After a little delay I am proud to post an interview with one of the most recognizable faces in travel………..Samantha Brown.
Here are her answers to my questions which I know you will all enjoy.
1. Hello Samantha. Firstly, let me tell you that all the crew watch your programs on the Travel Channel and you should know that you have fans from 50 different countries which the crew represent. Secondly, can you tell us about your career so far?
Thanks you so much for watching!! As Travel Channel’s primary travel maven, I have visited dozens of countries, hundreds of cities and stayed in countless hotels around the world. Presently, I am exploring the perfect travel destinations for weekend getaways in the most recent edition to PASSPORT travel series, PASSPORT TO GREAT WEEKENDS. Additionally, this summer, I will turn my focus toward Asia in PASSPORT TO CHINA.
Previously, in PASSPORT TO LATIN AMERICA, I took viewers to 20 cities, revealing the colorful landscapes and warm populations in the magnificent countries of Latin America. Prior to that, I immersed myself in European culture traveling to 65 destinations from magnificent capitals to tiny mountain top villages and ancient seacoast towns in PASSPORT TO EUROPE. Before the PASSPORT series, I hosted several popular programs on Travel Channel, staying in GREAT HOTELS and visiting other people’s GREAT VACATION HOMES to see how they live. She also discovered the extraordinary beauty of the Hawaiian culture in GIRL MEETS HAWAII. Above all, I truly enjoy showing viewers how extraordinary it is to be a part of everyday life in another part of the world and how a language barrier can sometimes be a bridge to a deeper communication.
2. Before we talk about cruising can I ask you a simple question? After traveling the world is there anywhere you have not been that you still are desperate to visit and is there anywhere you have been that wild horses couldn’t drag you back to.
Absolutely, I want to go to Japan. As for a place I wouldn’t go back to? Hmmmmm-there really isn’t such a place.
3. I understand that you recently sailed on the Carnival Inspiration. Can you tell us about your experience and what the highlights were?
What I remember most was how impressed I was with the crew. I have been on many cruise ships and I found the staff on this Carnival cruise to be one of the best most professional and incredibly personable crews I have worked with. I was disappointed that I couldn’t get down to the crew bar.
4. As a travel guru or should it be goddess……anyway, as someone who understands the travel industry more than most why do you think cruising continues to be such a popular vacation choice?
It just takes all the hardships that can come with travel: checking in and out of hotels, language barriers and simple, yet not so simple meal and sightseeing planning and makes it as easy as cake. It really is the least stressful way to travel. Now of course as I say that I will say the crew on a cruise ship works harder than anyone else in the hospitality industry. My gosh, we know we, as passengers can drive you nuts and you never let that show.
5. I understand you met the Captain which I am sure must have been a great experience.
Please tell us about that and has there been anyone you have met in your travels that has left a special and permanent impression on you.
Everyday people make the biggest impression on me. I always say that what makes my job amazing is that I get to experience someone else’s everyday life that to me is extraordinary. One of the most special people I met just walking in Peru. With very few words between us we had a wonderful conversation. At the end I told him my name was Samantha. His eyes lit up and he brought his finger to his nose and wiggled it. Just like in Bewitch. I don’t think anyone has given me the nose wiggle in 25 years.
6. I have seen you try many different local and traditional dishes during your assignments. Was there anything you thought would taste ghastly and was in fact yummy and has there been anything that had you looking for the nearest paper bag?
I ate barnacles in Zihuatanejo that looked like the fingers with long nails, I thought I was going to be reaching for the brown paper bag on that one, but it tasted like lobster.
7. You spend a lot of time in airports and airplanes. With flying getting more and more strenuous, do you have any tips on making the experience less strenuous?
Earplugs, I never leave home without them. People buy the $300 noise cancelling headphones but the 2 buck type work just as well. They don’t block out all the noise just quiets all the airport announcements that don’t pertain to you, screaming children and those who seem to need to shout on their cell phones.
8. Have your travels ever put you in danger?
I’m always doing things that are on the cusp and certainly have to sign a lot of insurance waivers. Probably one of the craziest things I agreed to do was a stunt in a Cirque du Soleil show. It was aerial ballet and I was wrapped up in these 80 foot long nylon ribbons then hoisted 30 feet above the floor. There were no safety lines as they could possibly tangle and therefore be very dangerous. Once at a certain height I let go and the ribbons would completely unravel causing me to spin until the bundled ribbons caught me. I don’t know if I am explaining clearly but it was pretty scary.
9. Okay, time for some fun. Please can you give us your personal favorites by filling in the blanks:
Favourite thing to do onboard a Carnival ship: sing at the Piano bar
Favourite European destination: Berlin
Favourite North American destination: Brooklyn, New York
Favourite Asian destination: Xi’an, China
Favourite hotel anywhere: Shutters by the Beach, Santa Monica
If you could speak one language fluently that you currently cannot what would it be: Spanish
Here she is and lets all thank her for the wonderful answers.
Filed under: Tales from the Ship, Travel | Tagged: Carnival Inspiration, Interview, Samantha Brown
Samantha, Thanks for the great interview. I enjoyed your show from the Carnival Inspiration very much. I’ve never been on a Fatasy class ship and since my next cruise will be the bloggers cruise on the Carnival Fantasy I was very interested to see how it looked. Thank you andI saw I will be having a wonderful cruise.
BIG ED
John, Great interview. I just love Samatha Brown. I have one of my DVR programed to always record her shows. Even when I watch the older shows I pick up new things about the places she visits. Love her.
Thanks,
Jo
Samantha, I just wanted to let you know that we enjoyed your show about your cruise on the Inspiration. We have it taped and will show it to my son and daughter- in- law tomorrow night. They have never cruised, and your show should give them some idea of the fun they are going to have when they go on the Bloggers Cruise on the Fantasy next Feb. The only difference being, John will be with us on the Bloggers cruise and you didn’t have that pleasure. If you really want some great fun and loads of laughs , then you need to cruise with John as CD. He is THE BEST and makes a cruise loads of fun and a memory never to be forgotten.
Carolyn and Don
Sam Brown is a doll and I thoroughly enjoyed the show. It was about time she sail on a proper cruise line.
I couldn’t agree with her more about the staff and crew on the Inspiration. I was very impressed with how outgoing and professional they all were.
John, get her on the Splendor… preferably when I sail in the fall!!!
Host Mach
John
As usual–a great interview. I watch Ms. brown often and really did enjoy her program on the Inspiration–Makes us eager to get back to the Pride which we will do this Sunday.
Well done.
Roger T
Laura (divetrash) isn’t here to do this so I’ll do it for her…
SEE ANSWER NUMBER 9
“Favourite thing to do onboard a Carnival ship: sing at the Piano bar”
WOOOOOOOOOOHOO!!!!!!!!!
–Adam
John…
How fun to read her interview and see the photos… after watching the show…
EXCELLENT!!
Lambie
Samantha, sorry we missed you on the Inspiration by two weeks. Everyone on the ship was still talking about having the privilege of serving you and your crew. It was fun watching you on the ship and reading your answers to John. Your show is a favorite of ours, and we have many of them taped.
Thank You
Cruising Grandma
John
Thank you for the Interview~
I love watching Samantha Brown and often Tape her shows and rewatch them for tips. We did this last year prior to our coming to Italy before we boarded the Freedom and knew exactly where we wanted to go. I’ve already set my sights on Interlacken Switzerland thanks to an older version of her show we saw recently. We also have seen the cruise shows and are defeinitly lookimg forwards to the ones from Asia.!
Take Care
The Tuckers
Elizabeth & Arnold
Great ! interview John
Jeanne and I loved watching Samantha Brown’s adventures on Carnival Inspiration.
We are counting the days down til we are on Splendor.I really need this vacation.
See you then
Ray and Jeanne
Hey, John
SHES IN MY TOP 12 FAVOITE PEOPLE!!!!
I love her shows!
from , JAKE S. ( :
Loved the interview with Samantha Brown!! I enjoyed the show she did aboard the Inspiration. It was great to see all the new and improved features on that ship (although I haven’t sailed on her since 1997!).
Love Samantha Brown. Like Samantha, I would say my favorite destination in N America is Brooklyn, NY.
SuefromNarrowsburg
PS Happy JULY 4th Everyone. Even you JOHN.
Thanks, Sam, for reminding me of our very first cruise, a repositioning of the Inspiration from San Juan to New Orleans in 2000, I believe it was.
I am sailing July 7, 2008, just two days away, on the Fantasy, my sixth Carnival sailing. My daughter and I will be in Progresso for her 38th birthday, and I had her watch your show last week. I went on the Inspiration twice, but would love to go again. Thanks for the personal interview, too. You always make travel look fun and easy.
Ever since I first saw Samantha Brown the first time on the Travel Channel, I wanted her job! (me and about 100 million other people) I of course loved her show on the Inspiration, but I had this feeling Samantha wanted to have a lot more fun than the camaras would allow. Her description of why a cruise is a perfect vacation was right on, stress free. That is why we never want to go home!! Great interview, thanks John.
I agree that it is a lot of fun to have a Carnival Cruise highlighted on the Travel Channel. I will be bringing my 3 kids in December and the other night (though my 7 year old was out — I’m hoping for a re-broadcast) my 3 year old and I watched Samantha’s show and it was fun pointing things out to her and talking about what we could do. I wish there was a little more about kids activities, though. I’m thoroughly dissapointed that we don’t have the waterworks on the Conquest, which is our ship out of Galveston. That looked like a blast. I’m hoping some of the excursions will make up for it. There is a waterpark in Montego Bay I’m dying to take them to, and a glass bottomed boat in Georgetown, Grand Cayman, I think they’d get a kick out of. I haven’t cruised with them before, so I’m wondering about sea days, dining and etc. Thanks for Camp Carnival, right!? I think we’ll have a fantastic time. They’ve never seen the ocean.
John,
Thanks for the great interview! Her show was very enjoyable and has inspired me to watch the Travel Channel more! If only I remembered to DVR it…… The outstanding crew of Carnival makes me just wanna leave right now and be onboard any Carnival ship!
Hi John/Heidi:
I really enjoyed the interview with Samantha Brown.
I have been a big fan of hers for may years and it was just wonderful to finally see her on a Carnival ship.
I really enjoyed the pictures that were included as well.
Thanks for posting this interview.
I hope everything else is going well for you.
Thanks,
David
Thank you for the wonderful interview, Samantha! I have seen all of your shows on Travel Channel and love them. Please let me know if you need an assistant – that would be my dream job!
John, thanks for sharing Samantha with us — she’s living the life we all wish we could have. Now, when are you going to interview Rick Steves???