the “TiTu Gorge” is spectacular until you come to an amazing water fall at the end of it all. Guides are fantastic and it’s just a lot of fun
Rasta Man’s Rainforest Hike and Falls – Surely one of the most physically demanding tours we offer but the rewards are spectacular when you are able to hike through the lush rainforests and then have the opportunity to swim in not one but two waterfalls. In fact getting to the second waterfall involves you having to climb almost straight up on the vines and roots of trees to get to your second great waterfall.
Barbados
5 Star Catamaran & Turtle Encounter – This tour is very special in that it features two stops, one for beach time and one for snorkeling with the sea turtles. In the middle you are treated to a great hot and cold buffet served on china with an open bar. Excellent service and sights
4×4 Adventure & Green Monkey Encounter – This tour takes you to the beautiful shores of an area called “Bashiba.” There you get amazing views of rock formations and huge waves that crash on the beach. As well you ride off to the wildlife preserve where you get to see many animals including the terribly cute “Green Monkeys.” You will also most certainly be able to study the mating habits of turtles who seem to like to “do it” anywhere
St. Lucia
Magical Marigot Bay – One of the truly prettiest sights I have been to — a beautiful resort island that offers its beaches to cruisers for the day. Its quiet and a great place to relax
Land and Sea Combo – This tour gives you the best sights of St. Lucia as you travel to the small French villages and get amazing views of the twin Pitons as well as having an opportunity to check various sights out from the water as you sail back to the ship, including views of Marigot Bay
Antigua
Canopy Adventure – This tour is offered in two other ports on this run but there is so much to do you can easily wait until Antigua to enjoy all the thrills of flying through the trees
Eco Snorkel Adventure – This tour is operated by one of the most genuine and nice guys I have had the pleasure to meet; he is a retired doctor who does this only because he loves where he lives and wants everyone to share in Antigua’s beauty. It involves some kayaking, snorkeling and a chance to do a short hike. As well the add simple little touches like chilled face cloths to cool guests down and even go so far as to use rose petals in the water provided to wash off the sand from your feet. Really a great tour.
4. What are your favorite activities or events that you host and why?
I have a few of my personal favorites but I would have to say the two I enjoy most would be “Family Feud” — not only because the guests really enjoy it but even after all these years people insist on going with the dirty answers, especially when it comes to “something you would use only once.” We have recreated the “Family Feud” board from the original game and use all the original sound effects and it really gives the activity a lot of realism and guests love it. I also have a great time with the “Idol” show. I find it to be so much more entertaining than the older talent shows we used to do. This show gives us the opportunity to mimic something that really has found its own home in pop culture and guests love to see themselves on stage singing in front of a giant logo of “Idol.” Plus the “Simon” character never ceases to amaze me with his ability to dismiss even the talented singers. Oh and I used to really love “Deal or no Deal” but sadly we will have to wait until that shows ceases production before we can try that one again
5. Fill in the blank please……………..People should sail on the (INSERT YOUR SHIP HERE) because……………………………..???????????
People should sail on the Carnival Destiny because it features what I consider to be the most diverse and stunning run of any of our ships currently sailing in the Caribbean. Because we start in San Juan you can get to see so much more than you can when you leave any other port. Great shopping, stunning rain forests and fantastic beaches are only three of the big highlights of this itinerary. Plus we take great pride in constantly upgrading our activities and keeping them something that everyone can participate in.
6. What do you enjoy most about being Cruise Director?
I absolutely love to be on stage, unlike many other CD’s I don’t sing, cannot dance and don’t juggle or do magic but what I do offer is a quick wit and genuine love to see people laugh. I take great pride in the job and when you get stopped by guests on the last day of his cruise and have them tell you that you have made their week, it really drives the point of home of just what I love about this gig.
7. Share your favorite story with us that involve our guests and your job?
It’s really hard to put down only one, but one of my most embarrassing moments happened only last week during our “Idol” show. Our final performer was a young lady from Denver named Jenny, who came up to sing “Don’t Stop Believin’.” She was not a great singer but had these dances and gestures that just made the performance stand out. After she finished I approached her on stage to congratulate her for a job well done and then went to the judges to get the marks. Our first judge Carlo expressed that while she was entertaining she was a little bit frightening. He gave her a 9.5 and this sent her in to fits of joy culminating with a high kick on stage. This tickled me to no end and then decided to try one of my own. All I can then remember was one second looking into a spotlight and the next staring up at the lighting grid from my back. My left leg was in the air and my right slid out from underneath me and I went down…..hard. I almost instinctively let out an expletive but managed to hold it together. The band, judges and audience were torn between fits of laughter and genuine concern. It truly was a funny moment and something I will keep for my reel of unfortunate incidents.
8. List your three favorite ports you have visited?
1 – Puerto Vallarta
2 – Aruba
3 – New Orleans
9. Name 3 ports you would really like to see that you have never been to?
1 – Cannes France
2 – Acapulco
3 – Barcelona, Spain
10. Finally, if you could introduce on stage any star, alive or not who would it be and why?
Since the first time I saw him in concert I have been a huge Springsteen fan, it’s kind of tailed off in the last few years but I would love to introduce “The Boss.” And for a comedy act it would be great to introduce Jerry Seinfeld.
Thanks Steve for a great interview and keep practicing the high kicks.
So, tomorrow morning I will be saying goodbye, au revoir (French), adios (Spanish), aufweidersen (German) , bingmnagtfrtey (Persian) maganadangamorge (Philipino) and by, yallllllll (English) to our guests and hello to all the new ones. It has been an exciting cruise and one I started of unsure about……….yes I was whining! However, I have met many new friends and enjoyed lots of fun on stage and the kids really seem to have taken to me this cruise.
Oh, by the way, I broke my nose earlier tonight. It really hurts and the Doctor says there is nothing he can do but to let it heal naturally. I wish I had broken it defending Heidi’s honour as I battled a huge man who had doubted her heritage or had displayed anger towards her. I wish I could say I had broken my nose fighting the forces of evil ……..or the French……………..but I can’t. I broke my nose because I had just eaten a whole bag of jellybeans and I exploded, my chair has wheels on it and I slammed into the cabin wall…………………ouch.
It’s often said that kids see the world through rose coloured spectacles……………………….except this one………..he saw me exactly as I am
Cheeky Sod
Goodnight
Your Friends,
John and Heidi
Look, friends — there are a few things you should remember before you comment. The space below is for you to post your comments about the post I've just written above. If it is something that's unrelated, please use the Ask John tab above. Now, while I may not be able to reply to your comment below, I do sit in my underpants almost every morning and read everything that is here. So feel free to comment on the comments and then if someone wants to comment on the comment to the comment then go ahead as well. Please be courteous unless the poster is French...........then you can say whatever you want.
John, I need your help. On one of our cruises I don’t know which one I left a pair of Mrs Big Ed’s dress shoes someplace in our cabin I don’t know where. I don’t remember the cabin number either. But since it’s been a few years and the shoes have not been found and returned by YOU and since you are the ALMIGHTY CRUISE DIRECTOR can you please replace the shoes so Mrs Big Ed will stop reminding me I left HER shoes on the ship every time she puts dress shoes on. I have no idea why it has taken you so long to find HER shoes.
“BIG” ED
CLUELESS IN MICHIGAN
Um…weren’t your cheekys sodden after Fatima did her work on you? It would seem that adding fuel to the fire would not help matters.
How about a NB and SB Alaska cruise for the next bloggers cruise? A Backtoback. People can choose to stay all 14 days or join in mid-cruise. Please of course announce every day when the Northern Lights may be viewed on this dream cruise unless the mad Frenchman come after you for not being able to view this natural wonder.
Speaking of the unrulies under 18, have there been times on this series of cruise or any you have been on where the master of the vessel and chief of security have said “Two choices: Walk the plank or off with you at the next port?” How unfortunate that this ingrates cannot appreciate the wonderful opportunities they have by getting to CRUISE in the Med in the first place.
Ouch! I hope you feel better soon!
Great blog today…That last picture is amazing. I am shocked b/c little Josh obviously has much more artistic talent than I ever have.
As far as luggage is concerned: I appreciate it that you guys are making the effort to look for it. However, at some point it is out of your hands. The cruise people can only do so much besides calling the airlines to check on it. I know that in Vegas, no hotel would go out of their way (unless for celebrity or VIP) to find the missing luggage for its guests.
Great 6am pic. I may have to make it my screensaver.
Have a good evening/Friday!
David
Desobediente John!! I am going to stop writing! (UMMM maybe not) sorry… Why are your younger photos embarrasing ? I dont see nothing wrong with them.Actually I see them and I wonder why does he said that they didnt have any luck with girls? Ladies what do you think ?John I been meaning to ask why was your time on the Destiny so difficult to you ? You have mention it a couple of times.
Again Josh drew you bigger than the ship John Almighty JA!
Big Ed- Up to this point it seems the hurricane is going far away from us Thank God
John,
Sent the rest of the information you needed via private message.
I actually wasn’t a pilot for the Air Force, my vision was not 20/20 so I wasn’t eligible (mostly drove a desk and a computer). However, before I joined, I earned a private pilots license and from those small, slow planes I did see some great views. One time, flying low over the flat lands of Colorado I spotted a herd of antelope and I circled them several times thinking “something is scaring those poor creatures, they are sure running away from something”. A few minutes later …. Duh “maybe it was the low flying airplane that startled them” Double Duh.
Regarding your question about lost luggage, I wouldn’t expect a hotel in Las Vegas to help me, but I might a cruise ship. The difference for me is that in Las Vegas I would feel well equipped to deal with it myself (have my cell phone, local phone book handy, my hotel stays in the local area). On a cruise ship, I feel more dependent on the staff (while you can call ashore, the process is less familiar; I may not have handy access to the airport phone number, and my “hotel room” keeps getting further from the airport by the minute”). By no means would I think the cruise line responsible, but I sure would welcome help.
Another Alaska Photo… can’t wait… can’t wait
John & Heidi, Thank you so much for the Kind words…Jennifer & I were worried about the Root Beer making it to you….It was heavy & the customs paper work had the word beer in it…..
I was hoping it would not be lost in translation…
Now for some Luggage Humor…
At the airport check in (I had 3 bags to check),
I said to the attendent…
I would like this bag to go to London, This bag to go to Rome and this bag to go Paris…The attendent look me in the eye and said “Sir we can not do that”..I looked her back and said..”Why not! You did it last week…
See you on the 29th………
FrankC
JOHN. We think that Carnival goes beyond trying to find lost luggage. They call everyday looking for it. The cruisers need to call the airlines themselves also. Back in Mar. we had dinner every night with a couple that their luggage was lost. Carnival called the airline every day, The couple called three-four times a day. the airline got their bags back to them in Rome the last day of the cruise. The Alaska BTB cruise would be great for the next Bloggers cruise So much to see and do up there, 14 days of fun. THE BIG BEAR
Hello John Almighty… aka Big John!
Sorry to hear about the nose, but I thought the jelly beans were for your jetpac… not your chair! Or were you practicing for the “Office Chair Races” on the bloggers cruise???
Love the last picture posted by Josh. Looks like your a talented “Surfer” too, Big John! That one might be great on a T-shirt too!
I think the Back to Back Alaskan cruise would be a great idea for the Bloggers! Double your pleasure, double your fun! (wait… I think that’s chewing gum. Oh, well… still applies!) There is so much to do in Alaska, we might actually get to do most of it then! And, yes… please announce the northern lights for us! You may want to invest in a crystal ball or hire a psychic for future cruises.
Glad to see you got the jelly beans we sent and again… Sorry about the nose! Hope you are feeling better soon!
much love…. BIG Mama Bear!
PS… would love some of your Mum’s recipes. Especially the cheese scones.
Opps….How could I forgot Im not a good friend:
“Sana, sana culito de rana si no sana hoy sanara mañana ( Heidi say this and kiss John’s nose )
thats what we say to our children when they hurt themselves and its suppose to make them well and not hurt.
Really John sorry about your nose I hope it doesnt hurt and heals fast.. Slap a picture ahhhhh
Hi John,
As I mentioned in my letter enclosed with the taffy, I was thinking about booking the Blogger’s Cruise. I really wanted to go, but my boyfriend didn’t. Well, I went ahead and booked it… solo.
The three cruises that I have done previously have been with a teenager (nieces or nephew) so once they abandoned me after dinner I was essentially on my own, so I think I’ve had some practice with this solo cruising thing.
But I’ve been second guessing myself this week because I’ve been overcome by a fear of having a sudden attack of shyness. I’m usually a pretty social and outgoing person, blessed with the gift of gab and firm grasp of small talk. I guess the thought of being on a big ship and not really knowing anyone is freaking me out just a tad.
Hopefully, this will pass because I really am looking forward to the cruise. Or maybe I’m just feeling shy because of the crush I have on you.
Anyway, I guess I’ll be seeing you in January.
You’re welcome for the taffy. If it’s any good let me know and I will bring you more to the Blogger’s Cruise.
Cheers,
Laura
Hello John & Heidi
Great Pictures on todays Blog!!!!!!!!!
Not only of Heidi and yourself but the ones of Rome,(but I don’t remember any seals in Rome)LOL
The Last time I was in Rome I was underage!, {well lets just say it was over 40+ yrs ago},
I also liked the other pix , the bleary eyed shot and the most impressive sketch by Josh. I didn’t know you could”hang ten” off a cruise ship!
We are counting the days till out cruise,
72 Days and Counting!
You mentioned yesterday that several crew members are getting a well deserved vacation. . NOT THAT YOU DON”T DESERVE A GRAND VACATION
WE ALL KNOW YOU DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please tell me that Heidi, yourself and Ken will still be on the Freedom In October for the Transatlantic Voyage. AND speaking of Ken “the Voice”, I love the picture of Heidi and him as Harry Potter 2020.!.
Is there ANY possible way to ensure that we get assigned to Ken’s dining room when we cruise on Oct 28th?
We had him on the Paradise on our honeymoon & the Legend’s transatlantic and we would LOVE to enjoy his fine voice nightly again.
We are hooked on CCL, except for 1 Princess crusie in 2005 this will be my (LIZ)8th Carnival Cruise starting with the Mardi Gras in 1981.
One other thing, since I am hooked on your blog, Is there a way for your bloggers to catch up with your blog while aboard ship?
Or we just wait till we get home and read 3 weeks worth at one time!
Take Care. Catch U Online
John, please share the scone recipe and any others your Mum wants to share with us.
NO, it is NOT Carnival’s responsibility to find luggage lost by an airline. It is nice that Carnival goes above and beyond to help and too bad some guests take that to mean that you have assumed responsibility for the loss.
The Alaskan cruise on Carnival Spirit is wonderful and would be a great Bloggers Cruise II. I know Mrs Big Ed does not like to fly, but Nanette is right, Xanax does work wonders. I am claustrophobic and believe me, Xanax is the only way to fly.
John,
I’m sad to hear your package hasn’t arrived yet, maybe writing “Jet pack fuel” on the customs form while funny, wasn’t taken that way. Thank you for acting in my behalf with carnival. I greatly appreciate it. If there is still nothing in civi next week, I will resend the “fuel”. Not much from pa007 of late hope M hasn’t found him/her out. As far as the bloggers cruise goes, I can’t wait to see you big ed and many of the other great people from this blog.
Divetrash (Laura),
Have no fear I’m going solo also, not the first time and probably won’t be the last. I just can’t seem to hold onto girlfriends lately. Don’t worry there is always plenty to do on a cruise and just remember smile and people will make sure you have a great time. I know that I did that in march on the triumph and well, lets just say that was my best cruise so far.
Back to John,
Beano is a product I am familiar with. True story here. I was about 16 years old and had a explosive problem also. My parents and brother at the time bought this product for me, partly as a joke i think. Well I refused to take it insisting that, I would probably explode from the excessive pressure. Well this went on for a few weeks till, I took the pills and tossed em. So no fear the ship on the bloggers cruise has no worries of running out of fuel if needed, Big ED, Alan, yourself, and me can probably keep here doing 15 knots easy.
Cheers
Kevin
PS. I got a speeding ticket last night for 80 in a 55. (Thank god the cop hadn’t seen me about 20 minutes before when i was breaking 100mph) The Aston was just purring along and I diden’t notice till I saw lights flashing behind me, looked down and saw 80mph on the display. Oh well cop said, he was surprised to see someone driving as Aston going so slow.
Oh no John I think you just did in my almost 37 years of wedded bliss! Well at least 37 years married! I did not request a chiropractor but if he is French I may keep him for awhile. I meant that my husband is a chiropractor who likes to adjust people even when he is on vacation. He thinks that it would be neat to run away to the carnival ship and work there instead of staying in Iowa. I am not sure it he will let me keep the French Chiropractor but thanks for the offer. We just received our documents today and I have been doing the doc dance ever since. Only 35 days until we sail and we are so excited. Sorry to hear about the luggage problems. I promise not to blame you or Carnival if my luggage is lost. See you in 5 weeks. Cathy
Hi John,
Speaking of the lady with the missing luggage, you should ask her if she didn’t know that DELTA stands for Don’t Expect Luggage To Arrive!!! This does seem to be a problem that only seems to be getting worse with the airlines so I am trying to convince David to bring all our clothes in a carryon. I know that does make me a rather odd female but with all of the new fabrics that don’t wrinkle I’m sure that I can do it although I’m not too sure about him. He brings entirely too many gadgets!
It looks like you have gotten a pretty good stash of gifts in the last post. Are you sharing all of the goodies with Heidi? I know that you have said that she likes cards but I was wondering if she liked to receive ones to send or ones with personal messages? I’ll have to look for some when I get the jelly beans!
I see from a question for Big Ed above that he has you looking for a pair of his wife’s shoes the “HE” left aboard a cruise some years ago….While you are looking for those shoes I left a bathing suit aboard the Destiny the first year it was in service. I’m sure that you wouldn’t mind afterall you have nothing better to do. Right? LOL
I loved the picture that young Josh drew and you certainly do look like the king of the ship or if not the king then at least head playboy!
And oh my your poor nose. I have heard that breaking your nose hurts like the devil. I do hope that you recover soon. Maybe you should cut down on the jelly bean or at least take the BEANO!
Keep the fun stories coming we love them.
Barbara
John- Can you confirm our Supper Club reservations? I utilized the link for reservations several weeks ago but I haven’t received a confirmation back yet.
Melissa Carlton
Freedom: Tuesday, September 4th @ 8:00 (reservations for 4)
Thanks and we can’t wait to meet you and Heidi on August 29th.
Hi John, So did Heidi break your nose or did you break it on purpose so that when you have a jelly bean explosion you can look the other way with a nose that is curved to one side, and not smell the stink! HA! HA! So, you got some BEANO. Great, that should solve the jelly bean explosion problem.
I agree with Nanette, your early pictures are great, dark hair, handsome, thin! What more could you ask for! I have found that as you get older everything drops! Your whole body goes downhill! HA! Yes, can’t wait to get a picture of us 4 with our shirts in November, have you and Heidi gotten shirts too? Mike and I are gonna need another suitcase just to bring our gifts for you 2. Can’t wait to see you both! April 2009 huh for a 2nd bloggers cruise? I am gonna check out those dates for caribbean cruises to see what ships are offering cruises at that time. Sure wish it was gonna be on the Splendor though! I love to go on all the new ships, and have been trying to do that lately. Of cause there are a few down south in Florida that we haven’t been on yet, so I will check it out. Have a nice THURSDAY night, and NO jelly beans for you tonight!!!!!!!!!! God Bless, Linda & Mike
P.S. Hi Heidi, what is new? Do a Blog soon ok?
Hi John, Ouch. Sorry about your nose. Are your eyes black and blue yet? Watch blowing your nose. For heavens sake don’t sneeze. That’s going to hurt. Pray you don’t get a cold.
Our bloggers tee shirts arrived today. I am impressed with the quality. They are Fruit of the Loom. The label is printed inside instead of a scratchy tag sewn in the tee. They are really thick and soft. I may order more. Dave and I will wear them on the Carnival Freedom August 29. Sure would be nice if we could take a group picture of bloggers on the cruise.
Enjoy your Thursday. ;o)
Jo
Here you go John:
April 11, 2009 8 days FREEDOM: Ft. Lauderdale to Costa Maya (I LOVE this port), Costa Rica and Panama (Love this port too), OR: Carnival Liberty (never been on this ship) from Miami to Cozueml (another of my favority ports), Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios, and the Legend goes out of Tampa in April 2009 too. Check them out! Linda
Long before Nate starting working on ships I have been an avid Carnival cruiser. I travel often with 2 disabled adult woman that live with us (it is what we do for work). On one of our many cruises the airline lost one of our wheel chairs (the wheelchair was beneath the plane during flight and was supposed to be at the door when we got off). The airline got us an assist wheel chair to get us to baggage and then kicked her out and left us standing there! No chair with a little disabled woman that has much difficulty walking. Although I was a bit in a panic that there was no way we could function for a week without a wheel chair (trust me losing the luggage instead of the chair would have been a blessing). I had absolutely no thought that carnival had any responsibility in this. I certainly alerted guest services that if the chair arrived to let me know ASAP….Carnival went above and beyond. Not only did they deliver a chair for us to borrow…they did not charge us the normal fee for the use of the chair. I don’t know the answer to your question John, but the next time someone complains feel free to tell you know someone that came onboard without their wheelchair, never complained, and had a fabulous vacation!
sorry for posting 2x but I have to tell you that maybe you should stick with the Jelly Bean diet….I think that you are looking a little thinner in that photo!
Hi John and Heidi, I do realize that they only sell Coke products on board, so I will have my Diet Pepsi stash with me–that is as long as I can bring it on board. I usually then buy more in every port, so if Diet Pepsi is your favorite also, I will be more than happy to share!!! Nothing tastes as refreshing as a Diet Pepsi when you come back from being ashore all day–that and a nice cool room will bring me back to life again!! Sugar-free Jelly Belly beans will be in your little basket of goodies when we get on board in 24 days. The time is going quickly–I think that 25% of the fun of a cruise is the anticipation! This one is especially exciting for me to look forward to, as I’ve been on over 40 cruises, but have never been to Europe. See you soon!! Sheryl
It’s Us again John
Addendum to previous post:
Truly Sorry about your Rhino nasal fracture , hope you get to feeling better, can you get ice packs for it? It will help any swelling or discoloration.
in reference to your luggage question. We totally agree with you. It is NOT the “hotel’s fault”. They can lend a sympathetic ear to your “tales of woe”, they can offer suggestions”,BUT to hold CCL or you PERSONALLY responsible for lost luggage which was most likely done by the airlines and their gorillas (most likely cousins of Fatima) IS TOTALY OUT OF LINE!
I am afraid you get the brunt of it because of your passenger’s preparing for that perfect vacation, planning & packing
Yes it hurts for all people to lose their luggage, it is an inconvenience, it is a grievance of sorts to think one might never see their possessions ever again .
More and more airlines are having more and more transfers and less and less one way flights and overbooking’s. It is the flyers responsibility that their luggage is marked for their final destination, because the airlines do not know all the information and the person should make sure their baggage is tagged. And of course it doesn’t help that most baggage these days are looking alike.
I wonder if the CCL tags on the luggage is like a magnet for the thieves saying Psst “come take me” “take me away”"Foreigner here” ” American Here, Over here, Look at me” Who Hoo”, but I think Not, it happens at any airport, in any county in any town.
Just our 4 cent worth
Take Care
The Tuckers
Good evening Mr. Heald. It must very frustrating to arrive at your destination and find out that your luggage is not there but personally I would blame the airlines not the cruise line nor especially the cruise director. How do you deal with a person who blames the individual who has nothing to do with it? Maybe you no longer should the responsibility of the lost luggage. Give them the phone number of their airline and maybe they should get upset with them. That was a beautiful picture that you took at 06:05 in the morning. Poor Heidi. OK, explain in English how you could have broken your nose. It was painful I know. Your eyes will be a little black & blue for a while, but either than that, you should be fine. On a personal note, my PSA test for my prostrate went up and I have to have it checked by an urologist. My father had cancer of the prostrate so I have to mine checked. My doctor said not to worry but we’ll see after the check up. Sorry for digressing. The picture that Josh drew was fantastic. The ship was large and excellent. Ha,ha,ha. See you soon. Ciao my friend.
Paul F. Pietrangelo
How awesome…another great interview with another super CD!! I was on the Destiny in June with Steve as CD and is he ever funny. We enjoyed the Idol show. What a hoot!! Is there an Idol show scheduled for the Freedom? I like it better than the Legends show. Carlo was a hoot on that cruise also. I am anxious to meet you when we get on board the Freedom October 4th. I wish you well with that broken nose and please be careful with the Jelly Beans!!
Poor John! Sorry to hear about the nose. Perhaps you can use that to your advantage on the upcoming cruise (“This is what happens when you use your ‘French-English’ speak in Cannes”)! I suppose we now need to add “finder of all things lost” to your ever-growing list of job duties. I couldn’t imagine losing luggage and going the entire cruise without it, but it’s not Carnival’s fault. I couldn’t imagine being angry for 12 days over my lost luggage when I was touring all of the ancient ruins and other amazing sites over there.
I loved the pictures from the Harry Potter party – Ken is just too cute! We were in the Chic dining room and LOVED his nightly serenade. His rendition of “O Danny Boy” made our entire table cry. It was also the only time he sang and actually sounded Irish, instead of like Frank Sinatra.
Oh, you were quite a looker in those early photos! I love the DJ photo….did you have a funky DJ name? Then again, do wine and cheese party DJ’s have funky names?
John
I’m enjoying your blog a great deal. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this.
Is it possible that I had the pleasure of being on one of your previous cruises? I was on the Imagination in January of 1998, Western Caribbean, and from the pictures (and English accent) you appear to be the same cruise director. You used to do a spiel on ‘crotch’eted goods during your shopping talk that cracked us all up.
A dear friend and I will be on the 10 September cruise and are looking forward to it–well, we’re looking forward to it too much. I think it’s affecting our work and the rest of our lives because we’re so excited. It’s sort of a combination celebration of 30 years of friendship as well as her 35th birthday. We will definitely try to track you and Heidi down and say hello.
By the way, how would I go about surprising my friend at dinner on her actual birthday? Should I try to arrange something with the head waiter or maitre’d? I don’t want to bother the wrong person who has a million other things to do but is too polite to pass the buck (yourself included). It doesn’t have to be a big production, just an acknowledgment for a wonderful person. Thanks for your help.
See you all in less than four weeks. Shall I smuggle you some HP Sauce? My boyfriend is English and he has a stash here. I could probably steal a bottle for you. (I don’t know how difficult it is to get real English goodies in the Mediterranean.)
Take care and thanks again for all of your work.
Shelley Hesson
Even though I’ve never posted before I have been enjoying your blog thingy since almost the beginning. Reading your stories is frustrating sometimes because it never ceases to amaze me how difficult and demanding people can be. It is not the cruise lines responsibility to compensate for lost luggage. I guarantee the hotels I have stayed in Las Vegas would not care at all if I had my luggage or not. It sounds like your crew does the best they can to help out the passengers. I have not cruised on Carnival in about 10 years due to a bad experience I had on my last CCL cruise but reading your blog thingy has me wishing I could change my mind.
John,
Please tell Laura she is not alone. She is one of us, the special ones, THE BLOGGER’S. She will never be alone on a blogger’s cruise.
I have always wanted to do a back to back cruise…I don’t want to miss anything in Alaska, so I think it’s a great idea!
April is a good time because Spring break will be over, and I won’t have to miss my daughter’s graduation from high school in May. Especially since right now, knock on wood, she is ranked first in her class. Would it look bad for me to be on a cruise when she graduates? I mean, gee, she is our third child to graduate from high school, our other 2 were in the top 10 of the class…yeah, I think I’d rather cruise…LOL. Hey tonight’s Thursday night….think pink..I would love to buy some pink little outfits to bring on board.
I LOVE the Carnival Destiny….in fact..it’s been our favorite ship so far. The Carnival Spirit is also on the top of the list. Oh, I can’t forget the Carnival Triumph ship…it’s beautiful, oh and the Carnval Valor…oh just say I loved them all….even the Carnival Tropicale. I did a Diet Coke commerical on that ship. Since then, I drink Diet Coke and cruise on Carnival. Is there a gold Carnival card? I think Alaska would make my 10th cruise.
Take care, and breath through your mouth.
Now we learn John was a DJ
Through a picture he just put on display
All this while being a somellier
While serving up a wine and cheese tray
However it appears he hit the buffett
More times than he exercised in a day
Through the years his hair shows more gray
And his briefs now qualify as nuclear decay
Now his days are spent writing an essay
While showing his guests the Carnival way
He put his own vaction on delay
For his fans he wanted to stay
However there is no doubt there would be dismay
If too retirement John would say okay
Hi John,
On the lost luggage subject, Carnival is not responsible. I would never think of blaming a hotel or cruise line for that or believe that it was their responsiblity to find mine. I realize it is a bummer when luggage is lost but guests need to understand that CCL trying to locate it is not a right but a courtesy to them. I’m sure 99% of passengers in this predicament really appreciate the lengths you go to and would never dream of blaming CCL, but that 1%……man how do you hold your tongue.
I love the picture of you DJing but was that chain you’re wearing left over from your A-Team days? Mr T’s going to be upset if he doesn’t get it back. LOL.
Smiles, Mary
PS I’ll let you know how those #s work out.
Hi John,
My god-daughter Lilian (7), her brother Alistair (6) and their parents Simon and Marie have just joined the ship (2-433). I am, of course, insanely jealous at being stuck back in Belgium, especialy as buying a house means I will probably have to wait a while before my next cruise.
Anyway, I was wondering if you could surprise them all by telling them I said hello. Also, Simon and Marie celebrated their wedding anniversary yesterday.
Thanks!
Alice
Good morning John Almighty (I like that),
How is your poor nose? You’re not really blaming the jelly beans, are you?
As usual, stunning photos. How old is Josh? That picture he drew of you was amazing. Not very flattering, but talented.
Divetrash/Laura: I felt the same the 1st time I cruised solo. But you’re right – it will pass. I had a great time and met lots of great people. I’ll be going alone again on my next cruise in December and I can’t wait. It’s nice to have some privacy and alone time in the cabin once in a while!
John, an April or May 2009 bloggers cruise sounds good – but I vote for Caribbean, not Alaska. That would give me time to save for it. The Freedom sounds good, or like I said before, how about the Miracle from NY. I might consider flying to California for a Mexican cruise (on the Splendor?) as long as my knees don’t bother me from the long flight.
Thanks for the interview with Steve. I have fond memories of the Destiny. I won my 1st solid gold plastic trophy playing Family Feud with my sister and brother-in-law. I told you I love the design of the Destiny/Conquest class ships. How different will the Splendor class be? Different deck layout?
Anyway, it is Friday morning, I have 1/2 day off (yippee). You have new guests (what will happen this time????). I hope Alan and his family had a great time. Regards to you and Heidi and enjoy the weekend everyone. (Roberto – that means you too).
Carol
In response to your question about lost luggage, I don’t think it’s unreasonable for a customer to expect assistance from a hotel or cruise line with his lost luggage, but it IS unreasonable for them to blame the hotel or cruise line for the problem or to be demanding with them. After all they are the ones who are going try to help, even though it’s not their fault.
In the case of a hotel, it’s part of the concierge’s job to assist a customer with details of travel, and he/she may have some local contacts that could speed things along or ease the situation.
In the case of a cruise line, the situation is quite different from a hotel, and the customer should be expecting more help, since when located, the luggage will have to be delivered to a moving target. The traveler isn’t really in a position to coordinate with the airline as to how soon the luggage could be delivered to each of the downline cities on the itinerary and exactly where it should be taken in each of those cities, or for that matter where to go in any city if he were to pick it up himself.
So while the traveler should expect assistance, there’s no way he should be demanding of the staff as in the example you’ve given.
Alan Wilson
GREAT blog today. About the lost luggage…we have, unfortunately, lost our luggage on a flight. The only one we thought responsible was the airline. (Just one opinion.) The last drawing posted of you “riding the Carnival Freedom” was a hoot. OK, so last night I ordered t-shirts for our January cruise. Now the bad news: I couldn’t convince my husband to wear the “I’ve seen John’s blog thingy” shirt. So I was forced to order shirts from the “friends and family” category. Sorry to disappoint; but, we are looking forward to them just the same.
Greeting to John and Heidi!
I have not been able to keep up with the blog quite as well lately. I will have to catch up over the weekend. If I turn the computer on Saturday night, it might be up and running by late Sunday morning!
O.K. John, here is the deal on the luggage. We lost a piece of luggage on Good Old Alitalia en route to Paris after we got off the ship. We went through so much at the airport that day including cancelled flights and an assurance from Alitalia that our luggage would be on the same plane we were on. Our luggage actually arrived in Paris before we did….. that is all except our granddaughter’s suitcase. For a solid week we tried to deal with them about the bag. Once we returned to the states, I was calling Rome at least once a day. My long distance phone bill is out of sight. I plan to send a copy of it to Alitalia asking for compensation. The suitcase arrived at our house two weeks after we got home.
If that had happened en route to the ship, I would certainly not have blamed Carnival. It is an airline problem at that point. Now, if it gets lost between the ship and the airport, I would be questioning Carnival.
Thanks for the beautiful pictures of the Vatican. My hubby was very fond of that spot when we were in Rome. He just kept standing in the square and taking in the sights. Next time we need to do a tour so he can see the inside.
I am glad you got the card. It is just a small token to say we are very appreciative of what you are doing!
Hi John, I’d like to comment on the “lost luggage issue”. While it is certainly not Carnival’s fault or responsibility to take care of lost luggage, cruisers have a unique problem that those taking land vacations would experience. If one is staying at a hotel, they can call themselves and check at the airport and even to retrieve their luggage when it is found. While on a cruise ship, the hotel is constantly moving. Calling the airline routinely to find one’s missing luggage I imagine would be somewhat difficult on a ship. Therefore, I think Carnival representative should help passengers track down and retrieve their luggage (just like they currently do), but not much more. Kudos to the Pursers who deal with this pain in the butt issue!
Cure for gaseous explosions induced by sugar free jelly beans….discontinue the jelly beans!
Have a great new cruise!
John, Pat just read in a tabloid that David Hasseloff said to Piers Morgan on America’s Got Talent ” it must be so hard to come out here and have some WANKER buzz you off”. Piers then said “you can’t say that” Pat wants to know what a WANKER is? It was said when judging Jason.
“BIG” ED for Mrs. “BIG” ED
John,
The previous post above reminds me of another true jellyfish story. My wife’s former boss was stationed with an international bank in the Bahamas, and married a lovely woman from there. One day while swimming just off shore, he was stung by several jellyfish. After rushing onto shore he collapsed, screaming in pain. His wife rolled him on his back, and she and their daughter “dropped trou” and proceeded to squat above him, “relieve themselves” all over his writhing body. He did not expect this treatment, and was quite shocked, almost as much as when he received the stings. As he retold the story, I fell off the couch laughing, as I was certain his wife had been waiting for this opportunity for years.
So, John, you mentioned sending Wee Jimmy’s note to Roberto, and I see above that others are sending e-mail to you via Roberto, but for the life of me, I cannot find his address. Could you reprint for those of us who are snail-mail (post) challenged? It would be greatly appreciated. We enjoyed Wee Jimmy immensely, but I must agree with my wife–he’s excellent, just not as excellent as you. He shared some warm, personal feelings with us about you and Heidi that I want to send in the e-mail–just too private to share on the blog thingy.
Much love to you and Heidi. Looking forward to seeing everyone on the Bloggers’ Cruise.
Regards,
Rus Franklin
John, I broke my nose once talking to my sister-in-law on the telephone. I stretched the cord to far, the receiver flew into the air out of my hand and landed on the bridge of my nose. It took me about 5 minutes to regain my senses and retrieve the phone, and she was still talking oblivious to my exploits.
Sheriff, I’m embarrassed, I let one get away – I’m not as spry as I used to be:(
One quick question, John, for your friends in Miami: How much is parking per day for those of us who drive. The last cruise we went on, we didn’t know they only took cash (we had traveler’s checks). Imagine our family of four scavenging pockets and car spaces for the money;)
Nice talking to you again, John. Mat.
divetrash & Kevin,
It’s cheaper for two in a cabin. Change your booking and go together. The beds can be set up as twin beds. You both would save the single penalty. Send me an e-mail if you two want to exchange e-mail addresses. My e-mail is in my blog by the BLOGGERS ALBUM post.
“BIG” ED
Hey John! Sorry to hear about the nose–ouch! Hope it has nothing to do with Alan being aboard!! I guess people will be making lots of jokes about how you came by it over the next cruise or 2! About luggage–I would very much appreciate the help trying to get it back, but would never expect Carnival to compensate me (I’d just have to take the $50 or 100 from the airline and move on with my life!). I do appreciate the help CCL provides, and can see why you offer the service as the guests are moving around Europe. And I do feel for the guests whose luggage doesn’t come….it must be very difficult hopeing but not knowing. However, it is not Carnival’s fault if the luggage is lost, no matter who booked the flight.
No fun having unruly children aboard–hard on everyone, especially security! Take care, Gloria
John,
Of course it is not Carnival’s fault the luggage was lost, unless the flight was completely booked by Carnival. Since most of the flights are either booked separately by a travel agent, or by ourselves via the internet, it is only the fault of the airlines that the luggage was lost. BUT I think the frustration comes from being on a ship, without phone service. They feel they cannot call the airline directly and complain, so the only option is to complain to the purser, then untimately to the CD.
As a seasoned traveler, I always carry on a change of unmentionables, medicines, jewelry and anything else I simply cannot replace. If my luggage was lost, I would consider it an omen for a shopping trip, and a new wardrobe!
Maybe, when the new information booklets are printed, it could be mentioned that “luggage can be lost by the airlines and we at Carnival strongly suggest packing a change of clothes in a carry on bag, along with medicines, jewelry, etc. as a precaution.”
Loved our cruise on the Freedom, we were on the third one in April, and celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary. Looking forward to cruising Europe in Sept. 2008.
John, YES I’m a PERSONAL FITNESS COORDINATOR, PFC, too. I will send the proof to you by way of Roberto.
“BIG” ED
Just wonderful, the kids pictures are great as always. Steve Knisley’s interveiw is great I can almost picture him trying that kick too.
.
Glad to see all the nice gifts and even the one so Heidi can enjoy you having the jellybeans too
I has been a bussy week, starting homeschooling the boy school and the cruise on the Glory in only 22 days thing are going a little fast. I is good to sit for a bit and enjoy your Blog Thingy.
I am just hoping and praying for all in the path of the Hurricane right now, I am not worried about the vacation but those in its path. Living in Florida we keep track of the storms, last year was a quiet year (one just went up the middle of Altantic and did circles) and this year has not been that bad, so far, it is already September and they are just up to E in naming, so that is good.
I wish you and Heidi the best
Heidi-Beth
Hi John,
Thanks for your bon voyage wishes for my river cruise… It should be a very interesting and different experience. Of course you can expect a full report on my return.
Thanks for the interview with Joe Farcus – his work is not always to my personal taste but I there is no doubt that he’s a brilliant guy with an incredible imagination and quite an eye for detail. And he is GREAT at drawing.
Doug
Thanks for all the encouraging words, Kevin, Susan B and Carol. And Big Ed, I appreciate the offer, no offense to Kevin, but I think my boyfriend might have an issue with me sharing a room with a guy. He’s already pouting, I don’t want to push it. I think I will take Carol’s advice and enjoy having a room to myself for once.
Now John,
Since you’ve been so good about shouldering the blame for everything under the sun (and in the heavens), I think I shall blame you for the fact that I now have 2 of Monty Python’s filthier songs stuck running through my head. And I can’t seem to dislodge them.
Just thought I’d share…
“You blow me away!..”
Laura
I just wanted to let you know that I really enjoy your blog thingy and have been following it since you started writing it. I am not much on sending replys to blogs but I just had to tell you that I booked the bloggers cruise just on account of you and I am a 9 times cruiser of the Pacific cruise lines. Let me know how my Traval Agent can list the booking as a blogger.
Keep up the good work.
I don’t know how anyone could expect Carnival to reimburse them for airline lost luggage and I don’t know how you can be so patient.
Hello Mr. Heald!
hope all is well..i see you have more jellybeans to refuel your jetpack!
….there should be some way to convert that type of energy into a renewable source that can propel personal vehicles…. resulting in lower energy costs and slowing global warming…
…then again i suppose the warmer the globe causes more ice to melt…more water in the ocean….more places for carnival to sail….more ships for you to sail on…more people you meet….more places you see….more time with Heidi…thus a happier John. ( basically we just proved global warming = happy cruise director)
Still waiting for something in mail from the Chief of Pursers in Miami…something should be coming back soon…I HOPE…(i only live twenty minutes from miami so the mail service should only take a day of transit.)
Hope all is well,
Nico
Divetrash,
None taken and I also enjoy a cabin to myself, never have to wait to use the bathroom, can watch what I want on tv at anytime, and no one complains when I come home at 3am. So no offense taken.
The Real Big Ed,
Thanks for trying to save me some money, just means I’ll have to hang with the bloggers who can’t be in the casino for the trip. Finally I’ll get a tan on a cruise. Also would you mind if I took advantage of some of the photo’s you have on your site to put together a DVD for John that he might use on the morning show, I got this great movie editing program that i can add some music and graphics to the photo’s. Let me know you have my email.
Kevin
Assistant to Big “ED”
John, have you ever been in a hurricane while cruising? What do they do – change ports & go a different route? The logistics of changing ports, etc. must be quite a nightmare. We were on the cruise of the Freedom, watching the container ship along side of us where the waves were crashing way up, and that storm wasn’t nearly as strong as a hurricane, so I can’t imagine what the seas must be like.
We were on that cruise with our next-door neighbors, who are enthusiasts of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. They are actually “Gold Crown Members” with Royal, but while they were on the Freedom, all they could do was rave about the food (especially the soft-shell crabs), the ship in general, and the “by far, best Cruise Director we’ve ever had”.
We were noticing the ship-board cameras on Krooz-Cam, and it looks as if the Valor & the Liberty are high-tailing it back to Florida – maybe even with different routes’ back.
We found a car rental agency in Miami – will rent you a Austin Martin for $1995.00 for a 24 hr. period. What a deal !!!
Mr.missingthesmokefreeparadisebutlookingforwardtothenearlysmokefreecarnivalfreedom contacted the pursers desk to complain about having to pack for the cruise. Mr. MTSFPBLFTTNSFCF (name abbreviated in order to save server space) inquired why the cruise ship could not 1) send staff to his home in advance of the cruise to identify needed clothing, then clean, press, fold and pack same, 2) arrange for transportation of said packed clothing via accompanied transport, and 3) upon arrival at the cruise ship, unpack, refresh any pressed items that wrinkled during transportation, choose and lay out the first evenings clothing and warm the provided towels.
I informed Mr. MTSFPBLFTTNSFCF (what nationality is this guy anyway?) that it was not Carnival’s responsibility to provide staff for these purposes. Mr. MTSFPBLFTTNSFCF expressed astonishment at this statement, claimed that I was disrespecting him and insisted that he speak with the Cruise Director, stating (and I quote) “How can you possibly advertise yourself as the Fun Ships when I have to do so much work in advance of the cruise?”
I again reiterated to Mr. MTSFPBLFTTNSFCF that Carnival’s responsibility did not extend off the ship, but he insists on speaking with the Cruise Director.
Complaint forwarded to the CD, with a copy to the CP (Company Psychoanalyst) and PA 007.
Hi John, I won’t blame Carnival if, heaven forbids ,my luggage gets lost but it sure makes a good argument for arriving a couple of days early for the cruise and maybe packing a little lighter and carrying on my own luggage. If I figure out how to do that I will probably be the lady wearing all black every day and wearing birkenstocks with my formal dress. We are cruising the Freedom on May 10, 2008. Please be there when we cruise. You are the best!
I’m one of the quieter fans-of-John, but I adore his blogs nevertheless, and try not to miss a-one.
I want to say — re the luggage situation — that this summer, travel from the U.S. to Europe has been an all-time low, particularly for anyone connecting through Heathrow (supreme offender) and Rome (secondary offender).
I didn’t even cruise with Carnival this summer and yet I can still empathize with the pain; traveling from a Wind Surf cruise from Nice, to my vacation in Helsinki, via Heathrow, I wound up with, to quote a baseball expression, an 0 for 2 situation. Yes, both bags disappeared….
I was flying British Airways (hint: avoid if at all possible, it’s not BA’s fault, it’s airport operator British Airport Authority’s fault, but still, you’ll suffer anyway). Now that I think about it, and having read John’s reports, I can’t believe how LUCKY I was to get my stuff, traveling between NY and Barcelona.
So, definitely keep your essentials on hand and otherwise hope for the best. And the fact is, that as John has noted, hotels wouldn’t do half for you what the cruise lines are doing. On the other hand…please, please don’t pack anything you can’t bear to lose in checked luggage. At least not this summer.
That’s my advice. I ultimately got my suitcase back, a week later, and I feel absurdly lucky. But had I been heading to a cruise with no suitcase rather than just going home…I would have been furious and disconcerted, both….
Carolyn
Hi John,
Thank you for responding. I would like to know, since my luggage is still missing, how long Carnival keeps pictures or negatives of past guest on file (or if you even do). I purchased several of my port and formal night pictures. All of these are in my lost luggage. Since it has been two weeks and the airline has no clue where my luggage is, I would like to know if it is possible for me to repurchase them. Thank you.
Cindy
hello john,,
that guy that riped you off for the free meal,,,,
what a jerk,,,,how do you keep your cool??? if it were me,,,they would have had to call 911,for that big mouth jerk,,,,any way thats why your the C D
and im not,,,i would last about 2 hours as a C D ,
youare a very great person,,,,its a shame that mr.jerk,,wasnt left behind at some other port,,,
boy i bet he would be pissed,,,i hope that big storm dont come to florida,,,,jane is ready to move up north,,,she worrys a lot,,,kay sarah sarah,tell heidi
we said HI,,,i had to write you about that big jerk,,,
see you in miami,,,,,
dont let the bastards get you down,,
your freinds in sunny flordia
tom & jane
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Hi John,
We are going on the Destiny Dec 20-25/08. How many formal nights will there be and anything special for Christmas? Also who will be the cruise director at that time.
We just got back from the Western Caribbean cruise aboard the Carnival Liberty. We had the time of our lives!! Thank you to everyone aboard the ship…guests and crew…because it is a team effort required to make the trip truly memorable!!
Special thanks to Mariya, Jovana, Jos, and Jaya. You guys are amazing. Without you, our trip would not have been nearly as good.
We hope to be on another ship very soon!!
Chris & Jenn
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Hello really nice weblog!!