One thing I always promised you and myself from the outset of this blog thingy was that it would contain the good, the bad and the ugly………..and that is what I have continued……..I hope…..to provide you with. I never wanted the blog to be a vitriolic ( thanks to Jenner De La Tights from PR who introduced me to that word earlier this week ) proclamation that everything Carnival and I do is perfect………….because its not…………and before I continue I want to thanks Gerry Cahill and the senior management at Carnival for allowing me to write what happens as it happens.
We arrived in Costa Rica as scheduled at 9:30am and by 10:00am which is our official arrival time the gangways were out and we were ready to get guests ashore…………..but we couldnt. There was some complication with the paper work that we are required to complete when we enter a port. And that meant that we were an hour or so delayed in getting guests ashore………and that is not a good thing.
So anyway, I had apologized and told the guests what had happened and that we were waiting for the authorities to check all the paper work…………..although as you will now see one or two had their own conspiracy theories as to why we were delayed.
Guest: MR——–Ref: 840007211A
Cabin: 2355 Booking#: 1Z2T73 Added-Changed: 08/05/09 – 08/05/09
B – 2355 – CONCERNED ABOUT COSTA RICA
Gst called the GSD to say that he thought the announcement made by the Cruise Director was a lie and that like Honduras there was a problem in Costa Rica and that it was unsafe to go ashore. Guest said that he would not be going ashore and wanted to cancel his tour.GSA explained to the guest that this was not the case but the guest insisted on a refund.
Not much I can say about this one except I noticed the guest had a Latin last name and I wonder………..if sometime in his life he had been through a uprising or maybe he had lived through the Castro regime……….just a thought…………anyway, I will call and have a chat with him today.
So, eventually the guests went ashore and the Captain gave me permission to add on another hour so instead of a 5:30pm back on board time we gave the guests the news that they did not have to be back to the ship until 6:30pm thus replacing most of the time that they had lost due to our error.
And despite the fact that it was raining and despite the fact that there had been a delay, 99% of the guests seemed to understand totaly, except what had happened and moved on………………..in fact…………the only negative comment we received apart from the one above was this one
The cruise from hell? ……..the worst vacation of their lives? While I have total sympathy for this family and will do everything I can to make the last three days as fun as I can ……………….. is this really………………really……………the first time anything has gone wrong on one of their many vacations?
Have this family never had massive arguments because nobody remembered to pack the magnetic Scrabble? Have their children not get travel sick and vomited all over the rent a car from Hertz? Have the kids never fallen over while riding their bikes and spent two weeks screaming as Mum picks gravel out of their knees?
Did they all remember their passports? Was their luggage never lost? Was Coca-Cola not knocked off the flip-down aeroplane table on to jeans that became sticker and nastier as the flight progressed? Are none of the children so embarrassed by their parents’ summer outfits as their Dad wears the briefest of Speedos on the beach?
Has nobody had food poisoning?
Is the air-conditioning working perfectly in every car they have rented and every hotel bedroom they have stayed in? Did nobody get lazy about the sun cream because it was a bit cloudy and then blister like purple bubble wrap? Has Dad never drunk a few too many Pina Colada’s and spent rather too long talking to the woman with the big hooters. Have there been no rushes to the toilet after eating weird looking shellfish? Surely a camera has been lost? Or a cell phone dropped in a pool…….or maybe because of the aforementioned shellfish you never made it out of the pool? No problems because Mum and Dad want some rumpy pumpy in the tiny hotel room just for once………you little bastards ………….. it isn’t all that much to ask, can’t you just go and play on your own for a bit like other children?
This evening I have sent this family some wine at dinner, a fruit basket to the cabin and some tokens for the arcade for the kids and later today I will be chatting with the guests to see if I can turn them around. But sometimes……..you have to admit that this may be a lost cause. I would be an idiot to say that cruising is for everyone………it isn’t……..in the same way as having your nipple pierced isn’t for everyone……occasionally you are going to meet someone who doesn’t have a great time no matter what you do………..but the worst vacation ever?………..The cruise from hell?………………my arse.
Time for today’s questions………………here we go.
KT Asked:
JOHN PLEASE REPLY
I am confused (happens frequently) about sea trials. When the ship went out for the trials there weren’t any tables or beds or other stuff on board apparently from the pictures. Now that equipment is being added. Then there will be lots of crew and passengers on board when she enters service. Does all that extra weight (equipment and people) make a difference in how a ship handles? I know my car handles differently when fully loaded but maybe not a ship at sea? Please explain this to me.I love the Friday blogs with the beautiful pictures of Kye. There really should be a “Carnival Kye”
Thank you
KathyJohn Says:
Hello Kathy
Thats a great question. When a ship goes on sea trials she is tested for many things, balance, speed, handling etc and even though things like people, bedding and toilet brushes are not onboard yet the people with beards scribble things down on bits of paper while munching on a tofu sandwich and calculate what the ship needs to do to compensate for this. The sea trial involves not only performance testing the vessel and its engines, but is also the time when many major systems are checked out. A sea trial is used by Carnival and the Fincantieri shipyard as a crucial time in evaluating the vessel’s operating mechanics and instruments. I am sure there is a more professional answer I can give you to your question and so this was to keep you going until I ask the Captain ………… which I will and get back to you soon……………in fact………..how about making soon………now!Hello Kathy,
To answer your question, of course during the sea trial the ship was lighter than in a normal operations, but not that lighter to create a difference on handling the ship.I can only tell you she is the most beautiful ship of the fleet.
Ciao Carlo
Capt. Carlo QUEIROLO
Master ms. CARNIVAL DREAMThere you go Kathy – a personal message from the captain of your Carnival Dream.
Thanks so much for the kind words and maybe Kye will be with me for the naming ceremony of the Carnival Magic…………that would be brilliant.
I will write again soon with your answer.
Best wishes to you all
JohnMarty Paul Asked:
JOHN, PLEASE REPLY
Hello John, I have now become a loyal daily reader of your blog and I’m hooked! Thanks for all the great information that you provide.My girlfriend and I are booked on the 10/15 sailing of the Carnival Dream, and I had a question about the spa deck (deck 12). We are in spa balcony cabin 12204 and I’ve noticed on the deck plans that there is a large unnamed space forward of cabin 12202. What is this space?
Is there where Fun ship Freddy lives? I know it is a mystery…
MartyJohn Says:
Hello Marty
I get very excited when I read that new people have discovered my blog thingy and as we approach 5 million readers I hope that more and more will join this wonderful family that everyone has created here and that people like you continue to enjoy my daily musings ……………. bugger…………I just did the hit the caps key thing and then think I un hit it and therefore spent the minute typing, deleting and typing the word musings over and over again……bugger……I hate CAPS LOCK.Congrat…………bugger did it again…………..congratulations on booking your Carnival Dream cruise for October 2009.
The space next to your cabin is an Air Conditioning station and by the way……Fun Ship Freddy lives in the smokestack.
Have a wonderful cruise and if you need anything else before you sail please let me know
Best wishes
JohnVetfriend Asked:
John please respond..
John I wonder if anytime dining is making it more difficult for guests to receive confirmed dining seating’s? I have been trying to book a cruise for the first week in October 2009 out of Florida and everything that looks good to me is waitlisted for early dining… Eating late at night is not an option for me so I have not booked yet.Thanks
JoeJohn Says:
Hello Joe
I don’t think it’s anything to do with anytime dining. It may be the fact that it’s quite close to the sailing date. Anyway, go ahead and book and let me help with your dining request. Let me know your cabin number and sailing date etc and I will see what we can do for you mate.Best wishes
JohnBball24 Asked:
Dear John, (please reply)
Sorry if I’m posting this in the wrong place (I’m new to the whole blog thingy). My parents are taking my friend and me on a cruise for my 16th birthday. We will be sailing on the Fascination on August 17-22, 2009. It will be my second cruise and my first cruise with Carnival. I just have a few questions.First, since we booked kind of last minute, both dinner seatings were full and we had to be waitlisted. Does this mean that we will definitely be able to eat in the dining room but might have to wait for a table? I sure hope we’ll still be able to eat in the dining room every night because that’s one of the best parts of a cruise.
Also, I’ve seen a lot about the program for younger kids but not much about activities for older teens. What kind of activities are offered for 16-year-olds like my friend and me?
Last, I’ve seen cards for unlimited soft drinks or for a number of alcoholic beverages, but are there cards where I could get a number of drinks like non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiris and stuff like that?
Thanks a lot. I know you probably get a lot of questions, and I appreciate you taking the time to answer them.
Thanks Again,
NatalieJohn Says:
Hello Natalie
Your post made it to me Natalie so let me see what I can do to help you. You must be very excited that your parents are taking you on a cruise for your 16th birthday. My parents took me camping and I had to poo in a bucket.As you didn’t get a confirmed dining reservation there is a good chance that you may have to eat bread and cheese in your cabin and if your lucky…….we will send a few bits of leftover chocolate melting cake to you one night ………….. kidding…………of course silly………you will be able to eat in the dining room and you will love the food and the fun service.
When you get onboard you will receive your Sail & Sign card which is also your cabin key and will have your dining information written on it. As a 16 year old you are going to be in 16 year old heaven that is Club O2. This is a club for 15 – 17 year olds and includes a room dedicated just to you and the new friends you will make. There will be daily and nightly activities such as dancing, kissing and listening to Pee Diddly and Snoopy the Dog music. There will also be scavenger hunts, deck parties and much, much more. When you get onboard have a look at the Club O2 Caper which will be in your cabin and go and have fun.
The fountain soda cards are only for unlimited sodas, ice tea and fruit punch. However, your Sail & Sign card will enable you to purchase strawberry thingies and other non alcoholic drinks…………as long as your parents don’t mind. It’s going to be a great cruise and I am sure you know how lucky you are to be on your second cruise and I hope you have a wonderful birthday.
Peace out my dog
JohnTracy T Asked:
Hi John! Please Reply!
I really enjoy your blog thingy. I will be cruising for the 3rd time on the Carnival Dream in Jan. 2010. I am so excited that this definitely helps stay in cruise mode for the next few months.We are bringing several new cruisers with us on our upcoming cruise and they have been asking a lot of questions, which I am more than happy to answer. However, they asked about the different foods on the ship and wanted to know if they serve crab legs on board, too. I don’t recall seeing crab legs on the dinner menu or at any of the many buffets. Don’t get me wrong there is a HUGE selection. Can you tell me if they serve them at some time during the duration of a 7 day cruise? If not, then why? We are from the Midwest and it seems that if you are cruising that crab legs would be an obvious menu item.
You are awesome. Thanks for your response.
Tracy TJohn Says:
Hello Tracy T
It won’t be long before your Carnival Dream cruise is here and I will do my best to keep you informed and excited until January arrives. Please don’t worry about asking questions, that’s what I am here for and especially as you are introducing new people to the fun world of Carnival for which I am very grateful. While we serve a lobster in the dining room as well as crab cakes in the steak house but we don’t serve crabs legs. We do have so much choice that I guess the simple reason is that there isn’t room on the various menus to serve everything. I am sure you are looking forward to trying the new pasta station on the Lido deck as well as the amazing Mongolian Wok. So, no crabs legs and although that may make you a little sad there are many happy crabs tonight running free along a beach with their partners …….and none are limping.Have a chat with your friends and let them know if they need anything to please let me know.
Best wishes to all
JohnKathy Asked:
Hi John,
Please Reply,
Hi John, I hope you are starting to get over your cold; I have kept you in my prayers that it does not go into any worse since you are unable to just stay in bed and nurse it as they ask.Now to my question. I have been wondering about this since I cruised the Carnival Pride last October and was just reminded about it when you were talking about the comment cards. The CD said that out of all of the comment cards one would be pulled to win a cruise, now this is where it is confusing for me. I was told that that only one cruise is given out a month from all the ships, not from individual ships per week. Is that true and would you mind explaining how that contest works.
Please send my love to Heidi and Kye, I really look forward to their pictures every Friday.
Best Wishes from your Bloggy Thinggy fan,
KathyJohn Says:
Hello KathyThanks so much for thinking of me. My cold lingers on but I have to keep going off course and knowing people like you are thinking of me makes it easier. The comment card drawing is made on each ship at the end of each cruise. The winner’s name is sent to the Miami office and on the 30th of each month the names are placed into a drawing and one name is chosen randomly to win the cruise. The names of the winner and what ship they sailed on is then sent to the ships so we know who won. I will start to publish the names here on the blog thingy and I think it would be nice if we did so also on www.carnival.com.
Thanks so much for the kind words and Heidi, Kye and I all send our best to you and the family.
JohnWes and Liz, Manchester England asked:
Hi John
Please reply if you get the chance.When you are over the pond, the time difference allows me to read your blogs first thing when I get into the office when I am doing my ‘environmental scanning’ (reading the morning news headlines).
It gets me in a good mood for the rest of the day
I agree about the exceeding expectations comment, as a seasoned Carnival customer, like you said I know what the Carnival product is and I know what to expect, that’s why we keep coming back. Time it was changed.
I notice on, I think it was yesterday’s blog that you mentioned that as we passengers were boarding the Dream for her inaugural cruise, you would be walking down the gangplank and heading home. I take it that we are not going to see you at all on that cruise, last time you wrote about your schedule you thought you may be on board for the first few days.
If we miss each other I suppose I can keep the cigar I was going to get you until perhaps we finally make a Bloggers cruise in Sept 2010!!!
Mind you we do hope to be onboard as early as possible as we are staying in Civitavecchia the night before the cruise, so might see you as you disembark!!
I also noticed that the naming ceremony and celebrations are going to take place in New York and not on our cruise…..As our American cousins might say …’what a bummer’ we were looking forward to something special.
Can’t wait for the photos of the Dream staterooms.
Regards and best wishes to you as well as Heidi and Kye.
Wes and LizJohn Says:
Hello Wes and Liz
It is obvious that the majority of you all agree with me that the “exceeded my expectations” wording on the comment card does not sum up people’s feelings about the fun they have had on the cruise. I am working now with the office to see if we can get this changed without three months of meetings to decide to do so. I will indeed not be there for the beginning of the cruise but……..it looks pretty certain that I will join you all in Bermuda so we can have a bloggers get together and sail back into New York. I will confirm this very soon but it looks like that’s the plan so keep that cigar handy. There will be photos of the staterooms next month and I will focus on all the different type of state rooms that your Carnival Dream has to offer.So, fingers crossed it will be a cigar and a cup of monkey tea then soon.
Best wishes to you both and put the kettle on for me
JohnMARY Asked:
Dear John, (please reply)
I have read your blog from the beginning and continue to enjoy it very much. Thank you for your dedication.Lately, there seems to be a few who write to you asking why you have not answered their question and replied to them etc. They don’t realize, as you have posted and stated numerous times that you have so many queries that you cannot get to all of them all at once. It could be that they have not read all your postings to have seen your previous comments re regarding the above or they may be new posters who are not aware that it takes a few days before they will see their question.
May I make a couple of suggestions? Post the date the questions were sent to you underneath the name of the sender so the readers can see the date the questions were received and/or in the section where we leave replies and comments, have a note there to state that replies may take a few days to be answered. That way they will realize that their question may take a few days to be answered.
I do not know if you answer them in the order that you receive them and if not, then disregard this whole posting and do not post this in your blog as I do not want to open up a whole new can of worms for you to deal with. I can just read all the postings asking why someone else’s question was more important than theirs to be posted first. If however you answer them as you receive them, then my suggestion might be a way to let readers know of the time delay.
Keep up your good work as many continue to enjoy your blog,
John Says:
Mary
Thanks for the words of support. The questions marked John Please Reply are sent to me by one of the 344 Stephanies each day. I ask them to send me 10 per day as that is normally all time permits me to answer while I am on a ship. I can answer more when I am home but for now, it’s ten a day although I will try to answer more.This means that there is probably a good five days minimum gap between bloggers posting the questions and me answering them. I hope everyone understands and the date idea is a very good one and I will see if Stephanie can send me the date when the questions were posted so everyone can see where I am up to.
I will continue to do my best to provide a good level of customer service and just hope everyone has a dollop of patience when it comes to my replies.
Thanks again Mary and best wishes
JohnKatiel53 Asked:
John, (Please Reply)
I just wanted to give my opinion of the free drinks at the end of the cruise. I personally would prefer the drinks be at the Captain’s party. That night is the most festive and I believe sets the tone for the week.I do understand having a type of farewell and thank you, but it seems, to me, that we would be too busy packing etc. to attend. Also, it is just before early seating for dinner which may be inconvenient for some people.
If Carnival wants to do both, as mentioned in your blog, perhaps the discount on drinks could be the last night. That would leave guests with the idea that Carnival cares about them, and if the discount were available for several hours, or all night, everyone would be able to participate if they should desire.
Thanks for letting me give my opinion as well as posting the pictures of Dream. We are excited to be sailing on her. I wish we were sailing on her when you were onboard, but I’m sure your time at home is well deserved.
John Says:
Hello Katiel53
The main stay of this blog thingy is the chance for people to express their views and know that they are read and acted upon by people at the highest level at Carnival. Sometimes we may agree and sometimes we may disagree but your input has never been so vital. Thanks then for taking the time to write. At the moment the swapping of the Captain’s Party complimentary drinks to a farewell party is still in a trial basis on the Carnival Valor and we shall see soon if it is something that we will continue with. I promise to let you all know as soon as I do.Thanks again for taking the time to write.
Best wishes
JohnTim Kriebel, MCPO US Navy (Ret) Asked:
John: Please Reply:
Does the Carnival Dream have a Sports Bar???? I have scoured the deck plans on Carnival’s site and do not see any mention of a Sports Bar. What’s the real scoop?John Says:
Hello Tim
Your Carnival Dream does not have a specific sports bar as we have on the Destiny and Conquest class ships but it does have full sports coverage in the casino bar. This remember is open plan and behind the bar we have four huge plasma screens ready to show the Miami Heat winning the 2010 NBA finals. The Casino Bar, The Ocean Plaza and the Lobby will be fighting each other to be the hub of the ship……..wonder who will win.Thanks for writing in Tim and my best wishes to you and the family.
JohnJo Asked:
John — Please reply
I am very interested in the “behind the scenes” tour. I apologize if this is a repeat and you have already answered — I try to read the blog but sometimes have to skim it in the interest of time. We are sailing on the Dream 2/6/10. If I read correctly, it says that if you want to do the “behind the scenes” tour, you must sign up at the excursion desk on the ship. Is this correct? Also, is there a charge for this tour? I think this is the BEST idea. I have been so interested for a long time. This will be our 6th or 7th cruise and I’m very excited! Thanks in advance for the info!John Says:
Hello Jo
Sometimes I wonder if my blogs are too long and like you, most people just “skim.” Anyway, yes the Behind the Fun tour does have a fee applied to it and it will also be ready for your Carnival Dream voyage next year. It will not be widely advertised outside of the blog thingy so the best advice to anyone who wants to take it is to sign up as soon as you come onboard. So you have the Behind the Fun tour on your Carnival Dream………..no wonder you are excitedBest wishes
JohnRichard C Asked:
Hi John (JOHN, PLEASE REPLY)
My wife and I are sailing on the Dream March 20 2010 which I think you will be CD. We had you as our CD on the Triumph in 2002, our first cruise ever. We’ve had good CDs since, but you are the best.I have a question for you. We booked an aft balcony for the first time ever. We thought that it would be nice to have the larger balcony. However, an experienced cruiser warned me that aft balconies tend to get dirty from the soot coming out of the funnel. Do you know how bad this can get? I seem to recall in one of your blogs that you had relatives stay in an aft cabin on a cruise with you.
Thanks!
John Says:
Hello Richard
Thanks so much for those kind words. I will be the CD when you sail and I will do my very best to give you the best cruise ever. With regard to your concern about the smoke stack causing soot to land on you and your balcony I can honestly say that I have not heard of this problem. Certainly not on the new ships I have been on in the last ten years. I have not seen it reported on board or read about it here on the blog. What ship did your friends sail on when this happened I wonder? What I can assure you of is that your state room balcony will provide views and cruise memories that will be everlasting.See you soon. Best wishes.
JohnRobin Asked:
Hi John, (please reply)
What great pictures from Alaska! Hubby and I are headed there on the Spirit 8/19/09 for our 10th anniversary (and our first kid/family-free vacation since our honeymoon!)Do you have any suggestions for fun/romantic/couple type things to do? We’ve already got the steakhouse booked for our anniversary (8/21), but what else can two second honeymooners (that don’t drink!) do?
Also, what kind of vegetarian dishes are available in the Steakhouse? I know there will be plenty in the Main Dining Room, but I’m worried about the Steakhouse.
Thanks,
RobinJohn Says:
Hello Robin
Please don’t worry about the steakhouse. Although the menu is obviously geared to meat lovers there are dishes for the vegetablists out there like you. The appetizer is a goat cheese and pumpkin thingy and the main course is a gorgeous mushroom struedel which I have had myself and it is excellent. Try the wasabi mashed potato as well and of course, the deserts………..well as a vegetarian you should have two really………..it’s only fair.Make sure you walk the deck at night, see all the shows and do something you have never done before. Maybe sit in the piano bar, let your hair down and have a good old sing song around the piano……..live life and be spirited and most of all enjoy quality time together.
Have a wonderful time. Best wishes to you both.
JohnMr. Derek Asked:
John – Please Reply.
I am thinking of sailing on the 19th of December and would love to sail with you. The list of CD’s does not include your name for that period. Does that mean you are off?Please Advise.
Cheers!
Mr. DerekJohn Says:
Hello Mr. Derek
Thanks mate for wanting to sail with me in December. Unfortunately I will not be on a ship but home for the holidays with the family. I return to work on your Carnival Dream in late January………..can you sail then?I hope we get to meet on board one day soon
Best wishes
JohnElizabeth Asked:
Please replyI love balconies but I don’t know what a cove balcony is. Could you explain it? Would I find one on the Conquest?
Elizabeth
John Says:
Hello Elizabeth
Balconies ……….they certainly do make a difference to the cruise experience and the new cove balconies which can only be found on your Carnival Dream are another great way to experience fresh air and stunning sea views. You will find these on deck 2 and a cove balcony stateroom will have a partially enclosed veranda that from which it feels like you can reach out and touch the ocean. They are not available on the Carnival Conquest.I will be taking photos of them during my next visit in September so keep reading the blog.
Best wishes
JohnPaula Asked:
Hi Jon, (please reply)Have been enjoying your blog thingy. Last December on Imagination was our first cruise – my hubby 60th celebration. Enjoyed it enough to book Destiny on August 10, to celebrate my same milestone. I understand from other requests, that bridge tours aren’t allowed due to security risks (damn the terrorists – they have won). Anyway, are there any “behind the scenes tours”, such as the engine room perhaps? We would really like to see what keeps the ships running. Please let me know – thanks, and we are looking forward to a great trip!
John Says:
Hello Paula
Yes, in a way those bastards did win because the industry has had to stop taking people en mass to the bridge and the engine rooms. We will soon be starting a tour called Behind the Fun which allows a very small group (16 max) to purchase a tour that will offer three hours of guided tours of the bridge, engine control room, store rooms and much more. This will be a fleet wide tour by the end of the year. So, I am so sorry that there are no tours this time although the Carnival Destiny will offer a galley tour.Thanks for sailing with us again and I wish you a wonderful cruise
Best wishes
JohnMichael Tomlinson Asked:
John, (Please reply if you would like)
It has now been over a month since you said you would be sending my friends a gift that had never been sent to the cabin. I know that you get a lot of requests like this and I know that it is easy for things to be overlooked. There is no need to send anything as this point but I wanted to let you know that they never received anything.As they say in Jamaica, “No worries, mon”. I will continue to follow your blog as I enjoy your humor so much. I wish you and your beautiful family my best. Your girls are indeed beautiful. I am looking forward to my next cruise on the Dream in June of 2010.
Thanks for everything that you do.
MikeJohn Says:
Hello Mike
I am sorry that they never received the gift when they cruised and the cruise director who forgot can’t be named but can be recognized because he is walking around with my shoe hanging out his arse.I have not forgotten and I will mail it this weekend from Fort Lauderdale……or someone else will as I can’t get off the ship.
Please forgive my tardiness and thanks for the very kind words mon
Best wishes
JohnCanuck Cruiser Asked:
Hey John,
Please reply………….
Just a quick question. Seeing all of the great pictures of the new DREAM has me wondering about one of the new slides. Particularly the one that ends up in a BOWL . Is this where all bad passengers will be sent and then the bowl flushed into the ocean? Where do you end up? I can’t see any exit point!Please advise…………..thanks LOL
B&D from Canada
John Says:
Hello B and D
That’s very funny and as I have promised to be one of the very first to go down the slide I guess it’s actually true. The exit point is a door on the side …you step over the rail and exit. We will have a staff member there on radio to tell the other staff member that is clear for the next person to slide on down. It’s going to be brilliant.Thanks for the great post. Best wishes to you both.
JohnLinda Hernacki Asked:
John Please respond: I love the bedtime story, and hope one day soon when Mike and I cruise with you again to see it again! I have never seen you do the Dolly Parton dress up; do you do that every cruise? I hope we get to see you in that get up. If you still do it, please post a picture soon. Also, I hope you find the teenagers that did this to Bonnie & Charlie’s scooters; their parents should pay for their kids’ behavior! Thanks for being who you are – a great friend, and most importantly a Great CD to ALL! We love you! Linda & MikeJohn Says:
Hello Linda
While the bedtime story may provide you and other guests some merriment the sight of me in a dress is something that could replace the stomach pump in hospitals.I truly hope that one day I can perform the bedtime story for my friends Mike and Linda
Best wishes
JohnLen Fernman Asked:
John – REPLY PLEASE
I have just read on the Cruise Critic website that we are to register with you for a cruise gift. I am sailing with my wife on the Valor on Sunday September 6th. Our cabin number is ****. I also have another cabin with friends sailing and their gift should be sent to ****.Thank You
Len SilvaJohn Says:
Hello Len
I hope you and your friends have a great cruise and I will be happy to send you a little something.
Best wishes
John
That’s all for today. There will be more tomorrow as I try and catch up.
Time for today’s Carnival Dream photos and as promised it is time to have a look at the Lido deck restaurant .and one of the most famous cruise ship smokestacks in the world
Now, what’s been happening in Italy from the hotel side of things? Here is the latest news from Donato the Hotel Director of your Carnival Dream.
Since last we chatted and after the sea trials, many of the rooms and storage areas have been delivered and we have spent time inspecting and making sure that all in is in order. Since July 20 we had quite a few crew members from Storeroom Operation and Housekeeping arriving, and since then we had already loaded approximately 60 containers of general merchandise and equipment on board. On site today we have 118 crew of which 61 belong to Hotel Operations. The final total hotel crew count will be 1,163 out of a total 1,332 on board.My favorite place and I’m sure it’s also many other people’s favorite place is the atrium which on the Dream is spectacular. The new light technology and elevated entertainer’s stage over the atrium bar is also a must see. As I also mentioned in our previous chat, the Lanai and the new Ocean Plaza are great additions. I am looking forward to seeing these areas filled with guests having fun.
Thanks Donato – we all appreciate this very much and we will continue to check in with you as we reach the inaugural cruise.
John
Tomorrow…….a rare and special treat……..as we go inside……..the engine room …………… of your Carnival Dream………….have you booked yet?
Last night while waiting for the show I sat in my underpants in my cabin flicking through the channels on the TV when I came across a talent show for dancers called So You Think You Can Dance? It appeared to be the finals or semi finals at least and even though I am to dance what Paris Hilton is to celibacy I have to admit I was hooked. There is a car, $100,000 and a part in a Las Vegas show up for grabs and — the biggest winner though — has to be dance itself.
Our production shows celebrate dance and the young professional dancers we feature on all of our ships continue to amaze and astound and even though other iconic features begin to sprout up on board our lavish and luxurious stage shows continue to lead the industry. Take the Ticket to Ride show here on the Carnival Freedom. My wonderfully talented and reasonably pretty long time pal Kerry Stables took the music of John, Paul, George and Ringo, added amazing choreography and stunning special effects and along with a cast of dancers and singers produced a show that everyone…………I mean everyone who sees it will never forget.
I may hate dancing………I may say that I would rather dip my thingy in a pool of piranhas than take to the dance floor…………..but I will say that dance lives………and here on the ships of Carnival Cruise Lines it lives at the very highest level.
Congratulations to Stephanie Leavitt and her team for the new front page of carnival.com. It looks fantastic and have a look at the video about the stunning variety of activities available on your Carnival Dream – featuring amongst others …….Jaime….and me.
Now, if I could just bribe Stephanie Leavitt to mention a tag thingy to my blog somewhere on the front page ………oh and one more thing………..here is a message to all at Carnival……………..it’s CARNIVAL Dream…………..it’s CARNIVAL Pride………it’s CARNIVAL Imagination………….the next person I find calling a ship by its last name only will be tied to the smokestack and gagged using a pair of my underwear.
It’s been obvious on occasion that you all know more than me about what we do here at Carnival. Take the menus on the TV subject for example. There am I going “mmmmm, sounds like a great idea” when we have them on the bloody TV’s already. I mean …….. you would think I would know that, wouldn’t you?
Anyway, my apologies, we do have them on some ships and not others so I will rectify that. Thanks for putting me straight everyone.
The other day I was mentioning my Marriage Show and how strange it was. However, even though a woman swore…….even though a man lost control of his bowels and turned our seats from blue to brown……….that wasn’t the strangest thing……….oh no.
That title goes to this honeymooner who, when I walked out on stage, immediately grabbed my ..attention………….this is why
Yep……..I was dumb struck…..I stood there open mouthed ……… oh ……. Sorry ………not because of the man dressed from head to foot in kinky green spandex ………. oh no……….look behind him……….there is someone wearing a Miami Heat T-shirt ………..it made my day.
Let’s Go Heat
Your friend
John
Look, friends — there are a few things you should remember before you comment. The space below is for you to post your comments about the post I've just written above. If it is something that's unrelated, please use the Ask John tab above. Now, while I may not be able to reply to your comment below, I do sit in my underpants almost every morning and read everything that is here. So feel free to comment on the comments and then if someone wants to comment on the comment to the comment then go ahead as well. Please be courteous unless the poster is French...........then you can say whatever you want.
John,
WOW! Samuel really seems to need some help with his “Vacation from Hell”. Perhaps you should have sent a highlighted copy of the capers and circle C capers too!
However, if that is a vacation from HELL, man I wish to experience this persons hell. Feel free to tell them, that if he wants to experience hell, try having a cabin without air, and not bring able to sleep at night! Oh, and add a 3 year old that doesn’t understand, and hasn’t slept in 3 nights either! I’ll show you hell
Unbeliveable!
So what is it on your ship, that is causing everyone to have fecal accidents everywhere…where next? Maybe I shouldn’t ask!
Hi John
Please reply
We are booked on the Carnival Dream 3/27/10 and while we were bummed to learn that you won’t be our CD I did find a great deal….I hope.
We have had a 9A cabin booked on our last 3 cruises, and loved them so we booked the same on the Carnival Dream. Then after looking at the deck plans we noticed the wrap balconies on Vista deck. These are not 9A’s but 8D’s, which makes them a lot cheaper. We have now changed our booking to cabin 9472.
Did we uncover a great bargain, or am I missing something? Is there something inferior with these cabins? Do they come with a bed and toilet
?
Any info you have would be appreciated.
Keep up the great work!
John, Please reply!
Hi John,
With the new Behind the Scenes Tour being rolled out, does this mean the Platinum Galley Tour has been done away with?
Thanks,
bill
It really irks me why people make blanket pronouncement… worst steak… worst car… worst sex… worst vacation ever. Rubbish. Here’s hoping she and I are never on a ship together.
You know, of course you know, what the sight of that amazing Carnival funnel does to us. It’s a symbol of freedom… of fun… of adventure. Seeing that funnel puts butterflies in the stomach and visions of blue water and white sand in the mind.
The Carnival Dream gets more lovely by the day. Thank you and thanks to Captain Queirolo for answering the question about the sea trials.
John, don’t let the cretins get to you, my friend.
All the best to Heidi and Kye!!
Ciao!!
Host Mach
John,
Thanks for the reply to the question about the “BOWL” at the end of the new Slide on the DREAM. Sounds like fun and PLEASE make sure that you get your inaugural plunge on tape so that we all might enjoy your voyage down the drain! LOL.
I would also like to see you and BIG ED go down the racing slides. Sounds like a good fundraiser for the breast cancer cause and I’m sure you two would draw a hefty crowd to watch that event. Please no speedos guys……..remember there may be children watching and then you’d have to put a disclaimer in the Capers.
BTW…………….time to stop giving away FREEBIE gifts to the leaches from Cruise Critics John. Get Host Mach to assist you and tell them it was a time limited offer and guess what? Times up!
Host Mach is a good friend of the blog and surely can talk some sense into these people who think that there’s a free lunch around every corner. Enough preaching for now.
Keep the pictures of the DREAM coming John. Can’t wait to see the cabins. Please show a rear cabin with a balcony if you can . We’ll be on the Empress deck in late Jan. 2010 with you .
All the best to the family ,
B&D from Canada ( where summer finally arrived last weekend………..two months late…..who knew?)
Must have been the paper work snafu.
REPLY PLEASE JOHN
John I was just wondering, I haven’t heard much about ” the Godmother of the CARNIVAL DREAM”. Have they made the choice of who will ir be? What is the date when the CARNIVAL DREAM begins it initial sail? Will you be on the ship to take photos of that special day?
If you noticed I agree with you when it’s time to mention the name of the ships they should always state it as ” CARNIVAL DREAM OR CARNIVAL FREEDOM OR WHATEVER. People should give the respect of that particular ship. I’ve slipped a bit myself but I’ve been catching it now and before I say the name I always state CARNIVAL first and after the name of the ship.
Don’t you worry about whether your blog is long or not. It’s always informative, entertaining, serious at times but always enjoyable. Thank you for taking your valuable each day to write up your blog whether your in your underwear or not. Ha,ha,ha. Ciao my friend.
Paul F. Pietrangelo
Hi John
Remember you from Carnival Freedom 2007 – Rome
We were the couple who won the plastic ship on a stick and a bottle of wine for the wierd way we met – We were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary and I met him the night before he married someone else – at his bachlor party – 10 months later we were married — the rest is a lot of other stories — Now we’ll be celebrating my “60th” on Carnival Valor and when we his Roatan on the 23rd of Sept think of me as I’m zipping it through the whatever — We had met a couple, Dan and Bonnie, on Carnival Freedom and hadn’t seen them since – shot them an email and they’re also booked – looking forward to another great time – wish you were there…… Barb and Earl
John please reply
OK I have 2 questions for you please. 1. My husband had been asking about the sports bar also on the Carnival Dream and you answered that question today, but he also is curious whether or not there is a cigar bar on the ship? 2. Since you are getting all kinds of great pictures of the Carnival Dream I am wondering if we can get some pictures of the Camp Carnival areas. My 3 yr old and 7 yr old are coming on their first cruise with us on 2-13-2010 and are really curious about what “their” space is going to look like.
Thanks so much for all your help and you do an awesome job keeping us all informed about what is going on with our new Carnival Dream and everything else Carnival related. Can’t wait for “Kye”day
worst vacation ever? sigh… i cannot believe that for one minute. a cruise? let’s see. he was not at work. he did not have to cook his meals. he did not have to make his bed. he did not have to wash his dishes. he got to go to the shows. he got to go to the ports. yeah, i guess this does sound PRETTY bad. ha ha ha ha ha what an idiot.
smiles, bonnie and prince charlie
John,
I went to Carnival.com to check out the new web site, and I just want to make a statement. You have been blogging about why chose Carnival over the climbing wall on ice. Well, you know how they say a picture is worth a thousand words….I dare for anybody to go to the theme cruises, click on Blogger’s Cruise and play the video from the BC2 and working with the Beacon of Hope charity. I have tears running down my face. I was one of those in that video. I painted park benches. I can not tell you how many people walked over to me and thanked me for coming and helping New Orleans clean up. I loved all the thank you’s but then I think, I wouldn’t have been there if there was no John Heald’s Blogger’s Cruise, and he wouldn’t be there if Carnival hadn’t agreed to the idea. Not only did they agree, they went above and beyond. They got buses to bus us there and back, arranged the whole event, and even made a large donation to the charity. Why, why did Carnival do this? Because they really care. I can not imagine how many man hours it took to organize that event, but it was a huge success! And I must say that Carnival cares about everyone on their cruise ships. They want you to have a perfect vacation. The crew goes above and beyond to make it that way for you. So why should you cruise on a Carnival ship? Because they care, and they do more than talk the talk, they walk the walk too!
Ok, I’m off my soapbox and looking forward to Kye’s Friday’s picture.
Princess Susan, one of the four original princess’s from Big Ed’s Krew
Hi Cocoa and Stephanie
Hi John,
John Please reply,
If the people thought this vacation was from Hell, why didn’t they get off at the first port. It never ceases to amaze me how people will complain and complain but stay in the situation. My gut feeling is they will be asking for all of their money back and probably another free cruise. When I was on the Carnival Pride (which I love that ship and the name really does suit her) you hardly saw any kids, because most of them were in the clubs that Carnival had for them. I just have to tell you this, one day I saw a couple of parents that were trying to get their kids out of Camp Carnival and these two little ones threw temper tantrums because they did not want to leave, they wanted to stay where they were having so much fun. John I laughed so hard, these two little 4 year olds (they were twins) were having so much fun that they did not even want to be with their parents. Watching that told me a lot about what Camp Carnival has to offer the kids. Even when I was sitting in the buffet area on the Lido deck, you could hear teenagers telling their parents what a wonderful time that they were having and could not wait to get back. Then when you read a note from a guy like this, it makes me wonder if they even bothered to check the camps out for their kids. I hope you do an update of this family.
I can hardly wait until tomorrow (Aug 7,) we will be getting our weekly fix of Heidi and beautiful little Kye. I only wish that you showed her picture like on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays ( I would be overjoyed if I saw her picture everyday, but I know that would be asking to much).
Best Wishes,
Kathy
Hi John (Please Reply)
It has been a while since I have commented but wanted to say hi anyways.
It is just 23 days until I board the CARNIVAL Victory (I don’t want to be tied to the funnel and gagged with your underwear…lol). My Mom and I were booked on the CARNIVAL Liberty at the end of this month, for Northern Europe. Since it was cancelled, we rebooked the CARNIVAL Victory, Southern Caribbean. We were both were extremely disappoionted as you can imagine, especially Mom. She is 73 now and hoping that she will be able to go to Northern Europe on a Carnival ship soon. Anyways, I was curious if you would send her a little something on our cruise? I know lots of people ask, but it will be her 20th Carnival cruise and my 45th. I think it would make her feel much better about the Northern Europe being cancelled. Our cabin is ****, booking #******. We got a whopping $50 ($25.00 each) onboard credit for our inconvenience….lol **Please don’t post the cabin and booking # on the public forum** (Thanks)
To respond to Richard C, concerning the soot from the stacks on the rear balconies…..We were in a corner, wrap balcony on our Med cruise on the CARNIVAL Freedom in October 2007. Honestly, there was some residue, but it was cleaned everyday by our wonderful steward. We slid our chairs close to the inner wall to minimize the soot on them. Occasionally, when we were out there, a little soot would come down on us, but not enough to make me change my mind about an Aft balcony. I love the panoramic view from the aft balconies and a little bit of soot did not spoil anything for me. I hope this helps.
Give my best to Heidi and Kye. She is getting more beautiful day by day and I know you are anxious to get home to the both of them. Hugs to all!!
Gloria aka Sue
Hi John
I forgot to mention in my previous comment that Nanni is going to meet Mom and me in San Juan and spend some time with us. I am really excited about that!! She is truly a wonderful person and has such a wonderful family. Thanks to you, it was possible to meet them and become friends. We first met them in December on the CARNIVAL Splendor, along with Carolyn and Don, who we also got to meet and become cruising buddies with. Thank you so much for making these friendships possible!!
Gloria aka Sue
John, please don’t make your blog any shorter. I’m always sad when it’s over. Love it. Lynda
Dear John,
Thanks so much for your blog!
There is a question being asked on the CC boards that I thought you should answer. (Sorry if you already have!) How much should one ‘tip’ the maitre’d? Some believe he is salaried and should not be tipped at all. Some believe that unless he does something or shows an interest in you or your table, a tip isn’t necessary. Then there are those who feel he should be tipped regardless of the above as he is the one who makes things run smoothly in the DR. What is your say about this? Thank you once again for your time and efforts (for all of us!)!
PS.. it might help if you put up a ‘search engine’ with your blog so we as your readers can search for our own answers from questions already asked of you. Might make it easier on you too not having to repeat yourself so often.
Host Mach: I have not run across any posts on Cruise Critic directing folks here to ask for “cruise gifts”. If you have….could you please remove it?
If someone posted that on Cruise Critic, they need a lesson in manners! 99% of cruise forums are wonderful….but every now and then you get some nutcase that uses it to start rumors.
John:
Personally, I think a cruise from hell would be having to put up with that passenger and his family.
What a bunch of spoiled babies?
If they have never had anything gone wrong on a vacation….then that simply means they have never gone anywhere.
I can tell you all kinds of stories from the airlines who lost our luggage for 4 days to delays at the airport for 24 hours to accidently staying at a hotel in Daytona that I swear was run by Al Qaeda.
Not to mention the late arrival for a connection in St Louis…. where we had to do the ole “OJ Simpson” run through the airport (very old commercial) only to arrive with the door shut….THANKFULLY they reopened the plane ….since if we had missed that flight…we would have missed our New York connection to Israel.
Things happen….it is called LIFE!!
Linda (Mom of your friend DJ)
John please reply.
I don’t know if this has been asked or not, but I am really interested in the behind the scenes tour. Will it be available on the Dream in October?
Second, will it be able to be purchased in advance? I don’t want to spend the first night on my cruise standing in line at the shore excursion desk for an hour or so in the mad rush. I prefer to do everything in advance so I can enjoy my first day on the ship.
IF I have to wait until I get on the ship, since I am a VIP will I get priority reservations like the spa or the steak house?
Can I book it at the purser’s desk as soon as I get on the ship before the shore excursion desk opens?
Thanks for answering my questions. I am excited about this but with the limited amount of space for the tour I am wondering if I will ever have the chance to do it.
Best to you, Heidi and Kye!
Judy
Hello John: (Please Reply)
First I would like to thank you for writing this wonderful blog. I find it amuzing to read about daily life onboard and the issues you and other CD deal with. In a previous reply you asked me to remind you when the time was closer to my family cruise and to assist me in surprising my wife for her birthday. We are sailing on the August 15th sailing of the Glory booking number 21BS06. I took your advise and made a reservation for the Steak House (Supper Club) as a nice treat to my beautiful and deserving wife. The Camp Carnival forms have already been completed for our 2 year old to meet some new friends and quiet time for us (wink,wink..). Also, I would like to thank you on behalf of all the readers for your generosity in making arrangments everyone who asks or does not ask. Your dedication to the guests is just one of the many reasons we have been on so many Carnival cruises and look forward to many more!
Kye is getting so big and prettier every week, please pass our best to Kye and Heidi. You will be with you beautiful girls soon enough.
Thanks,
Brandon
John; Thanks for the reply my booking number on the Glory is ***** I do not have a room number as I have a quaranteed ocean view room.. Any help you can provide with early dining would be appreciated. Love the blog and have actually met other bloggers on past cruises such as lambs knuckles..
Thanks again
Joe
Hi John (Please Reply)
It is August 7 and I am writing again to remind you that we cruise on the Carnival Pride on August 21.
I need you to get up with our Cruise Director (I believe it is Dan) and make the arrangements for our Roll Call get together on Saturday at 1 PM. It looks like we will have about 30 people for this, but getting people to RSVP is like pulling teeth nowadays.
The second scheduling thing is the Devotional Service. We have this prepared and are ready to print out the order of service and the songs. Since the Pride has a chapel, I think that would be the place to do this service. I am thinking 10:30 AM on Sunday, but we could go at 10 or 11 AM if necessary for scheduling.
It would, of course, be very good to put these events in the Capers. Thanks to you and Dan for your help.
We are in stateroom 5227 for this cruise. We are looking forward to enjoying ourselves once more with Carnival.
Finally, Jo and I think Kye is an absolute doll. Even though we are very prejudiced in favor of our granddaughter, we think Kye is one of the most beautiful babies we have ever seen. You and Heidi are so very lucky.
Thanks for your help,
Doc
“Vacation from Hell”???
He has an 8 and 10 year old with nothing to do??
Did they choose not to do Camp Carnival?
Did they choose not to swim in the pool?
Did they choose not to get a book from the library?
Did they choose not to play in the arcade?
Did they choose not to play Bingo?
Did they choose not to do trivia?
Did they choose not to….etc.
Nothing would make these people happy, no matter what ship they were on!
Love the blog John!
–
Nancy from Topsail Cruises
John,
FYI – crabs missing legs don’t limp, they walk in circles…
CJ
John, (PLEASE REPLY)
Similar to Joe and Natalie who you replied to above, I am having difficulty getting confirmed for early seating on our upcoming cruise on the Carnival Splendor. We sail on August 30 and our booking number is ******.
When you previously blogged about the upcoming change to Anytime Dining, you stressed that passengers would still be able to eat in the main dining room. I commented at the time that I hoped that was the case because we are huge fans of the main dining room. We come to the dining room on time, get dressed up, enjoy getting to know our waiters, and tip extra for great service.
When I have called Carnival to check up on my request, I have been told that Anytime Dining has limited the number of tables available for regular seating so we’ll just have to wait until we get on the ship and talk to the maitre d. While I know that is a possibility, I don’t enjoy starting a vacation having to line up and make requests.
I would appreciate any help that you can provide. Also, I would encourage Carnival to consider the impact of Anytime Dining on availability in the main dining room. On my Cruise Critic roll call, several other families are in the same situation.
We had a great cruise on Carnival Freedom last summer and we know we will enjoy the Carnival Splendor as well. Thanks for doing the blog!
Audrey
John,
I cannot believe that man considered those few minor inconveniences constituted the cruise from hell! I would like to briefly recount a cruise my sister & I took in 2002 on the Carnival Spirit. First off we had difficulty getting from San Diego to the port in Ensenada, a delay of hours. We waited again for hours to finally board. The ship finally sailed over 9 hrs. late. Had difficulty with ship’s cooling system from the start. This is 5 days at sea before reaching Hawaii. Then the cruise was cut short because of this major problem. Throughout this ordeal, we were kept informed and compensated for our inconveniences. Carnival bent over backwards to salvage our vacation. We still talk about it & the many friends we made during this trip. Passengers & crew became family. This still ranks up there as the best vacation I have ever had. All the memories are PRICELESS!
Joyce
Hey there, John …. I wrote a few days ago and inquired about the “Behind the Scenes” tour. I had mentioned that I often skim your blog in “the interest of time”. Please do not think that you should shorten your blogs. I read each and every word that you write. Sometimes I just skim the Q&A in “the interest of time.” I didn’t want you to think there was any criticism of the blog — I absolutely LOVE it – each and every word. Many times in the evenings, I make my husband listen to me read some of the funny paragraphs. Yesterday we couldn’t stop laughing when you told the story about being seated at the Captain’s Table and the woman who you called Mrs. Botox had canoes installed into her lips. You are a HOOT!!! Keep up the good work — we can’t wait to sail with you!
Hi John,
The green suit? That’s pretty funny. I’m guessing that is not something that you see on a regular basis.
How could someone say that their cruise is the worst vacation in the world? I think its impossible for that to happen unless it rained 24 hours a day for 7 days/week. Even then there is enough fun on board. I feel sorry for that family.
Thanks for another set of wonderful pictures today and I hope that you have a great weekend.
Take care and Hi to Heidi/Kye!
David
Wow, the worst vacation ever is quite a statement and like you I find that difficult to believe. Obviously rain on a cruise is not the most fun thing, but if you were in a hotel on the beach and it rained it wouldn’t be fun either! I don’t know what his children do at age 8 and 10 but my grandkids loved everything on the ship including the shows. Kids that age love the new laser tag and the game room. We were very lucky during our spurt of bad weather on the Splendor because the pool is covered which meant they weren’t denied the pool because of weather.
I love the pictures of my Carnival Dream and of course the first one of the famous smokestack or funnel as “Funship Freddy” perfers to call his home.
“Kyeday” is next!
Dear John,
Please Reply
I would like to thank you so much for all you do for Carnival guests. We were on the Freedom in Europe last year and the information we got from your blog made our cruise even that much better. We are celebrating our 40th anniversary this year by sailing on the Liberty on Sept. 5th with our son, daughter in law and our four year old grandson. We are so excited to introduce our little guy to cruising. My question for you is about our table assignment. We have always enjoyed dinner as a family affair and it has usually not been a problem as we have either been a table of four or a large table when more family has been with us. Our grandson will join us for sure on the first evening, but I suspect he may want to join his Camp Carnival buddies most of the week. Is it possible to get a table for five? Our cabin number is 7317.
Thanks again for all you do, you are Carnival’s best ambassador! Love the pics of Kye, what a little doll she is. You and Heidi will be sharing life’s most precious adventure, you have our best wishes for this wonderful journey.
Thanks so much,
Maria
Hi John!
The Dream is looking spectacular! Thank you so much for replying to me. I found my post from May and I’ll copy and paste it here so you can see what happened. I really appreciate you passing this on to someone so that we can get the issue resolved and have some closure.
(Please do not post this next little bit. My phone number is . I’ll be away from my house until August 17th but if someone could contact me after that I will be very grateful.)
Here’s the post about our wedding:
Hi John, (please reply)
I’m going to try and not say much about this because I’m sure you’ve heard a lot already. I was on the Splendor sailing that was redirected to San Fran. I got married on board and we had 21 of our closest family and friends sailing with us. I had sailed with carnival once before but most of our party were sailing for their first time ever. On my last cruise we had a wonderful time, that’s what made us have our wedding on board. I mean no disrespect to those that did or would have stayed on board. Most of my party got off in Long Beach. There are a lot of reasons that we made that decision. The biggest one being that we are very upset with how the Carnival Corporation handled the outbreak. The crew on the Splendor were very good for the most part and Brad took the time to come out and talk to my group (again sorry to Brad for the random people that decided to join my family and friends and point fingers and yell. They were definitely not with us and did not represent our thoughts and feelings). The World Health Organization (WHO) released an alert to not travel to Mexico on the 26th, the day we set sail. When asked, Carnival stated that everything is fine and that there were no cases of H1N1 Swine Influenza (suspected or confirmed) in any of our ports and that we were still going as scheduled. On the 27th the American Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released their alert stating unessential travel into Mexico should be avoided. Yet when asked again, Carnival still stated that there were no cases and everything was fine and we were still going. On the 28th in the late afternoon it was announced that we had to make a “quick stop in Cabo San Lucas for a Navigational Technical Error ” and then we’d be on our way again after “the Techs fixed the problem.” We stopped, and in about a half hour there was an announcement stating that they had been talking with Carnival’s head office and the CDC, and that “there are still no reported cases in any of our ports or on board any ship,” but that “[they] were going to turn around and would not be going to any Mexican ports of call.”
I am all for safety and keeping people healthy. The way that Carnival handled the whole situation still leaves me feeling extremely upset, dissatisfied and crushed. This was supposed to be my wedding/honeymoon wishes come true. Instead we were told that we would be given a whole $40 in port fees back and would instead sail to San Francisco. No one in my group had packed appropriate clothing for going somewhere cold and rainy. I know that people here and on other sites are saying that we should just be happy to be on board and that may work for those people and that’s great. We chose to sail as a nice, leisurely and entertaining way to get to Mexico. Not just to be on board.
I talked up this trip for just shy of two years to my family and friends and now everything went to hell in a hand basket. We are upset that Carnival told us all for days after the announcements that everything was fine and we were still going. If they had said on day one ‘listen, here’s what’s going on, the WHO released this alert so we’re going to wait here (in Long Beach) for the first night and see what’s up’ and then heard the alert from the CDC the next morning and announced to us while still in port ‘because of what’s going on we’re not going to go to Mexico, here are your options:
1.) Stay on board and we’ll be going to X & Y as ports instead, with a refund of $X.
2.) Get off here and get a full refund or credit for a future cruise equal to what you had booked here.’
We may have been upset and sad that we couldn’t go but at least we would have been treated fairly and given an option.
Anyways, enough from me. Sorry to bring all this to you John, I know that you’ve got a lot on your plate with the Thingy on the way shortly (Congrats again!) but no one that we’ve talked to at Carnival has seemed to care and I don’t know where else to go right now. I appreciate any help you can give me and my family.
Sincerley,
Andrea
Thank you again John.
John,
I read where you were expressing the necessity to say “Carnival” Before the ship’s name, as a part of the name…why does Carnival not say “Carnival Holiday”, only “Holiday” on their ship listing? Are they trying to dis-own this little old ship?
Thanks,
Cindy
John…..
RSVP
Why are there not MORE Carnival Bermuda itineraries? Why is there only one, and that is WAY too early in the season? Why was the Pride allowed to go all summer long back in 2003, and then bust.
Regards….
Pete
Dear John,
If being on the BEAUTIFUL CARNIVAL Freedom is the worst vacation ever, then PLEEEEEEEASE throw me into that Briar Patch!
My favorite worst ever vacation was driving from California to Missouri while it was raining and my older and stinkier brother had eaten his fill of bean burritos. I begged my dad to leave him along the side of the road. My Dad just laughed and joined my brothers musocal fruit serinade as he had eaten bean burritos as well. Vacation from HELL my ARSE!!!!!!
The Cruzin2some
James & Nancy
Greetings John!
Looking forward to sailing with you on the Legend…I hope the schedule still stands and you will be our CD.
As for the worst vacation ever bloke, can it really be that miserable? After our Mexican Riviera Swine Flu cruise to San Francisco, I don’t know if I subscribe to the “any day on a cruise is better than being at work” philosophy. But, seriously. There’s not a single thing to do on the ship? There has to be more to this and I hope you will keep us updated.
Also, I just wanted to comment that I don’t quite understand why someone posted that people should come to your blog and start requesting gifts? This whole thing just baffles me.
Looking forward to Kye-day!
Colleen
If a Carnival Cruise is this families idea of hell they should consider selling their sainthood freaking selves out to the Learning Channel for a reality show so we can all observe the heaven that their idea of reality is.
John,
Anytime dining, has indeed, in my humble opinion, affected early seating. As a platinum member (which is supposed to guarantee your seating choice), I was unable to book early seating and was put on a wait list on the Elation. They were able to fit me in on sailing day, but what I found was that half the dining room was set aside for anytime seating and the other half was for assigned seating. When you take away half the dining room from assigned seating, it will have an effect. Just my thought on that subject.
Smooth sailing,
Tom
Hi John,
please reply
My wife Marie and I really enjoyed our cruise with you on the Freedom July 26th. You are the best cd that has ever sailed. I met you at the captains cocktauil party, Im a pvp. I will be taking my daughter and my 84 year young Mom on the Sensation 08/27/09. Can you send her something special? We will be in cabin# E50 . Thanks and keep up the good work. You make my job so much easier.
Cheers Mike
Dear Samuel,
Don’t let the door hit you where the good Lord split you on your way off the boat.
Your Pal,
Amber
P.S. Please don’t book again because i really don’t want your rotten attitude to ruin my glorious cruise vacation.
John, It’s Friday and No Heidi! And no pictures of KYE! John you have to stop making people laugh so hard that they ruin the seats in the show lounge! HA! HA! Seriously though, if someone lets these small things get them down, and if they don’t know how to have fun, they shouldn’t be booking a Carnival cruise in the first place, right? Your friends, Mike & Linda
Robin, if you read this you will have a great time in Alaska! Read the little booklet they give you at embarcation! We had more fun getting all the free stuff at the shops with the coupons than ever! LOL! It was like a big scavenger hunt! It’s a great way to meet your fellow passengers too!
John, no trip is perfect. On our Alaska trip lots of small things happened that are way less of an impact than the vacation we took to Vegas where the ignition locked up and we had to call a locksmith and spend a good part of our vacation money getting it replaced! We have always had weird things happen on vacation and we always laugh about it afterwards! Some people just set unreal expectations. Well of course the kids were bored! Kids of that age are ALWAYS bored! Trust me, I raised 5! If they couldn’t find something to do it is their own fault. And not everyone is going to like all the food, but there is so much selection surely you can find something to eat! Heck we didn’t care for the choices several nights on our last cruise so we ordered “off” the menu and had steak or a hamburger or whatever on several nights. Not that there was anything wrong with the food, just sometimes nothing sounds good, ya know? Our waiter was hysterical because he got to the point that he knew we would probably order something not on the menu and he got a kick out of it. Feel better soon! And be careful with that cold! I had a cold a couple weeks ago and it turned into pneumonia because I was too run down and didn’t rest! Be good to yourself!
John -
Regarding the plasma TV’s onboard your Carnival Dream in the sports area of the casino….You mentioned from there you can watch”the Miami Heat winning the 2010 NBA finals”?!?!? I’m sorry, but I’m from Orlando and we have a team here that plans to do that!
….And there’s nothing I’d like more than to watch it on those same TV’s!
We sailed with you on the Carnival Freedom in July and laughed so hard we hurt! Even with the spotty (and, well, wet at times) weather, we still had one of the best vacations of our lives. Keep doing what you do best and all the best to your family.
Dear John, (no response is necessary)
You are a lovely man, NOT a human vending machine!
I would like to join all the faithful readers who are appalled at non-readers emailing or posting comments just for the purpose of asking you for a gift. To those who have done so in the past, please keep reading because the blog itself is the best gift!
Fruit basket…$20
Bottle of Champagne…$30
Insight into the reality of being a Carnival Cruise Director…Priceless.
Keep doing what you do, John! It is much appreciated!
Hi John! I agree wholeheartedly with Amy above….Bless your soul for being so kind…..the humor and info in your blog is gift enough. Kye is beautiful. You must be so very proud. Hope to see you on another Blogger’s cruise before too long!
John
I will be taking a cruise on the Destiny in September and I have a question for you. How do you get a behind the scene’s tour of the ship? Their will be four of us and we are all in the Medical Field and would like to see if we could get the behind the scene’s tour? How do we do this and is it possible?
Love your blog
Kathy
Please, when this man has his hand chopped off, or his wife falls and breaks her neck, that is hell, he needs a good dose of reality
Nurse Amy
Julio! That’s me (the Michelle on the 8/1 Loveboat cruise) next to Green Man! And isn’t it a hot suit? Just wanted to say, that for every 1000 people you please, there will always be the ones who just cannot appreciate life or fun times or just SITTING back and doing NOTHING. And there was lots to do on the cruise!
Thanks for being a great host and for your calming demeanor in the Costa Rica situation. Most guests appreciated the 5-10 minute updates.
Hey John, please reply
John,
I really enjoy reading your very open and honest comments. I have a question I hope you can help me with. I’m taking a cruise on the Conquest for my honeymoon in October. I’d like to surprise my bride with something special on the ship. I’ve looked under the services section for treats and was wondering what you would suggest. This will be my second trip on the Conquest and her first-ever cruise. Any suggestions you have would be very much appreciated.
The people who had the vacation from “hell”???Hmm..maybe they need to go to “Hell” (Grand Cayman Island Hell, that is!!:)) Anyway…My grandkids were about that age when they took their FIRST cruise. They had a blast doing the activities scheduled for their age. This year, their SECOND cruise…they were a little more in the “tween” years, but still enjoyed themselves, especially on the excursions. Bland food….HELLO!!!! I don’t think so… the food is EXCELLENT. Never had anything that was bland or bad. Maybe mom & dad should have left the kids with relatives/friends?? But I’m sure they would’ve been bored there, too. Love your blogs & your sense of humor, John. Keep up the good work!!
Julio-
That was my first carnival cruise and was definitely the best experience of my life I must thank you for that. I do have a secret though I am the one and only greenman in that picture. I am also the greenman that was seen throughout the cruise(aug 1st- aug 9th). Oh and I already forget How you doin? Forget about it eh. And yes I am also the Marco Vito Partipilo that called in and was the Head of the family with the 3 mutts. I do want to thank you again for this amazing experience, I will always remember this cruise. I hope to see you again on other carnival cruises.
(John please reply)
Hey there John,
I find my day is not complete without reading your blog!! Is this a common affliction? Does this make me a blogger or bloggee??
Anyways, we are anxiously awaiting the sailing of the Carnival Dream on Oct 3rd. This will be our first time to this area in the Med and I am wondering about the weather and the water slide!! Should it be warm enough for a few slides down into the pool? Would you recommend a rain jacket at this time of year? Could you possibly come and pack for me??
Thanks
Mel
Dear John— Please reply
My fiance and I will be sailing the Legend out of Tampa for our Honeymoon. I can’t wait! He… well, he is having cruiser remorse. He’s starting to regret booking the trip because we have cruised together twice before. He feels like our honeymoon won’t be special enough because it will be like a repeat vacation.
I’ve spent some time over on CruiseCritic.com, researching ways to make this trip special. We will certainly be sitting front row for the Newly Wed / Not-so-Newly Wed Game (that is a souvenir not to be missed if we can make it on the show). We also have a balcony booked for the very first time. I’m looking for other ideas to make this his dream honeymoon.
I basically begged to go on a cruise, and now I feel guilty because I think he is going to be disappointed.
Any suggestions on how to make this trip different than the others??? So he doesn’t feel like he’s missing out or repeating the other vacations?
Thanks in advance– and thank you for your wonderful blog!
Amy
Dear John/Julio,
Just a quick note to tell how much my wife and I enjoyed our “Cruise from Heaven” on the Freedom 8/1/09-8/9-09. Despite the delays and the detours (we hope our fellow passenger is doing well!) you and the entire crew were able to make this one of the most memorable cruises we have taken.
Thank you again and enjoy your time with your family!
JOHN!!!!!! Need your help!!!!!!
I am bringing my Grandkids and Kids along on the Freedon the 15th(17 of us) and it cost ME a bundle! Could you mention them some way on the cruise and give the kids some fun!??? Their last names are all BAKER(15 of them) ours is Sharum(2 of us) They are on the 11th floor-we being smart are on the 10th! Trying to make sure our tables are together too at the 6pm seating.
Give a shout out to them-they will be sooo excited.
been reading your blog-soooo funny-but it sounds like you! Every Carnival ship we’ve been on has had YOU for the director! How funny is that????
This is a once in a lifetime trip for these kids, all struggling just to keep mortages paid with no jobs(thanks GM!)so I’d like to make many memories for them!
Thanks again
Judy
My husband and I would love to take a cruise. But the one obstacle we have is that we are both in wheelchairs. and even though the newer ships are accessible, the ports of ‘call are not.Tenders not accessible, No accessible cabs, no place to rent an acessible van, the tour bussesd are not even accessible. that is alot of money to sit and watch ships come and go, don’t you think. Or we could be like prisoners on the ship. Or second class citizens. Our only hope is that someday we will be able to cruise.
Martha,
There is NO reason you and your husband can’t take a cruise! I for one knows this from first hand experience. I have a scooter and booked the handicap rooms on many Carnival ships. All you have to do is explain you would like a cruise with no tenders and you need a handicap room. There are cruises that do not have to tender. The cabins are huge. You can roll right into bed, or the bathroom and even the shower. As for ports of calls, every port I have been in they have handicap taxi cabs..I have used them.
Also, when booking a shore tour through Carnival they will tell you if it is a handicap accessible tour. I have gone on tours through Carnival. I will be glad to give you any information or answer any questions about cruising! Let me tell you, I have just as much fun if not more than others on the ship! Ask anybody in Big Ed’s Evil Crew, I do more than just sit on a ship and be a prisoner!!!!
Martha,
You said “wheelchairs”. I don’t know if your calling a scooter a wheelchair or you do just have plain wheelchairs. There are places that rent scooters in most port to be used while one your cruise. They deliver them right to the ship for you to use during your cruise.
BIG ED
Man that dose not sound fun!!
Hope they can get a better on in soon.