Yesterday I sat on a plane next to a man who owns the strangest company I have ever heard off and it is with the greatest respect that I say this…………….it could only happen in America.
These days you can rent anything………..houses, cars, tools, furniture, jets, boats, books, DVD’s ………….the list goes on but after meeting the chap I spent 11 hours farting softly next to in the American Airlines business class section I have now heard everything.
More on that later but first …………..Hello…………how are you all? I am back at home once again after two extraordinary days of flying to and from California and as I wrote on one of my mini Raspberry blogs my body, as expected is totally and utterly confused. I also have a wonderful memento from my flight as the chicken I ate on the plane was obviously intended to be the gift that keeps on giving and without putting a finer point on it lets just say I had to keep my Nike’s on in bed last night so I could get to the toilet as quickly as possible.
However, the jet lag and the constant visits to Poo Bay are a small price to pay for the opportunity to help make a lady called Lauren’s day.
Lauren was chosen by the USA Network and Carnival’s Marketing types out of hundreds of applicants all of which wanted to be a Cruise Director. The program itself is called “Character Fantasy” ………….
and the reason Lauren was chosen was her personality and the fact that she spends most of her time caring for homeless individuals in New York.
I arrived at the Carnival Paradise with Erika from our marketing department early in the morning. This was not only my first-ever visit to the Port of Long Beach but strangely it was also my first ever visit to the Carnival Paradise.
The port itself is wonderful and the domed embarkation area has wonderful facilities and the people I met from the security staff to the port employees were beyond nice and all hoped I would “have a nice day.”
Behind the embarkation building is the Queen Mary and having just been on Queen Mary 2 it was a bit strange to see both Mary’s within a few days of each other. As grand as she may have been I actually found it quite sad to see her there as a hotel and to be honest she looked a little run down and ……….well………..unwashed……..as I said, it made me a little sad. However, it also made me realize how exciting the present and future is for Cunard and I know that the folks in Dubai will look after the Queen Elizabeth 2 better than the Queen Mary.
So, on to the Carnival Paradise I went and straight away I have to say the ship looks beautiful. The public lounges are quite sedate for a Carnival ship and I was especially struck by the promenade chairs and couches which are some of the most comfortable I have sat on.
Having spent so much time on Destiny and Conquest class ships it is easy to forget just why the Fantasy Class was and still is one of the most successful classes of cruise ships………………………in the world.
It is also easy to see why so many people list the Carnival Paradise as their favorite vessels……………….I was really impressed.
At 9 am I met with the show’s producer a young lady called Alex, the camera operators, sound technicians and the shows host the delightful Jeannie Mai who sums up everything that is California…………sunny, beautiful, friendly and ………..ummmm………..hot.
We all chatted about the format the show would take and although they gave me the bullet points they wanted to make sure were in the program Alex basically allowed me to decide what we would be doing. The premise of the show is to allow someone to live their dream whether it be a Ballerina, a Circus Clown, Santa and for Lauren it was of course to be a Cruise Director……………….my fantasy involves Jessica Simpson and a bucket of soapy water but I have a feeling I may have to write to the Playboy Channel for that one.
I then met Lauren who arrived directly to the gangway in a beautiful limousine whereas I had to walk the 500 yards in 90-degree heat dragging my suitcase behind me ………. bugger.
We were then filmed meeting for the first time and this along with most of the shoot was done in one take and not scripted at all. Lauren is a naturally happy-go-lucky Mum of two kids and I wanted to make this look as real as possible. After the meeting shot we then went onto deck to film Lauren, Jeannie and I discussing what we would be doing which is when we encountered our first concern. Obviously they wanted “quiet on set ” and even though debarkation had finished and embarkation had yet to start there were lots going on. I am sure I have mentioned before that embarkation day for the crew is the busiest time especially for the maintenance crew who can achieve more when there are no guests onboard.
So it was on Monday when I was asked by the Producer to stop the four guys who were chipping away at some deck flooring. Now, the crew did not know me and it must have been a bit weird for them to have this guy come over and say “Hey, stop working please”………and indeed it was…………they all looked at me…………….looked at each other…………..and carried on working………………they were just doing their job. I realized the quickest thing to do was to call someone in authority and eventually after 10 more minutes of “chipping” someone arrived to tell them to stop……………….so they did.
The rest of the day was spent filming Lauren doing CD stuff. I am not going to tell you anymore than that because I want you all to watch on Saturday 21st…………..one thing I will tell you is that we surprised Lauren at the end as she thought she would perform a “mock” 3 minute show to an empty lounge…………….however…………..I had made a Public Address appeal for the guests that were embarking to come to the lounge ………….500 plus came…………..and as you will see ……………….gave her a standing ovation.
Lauren left directly from the gangway in her limousine as did the show’s host leaving me to drag my suitcase another 500 yards to look for one of those taxi with the police style divider in them………………however I did this in the knowledge that I had helped Lauren’s dream come true and realizing that it was her dream to do for just one day something I have spent many years doing…………..I once again realized how lucky I am.
I hope you enjoy the show.
Talking of shows lets talk about the Carnival Splendor. I guess I have to start thinking more about the ship as I will be there in exactly one-month’s time. The ship is getting ready and some of the crew is already there.
The ship will feature three huge shows featuring the handpicked cast of singers, dancers, musicians and technicians. I will tell you more about the shows in a future blog but rehearsals are indeed already underway in Miami. The cast will rehearse in our studio until late May when they will all fly to Genoa. I thought therefore that now would be a nice time to introduce them to you all so without further ado……………please welcome…………the cast of the Carnival Splendor.
Bio’s for Splendor Cast
Claire Heslop – Dance Captain
Claire started dancing at the age of 3 in her home town of Darlington, England. She graduated Laine Theatre Arts with a diploma in Musical Theatre in 1996. She joined Carnival Cruise Lines aboard the Carnival Holiday in 1998.She met her husband Paul (Shore Excursion Manager) aboard the Carnival Jubilee in 1999 and got married in Barbados in 2002.
She has been lucky enough to see many amazing ports throughout the Caribbean, Alaska and Hawaii whilst working for Carnival Cruise Lines. She was also part of the inaugural cast of the Carnival Valor in 2004.
Claire is excited to be a part of the inaugural cast of the Carnival Splendor and is looking forward to this amazing opportunity.
Lawrence A. Neals, Jr. – Production Singer
Born, bred, and a proud resident of New York City, Lawrence is a Drama graduate from the original “Fame” School of Performing Arts, and has been blessed to perform for over 20 years around the world. He created the title role in Julie Taymor’s (Dir. Broadway’s The Lion King) musical, Juan Darien. Stage credits include: Smokey Joe’s Café, Rent; Vocalist: NY Philharmonic Orchestra, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, & Kennedy Center. He thanks God and his family’s support for the blessings of music in his life.Heather Wagner – Production Singer
Heather comes to the Carnival Splendor stage from Allentown, PA majoring in Theatre at Wagner College in New York City and graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in the Arts in 1999. Stage credits include: The Wiz, Damn Yankees, How To Succeed and Nine “The Musical”.
Heather has been performing as a featured singer on Carnival Cruise Lines since 1999 and was part of the original cast for the Carnival Paradise’s new shows in 2004.
She would like to thank her fiancée Joe and the rest of her family for their continued support and unconditional love.Brett J Tiernan – Dancer
Brett grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Now living in Batavia, Illinois Brett first started dancing for Carnival Cruise Lines in 2003. He first came to the company not being formally trained in dance at all, Brett had a lot of learning to do. In high school participating in show choir, and regularly involved with Community Theater, Brett always loved being in front of a crowd and performing.
Now dancing for Carnival just under five years, this is Brett’s second time being a part of an inaugural cast on a brand new ship! He also was a member of the Inaugural dance cast of The Carnival Valor in 2004.
Growing up in the corn fields of Iowa, Brett can’t believe he will be cruising around Europe doing what he loves, and living the dream!
Candice Orchard – Dancer
Born and raised in Buckinghamshire, England, Candice trained at Laine Theatre Arts. Here she graduated with a Diploma in Musical Theatre – whilst gaining a teaching associate in Modern Dance. She has experience in choreography and has worked in television and commercial contracts in the UK, prior to her Carnival career beginning in 2000. Candice has enjoyed performing in a variety of shows on many ships throughout the Carnival fleet.
Ceri Stone – Dancer
Ceri, 22, developed her love for dance at the age of 7 when she began attending her local dance school in North Wales. She enjoyed performing and dancing in competitions for many years before deciding to make dance her career. In 2006 she completed the National Diploma in Professional Dance at the Hammond School, England. Ceri’s main focus throughout her training was Classical Ballet but she trained in all disciplines including Jazz, Musical Theatre, Contemporary, Spanish and Tap.
Since graduating, Ceri worked on the Carnival Valor July 2006- April 2007 and the Carnival Conquest May 2007- February 2008.
Ceri feels very lucky that she is able to do what she loves the most and is very excited to be dancing on the Carnival Splendor!Daniel Lauder – Dancer
DanielLlauder was born in England and started dancing at the age of six. He went on to train professionally at Laine Theatre Arts in Surrey. Upon leaving college Daniel joined Carnival Cruise Lines, and has worked on the Carnival Valor and Carnival Conquest. He is delighted to be part of the inaugural team for the Carnival Splendor.
Paul Dawson – Dancer
Dawson is from Tasmania, Australia where he started dancing at the age of 6 where he studied various forms of dance including, jazz, tap, ballet and ballroom dancing. At the age of 18 he was accepted into the Western Australian Academy of Perfoming Arts in which he graduated in 2002. During his time at the academy he had the privilege of working with up and coming choreographers both of Australian and International status including Taiwanese choreographer, Lin Hwai-min.
Also during his time at the Academy, Dawson was involved with the “Legacy Project” which was created and conceived by Taiwanese Choreographer, Lin Hwai-min. This piece was performed along side with two other colleges, Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts and Purchase in New York in Düsseldorf, Germany in 2002.
Wanting to pursue a career in dance, Dawson was offered a position as a dancer with Carnival Cruise Lines aboard the Celebration in 2003. Since then he has been on numerous Carnival ships including being part of the inaugural cast of the Carnival Miracle in 2004.
Employment with carnival cruise lines has allowed Dawson to pursue his love of travel and the opportunity to follow his passion for dance and entertainment.
Carnival Cruise Lines has given Dawson the opportunity to persue his passion for dance and entertainment and his love for travel.
Dawson is honoured to be part of the inaugural team of the Carnival Splendor.
Eleanor De Beaulier – Dancer
Ellie was born & raised in Surrey, England. She started her career at the age of 7 playing the part of Lisa-Marie Presley in London’s West End. She trained at Laine Theatre Arts and at 18 she was performing in various shows in the UK and Germany. Ellie began her Carnival career in 2002 and has been dancing around the Caribbean ever since!
William (Paul) Munhollon
William (Paul) Munhollon has been dancing since the age of eleven. Attending classes and competitions around the Seattle and L.A. areas, where he received invaluable training as well as received numerous awards and even a few scholarships for dance. He danced the lead male roles for Ballet Northwest for two years in such ballets as the Nutcracker and Copeilla. He began taking class at Cornish college of the arts in 2000 and shortly thereafter began dancing with Arc dance productions making his professional debut as well as with West lake dance center. He then danced in many productions and performances around the Seattle area including “Joseph and his technicolor dream coat” and the debut of” Peter and the wolf ” as Peter with the Seattle symphony. In 2003 Paul auditioned for Carnival and found a unique niche.
Katie Matthews – Dancer
Born and raised in New Zealand, I have been dancing since the age of 4 and have trained in many different styles including ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Musical Theatre and hip hop. In 2005 I Graduated with a 3 year ‘dance performance diploma’ at the ‘International Ballet Academy’ in Christchurch where I also gained my R.A.D Advanced II Ballet Examination, passing with distinction. Since then HIghlights of my dance career include dancing in a Bollywood Movie, Taking part in the television series ‘So you think you can Dance?’, where I was placed in the top 10 for New Zealand and working with the Royal New Zealand Ballet for their 2006 Season of ‘Giselle’. In January of 2007 I began working for Carnival Cruise lines on board the ‘Inspiration’ and now 1 year later I am currently completing my second Carnival contract dancing on board the ‘Sensation’ and am very excited to be joining the Inaugural Cast for Carnivals newest ship the ‘Splendor’ in April.
Felicity Jowett – Dancer
Felicity was born in England where she took up dancing at the early age of 4 at her local dance school in Cheltenham. At 16 she decided to further her training at the Northern ballet
School, Manchester where she studied Classical Ballet, Contemporary, and Jazzand showcased in a number of Ballets including Giselle, Coppelia and The Nutcracker with the Manchester City Ballet. After successfully auditioning for Carnival in 2005 Felicity has been part of the cast on the Carnival Inspiration, Legend, Triumph and now currently she is excited to be part of the inaugural team on the Carnival Splendor.’Jo Leharty – Dancer
Jo started dancing at the grand old age of 2 when she attended her mums local dancing school and loved it! At age 18, Jo was awarded a scholarship to attend Performers College, London under the direction of Brian Rogers. Here she underwent a 3 year intensive course achieving a National Diploma in Professional Dance. Whilst at college, Jo performed in numerous cabarets at top London hotels, tv appearances, achieved her teaching qualifications and gained an award for her tap choreography. Upon graduating, Jo began her professional career on the seven seas on the Carnival Valor and then shortly afterwards the Carnival Inspiration. Jo is delighted to be part of the inaugural cast on the Splendor and would like to say a huge thank you to her parents and sister for always being there for her.’
Jeremy Barnes – Dancer
Jeremy is from sunny “down-under” Sydney, Australia. He began his dancing training at 3 years old and studied in RAD Ballet, ISTD Modern, Tap & Jazz. As well as this he has achieved a number of titles in Australia’s National Irish Dancing Championships in both Teams and Solos.
In his dancing career, Jeremy has performed all over the world with an international touring company, “Sydney’s New Generation Dancers” in places such as the UK, Japan and the USA . He has been a featured performer at the Commonwealth Head’s of Government Meeting in Australia and was a performer at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000, whilst also having peformed regularly at the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Town Hall.
Jeremy has been with Carnival Cruise Lines for almost 5 years and has enjoyed some of the best experiences of his life. His ship credits include Carnival Conquest, Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Destiny, Carnival Freedom and now Carnival Splendor. He feels thankful, honoured and privileged that his love of dance has coincided with his opportunity for traveling and bringing enjoyment to thousands of people!
Louise Powell – Dancer
Born in England, Louise started dancing at the age of 5 purely for medical reasons. During her time at her local dance school, Louise was awarded a scholarship with the British Ballet Organization. This enabled her to spend weekends and summer holidays in London training with some of the countries top teachers and choreographers. At 16, it was apparent that her love of dance wasn’t just a phase; this was to be her career. The next 2 years were spent at Thamesdown Dance Studios in Swindon and then onto professional dance college in London. Whilst at London Studio Centre, Louise earned a Diploma in Dance and experienced life as a professional performer. Her credits include appearing in an ACDC music video and a National UK tour with the Jazz Dance Theatre Company. Since then she has worked for Carnival Cruise Lines and everyday thanks her lucky stars for getting to do what she loves to do.
Lydia Mills – Dancer
Since the age of four Lydia has had extensive training in Ballet, Tap, Modern and Jazz dance, this hobby enabled her to perform and participate in many shows and workshops in her home town of Hull, England.
By the age of sixteen Lydia decided to take dance more seriously, when she was accepted on a three year course at The Doreen Bird Collage of Performing Arts. In this time she had the opportunity to tour cities in England with the collage theater company, performing in such shows as “The Boyfriend” and “Into the Woods”. Lydia graduated from the collage with a diploma in performing arts and numerous teaching qualifications.
In 1999 Lydia started her career with Carnival Cruise Lines.
Over the last nine years she has been a part of many amazing productions shows, met many wonderful people and seen many beautiful ports of call.
Lydia would like to say thank you to CCL for giving her the opportunity to be a part of the inaugural cast on the newest Fun Ship the Carnival Splendor.
Nicola Owen – Dancer
Nicola Owen was born in Bolton in the United Kingdom. She began dance lessons at the age of five. At sixteen she moved to London to attend the Urdang Academy of Ballet & Performing Arts in Covent Garden. In 1995, after three years of training, she graduated from the Urdang Academy with a diploma in a variety of dance styles, A-Levels, and a teaching certificate from the Royal Academy of Dancing.
Nicola then began performing professionally in shows all over the world including: Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, South Africa, and on cruise ships in the Mediterranean. She joined Carnival in 2001 and has completed several contracts on different Carnival ships. Nicola met her husband whilst working aboard the Carnival Spirit and they were married in England earlier this year. She is thrilled to be a part of the inaugural cast of the Carnival Splendor.
Shelley-Anne Richardson – Dancer
Born in Toronto Canada, Shelley-Anne has been dancing for Carnival Cruise Lines for 2 years. She began dancing at a very young age in a cultural group connecting her back to her Trinidadian roots. Since her professional start, She has been casted in Broadways “Lion King” and Danced for the NBA’s Toronto Raptors. Gracing both the camera and stages behind some of the music industry leaders, Shelley-Anne worked with many famous choreographers including Fatima Robinson, Luther Brown, And Garth Fagan. She has also been found dancing behind Robbie Williams and Rihanna, and has toured with Nelly Furtado!
This charismatic, high energy Business Graduate goes way beyond dance. Her passion for music is the strength of her talents!
“I’m just thankful I’ve made it this far, but i feel like my journey hasn’t even begun!!!”
Congratulations to each and every one of them and I look forward to working with them all…………..looking at them I feel so old……………………..and ugly.
Now let us give a huge pat on the back and a massive congratulatory hug to Carnival Cruise Lines who were the big winners in the FODOR’S GUIDE to European cruising.
FODOR’S COMPLETE GUIDE TO EUROPEAN CRUISING DESIGNATES CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES AS ‘BEST OF CRUISING’ IN NINE CATEGORIES
MIAMI (April 29, 2008) – Carnival Cruise Lines – a relative newcomer in European cruising, entering the market just three years ago – is well represented in the recently published Fodor’s Complete Guide to European Cruises, garnering nine “Best of Cruising” designations, more than double the number of any other cruise line.
Fodor’s Complete Guide to European Cruises is an annual publication providing comprehensive overviews of all major cruise lines operating within the region, along with travel tips, detailed port-of-call information and other helpful content aimed at experienced and first-time cruisers alike.
Carnival’s nine “Best of Cruising” awards include:
* Best Regular Dining Room Cuisine
* Best Specialty Restaurants
* Best Cruise Line For Families
* Best Regular Cabins
* Best Beds
* Best Entertainment At Sea
* Best Sports and Fitness Centers
* Best Shops on Board
* Best Fun & Funky ActivitiesAccording to Carnival’s Executive Vice President of Marketing and Guest Experience Ruben Rodriguez, Carnival’s nine awards reflect many of the signature elements of a “Fun Ship” cruise – outstanding dining, spacious and comfortable accommodations, modern spa and children’s facilities, and fun-filled activities for guests of all ages, all of which add up to memorable vacations..
“Considering that Carnival has been sailing in Europe for just three years, it is indeed an honor to be named ‘Best of Cruising’ by Fodor’s in so many different categories,” Rodriguez said. “We pride ourselves on providing our guests with fun, high quality vacations – regardless of where our ‘Fun Ships’ are sailing – and this recognition is a wonderful validation of our efforts,” he added.
“By providing the ‘Best of Cruising’ to readers, Fodor’s identifies the cruise lines and ships that offer the highest quality in features sought by today’s passengers. I’m pleased that Carnival Cruise Lines has consistently met and exceeded our expectations in nine ‘Best of Cruising’ categories,” said Linda Coffman, who, along with veteran travel journalists Ralph Grizzle and Lindsay Bennett, serve as editors of Fodor’s “Best of Cruising” section.
Carnival’s entry into Europe began in 2005 with a series of cruises aboard Carnival Liberty and, over the past three years, the line has tripled its number of voyages within the region.
This year, Carnival will deploy two ships in Europe for the first time, including its newest and largest ship, the 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor, which will launch the line’s first-ever 12-day Northern Europe program. Joining the Carnival Splendor will be the Carnival Freedom, which will operate Carnival’s popular Mediterranean, Greece and Turkey cruises. Carnival will deploy two ships to Europe in 2009, as well.In addition to European cruises, Carnival operates three- to 18-day voyages to destinations such as the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, New England, the Panama Canal, Bermuda and South America aboard its 22-vessel fleet.
For additional information and reservations on the “Fun Ship” vacation experience, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.
###Carnival Cruise Lines, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is a proud member of the exclusive World’s Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, and The Yachts of Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest, and a commitment to quality and value, our member lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. Together, we offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world’s most desirable destinations.
Considering Carnival is relatively new in the European market I think this is astonishing and in fact can you help me with something please.
Three years ago I read in the cruise press that some felt that Carnival Cruise Lines had no place in Europe and our product would not transfer well there…………….well……lets send those people a message………………follow me please.
STEP 1………..Place the tip of your right hand on your nose
STEP 2……….After three move the fingers of the same hand up and down rapidly while at the same time sticking your tongue out of your mouth making a gaseous explosion sound.
So, to all the few people who wrote that Carnival had no place in Europe and to the non-Carnival brands who didn’t win any awards…………… here is a message from all of us.
after three……………..1…………………….2………………………..3.
I will pause to allow you all to clean your computer monitors and thanks for your participation.
Heidi comes home tomorrow and she is stunned at the 114 comments wishing her a happy birthday as I am as well. You are all so kind and I hope you all know how much you mean to us both. My Mum and Dad read the blog everyday and they wanted me to say a big hello to you all………….that’s Hilda and Nev by the way.
As you know my Dad’s office is a shrine to Carnival Corporation and the model of the Aida ship is the latest addition. Dad has also printed every single blog which are filed in special binders which one day when I am old and grey…………..OK………….older and more grey…………I will be able to look back on. So, a big hello to you all from Mum and Dad. Many people say I get my sense of humor from my Mum and I certainly have not been handed down my Dad’s organization skills and there is more chance of Hilary Clinton coming under attack from sniper fire in Bosnia than me ever being as organized as my Dad………………..they are however wonderful parents who I have so much to thank them for.
As I said, Heidi will be home tomorrow and then bright and early on Friday morning I will drive the 150 miles to Southampton in my Range Rover which according to Al Gore means I will have killed three polar bears and melted an iceberg along the way.
We will be visiting the Ventura and from what I have read in the British Press this is a ship that has taken the market by storm. I am particularly excited to see the Circus School………so if you never here from me again it means I have runaway to join the circus.
By the way, instead of buying Heidi a gift I booked a little four-day holiday for her next week…………she does not know about this……………I will tell you more tomorrow….ssshhhh
Did you see the comment on the blog from our friends who sailed on the QE2 to Southampton and then boarded the Queen Mary 2 when all three Queens were together? Well, as you will have read they all sailed with me on the Carnival Sensation. I thank them therefore for proving the point that people who sail with Cunard are ………. sometimes ……….the same people who sail with us at Carnival and shows massive potential for cross selling the brands as Big Ed mentioned…………..its something I want to work on for summer 2009…………….I have a cunning plan…………….anyone interested?
So, back to my new friend I met on the plane.
I am not exactly Mr Chatty during a flight. As you know I would rather marry a girl called Ding from Thailand and on my wedding night discover she is really a he called Dong and then be forced to publicly get divorced live on the Judge Judy Show which was being filmed in Paris………………than have to fly.
Bearing this in mind you can obviously understand that I may come across as a rude sod by the other passengers.
Anyway, I had no choice on the flight yesterday as soon as I sat down I was met by a handshake and big “hiya” from the chap in the seat next to me. It was an amazing feat that he could actually raise his hand as his wrist contained the largest gold watch I had ever seen which was covered in diamonds. He obviously caught me looking because before we exchanged names he took great pleasure in telling me it was a “Jacob something” and it was a gift to himself after his divorce…………I wanted to say that it was the most disgusting thing I had seen since I caught sight of myself sitting with my legs open wearing my Dolly Parton dress …………but instead found myself saying it was stunning and that was me……with a new best friend for the rest of the 11 hours.
Now, at this point I want to say that during the flight he asked me what business I was in and being as tired as I was I told him………….the truth. It turned out that Cliff ………that was his name…………had never been on a cruise……………….this surprised me as I guess I always think that everyone in America has been on one. This of course is stupid of me but the one positive thing that came out of having to spend time talking to Cliff was that by the time we landed he was going to take a cruise on the Carnival Paradise as he lived nearby and then if he liked it a trans-Atlantic on the Queen Mary 2 as he liked the sound of the two level suites.
Cliff has a web site and a company that rents things………………and those things ……….. are………………………..dogs…………….yep……………………dogs. His company is called FLEXPETZ and as his business card tells me he is the President. Cliff explained that as many Americans are too busy to have a full time dog…………….you can rent one.
As he told me this I started laughing to myself thinking that could only happen in America ……….however that laugh was short lived when he told me that he had just started the same service in the UK which was doing well and in fact he was on the plane to meet with his board of directors whose names are Fido, Max and Scooby.
Seriously though…………..can you believe it……………..rent a dog? Cliff told me you can rent one for a few hours………..a few days………a week………or a month. I listened to Cliff preach the word on how this was making him a fortune and was paying for his new villa in Mexico and as he rambled on I sat there trying to think who the heck would rent a dog.
Would you find yourself sitting at home one Monday night and your wife says “Honey, shall we go to Blockbuster and rent a DVD?”…………….and you reply………………”No darling…….but how about we rent a Poodle for a few hours?”
I mentioned this to Heidi who if you ask her has just one regret about living on a ship …………she can’t have a dog. Hearing about this site she immediately looked at the web pictures and I could hear her in Holland oooing and ahhhing here in the UK.
Have a look at the FLEXPETZ website which clearly states it can find a dog to meet the customers’ requirements. Therefore, I want the biggest dog I can find ……….a Bull Mastiff or a huge Rottweiler…………….I will rent the dog for a day………………feed it 20 pieces of the Chicken I ate on American Airlines ………………and then take it for a walk along the streets of Paris…………………….maybe ret a dog isn’t such a bad idea after all.
I will write as always tomorrow
Goodnight
Your Rent A Friends
John and Heidi
Filed under: Tales from the Ship, Travel | Tagged: Carnival Splendor, entertainment
John…
What a wonderful dream and Character Fantasy… A Cruise Director… Yep, I think many of us will fit in those shoes!! To bring this wish to reality… OUTSTANDING!!! you suffered through two flights and a strange bed… THANK YOU!!! I have everything marked and I won’t miss 6/21/08. I
FLEXPETZ is a fun company, for people exactly like you or apartment dwellers or have allergic spouses, etc… I have enough pets, but it would be fun to rent one for some cuddling and unconditional love if I didn’t… People come with baggage… pets don’t!!!
SORRY… I hit the enter too soon…
I had planned an outing to see a Leonardo de Vinci exhibit at the museum… but I will postpone it to another date… Cruising and John Heald take priority!!!!
Have a wonderful reuniting with Heidi!!! And a great SHHHHHH get-away!!
Regards…
Lambie
John,
What a wonderfully handsome crew of dancers and singers. I’m sure that they’ll do the Splendor proud. It’s a shame that they don’t have a job for homely Italian guy with a fair sense of humor…
It sounds like the USA show went remarkably well and you can bet that I’ll be tuned in and ‘Tivo’ing away when it airs! I still can’t believe that you commuted to California! Wow… no wonder your body is confused…
Bravo, bravo for Carnival and their success. Well deserved. You had to know that Carnival would be a hit in Europe. What pleases and entertains Americans most often will have the same effect on our European neighbors… with the exception of the French, of course…
I have heard of some very odd things to rent, including automobile tires, but DOGS??? When you pick up your dog do you have to leave a deposit or does the dog do that???
Hurray for Heidi returning home tomorrow!! How wonderful for both of you. I’m sure you’ll be thrilled, on many levels.
Offer Stephanie my thanks for all she does and the best to you and your bride upon her return.
Cheers, mate!!
GregB
John,
Even without your blog title I knew immediately you were talking about renting dogs. It was in Yahoo.com news a few weeks ago. I did like the surprise you got when Heidi apparently thought it a super idea. So, I can imagine you locating your local Flexpet shop and picking out a cute little Poodle for Heidi and a gentle giant of a Rottweiler for you and the two of you (I mean four of you) strolling through some of London’s lovely green spaces. Don’t forget the pooper scooper bags!
Where are you taking Heidi for four days?!?!? Where, where, where? Don’t keep us in suspense. We won’t tell Heidi!
Glad you’re home safe and sound,
Myra
Hey John & Hilda & Nev,
Wonderful blog as always. I have met some real characters on planes, but Flexpetz…well he should go on one of those shows that try to guess your occupation as he would win hands down.
Enjoy your holiday.
Jan
John,
Shortly after your Day of Days to be able to give Lauren her Day of Days doing what you are fortunate enough to do most of your days… what a thrill. Thanks for sharing all of this with us, your rent-a-friends.
How impressive your talent is for the inaugural Splendor sailing and kudos for all the recent awards to Cunard and Carnival.
Nev & Hilda have done a great job with you and Suzanne. They have reason to be proud.
Andrea (and her mom, Janet)
PS be on the lookout for the darling rent-a-dog, coming to a converted barn near you…
Hola Hilda and Nev !!!!!
Muchos huggos!!
BTW John great idea the four days. uhu
Nanni
Dear Mr. John Heald,
I would like to apply for a job any job on the Carnival Splendor. After looking at those pictures of the cast of the Splendor I want a job. Please I will do anything, sweep floors, polish their shoes, wash their clothes anything just give me a job around those girls.
BIG ED
PS. Just think you will be able to get even with me every day for that April Fools Day thingy.
John another thing. I traveled with Cunard 19 years ago on the Cunard Countess.I don’t know if it counts because everything is so different now but after that cruise I took my first Carnival cruise on the Holiday. I can do both, no problem
So If I have money Im in.
John,
This listing of the cast members is great. It’s exactly what I proposed on my comment card when I left the Freedom last February. Can you (or Stephanie) provide the same type of cast list for the Carnival Freedom dancers? They are fantastic! In fact, if I know the cast members are going to remain onboard, it will influence the choice for my next cruise (I will choose the Freedom).
Good Afternoon John,
I cannot believe, even in America, that someone would want to rent a dog! I can see it now rent a dog for 30 days for $XX, get attached to it, tell the President of Flexpetz you want to keep it and he says it will cost you $XXXXXXXXX to buy it. Good luck with that. LOL Of course there is an up side to it and that is …….wait for it………………..the dog is house broken!!!! Seriously though I feel sorry for the animals, they get use to one person or family and then they go to someone else, who will be different. Oh well only in America!!! Maybe I’ll start a flexcats. heh heh
Take care
Joan
John, please respond.
Thank you for continuing to blog during your travel. I’m especially looking forward to the t.v. special.
The “handpicked” entertainment crew for the Splendour look wonderful but I have one concern. My family is on the July 21 sailing of the Carnival Freedom. Will all of the best Freedom staff leave for the Splendour leaving more new/less talented staff? I don’t mean to seem paranoid about this but I had this happen on Princess where a new ship took too many of the best staff, which particularly affected the production shows and entertainment. We wanted to try the Splendour but couldn’t because of the airfare so we thought the Freedom would also be wonderful! So, John, I guess my plea is keep great staff on the Freedom and don’t make a huge shift.
By the way, if any bloggers are on the July 21 Freedom, let me know or join the Cruise Critic roll call.
John, thanks for all you do!
Audrey
Hey John,
You know how dogs always turn in a circle before they lie down to sleep? Well, when you return your rental to Flexpetz do you have to rewind him?
Well John, You are back to your old self, being so hilariously (is that a word?) funny! I almost choked when I read about RENT A DOG! How could anyone do that and not fall in love with the animal and then have to give it back? My 2 dachshunds are my babies, and in fact my little girl Lily has a stomach virus and we had to rush her to the emergency vet, and after $223.00 we have antibiotics for her so she gets better! Her brother is watching over her while we are at work! Sounds like a nice birthday present for Heidi, she will love it! About the Queen Mary in Long Beach, they rent her out for weddings etc. I have a friend whose daughter got married on the ship and had her reception there last summer. Can’t wait to see the USA show in June. I will tape it. Well, hope you and Heidi enjoy your next 3 weeks before going back to work. Have fun! Linda & Mike
John,
Brilliant blog today my friend. Glad to hear you have something else in the works for next year along with the bc maybe. I can’t wait to see the tv show on the 21st on USA. I’m sure it will be funny. Sounds like you did the right thing with a 4 day holiday for heidi unless it’s a 4 day holiday to the laundry room with your haz-mat items. Talk to you soon.
Kevin
PS. Ed you don’t fly so how are you going to get to the splendor for work ?
dude! lovely looking bunch i must say, the shows should be fabulous! i shall find out for myself in november as you know… have fun with heidi!!!
smiles, bonnie and prince charlie
John, so glad you made it home safely. Can’t wait to see the show.
Rent-a-dog, hmmmm, interesting idea.
Gotta run, luv to you and Heidi.
Many thanks to hard-working Stephanie.
Diane from Texas
Hi John,
I have 2 King Charles Cavalier Spaniels that originate from England. Don’t rent them for Heidi because she will NEVER return them. They are very, very sweet.
Loved all the pictures of the new singers and dancers. I remember Jeremy from the Freedom this past Feb. He is quite the cutie.
Enjoy your vacation because you truly deserve it for all the work you have done and all the traveling on airplanes that you *and I* don’t like.
Take care and have a nice homecoming with Heidi.
Ciao, Kathleen
Forgot to put in the Hilda & Nev part! Many thanks to you for a wonderful, talented son that you share with the blogging world. He brightens my day every day. Suzanne had me laughing so hard on that blog when she told of Johns school prank! Being a parent, I could not pass up an opportunity to compliment you both.
Jan
Dear John,
What a wonderful whirlwind trip to help one lucky lady live out her fantasy.
I did so enjoy reading about the talented cast for Splendor and was delighted to see one of the dancers came from New Zealand. We were on Freedom last August and I thought that the performances we saw there were absolutely stunning and seemlessly moved from one item to the next with such flare and style. I’m sure that this talented group will blow the audience away with their performances and was impressed to see that they are already rehearsing
Cheers to you and Heidi
Joan
Hi John!
So I was looking down through the cast photos and one caught my eye. Lawrence Neals. I met him on my very first cruise and I don’t think I’ll ever forget him. Now bear with me while I tell you a story (I don’t remember if I’ve told you it before) of my first cruise and how the crew on that first cruise helped make me a Carnival lover and more in particular a Carnival Piano Bar Addict.
My first cruise was on the Inspiration in July 2003 with my 13 year old niece. Well she made friends right off the bat and ditched me every night after dinner. So that very first night I found the piano bar and spent the whole night in there. The second day of the cruise (sea day), I got an email from my sister that my grandmother had fallen and broken her hip and was not expected to live out the week and that I should call home. This being my first cruise, I wasn’t sure what was involved in calling home, how much etc. Just after getting the email I ran into Darrin MacDonald, the piano man, and seeing my distress, he asked if he could help. I explained my situation and he asked for my cabin number and told me he would see what he could do. A little while later I got a call from Allie at the pursers desk telling me that Darrin had told her what happened and she arranged it so that I could use the phone in the pursers office to call home when I needed to. So I went down and called home, got to speak with my mom and my sister, everyone told me to stay where I was and have fun with Amanda. And then I got to speak with my grandmother for what turned out to be the last time.
When I went back to the piano bar that night, I thanked Darrin. Then Allie and Lawrence (he was sailing on his vacation because he and Allie were dating at the time) and Murray (the A/V guy) and Erica (another purser) came into the bar. And they all sort of adopted me for the week. We hung out in the piano bar every night singing and having fun. Murray played the fiddle on occasion. Lawrence got up and sang several times, he’s got a really great voice. We hit the disco a few times. I just had an absolute blast with them. My grandmother passed away that Friday and they were all very comforting. They were all so sweet and supportive and kind, I don’t think I’ll ever forget any of them.
I wish I could do the Splendor this summer, not only for the ports now, but for a chance to see Lawrence sing again! I think he’s very talented.
Anyway, I’m glad you’ve made it home for a nice three week vacation before you have to get busy with the Splendor stuff.
Oh, wait breaking news! I’ve actually convinced my reluctant boyfriend to set foot on a cruise ship! He’s going to test the waters (so to speak), when we go on the Victory for a 4 day to Canada on July 3rd. I’m pretty sure hell has frozen over, so don’t be surprised if you see the devil wearing long johns.
Enjoy your break and lavish your lovely wife with lots of attention.
Cheers mate,
Laura
PS – Heidi, when I turned 39 in March, anytime some asked how old I was I told them 29 and 120 months. It just sounds better I think! LOL!
John:
First of all, I can’t imagine how wonderful it must feel to know that you made someone’s fantasy come true. What a rare priviledge!!
We can’t wait to see the show.
The Splendor crew looks nothing short of “splendid”!!
I believe we have sailed with one of the young ladies (dancer) on the Imagination earlier this year. Shelley-Anne looks a lot like a young lady we had so much fun with on the “back to back” Legend shows. The dancers are always such great sports to help us have a wonderful time as we pretend to be Gloria….or Elton (as was the case in February). We get to have our own mini “Character Fantasies”!!!
Give Heidi a big hug for us!!
Linda (Mom of your friend DJ)
Kevin,
I will swim there to work with that cast..
BIG ED
I have enjoyed reading your blog. You are extremely funny and it has been interesting reading about the interworkings of the cruise business. I am looking forward to cruising with you some day.
I booked the three segments on the Splendor for South America. Then I find out that you have planned the Bloggers Cruise right in the middle of the SA cruises —a problem! Can’t book it! Will you be on any of the SA segments?
The other concern–who is doing the tour of South America to scope out the excursions as you and Heidi did for the Northern Europe itinerary?
There are very few excursions shown on the CCL website at this point.
Last time I looked at the Roll Call on Cruise Critic, there were 229 persons booked on one or more of the three segments. I’m sure many of those are looking forward to the special plans for this unique itinerary.
Thanks again for the enjoyment you provide for your two million fans!
Hey John, I hope Miss Cultural Diversity is reading. I notice there are at least two people of color. But, I’m sure she would say there should be more.
I agree with Big Ed the cast certainly has some nice looking ladies.
PARIS RENT-A-DOG!!! TO FUNNY JOHN!!! NELSON AND I GOT A LAUGHING JAG OVER THAT ONE!!
Ciao to Hilda and Nev…..you have produced the best son of them all….(I was really going to say them all and not ____ _____! He is one wonderful guy and wish we could hang out with him more often.
CUNNING CRUISE!!! GET PLANNING JOHN!!
WE WILL BOOK!!
Luv, Paula and Nelson Baker
Hi John,
Excellent blog today. Reading about renting pets had me laughing out loud.
What a good looking cast for the Splendor..I mean REALLY good looking. I’m with Ed, I’ll take any job, as long as it’s around those GUYS.
Can’t wait to hear what you have planned for Heidi. Knowing you, it will be something extrodinarily exceptional.
How is Alan doing these days? We need an update about him.
Have a great homecoming with Heidi!
Princess Elaine
Looks like the opinions are mixed on the “rent a dog” concept. Me…..I see no problems with it. I can’t keep a pet in my apartment…and cruises cause problems with my caring for them even if I could have one. I’d love to frolic with one [either a Collie or Golden Retriever] in the park on a Sunday afternoon.
So glad our “special cruise director” did so well. Sounds like she did so well, that she might be trying for your job some day.
As such–”watch your back”.
John
With one dog and two cats I don’t think I will be needing the services of Flexpetz, but I think you and Heidi should try it out next time you get home.
Enjoy your 4 day holiday! Get lots of rest, you deserve it.
Am looking forward to what your plans will be for the Bayou Bloggin cruise in Feburary.
John, glad your home safe and sound to reunite with Heidi or a well deserved rest. Hope you’ll both use the time wisely as it will be gone in a blink….the Splendor will sail. Looking forward to more introductions of the crew who will entertain us in the Baltic’s, can’t wait.
Rest up my friend.
Cheers, Ray & Deb
Hi John,
You are such a romantic… I won’t tell anyone, though!!! 4 day holiday for Heidi! What a lucky lady!
The cast of the Splendor looks like a great team! There is a lot of talent there.
Rent a dog! Maybe I should have done that a few years ago when I was raising daschunds. I hated parting with any of them. I could have just rented them out, and kept them all!
Hello to Hilda & Nev and Welcome home Heidi!
Get some rest now John,
Princess Barb…. still being really quiet!
Hey, John,
I checked out the Flexpetz web site and it seems there are some positives in the mix. The dogs are mostly “rehomed”…that is, an owner, for whatever reason gave the dog to a rescue group or it was headed for a pound. So, this company takes in some otherwise “homeless” dogs, then trains them and tests their “personality” to be sure they will not harm anyone, etc. Also, they are taken to a veterinarian immediately…they ended up spending over $2000 on one of the dogs who came to them with a serious stomach infection. Anyway, the dogs aren’t kept in kennels; rather, they live in someone’s home (I guess and employee of the company…they didn’t really expand on that) and are well fed and cared for. I guess being “rented” for an hour, a day or a week, for a dog
First, hi Hilda and Nev, you have a great son with a great sense of humor. Love him.
John you made me laugh so much about your chicken.
Thanks so much for the bios on the dancers and singers. I see the production singer is from Allentown, PA. which isn’t far from us in Maryland. I can’t wait to see them perform.
Have a nice welcome home party for Heidi.
Jennifer and Danny
whoops! I didn’t mean to do that. As I was saying, for a dog, would be kind of like being left at a friend’s house by your owner who is on vacation. So, it seems like kind of a win-win situation for dogs who might otherwise meet a nasty fate, and for dog lover’s who don’t want to own one just to leave it alone for hours while they work or whatever.
Still think you and Heidi should each rent a doggie which suits your personality and go for a walk in the park!
Cheers,
Myra
Hi John,
Glad you made it home safely from your “brief” trip to California. I was hoping they would put you up for the night so you would have to time to shop for Heidi’s birthday present but what you have planned is sure to please her……
Thanks for the pictures and bios on the dancers. They all look and sound wonderful although I don’t recognize any of them, I hope to see them one day.
Rent-a-dog……now I’ve heard it all…only in America (I’m Canadian) but I’m sure someone will think of it here……any takers?????? Not me, I wouldn’t be able to give it back to FLEXPETZ…..LOL
Welcome home, John and Heidi. Enjoy your next 3 weeks until you join the Splendour. How I wish I was going on the ship but I may join you next Feb on the bloggers cruise!
Cheers mate,
Cindy
A belated Happy Birthday Heidi and Hello John,
And a “Big Hello” also to John’s Dad and Mum. It is wonderful to hear that you’re enjoying the blog. My father taught one year in Brighton as a foreign exchange teacher back in the ’50s. Glad to hear that John’s Dad survived the British education system to retirement.
Rent a dog. Makes you wonder what the criteria is for a successful business anymore. There is also a Rent a Purse website so that ladies can carry the latest handbag.
Enjoy your break until joining the Carnival Splendour. It is a break, isn’t it? You seem to have been going non-stop since the blog launched last year.
All the best.
John
Hi John: I can’t believe you have been to California and back already. You have to be totally exhausted. The show sounds great and I have already marked my calendar for the event. Now that you are home and awaiting Heidi’s arrival, try to rest and have a great time at your surprise.
Regards,
Terry
Seeing the ‘cast’ for the Splendor makes me ready to leave on the cruise! How exciting to see some of the dancers and singers before going on the cruise!
You know, John, you must just draw they characters on the planes! I fly fairly often, but I usually have normal people that don’t talk my ear off!
OK, Splendor in August, Blogger’s cruise in February, Cunard cruise in the summer of 2009…..works for me!!
Hi John
Welcome home from your short trip to CA. I am so happy for Lauren to get to live her dream if only for a day. I will be anxious to see the final film.
I think you should take the days off with Heidi and forget about the blog for that time. I am sure all of the world would understand.
I think the entertainers for the Splendor is splendid indeed. Lawrence is one of the best vocalists I have ever heard on a ship. He was the vocalist on one of the 6 cruises I was on last year. Superb to say the very least.
Thank you for all the blogs and I sure hope you and Heidi have a wonderful few days together. Have a wonderful time, and I hope to see you on a ship again before the blogger cruise in Feb. My best to you and to Heidi
Gloria aka Sue
Hi John, It finally got here. May 1st and time for you and Heidi to have your R&R.
We’re looking forward to seeing you on TV.
Rent a dog!!!! Hmmmmmmmm I have an idea. Anybody want to rent a dog??? We’ll rent our dog anytime we go on a cruise. We’ll make money and save on an expensive boarding fee. Great idea…lol
Thanks for the pictures of the dancers and the info on each one of them. We look forward to seeing them in Nov when we cruise on the Splendor.
We hope you left Mr Murphy in the states and can enjoy your well earned vacation without him.
Don and Carolyn
Hi John, welcome home.
What a great day it was for Lauren & I can’t wait to see the show. I was on the Paradise in 1999 when I took my nephew for his graduation present. I have always thought that the Paradise was one of the most elegant, beautifully designed ships. I’m glad you think so too.
Great entertainment group for the Splendor – may they all enjoy their time aboard.
As for Rent-a-dog, my computer screen is now totally cleaned, and I totally agree with what Linda said. How can you possibly give up the animal after getting to know it? I have 2 furballs that I could never part with (well, maybe one of them – Mr. Psycho – just kidding). My cats are my babies and I’d be lost without them. It’s hard enough leaving them when I go on vacation. I don’t think I could do an “animal of the week”. But rescuing animals is a very noble thing to do, so good luck to the company.
So where are you taking Heidi?????? Wherever it is, do enjoy.
I’m probably going to miss the mini-blogs, but have a great 3 weeks, and write soon.
Hugs,
Carol
URGENT:
Hi John;
I’ve enjoyed reading your blogs. Have an awesome time on your get-away with Heidi. We are on the Freedom leaving Rome on May 10th. You had asked me to remind you on May 1 about setting up a Meet and Greet for our Cruise Critic Roll call for our first sea day on May 12. We have 50+ who have committed to the Meet and Greet via the message boards.
We are sorry that your plans changed and that we won’t get to meet you in person….but rest is a good thing and given your schedule of the last few weeks, and the craziness of the inaugural sailing of the Splendor – you more than deserve it.
I do have a question….how hard is it for crew and staff to ‘change gears’ from one itinerary to another? One week they’re in the Caribbean then crossing the Atlantic and then on to the Mediterranean the time differences alone must affect them, eh?
Counting the hours until we board the Freedom!
John–glad you are back home safely. The TV show sounds great–but did she just get to be a CD for a day, or are they at least sending this gal on a cruise? As for Flexpets, yes, I heard of it too. Actually it can be a good idea. Say you live in a small city apartment where you cannot have a dog, but you are going to the country for a picnic for the day and want to have some fun. Or, you have a child with allergies who cannot be constantly exposed to an animal but can maybe spend the day in the park with him. It’s actually not a bad idea–I’m more of a cat person, myself. Hey, Cunard lets you BRING your pet, so why not?
Good Morning John!
Thanks for making my day quite a bit brighter by including pictures of the Splendor entertainers in the blog. Of course, they will be working with the best cruise director in the industry. Anyway, it just makes me even more aware of the fact that July is coming and we will be boarding the Splendor. Jim and I were just talking about that over dinner on Tuesday night. I told him I was very anxious to be eatting a welcome aboard lunch and hear you say on the P.A. “Welcome Home!”
I am glad that the two of you will now get to spend some quality time together! Make the most of it!
Ruth
John,
PLEASE ANSWER THIS: Is there any way to find out if Agatha from the Freedom dining room
(tall blonde with lots of personality) is going to the Splendor? I asked this earlier and Ken said they had not made final decisions. Could you please look into this for me?
Thanks!
Ruth and Agatha’s Fan Club
John,
Carla
I bet the clients of flexpet are mostly young single men who use the dogs as a way to pick up girls. Dogs always steal a girls heart.
Wait.
Lauren spent ONE DAY being a Cruise Director?
Well, I am now officially disappointed in a television show I haven’t even seen yet! How can anyone even get an inkling of what a particular vocation is like by spending 8 or 10 hours at it? I thought Lauren would be “cruise directing” for at least a 3- or 4-day cruise. Well, at least they had her on debarkation/embarkation day, which we’ve learned from this blog is the busiest day.
I say, let someone REALLY get to know what it’s like to be a Cruise Director. Sure, let them get up and give Welcome Aboard and Shore Excursions talks and maybe even be the emcee for one of the shows, but also make sure they get to experience someone unhappy because there are no mahjong games aboard, or a guest convinced that you’re racist because you don’t have the correct racial percentages, or a group of inebriated college students from Kentucky!
If you’re going to experience something, you might as well ge the FULL experience!
Of course, I suppose that if they did that, it would no longer be a “fantasy” dream-come-true, but a reality nightmare! But it IS what separates the men from the boys, so to speak!
Still, we’ll be watching “Character Fantasy”…
Terri
Rent a pet sounds like a neat idea for those who cannot have a pet full time. I can’t imagine not having my two Airedale Terriers, three cats and a horse. If I couldn’t have them full time ,I would most certainly want them some of the time. As someone else mentioned giving the “rent a pet” back would be the problem! Enjoy your vacations with Heidi! Jeri and Larry
Thanks for introducing the singers and dancers from the Splendor. We are looking forward to seeing them on the 8/6 sailing.
By any chance does “Character Fantasy” have any plans to fulfill someone’s fantasy of becoming a cruiseship godmother? That is my 13 year-old daughter’s dream. (It’s somewhat odd, since most of her friends don’t even know what a ship’s godmother is.) She has been quite interested in cruise ships and cruise lines since her first cruise at age 9. She researches all the ships and itineraries and astounds us with the details she remembers. Last week while visiting the observations deck of the Empire State Building with her aunt she spotted a Carnival ship sailing out of New York harbor and exclaimed, “It must be the Miracle!!”
hi! did i miss it? what was the guys weird company?? lol
Hi John/Heidi:
Great stories today.
I can’t imagine renting a pet for a few hours but i guess anything is possible in this day and age.
I really enjoyed reading about Lauren and her experience as the CD on the Paradise. I look forward to seeing it soon.
Glad you were reunited with Heidi and i’m sure you were all happy to be back together.
Thanks again for another great blog!
David
John -
How ironic – I just came to your website after posting an entry entitled “Memories of a Naval Career – the early years” on my blog. Good minds think alike.
I hope that your cleaning passes muster with Heidi. If she is anything like some of the inspecting officers that I ran into in the Navy, you could find yourself out in the maison de chien, instead of enjoy the het bed van de dame.
BTW – its now four weeks until we cruise. Time for you and I to begin conversing about tormenting Steve.
Jon
Stephanie -
The last comment was meant for the cabin fever thread.
Oops.
Jon
I was Lucky enough to be the Lauren that John Spoke about. I had such a fun day with John and Jeannie Mai the host of ‘Character Fantasy’, the camera guys and the sound person and the rest of the Staff and Erica from Carnival. Everyone was so nice. It was a day I will remember for a very long time. I have not told my family too much of my experience because I want them to see it when it airs on USA Network on June 21st. John, You made me laugh a lot. I hope I did the same for you. You also give good hugs, but for anyone who doesn’t know, ask what he had for dinner first before you give a tight squeeze, otherwise you might get a musical surprise (LOL)
Only kidding. John, I was happy to learn of your very funny sense of humor, it made me feel so comfortable. The day was so fun, I agree with Terri910 from you blog, 1 day was not enough. The day was more than I expected. The only thing that could have made it better, would have been if at the end of the day they let me stay on that beautiful Carnival Cruise ship so that I could have truly enjoyed it like I know all of the guest were going to. I just got the teaser. John, I will be continuing to look at cruises for me and my family, please email me the ship you are on, I would love to see you again. Thank you again for helping me live a dream, if only for a day.
John,
I really enjoy reading your blog. We will be on the Blogger’s Cruise in February. It will be our first cruise.
There was a place near us that rented bunnies. I’m not sure if they are still in business. I think it was around $30-35, you got the bunny, cage, and first bag of feed. You could keep it forever, if you wanted to; or return it when you got tired of cleaning up after the animal. It was a good idea for bunnies. Everyone thinks they are soooo cute, but they are messy and quite stinky. I don’t know how it would work with dogs… Maybe if more people had a dog for a “test-drive,” fewer would end up in shelters.
Anyway, thanks for entertaining us.
Lauren HopkinsSheridan,
I just can’t wait to see you and John on June 21. Our John is the Greatest Cruise Director so you had the Best In Class showing you the ropes of a CD. But you are right about hugging him. You do that at your own risk and the danger of all in the area. If you book a cruise because John is the CD on that ship you will be joining many of us that ask what ship John is on before we book a cruise. He is the BEST so if your ever become a CD you will want John as your teacher and mentor.
Hope to maybe meet you on the Bloggers Cruise in 2009.
BIG ED
John -
I am here tonight to catch up on your blogs and wanted to let you know I am enjoying them! I was on Paradise last weekend and it’s too bad we didn’t get to cross paths. But, I will be on the Blogger’s Cruise and look forward to meeting you in person.
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and really enjoyed Karl with a K. Our room steward and wait staff were excellent and I will be sending in a letter to let everyone know just how great they were! I was a little concerned prior to sailing as you don’t seem to hear much about Paradise. No need to worry though. I think she’s a great little secret and we are looking to book another sailing before the year is up!
My only “complaint” would be they need to hold the Adult Comedy Shows in the theater. I’m not quite sure why they are held in the lounge but from a crowd standpoint, they definitely could use the extra seating.
Keep up the great blogs!
Colleen
Hi! I was wondering if you had any great secrets to share about Carnival Sensation. I am taking my little kids with me so any family ideas would be great. 4 nights Bahamas (Feb 14 2010). Thanks