Due to the fact that our Interactive TV system is about as active as dead Sloth people have not seen my shows etc and therefore many have no clue who I am…………….and I hate that. I worked past quite a few guests last night and said hello and although most replied with a cheery Hello, you could tell some had no clue who I was.
I could have been an officer, an electrician or the aerobics instructor……………………….ok………………that was stupid………..of course I could never be an electrician.
At the welcome aboard show the room was pretty full but that still means that 1500 guests were not there . They usually watch the reruns and this coupled with the fact that we have had two straight days in port and last night having no stage time because of the dancers show………….something had to be done.
So, there at 7:30am – 9:00am I walked the decks, stopped by tour departures and introduced myself to as many guests as I could. I chated to people from the USA, Canada and a couple from Germany. I then met Pauline and John Boughtwood from Colorado. This is their first cruise and they are having a great time.What makes their story interesting is that John will not fly…………….not because he is scared but because he suffers from terrible pain in his ears if he does…………..so………..this was their journey.
COLORADO – NEW YORK – BY CAR
NEW YORK – CHERBOURG FRANCE – QUEEN MARY 2
CHERBOURG – GENOA – BY TRAIN
GENOA – DOVER – CARNIVAL SPLENDOR
DOVER – SOUTHAMPTON – TRAIN
SOUTHAMPTON – NEW YORK – QUEEN MARY 2
NEW YORK – COLORADO – CAR
Wow, that’s an amazing journey. It is also proof that Carnival Corporation could try and link the different companies to accommodate such journeys………….it’s a brilliant way to travel.
So, after talking to as many guests as I could I felt a little better and I will have some time on stage tonight as I introduce Mel Mellers our fly on entertainer who provides a mix of comedy and magic that is totally unique.
Hopefully the interactive TV system will be fixed soon but until then I will make sure I apologize over the PA system. This also stops people calling the Information Desk thinking theirs is the only TV that is not working correctly.
Well, today we are in Barcelona and while the guests enjoyed exploring in the sunshine ( it’s another beautiful day ) I hosted another plaque exchange ceremony. Amongst the invited guests was a man who must have been the bravest person in the world. Never in my life have I seen someone with so many medals on his chest…………in fact they were not just on his chest but all the way down his waist and past his knee……………..and he was a Port Police Officer…………….maybe he gave himself one every time he caught a ship speeding?…………….who knows……………Ithe Captain presented him with a plaque which I am sure he is going to have welded onto the back of his uniform.
Have a look at this.
2219 – DEBARKING IN LE HAVRE
Mrs. &^%$ and Mrs. &^%$ came to the Pursers office and said that they will be debarking in Le Havre. Purser asked if everything was OK and guest admitted that they had not paid parking ticket fines he owed in the UK and so he could not go back. Purser advised to bring the passports the night before in order to prepare the paperwork.
They said they would do so and at that time also would settle the bill. Purser tasked to Housekeeping to advise of above. Port Paper purser informed.
I don’t know what to say about that……………….should I pat him on the back for being brave enough to admit he was a criminal and on the run from the Bobbies or should I as a tax payer demand that he pay what he owes………regardless , as soon as I read this I knew it was one for the blog.
For those of you who have been reading the blog since its humble beginnings you will remember me talk about the difficulties of running a shuttle bus service in the ports here in Europe. These services are provided by either the port authorities or the tour operator and once again when we have a short stay in port they are very busy especially with everyone coming back at the last possible moment. Today, was no exception with a long line waiting to return………….loads of taxis were available but unlike the buses…………they were not free.
Anyway, I have to go as we are preparing to sail…………….back soon.
Here I am.
And congratulations to The Kaiser family…………………….they are the first people ever to miss the Carnival Splendor. We waited………….I paged them………….we left………….they arrived at the pier at 5:40pm………………..40 minutes late………………they are flying to Lisbon and will miss a full day at sea tomorrow.
As usual our agent in Barcelona will look after them and I do feel sorry for them especially as one of the family is just 6 years old…………..I will talk to them on the phone tonight and make sure they are all ok.
Well, we are now sailing to Lisbon, Portugal and the sea conditions are calm and the sun continues to bless us. I was talking to one of the bosun’s yesterday who I know is very superstitious. This was confirmed to me when he told me he was nervous that the ship was sailing without being christened and blessed. I was going to have fun with him about this but the seriousness in his voice told me I had better not……………….you can’t argue with a man who has been at sea for thirty plus years and I know he will feel a lot better when Myleene Klass our Godmother names the vessel officially.
Talking of Myleen, it seems her popularity is growing in the UK. here is an article from the Sun newspaper which i wanted to share with you. For those who are not familiar with the Sun, it is the UK’s most read newspaper and has many great features………..especially on page 3.
Anyway…………..before Heidi sees what I just wrote and you go googling page 3 of the sun here is a link thingy about Myleen.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article1376777.ece
Well, as this blog seems to have no theme whatsoever, lets continue that with some random photos of the Lido Deck 9 mid ship as we sailed from Barcelona.
Last night a group of us had a drink and a cigar………….I know……………..I should give up……………and I will one day soon…………..anyway……………for some reason we started talking about the art of record breaking and what people will do to get their name in the Guinness Book Of Records………………and sometimes it can be very dangerous.
Last week an Australian frigate sailed thousands of miles to rescue two chaps who were trying to be the first men aged over 60 to row across the Indian Ocean. No, I don’t know why either, but as far as I can tell, they ran out of tinned prunes and decided to call it a day.
The problem is that humans have already climbed the highest mountains and sailed on their own through the wildest and loneliest stretches of ocean. But though the records have gone, the world is still full of explorers.
As a result, these people have to think of stupider things to quench their need for a spot of frostbitten glory. So, they insert a few sub-clauses into the record and set off from Cleveland to become the First Person Ever to Roller Skate Round the World — Backwards….with a doughnut on their head.
Even Mount Everest has not escaped with big manly hairy climbers saying. “Yes, I’m attempting to be the first Canadian person to climb Everest wearing a dress.”
But what record is left to beat?………….The Arctic? We’ve had the first person to drive to the North Pole, the first person to walk to the North Pole unaided and probably, the first to jog there, from Canada, in a dress.
Well, I am going to try and beat the world’s longest continuous blog record. I don’t know who has the record for the longest period of writing a blog each and every day without missing one……………but I bet I can beat it………………even if I have to wear a dress.
Well, time to get ready for the show. Tomorrow I have my first ever morning show and slowly the blog will return to its old and trusted format. The only thing left for me to do is to wish all my American friends a Happy Fourth Of July……………………I hope you have a great family day celebrating beating us Brits. Personally, I wish we had one………….then I could get a decent cup of tea………………………..Miss Ellie The Queen, The Mad Duke and the blind Prince with the jug ears and his wife would be living at the White house ……………………anyone who stubbed their toe or passed gas unexpectedly would say “bugger “………….instead of excuse me…………………..the national sport would be cricket and Denny’s would serve Yorkshire Pudding and Spotted Dick………………. for breakfast.
I’m not bitter…………..honest.
Goodnight
Your friends
John and Heidi
Filed under: Europe, Tales from the Ship, Travel
I love the pictures. I hope you get the record for the longest running blog. You are helping so many people get their fix (for cruising) until they can get the real thing. I will see you in 9 days.
Where was the link to page 3????????
Jo
Dear John & HEidi
Happy Non Inpedence Day to yu both
I cannot believe you are having to tackle misplaced passengers already on that beautiful ship. Thank you for the pictures they look great anf everyone looks like they are having fun as one does on a Carnival ship! Pitful story on Mrs. &^%$ and Mrs. &^%$ I didn’t know whether to gigle or feel sad on that one myself. Lots of guts to fess up. but yet lots of guts to tell you all he has to leave as well…tsk tsk.
Take Care
from the Rebellious Floridan Yanks
The Tuckers
Elizabeth & Arnold
John, your so right about Carnival Corp working to link all the cruise sisters so people can get off one ship and get right on the next. I think that was a good idea I had a few months back. Now with the price of flying going up almost daily even those that do fly might like to get on a Cunard from NY go to Southhampton get on the Carnival Splendor do the Baltic get back on a Cunard to return home without needing to do a night in a hotel anyplace.
BIG ED’S TRAVEL AGENCY, LOL
Big Ed, If you don’t mind would you book us on one of those round trip deals with no flying involved??? At least on a ship they give you a life jacket and a life boat, they don’t give you a parachute when you fly.
And since God didn’t give me wings to fly … this is Carolyn……. the one that won’t go if it isn’t by land or sea……..
John, I think it would have been cheaper if Mrs. &^%$ and Mrs &^%$ had paid their tickets when they got them instead of running from the law to avoid payments and fines…. When I was on the police force in Knoxville, we would have hooked their car to a wrecker and towed it to the pound and then it would be pay the tickets plus towing fees or no car.
I hope you set the record for the longest running blog and like all of the Krewe and bloggers, as long as I have a computer and connections. I’ll be one of the many that will read it.
Love the pictures of the ship Heidi. you do a great job.
Carolyn
You do a great job to Stephanie………we appreciate you
Hi John, Thank you for the Independence Day greetings! Fair winds and following seas as you continue your journey to Dover!
from the nation’s capital, Washington D.C. area
Karen
and counting the days until we sail on Splendor
John,
Thanks for the link to the Sun to see the article and picture about Mylene. After seeing this, I’m convinced as to the brilliance of the godmother choice! Does she also play the piano? Good choice John, you rascal!
Hi John,
The Dinner menus also seem to be MIA from the TV for now. On the other hand, it appears you can now order Room Service interactively from the telly!
For lots of Splendor Pics, including some similar such as the hula hoop gal,
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/splendor/splendor_pre_map.htm
regards,
bill
Hello John & Heidi,
Yes many thanks to Heidi for taking all those videos and pictures. You do a fantastic job. Also Stephanie does a wonderful job getting all our comments and such on this blog. Yes, We (USA) did beat you Brits Butts…say that 3 times fast. It was with the help of the French, (eww…) though, that we we won in 1781. My favorite movies about the Revolution are Drums Along the Mohawk,(with Henry Fonda) and The Patriot( Mel Gibson and the late Heath Ledger)…v. good movies!
Sue M.
Damn that Kaiser family… making more work for you. Now you have to go and build a wall of shame.
_BigMike
Blog Security Director
Wow – John called me from the Morning Show. Showed my card and everything. Thanks John – it was great talking to you!
John -
I read the Klass article and found this particular comment particularly funny:
As part of her first Ship’s Godmother duties, the 30-year-old will play classical piano music from the ship’s top deck while a Royal Navy officer mounts the vessel from underneath the water.
That kind of imagery belongs on Page 3.
Jon
BTW – the link for page 3 is on the left side of the page.
John, Being a “johnny come lately” to your cruise blog, I must say how much I am enjoying it. We are anxiously awaiting our flight to London and our boarding the Splendor on July 25. No pressure, but I firmly believe the CD and staff can take a good cruise….and make it fantastic and I am sure you will do so with ours! I also looked into returning home via the QM2, but it’s going the wrong direction…could you work on that too in your free time?
Hi John… Was really glad to find out you are on the Carnival Splendor. I hope you are staying on the ship around the horn. We are booked on the three cruises that depart from Ft Lauderdale and disembark at San Francisco. We are looking forward to seeing you again. Hope you will not need the brown trousers you referanced on the Destiny in Oct 98. We enjoyed that cruise and all the others. Looking forward to going around the horn with you and the crew.
John, I always had it in my mind that the Godmother swung the champagne bottle from a suspended rope and busted it on the side of the ship. Am I wrong or is this a new way of doing it, with someone else breaking the bottle?
When are you going to be able to answer our questions?
Carolyn……….the curious one of the Krewe
Yes, you can have the longest blog–we all know that you can do it and will be behind you all the way! (and hopefully you will not need to wear a dress)
I just love the photos and you or Heidi or maybe both of you are very good at taking them–keep up the good work! I’m hoping they will have that TV thingy fixed by the time we board in November?
I guess we’re the only cruisers who never turn on the telly when cruising. Maybe that’s why we never really paid attention to the cruise director and just perceived him/her as an emcee for stage shows. Now the social staff was an entirely different matter. As participants in all sorts of things, we knew all their names, homes, and other tidbits.
Of course, we know better now from reading your blog, John. But we still won’t turn on the TV. That’s part of what makes it a holiday. Sorry that means we’ll see less of you. But, then, with your diet, there will be less of you to see.
How much is a parking ticket in the UK?? Apparently so much that if the Brits HAD won, us Yanks wouldn’t be able to afford to cruise if we missed the parking meter once in awhile!! Happy Independance Day!!
THANKS for pointing this out musingsofjustjon
LOL!!
As part of her first Ship’s Godmother duties, the 30-year-old will play classical piano music from the ship’s top deck while a Royal Navy officer mounts the vessel from underneath the water.
That kind of imagery belongs on Page 3.
ROFL!!!!!!!
John
For those of us traveling with you on the Oct. 17 & 29 Back to Back sailing will there be shore excersions offered to us on our second day in Rome, while one group is leaving and another is boarding? Nothing is listed as offered on Carnivals web site.
I heard so much about you before my last cruise in late feb 2008, that I really thought you were to good to be true. BUT you are the REAL DEAL! I loved my last cruise director the year before in feb 2007 and was skeptical about you! But I can see why you were nominated #1! You ARE phenominal! Thank Thank Thank YOU for a WONDERFUL Cruise aboard the FREEDOM!! PLEASE forgive me if that is the wrong boat the other boat I was on was the Liberty. I take these cruises to free my mind and unclutter it! I never laughed so hard! You are wonderful! Thank you again!
John,
Some things never change! Jim and I are so fanatical about telling our daughter what time we have to be back on the ship……just ask her when you meet you. We start edging her toward the ship and out of the shops about 1 hour prior to be back on board time. Oh well, like I said, some things never change! I know Jim would be livid if we ever missed a ship.
Oh, one more comment…..the passenger from Colorado who does not like to fly……Jim is just like that. He has been watching the Weather Channel and monitoring the weather conditions.
He even teased me some last week about the fact that he was still thinking about calling Cunard!
Sounds like a plan he would be in favor of!
See you on the 13th!
Ruth
With your luck you will probably beat the record for the longest blog in a FRENCH PORT!
It would be a great idea if the Carnival companies linked up their schedules. As it is, if one wants to take a cruise in Europe combined with a set of crossings on the QM2, one has to plow through the itineraies of all the various companies.
Thanks for making a slow work day bearable, John! All I can think of now is Monty Python skits because for these comments:
“Even Mount Everest has not escaped with big manly hairy climbers saying. “Yes, I’m attempting to be the first Canadian person to climb Everest wearing a dress.””;
“… and probably, the first to jog there, from Canada, in a dress.”
I’m a lumberjack and I’m OK…
Keep up the reports, would love to see you get the record if there is one to be had (?).
HI John/Heidi:
You should start the Denny’s petition right now. That would be great.
Awesome pictures on this blog. I love the pictures of the Costa ship.
Great seeing passengers onboard after following the Splendor pictures in dock for several weeks.
Congrats on things up and running and can’t wait to talk.
Hope all is well.
Keep in touch.
David
P.S. Only 2 weeks until American football training camp.