I stood on the bridge this morning in Grand Cayman watching 12,000 cruise ship passengers being ferried ashore like an occupying force, armed to the teeth with sun cream and credit cards………….tenders were waiting for another tender to leave …………..I looked out at the gleaming buildings housing banking establishments from all over the world……….you could smell the money…………and it took all of my self control not to go out on deck, grab a bull horn and shout “Please, spend some of the money the ships bring you every day and build a bloody pier!”
But, I didn’t of course and continued with the smooth operation of getting guests ashore. We started at 7:30 am and by 10:11 am we had 3,000 guests ashore………….not bad………..but it could have been so much easier if we could dock……………….I know right now someone is reading this and saying…………”stop whining John” …………. ok………..I have stopped…………but honestly you would think they …….. ok……… sorry…………this time I have really stopped……………for now.
We have been joined in Grand Cayman by the gorgeous Costa Fortuna which is, of course, the same class of ship as the Carnival Freedom………they are identical except the smoke stack is different of course and the Costa Fortuna has more pasta.
It’s great to have a family member with us but strangely we are the only ones as there is no Holland America and no Princess or any of the other sisters for that matter. Instead we have various other ships I can’t be bothered to waste my typing fingers on telling you about.
As you know, Grand Cayman is a British dependant and still has a lot of very British attributes. The cars drive on the correct side of the road, the post is sent through the Royal Mail and there is a British Pub serving national treasures such as Fish and Chips, Bubble and Squeak, Steak and Kidney Pudding ……….but alas………..there isn’t a Spotted Dick insight. Like everything in Grand Cayman these treats are quite expensive but for a Brit away from home they are worth every penny.
Unfortunately this Brit will not be sampling any of the above as I remain onboard blogging and preparing the action plan following our Cruise Director Conference. It’s strange though how a blog can suddenly, out of the blue, take on a theme ……………. and today’s theme is………..being British.
I have met many Brits on the Carnival ships recently and they absolutely love it………………I mean……………..really love it. Before I talk about why, lets play …………..spot the British tourist………………………………… Well, that’s easy.
Firstly find a red-faced man who looks like he has stuck his head in a Microwave ……………he’s a sunburn Brit.
Then, find some one looking up the word “tipping “in a dictionary…………..he’s British.
Look for someone who has just been served a steak covered in freshly picked Baboon Boogers with a side of Yak scrotum but refuses to complain to the waiter …………….. yep………………..British.
So many British people are now sailing with Carnival. They love the food, the zany colours of our interior, the spectacular entertainment and because the US Dollar is weaker than non-alcoholic beer to the Pound, they have money left over to buy a nose hair remover and other gadgets from Sharper Image.
People love the British tourist. We are polite, sunburnt, non-tipping, non-complaining tourists and nobody loves us more than the Americans. Now I know the following does not apply to any of my friends reading this blog but there are some people who still think of us in a fairy stereotypical way. We all wear Bowler hats to work…………that’s if we can get to work with all that fog…………it rains every day (that maybe true) and that at 3:00pm every day the entire nation stops to have a cup of tea and eat cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off. If only that were true and it wasn’t in fact a country where binge drinking is a national sport, David and Victoria Beckham are worshipped as Gods and where parts of our cities are only safe to walk around at night if you have hired a Tank.
Also, it seems that some still think of my beloved country as being rather small …………. it is not uncommon then for a cruise ship guest from North America who hears someone is from the UK and who has a relative from there to say……………..” I hear y”all from Britain………..do you know Bob?”
We will return to the British theme later, but first here are a few random photos for you to enjoy.
Late breaking photo………….shot of the Eclipse last night taken by crew member Kevin Larson
Let’s open up the mailbag and answer some of your questions.
BIG ED………………It sounds to me as though I may be swimming with the fish ………….let’s hope there are chips as well mate……….Don Bigo Edo.
SOUTHERNDREAMS……………….have a wonderful time on the Carnival Fascination. Tell Charlie no drinking and driving. Have fun as you always do.
ROB…………………I will be happy to do something special for your folks. Please can you leave me a nice letter on the first day at the Information Desk? Write something nice about how they are the best parents in the world and how you are sorry for their grey hair. I will read this out on my Morning show on Sunday and can send them a little surprise. Looking forward to meeting you all…………………….get ready for a great cruise.
SUSAN B…………..You asked when Heidi will write another blog………..it has indeed been a long time so I will mention this to her and I am sure you will hear from her soon. You mentioned that she may like to tell me off in the blog…………I am sure there will be no “may” about……….she will. I hope you are well and I am happy to hear you are still enjoying the blog thingy.
BILL ZYDECOCRUISER………………I just saw the new Platinum Gift which I had no idea about………….It’s a thermos ………….and it looks great. Thanks for the update and I also enjoyed all your Carnival Pride photos……………but why were there none of any food? Always great to hear from you and hope to again very soon.
JO MYERLY…………Hope you are sleeping better Jo and what better to send you to the land of nod than reading my musings. Anyway, your question about tours going into London is an excellent question. The answer is yes and also the answer is I don’t know. I can tell you that we are finalizing the tour program as we speak and what tours there will be to London I am uncertain of at this time. However, many people will I am sure be taking back to back cruises so the answer is Yes we will indeed be able to offer you tours. The London Eye is superb………….I hate heights and have not done this particular attraction myself but my family and friends who have told me it was amazing. London is a fabulous city and as soon as we put everything together I will be happy to be your guide. As always, our best to you both.
DAVID MORAN……………As you will see in a moment I will proudly be flying the Ocean Village flag with an interview given by the Managing Director of Ocean Village. I am very happy you gave me a nudge in this direction and will be making sure that at regular intervals we check in with them. You asked about the 2009 cruises in Europe for Carnival. The Carnival Freedom will be sailing the Grand Med and the Greece/Turkey itineraries while the Carnival Liberty will sail through the Baltic and Med. May I suggest you contact Carnival’s London office on http://www.carnivalcruise.co.uk/. They have a special on the Carnival Liberty…………….check this out.
How about that for service mate! Enjoy the interview and I hope to see you next year.
RAY CZENSZAK…………….How brilliant that after 5 years you may have finally decided to get married……………..and on a Carnival ship. If this is what you want to do we can arrange everything through a special package? If you want to do this let me know personally and will hook you up with our fantastic wedding coordinator who will arrange everything…………except the Honeymoon night! Let me know and hopefully I can be onboard and enjoy your special day with you.
MONICA AND AL……………..I think I responded to your question yesterday but just in case I didn’t…………the Carnival Triumph will indeed be getting a Big Screen on the Lido deck and this will happen during her dry dock period at the end of this year. Hope this helps and sorry for the delay in answering.
EASTTEXANS 2……………..I am very happy to welcome you to my humble blog and even happier to learn that you have booked the 2009 Bloggers cruise. I am very proud to be hosting this event and especially proud that it will be onboard the Carnival Fantasy. You mentioned the dining room and your dislike of the booths. Well, you will be happy to know that the dining rooms will be completely refitted and redesigned and many (not all) of the booths will be replaced. I will be happy to help you with dining assignments nearer the time and this time I hope we can all eat at one sitting. However, the way this cruise is selling this may not be possible! Anyway, welcome again and please let me know if I can help with anything further.
NANNI………………Yes, see you soon para uno mucho hugo.
AJ……………..Hello AJ and we miss you to. Have you booked the 2009 Bloggers cruise? You asked about my cabin. Well, dependant on the class of ship the cruise director cabin is usually on deck 5 or deck 9. We do have a nice cabin but regardless of how nice it is it will get very small very quickly once you have moved in for a few months. Maybe soon I will take a few photos for you. Hope to see you soon and my best to you and the family.
LARRY AND JERI……………Thanks for the kind words of support and sorry I forgot your names. It seems that yes, you do love the Carnival Liberty as you have sailed on her so much and of course I now remember our conversation on the Carnival Imagination. How can I forget that? You were celebrating your 51st wedding anniversary and I remember thinking to myself that I hope Heidi and I are so lucky. It was great to meet you and I wish you another wonderful cruise with all your family on the Carnival Legend in May………….wish I was there with you.
PAULMEDIK…………….hello Paul. Well let’s start with an apology that I will be not be with you in April here on the Carnival Freedom. I will be in Europe but you will be very happy indeed when I tell you the CD will be Todd Wittmer…………….our very best CD. You then are on the carnival liberty in June and you asked who the CD will be and the answer is Karl with a K…………another brilliant young man and very very funny.
By now I am sure you have read in my past blog thingies that the video currently playing on You Tube is not the Carnival Dream. I know you and the boys are very excited about this ship as am I and unfortunately I know nothing yet as to what Carnival has in store for us. Maybe, just maybe I can find out a few secrets about the ship through PA 007 and when I do I will of course share them with you. It will be a wonderful vessel and anytime we introduce a new class of ship you can bet it will be very, very special. I hope this helps and please send my best to the boys and all the family.
RUTH JAMISON………………Thanks Ruth for your constant support. I didn’t mention the K Mart thing to start a contest on whose the best etc……….ok…………..I did ……. but seriously, thanks for all the kind words on why you love Carnival. Now, let’s answer your questions. You asked about the naming ceremony and when it is. Well, at this stage I think it will be before the 3-day cruise however this is not certain. I have just asked someone to clarify this and I will confirm to you ASAP. Regardless of if it is or not the Inaugural cruise is indeed the first 12 day. This will be the first cruise out of Dover and will be treated as very special. How far is London from Dover……………well, its about 80 miles and depending on traffic it should take around 2 hours to get there. However, you will first have to navigate something called the M25 which on paper is a Freeway (motorway) however in reality it’s a parking lot. I am collecting all the information on hotels and transfers and will be posting this information shortly. I hope this helps and I will indeed be posting lots of photos from my trip to wet your appetite. Our best to you both and see you soon.
A CRUISE BY ANY OTHER NAME…………..Great to hear from you. The Platinum benefits are being re-examined and as I just found out myself there is already a new gift in the thermos thingy. Certainly a choice would be good and I am in contact with the folks who manage this program and will indeed pass this suggestion along. You all deserve the best for your loyalty to us. Cheers.
ANN WILSON…………….I see that you have some questions about the Carnival Splendor’s shore excursions. I will be sending a comprehensive report from my trip to set all the excursions up in April so please stand by for that. We are indeed close to the centers of Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Helsinki but further away in Tallinn and Warnemunde. Heidi will be sending a special blog on Amsterdam soon. There are places I love but something tells me we will not be sending our guests there. I will be happy to be your guide and I send my best regards to you and your sister.
GREG BALDASARRI……………I cannot understand why another cruise lines CD should feel it necessary to go on stage and slam another line………….it’s silly ……..as all it does it gives us free advertising and as you stated puts everyone’s backs up on the boards. You asked about the new terminology for Formal night as Elegant Night. This is indeed a trial here and while we still encourage people to dress in a formal style we do allow someone to wear a smart pair of pants and a short sleeved shirt. Now, we have tried this here and informed the guests and maybe less than 50 chose not to wear formal/elegant clothing. Formal is an outdated word but I still think we should give the guests one chance to dress in a way that maybe during their regular lives they don’t have a chance to do so. Thanks mate for all you do.
PEANUTS……………….It is indeed my intention to host a before cruise function before we sail on the Bloggers cruise, something that will give something back to help New Orleans. It may be difficult for you to get involved as you will have to look after your beautiful child however I am sure you can come along and support us. The planning is in the early stages and as soon as I know more I will make sure everyone is aware of what they can do to take part. I heard New Orleans did a wonderful job hosting the All Star game and I am really excited to be doing something for this great city. Thanks Peanuts and my best to you all.
KICKASKI…………..hello my friends. I am glad to hear from you. I did in fact interview Ken some time ago and if you search in the archives you will come across a super chat with my mate and the best maitre d’ at sea. You asked for my thoughts on taking your passport of the ship. Well, although we as a vessel do not require you to there are some ports particularly in Europe that do require to see photo identification. Remember this can be a drivers license as well and if you have one of those I would leave the passport in the safe and take that instead. It’s much easier to replace a lost license than a lost passport. I hope this helps and it will be great to see you, my friends, again soon.
CARAVANPARKMANAGER……………………Thanks mate. I have no intention of selling the SUV and if the world suddenly plunges into desert conditions …….. remember……….its my fault for driving a proper car. Are you a Brit and do you run a caravan park? Hope to hear from you soon.
GACRUISER……………..Just a quick note to say welcome home. I hope you had a brilliant cruise and I am glad we made you laugh. Welcome to the blog thingy and I hope it gives you continued laughs. Cheers.
That’s it for now as in 30 minutes it’s Showtime. I will continue with more Q and A stuff tomorrow. Thanks as always to everyone for the comments………..they are so fun to read.
Now, back to all things British. You will have read that recently I was given a gentle kick in the jacksie (bottom) for not mentioning our sister Ocean Village which has rapidly become a major force in the industry especially for Brits who don’t like cruising ……………. that sounds strange doesn’t it……….well, let me explain ……………..actually let Nick Lighton the Managing Director of Ocean Village explain.
1. There has been lots of interest on the blog about Ocean Village Cruise Line. What can you tell us about its history and where it is today?
Ocean Village launched in 2003 as ‘the cruise for people who don’t do cruises’, designed for 35-55 year old Brits who felt cruising was not their style or was something they would only consider when they retired.
Informality is what makes Ocean Village tick – it’s a dressed-down, laid-back, free-spirited sort of holiday where people make their own agendas rather than have one imposed upon them.
Today, the brand has two ships, the original Ocean Village ship and Ocean Village Two which was named in April 2007. Itineraries are destination-rich, so passengers can look forward to waking up somewhere new nearly every day rather than experiencing long days at sea. The line has one of the widest ranging ‘Action Ashore’ programmes in the industry offering high-octane trips such as canyonning, river rafting, cave tubing and zip wire rides as well as more laid-back options such as swimming with dolphins, local cookery classes and designer shopping trips. Travel agent research reported this year rated Ocean Village the best cruise line in the UK for younger cruisers, first timers, families, laid-back informal style, and freedom to do what you want. Value for money also ranked very high. 7 nights in the Med starts from £599 per person including flights.
2. Who sails on Ocean Village?
Average age in the summer is 44 – more than 10 years below the UK cruising average – and over 50% will never have taken a cruise before. Ocean Village is all about attitude – it’s for people of working age with forward-looking, younger mindsets who want a holiday on their terms. It’s cruising without the clichés, sailing without the ceremony, for the younger section of middle England that didn’t realise cruise holidays could be like this.
3. How would you describe the atmosphere onboard and what are some of the highlights of the vessel.
The atmosphere is laid-back and easy-going. The are no formal dress codes on board, no set dining times and no fixed seating plans. With buffet-style dining right around the clock passengers don’t feel bound by a timetable of meal times; there’s always something available so no one needs to rush. In the evenings, there are waiter service options for a small extra charge – either dining poolside under the stars on Mediterranean themed menus, or pushing the boat out at celebrity TV chef James Martin’s highly acclaimed on-board Bistro. Entertainment is modern and upfront with alternative comedy, tribute bands, contemporary circus acts and an aerial deck laser show that is unlike anything else in the industry. The original Ocean Village ship also has a dedicated cinema.
Both ships offer ocean view gyms but Ocean Village Two really puts the ‘aaah’ back into spa with the largest spa afloat, relative to the ship’s size. The 14,000 sq ft two-storey complex features 9 treatment rooms with floor to ceiling ocean views plus a separate sauna and steam room zone with Swedish, herbal and hammam options, plus a darkened meditation or ‘womb room’ with four hanging basket chairs for totally chilling out!
Ocean Village Two also features private balconies in nearly a quarter of all cabins.
4. Can you tell us where the ships sail from and to?
The ships sail in the western and eastern Med each summer (from Palma and Heraklion) and the Caribbean in the winter (from Barbados and Aruba) on one or two week itineraries. There is also a third option of staying a week ashore at a hotel in Palma, Heraklion or Barbados before taking a second week on board ship. This is particularly popular with cruise virgins who are testing the water for the first time and don’t want to ‘risk’ a whole holiday on board. Interestingly, many of these people go on to rebook with us – but for a full 14-night cruise the next time! All holidays are fly-cruises and include flights from the UK.
Itineraries for summer 08:
Ocean Village
Heraklion – Dubrovnik – Corfu – Cephalonia – Katakolon (for Olympia)- Athens – Heraklion
Heraklion – Limassol (Cyprus) – Rhodes – Ephesus – Mykonos – Santorini – Heraklion
Ocean Village Two
Palma – Tunis – Rome – Genoa – Monte Carlo – Barcelona – Palma
Palma – Tunis – Naples – Florence/Pisa – St Raphael – Ajaccio (Corsica) – Palma
Itineraries for Winter 08/9
Ocean Village
Barbados – St Kitts – St Maarten – Guadeloupe – St Lucia – Dominica – Barbados
Barbados – Tortola – St Barts – Antigua – Martinique – Grenada – Barbados
Ocean Village Two Barbados – St Vincent – Dominica – Mayreau – Isla Margarita – Curacao – Aruba Aruba – Bonaire – Caracas – Grenada – St Lucia – Tobago – Barbados
5. What “typical” British traits can be found onboard?
Dining is British oriented with British favourites including a carvery in the Waterfront restaurant. Celebrity chef James Martin champions good British dining with a Mediterranean twist e.g. crab and lobster risotto with Thai spices, seared fillet of beef, halibut with mussels, roast rack of lamb, with orange and Grand Marnier crème brulee or baked chocolate mousse to follow.
The entertainment is emphatically British in character, most notably in the stand-up comedy (delivered in the Connexions bar, not the Marquee theatre) with acts coming straight off the UK comedy circuit and specialising in British irony. Quizzes have a quirky British theme. There is bitter beer on tap (as well as the recently relaunched national favourite – cider).The entertainment and shore ex staff are British and the overall feel on board is laid-back British – announcements are kept to a minimum, music is from the UK back catalogue and the ships hum along with an upbeat optimism. The kids centre features story time with a ‘live’ appearance by the UK’s best-loved children’s TV character – Bagpuss. National and international football and rugby games feature prominently on the plasma screen TVs on board, while the Action Ashore programme includes visits to legendary cricket venues in Antigua and Europe’s largest football stadium in Barcelona. Mountain biking is becoming increasingly popular in the UK and a fleet of mountain bikes is carried on board both ships to make exploring easy right from the gangway.
Thanks Nick. Ocean Village sounds like they have found a huge gaping hole in the market and with Carnival Corporation’s help, they have filled it with a very successful product. We wish our sister happy and successful times ahead and if you want a taste of how Brits really are on holiday and get rid of that very stiff upper lip, take off the bowler hat and let our hair down…………..take an Ocean Village cruise……….it really is unique and looks like so much fun.
As I mentioned at the top of this thingy today’s blog seemed to take on a natural British theme…………..here is another reason why.
Guest: Mr _________ Ref: __________Owner: __________
Cabin: _______ Booking#: _______Added-Changed: 10/17/07 – 02/19/082466 – Wants to speak to Cruise Director
Mr __________ (British guest) came to desk stating he wants to speak with John. Purser asked what he was concerned with and he replied he was not happy and wanted John. Purser informed guest that she would pass the message. E-mail sent.
Charged to CD.
So, I received this yesterday and this afternoon once the guest had returned from Grand Cayman I spoke with him. What is he unhappy with………..everything…………….and nothing. He was very nice to start with but as the conversation continued he began to get a bit uptight and I had to use my special powers to calm him down.
Basically, he is everything opposite to the normal British person who I have met during my years of working here. I could list the things he mentioned but really I won’t bother as he wasn’t really complaining because after I calmed him down he admitted…………. “it’s just not my cup of tea.”………………..and then he said……………….”I am a loyal P & O fan and I think I just miss their way of doing things. “
Well, I told him this was fine and that its part of the family and if that is what he likes than there is no need to worry. He did admit that his kids were having a brilliant time at Camp Carnival and because they were British and spoke differently to the other kids everyone wanted to be their friends.
Anyway, as I was about to leave he said something that made me laugh to myself. He said “I am British through and through and I guess I just prefer P & O.”
This of course is fine as P & O are part of the family and I want him to be happy and that’s why it is so wonderful that we have within the Carnival Corporation something for everyone. I will say this though………….and this is a personal thing……………I love mixing with other cultures on vacation………….If I was American I would think sailing on P & O or Ocean Village would be absolutely brilliant and if I was British I think (like the thousands who do sail with us) it would be so much fun to sail with our American cousins.
One thing is for certain, I am very proud to be British but with regard to what that guest said about being British through and through ……well……I couldn’t help thinking he is probably driving in a German car to an Irish pub for a Dutch beer, then traveling home, grabbing an Indian Curry or a Turkish Kebab on the way, to go home and sit on Swedish furniture and watch American shows on a Japanese TV.
TTFN
Your friends
John and Heidi
Filed under: Tales from the Ship, Uma Thurman | Tagged: Splendor Godmother
John,
The Grand Cayman Pub may not have Spotted Dick, but there is Big Black Dick to be found on the island
http://www.bigblackdickrum.com/
So who does have the best fish and chips on Grand Cayman? I may be returning later this year.
I had many pictures of food on the Pride – if you had the time to look through all of the pictures.
Here are one or two:
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_2/IMG_0793.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_2/IMG_0805.JPG
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http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_3/IMG_0953.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_3/IMG_0957.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_3/IMG_0961.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_3/IMG_0965.JPG
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http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_5/IMG_1161.JPG
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Looky:
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/misc/IMG_2588.JPG
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http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/misc/IMG_2658.JPG
Enjoy! I know I did!
Hmmm not sure where that post just went.
The Pub in Grand Cayman may not have Spotted Dick, but one can certainly obtain Big Black Dick in Grand Cayman:
http://www.bigblackdickrum.com/
So who serves the best Fish and Chips in Grand Cayman, John?
As you have a British theme today, I thought I would reply. You may remember a British singing group called Sing Live who performed on the Carnival Glory and Carnival Liberty. Having been on Holland and American cruises the last couple of years, we are again going on the Carnival Splendor from Dover sailing on 18 August – it would be nice to see you again if you can schedule it. Meanwhile, the following is from Linda’s (Sing Live Co-Founder) Blog.
“John and I went to the Carnival Cruise Line Awards Dinner on Thursday night in Saville Row in London. We were ‘gob-smacked’when Sing Live won an award for ‘Outstanding Achievement”.
So we love to sail with you and sing for you and it appears that Carnival loves us back!!
John,
We have indeed booked the BC 2009 and I can’t wait!!!! Only 352 more days…but who’s counting. I want mom to join Big Ed’s evil crew…we met so many nice people on the trip from his Evil Crew.
Thanks for the info on your cabin. They are small but when we cruise we spend so little time in our cabin. Thanks for the info. Talk to you soon.
AJ
John, My Evil Family would never send you as you said ” swimming with the fish “. But they along with Kuki’s crew may kidnap you and keep you on the Carnival Fantasy for the Bloggers Recovery Cruise. Only to release you after the ship is at sea.
John, anyway you probably would just float like me or do you swim? Pat wants to know. I think she is planning on using us two tied together as a raft in the Water Works Park on the 2009 Bloggers Cruise.
“Don Bigo Edo”
PS. My Evil Family Crew is booking into hotels for the 5 and 6 in anticipation of your Pre-Bloggers Cruise activities.
leaving in the morning john! the suitcases are by the door and prince charlie is running around doing last minute errands and i am doing all the house stuff you have to do before you leave. i am trying to pack really light as we will be platinum and get free laundry now! yay! and a tote bag too! be still my heart! anyway it is a back to back and we are excited. but we shall miss you and the ever lovely heidi.
regards, bonnie and prince charlie
ps: hi roberto and stephanie!!!
AJ Eckert
Just have your Mom click on my name above to go to my blog. There if she scrools down she will find my Roll Call for the 2009 Bloggers Cruise. Have her leave a comment with the info and I will gladly add you to My Evil Crew.
BIG ED
Hi John,
Great blog & photos. I missed the eclipse last night – my apartment faces west, not east so couldn’t see it.
Do you think your British passenger thought of you as more American than British because you’re on Carnival?
Thanks for the Ocean Village interview. It’s always good to learn about the rest of the Carnival family. My best to you and Heidi.
Carol
Hi John. We will be on your cruise starting Feb. 23. I can’t wait. We will be traveling with our 15 month old daughter. Her first cruise. My wife is not sure if this is the best thing for our little girl. I hope that I made the right choice by doing this. I might be seeing more of my room than I am use to.
See you soon Scott Clapper
I can not express HOW NICE it is to have daily blogs again! Thank you for all that you do
Well, John, your compatriots are probably going to have find some other place to spend their leftover pounds as Sharper Image just filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection. May I suggest New York Real Estate since that seems to be a trend now?
I’m curious how much “re-purposing” of interior public spaces is being done to the Fantasy Class ships during their over-haul? Are lounges moving or changing use? Are they just being redecorated? New places being introduced in less used areas?
My first Carnival cruise was on the Fantasy class Inspiration and I have very fond memories of embarassing my niece during karaoke in the Avant-Garde Lounge and of course even more fond memories of the Rhapsody In Blue piano bar.
I’m looking forward to seeing how the Fantasy reminds me of that cruise. We are all eagerly awaiting announcements for Bloggers v.2.0. I can’t believe how excited people are and we still have almost a year to wait! I’m among those who have booked a hotel for two nights prior to the cruise in anticipation of your pre-cruise activities.
Also, where is the best place on the ship to “crash” for the night if your roommate has “gotten lucky” and signalled it with a sock on the door? LOL!
My best to Heidi, Roberto, Stephanie and as always, Alan.
Cheerios,
Laura (aka Princess Laura, the sweet and innocent)
The Brits!
We spent 22 days on a bus tour in the UK ! I first had to learn the lingo….Turf Accountant…Cotton Bud…..Damn Yank ( oh, that’s us ) ! I almost got killed stepping off the curb in front of Harrods because I looked the “wrong way” first! You Brits seem to drive on the “wrong” side of the road ! Ha!
I’m half English, half Irish descent, from the Kent area. My family came over to the colonies in 1653 alas..no dual passport!!
In regards to the family that lost their daughter, I read that right after you posted it. I had just gotten up in the AM, my eyes were blurry and I could not believe what I was reading. It was so sad and overwhelming I just couldn’t put anything together to say at the time. Our prayers go to the family .
Kathy and Paul ( Lee Paul )
Hi John.
Yes, I am a Brit, and yes, I run a Caravan Park. It’s near Southport (a highly misleading town name… it’s not in the South, nor does it have a port). I also drive a SUV… so if the world does all turn to desert I will share the blame with you.
I’ve mainly sailed P&O and Princess (but I’m cruising on Carnival Liberty in August 2009 (booked today!) and I have to say I much prefer cruising with Americans. They’re so much happier and more positive… all the British do on P&O is stand around and say “It’s not as good as the old Canberra”…
I gave up on the “line with rock walls” after 2 doses of really poor customer care. Tried NCL once… and found that while they say “no dress code” they actually do two “Dress Up” nights I thought it was a much better option than “Formal Night” as I could wear a smart shirt and tie, and not be constricted by a tight jacket.
I loved the massively “over the top” decor on Carnival Conquest… is Liberty the same? Favourite parts were the deli for delicious freshly made sandwiches… something that the other lines would do well to copy… and having two smaller dining rooms with split dining times avoided queues… unlike a certain line (no names mentioned) with a massive 3-storey dining room where 1500+ passengers all leave at the same time, and are funnelled directly to and through (or is that “thru”) the Casino…
I’m pleased to note, as I’m on a tight budget*, that even the inside cabins are massive at 188 sq ft…
The ports of call on the Baltic are ones that I have never been to before, so I’m looking forward even more.
* tight budget = I’d rather have more cruises in cheaper cabins
Hey John ~
I have a funny story to tell you about a “Brit”. I grew up on a farm, we had horses, hogs, cows the whole sunny brook farm. Well it was an attraction to all the local boys, who would forever try to come to our farm and “cow tip”, better known as tippin. Well my senior year we had a foreign exchange student, who was British, studying here. One night he and some of the football players decided to come over, jump our fence and go cow tipping. They explained how to do this several times, without any success. About an hour later my Dad decided to go run them off and the only thing he heard was the Brit yelling … fall the bloody he%% over will ya ….. and then it was followed by laughter. I will never forget the time the Brit tried to go cow tippin!
He was not successful but neither were the others one ~ but they had fun.
Well, we did it. We booked the 2009 Bloggers Cruise! The first time we sailed from there was on the Tropical in 1996! Then we were on the Inspiration in 2002. ( Our cruising may be getting out of hand. ) I’m sure you’ll keep us all informed about the pre cruise activities in New Orleans. We will most likely drive to Biloxi and spend a night or two and then drive on to New Orleans. It’s exciting already. Jeri and Larry
Ok…what is bubble and squeak…and does it actually squeak?
Hi John,
The Evil Crew is at it again, planning and plotting all of the evil and fun for Blogger’s Cruise v2.0.
Quick question: Where is a good place to crash on the ship in case your roommate gets “lucky” and has signalled it with a sock on the door? Is it ok to sleep on the Lido deck?
Thanx for all you do! Hi to Heidi, Roberto and Stephanie!
Elaine
Great blog, John!
I so agree with you. Being American, I absolutely want to sail on P&O and Ocean Village. And I will, if the USD ever rises to the level where it can actually buy more than a british toothpick. Although, with the word “village” in the name and the hanging basket chairs in the spa, I am reminded of “The Village” in Patrick MacGoohan’s “The Prisoner”. Have you ever seen that show, John?
I must say the mountain bikes sounds like a great idea, although I wonder if they have any problem with drunk bikers getting run over?
You certainly can’t pretend that it doesn’t rain a lot in the UK. When I was in London several years ago I was amused to hear that they were in a drought and were worried the reservoirs might run dry because it hadn’t rained for three whole weeks! Here in California we have thousands of miles of aquaducts, and reservoirs that hold multiple YEARS worth of water and we still are perpetually worried about running dry.
About the ‘09 BC:
If you are looking for a hotel to house us pre-cruise, I suggest the Hotel Monteleone. It’s got nice rooms, it’s in the French Quarter, and it’s quite close to the cruise terminal. Plus, it’s fairly large, so I am hopeful we could keep most of the group in just the one hotel.
Also, I am considering doing a BTB, so I would love it if you and Heidi can stay aboard four more days.
Good afternoon Mr. Heald. About Grand Cayman, when I was there I had the opportunity to have lunch with a former student I taught 20 some years ago. It was an exciting time to see him again. He audits the banks there and I did ask him the same question you keep asking, When are they going to build a dock and get away with the tendering. He did tell me that the people in charge are trying to decide on on building a dock but the problems dealing with the sand or something else if they did build one how would it affect the shoeline or something. I really didn’t understand it but it sounded like they realize that they will eventually have to build one due to the many different ships that arrive there. Well, I hope that they will because I almost fell off one the tenders due to the bouncing of the waves. I was helped thanks to the tremendous effort of the men on the ship when I arrived back on the Freedom. I can laugh at it now but at the time I was scared of what could have happened. But you know, I would go back because the people are very nice except one of the person at Margaritaville. They wanted to charge me $78 dollars just for a one shirt. Later I bought 2 of them at very fair shop just down the road and of course, I would want to see my former student again. Ciao.
Paul F. Pietrangelo
Oh my, all of you people are really tempting me to book this Blogger’s cruise for next year! I would probably be sailing solo, and would consider the B2B just to maximize my time away from the cold, miserable winter of North Dakota.
(Tempted, very tempted…but then again, I am also tempted by the Carnival Pride’s new eastern itinerary out of Miami for 2009…hmmm, what to do…!)
John,
Did you personally get to witness the eclipse last night? It was cloudy through the beginning of the eclipse for my neck of the woods, but an awesome sight once the sky cleared up (for the most part). Awesome photo.
And I love the Brits for their football. soccer. Football. Either word
John,
I have two questions. First of all, how do I get to the Web cam? I enjoyed looking at those, but can not seem to find it now.
My second question is, how many cruises before you get Platinium status? I noticed the comment about those passengers getting free laundry services. That would be helpful. What are the different levels?
Ruth
Hello again,
Ruth – Platinum status is after 10 cruises.
And Princess Laura (the sweet & innocent one),
The only difference I saw on the Imagination after the refurbishment was they moved the Internet cafe down to the Empress deck lobby level – opposite the Lobby Bar – Non-smoking. Art Gallery on this deck too. Photo gallery was on Promenade. All the other bars & lounges stayed the same. Hope this helps.
Carol
Hi John/Heidi:
Great interview/pic of Ocean Village.
I liked the British education.
Guess you can’t please everyone. That’s what makes CCL so great since you can diversify across brands.
Hope all is going well.
Thanks again.
David
Princess Elaine wrote:
“Quick question: Where is a good place to crash on the ship in case your roommate gets “lucky” and has signalled it with a sock on the door? Is it ok to sleep on the Lido deck?”
Elaine,
Tell your roommate that she has to go to the guy’s cabin.
In my experience, two single guys sharing a cabin is much less common than two gals sharing. If a guy is hoping to hook up, he should be prepared to shell out the extra bucks to have a private room available. Besides, you don’t want to try to sleep on the Lido deck. Someone is always cleaning up there late at night – you wouldn’t get any sleep; and what if it rains?
John -
As usual, I feel compelled to point out some of your errors and/or issues on this blog. One might say we were married because of this behavioral trait, but I assure the entire blog that Heidi is much prettier than I and I have no desire to be on the receiving end of the effects of sugar-free jelly beans.
1. Sharper Image has filed for bankruptcy.
2. Sorry about the UK’s divorce, although I have to admit that I am unsure who the UK got divorced from. (see your advert for the Carnival Liberty’s cruises = ex UK cruises from Dover. What the heck does this comment mean?)
3. The correct side of the road in British territories
is the wrong side of the road in the rest of the world. One has to wonder which group is in denial.
4. With its wealth from the banking industry, The Cayman Islands are about as dependent on Britain as the United States is dependent upon Switzerland for its defensive needs.
Your mentioning of Grand Cayman brings back memories of our last trip there – we got off the boat with John & Diane, happily riding the tender and having no desire to see a pier built in the port – and experienced Georgetown. We walked around, found a nice place for lunch (I bought), tried new and exciting cuisine (turtle soup) and generally had a relaxing day off the ship. What a nice time it was.
To quote Bob Hope (a Brit who became an American) “Thanks for the memories”.
Jon
Ruth:
1st cruise – Standard Carnival card
2nd – 9th cruise – Gold Card
ON your 10th cruise, your documents will arrive with the most precious words in cruising:
Please proceed to VIP Check In!!!
From that point on, you are graced with a card that is Platinum in color and bestowed with multiple perks …. free Slots Tournament (which my husband finally won on the 01-28 Imagination cruise) … free wash and fold (yes I sent 36 pieces since we were doing a B2B) … Platinum stationary with your name on it …. $5 in tokens if you are a Platinum cruiser under the age of 18 … as well as Priority Tendering (which we used in Grand Turk) .. Guaranteed Dining Time ….etc.
ON your 25th cruise….the Platinum card gets a little extra “bonus” printing….there is a insignia placed in the corner to denote that you are a Milestone Rewards Member and you get 25% of your portion of the cruise in OBC. (and lots of ohhhs and aaahhs!!)
John,
Can you tell me how many teens ages 15 – 17 will be on the Freedom on the 4/12/08 sailing? We only have 50 days left and am disappointed that you won’t be the CD but I’m sure we’ll have a good time. Thanks for answering.
Cheri
Thanks for the TTFN shout out. Tigger.
Hi John,
Thanks for posting the picture of the lunar eclipse. I was looking forward to seeing it when we came home from the college basketball game but it was cloudy and we did not get to see it.
Who will be the CD on the Imagination in July, 2008 (more specifically July 14)?
CD on the Elation June 9? Don’t forget we are waiting for shore excursion reccommendations for the Elation.
Thanks for all the information you provide to all the bloggers about Carnival and cruising in general.
Have a good day.
Hi John and Heidi,
You said the 7/13 sailing of the Splendor was still the inaugural but I’m wondering what we’re getting since this sailing costs a little more than the ones after it. We’re not the first to stay in the cabins, not the first cruise from Dover and not present for the christening. It doesn’t sound like an inaugural to me and since we’ve never been on one we were really looking forward to it especially the naming ceremony. What makes this an inaugural sailing? Sorry, I’m not really complaining but I am a little disappointed.
It would be nice if Grand Cayman did build a pier because it would be no much nicer than tendering.
We saw the eclipse last night too and it was pretty neat.
Heidi – it’s time for you to write another blog.
Take care,
George and Linda
John,
NO, formal is NOT an outdated word!!! But, if we continue to allow it to be blurred and slurred, it will be! What’s wrong with formal?? You already have alternative eating for those who choose not to dress formally… Why lessen your standards??
Ah, I understand, you have dining room staff that choose not to enforce the policies. They don’t want to create conflict, so they look the other way. It’s like the dumbing down of America… You create the standard to be what the majority think is correct, instead of educating us and applying standards to bring us up to learn a higher standard…
Now, that said… I don’t really care. I will dress formally and have a grand time! I will enjoy the opportunity to dress and feel like a million bucks — it doesn’t bother me what others are wearing. Truly, it doesn’t. I just pray that you will enforce it and enforce it evenly! And I hope that shorts and swim suits will never be allowed to dinner in the dining room.
Sorry, that was only one phrase in a response to one person’s question… But it is my soapbox issue and I will climb up when it’s addresed…
Piers… another soapbox issue… YES!!! I travel with a person in a wheelchair. She has missed so much because of tenders. Her powerchair can’t travel to shore on many tenders… And she can’t allow it to be splashed or get wet in rougher weather… But, then once she gets to shore, there are many places she can’t get anyway… Cozumel does nicely for her. And they seem to be building more and more upgrades and ramps…
All I’ll say is PLEASE don’t tell us the next modification is freestyle… Please, breakfast and lunch freestyle is great — but keep dinner as is!!!
John, your blog, as always is WONDERFUL and informative!! And God Bless you for the update and info on the Kimmetts. You are allowing us to be a part of her memory, even with never knowing her in person… Thank you!
Best Regards
(and truly, I’m not complaining, just discussing),
Lambie
John, thanks so much for another wonderful blog. As much as you made me smile today my thoughts continue to stay with the Kimmetts. I’m sure that one day they’ll be able to read your words, laugh, smile and remember the good times they had with you in addition to the heartache.
Once again, the pictures are fantastic… so typical Carnival! Perhaps it’s just that fact that put your fellow Brit off. Carnival is a unique experience… not unique to Americans but unique to people who are willing to give up being an adult for a week… unique to people who need to shrug off the day to day grind and see life as a kid for a bit. Ya’ know, there’s not a thing wrong with seeing life through the eyes of a child.
Send my ‘howdies’ to the most lovely Heidi, the Famous Roberto and the Superb Stephanie…
Cheers, my friend!
Greg
Here are a picture or two of food on the Carnival Pride:
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_2/IMG_0793.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_2/IMG_0805.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_2/IMG_0806.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_2/IMG_0812.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_3/IMG_0953.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_3/IMG_0957.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_3/IMG_0961.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_3/IMG_0965.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_3/IMG_0967.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_5/IMG_1161.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_5/IMG_1165.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_5/IMG_1169.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_5/IMG_1188.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_6/IMG_1592.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_6/IMG_1594.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_6/IMG_1598.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_6/IMG_1605.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_6/IMG_1606.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_7/IMG_2016.JPG
Here are a picture or two of food on the Carnival Pride:
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_2/IMG_0793.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_2/IMG_0805.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_2/IMG_0806.JPG
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/ship/shp_2/IMG_0812.JPG
aha, it seems the number of links I can include is limited. The frustration is nearly over!
ok, standby…
John,
First of all I have to say where do you get those red white and blue outfits the entertainment staff wears I just gotta get a pair of those. And then wear them on the Marinade of the seas and cause havoc. Speaking of the de-facto sears brand of the seas, i think their next great activity is going to be rowing, people enjoy climbing why not rowing big huge ores coming from deck 0 out into the ocean shut down the engine and tell em to row faster or there will be no lobster tonight, wait they tossed that already, hmm guess no ribs then because thats their replacement.Second Where is PA007 has Blowfeld or Dr. No done him or her in. Should 008 be sent in to recover the micro-film. Also how is our mate Alan doing besides being a totally ugly bugger ? Speaking of being british one of my very good friends happens to be Australian but lives in london well she was here over new years and we had a conversation about the usage of Vegemite, her opinion is it’s about a step above roofing tar, what are your feelings on it ? Oh and I almost forgot to ask how is the Dutch version of Angelina Jolie doing ? Will we ever get a blog from her again ? Best to Roberto and Stephanie and the other folks who run this great blog of family. Oh and to the person at Carnival Corp. who got John’s box of sugar free jet-fuel I hope you need to buy new boxers now.
Cheers
Kevin
I was on the cruise and that………….. and I knew there were people from England on there ‘cuz they talked different and didn’t get most of my jokes. They called me names like wanker and that…. I hate ‘em.
-DB
PS your blog is really cool… and so are you! ……………………Wanker! …………… just kidding. (lol)
You still got ‘em all fooled. (love’ya & miss ya)
UKnowWho
ok, here is one or two pics, on a single webpage!
hope yall are hungry!
Per John’s request, some food for thought!
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/pride_08/foodForJohn.htm
John Please Reply
Hello John & Hedi,
I will be on the Triumph again and visiting the Grand Cayman. I would love to find a place to get “real” fish & chips. We cruise 5/17/08 booking #2WS300. Could you get us the name & directions to the place you wrote about? I enjoy reading your thingy – it is just like when you were our CD on the Triumph. Thank you for the smiles.
John,
It doesn’t get anymore British than a “cup of tea”, such class. Maybe I missed something, what does TTFN stand for?
Right-O (that’s British, right?)
_BigMike
ON your 25th cruise….the Platinum card gets a little extra “bonus” printing….there is a insignia placed in the corner to denote that you are a Milestone Rewards Member and you get 25% of your portion of the cruise in OBC. (and lots of ohhhs and aaahhs!!)
Wow!
And I believe that Carnival, Holland America and Princess now honour each other’s frequent cruiser programmes….
I’m showing 21 cruises with Princess now, but by the time I cruise Carnival Liberty in Aug 09 I should be showing 28 cruises with Princess… it would be great if I get that 25% OBC… just think of all the extra excursions I could go on!
John,
It was great cruising with you and the Carnival family aboard the Freedom last week (San Juan, St Thomas, St Maarten). My son and I went parasailing for the first time in St Thomas (gorgeous port) but it won’t be the last time.
The shows were great, especially The Big Easy … fantastic dancing!
Did you receive the picture I sent of me and Krysta (Carnival dancer)?
Take care … see you next cruise!
John,
Thank you for replying and yes I did see your blog concerning the Carnival Dream Video. I also posted your comments on two active threads on the topic on CruiseCritic.com and the active threads immediately died down… I’m thinking of starting a new thread titled; ‘Carnival, if you build it we will come’ and include links to various internet sites that won’t mind risking a Funship Freddie head on their porch. ;D Maybe if the powers that be see the HUGE demand for such a ship they’ll make it happen.
I told the boys we’d be missing you this year and they said that was OK as long as we eventually get to sail with you again. I assured them we would.
Thanks again for the info and we’ll keep on keepin up with your blog thingy!
John:
You mentioned “non-tipping” as a British distinction. Does that mean the British remove their automatic tips on the ship and don’t tip?
Or do they leave the automatic tips, not crazy about it but don’t complain about it???
The reason I ask is that we have a segment of Americans who do not believe in tipping (no matter how great the service) and I was wondering how Carnival handles that if a large number of them cruise?
Personally, we have gone to prepaid tips. We just think of it as a cost of cruising.
British John
I am definitely fond of a variety of decidedly British things….
Burberry Colognes (I think I have nearly every variety)
British Humour (This here Blog Thingy…..Are you Being Served? …. Absolutely Fabulous…. Monty Python)
Reuters …1,000,000,000 times better than FOXNews(FauxNews)
BBC America
British SciFi… Dr Who… Tomorrow People (Yes I am a geek too)
British Actors (Alan Rickman, Dame Judi Dench Jude Law) perhaps relating to…
British Accent ….it’s infectious in a way. Especially when I am around someone British my English tends to…. dare I say …“revert” and mimic that pure English dialect…..the Queens English. Perhaps I have a poor impression our educational system today but I believe our language use is getting worse. Yes…. I will admit that a vast majority of Americans communicate in some mutant hybrid version of the English language….do your ears bleed when you try to decipher what people are saying? I took advanced English in high school ….thank you Mrs. Bengelink !!!! When I hear my niece talk I cringe….
John Please Reply
My fiance and I LOVE Carnival and cruising and have decided to go on a cruise for our honeymoon. Could you please tell me who the CD will be on the Conquest in August? We are going on Aug 24th and any other suggestions you have for that cruise! Thank you!
Johon,
we now have over 90 Cruise critic folks signed up for the M&M on the april 26 crossing.. you should be hearing from “Cliff” about setting up a time and place.. thanks.. see you on board!
To caravanparkmanager:
Sorry, it has to be 25 Carnival cruises only.
Mike L:
TTFN = Ta Ta For Now
Dear British John,
Of course by now you know my tastes run in favor of things British. Fish & Chips (fresh from the docks in old New Bedford), Reuters (NO FOX!) Autos with true flair, character and class: MG, Jaguar, Midgets, Sprites, Bentley, Austin Healey, Triumph, Mini Coopers. Do you know why there are no British made televisions? Because they would leak oil onto your living room carpet!
British humour: Benny Hill (vaudeville rebourne) Monty Python, The Vicar of Dibley, Are you Being Served?, Fawlty Towers, One Foot in the Grave, Red Dwarf, etc.
Brit sci-fi: Red Dwarf, Doctor Who, The Prisoner, The Tomorrow People, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
British actors, particularly Dame Judi Dench and the late, great Jeremy Brett, the ONLY true Sherlock Holmes (We still miss him to this day).
Of course, last but not least, that wonderful British accent and the TRUE use of the ENGLISH language. John, I apologize from the bottom of my heart for the way we Americans have BUTCHERED the language we were given. We are looking forward, once again to sailing with our favorite CD. A Brit with the class, the humour and the personality that places him in the same company as the luminaries mentioned above. John, you are in a class by yourself. The response and feelings of your extended blogger family certainly bear this out. It is an honour to cruise with you and an even bigger honour to call you MATE. Please send our love to Heidi and we are keeping your mate Alan in our thoughts as well.
Lance & Ilda.