Well…..I have no words. Heidi is going to get a tattoo………on the side of her ankle ……a small heart……with Kye’s name written through it. Apparently it’s cute and “all the Mum’s are doing it”…………..well all the Dads are going out on Friday nights and having Latvian women do the hokey pokey on their laps………so I guess I can as well then.
I know I am old fashioned but come on…………back in the day, tattoos used to demonstrate that you had been in prison or the navy, but now pretty well everyone I ever see has some kind of art work peeping out of the back of their pants. “Everyone has tattoos these days,” cried my wife down the phone yesterday.
Oh really……….everyone has one do they? Do I have a great white shark with the President of France clenched between huge bloody teeth tattooed on my arse…… of course I don’t.
Of course, when I was 16 I fancied the notion of having a tattoo because I felt it would make me look tough and street wise thus attracting the women and thus attracting bucket loads of rumpy pumpy.
I didn’t for two reasons. First, the law states that you can’t get a tattoo unless you are drunk or adopting a child. Second, a tattoo artist once ran his needle over my forearm to show me just what a painless experience it was. He was lying. It felt like I was being stabbed in slow motion…..so hence I had no tattoo…..no women……and no rumpy pumpy.
We have those Henna tattoo thingies on the ships and wow…….how the kids love them. But to me – and I remind you that this is just my personal opinion – tattoo art is bloody awful. Angelina Jolie (as I expressed in a blog last month) used to be stunning and the constant subject of this blog thingy…………..these days she looks like an Iron Maiden album cover.
It’s also the tattoo artists themselves that make me nervous. I am sure they are nice people but there is no way I am letting a bald 400 pound Hell’s Angel with most of Office Depot’s stockroom stuck through his nose near me with a needle.
I wouldn’t mind, but most proper artists spend weeks thinking about their work and how it should be approached. What you get from the Hell’s Angel is a five-minute consultation and what you end up with is a doodle. Furthermore, most successful artists learnt their craft by wearing berets and walking along river banks eating Tofu.
Still, I realize that I am in the minority because it seems everyone has one these days. One of our blogger friends “Mr. Carnival” even has Fun Ship Freddy tattooed on his body…………now that’s total dedication to Carnival.
Lets crack on with today’s questions………..away we go.
Jetskier Asked:
Hi John,To let you off the hook, someone had already posted the Aruba schedule on Cruise Critic on Oct 14th a full day before you posted on the blog.
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1076166
It seems someone has a better spy.
PLEASE RESPOND.
On the new pull cards, more specifically the raffle. What if the person who wins is a non-drinker and does not have a “bar tab”? Does that mean they have won nothing as there is nothing to pay off? You would probably get more response if the offer was to pay off the S&S account up to $500. I figured I would go ahead and bring this up before you have a guest irate at y’all.
Still have not heard from you if you are going to be in Cozumel on Nov 4th. I was going to treat you to lunch if you were. The Legend and the Holiday are both in port that day.
Take care,
DaveJohn Says:
Hello DaveThis is a good point. I think it would be silly not to admit that this is a great promotion but one we hope will impact our bottom line………..I have to say so far it has proven to be very successful here and the cards have been more popular than the old scratch thingies. The winner last cruise had a bar bill of $340 so he was a very happy man as was the winner of the instant $1,500 prize. However, it is certainly a good idea and one that I am sure others would agree with and one that I will present to the people at the top.
Now, unfortunately I am disembarking the Carnival Legend on November 1. This means that not only will I not be able to meet you both for lunch which would have been a delight, I will now not be able to say goodbye to the Holiday. So, you will have to do this for me.
Can you send Stephanie your cabin number please?
Have a great cruise
Best wishes and hope to see you soon
JohnMaribeth Kring Asked:
Dear John, Please ReplyIf you find out what is causing the cursor to jump around and such please let me know as it is happening to me too and, apparently, my people with beards are not nearly as smart as yours!
Hugs,
Maribeth KringJohn Says:
Hello MaribethThanks so much for the help with my jumping cursor thingy. I got one of our bearded IT guys here to come and fix it and he did. I will call on you next time though.
Thanks again and please let me know if there is anything I can do for you.
Best wishes
JohnLeanne Asked:
(Please respond)Be careful, John! Remember the time you asked, “What the heck is a …….” you were bombarded with Slinkys! It was on the Carnival Triumph out of New York to Nova Scotia 10 years ago (October, 1999). It was my boyfriend (now husband)’s first cruise. The slinky became the running joke of the week. Care to bet how many Pop Tarts you’ll get now? Was that also the same cruise that your suspenders broke on stage and your pants fell down, too? Or, was that a different time? Either way, every cruise with you is an adventure and we look forward to cruising with you (and hopefully your girls) someday soon. In the meantime, I will live vicariously through your blog. I love it. My favorite part is when you post the ridiculous complaints people have on the ship. Everyone makes me laugh. Be well and hello to Heidi & Kye.
John Says:
Hello LeanneAhhh yes……the Slinkies. I once told guests that I didn’t know what one of these contraptions was and so as Leanne says I was bombarded with little buggers………at least 30 of them. I tried the same thing by saying I didn’t know what an Aston Martin was ……..but it never worked.
Well, I see that the wonderful Erik and Sharon sent me everything I ever wanted to know about Pop Tarts and I thank them for that as well. In fact, I received my first box this cruise thanks to blogger Patricia Nelson who is sailing on the Carnival Legend with me this week and I tried a small piece as it wasn’t sugar free…..and I have to say it was very tasty.
Thanks for the kind words. I have superb memories of my time sailing out of New York and I hope we all get to cruise together again very soon.
Best wishes to you all
JohnMary M. Asked:
John, (Please respond)I’ve been considering the Legend for an extended family cruise next August. I’m still waiting on family members to finalize their schedules before booking, but that doesn’t stop me from logging onto the Carnival website frequently to check out prices, etc.
Today when I checked I noticed that the cabin categories have changed! I would love to have an explanation of what each category now represents.
I always thought Carnival’s classifications made so much more sense than some of the other cruise lines…but all of these extra choices are confusing me. (But then it doesn’t take much to confuse me…)
Thanks!John Says:
Hello MaryMy time here on the Carnival Legend is rapidly coming to an end and I will be recapping the many reasons why I have fallen back in love with the Spirit class ships. I know you and your family will feel the same. Anyway, as you requested, here are the categories you requested.
Spirit Class Ships
Interior Cabin categories
Description Old Category New Category
French Door Interior Stateroom (Obstructed View) 4F 4K
Standard Interior 4A – 4E 4A – 4E
Interior Guarantee IS IS
Interior 1A 1AOcean View Cabin Categories
Standard ocean view staterooms are still only available in the 6A category and are located forward and mid-ship on Deck 1 Rivera.Balcony Cabin Categories
Name – Description Old Category New Category
Aft – View Extended Balcony 8I 8M-8N
Extended Balcony 8G – 8H 8J – 8K
Standard Balcony 8A – 8F 8A – 8F
Obstructed View Balcony 7A 7A
Balcony Guarantee BL BLPremium Balconies
Name – Description Old Category New Category
Large Stateroom with Large Balcony 9A 9B
Large Stateroom with Large Obstructed Balcony 9A 9ASuites
Name – Description Old Category New Category
Grand Suite – Large Suite 12 GS
Vista Suite – Wrap Around Balcony 11 VS
Ocean Suite – Large Balcony 11 OS
Junior Suite – Standard Balcony 11 JS
Suite Guarantee ST STIf you have a follow up question, please let me know
Best wishes
JohnKris & Tabby Asked:
John, Please ReplyMy girlfriend and I are cruising on the Inspiration on 11-07. I have 2 questions for you if you can please…. I saw that Felipe is the CD for our trip and just wondered….well I guess I wonder is he a good CD. I have sailed with Wee Jimmy (Loved Him!!) and Steve (also a great CD), and am just curious.
Also, we are looking at another cruise for May on the Valor. My question is what kind of special great fantabulous offers does Carnival offer if you book your next trip while at sea on a ship? I haven’t sailed in about 2 years and just cannot remember.
I lost track of the blog for about a year and unfortunately missed Kye’s birth, but I have been reading back the months past to catch up…. she is simply adorable. I look forward to when you can post pics again!
Thanks,
Kris & TabbyJohn Says:
Hello Kris and TabbyWell girls you have had two brilliant Cruise Directors in Wee Jimmy and Steve and now get ready for a third as Felipe is a also a wonderful CD, He is full of Brazilian charm and I know you will both enjoy his fun personality very much. However, I am not sure if he will indeed be the Cruise Director as the 2010 schedule is still being completed and as soon as it is I will post it here on the blog.
The booking of future cruises is currently only on the Carnival Liberty, Carnival Valor, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Splendor and Carnival Conquest however , you can use your past guest discount when booking your next cruise so don’t forget to do that.
I am sure you will have other questions before you sail so please let me know if I can help answer them.
Best wishes
JohnCindy56 Asked:
John, please reply……I must be completely “daft” (I love that expression as I hear it on Corrie Street all the time…..lol) but I don’t know which ship will have that wonderful trip. Is it the Carnival Dream or another ship?
Cindy56John Says:
Hello Cindy56How do you get to watch Coronation Street? The word “daft” is a Northern term which is pronounced “daaaaft” and means someone is or has acted in a silly way. Now, I am not sure to what tour you refer. Can you please let me know because I feel “daft” not knowing.
Best wishes
JohnDebbie Hansen Asked:
Hi John, (please reply)You mentioned Christopher Alan Graves in a recent blog. We were lucky to see him perform on several of our Carnival cruises and thoroughly enjoyed his performances. Is he still performing on board?
We’re looking forward to celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary aboard the 11/15 sailing of the Carnival Dream. The countdown has begun!
Regards,John Says:
DebbieCongratulations on booking your Carnival Dream for your 25th anniversary. What a wonderful way for you to celebrate this wonderful milestone. Christopher Alan Graves is one of our premier entertainers and still graces the stages of the Carnival Liberty and Carnival Miracle each week. His “Singing with the Big Band” show is brilliant and one of my all time favorites.
Anyway, let me wish you a happy anniversary in advance and hope you have a brilliant cruise.
Best wishes
JohnJeanette Asked:
John, please reply…I am curious, who does the table seatings for the dining room and does it matter if you book a year in advance or six weeks? Does platinum status guarantee you a better table. I have been on nine cruises and not once have I had a table in the center of the lower level of the dining room where the best tables are located. Don’t get me wrong, a window is nice, but do all the platinum guests get the good tables…..er, wait, no they don’t cuz we had a crummy table on the Liberty and Alex was kind enough to move us and Miguel showed us a good time!
Thx!John Says:
Hello JeanetteThis is a good question and I think rather than me answer this I will send it on to Ken Byrne, the companies Senior Maitre D. I have never actually been present when they do the table assignments and although I am pretty sure how it is done I think I should ask Ken just to make sure.
I will post the answer for all to see once Ken sends me his reply.
Thanks for the great question
Best wishes
JohnMark from Alberta Asked:
John Please ReplyI had previously asked about Carnival’s statement about passports needing to be valid 6 months after the end of the cruise.
You had one of your staff check with the US Customs at the port of disembarkation and they stated as long as the passport is valid that we are good to go. However you were going to check further into this as it is stated on Carnival’s web site.
http://johnhealdsblog.com/2009/07/13/kids/
Anyways I have renewed my passport as I would only have four months remaining on my passport for my cruise on the Freedom in February. I asked the Canadian Passport processing officer why Carnival may have made this statement. The answer she provided is “that some countries make this a requirement for entry into their country and if your passport is not valid 6 months from the end of your cruise, you may not be allowed to disembark.”
Sounds plausible, however, you may not have seen or heard this before? I know that each foreign port Carnival visits, Customs officials from that country board the ship to make sure all paperwork and passports are in order…maybe the six month requirement maybe more for countries where there may be a higher risk of someone getting off the ship and not returning with intentions of staying.
My question after all this is…I know a lot of the passengers leave their passports on board the ship. If some terrible or unfortunate issue arises and a passenger is not on a Carnival excursion and they are without passport and perhaps identification (lost or stolen) is there a way for us to contact the ship or the Port Agent for assistance?
John your blog answers so many good questions and many very unknown services and good work done by Carnival staff…the story about the poor couple that had their scooters stolen allegedly by young’uns and vandalized. I was happy to hear how the ship’s technical staff and the ship’s upholsterer tried to make the scooters serviceable again. Keep up the good work! You do it (writing) with such panache and humour (spelled correctly!)
John Says:
Hello MarkThanks for taking the time to post this comment and I am sorry if I did not reply sooner. I do remember posting something about passports some time ago so I am glad that you have given me the chance to clear this up.
I checked with the guest relations manager here on the Carnival Legend about this. They are the people who liaise each cruise with United States Customs and Border Patrol so they have all the latest news. Anyway, the rules in the United States are that for the countries that have the United States Visa Waiver program (Canada, EU countries, UK etc) as long as the passport is within date during the period of travel this is fine. Hope that clears this up for you.
Now, as far as disembarking the ships…………well as you know we do not need photo ID as the guests photo is embedded within your Sail & Sign card cabin key. However, we always recommend that guest take a photo ID ashore. This can be your passport or drivers license, military ID etc. Now, we always recommend that guests take their Carnival Capers ashore with them as well because each port day Caper has the emergency contact details of the agents we use at each destination.
In the case of guests not being onboard at sailing time then there are procedures in place to allow the agent to arrange travel to the next port of call even if the passports are still onboard.
I hope this helps and sorry again for the delay in answering. Thanks for the kind words and please let me know if there is anything I can do for you.
Best wishes
JohnJohn & Susan from Frisco, Tx Asked:
Hey John….Please Reply….It has been a long time since we have written but, we read the blog every day. Susan and I need a favor….we are taking the family cruise I spoke of before, using the winnings from the casino on the Legend last year.
We have spoken with our wonderful PCP and she assures me that she has it taken care of it but, I really want to make sure that our family can all be seated either together or at tables next to each other at dinner. We will be going on the Conquest out of Galveston on the October 25th. Do you need the others numbers as well? I can provide them.
Thanks for anything you can do for us.
By the way, I read with great interest the negative response you got when you honored our service people. As a former Marine, I would say someone does not understand that “Freedom is not free”!
Some are willing to pay the price and some are willing to let them!One other thing…..when Susan and I left the bloggers cruise we decided to follow your lead and go on a diet. We started in February and Susan has now lost 60lbs (and is getting skinny) and I have lost 100lbs and still have a ways to go. Man on man what I would give for a big greasy hamburger. Anyway, I noticed you hadn’t mentioned your progress lately and wondered if you would fill us in?
Please give Heidi and Kye our best. They are two beautiful people!
John Says:
Hello John and SusanThank you for reading the blog so often and I am glad you have given me the chance to say hello. I did e mail the Maitre D so I hope that he took care of your request. I managed to see this on the day you sailed so I am a little concerned that it may have been too late. Please let me know.
Congratulations on your diet and my goodness you have both lost loads of weight which is extraordinary. My progress is a little slower but still going well and I am determined to keep the faith.
Thanks again for all the kind words and I hope you had a brilliant time
Best wishes to you both
JohnJanice & Harvey Asked:
Please reply…..John, so sorry to read that the only place you found to eat at in Tampa was Hooters. Now, I admit, we BOTH like it but there are so many more charming places. So…the next time you “land” & are hankering for a great place to eat, please give us a call! We will meet you at the Port (we live about 15 minutes away) and take you to a GREAT place to eat & drink & get you back to the ship on time. Plus it would be great if you could smuggle me on board and tell everyone that I was your sister.
One other thing…we sailed on the Legend in Sept, loved it, and have now converted back to CCL fans, instead of RCCL. (We are avid cruisers, take at least two a year (and no, we’re not retired) and can’t think of a better vacation.) We had such a great time & Jen was fabulous as the CD and the Legend was beautiful. We’re already trying to decide our next cruise…Dream or one with you as the CD.
Take care,
Harvey & JaniceJohn Says:
Hello Harvey and JaniceI am sure as you said that Tampa has many finer eating establishments than Hooters but it was quick and easy and there were many breasts to look at.
My time here in Tampa was too short and I know if I stayed here for a full contract I could have spent each Sunday meeting my blog friends for fine company and good food. But alas, it’s time for me to bugger off again but I truly hope to be back one day. I was so glad to read that the Carnival Legend won your hearts back to Carnival. I hope therefore to see you onboard one day soon……..I will be on your Carnival Dream in February and March. I hope you will be to.
Best wishes to you both
JohnJohn Rhoades Asked:
John… Please reply on blog.I will be sailing on the Carnival Dream on May 1st, and would like information on a VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC!! What are the hours for the mini-golf course??? Can someone send a copy of the scorecard so that we can see the course layout in detail? A bet of a Drink-Of-The Day rides on the outcome of 18 holes and I must win!!! Oh yeah… love the blog thingy andPopTarts RULE!!!
John Says:
Hello JohnWow, you guys are taking this golf thing very seriously. I will ask the ship to send me a copy of the scorecard and I will then post it here on the blog thingy for you. The hours are 8 am – 8 pm at the moment all though this may change to later hours once the ship is the Caribbean. Did you see the photo on yesterday’s blog? As you can see it’s very popular. So, may the best man or woman win and I hope that’s you!
I will be back later with the scorecard thingy.
Best wishes
JohnLadyJag (Laura) Asked:
Dear John, (please reply, if you have time)Thank you for another great blog! Can I get a note for work, too? I need someone to explain to the big cheeses at my job that an immediate long Carnival cruise vacation will prevent my sudden and painful blindness, as my current projects are causing me to poke my own eyes out.
In answer to your question about what shows I would like to see more of, at the top of my list are the impromptu shows like the marriage game and the Welcome Aboard show. I also enjoy a good comedy, and my husband and I were both very impressed by the magic act, Justin Illusion, on board the Carnival Glory this past May. In fact, the next night we asked the producer (is that his correct job title?) in the sound booth where we could score a copy of the incredible soundtrack used in his performance, and were disappointed that the soundtrack was unavailable.
Anyway, I wanted to suggest a show that I saw 5 years ago on the Carnival Miracle. Todd was the cruise director for that cruise, and Big Tex was the ACD.
One particular night, the comedian who was supposed to board the ship to do the R-rated comedy show had a family emergency and missed the ship. Rather than cancel the show, though, Todd and Big Tex rounded up a 3-4 other crew members (including a dancer named Barbie), and they all performed an improv “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” audience participation type of show.
John, my face was soaking wet with tears from laughing so hard that night! It was so hilarious and so much fun, I have to say it was the best show I’ve seen on any of my 5 cruises. After all, how can you not laugh watching Big Tex and Todd performs a crazy skit in the style of Japanese anime?
So do you think such a show can be added to the current Carnival onboard entertainment schedule? That is, if Todd doesn’t mind other cruise directors “stealing” another one of his ideas. (Didn’t you mention once that he was the originator of the Carnival Colors Lounge Hop too?)
Thank you,
LauraJohn Says:
Hello LauraAnytime you need a sick note please let me know. I am a huge lover of improv and given the right circumstances and the right people to perform it with it can be very funny indeed. I remember once I did this with comedians Al Ernst and Lewis Nixon and we had so much fun. Improv though is not easy to do but when it’s done right it is definitely something our guests would certainly enjoy.
I have not done this for a long time but now we have the Comedy Club on your Carnival Dream it is certainly something I can do when I am there next year.
Cruise Directors “borrow” from each other all the time. I have been “borrowed” many times and as long as it benefits the guests I don’t really mind.
So, thanks for the reminder about this and I will pass your comments along to Todd and Big Tex.
Maybe you will indeed see some improv nights across the fleet one day soon.
Best wishes
JohnMeowsmurphy Asked:
Hi John; (Please Reply)We are finally back on an even keel and I am writing to tell you what an awesome time we had on the 10-4 Carnival LegEnd (Legend) sailing. This was our first experience with you as a CD and I’ll tell you…NO ONE can compare…your quick wit and humor are amazing.. I had taken the time to write you that we were taking our 2 granddaughters with us for their 16th birthday presents. I had asked if perhaps you could get the captain to send them a birthday wish to make their cruise extra special…NEVER in my wildest dreams did I think you would be so clever… When you (Pietro) called them on the phone and pretended to be from the purser’s desk and telling them that someone had seen a cat in their cabin…I thought I would die laughing…what was even more amazing is that they fell for it HOOK, LINE and SINKER…you could hear them on the phone telling the other one to go check the balcony and the corridor like you asked…We have never laughed so much …Their grandfather’s name is John and as you know they thought he was playing a trick on them…I had to explain that it wasn’t him, but you who played the prank..All of us were amazed to see it replayed on the “Morning Show” and I went so far as to video tape it off the TV so that their parents could laugh as much as we did…again…it was simply amazing..They are STILL talking about it…on another note…thank you for the bottle of champagne you sent for our anniversary…it was delicious and I meant to write down the name so that we could buy a bottle for New Year’s Eve…do you happen to know the name?
In closing…may I say we will be watching your CD schedule so that we can sail with you again…Oh and our new catch phrase is “with venom”
Our best to you, Heidi and Kye
John and Mary-Ellen WigginsJohn Says:
Hello John and Mary – EllenI have to admit that my Pietro the Italian Purser impression was pretty pathetic. I started out slightly Italian but a few minutes into the call Pietro had become Patel and had moved from Rome to Bombay.
Anyway, the girls did indeed fall for it and it made for great TV. Please thank them for me.
It was an honor to have you all onboard for what I hope was a brilliant cruise vacation.
Thank you so much for those kind words and I hope to see you and the family again very soon.
Best wishes to you all
JohnDorothy Asked:
John, Please reply.I have a penthouse suite booked on the Carnival Imagination for February and was wondering why there were no modified penthouse suites? I have only stayed in a cat.11 suite on the Carnival Splendor last December, it was modified and talking about room, there was plenty, wish I could book one every cruise we take. Also about the comment on you being away from your family, you are not alone.
I have a son who is 24 and spends the week working out of town. He has to do this to make a living for his family. They do miss him, but when he comes home on Thursday evening, he spends the whole weekend with them. Also I wish the young couple the very best. I was married at 17, hubby was 20, we have been married for 33 years and they said it wouldn’t last, and I don’t plan on getting rid of him at any time, he is a keeper.
Thanks for this wonderful blog, I read it every day, you do a wonderful job.
John Says:
Hello DorothyThank you for the kind words. Working away from home is so difficult as your son will know firsthand. Anyway, there are two styles of penthouses on the Carnival Imagination. Please can you send me your booking number so I can see which cabin you are in and therefore send you the correct description? Regardless of which one you are in I promise they will be very roomy indeed.
I am so glad you enjoy the blog and I hope that continues for a long time to come.
Best wishes
JohnDenise Asked:
Dear John (Please Reply)That is very happy news about a Carnival ship going to Aruba…but my question is WHICH SHIP ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? Did I miss it somewhere in the blog?
Thanks for all the laughs and information!
DeniseJohn Says:
Hello DeniseSorry………..I realized after I had posted the news about Carnival returning to Aruba that I had forgotten to say which ship……..bugger. It is of course the Carnival Miracle and from what I hear bookings are very strong. It’s a great itinerary and I hope it is one you get to enjoy.
Best wishes
John
That’s all for today and there will of course be more tomorrow. So, as you know we had some issues issues with two deck 8 cabins which we had advertised as wrap balconies but had been built with partitions. Well, as I had mentioned yesterday, the work has now been completed and I thought you might like to see how these cabins look now… so ……. here they are.
So, here we are in Belize and another beautiful but windy day. The tenders are bobbing around waiting to take guests to ashore. It’s so windy in fact that we have had to close the water slide. But, the sun is shining and even with the wind it’s very humid. The guests are having a good time although this is one of those weeks where scheduling everything is rather difficult. You see, we have the new cast learning the shows and they need all the lounge time they can get plus we have the Aqua Fest group who has the Firebird Lounge for much of the cruise.
Then, I have an extra entertainer this week in the brilliant Marcus Anthony whose Motown show is remarkable. I also need to schedule the Carnival Legends show and of course on Saturday we need to have the 10:30 pm show time slot for our Halloween festivities of which I shall be writing about tomorrow. This means that unfortunately my talent show and bedtime story won’t be performed this week………….bugger.
I hope all of you New York and New Jersey bloggers saw yesterday’s blog in which I invited you all to breakfast at the Rocka thingy center. Please send your RSVP’s to one of the 343 Stephanies so we know how much breakfast to order.
I love breakfast. It is my favorite meal of the day and it seems it’s the one meal onboard where despite the dining rooms being open………..mostly all our guests prefer to eat on Lido Deck. Why is that? Can you tell me? Do you ever eat in the dining room for breakfast…..if not, why not?
In the UK, a full English breakfast is most common. That’s bacon, eggs, sausages and fried bread. That’s about it……….it’s that………or toast.
But I have learnt that in America, breakfast has more options than a bloody Eye Phone. I still am in awe at all the things we offer at breakfast on the Carnival ships……. waffles, omelet’s, pancakes, French toast, fruits, cereals, bagels, muffins, pastries, oatmeal, smoked salmon, cream cheese, breakfast potatoes, sausages, bacon, fried, scrambled and Benedicted eggs and of course everyone’s favorite……….grits. Not to mention the juices and variations on a theme of coffee and breads. Wow, sounds amazing, doesn’t it? ………… or ……………does it?
Guest: Mr. ———–Ref: 828010443A
Cabin: ____Booking#: ____Added-Changed: 10/28/09 – 10/28/09
NOT HAPPY WITH BREAKFAST CHOICES
Mr. ——– came to the GSD to say that he was not happy with the breakfast choices. Mr. ______said that compared to other cruise lines the choice was not good enough.
Tasked to F and B Manager
Now, I was going to call this chap to see what other breakfast choices we could offer. I checked to see if he was a United States citizen and indeed he is. I did this to just to make sure there were no “ethnic” choices that we may have forgotten. Before I call him though I thought I would ask you. What am I missing…..what are we missing? Can you help me? What do you think he is talking about and what by the way do you think of our breakfast choices? Please let me know.
I have a prediction. I will probably fart in the next 30 minutes……..OK…….that wasn’t it ………….here it is. Last night my Miami Heat beat the New York Knickers and therefore I predict that my Miami Heat will play the LA Shakers in the NBA finals and Miami will win. The end!
I was also approached yesterday by a guest who wanted to hold a seminar onboard. I get this a lot. Guests want to hold seminars on all kinds of subjects from weight loss to finance to photography. While many of these would be beneficial to the guests some are not because they result in the guest trying to sell a product afterwards. That’s why we always have these pre-approved by our friends in Miami. When they are good they are very, very good but when they are not……well they can be spectacularly bad and as CD you are responsible. You are the one in charge of entertainment and you are the one who have told the guests “this is good, come and see it.”
So yesterday, a guest wrote to me saying that she was Florida’s top Horoscope Star Sign Reader thingy and she wanted to set up in a lounge and tell everyone their horoscope …………………….. ummmm…………….no.
I am sure she was legitimate but I don’t want someone telling our guests that they will die in a freak accident involving a George Foreman grill. Plus as expected she had books she wanted to sell as well. I was very kind in saying thanks but no thanks but suggested she could write to Carnival asking that she have prior permission to do this ahead of time.
I hope I am not offending anyone here when I say that I personally believe it clearly bonkers to believe that the movements of giant lumps of rock spinning through space a couple of billion miles away will somehow dictate my personality, or what job you get, or whether you will get any rumpy pumpy. It is stark raving mad, the equivalent of believing that the Queen had Princess Di whacked or that it won’t take an horrendous amount of time to get guests on and off the Shopping Mall Of The Seas in every port. I am quite convinced of the inherent nuttiness of the horoscope pages.
Why, then, do so many people read them? Can someone explain this because maybe it’s me that’s bonkers. Maybe Saturn will get me upgraded to first class when I fly to Bermuda and perhaps Uranus will cure my Hemorrhoids.
Goodnight
Your friend
John
Filed under: Bloggers Cruise, Caribbean, Destinations, Tales from the Ship, Travel | Tagged: Carnival Conquest, Carnival Dream, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Imagination, Carnival Legend, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Splendor, Carnival Valor, Holiday
Hi John, (please reply)
We try to eat breakfast in the dining room when we can because we like the overall atmosphere and prefer a sit down meal instead of the buffet. But there are times when we get up too late to make the dining room times so we do go to the buffet. As long as you ask for regular whole eggs instead of the liquid for omelets and scrambled eggs it’s fine. There are enough choices but biscuits and gravy would be a good addition.
I’m glad the dividers were moved on the two deck 8 aft wraps to make them actual wrap cabins. That should make people happy but can anything be done about the size of the cabin itself since it’s so small?
Who is the Maitre d’ on the Carnival Inspiration for the Dec. 10 cruise? Also who is the CD? We are doing the 4 day cruise for George’s birthday and are looking forward to it.
Enjoy your last few days on the Carnival Legend.
Linda & George
You don’t seem to mind Megan Fox’s tattoos….Heidi – show us a pic when it’s done! (I can’t help but notice John that she’s not getting your name.)
Hi John,
We use to always eat breakfast at least once, no matter which cruise line we were on, in the dining room, mainly because we wanted to try items that might not be at the buffet. However, we almost always get seated at breakfast with “that” couple/family that seems to think the breakfast table (filled with strangers) is the place to sort out their issues. After each experience we would tell each other – nope, no more, but we’d continue to go back. After our last cruise, we have decided to stick with breakfast on the Lido deck.
By the way – On our Carnival Splendor cruise, I think there was plenty of choices for everyone at the buffet, and the food was very good.
Thanks for the blog thingy!
Clair
John, maybe corn beef hash. Pat and I love it but have never seen it on the Lido breakfast.
JOHN PLEASE REREAD THIS Q&A
I think you got something mixed up
Maribeth Kring Asked:
Dear John, Please Reply
If you find out what is causing the cursor to jump around and such please let me know as it is happening to me too and, apparently, my people with beards are not nearly as smart as yours!
Hugs,
Maribeth Kring
John Says:
Hello Maribeth
Thanks so much for the help with my jumping cursor thingy. I got one of our bearded IT guys here to come and fix it and he did. I will call on you next time though.
Thanks again and please let me know if there is anything I can do for you
Best wishes
John
Big ED
I wish I could be at the Blogger’s Breakfast on 11/7 – unfortunately, there are a handful of weekends I need to be at work, and 11/7 is one of them. Otherwise, I’d be there in a heartbeat!
We have 10 cruises with Carnival, and we have never had breakfast in the dining room. Only the Lido buffet – and at one of the open deck tables to boot. We just love getting up in the morning (not too early) and finding a table with a view and air. Even on our Canada cruises! We haven’t done breakfast on our balcony yet, but since we have an aft wrap on Conquest for February, I’m looking forward to letting husband and one or more of our sons treat me to a balcony breakfast.
John please reply….
Don and I are sitting here discussing why we don’t go to the dining room more often for breakfast. Well it’s more like we are discussing it during commercials as he is watching the World’s Series.
We can’t come up with an answer, other than he sits on the Lido deck and drinks coffee while I shower, dress, fix hair and makeup. So when I join him we just eat there. I’m not much of a breakfast type food eater. I’d just as soon eat spaghetti for breakfast. Guess that comes from having food allergies which includes eggs as well as milk products.
What are you missing in the way of breakfast food? Biscuits and gravy. Not the biscuits that we had on one ship, but biscuits like McDonald makes for instance. They had biscuits on one ship and they were about an inch square and did not resemble anything like any biscuit that I have ever had, nor did they taste like one either. Sorry to say your chefs are lacking in the biscuit department.
There is one thing that I have had a problem with. Lactaid milk. They had it on the Carnival Freedom, but did not have it on the Carnival MS Holiday. I called before we sailed on the Carnival MS Holiday to make sure they had it on the ship and was assured they always have it. Unfortunately they did not. I have already called and asked special needs department if the Carnival Dream would have it and was once again assured that all Carnival ships always have it. …..NOT.
I know you have to ask for it as it only comes in half gallon containers and there is no posting that it is available.
So if you would, could you ask the powers that be on the Carnival Dream to make sure that they have it so I can have my cereal and banana for breakfast? If need be I can bring 1/2 gallon and keep it in the fridge in our room along with my cheese, butter, and coffeemate that I already bring. But it would seem that other’s, besides myself, would use it for cereal, coffee, etc.
The brand name is Lactaid milk, which is milk that is lactose free. Not soy milk….
You’re looking good. I can tell you have lost more weight since we saw you in July.
Don’s grandaughter is to have a C section tomorrow, 10/31, and we will have a new great grandaughter. So this makes him 2 great grandaughters and 2 great grandsons. I share his since I don’t have any yet.
I know you and Heidi are counting down the days until you get to fly home for a few days before you host the BC3. Thank you for sharing your time with us on the BC so close to Christmas and missing your anniversary. And thanks to Heidi for so unselfishlessly sharing you with us.
We look forward to seeing you in a few weeks on our Carnival Dream.
Hugs to you and Heidi, and cuddles and kisses to beautiful Kye.
Carolyn…….. counting the days until the BC3
Dear John,
Thank you very much for your reply! I am very excited to see the comedy shows on the Carnival Dream in May, and hope that at least one night will offer an improv show.
In answer to your question about breakfast in the main dining room, I have to say we prefer the Lido deck. We tried the main dining room for breakfast only once on our last cruise, and had terrible service and undercooked eggs.
It took us at least twice as long to eat breakfast in the main dining room that one morning as it did on the Lido deck the other 6 days of the cruise. Our server that morning just wasn’t attentive at all, as multiple (and very polite, I might add) requests for things like coffee and toast were never filled. My mom was served undercooked eggs, and by the time we spotted our server again to ask for new ones, the rest of the meal was stone cold.
Plus, we travel with my 3-year-old, and she was getting pretty restless just sitting there, waiting for the everyone to finish the [long-awaited] meal. So we learned that breakfast on the Lido deck was far better for everyone in our group – my picky daughter could get one of the eight or so foods she will actually eat, my mom gets fully cooked eggs from the omelet station, and everyone is finished and ready to start the day in a reasonable timeframe.
Thanks for letting everyone weigh in on this, and I can’t wait to meet you in January!
Laura
Hey John…hmmm…tattoos and why am I responding…wow.
You know me and I don’t have one…and you know my wife who is a conservative banker for more than 25 years and she indeed has one…and just recently got her second at 50+ and took along her older sister for her first.
I agree, I don’t know why…but certainly know better than to intercede, yes the ankle is in vogue (her latest)…so I guess it’s best we enjoy and not seriously ponder. More important fish to fry…I think…would love to hook up for breakfast on 11/7 but timing is tight…will surely see you on board 12/3.
Cheers, Ray & Deb
P.S. Heidi — go for it and enjoy
Oh John!!! Now you have me craving Carnival’s breakfast! We always eat in the dining room! We love it!
We will get coffee, a croissant for me and a bagel for hubby sent from room service before we get ready for our fun day. Then up to the dining room for a excellent breakfast with perfect service!
I couldn’t imagine adding anything more to the menu….. it’s perfect and I have no idea what Mr. Picky could want added to it!
Thanks for making me think of those awesome apple danish crossant type thingies that you have onboard! *sigh* just when my post cruise depression was starting to settle down! =)
Tattoo…. I want one but I can’t decide what I want…. so I am tattoo-less also! It’s been over 20 years of trying to think of what I want. I guess I won’t get one either!
Have a great weekend and Happy Halloween!! Did Heidi get Kye a costume??
Steph
John:
I am with you on the “horror” scopes.
I figure I am “bullet proof” until God decides otherwise and if He decides otherwise…there is nothing I can do about it. He has done a fabulous job with all the blessings I have in my life. I will continue to leave it up to Him.
The only improvement to the Lido breakfast (for me personally) would be French Toast every day …. instead of rotating it with the pancakes.
On the days that Lido does not have French Toast…I simply go to the Main Dining Room.
But I prefer the Lido, because at that hour of the morning….I usually don’t have on a lot of makeup…and me without makeup would not be fair to all the other passengers who would lose their appetite.
So glad Carnival got the balcony thing worked out.
When you see Bill, please tell him how thrilled we all are to see all the pictures of the Dream he has posted. He has definately found his calling!!
Linda (Mom of your friend DJ)
John – PLEASE REPLY
I posed a question the other day regarding suite rooms 9205/6 on the Conquest style ships. After reading todays blogs, I noticed that there are new categories within the Category 11 rooms.
As I said before, we are booked on the Carnival Liberty in room 9206, which was at the Category 11 rate. However, since booking, I noticed that 9206 is now labeled as a JS, or Junior Suite which is with a standard size balcony.
Since there are three different sub groups within the Category 11’s, shouldn’t there be three different price groups, as with the other cabin types?
I still feel that we got the bum end of the deal, since the picture of the cabins 9205/6 look like full size balconies, however you have to read all of the fine print to realize that these two cabins have standard size balconies, even though you pay the same amount for the cabin as someone who gets a wrap-around balcony-suite.
Thanks for your time.
We’ll probably be on the Carnival Liberty when you respond to this, but might be good for the future cruisers.
Austin Carroll
Can’t wait for 11/7/09!!
Ok John, if they get a Legends show this week, we NEED PICTURES!!!
BTW: Markus Anthony was fantastic! (As was the band with him!)
John,
it really amazes me how dumb people are. I am a nurse and I see this on a daily basis. But try to bring an iguana, getting a refund because of a mosquito, and not enough food for breakfast. You have got to be kidding me! People in the hospital wnat spa treatment, pedicures, Do we have pay per view! We are sailing on the Dream Jan 9! Can’t wait. We did get to see her in April on our way to Croatia and would to do the the behind the scenes tour. What are your comments on the new Disney Dream?
Lexi
John, with reference as to why guests tend to eat at the Lido deck instead of the dining room, here are my two cents worth.
1. I have found that the food tends to be cold
2. By virtue of being waited upon, the meal has a rushed feeling.
3. The wait staff, while always professional seem, to have a “I really have nothing to gain by being too pleasant” attitude. This is not always the case, but I would have to say 90% of the time. This is really evident on those rare occasions when the waiters that are assigned to your dinner table happen to serve you at breakfast; you can see a more positive attitude since they know they will be seeing you later.
4. I don’t think people don’t necessarily want to sit with other strangers for one meal and hate to appear to be antisocial and ask for a table for just them. Again, because you are not herded to an area that corals everyone together a slight “perceived” attitude comes from the wait staff.
5. I think the relaxed atmosphere of the Lido deck is a greater attraction than the structured atmosphere in the dining room.
6. The menu is limited and seems to be the same for every (past 20) cruise.
7. The style in which you can have your eggs cooked is limited.
8. Lastly, people are usually dressed to go off the ship/sun bathe and maybe underdressed for the Dining room.
John, I know this has been touched on before about breakfast. The only thing I can’t find on C.C.L. is biscuits & gravy (yummy) The only reason to go to the dinning room in the morning is for eggs benedict ( also yummy) People are in a rush in the morning, thats another reason they don’t go to the dinning room. I know I haven’t posted for a while but my wife & I have been traveling around the world. We are now home for a while until Jan 9 when we sail on the Dream. By the way. Took a cruise down the Yangtze river in China with Victoria Cruises. Unlike any cruise I’ve ever been on. Can’t wait to get back on Carnival. Larry & Connie
No Heide don’t do it! I’m with you John, great if you’re a navvy with arms like Popeye, but I’m afraid I loathe them on a woman! The amount of pretty ladies I see in summer dresses or tops and nice saldals, ruined by the vile drawing of ink on their skin – what do they think this will look like when they’re old? Ugh.
John, We hate to break your bubble but the Orlando Magic will be back in the finals again! One thing I have noticed about breakfast in the lido is it is fast which we like however sometimes finding a seat can be a nightmare!
Big Fans as allways,
Frank and Bridie
I just wanted to let you know that my family (me, my husband, and my two sons 11 and 5) eat breakfast in the dining room every morning when on board the ship. I think it is a much more relaxing way to start the day, having someone bring me anything I could possibily want. It beats the heck out of the lido deck where one of the kids in wanting something every 5 minutes; it seems that one of us is always gone from the table and we don’t really get to enjoy the meal together. The only thing that would make it better is if it could somehow be open air…which, I know, being the dining room, is not possible. Perhaps that is the draw on the Lido deck?
Anyway, I too have heard people comment that there aren’t enough breakfast options. I just don’t get it. Carnival offers just about every “standard American” breakfast option I can think of. So, my conclusion is this – what people are hoping for with breakfast from the dining room is something that is not found on the lido deck. I think they are expecting it to be as “fru fru” as lunch and dinner (don’t get me wrong – I love fru fru too!). I am thinking they want what you would get in some bistro for brunch (which would also be a fantastic offering – particularly on sea days!); they might have some fancy breakfast sandwiches, or a million different types of pancakes. Hope that helps. Love the blog thingy…keep up the good work!
John – I’m with you on the tattoo thing. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one who doesn’t think people should do this. I keep thinking about what that tattoo is going to look like on a person’s body when they age another 40 years! As far as the breakfast – I can’t imagine what would be missing from the breakfast buffet. I think Carnival has a huge selection of breakfast items. I do wish they would redesign the “made to order omelet” area to make it more accessible. As far as eating breakfast in the dining room, maybe it isn’t as popular because you don’t have quite the selection available on the breakfast menu like you do at the breakfast buffet. Maybe this is what your unhappy guest was referring to????
John
On the recent cruise we had tea and toast in our sateroom, I class that as typical English Breakfast fayre…(wish the water would be boiling so the tea would brew better, but I understand safety..lol)
That was fine for us, if we wanted more we would go and get it…
As for the people missing you Legends show, that is a pity, and there again…How is your foot..?? I have never seen an English Man being ridden so hard in a long time !!!! and dont forget ‘who’s the daddy…?’
Gaz
My wife also has a tattoo on her ankle of a cross with two flowers. The petals of the flowers are blowing away. The two flowers represent our two children. The blowing petals represent that time is fleeting.
For breakfast, most of us on the Gulf Coast sailings miss a true biscuit and gravy for breakfast. We have yet to see a real biscuit on any ship that we have sailed upon.
Dave
Hi John
When we travelled around South America on the Carnival Splendor earlier this year we initially ate in the Lido almost every breakfast and lunch time, but after 2-3 weeks we became devoted dining room patrons for both breakfast and lunch. Why? Because there’s so MUCH good food in the Lido – and in the dining room the food is just as good, but you’re not totally surrounded by it. In addition, you have a chance to meet so many nice people when you share a table in the dining room – it’s a win-win situation. Sometimes we went to the Lido for Mongolian bbq or delicious Indian food, but a calm breakfast with pleasant people was a delight – and it was good for our waistlines!
Hi John-
Just a quick note on your breakfast questions-
1) On my first cruise, I went to the dining room for breakfast to try it out. My cabin-mate- two twenty-something guys were escorted to a table for ten. Our tablemates were all couples, older, married. While I enjoy meeting people, the experience was very awkward. First off, I hadn’t had my morning coffee yet so I wasn’t prepared to be a great conversationalist, and many of the people had a personality as dry as the unbuttered toast! Of course, they hadn’t had their coffee yet either.
So, I prefer the more leisurely atmosphere on the lido. Maybe I will try the dining room for breakfast on the dream, and request a table for two this time…
2) As for the breakfast options- seriously?? I can’t imagine what else this guy would want. Although I still think that waffle bar idea that I wrote about before would be a big hit. You know, waffles made fresh just like at many hotels, with all the toppings there for us to finish off as we please.
We always eat in the dining room for breakfast. It is nice to be waited on and the french toast is great. Maybe he wants lunch or dinner food for breakfast and has not enough patience to wait until the appropriate time to eat those particular foods….. hhmmm…makes one wonder though.
John please reply:
I wanted to pass along some feedback about the Early Saver program.
I love the intent of this program. In exchange for my early commitment, in the form of a non-refundable deposit, to sail, I am guaranteed the lowest price for my cabin category on that sailing.
The process is supposed to be that if I notice an advertised fare that is lower than my existing booking, I fill out a form at carnival.com. It states that within two business days, I will receive a response.
The problem that I and many others on Cruise Critic have noted is that the responses are very inconsistent. When you fill out the form, there is no confirmation number, or no email verification, or anything. You have no proof that you submitted the request, and there is no way to see if it has been received or where it is in the process.
To make matters worse, sometimes a response is received within the stated time frame and sometimes it isn’t. So many of us have just decided to keep submitting it, until eventually we get an email from Carnival saying that the request is approved.
So, in short- while many of us love the program. The implementation needs work. At a minimum, when a request is submitted, an email should be sent so we have verification. Ideally, there should be a tracking number assigned and a way for us to look up the request to check on its status.
I am sure the people with beards could make this happen.
Thanks for listening and for all you do!!
John,
My favorite place to eat breakfast is on a Carnival ship. I would choose Carnival breakfast everyday if I could!! I enjoy the Libido(sorry my name for it) deck breakfast as well as the dining room. We have eaten in both. Your selections are outstanding and as I said I would choose Carnival breakfast daily over any other place.
John,
Not sure what the guest was expecting, but I think the breakfast choices on the ship are more than sufficient.
I normally just have a light breakfast from room service but if I want something more than that I will head to the omelette station or the dining room for breakfast.
Another great blog!
Melissa
Dear John,
First I’d like to say that I love your blog. It has the ability to brighten even the dullest day at work. Thanks for that and keep it up.
My husband and I have only ever been on one cruise (the Carnival Freedom in 2007) and I can honestly say that I’ve never been on a more AWSOME holiday in my life. It was our honeymoon and it was an experience I will never forget.
To answer your question about the breakfast… We tried both the Lido deck and the dining room for breakfast and preferred the Lido deck for a reason that, I’m afraid, has absolutely NOTHING to do with the food! We loved being able to smell the fresh air and watch with excitement as the next AWSOME destination slowly crept up on us and got bigger and bigger as the ship got closer to the port. We didn’t want to miss anything!!
As for the selection of food, I can’t think of anything that Carnival hadn’t thought of. I’m South African and I found the selection almost to much to comprehend. I especially loved the pastries (croissants and cinnimon buns, etc) as this is something we were not used having for breakfast. Maybe for an afternoon tea or a snack on special occasions. I’m afraid since getting back from our cruise we are no longer satisfied with the same thing for breakfast day in and day out like we used to be. It’s bagels one day, croissants the next, and don’t get me started on the pancakes (what we in South Africa call flapjacks).
So I really don’t know what this man is on about. Tell him to stop complaining and be greatful that he can afford going on all those cruises that he is now trying to compare.
Best Wishes
Surita
John:
One other thing…..about 2 months ago you announced that Platinum members would still get the ship pins.
We were on the Valor and went to Guest Services to get a pin. They had no clue what we were talking about.
Several others are reporting the same thing on Cruise Critic from various ships.
Do you know when they are going to start giving them to Platinum members?
Thanks
Linda (Mom of your friend DJ)
I have to agree about the tattoo but it seems most people don’t agree with us. I put it in the same category as piercings.
I’m so sad that I won’t be able to get to New York for the festivities as this is such an exciting time. I am however patiently waiting for my turn on the beautiful Carnival Dream.
As for the parents that left their children alone in the cabin–shame on them. Although I think the older one is capable of staying alone at home, a cruise ship is an entirely different situation and in my opinion presents a grave danger with children being children.
John, I agree with you regarding tatoos, I just don’t get why people want something on their body that will be there forever. What’s going to happen when they are 80 years old, with very wrinkley skin, what will that tatoo look like then. At least Heidi is choosing something small and in an inconspicuous place. Anyway, about breakfast, my husband and I almost always eat in the MDR, because we enjoy meeting and talking to different people every morning. It’s fun to hear what they did in the ports the day before and what they have planned for the day. We only eat breakfast on the Lido when we’ve decided to sleep in on Sea Days.
Thanks for all the questions you answer on your blog thingy everday, as it is very informative. Have a great day! Linda
Hello John,
I don’t have any tattoos either. I could never think of anything I’d want on my body when I was 80 years old. Heidi’s tattoo would be really small. Kye is only three letters. Good thing you didn’t name her Rumplestiltskin.
We almost always have breakfast on the lido deck, because of the time issue. We either slept in, in which case it was too late to eat breakfast in the dining room, or we had to hurry and go on a shore excursion, so there was no time to eat in the dining room. The only difference is really the Eggs Benedict. Anything else you can get up on the lido deck. Years ago I was in line for an omelette up on the lido and I was standing behind someone from England. She asked, “can we get cooked eggs?” He said, “Yes, ma’am.” Ever since I have been getting my eggs “over medium” at the omelette station on the lido deck. By the way, if you usually get them “over easy” at home, be sure to ask for “over medium”. “Over light” will get you really runny egg whites. If you want the yolks and whites cooked all the way through, ask for over hard. I wonder if the passenger who complained took the time to walk all around and find the cut up fruit and the pastries that are in the center? Or to find the omelette guy? I bet he didn’t.
Your Friend,
Cheryl D.
John,
Please reply,
Thanks for offering to check out the penthouse suite for us.
We are booked on the Carnival Imagination for February 1, 2010. There are 4 of us in the suite, my dad, one sister, Gene and myself. Thanks again for the offer to check it out for us, have a nice weekend.
John,
I’m never sure what other people want for more choices for breakfast. I think there are plenty of choices. I have enough trouble not eating too much as it is. I would eat in the dining room more often but my hubby prefers the Lido. (He’s one of the reasons there are the bacon police! He does eat all on his plate though).
Never read the horoscopes unless I’m really bored.
KathyG
John, you asked about breakfast in the dining room…..It is wonderful. We have always eaten at the Lido Deck for breakfast on our past seven cruises until this year when we sailed on the Carnival Freedom, which we loved, for our eighth cruise. I read on CC how great the dining room was for breakfast so I wanted to try it this time. We went the first morning and never went back to the Lido Deck for breakfast and my husband enjoyed the dining room so well that he said he would always go to the dinng room for breakfast. We are searching for our cruise for next year. I want to go on the Carnival Dream however my husband was looking at the Southern itiniaries last night.
Breakfast in the dinning room? Yes, almost every time. The reason- the Lido deck is crowded, you have to stand in line and serve yourself. I’m on vacation… I’m going to the dinning room where I can get the same foods served to me and be able to enjoy the company of other people. You tend to meet new friends this way. But we do eat on Lido deck when we are in port early and don’t have the time for a sit down breakfast. I’m sure many people eat on the Lido deck because they are not getting up early enough to catch the dinning room version (although I noticed on our last cruise that they seemed to serve breakfast later than “normal” which is great!) Some don’t want to be bothered in getting showered and dressed first (thank goodness those people stay up on deck). And lastly I bet there are several new cruisers who did not know this is an option. On our Cruise Chat site we have new cruisers surprised that you can even eat in the dinning room for breakfast and lunch, so I am sure that there are those newcomers that don’t read the entirety of the Capers and see that is an option.
As far as your guest who feels the buffet is missing something, I am at a loss. I have traveled all over the world on business and have seen my share of breakfast buffets. There are cultural things missing (like Asian breakfast food choices and European choices (like beans from the UK) but to be honest, I can’t think of anything from the states that is missing. I would be interested in knowing what it is he felt was missing. But as far as the other cultural choices, I wonder if Carnival has ever tried offering Asian breakfast choices. I have to believe that you have some of these choices in the crews dinning room. I can’t offer you the names of these items (except for dim sum dumplings) but I have tried most and find them to be tasty.
Ok.. too much food talk.. now I am hungry and its not time for lunch yet…..
Dear John,
More Breakfast ideas you say. OK here are a few. If the ship has the Burrito Bar then please add the Breakfast Burittos to the menu ie: Scrambled eggs, cheese, hash browns and Chorizo. If you are not familar with the last item it is a Mexican Sausage that is spicy. Another American favorite is biscuits and gravy. The gravy is a milk gravy made with the dripping of the bacon and sausage mixed with flour and milk. It may sound strange but it is very good and will stick to your ribs. You can also used the left-over gravy to patch the cement in front of your cottage. Another mid-western favorite is made with corn meal cooked up and then refrigerated. It is then sliced and covered with flour and fried to a crispy brown like bacon. Pour some maple syrup over it and you have a breakfast fit for a king.
Your predictive power fail you badly my poor but hopeful friend. I think this year it will be the LA LA Lakers vs the Cleveland Cavs. Shaq and King James is going to be a tough act to stop.
Horoscopes now of days are only good for entertainment. However do not count the facts that spinning rocks in the heavens have effected things here on earth. They think that Dinosaurs went extinct due to one of those rocks slamming into earth. In 2012 when the Mayan calendar runs out on December 13th people predict the end of things as we know them which no one paid any attention to until they now know that on 12/13/2012 five planets will align in the heavens, Huuummm! One last thing for you to think about is when Jesus was born a star appeared in the heavens. Did the little hairs on the back of your neck just stand up? Maybe they know something that you don’t!
Now more important matters. I think you should get a tattoo of Funship Freddy kicking the RCCL crown into orbit. I will even draw it up for you if you like.
Just trying to be helpful Johnny Sparkles!
The Cruzin2some
James & Nancy Enslow
Hi John, I like the dining room for breakfast. I love the baked apples. I can get freshly made french toast with heated syrup with a double side order of bacon. I get cranberry juice to drink. Yumm. Can’t wait for November 13th. See you then.
Jo
John, The one other thing with the lido breakfast is the sore subject of the Bacon. I still will never understand why I can not get my own bacon? Also the lines for the ommelet station can be long and when all you want is bacon its a wait!
Frank and Bridie
Hi John!
Greetings from sunny Palm Springs, California as I am here with my father and friends attending a big concert festival.
I have always been scared of tattoos and can’t fathom the pain and discomfort associated with it. You are right though that it has become so common.
Horoscopes. Bunch of hooey is you ask me. Especially when someone winges at their future.
I noticed the new layout of the blog on my phone and its great.
Have a good weekend and hi to Heidi/Kye.
Take care!
David
John,
My husband and I ate breakfast on the Lido Deck because we liked being outside, and we can’t eat by a pool outside at home! The first few days we ordered room service and ate on our balcony, but loved all the options on the Lido Deck.
We have usually eaten on Lido because we are ready to go outdoors. But, last cruise we ate in the MDR for breakfast before a shore excursion and it was great! On sea days, it’s usually Lido because we don’t always eat together (I’m an earlier riser), but on port days, the dining room is a nice relaxing start to the day ahead.
As for tattoos, I have been through phases of wanting one and my husband has always ASKED me to please not. The way he has asked, made me feel like it was important to him, so I didn’t. Now, being a grandmother, I am SOOOOOO glad I have none. We went to a wedding last year and our friend was a stunning bride, but her luxurious, designer gown was overshadowed by her tattoos. IMO, it takes a lot of feminity away. I actually cried when my daughter got her first. After the second one , I just shook my head and reminded her that she’s going to regret it when she goes to meet her daughter’s teachers.
John,
As far as breakfast goes, it depends on who I am cruising with. When I go with my girlfriends, we eat on the Lido deck, as we are wanting to eat quick and get to that lounge chair in the sun. When I am cruising with my husband we eat in the dining room, as he is in no hurry to get to the lounge chair in the sun.
I can’t think of any other foods that I would suggest for breakfast (other than what others have suggested here…biscuits). I have to wonder what people who complain about the choices are eating at their house for breakfast.
Jennifer
Hi John,
We almost always eat breakast in MDR. As an earlier post mentioned, it’s nice to be waited on when you are on vacation. I am sure most would agree there are plenty of choices. In fact sometimes I think wow too many choices can’t make up my mind, oh I’ll just have both. Bugger will have to walk round the track 2 more times.
Happy travels to you as you leave the Legend.
Mar & Steve
John, reply if you like
We always eat breakfast in the MDR because the service is great, the food is good, and there are no lines! Breakfast in the MDR is one of Carnival’s best kept secret – in fact – so is lunch! Additionally, in the MDR, you don’t have to “hunt” for a table the waiter escorts you to one. Normally, our fellow guests are somewhat quiet until they have their first cup of coffee. After that, there always seems to be good conversation over breakfast.
What is missing? Biscuits, white sausage gravy, and real hash browns. Of course, some Baileys with the coffee would be ok too!
I’m sure, Carnival hasn’t changed either the breakfast or lunch menu in years. Some change here, especially the luncheon menu, would be good, as I believe most seasoned cruisers could recite both menus by heart!
Dear John,
I forgot to mention my thoughts on the tattoo. I am fifty-eight and have none but my son have fifteen or so and several piercings. My oldest daughter has a pierced tongue and three, including what they call a tramp stamp. That is the tattoo on the lower back that attracts a mans attention to a womens nalgas. (Thats spanish for buns) My youngest who graduated from the College of Notre Dame in Maryland has none. Intelligent girl! My wife Nancy who has celebrated her 39th birthday twelve times now, is thinking about getting one of a dragonfly. Where she intends to put it I am not sure. I think sometimes that especially in a womens case that they want to do something to make them feel young and even a little naughty that is different than the way they see themselves once they have become a mother and a responsible member of society. They can no longer go out and drink until they puke or end up in some strangers bed. They can’t toilet paper the neighbors lawn as that could cause problems with the neighbors. So a tattoo on the ankle. A small statement that they are still alive and sexy and capable of doing wild things like when they were young but nothing that will get them hauled into the police station. After all they are now a Mom and have to take care of a little child who is depending on them. Just go with it and be sure to tell her how sexy she looks and that she is such a wild child. Oh and be sure to spank her for being such a bad girl. LOL
Good luck!
The Cruzin2some
James & Nancy Enslow
Hey John: We prefer breakfast on the Lido deck, that way we can sample different things, and the omelets are great! Wish they had cranberry juice though. I am with you where it comes to horoscopes, how ridiculous, same with the fortunes in fortune cookies. Well John, wait till you meet my girlfriend Michele with all of her tattoos and her nose piercing! I figure it this way, if God wanted me to have a tattoo I would’ve been born with it, besides Me and Pain don’t mix! HA!
Linda
John,
I have to agree with the poster who mentioned Todd and Big Tex’s night of improv. We sailed with them and Karl with a K on the Miracle several years ago when Carnival first sailed out of Baltimore. What’s My Line? was hilarious…thank goodness it was the late night R rated show. We laughed wil we cried as well.
As for breakfast, we always eat on the Lido. Partly because he likes to get up and eat early, I sleep in and eat later. We meet up with the rest of our party at our Lido breakfast table as the morning progresses and gives us a chance to catch up before the day gets started. It’s casual and relaxing…we can eat at our own pace without feeling rushed by other diners or waiters.
We save the main dining room for our dinner treat.
Hoping we’ll get to see you next week in NYC.
The Kilmartins
John- please reply if and when you catch your breath.
We are MDR breakfast lunch and dinner people — unless we have slept in. Why all the hassle of the Lido when we can just sit and order and enjoy,– I am on vacation — no work for me.
DH and I are booked on Carnival Triumph for March 1, 2010. We splurged and got a suite cat 11. Hope it is as nice as it looks in the pics. This will be 14 th cruise — all but three with CCL. Can you tell me who will be the CD and Maitre D?
Wishing you were going with us maybe next time. Take care and kisses to your girls.
Karen
Interesting question there . . . why DO the majority of the guests (on all lines, not just Carnival) eat breakfast at the buffet? I’m not sure . . . we also nearly always go up to the buffet for breakfast (and we love the choices!) . . . our reason is that all 4 cruise lines we’ve been on have done “Open Seating” breakfast in the dining room, where you end up being seated with a group of random other guests . . .
While getting to know new people is fun (such as at dinner), someone I usually travel with tends to be extrodinarily grumpy in the morning and let’s face it – putting on your best face for your fellow guests requires a bit of effort . . . and she doesn’t want to use that effort until after breakfast and coffee. So collectively we sit there silently looking out the window (or over the railing) on lido deck.
If it were up to me, we’d do the dining room for breakfast at least once per cruise . . . but I get outvoted on that one.
TATTOOS – Oh dear. Heidi is right that “everyone’s doing it!” seems to be the rallying cry about them right now. Interestingly enough, I work with a lot of young people . . . . and, at least in my area, the percentage of young females that have tattoos is HIGHER than the percentage of young males who have them. How did THAT ever happen??
Well, at least Heidi wants it in a place where it can be easily hidden – just ask her to always wear socks when you are around, LOL! Even though I have asked several people who have them the following question, I have not yet received an answer that satisfies me: “Why for the love of anything would somebody get a tattoo right above their arse?”. In my area, they call the right-above-the-arse tattoos “Tramp Stamps” . . . I just cannot fathom why anyone would WANT that . . . and then brag that they have one.
Some things I just don’t understand.
Oh, and you’re right . . . Horoscopes are Bollocks.
Cheers,
Michael
John,
We were on the cruise with Lady Jag (Laura), when Todd & Bid Tex did the impromptu show , when the entertainer for the late night R rated show was not able to appear. Todd , Big Tex & the other members from the cruise director staff were hilarious. I thought Todd did not survive the show. It was a show I will not forget.
Gary
Hi John
We have only eaten in the dining room twice in 12 cruises. On both occasions we were seated with strangers who were as interesting a a herd of goats to listen to. This was on two different Carnival cruises. After that we decided never again even though we would prefer the dining room if we could sit only with those traveling with us.
Hey John: the “there-isn’t-enough-variety-at-breakfast” whine, is really hilarious! I guess they have more than 100 different things at their breakfast table than Carnival does. Can’t wait for our Dream Time Feb.13/10. Cheers, Angela Guptill
Hello
This is a good post and its interesting to read about your vies for tattoos.Now a days its very popular in people.Thank you very much for sharing this with us.Keep up the good work.
Dear John, please reply,
As I was cyber stalking the Spirit this morning via the San Diego webcam, I could not help but notice she is still equipped with the ugly old lounge chairs on deck! (the zoom capability onthat camera ia amazing!) Any thoughts on when those might be replaced by the new ones? I hate having to search for one that’s not broken, then fight with it to stay in position all day each time I reach for my Kiss on the Lips!
Also, we have quite a group of piano bar fans cruising aboard Spirit on the 19th of Nov., is it possible for you to tell us who the piano bar player will be? We understand the current piano man will be signing off next week & we are dying to know who is scheduled to be next!
Thanks so much, John, for all you do!
Cassandra