We have had the wonderful pleasure of sailing with you several times.

(and I was honored to get to sing to you on the Fantasy earlier this year…..sorry it was the Titanic Song. I promise that was not planned …. it was just the next song up on the karaoke rotation.)

My question is: is it more difficult to navigate the Mississippi River out of the New Orleans port (which I know you have done many times) than sailing from other ports that open directly into a bay or into the ocean?

My father was a river boat pilot on the Mississippi River for many years (before he started his own shipyard) and loved the unique challenges of the river.

We look forward to sailing with you again!!!

Linda (Mom of DJ)

My Mother always said….. “keep it short and to the point”.

I should have listened to my Mother when I called into Todd’s Morning Show about the San Juan incident.

I was “trying” to convey to other passengers that YOU did understand the disappointment that they were feeling ….. because YOU also had been making plans for over a year.

Hopefully, that was the message they got and not just someone else complaining about missing the port.

If I had listened to my Mother, I would have said on the Morning Show….

“it is a cruise ship….not a bus. If you MUST be at a particular port for an event…..FLY THERE!”

But the reason they do not FLY THERE is because (in most cases) it is CHEAPER to cruise to a port then fly there (and have to pay for hotels and meals etc).

The man who called in saying his wife had sat in her cabin all day crying was an idiot. (and if she really did this….she is a bigger idiot) They both need to GROW UP and learn to be travelers….not bus riders!!!!

This is the site you were talking about where ship Captains (cruise and freight) can go to train. These simulators allow Captains to practice docking at docks all over the world BEFORE they get there.

http://www.starcruises-scss.com/

Unfortunately, it appears this piece of artwork was added AFTER the San Juan program was written and San Juan never notified Starcruises to update their software.

Someone also asked why not use the lifeboats as tenders (since San Juan had not tenders)…. and tender folks in.

I am assuming this would not be possible because the dock would be to HIGH to unload passengers from a lifeboat.

Captain Carlos also did try another dock…but it was to shallow for the Carnival Dream.

No Captain has physically docked every ship at every port…..which is why the Starcruises Simulator is SUCH an invaluable tool.

But it is only as good as the information it is sent from the individual ports.

True travelers (while a bit disappointed) will understand…..bus riders will not understand…but they should just stay home!!

Linda (Mom of your friend DJ)

Happy Christmas to you and Heidi and Kye.

Looking forward to my first cruise in May…
Petal

Please Reply,

I guess today, was not a good day for me to read your blog. I was under the impression (as was some others) that you were going to do your next bloggers cruise on the West Coast, but I see once again, we are as what some would call, we have been pushed to the back to the bottom of the list. You have done 3 bloggers cruises to date to the Caribbean, don’t you feel it is time for you to finally do, at least one bloggers cruise, on the WEST COAST before you are transferred back to Europe. John, you know I am one of your biggest fans, but I just can’t travel to the East Coast, so I beg you to please reconsider this and maybe try and do it when you are on the Carnival Spirit. I know that all of your West Coast fans will be eternally grateful and will fill that ship. Just in the town where I live I did a poll in our local forum of how many people would go on a John Heald’s bloggers cruise and I got 76 people that said they would go and only 4 that said that the would not, 10 said maybe,so I know that your West Coast fans would fill that ship and you would probably have to have a waiting list for people to book the cruise.

Please give my love to Heidi and Kye.

From your #1 Bloggy Thinggy Fan
Kathy M.

BTW, when Kye is a teenager – believe me – you won’t be crying away from home — you’ll be crying when you have to be home amongst the hormonal turmoil.

It’s all good!

Best
Anita

1) First time on your time dinning. It was wonderful. We never had to wait. The second night we got “Made”, yes that’s his name, as our head waiter and his team. We asked for him all the other nights. When he saw us he’d call us by name. He would stand next to the table and talk to us. And the food was great. Our last two cruises were on the Holiday in Sept. and Nov. and they didn’t offer your time dinning.

2) The social hosts, Dave, Lewis and Brandon, were some of the best we’ve ever had. We told them our names the first time we saw them and they called us by name at all activities. We will be back on The Fantasy in Jan. and are happy that Lewis and Brandon will still be there. But sad that Dave will be on vacation. We were happy to see that Brandon will be on our Panama canal cruise on the Elation in May. I know it will be great.

So please John, make sure these wonderful people get the recognition the deserve.

Have a great time home with the family.

Lynda

HELP!!!!!!!

I feel so stupid, I do not remember what date I asked you to change the date for my gathering on our January 14th cruise. It can not be the 16th as that is when we are in port so it HAS TO BE THE 17, our last sea day.

Sooooooo, once again please edit my request. I deeply apologize for all this confusion. Please forgive me and please send me a not saying that you did indeed get the stupid Bloggers request for her change of date.

Peg

I just received a note from the secretary at the church that is arranging the cruise for all of us. She has informed me that she has scheduled Mass for January 14th from 1:30 – 2:30. I am not sure there will be time for us to all meet on the 14th as there may be other people on the ship that would want to go to that Mass. Since it is the first Sea Day and that is our first “formal night”, or whatever they call it now, it may be too late to have something then. Could you PLEASE change the date to the 16th at 2:00pm?

Thank you Stephenie for editing my note to John. And thank you for all you do for us.

Could you reply to me in an email that you have done this, it would be appreciated?

Peg

Carnival Ecstasy – January 14, 2010

John, I had asked you about reserving a room for the group that I will be sailing with on the Carnival Ecstasy leaving on January 14th.

If we could have a room for 60 on Friday January 15th @ 2:00 pm it would be much appreciated. It is our first sea day so I think that would be a great time to have it. If you could make the arrangements for me I will also send a note to the CD when I board the ship.

Thank you for all you do for us and thank you for taking care of this for me.

We have never cruised in January so it will be a lot of fun and being able to drive to the port is a plus too.

Thanks again John, you truly are one of the good guys.

I hope by the time you reply to this you will be home with your girls and your daughter will be celebrating her first Christmas. You are truly blessed as we are for you allowing us to be in your life.

As for Blogger’s cruises, I’ll vote for Carnival Triumph or Carnival Magic out of New Orleans.

As I recall, attendance on the Blogger’s cruise on Carnival Fantasy out of New Orleans was pretty good.

On another note, Elizabeth and I thank you, Stephanie, and Carnival for the article on Raimondo. I have added it to the webpage.

http://www.zydecocruiser.com/CarnivalDream/GrandMed/08Messina/RaimondoNicita.htm

Regards,
bill