Tuesday, May 6th, 2008...2:39 pm
The Green Green Grass of Home
Sometimes you forget how beautiful your own country is and today after touring the heart of the English countryside I have once again been reminded.
So, I have a cunning plan — a trans-Atlantic cruise from New York to Southampton on one of the Cunard liners and then we hop on a Carnival ship for a British Isles cruise taking in the best of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland with a stop over at my house for tea and crumpets.
Now the only problem with that plan is that there are no Carnival ships sailing on a UK voyage. Therefore I am going to be suggesting this package to anyone who will listen. …..what a wonderful vacation that would be…………anyone want to come with me?
Just before I say goodnight I would like to say a big thank you to the folks at P&O for adding my blog to their website. Have a look please and if you haven’t seen the best naming ceremony since Queen Victoria have a look at their video which will leave you shaken and stirred.
http://www.pocruises.co.uk/ventura/
Right, time for dinner and tonight we are going to a local pub called The George and Dragon. It is owned I am told by George Hicks the award winning chef …..I guess he named the pub after himself…….although in that case I am not looking forward to meeting his wife.
I will let you know how it was tomorrow and hopefully my dream of a Cunard crossing followed by the best of British will come true…………spotted dick anyone?
Goodnight
Your friends
John and Heidi
41 Comments
May 6th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
We can sign up anytime for the crossing and a trip around the British Isles. Sounds good for tea at your house also Carl
May 6th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Sign us up for the Transatlantic and UK cruise! We’d even fly again for a UK cruise! Enjoy the countryside and the meal! Jeri & Larry
May 6th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
John, that sounds like a brilliant plan. What ship could be pulled to arrange the UK tour??? Would I have to drink tea??? I’m not much of a tea fancier but Diet Coke would work well for me.
Do you have good insurance? You might need it…
Please, pictures of The George and Dragon!! Sounds like my kind of place!!!
GregB
May 6th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Good evening John and Heidi
Sounds wonderful to me
Ill take up up on those plans!
Have a great romantic evening
The Tuckers
Elizabeth & Arnold
May 6th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Sounds like a great cruise itinerary…especially the stop at your house!
Tell us about pub food (again…I think you may have given us the basics once before, but we have information overload, you know). Hope it was great. Was it cooked by dragon fire?
Hanging on your every word,
Myra
May 6th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
John, you have just described my dream cruise!
Sign me up!
Terri
May 6th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Hi John/Heidi:
I hope your dinner at George Hicks turned out well.
I like your idea of a vacation taking the trans-atlantic voyage then going around Britain. Sounds like a magical time.
Thank you for posting and I look forward to reading more.
Enjoy the vacation!
David
May 6th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
John, The P&O site is great. The video of the naming was beautiful.
I just wonder where did you got that idea of connecting Carnival Brands to make a great cruises. Oh ya! I suggested it. I just may get to see Europe and have tea with you there yet.
John I hate to say this but I think I see you leaving Carnival Cruise Lines in the very near future. I see you sitting in a corner office at the Carnival Corporation headquarters. I sure hope your getting paid by all the other brands that are using you and your thingy.
BIG ED
aka: Carnac of the Evil Krewe
May 6th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Still thinking about that dream cruise! Just make sure Liverpool is one of the stops!
Terri
May 6th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
John… my bags are packed… when do we leave???
I may take it in reverse and sail over to the Isles and return to NYC on Cunard… Or not… BUT, I’m truly ready!!!
Tea with the Healds… (I take mine sweet, strong, and piping hot.) What a splendid excursion. Will we be seeing the pigeons?? And the glorious countryside? The train will bring us there? Oh tell us more… I want to have a fantastic dream tonight!!! (Or maybe I should tell you how my dream went and we can plan from there… I know there will be frolicking lambs…)
Make plans and post the rates and dates… I’m there!!!
Regards and excited!!!
Lambie
May 6th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
A Best of Britain cruise would be amazing – what a nice way to see so many cool places! John, let us know when we can book! (hint, hint, Carnival!)
May 6th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Hi John, Love your cruise idea. Sign us up. I’d like the European cruise on a small ship that could go where the big ships can’t. As long as you and Heidi are there we will be there too.
Jo and Dave
May 6th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Can we leave from Galveston?
May 6th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Sure, why not some spotted dick/sugar free jelly bean/Yorkshire pudding casserole.
_BigMike
D.B.S.
May 6th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
John,
When can we start packing our bags??? That would be a blast!! Especially nice to have a stop at your place! Perhaps you should mention that to Heidi though before you go too far with that plan! Hope you are enjoying your mini vacation with Heidi! How were her spa treatments? Did she enjoy them?
Sheryl
May 6th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
John, the article by Anita Dunham-Potter is now on MSNBC. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24469581/
BIG ED
May 6th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Only 4, yes that’s right, 4 more days until there’s a new Sheriff in town!! Glory town that is!
Does anyone know if the Glory has the big screen like the Liberty and Freedom?
Peace And Handcuffs To All!
Rosco P. Coltrane
Sheriff
May 6th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
“WHEN SPRING COMES BACK TO ENGLAND”
When Spring comes back to England
And crowns her brows with May,
Round the merry moonlit world
She goes the greenwood way:
She throws a rose to Italy,
A fleur-de-lys to France;
But round her regal morris-ring
The seas of England dance.
When Spring comes back to England
And dons her robe of green,
There’s many a nation garlanded
But England is the Queen;
She’s Queen, she’s Queen of all the world
Beneath the laughing sky,
For the nations go a-Maying
When they hear the New Year cry -
“Come over the water to England,
My old love, my new love,
Come over the water to England,
In showers of flowery rain;
Come over the water to England,
April, my true love;
And tell the heart of England
The Spring is here again!”
Alfred Noyes [1880-
May 6th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
John:
You must be reading our minds.
We have looked at a Princess’ British Isles cruise (I believe they offer a couple during the summer) for the past two summers.
Since I am Scot/Irish by ancestory and David is Welsh …. this area is of particular interest to us.
In fact, we were just talking of doing something similar for when Joshua graduates from college.
That gives us a couple of years to plan it.
Linda
May 6th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
John,
I don’t know if I could ever go on those wonderful cruises you were talking about, but I am sure if it all comes to be, you will keep us all informed and it will feel like we are there.
Loved your sisters blog too, you should be very proud.
Ciao, Kathleen
May 6th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Were in, when do we leave?
May 6th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Hi John!
Aw, you’re so sweet to be so kind in yesterday’s blog post. It’s always a pleasure to write about you. You are truly an amazing man and watching you interact with the guests is really terrific. You were born to be a cruise director. We love you, MAN!
Best,
Anita
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24469581/
http://www.expertcruiser.com/advice/carnivals-man-attraction/
May 6th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Count us in. And have you done an article on Carnival ship interiors?
May 6th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
Okay John! I just started packing…. When do we leave and what time is tea?
Princess Barb
May 6th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Sheriff last tiem I was on the Glory, it did not have the big screen. It was my first ship and spoiled me. Wishing you the best time.
Kap
May 6th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
John -
If you want to enjoy some of the green, green grass of home, come to Vermont and see the Green Mountain state. The scenery is absolutely fabulous. Visit vtlife.com for some images. I particularly like http://www.vermontlifeprints.com/IMGSRV/s/product_media/19625.jpg, which is a picture of Mount Mansfield and Smugglers Notch in the background, with quintessential Vermont topography in the foreground.
Jon
May 7th, 2008 at 2:27 am
John,
We would definetely be there for that cruise; sounds great
(wooo hooo!) Then I could also make a stop in Fromme, about 2 hrs outside London, and see my cousin Will and his family!!
Hong Kong, where Suzanne lives, sounds a lot like NYC, only even more crowded and oh yeah, alot of us NYers are not so skinny.Would love to see her write some more
on the blog
You know, if I remember way back to the 1980’s, I think that Kathie Lee had a lot to do with my friend Doreen and I picking Carnival as our first cruise vacation.Now Regis, for anyone who may watch the show knows, can be rather annoying, irritating, and self centered sometimes. John, you should have picked up the mic. and thrown it, no swung it at his head, that son of a b****….so sorry, but I can’t believe he said those nasty things and did that to you…our John!! I certainly hope the next celebrity that you met after those two was much nicer. Please tell us, the stories are priceless…
Enjoy the rest of you mini-holiday guys, you truly deserve it.
SuefrmNarrowsburg
Enjoy the rest of your mini holiday guys
May 7th, 2008 at 7:17 am
Hi John,
Just give me enough time to save up the money for your dream cruise. I guess I could sit through the flight coming back from the U.K. as long as we have tea at your house (English Breakfast please, sweet w/cream).
Hugs,
Carol
May 7th, 2008 at 7:34 am
John, Please Respond!
I am a poster on cruisecritic.com. I read that you can help set up a meet and greet for our roll call group. Our group is leaving on the Legend on June 8, 2008. There are 26 of us. If you could arrange a meet and greet we would surely appreciate it!
Thanks,
Kelli-Ann
May 7th, 2008 at 8:24 am
John,
You can add two more for that dream trip. One balcony cabin please! I’ve been to England several times and I love it. A crossing on Cunard….that’s the icing on the cake!
May 7th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Hello John and Heidi,
Thanks for Suedrip’s contribution, and all the great pictures. Keep them coming, Sue!
Now really, John. Are you teasing us again? The last time you mentioned Cunard, I thought you were serious, and wrote that I would love to do a Cunard cruise with you and Heidi and all the bloggers. Then, after (it seemed to me) most people said they would love to do it, you said that most people felt it was too expensive, and we’d have to forget the idea. Ah, well. It’s nice to dream. I like Earl Grey tea. Hot. (Like Jean Luc Picard.)
May 7th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Hey John, It’s Lauren, Your Cruise Director for the day. If you do come in to New York contact me, so I can sho you the city the way you showed me the ship. Hopefully it will be an equally fun day with more laughs.
May 7th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Well now, you’ve just described mom’s perfect cruise itinerary. I’d just need a big headstart to save for the journey! So I second EastTexan2 in requesting we leave from Galveston. Ha!
Thanks to Suzanne for the great post with pictures. We’d love to hear more from her; please encourage her to continue.
Now with Anita’s article going on MSN.com and gaining Lauren and the USA network crowd this blog will grow exponentially. Watch out world, here comes John’s Blog Thingy!
A (&J)
PS We tried so hard NOT to read while you and Heidi were on holiday, but then decided if you were going to write them…
Just don’t worry so much about paying for the spa treatments if it gives you time to blog without taking away from “Heidi-time.”
May 7th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Lauren HopkinsSheridan,
Well that segment be put on the web site before being shown on TV on June 21?
BIG ED
May 7th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Sign us up. We have always wanted to go the Kilmartin valley in Scotland…perhaps that would be our chance.
Lisa and George Kilmartin
May 7th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
LisaK,
But if you and George are late for the TA part of this cruise it’s a long flight to meet the ship, LOL.
Some people and all of the Evil Krewe never forget. But it was great that you did catch up with us on the ‘08 Bloggers Cruise it was nice getting to meet you both. Since your arriving on the 5th for the ‘09 BC you wont miss the boat this time.
BIG ED
May 7th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
John,
Your idea about a cruise to England, Scotland and Ireland is just what my sister and I are researching. We found Princess to be the most accomodating and priced within our budget. I asked my travel agent about Carnival- I’ve sailed 6 times and have 4 more planned- but no go. So you have 2 votes here for this itinerary- hope Carnival takes it into consideration. We would have to go out of New York- I’m in No. California- but no problem. It will be interesting to see some additions- hope the Blog does it’s magic, you and Heidi are the backbone and sounding board for all of us bloggers. I read every day. Enjoy your short vacation- we all really do appreciated you blogging on your own time.
May 7th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
hi john,
karen is my sister and i totally agree.. ireland for me boyo!! work the magic.. thanks!!
May 7th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
John:
We’d sign up for that UK cruise – in a heartbeat. If anybody can swing it, I know it would be you.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Hey, John-
If you can set that British Isles cruise up, count me in for 2 cabins! Well, that is if you’re thinking 2010. ;0
We are looking at that cruise on Princess, but I would much rather sail on Carnival.
And write me down for the Diet-Coke, too. Not much of a tea drinker, here.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
John…………..We would be one of the first to sign up for that British Isles cruise…when does it sail? Always enjoy all your messages even though I don’t reply very often. By the time I read your thingy and then all the comments, I feel there’s nothing left to say, but I had to reply to this cruise idea.
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