So you eluded to something…..it had to happen….

Talkin’ to myself and feelin’ old
Sometimes I’d like to quit
Nothing ever seems to fit
Hangin’ around
Nothing to do but frown
Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down.
What I’ve got they used to call the blues
Nothin’ is really wrong
Feelin’ like I don’t belong
Walkin’ around
Some kind of lonely clown
Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down.
Funny but it seems I always wind up here
with you
Nice to know somebody loves me
Funny but it seems that it’s the only thing to do
Run and find the one who loves me.
What I feel has come and gone before
No need to talk it out
We know what it’s all about
Hangin’ around
Nothing to do but frown

The Flying Dutchman

Much KUDOS to the wonderful Cruise Directors in the Carnival Fleet. It is the “family” that makes Carnival as great as they are.

They are the reason we are able to cruise. Because they do their jobs so well, DJ feels comfortable enough to get on a ship with a mascot.

With his Autism, there is no other place in the world he will go, if a mascot is within a 100 miles of the place.

But because the fine men and women of Carnival assure him that “Freddie” will not be an issue….he enjoys his cruises.

And I can not stress this enough…a cruise is the only place DJ gets to be a “normal” young man for a week. All because of the heroic efforts put forth by the Carnival staff, Entertainment staff and Youth Directors!!! You can not put a price on that!!!

This week on the Ecstasy, DJ had a blast. Goose made sure we had Freddie’s schedule and we simply avoided the areas Freddie would be on the few times during the cruise that he was out.

A simple solution devised by Ms. Freed back in 2003, when Freddie started making his appearance.

When Freddie was introduced, we thought we would have to stop cruising and instead…..DJ will be a Milestone Rewards Member by November!!

Our Ecstasy cruise (as I posted earlier) had some special surprises. Maitre D’ Gabriel (who we had just sailed with on the Imagination) was there and did an excellent job handling DJ’s seating assignment. Captain Donato (who we had just sailed with on the Legend in May ) was our Captain. It is always great to visit with him. Dakota (the cover band in Chinatown) are friends of ours and it was great getting to sail with them again. I made wonderful new friends in Karaoke. Aretha was excellent, as was Joey (Paul Santley’s nephew). We had a ball!!!

I want to give a shout out to “Taco Bill” in the Embarkation staff at Galveston.

This was a difficult Embarkation with the ship getting in late and it took a long time to get the ship cleared at Customs.

People were already on edge about the changes and lots of people booked it last minute. So there was a lot of confusion that is just “the nature of the beast”.

Unfortunately, this was not a situation that children with Autism handle well. DJ has traveled enough with us to understand that these things happen. And DJ was trying to handle it. Taco Bill was so kind to DJ. He recognized DJ having a stress attack. At the earliest possible convenience, he escorted us to the holding room before they opened the doors, so that DJ would be more comfortable. We never asked. We were simply standing in line when Taco Bill quietly walked up and asked us to follow him. He is one Carnival Rep that we will never forget.

This was our first “cruise to nowhere” and the best part is no Customs at the end of the cruise. You just walk off the ship. woo hoo!!!!

Thanks again Carnival…. for all you do.

And Mr. Captain “Short Man Syndrome” can go back to his little playground where he belongs!!!

Linda (Mom of your friend ~tired but happy~ DJ)

That aside, I’m going to have to figure a way to get us over there. The Hermitage is absolutely gorgeous, as are all the other sites you’ve been posting pics of. And the little yellow Trabi brought back some great laughs! Thanks, John!

We’re all taking the brunt of Mother Nature’s anger, even here in the call center. Eventually we get through the guests’ irritation about a very necessary change to the itineraries… especially when we mention “for your safety and that of the other passengers.” Suddenly a lightbulb goes off over their head *ding!*

Captain Shortstack is a vindictive little cuss. It seems, from reading the previous blog where you served the cake AND wine to him and his obviously appreciative and EMBARRASSED wife, that he probably got a talking-to for being such an An(g)us so far on the trip. And lucky you, a mistake was made and he got to take you to task because he’s obviously a spineless little (emphasis on ‘little’) git needing to boost himself up by knocking someone else down. My sympathies to his wife and family for having such a curmudgeon to deal with.

Keep up the great work, John! And keep your chin up, you are a great guy to the other 99% of us and we appreciate you.

I could never put up with insufferable jerks. I’d have to ask them “if I spilled water on you would you melt like the Wicked Witch Of The West?” Or perhaps worse…either way I’d soon be a former CD.

Keep up the great work!

Photos of the Hermitage are magnificent. LOVE the awed faces of Heidi’s mum and aunt–priceless!

Awaiting the remnants of Hurricane Hanna here in NY–went to the beach this am to check out the waves–amazing, harsh and out of control looking. How anyone could protest a ship moving out of those boundaries is beyond me. Can’t fool with Mother Nature!

Well John, even though I hate that you have to deal with “those people”, and you do on every cruise; I am happy that they give you something to talk about. I can’t imagine you not running into “them”, it just would not make any sense. I still think someone hires “them” to come on your ship just to dare you to smack them/yell at them/throw them overboard or all of the above.

Loved the pictures, Hedi has an amazing camera and she is an amazing photographer. I just hope my pictures come out that well. I would love to have sunny days in London and Paris, as it does not look like it for now, but just being there will make me happy.

Keep smiling John, you truly are an amazing man, can not wait to meet you next week.

Jeez, Dan, I always love to come back here and read all the comments….this was a bummer….:>(

I AM a regular on CC since I found it in January 2008, which is how I found this blog…and I can assure you that I WAS miserable before, and am NOT miserable anymore, because of my CC family, and this family here…
Actually the putzes on CC are mostly one-post wonders….hmmmm…
Floatie