Sunday, June 15th, 2008...2:01 pm
Mama Mia….Sacre Bleu…It’s Only A Game
It’s been a tough day and as I write to you at 5:30 pm I feel very tired.
My exhaustion has nothing to do with work but with the fact that the work has been done in temperatures of 80 degrees plus inside an iron box with no bloody air conditioning.
This is normal procedure for a new ship as everything has to be tested including the air flow system. However, why couldn’t the engineers at Fincantieri have watched the Weather Channel where they would have seen that yesterday it was 15 degrees with showers forecast and that today it would be 300 degrees in the shade?
Goodness knows what it must be like for the rest of the crew who have real jobs like working in the galley. What about the engineers themselves………………….well, actually it’s their fault so………..who cares?!
Nope…………that would have been to easy, so here we are working in the office and I am sure it would be cooler if we had been working in the Gobi desert wearing fur coats…………….fake ones, of course, Mr. and Mrs. Vegetarian.
When I get hot I get moody and grumpy, especially when I stand up after two hours at the desk and find half my bottom is still stuck to the leather chair.
Anyway, I had a meeting with some of the staff today and I asked them how they were all managing in the heat, one of the staff replied “I am so exhausted no — it’s like, “whatever.”
For this staff member and many more of her generation “like whatever” are very popular words.
The food in the staff dining room is “like, whatever.” Her Ex Boyfriend is “like whatever.” The photos I showed her of the Seabourn Odyssey’s cabins are “like whatever.”………………Mysteriously, though, Justin Trousersnake is “like, so cool. “
I’m sure younger people you know speak the same way.
Where did this and other words come from, some exclusively blonde valley in California? Well, the problem with using that as an excuse is the staff member in question is from a place called Thunder Bay in Canada.
This is not the end of the world because eventually she will grow out of it in much the same way that you and I at some point stopped describing Pink Floyd as “far out” and Gerry Cahill on a surf board as “groovy.”
However, even more annoying than the Marcia Brady overtones is this young lady’s and millions of others like her who have lost the ability to write and this is thanks to my mate the mobile phone.
I received a text from someone a few weeks ago that had the word “today” spelt with a 2 and the word “great” had an 8 in it.
Now our days are filled with distractions. You’ve got to locate a signal for your Raspberry, download some hipping and hopping music onto your Eye Pod and still find time to work, cook, clean the house and slaughter a few Zombies on the PlayStation. Speed writing is therefore a damn good idea I guess. So maybe I should consider writing my blog in mobile phone/speed writing style…………….would you understand …………….let’s try.
“2day I wnt 2 c the dctr who sd my sug r was gr8 and I shld not be scared bout my loose #2s”. What part of that can you not understand? A language without vowels ……………you don’t like the idea…………..”like, whatever.”
This week is a big week as tomorrow I visit the Costa Concordia and then on Tuesday I will have breaking news about The Carnival Dream. Now, this news comes straight from PA 007 who has promised me the details on the ship’s exciting itinerary first thing on Tuesday morning. I will therefore do my best to get this posted as early as possible so you can all hear the great news.
I also have some brilliant interviews to look forward to including Samantha Brown from the Travel Channel and continuing with our recent international theme some hot news from Down Under.
The following week I will be concentrating on the captain and crew here on the Carnival Splendor and will be introducing you to many behind the scenes.
Now, once we sail and things calm down a bit I shall return to the old style of answering many or all of your comments and questions. I remind you once again that should you need help and assistance to please write to me via the blog and mark the comment “Stephanie, Please Have John Reply.”
I have one here from Stephanie Martin that somehow ended up as a Spam message. I will reply to you today Stephanie and sorry for the delay. Meanwhile I continue to read each and every comment and a special huge thank you to you all and an even bigger one to those who take the time every day to write…………thank you.
The month of May produced 156,678 slaps and this month we already have close to 100,000. The blog continues to grow and a portion of this comes from our sister companies as we start to link each others thingies to our own blogs. I have a thank you being written in Italian ready for tomorrow.
The wooden dance floor in the lobby covered
Circle “C”
Circle “C”
Circle “C”
Circle “C”
The Black Pearl Restaurant
Goodnight
Your Friends
John and Heidi
32 Comments
June 15th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Hey John,
Can you tell us when the formal nights on the 8 day Carnival Splendor cruise will be?
Will there be a formal night on the 3 day July 10th cruise?
Thanks,
bill
June 15th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
WOW! The splendor looks awesome, can’t wait to see her in December. She is beautiful. Hope you get your A/C quick, it has been scorching HOT in Florida and with the humidity, unbearable, so I can just imagine what it must be like for you on the ship with NO A/C! Hang in there John & Heidi! I am taking Mike out to Red Lobster for dinner today for Father’s Day. He was visited by the grandkids this morning with a big basket of homemade chocolate chip cookies, a 5 x 7 Grandpa framed picture of the kids, and the DVD “Bucket List”, which just came out this week, and which Mike talked about wanting to buy. He will see the other grandkids later. Well Happy Sunday to you both, and can’t wait till Tuesday to hear about the DREAM, I know it will be sailing from Port Canaveral – our home port-just 30 minutes away, and we plan to take our “Family Vacation” with all the kids and grandkids on it in 2010, although I am sure Mike and I will sail on her before then. Ciao, Linda & Mike P.S. Can’t wait till you start responding again to our emails, miss that!
June 15th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
U R 2 funny!!! Just getting caught up again to real time, I miss my daily blog fix!!! It has been a hectic week and I am sooooo excited…my Committed Conquest Crazies family are coming to OKC for a get-together John…..WOOOO HOO!!! We are keeping ourselves amused until our turn to sail in 9/2009 and it is phenomenal to be part of a family who gets together daily in our cruise critic living room :>) or kitchen, as the case may be…….and in person every chance we get!!!I have been busy seeing about hotels and activities for our weekend in August….how I will re-create a Carnival Lido Deck party in Bricktown remains to be seen…….hmmmm…The pics are amazing to see, and I LOVE the interviews…keep them coming please!!! I hope you and Heidi can settle in right away, and can’t wait for the big happenings this week!!!Hugs to you and Heidi, and Stephanie!!!Eva
June 15th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
John:
We are sending you some cool breeze vibes.
I can’t wait to meet the folks that will be making the Splendor just splendid!!!
DJ asked for pictures of Club O2. He is currently trying to figure out how to never age past the age of 17….so that he does not ever have to leave Club O2!!
I told when he figured that out to let me know!!!
This aging thing is getting to me!!
Linda (Mom of your friend DJ)
June 15th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Hi John,
Hope you get your air conditioning to work soon. It’s been hot here in Indiana too the last few days but at least our air is working.
Can’t wait to hear the details about the Dream. We are thinking of booking a cruise on her.
Well today I finally finished my reservations for our trip to Europe. Of course the cruise was booked a year ago and I had my hotel reservations in London and Dover some time ago but I just got our train reservations to Dover, the ferry from Dover to Calais after the cruise, the train Calais to Brussels and three nights in a hotel there, then the train to Amsterdam and two nights in a hotel there. Now I can think about shore excursions but we think we’re only going to do formal excursions in St. Petersburg and wing it for the rest.
Stay cool!
Linda
June 15th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I like the atrium!
( :
June 15th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Hi John, Another great blog. You really peaked my interest with your “down under” comment. Please don’t tease us. I would love to go to Australia with Carnival.
Jo
June 15th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
John,
Many of us over on CC are anxiously awaiting news on the Dream…itinerary, deck plans, new amenities. Any idea on when *something* may be released? We’re DYING over here!
June 15th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Here are the TV listings for the Samantha Brown Inspiration cruise:
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/splendor/splendor.htm
If I remember correctly, the actual cruise was in Feb, 2008.
June 15th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
I think someone was have trouble seeing the YouTube movies?
It could be several things.
YouTube has some technical help answers:
http://www.google.com/support/youtube/bin/topic.py?topic=10555
http://www.google.com/support/youtube/bin/topic.py?topic=10559
Also, it could be your security software local on you PC blocking YouTube from playing.
June 15th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
John, I’m a travel agent who has been following your blog for a week or so now, and I wanted to thank you for it. My agency has a group on a Splendor sailing in January, so perhaps you’ll still be CD then. I sure hope so – you sound like a fun guy to share a pint with!
I’m really excited about the new Splendor as well as the Dream and the Magic – it’s an exciting time to sell Carnival!
Thanks again!
June 15th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Down under!!Pleeease say their will b an Aussi Carnival then MayB a Tahiti Carnival Ive begged 4 that B4,Ive been patient ,I can wait
…not.
-Sandra
65 degrees here,wishin for 80
June 15th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
OOPS! I meant to say I will see the Splendor in November, NOT December, (the week of Thanksgiving) and HOPE to see you too John! Linda
June 15th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Hello John,
Hope all is going well. Just a few more days until I am onboard the Splendor as well! Are we still on for my grandmother being the godmother of a life raft?
Hope all is well,
Nico R
June 15th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Hi John & Heidi,
Sorry to hear you are having to deal with such hot conditions that must be miserable for all.
It is funny what you say about the younger generation with the “it’s like whatever” two of my sons nurses talk like that and I just shake my head and laugh at them. Boy how times have changed.
Can’t wait to hear the news about the Dream. I am holding off our 2010 cruise till we find out the itinerary for the Dream. I am up in the air about sailing from Baltimore OR sailing on a new ship! Of course if it wouldn’t be for the price of airfare or gas, there would be no doubt it would be the dream. Love those new ships.
Wishing for a speedy move to your own cabin and cooler times this week.
God Bless
Cindy & Kevin
CindyInPA
June 15th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
John – I can’t imagine trying to work in that heat! It was in the 90’s here in Boston most of last week and even with air conditioning it was almost unbearable! Love, love, love the pics…keep them coming
Stephanie – Could you tell me when the web team will be updating the Supper Club reservation site to include the Splendor? We’re looking forward to one or two meals on our July 13th cruise.
June 15th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
John these pictures are making me all the more excited about our cruise on the Splendor next Nov, I’m also excited about meeting Nann when we get to PR. She ( and of course all of us) is hoping that you will still be on the ship so she can see you again too.
I am counting the hours until next Tuesday when PA007 passes the info on to you about the Dream. Do you think she/he could use their influence and find out the date of the Talladega Nascar race next fall. I will have to book the cruise on the Dream
around the date of the race.
John can you remember the days when people did not have A/C ? We had fans that we put in the windows and we kept our windows open day and night. You didn’t think anything about leaving your doors unlocked.Now you lock everything and wouldn’t think of leaving a window open lest someone break in and take everything you have including your dirty clothes. Boy things have changed.
I sure hope for you sake that they get the A/C on soon. I know you must be miserable.
Keep up the good work on your diet.
Carolyn
PS Thanks Zydecocruiser for the websites. It was me that can’t get the video’s to play. I’ll check it out.
June 15th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
I’m with you – I CAN’T stand the heat either and get very grumpy!!!
Can’t wait to hear about the DREAM!!! Our closest port is Canaveral and we have sailed on the Glory multiple times and are ready for a new and even better ship!
Thanks for all the updates and pictures and humorous reflections that we all look forward to each day!
Linda A.
June 15th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
John,
How long did it take you to write the paragraph in “kid lingo”? Probably quite a while! Kids now days can whip that bit of info out so fast, and many do it without even looking at the numbers or letters on their phones. It takes me forever to send a text message back to one of my kids! Where as, those of us who learned to type in school can do so without looking at the keyboard, and it is so much faster.
Thank you for answering my questions regarding the cancelling of the Freedom’s transatlantic cruise next April. We are currently trying to get Carnival to allow us to transfer the group to the Liberty, but they are saying that the Liberty doesn’t have any group space available. We want to stick with Carnival, but this is making it quite difficult.
Can’t wait for you to get back to responding back to all of us, and also to hearing stories about all the funny things that happen on board!
Sheryl
June 16th, 2008 at 1:41 am
Dear John I feel for your suffering.A man with out air conditioning is like a woman with out a check book.Hope everything will be fixed soon.Your friends Gary & Bug
June 16th, 2008 at 6:21 am
John,
You think that is hot, come on down and work in the south a bit. I put up two large tents yesterday for our firework business. It was 94 degrees with a humidity of 85%. The temps will average around 105 degrees under them in the middle of the day.
Luckily my wife will be running one of them. She did say she wanted to lose a bit of weight. I do have blower fans to make it a bearable.
I am ready for jetski season to be over so that I can go cruising again.
Someone on Cruise Critic made a good point the other day. It seems on several cruises lately that the ships are starting to sail while the muster drill is still going on. This is very disappointing for first time cruisers (and past ones) who want to be on deck for the sailaway. Plus it affects drink sales somewhat. With the new requirement of having to be onboard early, it seems that the muster drill should be able to be accomplished before the ship has to sail.
Dave
June 16th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Hi John & Heidi,
I feel for you in the heat. It can be so unbearable without a/c.
Can’t wait for the news about the Dream. You did say I would be happy with the news. I think I’ll hold you to it. I guess I’ll be happy with, like whatever.
The Black Pearl Restaurant? Does that mean that Captain Jack Sparrow is the Maitre D’?
More blog thingy later with photos, please,
Hugs,
Carol
June 16th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Text speak drives me crazy. There is no 8 in ‘great’… There is no 2 in ‘today’… Are people that desperate to communicate or are they just that lazy? OK…. rant over…
I can’t wait to hear the news about the Dream!!! We still haven’t seen the Splendor and now we have news about the Dream! How cool is that???
Isn’t it a thrill that the popularity of this blog thingy continues to grow? Just like with Carnival, people know quality when they see it…
Until tomorrow… Ciao!!!
GregB
June 16th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Hi John,
Sorry about your lack of a/c but on a brighter note, look forward to seeing you and Heidi on the Splendor September 11th out of Dover. We were on the Liberty in the Med two years ago but didn’t get the opportunity to meet you. You both do an amazing job.
John, if possible can you tell me when the formal nights are on this cruise. We love to go to the supper club but don’t want to miss the formal nights. When can the supper club be booked?
Thanks for all the updates.
Cheers
Gary & Di
Canada
Stephanie, please have John reply
June 16th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Ahhh, the challenge, explaining to tweeners that text speak is not appropriate for formal papers…then they get r3ally cut3 and turn all th3ir “e”s backwards…gotta luv ‘em
Great picutres! we’re gonna have a blast!
…this is not spam…(I hope)
Stephanie Martin –
the r3ally m3an ol3 3nglish t3ach3r
June 16th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
John, you are such a complainer. Lots of people spend big money to sweat off a few pounds in a sauna – and here you get a sauna not merely for free, but you are gettting paid to sit in it!
Speaking of pounds, I hope the diet is going well. Keep up the good work!
June 16th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Wow, thanks for sharing the pics of the new ship. It’s quite wonderful… definitely a Splendor!
The other day I got a present in the mail that you would get a kick out of.
I got a DVD of some old 16mm films dating back to 1930 from my great-grandparent’s trip from SanFrancsico to Europe. They sailed on a through the Panama Canal and then to England(Canadian Pacific line’s “Empress of Australia” and “Dutchess of Bedford” liners).
Some of my favorite shots were of the others liners in the harbor, first class passengers having wheelbarrow races on the Promenade Deck, and the pool games (folks swimming in the pool– the ship wall was the only thing between the swimmers and the ocean — no stabilizers back then…yikes). So much has changed… for the better!
June 16th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Hi John/Heidi:
Gorgeous pictures today. Thank you for posting.
The Black Pearl looks so pretty.
Hope you have cooled off from your little warm front passing through.
Very exciting that trials and delivery are so close.
Looking forward to reading your interview with Ms. Brown this week.
Hope everything else is going well.
Keep in touch!
David
June 16th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Wow! I have finally caught up! Thank you for all the pictures and videos they have been wonderful!
Heidi and dogs – we are looking at getting a Bernese Mountion Dog in the future. Very big, lovable, good with kids, laid back temperment. I can’t wait, but it will be till I stay home as well so he can get the attention he deserves. As it is right now the ferrets are a great pet as they sleep 22-23 hours a day! And the cat is very self sufficient.
Thanks again for all you and Stephanie and Heidi do, it is much appreciated.
Deanna
June 16th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Very anxious to hear news of the Dream!! We are waiting on the itinerary to plan a single parents cruise in June 2010, will it be the Glory or the Dream??? I am hoping for the Dream, but a cruise is a cruise!!
June 17th, 2008 at 7:41 am
Hello John,
I have e-mailed you before, but just maybe it was lost.
I have been asked by fellow posters on Cruise Critic to contact you that you may be able to set us up on a Meet and Mingle onboard.
We are on the 11/17/2008 4 night sailing
out of Fort Lauderdale.
I would appreciate any info as to this request.
Regards,
Sara Kelly ( cruising grammy on CC)
June 20th, 2008 at 4:52 am
John and Heidi,
Just saw more pictures of the Splendor. It looks fabulous. Sorry for the lack of air conditioning. It must be miserable. Hopefully it will be fixed soon.
By the way, your followers do understand that you are very busy right now.Take your time!
Ruth
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