This is my first post to the blog. While I have read your blog in the past, we were fortunate that you chose to have the Bloggers Cruise on the week we had this cruise booked. We loved the “extras” that we received as being a blogger.

After a few days on the ship, it was very apparent that you truly care about every passenger on the ship. That is a big burden for you to carry, but that is what makes you so special as a Cruise Director.

As far as that gentleman, one thing that you have to understand is that you simply can’t (as I am sure you know) please everybody. Many people come on a cruise with the self-fulfilling idea that they are not going to have a good time, and there is nothing that you can do to change that. On our flight home, I sat next to a gentleman that also said that he would never sail Carnival again. He booked his cruise and flight through Carnival, and the flight was delayed due to mechanical problems so he missed the ship, and nobody could help him. He had requested travel insurance through his TA and was given a policy that only reimbursed him $500. He was bitter, and I can understand that. Maybe Carnival failed him, and surely his TA failed him, but unfortunately a ruined vacation is always blamed on the last company in the line. Just remember that you can’t save everybody.

All I can tell you is that my family had one of the best vacations EVER this past week. My two kids were happy they got their “ship on a stick” for drawing pictures. Everybody in my family would love to attend a cruise that you will be hosting.

I wish that I had a chance to say “HI!” personally, but you always had so many people trying to talk to you that I am sure that you didn’t need the additional burden of “more people”. We did talk briefly though on your Morning Show, when I was the first caller.

I will be writing the president of Carnival with my thoughts on the pluses and minuses of our cruise. Comment cards are nice, but I think a personal communication allows me to express my feelings better than coloring in a circle. I know the president will never actually read it. but it makes me feel better.

I am almost sure that we have seen you on a previous cruise, and that would have been the (I believe) the Fascination in February of 1992 or 1993. Any change it was you?

Thanks for the great vacation, and thanks to Carnival for providing such a great product at such a value price.

Neal

You always make my day. It is a good thing I don’t drink coffee while reading ….
Happy birthday! I was telling the story of the jelly bean gift at the dinner table last night and the boys thought it hilarious. Congrats to Big Ed and Heidi for pulling it off!
Thanks for the picture of Ken also. I hope he will be our Host again when we are on board the Freedom next December. He’s the best!
Have a great day .

Nowadays, the littlest things cause people to say things like “I’m never sailing with Carnival again” or “Never doing business with this company again”. When I worked in retail, I had many people say such things, because a small sale sign wasn’t taken down yet the next morning after the sale ended.

Last August, I sailed on the Triumph with my girlfriend and on debarkation day in Miami, there were these two older women complaining on the bus, because the driver was taking too long. They blamed Carnival, and said, “I’m never sailing with this cruise line again!”. I have to give these guys a lot of credit. There’s so many of them working their butts off in 90 degree weather all day, soaked in a thick layer of sweat trying to fill up buses with the luggage of 3000 guests. Some people just don’t understand and never will, unfortunately. I’m loyal to Carnival, and only sailed with Carnival. This was my girlfriend’s first cruise and she loved it as well.

Hope the last day of your Blogger’s Cruise runs smoothly. Weather looks beautiful according to the webcam. Have a great day guys!

Best Regards,

Alex G.

I did not feel slighted at all by the Breast Cancer walk on the TA, in part because Todd sang to all cancer survivors, not just the breast cancer survivors.

Some will question my way of thinking, but I am a >12 time cancer survivor. In my case, it is skin cancers, which may not seem like much of an issue, but, left unattended, can metastasize and eventually kill. I feel blessed that my cancers have bee recognized and removed early, albeit way too many times for me.

Now, onto the subject of photo #2 – we left the Transatlantic Cruise with an autographed picture of the great Ken. What a lovely man with such a lovely voice.

During the TA, our table mates were disappointed that Ken was not coming up to the second floor. We mentioned it to him (he had just returned from a vacation) and he told us he was testing the microphone to be able to sing up there. He asked for our table mate’s name and, of course, announced that tonight’s tune was for Shirley at table 516 (or whatever our table # was).

We were at the Supper Club that night, but understand that Shirley jumped up and ran to the piano area overlooking the ground floor. Ken came up to the second floor and had trouble finding her, but eventually did and sang directly to here.

As I said – a beautiful man with a beautiful voice. Why he is not featured in your Legends show every week, I do not know. (OK., maybe it is because he is featured every night).

Jon

I absolutely DEMAND he be our Maitre d’

May you have the strength to solve the problems you can, the understanding that not all problems are within your grasp to solve…and the wisdom to know the difference.

And also know that for every “starfish” that crosses your path, you have more friends than the grains of sand on a beach who adore you!!