Good Morning
We start today with this letter.
This was a new one on me so I met with the guest and her daughter this afternoon. Before I did I admit that I had some pre-conceptions in my mind having read the letter. Mum would be wearing a long white flowery dress , have her hair in pigtails and as a love child of the 60’s be ready to “teach the world to sing” and a frequent visitor to Amsterdam or her local supplier of the whacky backy.
Well………….she wasn’t anything like that……….she was……….well………….normal but a very upset ……….normal.
So, as her letter said, she wanted her daughter to receive an “education” while she was onboard and not be a party to ……..well……….what kids do on vacation. I apologized and said that I would take her suggestions of looking at maps and books about the ports to heart but I had to disagree with her concerning her adamant suggestions that we should include teaching the kids Spanish and Italian and giving them “homework.”
I know nothing about “home schooling” and I am sure for many this really works…………but as I spoke to Mum I couldn’t help but look at her daughter……a beautiful normal kid who sat quietly, listening to Mum say that she wished she could have learnt the history of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and I felt sad………….because her daughter’s eyes looked sad……..they looked like she would have loved to be at Camp Carnival right now, having her face painted and playing with her new friends.
I am not a parent, I probably have no right to even comment on this………..and while I would never dare to criticize how a parent brings up their kids…….it just seemed sad that she wasn’t allowed to go and …………..be nine years old.
All of us wrap up our children when it’s cold. We put them on booster seats in the car and make them wear helmets when they’re on a bicycle. We strive constantly to keep them out of harm’s way, and then we send them off to school so they can be punched, kicked, buy drugs and learn how to swear by the time they are five. ……………maybe this lady is right…………….maybe Home Schooling is the way to go.
Mum showed me her daughter’s work in some exercise books………and I had no idea what the heck it was. I bet she knows more about advanced mathematics now, at the age of 9, than most of the NASA scientists did when they put Armstrong on the moon.
People say Donald Trump works very hard, what with his property, his hair and his empire to manage on television. But he’s a work-shy benefits dodger compared with River.
Mum told me her daughter, who already speaks Latin better than Julius Caesar, starts school at 7am every morning, works with her Dad on math and English until noon. Then at 1:00pm she works with her Mum on languages. Latin, Spanish and French. But before she can collapse into bed she has to do four half-hour homeworks. Supper? MSN? A bit of light texting? Forget it.
I sat there and listened to her daughter who in a strangely robotic voice spoke in Latin until Mum flicked a switch and she changed to French………..for some reason I found the hairs on my arm standing to attention.
When I was at school I remember being told that if I spelt my name properly on my exam paper I’d pass. Exams were a hiccup in the day; not the be all and end all of absolutely everything.
There’s more. Mum told me that by the age of 12 she expected her daughter to have a rudimentary grasp of quantum physics and that they had already booked a tutor for her.
If I am lucky enough to have kids would I home school them…………probably not. I respect this choice but I of course could only teach my kids to tell bad jokes and to say “bugger.”
I want my children to leave school with a basic academic foundation; enough to get them to $32,000 on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, say. But more than that I want them to learn social skills so they can interact properly with other human beings. I want them to learn to blog. I want them to enjoy life, to have fun. I can’t bear the thought of paying a small fortune for a private education or to pressure them at home so they can be put on a treadmill and emotionally flogged until they’re bulimic, suicidal and have no social skills. School is supposed to prepare a person for life, not wear them out.
This is what we all seem to have forgotten. Yes, we must do everything we can to keep our children safe. But we should also do everything we can to make them happy as well.
I can’t stop thinking about my school days and how much I despised English with Mr.Gordon……who by the way used to go to the toilet and always come back with the evidence of his bathroom visit splashed across the front of his trousers. We used to call him “Splash Gordon.” The reason I hated English was old Splash’s fetish with the Bard.
William Shakespeare has probably done more to damage the cultural worth of Britain than anyone else in the whole of human history. After endlessly having to study his plays on the school curriculum, generations of children have ventured into adulthood convinced that all literature is coma-inducingly dreary. I don’t blame them. Portia’s speech about the “gentle rain” is in no way as stimulating as 10 minutes killing zombies on your Playstation.
My hatred for English was only surpassed by the sadness I feel that my music lessons with Mr. Ruddick , a lovely man, married with two children but about as manly and butch as Richard Simmons underwear drawer……….were never taken seriously.
You see, I have no regrets about being a literary thickhead but the fact my piano skills are equal to Captain Rude’s and Mrs.S.Nob’s social skills…….well…….that makes me weep.
My mate Alan who although totally drunk, once sat down in the lobby of the Carnival Triumph and played, with both hands and all the twiddly bits, some Rachmaninov. It was the first time Budweiser had ever sponsored a piano recital and although it was late at night and Alan remembered nothing about it in the morning………..he played the whole 2nd movement without music and without mistakes………the guests gave him a standing ovation.
So, there was Alan……………drunk…………again………….playing the second movement of one of the world’s most difficult pieces of music. I realized then that instead of doing funny limp wristed walks behind Mr.Ruddick when he wasn’t looking…………I should have been learning the piano………….the only second movement I was likely to perform was if I had chicken vindaloo curry for dinner.
And of course there’s nothing more a woman likes than a man who can play a musical instrument. If you can bash out a double-handed rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star you are virtually indistinguishable in the eyes of womankind to Jon Bon Jovi and will be guaranteed rumpy pumpy………….unless you’re Alan.
Let’s have a look at some great photos taken by Kat our I/S manager of our transit through the Strait of Gibraltar.
And now lets have a look at the letter’s from today’s in their own words section
Thanks again for all your comments and especially those words of support for the company and the way they handled the hurricane situation. I am going to refer to this just one more time shortly and then……………move on. But I wanted again to say thank you and please keep your comments coming. Remember, I will reply to each and everyone of them……positive and negative if you ask me to by including the words “John, Please Reply.”
Thanks again and I remain at your service.
OK, here is the news from the Carnival Splendor. This next voyage we are going to try a new smoking policy. The Piano Bar will become non smoking………………ok………………..let me let that one sink in a bit.
Yep, we have decided to try this out. The reason is that the Piano Bar is massively popular and I honestly think it would be more so if we gave people who don’t smoke to have a chance to enjoy brilliant performers like Ron and our new chap Gregg. Also, the cigarette smell coming from the lounge is really strong and obviously we get a lot of comments about this. So, we are going to make it non-smoking which will please many and not please some. So, let me say this. The Piano Bar entertainers usually work 45 minutes with a 15 minute break…….so……..smokers can take a smoke break one flight down in the cigar bar and not miss anything. OK, I know its not the same as enjoying a cigarette while watching the guys work …………as a cigar smoker I know this to be true.
Now, in its place we have allotted a new place for smoking and I think it’s going to be great……………deck 9 aft. On this class, unlike the Destiny and Conquest class the deck 9 aft area is not enclosed with a dome. So, we have some beautiful tables and chairs and once the food service stops at 7:00pm………this will become a great area to enjoy the fresh night air of the Med and a smoke.
In a perfect world we would have AIDA’s ” Anytime Bar ” but hopefully this will be nearly as good.
I await your thoughts and comments.
And now for something completley different.
Guest: Mr ——Ref: 002904527A
Cabin: XXX Booking#: 43BG93 Added-Changed: 09/18/08 – 09/18/08XXXX – SWIMMING SHORTS STOLEN AND WORN BY ANOTHER GUEST
Mr ________ came to the Purser’s desk and advised he left his grey with red stripes swimming shorts in the washing machine in guest laundry on deck 7 and when he came back they were gone. This was on Wednesday and just now he saw another guest wearing them on the deck 9 pool. Guest approached the man and asked him where he got the shorts from and guest said he did not speak English and walked away. Mr______ then asked Purser to call security. Purser called security.
Security reported that the man had gone when they reached the lido deck. Mr——- said he wanted the guest found and arrested for theft.
Purser explained that the guest should inform the Pursers Desk if he sees the man again. Mr______ started shouting saying that the swim shorts were a gift and had sentimental value.
Purser apologized and said his comments would be discussed with Chief Security and Hotel Director.
Tasked to Housekeeping.
There are so many things to comment on here but let me just say that I think it’s strange that one man would want to wear another man’s used shorts…………..I wonder if he stole my brown sock………I am missing one.
I also think it’s strange that the guest thinks we can “arrest” someone onboard. I mean……we have a brig but being thrown in there because you probably picked up some washing you thought was yours………well, that’s a bit harsh.
I do sympathize with the guest however as I have a pair of underwear that have “sentimental value.”
They are 11 years old and are the only pair of normal underwear I have left. They survived Heidi’s purge in 2007 when I was forced into boxers plus this off white pair of Fruit of the Looms have been with me and survived 200 Indian meals, my sugar free jelly bean fetish and they were the pair I was wearing when I was attacked by Mrs. Mahjong…………I love them and if anyone ever stole them I would hunt the culprit down and beat them over the head with a toilet brush.
Yesterday, I posted a comment about the hurricane situation in Texas. Well, it’s time to put that to bed and move on……….but not before you read this brilliant story from Jen……..the Cruise Director of the Carnival Conquest.
HI John,
We disembarked the guests this morning in Houston and it was very sad as this certainly has been a cruise to remember.
This is what happened on the last night of the cruise. We only had 362 guests left on board from our departure from New Orleans. The final show was in the back lounge at 10pm with comedian Carl Guerra, and I had told my Entertainment staff that we’d hang around after the show to chat with the guests as they’ve been so lovely all cruise………….well little did I know!
As I was taking the comedian off he actually passed the mic on to one of the guests, who then asked me to sit down at the front as they proceeded to do a whole presentation to myself and the entire crew. They had written a really nice song that involved all the other guests in the lounge…they had written all about the entire crew on board. They also sang a song to the theme of Gilligan’s Island…very funny! I’m usually pretty strong with emotional stuff, but my eyes filled up and I just couldn’t help myself as this has been a really tough 11 days and this gesture was just incredible.
They had a bed sheet that they had everyone on board sign (all 362 guests) here’s a picture…..All of the guests stayed around and I felt like Britney Spears with all the photographs being taken. I think everyone on the ship came over and hugged me.
My staff and all of the crew involved have been so fabulous…..I am really really sad to leave on Sunday!
Here’s some pictures and copy of the song.
Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale
The tale of a Fun ship Cruise
That started out of Galveston
For a 7-day tour …for a 7-day tourThe crew of the Carnival Conquest
With a captain brave & sure
Were set to give their very best
And take care of us, too
…and take care of us, tooThe weather started getting rough
The big Fun Ship was tossed
If not for the courage of the Carnival crew The Conquest would be lost …the Conquest would be lost.Ike kept us out of Galveston
We went to New Orleans
Then on to Bayport Terminal
To end our Fun ship cruise
…to end our Fun ship cruiseTo Jen and Capt. Marino
And all their staff & crew
Who helped us through this stressful time
You have our gratitude …our thanks and gratitude.
What a wonderful tribute to an outstanding Captain, Cruise Director and crew. We are all very proud of you and I am sure this will be something you will never forget.
You see, that’s what makes Carnival the best……..it’s not the iconic features we brag about………the big screens, the retractable roof, the Supper Clubs, the gorgeous food, the wonderful shows, the water slides ………….these are all outstanding features……….but…………..what makes Carnival Cruise Lines the best………….it’s the people……………it’s what our founder Ted Arison always said………..it’s people………….they make the difference.
The employees on board the Carnival Conquest and Carnival Ecstasy along with the superb people in our Miami office………….they are what makes Carnival The Most Popular Cruise Line In The World…………..they are………the icon…………..I hope they frame that bed sheet and it’s hung somewhere prominent onboard for all future guests and crew to see.
Goodnight
Your friends
John, Heidi and the thousands of shipboard and shore side employees of Carnival Cruise Lines
Filed under: Destinations, Europe, Tales from the Ship, Travel | Tagged: Carnival Conquest, Gibraltar
dude! that lady seriously wants carnival to “educate” her child for her??? come on lady! if carnival even tried to do that the other parents would be complaining that they took their children out of school to have a vacation! tell her i said to bugger off. poor little girl.
smiles, bonnie and prince charlie
I just saw the tribute to Jen & the staff & crew- what a wonderful thing they did. I got off in New Orleans and flew home to California- I think I missed the best part of the cruise !!!!! Again what a wonderful staff, crew & captain
Hi John,
“And of course there’s nothing more a woman likes than a man who can play a musical instrument.” – AMEN! There is nothing sexier in this world than talent.
But now I have to disagree with you about Shakespeare. When I was in college I took a whole course on Shakespeare and I absolutely loved it. Once you get past the language, and get a feel for what he’s a saying, it’s amazing. And one of my most favorite parts of the class? Shakespeare has a very dirty mind and there are many dirty jokes in his plays, often only the professor and I got them and it made for a fun little game in class.
Oh, regarding the Smoke Free piano bar… I’m running a poll over on CruiseCritic:
The question was:
Would you like to see the Piano Bars go smoke free?
And the results so far are:
Heck, yeah! I’m there! 51.56%
No way! 33.20%
Doesn’t bother me one way or the other 12.89%
Piano Bar? They have piano bars on Carnival Ships? 2.34%
Of course this represents only about 256 people voting and cruisecritic people are a small subset of the entire cruising population.
There have also been suggestions made. Like better ventilation or air purifiers in the room. A couple of nights designated as Smoke Free, etc. I’m going to let the poll run for a while longer than I’ll email you the pertinent comments before I go on vacation!
Oh, and loved the sheet. What a wonderful moment for Jen and the crew of the Conquest. People can be so kind and gracious, and in a world of people like Ms. Childrens Bingo and others seeking something for nothing, it’s easy to forget that.
Cheerios,
Laura (aka divetrash, aka Princess Laura, the sweet and one week from vacation! of Big Ed’s Evil Krewe)
John,
1. OMG that poor kid… I’d pass her photo to all the entertainment crew and make sure they try to inject a little fun into her day whenever they see her. Vacations should be just that for kids & Camp Carnival is one of the best places for kids to have a great time on board (our oldest son loved it!)
2. Amen to the new non-smoking policy – my wife and I tried to go to the Piano bar on the Liberty and had to leave because of the smoke… thanks for giving it a go!
Pick me!! Pick me!! I can teach the Camp Carnival kids some spanish if you want. LOL
No, really, I agree with you. No school and no teaching kids during vacation. Doesn’t this”intelligent’ mother realize how much they are already learning just being on that incredible cruise? I wish all the children have the experience of that kind of learning. Mother’s today are like that. They want their perfect little robots to show to their friends. I know!! This is every day for me. Just this week I had a test and one of my kids came crying because his mother wanted a 100 and just yesterday a mother wrote to me worried about her girl because her grades were not to her standards ( almost all perfect and one 83) One of them told me that she was an all A’s mom. I was furious! Let them be kids they would have plenty of time later to worry and be stressed. Poor kid! I was never one of those mom’s and I’m happy the way my kids are. Happy and strong (secure) ready to take the world and with enough tools to survive. I will keep praying(every day) that you and Heidi become parents soon. You are going to be great. I can imagine your kids happy and loved.
It’s true the best thing that Carnival has is the people.
Un abrazo grande
Nanni
Dear John After reading the last part of your blog thngy all I wanted to say is I whole heartedly agree that is what makes Carnival special.I know when I get on that ship I will be greeted with smiling faces and the push and mind consuming world is left behind.I told someone on CC the other day that Carnival is not called the fun Ship for nothing they are fun and it is family fun.I will be joining in that fun Monday it has been a year since being on board due to medical problems but the Doc. gave me clearance so I will bid you bon voyage! monday.P.S.tell the lady to lighten up and let the kid be a kid.Your only allowed to be a kid twice in your life.The other being when you become a senior. Best wishes to all Gary and Bug
John, this is my opinion and no one elses, but I think Patricia is guilty of child abuse. No child should have to endure hours and hours of schooling. Even a school has recess and free time.
Let the child have some normal fun with other children her age. I feel so sorry for the little girl…………. BUGGER!
Countess Carolyn……… mother of 2 and grandmother of 2
I feel so sorry for that poor little girl. Too bad her parents haven’t figured out that learning can be fun. Last month on Victory, our two younger sons got to do a mini-Olympics in their Camp Carnival groups and the youngest son got to help make and then blow up a volcano, among other activities. Right there – current events and chemistry. Son still talks about the volcano. Camp Carnival’s fine just as it is.
As for the piano bar – I’m not bothered by smoke, so I’m fine either way. However, I do know people who stay away from the piano bar because of the smoke, so it’d be nice for them to have a chance to try it. I know Linda (mom of DJ) has suggested alternating nights – seems like it might be a compromise.
John,
I will say tghat Carnival has some of the best crew around. and trhey always try to do there bestr to make a bad situation good. I have written about several problems I have had aboard the ships including lost luggage (which went to better places than I did) and how the crew (Pursers and Matra d went above and beyond themselves to help me and another couple out. I wil never forget and will always be faithful to carnival for those reasons.
Now as for home school, I know several kids that where home schooled (friends of my step Kids) who where home schooled till high school, after that they went to public high school. I think they did very well but Mom and Dad realised they needed to be with kids there own age to learn to socialize, and be normal kids. I not saying that the little lady you reffered to is not normal, but, I think mom should allow her some time to play with other kids. and learn abut differnet cultures form them. Thats what I love about cruising is meeting differnt people and learning about them and where there from.
take care
Your friend,
Capt Bill
John:
First I want to say…
YEAH…HOORAY…ALRIGHT….YEAH AGAIN!!!
(as I am jumping around the room with GREAT JOY and REJOICING)
No smoking in the piano bar…..WOO HOO!!!!!!!
While I completely understand the need for some to smoke, I can not tell you how difficult it is to enjoy the piano bar in a haze.
I have been in all the piano bars on all of the Carnival ships…(except 6 and by the end of the year that number will drop to 4) and unfortunately, they all seem to hold smoke rather badly…despite the heroic efforts of the two air filtration systems most of them have.
Laura (our Piano Bar expert) on Cruise Critic just did a poll and so far these are the results.
View Poll Results: Would you like to see the Piano Bars go smoke free?
Heck, yeah! I’m there! 137 51.89%
No way! 87 32.95%
Doesn’t bother me one way or the other
34 12.88%
Piano Bar? They have piano bars on Carnival Ships? 6 2.27%
Onto page 2:
BRAVO to the Jen and her wonderful staff. And THANKS to all the wonderful Carnival cruisers who showed their appreciation for a job well done!
Onto page 3:
Homeschooling. This is something near and dear to my heart.
As you know, our youngest son DJ has Autism. He went to public school through 8th grade, but has been homeschooled for the past 2 years, because the high school was not a good fit for him.
(To large, VERY academically challenging…to much chaos.) We are working on him passing the GED test (which here in the US would give him a General Education Diploma). This solution is working well for us. In the State of Tennessee, the parent doing the homeschooling must have a college degree in order to homeschool a high school age child. Since I do, that was not an issue. DJ has his struggles, but he is HAPPY!!
HOWEVER, our oldest son (whom you have not had the chance to meet) is a graduate of this same high school.
He had the highest ACT score of his Senior Class.
He started college with his college freshman year completed in high school.
He has a 4 year academic scholarship in Chemical Engineering and was hired by Eastman Chemical, after his freshman year in college for a one year co-op. He was giving Dad the answers to trivia questions at the age of 9, so Dad could get free shots at Senor Frogs. The boy is SMART!!!
However, we have also made sure that he was well rounded. He has cruised 15 times with Carnival just to have FUN. He has been to almost every theme park in the United States, because he LOVES roller coasters. Last year went to Myrtle Beach, NC for Spring Break with a group of his friends. He has had a good time, while understanding the responsibility he has to be a respectful human being.
He knows when to have fun and when to be serious, but most importantly he is HAPPY! He has been a joy to have as a son.
Your story about this little girl breaks my heart.
You only have to put up with this “mother” (and I use that term loosely) for one cruise. This poor child has to perform like a circus animal for the rest of her childhood. Hopefully when she is grown…she can break free and have a real life.
Linda (Mom of your friend DJ)
Just another example of why we keep coming back to Carnival! They are the best with the most caring crew members on every ship! And of course they have a Senior Cruise Director that sets a great example…. with his big heart and dedication!
Big Hugs!
Princess Barb
I agree with your perception regarding the home schooled girl…she’s on vacation! When will over-achieving parents relax and just let their kids be kids!? Social and life skills are important too. I’ve raised my daughter to be very independent and even though she isn’t the best in school, I love her and I love who she is. Fun is very important.
How wonderful that the guests honored Jen, Capt. Marino and the Conquest crew with such warm thoughts and recognition. If only everyone in this world would take the time to treat others as they would like to be treated, the world would be a nicer place. Wishing all happiness in their heart and love in your life.
Isn’t it ironic? I’ve always thought of a cruise as a time for adults to become children again, to act silly, over indulge, laugh out loud, and dance like no one is watching. How sad is it that a child doesn’t get to be a child on a cruise. I’ll say a pray for the youngster…
The pictures of Gibraltar are wonderful. Did you hand one or two off to Mr. Gibraltar? Did it put him off his food?? I hope so…
I have nothing but admiration for the remaining guests on the Conquest and that lovely act of friendship and appreciation for the crew. Bravo and kudos for the passengers and my undying thanks to the crew, in particular Jen and the always constant and unflappable Captain Massimo Marino.
Please offer Heidi my howdies and a special thank you to the wonderful Stephanie!!!
Ciao!!!
Host Mach
I love the idea of making the piano bar non-smoking. When we were aboard the Carnival Freedom last summer we loved Ron and the piano bar but went one, maybe two times…the smoke was awful. We would have stayed there for much longer too. I know many will be upset with this but I LOVE IT!!!!
Dear John,
Your blog continues to make my day! Just when I thought I had a klunker, it turns out yours was worse. Thank goodness for people like yourself. I get the occasional “grump” and try to deal with them in a passionate way, but I just don’t have your sense of humor to turn such a bad experience into a chuckle for those of us hearing about it. DW and I have been on two cruises with you many years (pounds) ago and enjoyed each tremendously. Best to you an yours.
David
So…adults get to take a vacation on Carnival but their children can not??
THAT IS INSANE!!!
Congrats to the Conquest staff! They are an AMAZING example of why Carnival will always be #1 in my book!
Dave from Colorado
John, please reply.
How nice was that! I was sitting here singing that song to the tune of Gilligans island, must have made the crew and staff feel great in such a trying time. While I feel for the guests, I also feel for the crew , how tough it must be to try to keep smiling so you can make the trip as enjoyable as possible for the guests.
I also cruised with you on the Imagination. This was a cruise that was supposed to go eastern but was rerouted to the western due to a hurricane. I believe it was 1997. You made that cruise one of the most memorable ever! Thank you.
I will again be enjoying your company on the Bloggers cruise. Looking forward to Feb 7! It will be my daughter and myself and our boyfriends who are both first time cruisers! I chose this as their first because I know it will be a great time !Can’t wait to start their addiction!
I am trying to decide on the hotel, we will be staying at the Navy hotel or the Bloggers hotel.
We don’t want to wait too long before deciding as hotels will get booked up. do you have any idea when this info will be posted? Thanks!
And thanks for this blog, when I read it, I hear your voice saying the words as if I were there! You just are too funny!!
Thanks for keeping us all smiling!
Edy
I have to agree with you about home schooling. As a teacher I know the mathematics I teach is the least important. Teaching children about community and character are key, and are very hard to do when there aren’t others around.
Also, congrats to the crew of the Conquest and many thanks to the great people on board who figured out the best way to give a genuine thanks.
Bravo, bravo and congratulations to the entire crew of the Carnival Conquest. I had tears in my eyes just reading this section of your blog John. Thank God once again you had a great final story on this blog because after I reading the story about that mother, if that’s what you could call her, with her sad child. It sounds like this child is very brilliant but very sad. I feel sorry for this forgotten child and I call her that because there is no love shown to this child, only education. I’ve been a teacher for 31 years and the teaching of education
was very important but the love shown between teachers and students and students with students were the best parts of education. Even though you might be very smart, it won’t help unless you know how to respect and deal properly with people. You know John, the ones I feel sad the most for are the child’s parents. They will eventually lose the love of that beautiful child. Where at that moment will all that knowledge that they gave her but no love. My heart goes out to that little girl. Ciao my friend.
Paul F. Pietrangelo
Hey John, my issue of Porthole magazine arrived today. I went straight to the article about your thingy on page 54. Great article. What a surprise to see the deserved attention being given to Big Ed and his Evile Krewe. There is even a picture of you, Heidi, Big Ed and his daughter Pat, no his wife. Other’s from the Evil Krewe are mentioned including “divetrash” who has already posted to your blog today. Keep your head high and thanks for sharing with us through your thingy.
Yah, a nonsmoking piano bar! I cruised for the first time this summer on the Sensation and the first time I went in a bar I immediately thought why are people smoking in here? I’m from Ontario and we’ve had smoking banned in bars and casinos for years and it was a shock and the only negative aspect of my cruise to have all that smoke around. I found I only went to the main show lounge as it was nonsmoking and didn’t go into the smaller bars because of the smoke. Hopefully all the piano bars will be nonsmoking soon! The socialist who did the ship tour pointed out which areas/sides were smoking and nonsmoking but without a complete room/wall separation I told him it was kind of like having a peeing and nonpeeing area in the same pool ~ in the end everyone gets peed on ~ only the concentration differs! I’d rather just avoid the ‘pool’ altogether and stick with solely nonsmoking areas.
Those first few days of Camp Carnival were probably some of the most fun she has had in a long time. Would love to hear Heidi-Beth’s take on this, as I know she home schools.
Sentimental swim shorts! Ha ha ha. Now that’s a good one
Linda (Mom of DJ)
You “hit the nail right on the head” when you compared that poor little “thing” to a circus animal. Hope she does not turn out to be like Patricia and treat (educate) her children like the way she was. Our sympathy goes to her.
I vote for no smoking in the piano bar. I wanted to visit the piano bar on the Liberty but the smoke was thick in that room. Next cruise with the no smoking policy I can also enjoy the piano bar. Good idea…….CeVe
Hi John,
I feel sorry for that little girl. Her mom’s kinda made her a machine… Hope that little girl grows up okay. Seems like it’s all business and no love in that house.
And that was a cool story from Jen and the Conquest. You are right. It IS the people on Carnival that make the entire fleet so awesome.
“It was the first time Budweiser had ever sponsored a piano recital…” Classic, haha.
Please stop tinkering with the smoking policies!!!! Because of these experiments, many of the Conquest Class ships no longer have Cigar Bars that were designed for those occasions….folks are crammed into the Sports Bars to enjoy a Cigar. A word of warning….I’ll wager that your bar sales in the Piano Bar will drop dramatically. Some evidence of this was apparent on our Freedom Cruise when she first came back from the Med. On that cruise (an no other since) the Casino Bar was totally non-smoking (instead of 50% of it smoking). Now the Casino Bar is the hub of activity on most ships, and the week it was non-smoking there were rarely people at the bar instead of the normal 2 – 3 deep. It was dead! I know sales were off at that location (and therefore tips). Carnival is getting closer to the non-smoking Paradise experiment of years ago and that failed miserably. Please stop tinkering, you’ve already eliminated 30% of the places that guests were allowed to smoke, . There are a significant # of guests that smoke, so you don’t want to lose that demographic for sure.
Hello John!
I homeschool both of my children. They have been on 3 cruises so far. While we are on a cruise they are on VACATION!!! The only time I try to get a little education in is while in port and then it is only if there is something of “historical” value to see. Visiting the Panama Canal in my opinion is a valuable history lesson. However, we did not go back to the ship and take a test. I too think my children are smart……doesn’t every parent? As for foreign languages…….does southern slang count?
Camp Carnival should not change a thing! My child needs a fun vacation as much if not more than I do with all the usual pressures of school. We send her to camp carnival to have as much “fun” as she can, and nothing but “fun” We don’t want her to study anything, just meet other kids and enjoy being social and sometimes silly, because during the school year that is not enough of that! Camp Carnival is always the highlight of her year and she enjoys herself more than the rest of the year and gains social skills and confidence, just be having “Fun!”
John….
We are sailing next week on the Destiny Back to Back….My daughter Catie has gotten her school assignments and will work like crazy to get them done before the cruise…Her classmates always love for her to show and tell when she gets back about the fun & excitement and to tell them about the places she’s been…I’d say 80% of her classmates won’t ever get to experience the countries or Islands Catie gets to see……That’s the education I want my daughter to have….and yes we do homework like crazy to maintain her great grades….but Catie earns the right to enjoy herself too….and quit honestly…seeing her have the best time in the world makes my cruise amazing…so tell the Camp Carnival Staff were coming aboard and to get the craziest stuff going as possible !!!
Catie won the scavenger hunt a few cruises back and still today brings out her ship on a stick to remind us of her great time !!! THANK YOU for creating those memories Carnival and you JOHN & HEIDI !!!
Mark / McFrog2
Hi John!
I sure have missed your blog and your wonderful wit! We have been gone since the end of August. I had a wonderful time on the Spirit, and visiting with Bubba and Kirk! (Hi, guys!)
I live south of Houston, so I my return home was delayed by a few days. We told people that we evacuated to Vancouver. Not a bad way to wait out the storm. Very thankfully, my home has minimal damage, although we are still without power. In comparison to what others have lost, this is just a minor nuisance.
Please answer ASAP (we leave Monday 9/22):
While we were gone, friends asked us to accompany them to Amsterdam, and made travel arrangements for us. When I got a copy of the itinerary, I find that our return trip may be a problem. Our return flight has us connecting in London. The concern is that we arrive Gatwick at 07:15 Wednesday Oct 1 and then must travel to Heathrow (Terminal 5), with a departure time of 10:30. Will we be able to make it?
Also, any suggestions for my time in Amsterdam?
Thanks for your help!
Darlene
John, it is good to be back in the blogging world. Our area took a direct hit from hurricane Ike. The only good thing was that we were far enough inland to miss the storm surge. Right now I am blogging from our church shelter where we have been working since before the hurricane. Most of our area while they still have homes, (many with trees through them) are still without power and may stay that way for a few more weeks.
It is great seeing Carnival committed to the Texas market. I am sure a lot would of made the drive to NOLA but having two ships local keeps the people excited about cruising. The only benefit of Ike is now my drive to the ship is 25 miles shorter.
John,
As you my remember I homeschool my 2 boys so I migh reasure you not all parents are like this. I like to cruise for a vaction and I do try to learn a little of where I am going before I go but a vactaion is fun and the boy are encouraged to have as much fun as they can on our cruise. If they learn that is fine too but I think that should be done before you go, and is the responsibility of the parents before the vacation… This “mum” has not considered that most parents and childen come on a cruise for fun not learning, however maybe a poster or book of the ports of call to be avalible may not be a bad thing… but I ask how much the mum has learned on here own about the ports she is visiting, and if so why did she not share but if not why require it of the child…. that may be more o a paper work issue as if the child learns anyting it can be counted as a school day in her paper work… where I am we are still required to have 180 days of school.
All I know I like to cruise at times where there are fewer children and set the school year to fit in what we do… not saying she has to fit in more days but that she forgot what a vacation is… FUN
Hope this helps and that the girl dose have fun some time even if it has to be slipped in…
Best to you and Heidi
the one
and only 1
Heidi-Beth
We are sooo excited about the possibility of the Piano Bar becoming smoke free. We went to the Piano Bar once while on the Splendor this past summer, and had to leave after just one song.
It is a shame because we would have loved to spend more time there, but couldnt due to the smoke.
Please keep the Piano Bar smoke free in the future.
sentimental swim trunks LOL
good blog as always John
Bobbyfk
Hi John,
It’s me,Penny B from New Orleans. I loved your blog about the home schooler. Too bad the parents can’t get as much insight as you did in only meeting her for a brief time. She does need a little fun in her life.
Speaking of fun – my Freedom trip begins on Oct. 1 and the darn web cam is still not working. I know you will be close at some point so could you please pop over and get it fixed? I saw the Splendors path and pictures but the Freedom has been dead in the water for a long time. Please reply as to its progress.
Thanks.
Penny B from New Orleans AKA “The Wrinkled Lady”
John,
I enjoyed today’s blog. It made me smile, made me laugh, made me reminisce, and made me think.
I was home schooled until I was 6, and just look at the mess it made of me. I really should have been sent off to Military school when I was 2, then perhaps I’d be disciplined today, and would have been better prepared , and know how to count to 21 instead of 22 which happens to me so much in the Carnival casinos.
I had to laugh at myself when you talked about not playing the piano. I took piano lessons for 2 years… from age 7 to 9, until my piano teacher suggested I quit. It was tramatic, and now that you mentioned it, it probably is the reason I couldn’t find a woman to marry me until I was 30.
I know smoking is a big issue, and I’m on the politically incorrect side because I still smoke. And I do enjoy the Piano Bars… but since I rarely drink, I won’t spend as much time in there because the drunks are having too much fun, and I won’t be able to without smoke pouring out of all the pores in my skin.
With this movement Joe Farcus is going to be forced to find a different spot for the Cigar Bars on future Carnival ships…. a broom closet some where.
I loved reading how the final Conquest passengers showed their appreciation and respect to the crew. We’ve certainly seen enough of the complainers on the Internet web sites.
Beginning next week, CruiseMates was dumb enough to give me my own Blog site, within the site, and one of my first blogs (already written) is somewhat indirectly, and somewhat directly, going to be about the Conquest, and how people react to similar situations regarding issues that arise onboard.
Now to the important part of my post… and I would appreciate it if you could reply………
ONLY 161 days until the Blogger’s Cruise!!!!!! And the 200 CruiseMates in our group are anxiously awaiting some news. They’re panting !! As no doubt are the Evil Crew and others.
Throw us some tidbits will ya please!! Plus we’ve still got some great cabins left in our group space, that we’d love to fill for you, and some “new juice” to share on our site would certainly help with that.
We are working on some things on our side, but I’m holding off finalizing any plans – as I don’t want them to interfere with your Bloggers activities schedule that would split our group from the larger bloggers group.
Regards,
Kuki
CruiseMates.com
Dear Linda…(from above)…Myrtle Beach is in SOUTH Carolina….not North…..but, I’m sure your eldest son knows that & spotted the error as well
John –
Simply put, the homeschooling lady is whack! I will hop onboard the Miracle this Monday with both of my kids in tow. They are so looking forward to Camp Carnival so they can have FUN! If it were educational it wouldn’t be a vacation now would it?
That poor girl was probably having the time of her life and her mother has yanked that all away from her. Sure, the girl will probably cure cancer in the future but one week of face painting and fun wouldn’t change that.
Kudos to both the crew and passengers of the Conquest. I hope every passenger that whined and deducted tips on the Miracle sailing that visited Newport, RI a few weeks ago reads this entry and feels ashamed.
I agree with the writer who said the home school child could be called an abused child. How horrible that she is not even allowed to relax and enjoy a cruise. That mother is verging on insane. By the way, I taught in a high school for 33 years and certainly value education but that mother is “over the top.”
John,
I am so impressed with the guests that wrote the song. You should be so proud of the staff and crew of the Conquest first, for keeping everyone safe and second for fostering such a special relationship with the guests in a time of stress. They all deserve a raise or special perk.
I laud those that choose the home school option for taking an active role in the educational process. It is not an easy task for the faint of heart and is one that requires much discipline…..HOWEVER…..
On a cruise ship where the atmosphere involves enjoying time away from one’s normal activities…..perhaps Ms. Home School should lighten up a wee bit. On a Fun Ship….on a vacation…. a time for rest, relaxation, and levity… one should at least attempt to have fun…..
I feel sorry for the kid who has allegedly been turned into a walking encyclopedia borg-like mechanism who can regurgitate and prove the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics as well as speak every language known to man but likely cannot interact well with other kids.
Mark
The Flying (Resistance is Futile….Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero-One) Dutchman
Come on mom lighten up, it is after all vacation.
I wonder what mom and dad are doing on vacation, maybe downing a few DOD, relaxing by the pool or maybe enriching Carnival Cruise Lines in the casino.
Hi John,
Two comments:
1. This is proof once again that there are so many people who simply should NOT be alowed to breed. That is going to be one messed up girl.
2. I love the piano bar, and I find smoking to be the most reprehensible habit, so I love the idea of making it smoke free. Way to go!
Jeff
John:
This concerns me. I did NOT post this message and yet looks like I did. Note the “m” in mom is not Capitalized like on my usual posts.
Looks like someone has decided to abuse the posting priviledges on this board…how sad~!!!
Linda (mom of DJ)
September 20th, 2008 at 3:51 am
Ooops, my SMART son reminded me that Myrtle Beach is in South Carolina, not North. Silly me and my degree.
Michelle:
You are correct.
They went to North Myrtle Beach in South Carolina.
The REAL Linda (Mom of DJ)
I am a Florida resident, British ex-pat. & veteran cruise passenger (Cunard/Regent Seven Seas/Holland America/Norwegian/Renaissance etc.) & will soon embark on my first ever Carnival cruise. Never have I previously heard that ships’ staff members in charge of on-board children “kids camps” etc. should be educators of any kind. Surely that role is not in their job description, they are merely temporary guardians, to keep minors entrusted to their care, entertained & safe whilst away from the parents/grandparents etc. Any incidental learning experience comes solely from group activities & interacting with other youngsters & camp staff – in my opinion an invaluable time period which many children don’t get the privilege to enjoy enough. If parents expect their children to have any type of schooling or academics whilst on a cruise they alone are responsible for providing it, not the ship’s crew!
Patricia should realize that her daughter CAN be educated about the ports of call and the various sites they may be visiting. But it doesn’t have to be in Camp Carnival. Patricia should be able — and, IMO, has the obligation — to educate her daughter during their travels together. I’m surprised that a homeschooling parent would want to hand over something as important as their child’s education to a cruise ship; when they won’t hand it over to credentialed teachers.
She should also realize that one aspect of every child’s education should be “socialization”….and that is what Camp Carnival can help provide that she, alone, cannot.
If one can take a vacation from being a teacher, then another one should be able to take a vacation from being a student. But a smart person knows that a parent is always his/her child’s teacher, and the child is always learning. And you can’t take a vacation from being a parent!
Terri
Dear John:
My wife, son & I have been on 2 cruises with another one scheduled for next march and i found camp carnival to be one of the greatest ideas ever. I mainly say this because my son loved every minute being there, giving my wife and i some alone time. The article about the child and homeschooling just made me stand back and think, poor kid. My son struggles in school because of his adhd and he does his best, but we would never deprive him of fun. children are supposed to have fun and by going on a cruise accomplishes that. i was fortunate as a child to have parents who loved to travel and by age 7 had already been England, spain, portugal,greece,africa etc. IT WAS FUN and educational at the same time. that’s what that mother needs to realize, socialization is educational too, interaction with others, otherwise we would not work or play well with others. If she wants her child to learn about ports of call, that’s her job. You guys keep everything the way it is because it works!
Stephanie:
Thanks for removing the fake post.
I guess anonymity brings out the most cowardly of idiots!
Linda (Mom of DJ)
Dear John,
I have to disagree with the home-schooled mom! Both of my children were and are home-schooled. Our daughter just went into high school and our son is still at home in the 4th grade. Yes, they are exceptional children, our daughter skipped a grade and is in an accelerated program. We were on the sensation when she was in kdg. and she LOVED camp carnival!!! I took her homework and she did it in the car. This was a vacation, not school. We will be leaving in 29 days on another cruise and we are doing the same thing. Relaxtion is the key to school. My son can’t wait to go to camp carnival. The learning experience is socializing with children from different states and possibly countries. This mother is the teacher not the cruise line!! I do not expect anyone but myself and husband to teach our children and they learn things by just being out there and mixing with everyone. Keep camp carnival fun!!!
Hi John,
The switch of smoking policy in the piano bar sounds fine BUT only since you were kind enough to make a new area on aft deck 9 for the smokers. Us smokers get sick & tired of being kicked around like step kids. Thanks for your consideration. I prefer the moon, the stars, & the deep blue sea rather than the piano bar.
Hey John,
Once again a wonderful blog! I two send my thanks out to the wonderful crew of the Conquest for taking such good care of those folks in their time of need! It is good that the passengers recognized that they were indeed lucky to be where they were…in the hands of a very capable Carnival crew during a storm and wonderful for them to show their thanks to the crew.
As for the home schooled girl…maybe you should remind the mother that she is a child…and while it is great that she is “smarter than a whip”…as my mom used to say…she needs “learn” to have “FUN” too. Not everything in life comes from a teacher or a book or video. Being able to interact socially with other people is a learning experience too! You are always going the extra mile to fix things…give the parents a free excursion for two and free time for the daughter at Camp Carnival and make her “learn” to have fun at Camp Carnival while they are gone!
Thanks for a great blog and for all you do…couting down to February. Our best to you and Heidi!
Mike Brown
I go on vacation to NOT have to work but to have some fun! I take my son with me so he can have some fun too. We went on the Northern Europe cruise this summer. When we returned I overheard him telling his friends all about St. Petersburg and quoting some Russian history. I guess he learned something after all and still had a ton of fun with the carnival actitivites on the ship!! Don’t change anything!!
I have a question – if the woman wants her child home schooled, then why doesn’t SHE take the responsibility of teaching the child about the various cultures, etc.
If she wants someone else to do the educating, its not home schooling – its private education, albeit in one heck of a campus setting.
Like the others have said, tell her to bugger off.
John: Please Reply, Urgent:
Well John, I have to agree with the poster a couple of weeks ago that someone is screening these comments and any opinion contrary to the reviewer is censored (eliminated). You asked for an opinion on your making the Piano Bar Non-Smoking, and I gave one with some data to support the fact that bar sales in that venue would suffer. I thought you could handle honest opinions?????? Do they have to be covered in butter or sugar in order to make it through? Apparently so. This is the second time I have submitted responses to opinions you have personally solicited, and they were not published earlier as well. I’m beginning to see that any negative opinions (and non of them were personally directed, only policy directed), just don’t show up. Sorry to see that because I thought this blog was different, but I guess not. Won’t waste my time in the future, I’ll just vote with my wallet.
That was a wonderful tribute to the crew of the Conquest, hope the higher ups in Carnival also get to see this, and realize what wonderful people the have working for them at CCL!!! The pics of Gibralta are beautiful.
I have a few words (ok…a lot of words!) for the situation with the little 9 yr old girl and her mother…how terribly sad for that little girl, and I hope that mother wakes up, and realizes that that little girl needs some fun and a little more loving attention from her mom, too.
Less than 5 months to go till the Bloggers cruise!
Sue M
I feel really sorry for the little girl. Is that not some form of abuse?
Fantastic about the nonsmoking piano bar…of course I am a little prejudice since we will be on the Splendor for the TA end of Oct. Hope it works out!!!!
I agree Conquest should put the sheet up somewhere prominant…after all they Conquered a very tough time!
Patsie
Tim Kriebel:
I would suggest a little more reading of this Blog and a little less paranoia.
There is no “big brother” screening the comments.
I have had several very positive comments get “lost in space”. Sadly the Internet is not an exact science….perhaps I forgot to press the correct button….perhaps the moderator simply missed it (they are human too) …. or perhaps the Internet in general just decided to fling it into lala land.
As for data about “alcohol revenue” unless it is cruise ship specific…it is useless. This is a unique business. Just ask the bar staff that all want to work the karaoke bar (totally nonsmoking all the time) because that is where the money is!!!
Linda
Hi John/Heidi:
Great blog and thanks for posting.
I really enjoyed seeing the Gibralter pics.
I can’t get over the homeschool mother who was complaining about what Camp Carnival. If the kids are on vacation, why can’t they behave like kids?
Quite a story from the Conquest. That’s a very unique group to come together like that.
Thanks for taking the time to post and hope everything is going well.
Take care!
David
I sent a comment a little while ago. I type-oed Devious in my name and did not catch it until I was clicking on the submit. ooppps
I also read later that you need to put Please Reply John to get a reply so could you reply to the first one?
Thank you
Devious TN
Hoorrrayyyy for the nonsmoking piano bar. Hope we get that on the Splendor on our 49 day Around the Cape cruise We had a great pianist on the Freedom on our April transatlantic and would have liked to have spent time there most nights. Buttttt, the smoke drove us out more often than not. The guy did have a sign saying no smoking at the piano itself, but that helped only a little.
And as for the the lady wanting educational classes for her kid ::::::: DUHHHHH. Here is a math equation for her:
C+R+U+I+S+E = VACATION
John,
I was on that fateful voyage of the Conquest and I can personally say that Jen and the crew did a marvelous job.
Our group of 4 enjoyed the first 8 days, but we loved the last 3 days. The crew had to work extra hard to entertain the 362 of us who were left onboard. Poor Jen had to be the “face” of Carnival to almost 3,000 unhappy guests, and she did a fantastic job. I’ll never forget her opening words at the “first” debarkation talk, “I got nothin’.
Those of you that have met Jen know that she is never speechless! Poor girl was caught between Carnival management, and some very unhappy people, and did an admirable job.
All I can say to the 2,600 or so people who jumped ship in New Orleans, you missed out on the best part of the cruise, the crew outnumbered us 3 to 1.
FOR SALE: 2008 Toyota Tundra, 3000 miles, recent salt bath.