Tuesday, November 18th, 2008...7:03 pm
We Are Family
Just once………………just one time………………I would like to be able to sit here and tell you that my flight went well……………that I sat next to a normal person…………….or even that I sat next to nobody and that absolutely nothing happened………………….but whether it’s Murphy and his law or the big boss in heaven………….someone has obviously decided that this is never going to happen.
I thought all was going to be well as the only minor hiccup so far had come when I had put my boarding pass in my carry-on bag before it went through the X-ray machine. I was asked for it by the mall cop who when realizing that I had did not have the boarding pass in my hand shouted “no boarding pass on aisle 1.” This resulted in another officer who had obviously been best friends with the entire McBurger range asking me to “step aside.”…………….
I did and she waddled round the other side of the conveyor belt while I extracted my boarding pass. When I presented it to her, she didn’t even look at it. For all she knew it could have been out of date or a pass to my local library………………………..anyway, as she went of to get another McWhopper I sat waiting for American Airlines flight 108 to leave on time……….it did……………and I thought all would be well. I even ignored the fact that the flight attendants were as cold as an Eskimo’s nipple. It was only going to be a five and a half hour flight………….I was in Business Class…………..and I was going home.
I listened as I always do to the safety video telling me where my lifejacket was in case of a “water landing” or crash as it sometimes known. I listened to American Airlines tell me that I must not smoke while on board, or carry knitting needles or have rumpy pumpy with other passengers in the toilets.
But you are allowed, welcomed even, into the club class section of the plane even if you are accompanied by what is essentially a huge lung covered only in a light veneer of skin.
I want to state here and now that I will never………ever……….take our Thingy on a trans-Atlantic flight in business class……….. It is simply not fair to impose your screaming child on other people, people who have paid thousands of dollars for a flat bed and therefore the promise of some sleep…………….nope, Heidi and the Thingy can be at the back or we will take a Cunard trans-Atlantic crossing.
There’s talk at the moment of introducing planes with standing room for economy class passengers. Imagine the sort of seat you get in a bus shelter and you’ll grasp the idea. Fine. So why not soundproofed overhead lockers into which babies can be placed? The family at the center of this morning’s blog thingy were seated in business class in the row in front of me.
The crying began as we sipped on our welcome aboard glass of water, and built to a climax as we took off. And this was the longest climax in the history of sound. It went on, at Vesuvian volume, without hesitation, until we began the descent nearly six hours later. At which point, thanks to a change in pressure on the baby’s tiny ear holes, the noise reached new and terrifying heights. I honestly thought the plane’s windows might break. When Boss designed their “noise cancelling headphones” they probably tested them against a plane’s engines or 280 NASCAR’s at full revs. The headphones may have cancelled those noises out but against Junior’s huge lungs they were cancelling out bugger all.
And what do you suppose the mother did to calm her infant? Feed it some warm milk? Read it bedtime story? Nope. She turned her seat into a bed and tried to go to sleep.
I know full well she wasn’t actually asleep for three reasons. First, it would have been impossible. Second, no mother can sleep through the cries of her own child, and third, every time I went to take a pee I farted as I walked past her…………..nobody can sleep through one of my farts.
And so it was that I landed at Heathrow airport this morning and was met by the most beautiful sight in the world, one that I had longed to se these past four weeks and one that would melt the coldest of hearts………………………….the brand new Bugatti Veryon which was parked two places away from my car……………..oh and yes…………….Heidi was there to meet me.
Seriously, it was wonderful to see her and she is positively glowing…………and growing. The Thingy is 15 weeks old now and next week I will be going with her for her next scan. Heidi is hungry all the time and proof of that is when we stopped at the services, which is we call the restaraunt which can be found along the major motorways or freeways as y’all call them ………..are they called that in Canada?
Anyway, pre-pregnancy, when we stop at these places Heidi would normally order a skinny cappuccino and a tofu and cheese sandwich. Today she couldn’t have coffee but made up for it with two eggs, hash browns, baked beans and toast. She complained that her jeans were too tight and she needs more new clothes……………I told her to bugger off and to wear mine.
The house looks wonderful and as I sit here the candles are flickering, the fire is lit and Heidi is watching her new favorite program This Old House featuring a barn conversion somewhere in the States and once that has finished she tells me she will be watching Boston Legal starring Captain Kirk………………and so the battle for the remote control begins.
We just returned from dinner with Mum and Dad including lashings of Spotted Dick and Yorkshire pudding, which was nearly as tasty as the mystery meat I had on American Scare Lines yesterday.
It’s great to be home and as I sit here I realize how tired I am. I have been flat out since March with a new ship delivery and European trips and these past weeks have been a blur of travel and room service.
I am blessed with an incomparable family……………the one here in the UK……………..and the one scattered all over the world……………..you………….my blogger family.
Well, the meetings in Boston went well. At one point however I did think about throwing myself of the 17th floor of the Arnold building where we were meeting. This moment came when a new flurry of marketing speak was hurled at me. I had just got used to “reach out” and “gorilla marketing” when suddenly people started using words like “ladder up ” and “swankafi”……………..the final straw came when someone used the word “soup” and then another said it and then another. Now at this point I got very excited as we were in Boston and I thought we were going to break for a big bowl of New England clam thingy……………..but we didn’t ……………….that’s because the word soup means…………..well……………it’s a marketing word that means ……………. ummmmmmmmmm……….I have no bloody clue what it means…………………and honestly…………..I don’t think anyone else did either.
You see, in marketing meetings I believe you can just use any words in a sentence and nobody will argue………..nobody wants to look stupid so they all nod their heads and agree. …………….I decided to try this theory out so I said…….”I think we need to reach out to our guests and look at the possibilities of laddering up and producing a winning ticket using baboon scrotum tactics”………………..everyone nodded in agreement.
However, besides the fact that anyone in marketing is completely bonkers the jaw droppingly awesome folks at Arnold along with our brilliant marketing teem led by our new Chief Marketing Officer Jim Berra make the most formidable team in the industry. I can’t tell you what’s next but I can tell you that the first of the big new rollouts will be presented for the very first time on the Carnival Fantasy Blogger Cruise in February ……………….it’s going to be very exciting and how wonderful that they are allowing me to do this with some of you.
Now, talking of the Blogger Cruise………………..here is Stephanie to tell you about how to book the new and now OFFICIAL CARNIVAL DREAM BLOGGERS CRUISE.
Hi Everyone,
To book the official bloggers cruise on the Carnival Dream sailing from the great New York City on November 15, 2009 please be sure to book with the follwowing fare code: PBL.We will have a page up very soon with additional details.
Thanks!
Stephanie
Now, obviously this is going to be a very special cruise and one that I will start to release details on soon. I can tell you that I will not be Cruise Director and this will allow me more time to show you our new flagship…………………..I hope some of you will join me.
Congratulations to Carnival’s Towel Animal theatre which today passed 1 million views…………………outstanding.
It seems many of you agreed with my basement of the latest James Bond movie while others completely disagreed stating that it’s good for 007 to have a touchy feely side. Oh no………..he can be touchy feely with the 23 women per movie he is supposed to have rumpy pumpy with………..but that’s about it.
People were asking what my favorite Bond movie is……..and for me it’s Goldfinger. Maybe it’s the Aston Martin and that ejector seat or maybe that classic line when Sean Connery rather worried that a laser beam is heading towards his meat and two veg say “Do you expect me to talk?”………and Goldfinger replies “No Mr. Bond……….I expect you to die.” OK, then just shoot the bastard you big fat idiot………..why bother with the big outlandish torture routine. If you expect him to die………..shoot him……….in the face. And then call your villainous mates down in Gotham City and tell The Penguin and The Joker that drowning Batman in a large vat of custard that will come pouring down on the caped crusader when the clock strikes midnight is not as quick as shoving a hand grenade up his bottom
Anyway………….back to Goldfinger
007 spends a long time as the humiliated captive of Oddjob, (he of the killer bowler hat) watching helplessly as the evil golf-cheat Goldfinger prepares to launch an attack on Fort Knox. There is someone else who comes to Bond’s rescue, someone else who represents the cavalry coming mincing over the brow of the hill, and that someone is one of my favorite characters in all literature.
It is the laughing, gun-wielding, gum chewing apple pie American hero……….. CIA man, Felix Leiter. He rescues Bond in Goldfinger, and as far as I can remember he helps to rescue him in Thunderball, in Dr No, and he goes on to provide invaluable assistance at critical moments throughout the series, in spite of having his arm eaten by a shark in Live and Let Die and being shot and point blank range in the Bahamas……….can’t remember which movie that was.
As a child growing up in the Cold War, it was always obvious to me that Felix Leiter was more than just a prop, a plot device. By the sheer regularity with which he rescues the British agent he is clearly intended to stand for the whole relationship between America and Britain …………..you know the Bush/Blair special relationship ………..I am not talking about the Thatcher/Reagan relationship which was special because they were having rumpy pumpy…………..allegedly.
Felix Liter is a symbol of that great guarantee offered by America – with all her power and her can-do spirit – to the rest of the world. He reminds us of the historic role of the United States: the rich, friendly relative who, having exhausted all the other options can generally be relied upon to do the right thing.
When Felix Leiter pulls Bond’s chestnuts out of the fire, as he so often does, he stands for the America that stormed Omaha Beach, the America that faced down the Russians in the Cold War and defeated what Ronald Reagan was right to call an Evil Empire……….he called Mrs. Thatcher his “Love Muffin“…………allegedly.
That’s what Felix Leiter means to me; that’s roughly what I imagine he meant to Ian Fleming; and so it was, of course, fascinating to see how he has evolved in the latest Bond film, Quantum of Solace. There are two important differences. First, in what can only be seen as sad…, the other Americans (apart from Leiter) are no longer good guys.
Leiter saves Bond’s life, as usual, but the other Americans are up to all sorts of mischief, trying to destabilise Bolivia and even trying to assassinate Bond. And the second notable divergence in Quantom of Solace is that Felix Leiter is now African American, in recognition of the way that America is changing. And therefore President Elect Barack Obama has to us Brits become Felix Leiter: he is still the guy upon whom depends British security and…………………………………… the security of the rest of the world.
Goodnight.
Your Friends
John and I am ecstatic to say………….it’s goodnight from Heidi and the Thingy as well.
45 Comments
November 18th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
John -
Glad to hear you made it across the pond OK. I agree about the crying baby idea – it seems incomprehensible that a mother can allow her baby to simply cry for six hours, but they do.
As for how to cross the Atlantic with Heidi and the Thingy, I vote for the Cunard route. I can think of no better means to cross the Pond. Just let us know when and we will try to join you and give you a built in babysitter for the trip.
All our best to Heidi and Thingy,
Mr and Mrs MTSFP
November 18th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Hi Heidi, Hi Wee Little One, Hi John, glad you are home with your family! Guess you won’t be working about till the 2nd bloggers cruise, right? You need the rest! I hope you will tell us the sex of the baby when you find out so we can all start shopping! Happy Thanksgiving. We leave on the Splendor on Friday 11/21 for 8 days with our new friends Empress Bee and Sarge. We’ll miss you! We will see Nanni. I will email Stephanie some pictures from our cruise and when we see Nanni, and Stephanie can forward them to you ok John? Ciao, Cheerio, Aloha, Goodnight! Linda & Mike
November 18th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Hey John,
Welcome home.
Jan
November 18th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
John, what happen to the 12/3/09 9 day cruise. The one with the stop in PR where we all could have a Christmas bash with Nanni. A lot of us already booked that one. This is a 8 day to the Bahamas leaving New York in the winter. Bah Humbug!
BIG ED
November 18th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
John…
How wonderful and how your blog makes me smile this evening!!! You’re home… you’re home with Heidi and Thingy… You’re HOME!!!!
How absolutely WONDERFUL!!!
And you’ll be taking Sundays off!!! GOOD FOR YOU!!! You deserve it!!! You make us so happy and feel great… We can take over and take care of ourselves for one day!!!
Now, maybe it’s just the Mom in me, the nurturing female-ness… but please ask for a photo of Thingy at the next scan and post it for us!!! We want to know how our little neice or nephew is growing!!!
God Bless you both!!! And HAPPY RETURNING TO THE BOSOM OF HOME!!!
Lambie
November 18th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
John, Everyone is under the assumption that the Dream blooger’s cruise was going to be on December 3, 2009 out of Port Canaveral and one of the stops would be to San Juan so we could all see Nanni. What happened to that? How did it all of a sudden get to be on November 15th out of New York? URGENT PLEASE REPLY..
Bob and Emily
November 18th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
John,
Since fuel prices have dropped 75% since they’ve added the fuel supplement, why is it still on the prices of a cruise? Gee…give us a break! When’s that coming off the price of a cruise? By the time you pay the fuel supplement and then add your tips on, you almost have to pay for your cruise again after you’ve finished your cruise.
I know you don’t control this…but I’d like to hear your opinion.
Thanks,
Marie
November 18th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Welcome home. Time for a rest after all that flying. That crying kid reminded me of a story. Several years ago on a flight from JFK to LAX there was a crying kid. The whole way. Who would have thought, a week later, on the return trip, was the same kid, same crying allllll the way home. Good thing no crying kids are allowed on cruise ships. Or maybe they become floatsum or something.
Our family hailed from Knottinghamshire. You live anywhere nar by?
November 18th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
John, I am back and I am a very happy cruiser!!
The Splendor was far more than I thought it could be and I packed a TON into two days. Thanks to you, Goose, Jaime and the entire crew of the Splendor for a wonderful experience.
I thought about Bond occasionally on the cruise as Casino Royale played on the Seaside Theater and, of course, I lost money in the on board casino, the Royal Flush… and that’s what happened to my money… the royal flush…
As I’m sure you know, the resort that Casino Royale was filmed at is in Nassau so I couldn’t escape the Bond train of thought.
I’ve not seen Quantum of Solace and probably won’t. I saw political correctness sneaking in during the ‘Royale’ and was afraid that it would ruin any further editions of the Bond series.
I too, had a wonderful airline adventure. I’ll have to tell you about it over a cigar sometime. It has all the markings of a Blog adventure.
Well, in life timing is everything, I guess and mine sucks. I’ll be on the Dream the sailing just before the Blogger’s Cruise. As you would say, bugger…
I’ll keep watching as the cruise develops and perhaps someone will Shanghai me and force me stay on board.
I still have unpacking to do so I better get on with it!!
Please pass along my howdies to the most lovely and most pregnant Heidi and my continued thanks to the Amazing Stephanie for all she does!!
Ciao!!
Host Mach
November 18th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Hi John!
Welcome home.
Relax and enjoy. You deserve it.
Thanks for everything and have some fun.
Great news about the Dream out of NY. It would be a dream to take the voyage.
Sorry about your flight. No planes for you for a while though. At least you won’t have to deal with those great passengers.
Hello to Heidi and Thingy.
Take care!
David
November 18th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Your home, hurrah!!! Heidi I am sure is so thankful to finally have you there to share everything that is going on with her. The scan will be memerable.
When I was having children the only thing we could do is wait until they were born to find out what we were having. Now mothers can find out early so that they can buy the right clothes and design the nursery with the right colors.
Heidi – enjoy your foods now because as Thingy grows, your room for food will shrink. Plus if you plan on nursing you will not be able to eat certain things because the Thingy will be eating it too and you really don’t want Thingy to have a really bad day from spicy, or gasious foods.
Again I won’t be able to go on the bloggers cruise because it will be right around Thanksgiving, man. I want to see you again. But I can’t do it at that time of the year. OK, I guess it will be some other time. I do have two cruises booked for 2009 so maybe I will get luck and see you on one of them.
Got to go.
CruisingGrandma
CarolAnn
November 18th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Good evening John,the beautiful pregnant Heidi and the brilliant Thingy. I’m so happy to see that you are finally back home where you can rest, enjoy and have the love of your life near you. It’s about time my friend. Enjoy the time that you have at home and please, especially please REST.
Ciao my friend.
Paul F. Pietrangelo
November 18th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
John,
Your synopsis of the Felix Leiter character in the Bond series was amazing! I’ve seen most of the Bond movies and I guess (no, I know) I never saw this relationship until the last two, i.e., Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Your observations are so astute! You’re quite amazing. (Also, I’m kind of dense, I guess.)
Soooo glad you’re finally home safely in Heidi’s arms, with Thingy Desk snug between you. Enjoy your holidays (you really should celebrate our Thanksgiving…you know you think you’re American!). And I still think you should move all your family to the “Colonies.”
Give Heidi a big hug for me.
Your Pal, Myra
November 18th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Hey John,
Well, there is no way we are going to go to New York in the winter to take a cruise to Florida. However, I do see that the itinerary stops in Port Canaveral, which is a two hour drive for us. Maybe we could get together then, even if it is just for a short get together. Maybe some tea, just to enjoy a short visit. My wife and kids would still really like to meet you, and with the economy, this may be the best opportunity.
til next time
Kevin
November 18th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
John,
Children under six should not be allowed on planes, perod, never mind in business class! It’s amazing it didn’t cause a newsworthy incident. I would have been out of my mind. It blows the mind how inconsiderate some people are!
Jeff
November 18th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Hi John –
Canadian motorways are simply called highways.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
John no need to reply , Just wanted yo to read as it was posted late
Thanks
Bill
Semper Fi
November 16th, 2008 at 10:28 am
John,
I was very happy to read that the top Management for Carnival has finally realized what we the cruisers and bloggers have know for years…….
John Heald represents EVERYTHING that Carnival stands for.
John, you have been able to serve your cruisers and your Company with EXCELLENCE for all these many years.
Look at the blog thingy.
over 3.3 million reads in less than 3 years.. what does that say for you?
Bloggers cruises that have grown from 1 a year to now 2/ maybe 3 a year and each one of them booked fully.
Carnival has realized that You are one of the reasons why there are so many gold and plat cruisers spending time on Carnival ships.
However with Fame you do sometimes have to give up what made you what you are in order for you and the company to grow.
As far as you being named “Carnival Brand Ambassador” .. CONGRADULATIONS.. But I do have a question??
You and all the SUPER folks that run the ships the reservations and all the other behind the sceens jobs that go into providing all of US the EXCELLENT vacations we take regardless of the ship, are ALL BRAND AMBASSADORS.
Lets face it Cindy and I along with the millions of other Carnival cruisers can cruise on any line we choose, but because of ALL of the folks that run the company and provide us with all the fun and excitement that we experience on the Carnival ships is the reason why we return cruise after cruise. Yes the other lines are nice and i would never put anyof them down ( unless they have an X on their smoke stacks) but Carnival is the leader.(in our opinion, and since its my credit card I
guess it counts lol)
I have said it before and will continue to say it over and over again to anyone who will listen ( and to some who wont) Carnival Cruises are the best by far of any line.
And on a personal note YOU yes YOU John are the reason so many of us return.
You understand better than anyone what the cruisers, be they first timers or seasoned cruise veterans, are looking for and you always work hard to provide that experience for all.
Yes we will all miss you being a Full Time CD, and personally Cindy and I will miss not having you on board with us, you have set the benchmark for all cruise directors and the thing you should be proud of is that fact that all the other CD’s have risen to the occasion and like you live and breath customer satisfaction and fun.
They say that immiatation is the truest form of flattery ,well sir there are 23 others out there right now on various ships doing just that.
As far as this “day off thingy” is concerned…lol you have more than earned it. ENJOY.. Yes we will all go thru some WITHDRAW but we will survive and carry on.
I know that you have a long flight back home on monday but remember what will be waiting for you when you get there.(so dont get on the plane lol )
sorry to be so long winded today folks but when it comes to Brand Carnival i will always get on my soap box.
Again my friend congradulations on your new position. think of it this way..
You will now be performing on a much larger stage.. the one which will influence Millions of folks to cruise Carnival.
Be safe
Semper Fi
ps. be very careful with the WATERMELLON comments in front of Heidi.You may wind up spitting seeds for a long time lol
November 18th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Congrats on making it home to Heidi and baby. Dorothy was right–there is no place like home!!
We are all happy you made it safely and want you to rest and take a couple days off to relax and be with your wife and baby.
Airports–ugh I don’t even want to think about them but I must because I will be traveling to Ft. Lauderdale on Thursday and this time with 3 children BUT its only a 2 hour flight and they are old enough now that they will play with their Nintendo DS thingys and be happy. I can’t believe that woman did not even try to console and quiet the baby knowing everyone else was suffering! It amazes me that parents just don’t care who has to put up with their children in planes or in restaurants or anywhere they choose to go.
Ok, nuff said. Goodnight to all of you and enjoy your first night at home.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
John why the change from the 12/03/09 bloggers Dream cruise out of Port Canaveral going to PR where we would have the bash with Nanni? We were booked , one of the very first one’s to book I might add, on the Dream out of NYC. I cancelled it and booked the 12/03 cruise. Now what do I do??????????????????? BUGGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Countess Carolyn…………. very confused
November 18th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Hello John,
Glad you made it home safely to see Heidi. Sorry about the crying (screaming) baby. We had that happen once on a flight from the Caribbean and this child screamed all the way home. The mother also did nothing about it.
Since your new Bloggers’ cruise stops in Port Canaveral on 11/18/09 on a Wednesday and it will be there all day we can drive over and have a mini reunion. I’m sure there will be lots of other people from Florida that will stop by too. Please let us know if that is a possibility.
Linda & George
November 18th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Dear John
Please Please Please reply
I thought the BC#3 waqs on the dream in Dec 3 of 2009 if this isnt so please confirmi set up all my plans to meet you and now i may have to change my plans,
If the BC#3 is not Dec 3 of 2009 on the dream will you still be there or now
Need to know ASAP so plans can be confirm.
Thanks
Dave and Diana
November 18th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
John,
Glad you are Home again, try to say out of the doghouse……
Heidi,
Hope you are doing well, and felling well. Looking forward to heaing more of the “baby”
wish you both the best
The one
and only 1
Heidi-Beth
November 18th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
John,
In Canada we don’t say motorway or freeway…..we say highway. We do spell the same way as the British ….. using “u” in words like colour. Have you ever been to Canada?
November 19th, 2008 at 12:07 am
John please reply
I’m glad you made it home safe and sound. Enjoy your family.
But when you had the live chat in late October you told me that my rescheduled TA on Carnival Dream (after my Carnival Liberty TA was canceled) would be a blogger’s cruise. I’m so disappointed again. We had to give up our ocean view cabin because it is so much more expensive on this ship, but finally getting to be on a blogger’s cruise was an excellent consolation. Now once again the blogger’s cruise is going to be impossible for me because I have another cruise scheduled too close. And I just told my sister how lucky she was that her first cruise would be extra fun with all the bloggers. I know you can’t help it and I know you don’t make all the decisions but I am terribly frustrated with the situation.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:17 am
Welcome home, John. All our love to Heidi and the Thingy! Relax and enjoy your lovely wife and family!
November 19th, 2008 at 12:18 am
Dear John, Heidi, and Desk…..
Have your first great holiday as a family!
John & Susan from Frisco, Tx.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:25 am
I’m glad you made it home safely and can relax for a while.
I’m another person who booked the 12/3/09 cruise as we all assumed this was to be your Blogger’s Cruise. Now I am debating if I want to go or not. I don’t care to do the do the 11/15/09 cruise as I prefer this itinerary. Oh well. I am so disappointed. Hope you have a change of mind.
Take care. Good luck to Heidi and your sweet Thingy.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:30 am
Hi John & Heidi
Home at last with your loving family. Relax and cherish each moment during these very special
months to come.
Mary
November 19th, 2008 at 5:25 am
John,
We also booked on the 12-3-09 Carnival Dream cruise out of Port Canaveral as we believed it was going to be the bloggers cruise – that’s a giant bugger!!!!
Mike and Jet
November 19th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Good morning John & Heidi,
I’m so glad you’re finally home safe and sound with Heidi.
I can’t believe it – what I wanted actually happened. I am already booked on the 11/15 cruise. I’ll have to talk to my PVP to see if I have to change the booking. Finally, another chance to sail with the one, the only, the super-star John Heald.
Hugs,
Carol
November 19th, 2008 at 8:58 am
John please reply
Hi John! So glad you are with Heidi and Thingy now! How she must miss you when you are not with her! Have a great time at home!
I have a question regarding the Fantasy…
I am reading on many reviews that there are problems with not only odor but very bad tasting water as well on this ship. This is coming from very well known posters on cruise critic. Just wondering if you know when this will be fixed, hopefully before our bloggers cruise?? I want this to be the best cruise ever. We have two first timers with us, my boyfriend (retired from navy after 22 years) and my daughters boyfriend.
I want them to love CCL and get addicted just like me!!!
Have a great time with Heidi and Thingy!
cruzn buckeye
November 19th, 2008 at 10:15 am
hey john&family
im with big ED,,,new york sucks,,,
bloggers cruise from sunny florida is the only way to go…..12/03/09 9 day
ok,,,get rite on that,,,chop chop
tom & jane
November 19th, 2008 at 10:53 am
John
Glad to see that you made it home safely. Also glad that the Blogger Cruise will be in November instead of December, now we can definately go and we just have to take a 30 minute drive and we’ll be there. Enjoy your time with Heidi and the Little One.
Suzann
November 19th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Hey John: I’m with the rest of the gang — NY in winter sucks. What happened to the cruise from Florida? Please change your mind!!!
November 19th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Dear John, so happy that you made it home safely, even with a screaming baby. That is just what happened to us when we flew back from our cruise in September. That little boy would not stop crying no matter what they did for him.
Get some rest and give my best to Heidi. I can only imagine how happy she is to have you back home.
November 19th, 2008 at 11:43 am
The 09 blogger’s cruise from NY city is GREAT!! wE WILL BE ON IT. THE BEARS
November 19th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Hi John:
When we were returning to the states from our Baltic cruise, our friends ran into the same problem in first class. While four of our friends flew first class ,my husband and I flew economy on the same plane with them on Continental since this is what we could afford. We had a very quiet and smooth flight. When we got off the plane our 4 friends did not get one ounce of sleep. There was a young boy running up and down the aisles and inbetween the seats. He was also yelling up a storm. The parents did absolutly nothing. The father was to busy playing video games and the mother pretended to sleep. We just smiled and stated, sometimes its better to go cheaper LOL. I also believe that children should not be allowed in business class, but unfortunalty that means more children would be with me. (ugh)
Don’t get me wrong, I love children and have 2 of my own but now adays parents just do not decipline the kids. I have a mentally handicap daughter who I have taken on planes, but brought enough items to keep her entertained and she has never caused a problem. It is scary on how these kids are turning out. My husband and many of my friends are teachers and to hear the stories they have to put up with would make you cringe.
Well I hope you enjoy your time home with Heidi and thingy. Say hi to Heidi for me. I spoke with her a few times on our cruise and she is such a sweetheart. You are a lucky guy.
Take care and relax,
Pam and Tony
November 19th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
In Response to Jeff:
Not all of us have children who are out of control. We didn’t have a single peep out of our 2 and 5 year old on a long flight to Hawaii. No kids flying under the age 6! Are you out of your mind? Should we also have no seniors over 65 because they move slow in those tiny asiles and have to get up and use the bathroom a lot?
November 19th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Hi again John,
About Felix Leiter. I’m not sure which film it was, but I’m pretty sure there has already been an African-American Felix. Wasn’t it Live & Let Die? The arm bitten off by the shark was in the 2nd Timothy Dalton-Bond movie. And the first (?) Felix was Hawaii 5-0’s Jack Lord.
So, how’s my trivia knowledge?
Carol
November 19th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
I’m with Big Ed—What happened to the 12-3-2009 Dream?? I was looking forward to going to PR again, not NY in the winter!!
Barb
November 19th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Hi Stephanie
Just wanted to know if they will fix the webcams on the Freedom and Splendor the Freedom’s webcam hasn’t updated since august the 29th and the Splendor’s hasn’t updated since October the 26th
Thank you
James
Hi John Heidi and the thingy
Just wanted to say welcome home!
Take care
November 19th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
please reply
blog cruise 12/03/2009 from sunny florida
not from sorry,cold,wet,full of nasty people
new york or the rotten apple
from florida
tom & jane
November 19th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
PLEASE REPY:
My first Splendor Cruise. I am booked on the May 3rd sailing of the Carnival Splendor… I can’t wait. After I booked this, our head office booked their Conference at Sea on it too (CruiseShipCenters). I booked this cruise because of all your great reviews and reading your blog. Normally we cruise with friends and family, but this time it is only myself and my hubbie and we would love to just have some dinner time with just the two of us. I don’t know if you can put in a good word with the matre de (no idea how to spell that) and I know it isn’t guarenteed, but I am going to try anyway. It can’t hurt to ask. My booking number is 7W43Q8 … if possible, can you request a table for 2?
I am one of those travel agents that never tried Carnival until earlier this year. I had always been told that Carnival was a “party” ship and would not be good for people who don’t drink. Boy all those people were wrong… it is my favourite cruiseline by far and I suggest it to all my customers now. I have 2 Carnival cruises booked for next year and I have customers coming with me on the one in September. I sent a client on their first cruise ever (Carnival Pride) and they are hooked… THANK YOU Carnival.
Congrats on your Thingy… may you enjoy your time home with Heidi.
Stefani
November 19th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
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Freeways are Highways in Canada
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