So the world can continue cruising with Carnival, watching CSI Anatomy and eating buckets of Kentucky Fried Tacos, safe in the knowledge that the people with beards and their various Presidents and Prime Ministers have managed to agree on some thingies and sign some papers over there in Copenhagen.
I have been following this on the news and I know I am as thick as Rosie O’Donnell’s underwear ………..but honestly………..I haven’t got a clue what they were all talking about. I may be wrong but from the little I understand the beardies are saying that unless we all start driving electric cars and eat tofu for the rest of our lives, the world will boil, our children will be microwaved and all the polar bears will have to go and live in a refrigerator. And although I may not totally agree with everything that the scientists are saying at least it seems that there is hope that the world will stop polluting to the extent that it has been………………….and that’s good news.
It looks like President Obama and his mates may be too late though because I watched a movie last night called 2012……….and according to the Mayan Indians…………the end of the world is just two years away.
The movie started by saying that “the following was based on a prediction by the Mexican Indians that the world would soon be over.” Still, you have to take this with a huge grain of bollocks because there’s always someone somewhere telling us the world is about to end……..and it never does.
First of all there was God, who said that if we carried on having rumpy pumpy, a big seven-headed monster would gobble us up.
Well, it hasn’t even got round to eating Tiger Woods yet, and he’s just finished playing 18 holes…
Later, when I was growing up, we were all assured that the only possible outcome of the Cold War was a nuclear holocaust. Everyone agreed the world would end in a blinding flash of cancerous light. No one – not even the CIA – ever predicted that Russia would just give up and that a pack of East Germans would simply knock down the Berlin Wall using nothing but DIY tools they bought from Das Home Depot.
Starved of something to worry about, the human race came up with the Millennium Bug. All computers would shut down on New Year’s Eve, 1999, and in an instant we’d be plunged into the Dark Ages…………..or Arkansas as it is sometimes known.
Then it was SARS, and then it was Bird Flu and HRN1PIG and then it was global warming.
So I am going to ignore the Mayan Indians and tell myself it is a load of bollocks even though the movie nearly made me soil my only good pair of underpants………..and because it did ………. and they are now ruined…..that’s the last time I am ever promoting the bloody Tulum Tour in my Travel Talk.
It’s a little strange to be writing about global warming when here in the UK its -4 degrees and trains, planes and automobiles are going nowhere and of course……….for many of you ………….. its much worse. I have seen on the news that the big freeze has hit Washington, New Jersey, New York and other states as well……………..including of course Baltimore from where our good friend and Assistant Cruise Director of the Carnival Pride Jaime………….sends this report.
Hi John,
So the past few days have been fun traveling up the coast with a huge storm. Overall, guests were in very good spirits and very understanding.Just thought I’d send you a few pictures from the pier and the Inner Harbor from today…
I had not seen snow for 2 years, since I left Michigan. For many of our Filipino crew members it was their very first time seeing it!
The guests coming on board now are sooo happy to be heading toward the blazing hot Bahamas!!
Here are some pictures:
The Carnival Pride docked at the Freezing cold Baltimore pier.
At the Inner Harbor in Baltimore… looks a bit different from the initial kick off party!!
Happy Holidays everyone
Jaime
Thanks Jaime. It’s great that the people of Baltimore and the surrounding area can use their home port to journey to the sunshine. We will hear more from Jaime next week.
Time for today’s questions…………..here we go.
Mike M Asked:
John, (please reply)Happy 6th anniversary. I know exactly how you feel today, being away from your family. I myself have spent many years away from my wife while in service to my country, Iceland, Vietnam/Thailand, Germany, Korea, Florida.
My question to you, I was looking at the mock-up of the Dream that you provided. The “Cove” balconies look very nice and very affordable. I am just not sure that the ride would be as comfortable as a higher balcony. Just how high off the seas is the second deck, my bride of 40 years, asked me to ask you that question.
We both enjoy and read your Blog daily
MikeJohn Says:
Hello MikeThank you for the kind words. It is great to be home with my girls and I am trying to make up for being away from Heidi during our wedding anniversary. The hardship of being away from the ones you love is as you said extremely difficult however your sacrifice is one so far greater as you served your country and allowed others to enjoy the freedom to cruise.
I love the cove balconies and if you pop on over to www.carnival.com/dream you will see the blog I wrote reviewing the ship. Underneath that are well over 200 comments written by your fellow bloggers. Some contain fantastic reports of the cove balconies and I myself heard nothing but amazing reports on the views and the size of the balconies and the state rooms themselves. I can honestly tell you I did not hear one comment about the “ride” being uncomfortable. The water line is at deck 0……..then you have deck 1……….and then deck 2……….I have no idea what the measurement is from the water line to the cove balcony cabins but I can tell you that in normal and calm sea conditions…………….catching a nice Red Snapper for dinner is certainly possible.
Book it Mike………..I promise you will not regret it.
Best wishes to you both
JohnEric Thayer Asked:
Please reply.John, I never got a response from my question and it’s been more than three weeks. I had previously asked if Carnival ever considered purchasing a “Carnival Chopper” from Orange County Choppers (American Choppers TV show) and you stated that you would look into it. I also said in my previous statement, that Carnival could perhaps rotate the bike on its ships and I’m certain that Carnival could quickly capture a return on its initial investment by charging a fair photo fee of passengers taking a picture beside the bike. Any news on this possibility?
EricJohn Says:
Hello EricI do want to apologize for the delay in answering your question. I did post a reply though some days ago which I hope you saw. In it I told you how I had mentioned your idea at the recent CD conference and that it was well received by the marketing men and women. Holland America and Costa have advertising on Smart cars so I think a Chopper would be brilliant.
Thanks again for this great idea and sorry again for the length of time it took to reply. I will follow up on this and let you know what happens.
Best wishes,
JohnJC & Andy Plett Asked:
Hi John!If you can reply, that would be awesome! My husband Andy and I performed on the Paradise Nov ‘99 to May ‘00, (our band name then was Country in the City) and we made many great friends during our time with Carnival. We are hoping to reconnect with Lenny Halliday and Tina Noble, as we lost touch once we hit dry land and hit the road again! Would it be possible for you to pass along our contact info to them? Thanks so much! I enjoyed reading your blog, and the little blast from the past! Best wishes for safe journeys and happy holidays!
JC
John Says:
Hello JC and AndyI would be honoured (spelt correctly) to do this for you. Lenny is currently the CD on the Carnival Victory and I will let him know you are looking to connect and pass on your email.
Thanks for the kind words and I hope you continue to enjoy the blog thingy.
Best wishes,
JohnJohn C Asked:
John (PLEASE reply as soon as you get a chance)Hi John. My family and I will be cruising for the holidays aboard the Dream at the end of December. We planned this trip a year ago, spent a lot of money that we have been saving for a really long time, and have been looking forward to it so much ever since. It will be our first family trip in awhile, and we figured what better way to spend the holidays than aboard a brand new Carnival ship…
We are all really concerned… out of all my friends who have been on the Dream and out of all of the reviews on message boards on facebook and cruisecritic… I have not seen one completely positive review about the ship. From constant reviews of the ship being understaffed, to there being a Caribbean duo rather than an actual lido deck calypso band on the deck, to there being lines everywhere, to the power going out for over an hour and people being stuck in the elevators, to a lack of the quality of food, to some reviews on many unfriendly staff members… what is going on here?
I don’t get it… we have had so many great Carnival cruises in the past, and although it has been a few years. We thought by going on a brand new ship, we would not only have a great cruise and holiday week, but we would have an extra good cruise with it being a brand new ship. The kinks of a new ship should have been worked out already – it’s been three months. I’m not trying to cause commotion, but I’m trying to address my concerns and prevent everything before I cruise so I and everyone who will be on the Dream for the holidays and New Year will have a great time. I don’t get why there isn’t a regular Calypso band, why there are really long lines, why the staff (that I assume are many experienced staff) are not acclimated by now, and I don’t get why there are so many unhappy Dream cruisers.
Thank you for your commitment to us and the blog and for being there and looking out for all of us. I hope that in 4 weeks, I’ll be able to write back a very positive review about my family’s holiday and New Year’s cruise aboard the new Carnival Dream.
-John and familyJohn Says:
Hello John and FamilyI can understand your concerns. I know if I was going to spend a lot of money on something and I read that it was not worth it I too would be worried. But let me simply say this………..have a read of this link here where you will see your fellow bloggers, many of whom are Cruise Critic members, have posted glowing and positive reviews of their Carnival Dream cruise.
Have a read of this.
http://johnhealdsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/dream-comments2.pdf
Those are just a small example of the many I have received. Let me clear a few things up. The power did go out………..once…………for one hour……..because a breaker tripped………….it hasn’t happened again. The comment about there not being a calypso duo on Lido deck……….is simply not true……….there is….and they are excellent.
I will admit that in the beginning we did have some concerns on Lido Deck regarding food service and I will be talking about those in a moment but as for there being unfriendly staff …………well the review cards I am seeing that have been completed by guests are not telling us that………..in fact………….the opposite.
Are we perfect …………no. Is bringing out any new vessel a challenge……….yes. But I ask you to go on there with an open mind and having read all the positive reports in that link thingy you board your Carnival Dream ready for a wonderful time.
I will truly look forward to reading your review.
Best wishes to all
Johngrizel robertson Asked:
John, please, please reply.I have been trying since June 2009 to contribute to your blog, enlisting fellow Scot person Wee Jimmy’s assistance (my CD on BtoB sailings on C Victory May/June 2009).
As a Platinum guest & 17 times Carnival cruiser, I am a long term convert to the Fun Ship experiences & I am booked BtoB on C Victory in May 2010 immediately following a milestone birthday.
On 30 August I sent several pages of correspondence to Heidi, Kye & yourself by surface mail. Although I have no response, I appreciate how busy you have been with the C Dream launch etc. & keeping in touch with your two favourite girls.
My correspondence highlighted all the wonderful experiences that have contributed to my love of CCL, in particular the friendly & intelligent multinational crew from whom I have learned so much about diversity & tolerance of customs of other ethnic races.
John, living in Scotland, it has cost me dearly to reach my Carnival havens but it has been worth every penny. Along the way I have struck up friendships with many fellow guests of various nationalities.
However, I would love you to acknowledge Brits, like me, for our allegiance to CCL. You were my CD on C Destiny on my BtoB trips on C Destiny Aug/Sep 1998. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience & would love to meet up with you again. Unlike the majority of bloggers who live in the US, I am unable to finance the costs of CCL cruises on more than one occasion in a year.
I have been on several trips to the East, Southern & Western Caribbean which have opened up the doors for me to embrace the extraordinary world of the islands & their various cultures. My experiences have taught me the value of face to face contact with people as opposed to media reporting about situations that are remote/unconfirmed to most of us who wish to make friends across the globe.
Your British friend who wishes she could cruise more often with the best cruise line in the world.
John Says:
Hello GrizelI did indeed receive your glorious letter to my Post Office box and I have it here on my desk to reply to. And even though I am replying now I shall also do so in a letter as having taken your time to write I will do the same. However, I will also write now and indeed acknowledge you and all the people who travel thousands of miles to cruise with Carnival. I met a wonderful family from Scotland who came all the way to be on the Bloggers cruise with me. They were, like you, ardent Carnival and indeed blog fans and it was so humbling that they chose to fly 9 hours across the Atlantic to be with me. So this blog is dedicated to them and to you and to everyone who does not have a Carnival ship just round the corner ……………..thank you all.
I hope, Grizel, that we do get to cruise with each other again and I will be posting my written reply to you after the Christmas rush.
Best wishes
JohnKathy M. Asked:
Hi John, Please reply.I am writing to ask for a couple of things. I will be sailing of the Carnival Splendor January 10, 2010 and I would like to set up a Greet and Meet for our group called The Splendidos (we have 88 people so far in our group), so if we could possibly get a room with a bar that would be greatly appreciated.
Now my second request, I know this may get others mad, but could you please send me one of your pictures. I will be in Cabin 9202, my booking number is 20F1P8. You know how much of a fan that I am of yours and I just don’t know of any other way to get one of your pictures. The last time I was on the Carnival Pride and I asked they didn’t have any, so I just thought I would be bold and ask you outright.
Please send my love to Heidi and Kye,
From your #1 Bloggy Thingy Fan
Best Wishes for a Happy Holiday Season
Kathy M.John Says:
Hello Kathy MWhat a great name for a group…………the Splendidos. I will indeed set up something for you and please look out for a note in the today at a glance section of the Carnival Capers where Goose your CD will have made a note for Cruise Critic members to meet. This will be on the first sea day afternoon and we will have some cash bar service for you.
I would be honoured to send you a little something as you are such a great supporter of the blog and who cares what others think.
Have a wonderful cruise
Best wishes
JohnJennifer Asked:
Hi John!I love your blog. I sailed on the absolutely beautiful Pride with Kirk this past June. What a great guy, and an even better CD. I also sailed on the Fantasy back in 1998. I am sailing January 16th, 2010 on the Liberty with my folks as a delayed Christmas present. Can you tell me who the CD will be? I know Butch is on the Liberty now, hope he’ll still be there, he is awesome too.
I am wondering if you can help. My dad has been looking forward to this trip for a while (we booked in March). However, his dear mother passed away in October after a brief illness. Since then, he has been lost and could care less about the cruise. I’m sad, because he loved his first cruise 10 years ago. Would it be possible to have a small “welcome aboard” gift or something in the cabin for him? Our booking number and cabin number are below. I’d like to make this trip extra special for him and my mom, as it’s been a rough couple months for all of us. Please respond if you can. If you can’t or can’t do anything, I completely understand. I hope to be able to cruise on a ship with you soon. Keep up the great work.
Happy Holidays!
JenniferJohn Says:
Hello JenniferThank you for saying how much you enjoy the blog thingy and I will make sure that Kirk gets to see your words of praise. In fact I know he and his future wife ………. ummm …………… bugger …………..can’t remember her name……….anyway they both read the blog so I know he will be thrilled to read your words of praise.
Your CD for the January cruise on the Carnival Liberty will be the one and only Butch Begovitch who as you may have read in the blog thingy is, like Kirk, one of our most popular Cruise Directors.
I was so sorry to hear about the passing of your Dad’s mother and I can understand how difficult it will be for Dad to concentrate on having fun. Butch and his staff will do all they can though to try and take his mind of the sadness of her not being there ………..just for a few days at least. You did not send me your last name of state room number so what I would like you to do is write a letter mentioning this, address it to Butch, leave it at the Guest Services Desk during embarkation and I will make sure Butchy is expecting it.
Have a wonderful time.
Best wishes to all the family.
JohnMichelle Asked:
John Please Reply!!Hi John… I’ve been reading your blog now for a few months now and only just noticed your address on the side bar. My mother was born and raised in a little town called Pitsea which I think may be near where you live. I have only visited England once but had a great time (despite the rain) visiting my 93 year old grandmother.
We are sailing on the Carnival Glory on February 28th, which happens to be my son’s 14th birthday. My son is a huge hockey fan and I just realized today that the Olympic Men’s Gold Medal Hockey game is on February 28th. I’m wondering since the Glory is going into dry-dock and getting a new seaside theatre just before we sail, what do you think the chances are that they will show the Gold Medal game on the big screen? We are all huge hockey fans (Canadians!!) and huge Olympic fans. What a great sail away party!
John Says:
Hello MichelleGoodness me, yes Pitsea is about 30 minutes drive from where I live and is a suburb of Basildon, Essex. I cannot believe it rained when you visited the UK…………..how unusual. There are indeed plans to show all the Olympic events on the ships, many on the Seaside Theatre Big Screen and as the Ice Hockey thingy is very popular I am sure it will be featured ……….I think the Jamaican team will win the gold medal. I hope you have a wonderful cruise and pop over for a cup of tea the next time you are in the UK.
Best wishes to all
JohnPat Asked:
Hello John, (please reply)We just returned home Sunday from the Carnival Freedom 8 day cruise over Thanksgiving. Had a wonderful time as always!
Have one question though – Did Carnival ever decide anything about having non-smoking rooms/balcony’s? We had chain smokers in the cabin next to us and could not stand to be out there. The wind direction along with the sailing direction had our balcony smelling of smoke from 6am until late night. One night someone was smoking cigars on a nearby balcony. We love having the balcony and love to use the balcony. However, I won’t spend the extra money to have one that I cannot use.
We did the Behind the Fun Tour on this trip and it was BRILLIANT! We learned so much about the working of the ship and crew life onboard. Virginia did an awesome job with the tour. We had one issue with the tour. Our 12 year old son on his 22nd Carnival Cruise really wanted to go on the tour with us. We were told by the Shore Excursion desk that minimum age requirement was 16. The envelope the tickets were delivered in said the age minimum was 13. That was fine he was promised that he could do the tour next year. When we arrived to the Library to meet for the tour I noticed a child wearing a green wristband knowing he was under 12 I did not expect he would be on the tour. I was wrong! He was allowed to be on the tour and when we received our group photos my son of course noticed the 9 year old in the photo and was upset. My husband and I also expressed our problem with this. There were also several people wearing flip flops on the tour. The ticket envelope stated you must wear closed toe shoes as well as the shore service desk person telling us this also. I am sure these are both Safety rules and we just didn’t understand why they were not enforced. Neither thing stopped us from enjoying ourselves we do wish that Carnival would do a better job of enforcing the rules they put in place.
I really hate complaining I am loyal to Carnival and want it to continue being the best in the industry!
Hope the bloggers cruise is a great success! Wish we were there.
John Says:
Hello PatWelcome back from your Carnival Freedom cruise and I was thrilled to read that you had a great time. Well, what can I say about the smoking issue except yours is a common comment. The balconies are areas outside and under our current onboard regulations are places where smoking is permitted. However, I know for non smokers that this is something that can be unpleasant. Once again we come to this subject which I know causes lots of heated discussion and opinion.
Carnival is constantly reviewing its smoking policies and the balcony smoking privilege is one of those polices that will be looked at again this coming year. There are basically three choices here – continue to allow smoking on balconies; do not allow smoking on balconies; have certain sections of the ship designated as smoke free and some as smoking allowed.
I have to admit the last one is probably never going to happen. To know how many cabins to advertise as smoke free ….or not…….on a cruise-to-cruise basis on 22 ships is simply not feasible. This is why the majority of the industry has not done this. But what do you all think. Smokers, do you have an opinion and non smokers………..what do you think? As always it would be great to hear from you all.
On a happier note I am so glad you enjoyed the Behind the Fun tour. When I first advertised this there were some who wrote that the tour could never be worth the money. Well, I think you have read here on the blog thingy that indeed it is and I cannot remember seeing a single negative comment on the tour and what you see. Thanks for the note on the flip flops………it is well noted and will be passed along.
Thanks again for the great posting and lets see what everyone has to say about smoking on the balconies.
Best wishes
JohnTravis Kelley Asked:
JohnI sent you a question on November 22nd but you have not replied. I know you are behind but there is in my mind no point offering an interactive help line if you can not provide prompt customer service.
My cousin and I will be on your Valor boat on December 20th and we need a table with single ladies aged in their 40′s to 50′s. Please make sure you reply and let us know that this request has been passed to the boat.
John Says:
Hello TravisI apologize that it has taken so long to answer your question. I do try and provide the best customer service I can but I am just one man and I receive hundreds of comments each week and reply to 50 plus every 5 days. I see you are sailing now and I have passed your request to the ship and the maitre d to see if he could accommodate you. My apologies again if I was late in doing so. Best wishes,
JohnMarsha Breen Asked:
John – please replyI hope all of the Bloggers attending this cruise have a great time! I know that a lot of us wish we were there with them. Great to hear that you are adding Michael Jackson to the Legends show. No matter what anyone thinks about his personal life, he made a remarkable contribution to the world of music and dance! I can’t wait until we are on the Carnival Dream in January and see the wait staff doing their thriller dance – what fun. We cruised with Ken as our maitre’d on the Carnival Glory in 2003 so I am hoping that we will be assigned to his dining room. Which dining room will he be in? Speaking of the Carnival Dream, I know that you don’t officially start as CD until January 30th, but are you going to participate in any events on the January 23rd sailing? I know that there were some bloggers like me who booked that cruise when you first announced you would be on the Carnival Dream beginning January 23rd, but didn’t realize you wouldn’t actually be the CD until the 30th. Any possibility of the bedtime story??? Will you be part of Todd’s morning show??? Inquiring minds want to know……….!!!!
John Says:
Hello MarshaThe bloggers cruise was so much fun and I wish you could have been there. I agree with you that MJ would be a great addition to our Legends show and hopefully I will have news on this early next year.
I will certainly ask Todd if he will allow me to be on the Morning Show with him next month and if it’s OK with him I would love to perform the bedtime story. Please make sure you leave me a note at the Guest Services Desk when you are onboard so I can call and say hello.
See you soon and best wishes to all.
John
That’s all for today. Again, sorry for the late replies, I truly am doing my best.
I wanted to comment on some of the thoughts you have posted about the pros and cons of booking shore excursions onboard or via the internet and an independent operator.
I thank you all for your thoughts and it seems that many of you do prefer to book through the cruise line. However, some prefer not to and while I totally respect your right to do so, I was a little flabbergasted by a very nasty comment I received from a chap called “Cruising Pete.” I won’t be posting the comment because it was written by someone who found it impossible to construct a sentence without swearing every other word and obviously it was written by a man who does not like me very much at all.
However, the premise of his comment was that I was trying to disguise the fact that Carnival wants to make money and me writing about the virtues of booking shore excursions on board was another way to do this and that there are many comments on the cruise boards saying that cruise lines excursions are not very good, etc.
Let me explain Pete if I may. I know that there are lots of ………actually let me go one step further here and say that I know that the majority of comments and opinion on the internet cruise boards are trustworthy and well rounded opinions that the cruising public should and must read. However, it has been proven recently that there are some “Chumpions” who like to post comments and reviews that have no truth in them at all.
Most importantly I will say this. I hope that when you are thinking about booking an excursion think about the extra few dollars you are spending by booking an excursion through the cruise line. Think about the comfort and knowledge those extra dollars will give you knowing that you are with a reputable company backed by the cruise lines.
And Pete………..do we make money off our shore excursion program?………. of course we do…. because we depend on shore excursion revenue and other onboard revenue streams to keep our prices low and provide you with an unforgettable value for money fun cruise experience.
My apologies CruisingPete for not posting your comments and I respectfully ask that if you have a follow up to this to please send in your posting again minus the kind invitation for me to have rumpy pumpy with myself.
Let’s change pace a little bit shall we and go back to talking about your Carnival Dream. Our Lido fare has become known as some of the best at sea and with its Burrito Bar, Pasta Bar, Tandoori, Grand Buffet, The Grill, The Deli, The Mongolian, The Taste of the Nations, The Dessert Bar and the 24 hour Pizzeria…………….your Carnival Dream has an amazing selection of lunch time treats.
It is no surprise therefore that it is very popular on Deck 9…………bugger…………..still can’t get used to that…………..Lido is on Deck 10 ……….and it would be wrong not to admit that at peak times from noon-1:30pm it does get very busy up there. And so last week we started two new lunch time additions that I wanted to share with you.
First, we started some lunch time options on the Lanai. For those unfamiliar with the ship these areas are on deck 5 and are part of the stunning new outside promenade deck area. Here, we are now serving a lunch time barbecue with a whole feast of delicious outdoor cooked treats. Perfect for those who want to eat inside………or out………………which of course is the beauty of the Lanai.
Now, to encourage more guests to enjoy lunch in the dining rooms we have upgraded our lunchtime menu to a lunchtime brunch…………..and I think when you see the items you can chose from you will see why this is such a great addition to your lunchtime food choices.
Sounds delicious doesn’t it?……………..and it comes with a glass of champagne as well.
The reports from onboard are that we are moving toward a perfect mix of where the guests are eating and I will keep you informed on this during the weeks ahead.
One last thing about your Carnival Dream………..hold on………let’s have a quick look at her one more time.
Pretty, isn’t she? And while so many journalists write about the food, the entertainment and the services we provide inside the ship………..very few these days speak of the beauty of the hull …. the ship herself.
Seeing a beautiful ship like your Carnival Dream should make you and I swivel round in our seats, and send a huge surge of excitement through crowds on the dockside. But I guess ships are not judged in this way these days……..but I have to write that I think your Carnival Dream has a prettiness that you don’t really notice until it’s pointed out to you. And then you can’t get her prettiness out of your head……..I know I certainly can’t.
And now………….here is a wonderful report from my good friend Tex, the Cruise Director of the Carnival Valor.
Hey John.
I wanted to introduce you to Devante. Devante is a very respectful and wonderful young man. He and his mother, Rhonda, are from Freeport, Grand Bahama. They’ve spent the last week on the Carnival Valor, where the team onboard has done everything possible to make this brave little boy’s wish come true. You see, Devante is very sick, and joined our family as a part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. When asked what his wish was, without hesitation, he said he wanted a Caribbean cruise with his Mom. So, this wonderful Foundation, as well as the Carnival Valor Officers, Staff and Crew saw to it that he got his wish. Perhaps the best part of meeting Devante was seeing him as he met the dancers. We were told before Devante came onboard that he loved ice cream and hot dogs. Well, after this photo shoot, I can tell you that he loves beautiful women as well.
When all those lovely ladies came out and hugged Devante, he had smile so big and bright, that even the SeaSide Theatre couldn’t compete with its radiance. You might also notice that Devante is enjoying something that only a very few people in the world get to enjoy…that’s right…he’s wearing a beautiful 10x Black Stetson…while my head goes naked. Being away from home at the holidays is difficult for just about all of our crew here onboard, but when you meet people like Devante, you don’t think about things like that anymore. You think about what the holiday season is all about: sharing, caring, giving and every so often, making someone’s wish come true.
Tex
Sometimes further words are not necessary……….and such is the case here because Tex ………. your words were written with sincerity and we all thank you and the Carnival Valor team for making this brave young man’s wish…………………..come true.
As you know Cruise Directors live by what you all say about us on the comment cards, the Cruise Critic boards and here on the blog thingy. It is part of the job and we have to accept that there are going to be critics amongst the audience who do not like a joke, something we say or don’t say and that these critics will make their voices heard………………….such is the job.
There is a cruise director who for obvious reasons I won’t name……….that has been a bit down in the dumps recently. This is because his or her ratings ………….the formula on which the scores on our ridiculously worded comment cards are based …………have been lower than in any other point in his or her career. There have also been some written negative comments about this person on the cards and a few on the cruise boards as well…………..just a handful of comments mind you ………….but enough for this brilliant young CD to start second guessing him or herself as to whether they should keep on doing the job.
One of my roles as Senior Cruise Director is……..along with providing George Solano with new jokes each week………to mentor and help my colleagues as and when asked. I told this very down in the dumps CD to think about the 1,250 comment cards that shouted words of exceeded my expectation about their performance and not the one or two that said how dreadful a job they did.
I know from personal experience how easy though it is to let comments like this get to you.
When you get negative comments or when your guest survey ratings slip it is natural to think that you have to re-invent yourself……………to go from trying to be funny to being more “straight ahead.” But I always encourage Cruise Directors to look at the big picture………….take your time………….analyze one whole months worth of comments and ratings and then……..if needed …………adapt accordingly.
The other thing I suggested to my fellow Cruise Director was to bribe a guest with the promise of a fruit basket …………and get him to punch them hard……….right in the face. Let me explain.
The incomparable President of Italy Silvio Berlusconi has seen his approval ratings, which had slipped over the past six months because of rumpy pumpy scandals with 23-year-old women and corruption charges, bounce back amid a wave of sympathy for him after he was attacked in Milan a week ago.
Mr. Berlusconi who is 109 years old was struck in the face a week ago by Massimo Tartaglia, an engineer who hurled a heavy souvenir statuette of Milan cathedral at the Prime Minister at the end of a rally………………………breaking his nose and two teeth.
An opinion poll published today in the Italian newspapers shows that the attack has boosted Mr. Berlusconi’s popularity rating to 55.9 per cent from 39.6 per cent in mid-November.
So…….Cruise Directors……here is some advice. During the debarkation talk …….just before you talk about the comment cards………get a guest to walk onto the stage………and hit you hard in the face with a solid gold plastic trophy……..your ratings will, for sure, be the highest in the fleet.
Oh, one more thing. Mr Berlusconi spent four days in a hospital showing his wounds to the doctors and the Italian press……….and unrelated to the attack…………he also showed his thingy to a nurse.
Goodnight
Your friends
John, Heidi and Kye
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, I added your description of the new lunch options and the brunch menu to a new thread on Cruise Critic. Wow… I wish I was sailing next week just to have lunch!! Outstanding!!!
Please thank Tex for the way he and his staff treated little Devante. Just one more demonstration of the fact that Carnival has a heart… a HUGE one. Bravo.
For the cruise director who was down about the ratings or comments he/she had been receiving… some people are born to complain. They’ve never seen a half full glass in their life and likely never will. Next cruise look at the faces, the smiles on those faces and the laughs that come from those faces and know that you’ve made someone’s vacation brilliant. For the others… tell ‘em to bugger off…
All the best to the fantastic folk who work tirelessly to make our time on board wonderful!!!
Ciao!
Host Mach
Hi John,
Couldn’t help but notice the Fleur de Lis on your “underpants” photo in the previous blog.
How positively French of you! But also how New Orleans! You are now an honorary member of the Who Dat Nation!
It was a shame the New Orleans Saints lost the other night, especially to the Cowgirls, but now they can focus on the real prize – the playoffs and the Superbowl!
Geaux Saints!
hi john! the carnival valor last week was lovely! i think that ship is amazing! big tex was very good too, we had cruised with him once before on the carnival fantasy but liked this one better. i never did get to meet him though but that’s okay because i got to meet YOU! ha ha oh, and the burrito bar was wonderful!!! my only comment that was not wonderful was the hours of it, only a few a day. the lines were so long because it closes early. but the food was awesome! scarlett’s was wonderful too!
see you 1/23!
smiles, bonnie and prince charlie
Wow! The menus on the Carnival Dream sound fantastic. We have already decided to try the dining buffet as well as the 5th deck bbq. Can hardly wait until Dec. 26th!
Merry Christmas to you and all your wonderful family. Jeri and Larry
John – Please reply
I am sailing on the Miracle January 23 out of Ft. Lauderdale. Sailing with me are my mom, best friend, sister-in-law, her mom, and her brother. We are all traveling together because we are celebrating my college graduation and my sister-in-law’s 40th birthday! We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than a cruise together on Carnival. My mom and I are the only “cruise veterans” all the others in our group are first timers and I am excited to see how much they enjoy it! I have a couple of questions for you if you don’t mind responding. We are going to be in St. Maarten, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts, do you have any suggestions for shore excursions? Also, we have two separate cabins and I was wondering if you could make sure we got to sit together at dinner? And, one last question. My sister-in-law’s mom has a few health problems and is not restricted to a wheelchair but has a difficult time walking a lot and standing for a long time. I am wondering if there is anyway we can get a wheelchair for her to use during the embarkation process? Thank you SO much for all your help! 
First off, I would like to say that I really appreciate your blog. It helps make the times between cruises go faster
PLEASE REPLY:
My husband and I will be on the Freedom on 1/16. This will be our 2nd trip on the Freedom in less than a year. If I read the CD schedule correctly Wee Jimmy will still be the Cd that week. Is this correct? We have had Wee Jimmy for Cd before and loved him.
First… to John C and Family sailing on the DREAM..
I just spent 9 WONDERFUL days on the Dream and you will have a BLAST. Yes, there was a small electrical issue for about an hour (out of a 9 day cruise) .
The food was consistant or better than all of our other Carnival cruises. The service was consistant or better than all of our other Carnival cruises.
The ship is large without being TO BIG (I was worried about that, because I love the size of the Spirit class). However, I think this is about as large as I will ever sail.
Remember that if Deck 5 gets to congested at night…on the Dream, you can walk from the Atrium to the back of the ship on Deck 4 …and it was NEVER crowded.
Our children are to old for Camp Carnival now (sadly…DJ really misses Club O2)….but all I have heard about the Dream Camp Carnival is rave reviews.
Yes, there will be a bit of a wait for the Mongolian Wok station because they prepare each person’s meal individually….but WELL worth it.
We never encountered any line at the Pasta Bar on Deck 11. And always had our dishes delivered quickly.
Lines on Lido at the various buffets were the same or less than we have experienced on other Carnival cruises. It truly depends on the time of day. We tend to eat at odd hours…..
I even went down the Drainpipe…..our son DJ did the Drainpipe about 100 times as well as all the other slides.
The Adult Serenity area was WONDERFUL. We had a Spa Cabin…so I lived in the Thalasso pool and private retreat areas EVERY DAY. I will never sail without access to that area … but next time I am going to try a Cove Balcony and simply purchase the pass to the Thalasso pool for the week. Those Cove Balconies are just TOOO tempting to pass up next time.
Happy Cruising!!!!
John:
This review kinda leads up to what I would love to say to all the CDs (or other Carnival staff, crew and entertainers) who have their names bantered about in the “public press”….. (especially the CDs)..
ONE…you can never please EVERYONE….it is humanly impossible. No person is going to gel with every other human being that they encounter.
There are folks on Cruise Critic that don’t like me (can you imagine) and I am the most lovably teddy bear around.
TWO…when faced with reading a comment card or online comment….you MUST consider the source.
Are they a reasonable person making a reasonable comment? OR are they (a term I coined some years ago) A STARFISH (someone that acts like they have a starfish up their behind).
If they sound like a reasonable person, then weigh the comment against YOUR TRUE NORTH (that “spark” inside you that guides your sense of direction). If you are still uncertain, ask someone you trust (like John) for an honest opinion. And take their comments as a CONSTRUCTIVE CRITIQUE to make you better at what you do.
IF however, they are of the STARFISH variety (or just a member of the PMC Club ~piss moan complain)…..
promptly place it where it belongs…FILE 13 (trash) and don’t waste your time on giving it another thought.
Years ago I had a wonderful friend who I trusted to listen to songs that I sang (with the sheet music in hand) and he would mark any time I was sharp. or flat or had a poor delivery of a note….as I sang the song. (usually several times)
Now some people would not want this detailed a critique, but it was so constructive to me….because he heard things that I did not. While I am not the greatest singer around, it did wonders to help me improve to the best I can be. And THAT is what it is all about….simply being the best YOU can be.
Btw….. did anyone measure the HUGE carbon footprint these “experts” left getting to and from Copenhagen in their private jets?????
We cruise 2 weeks from today!!! woo hooo and we are thrilled to be sailing with Jorge again!!! And our oldest son gets to come along for this one!!!
Linda (Mom of your friend DJ)
Dear John,
Love your blog as always! I just wanted to comment on the Mayan calendar. The last time we were in Mexico I asked a Mayan Indian about the 2012 thing. He smiled that beautiful smile and said the world is not going to end then–that is simply where the calendar ended. The Mayans had to end the calendar somewhere and figured by 2012 we should be able to make our own calendars!
By the way, we just got off the Fascination a week ago and had a fantastic time! What a fabulous crew! We had five wonderfully relaxing days.
My best to you and your beautiful family!
John:
About the smoking issue….I think Big Ed and Mrs Pat came up with an absolutely brilliant idea on the Blogger’s Cruise.
They were using the new Electronic cigarettes.
What a perfect solution to a extremely difficult problem.
I understand the issue with the balconies. I have read the multiple complaints on various cruise forums. And personally, it is the reason that I don’t get really upset that Mr Tightwad won’t spring for a balcony.
However, IF Carnival had certain areas where only Electronic Cigarettes were allowed (like balconies and indoors)….then people could literally smoke ANYWHERE they wanted to without imposing on the health of others (especially children).
Perhaps Carnival could buy the devices and disposable inserts in bulk and sell them at a discount onboard????
It truly sounds like a win win situation….certainly the most workable solution I have heard in awhile.
Oh…..and as for some folks who write you and can’t form a sentence using words with more than 4 letters….sadly that simply declares to the world the lack of education on their part. We should pity them….and the Royal Chumps should just be ignored.
After the “RCCL will pay you for a good review” fiasco ….. don’t you know that RCCL is just blushing with embarrassment over how these children are acting.
And the frustrating part for RCCL is that RCCL has no power to stop them……
the more these children act up….the worse they make RCCL look….and RCCL can’t do a thing about it.
That is one of the few things that I don’t like about Cruise Critic (I do see it policed better on other small forums). There is no punishment for posters who are without integrity. When a poster only has 200 posts and 99% of them are negative against one cruise corporation….that poster clearly has an agenda….and helping others isn’t it.
Linda (Mom of your friend DJ)
John, I’m glad that you don’t let one or two negative comments get to you. Linda and I were just talking yesterday that no matter what you do or where you go there will allways be someone unhappy. Espically this pete guy. I agree that it is some time’s more expensive to go through the cruise line but like you said I enjoy the comfort and security of knowing the boat will be there for us. Besides a little extra money is not worth the end of the world complaning or better yet the rude words. My thoughts are allways were on vacation lets relax! The cruises are too short anyway lets enjoy what we got and relax on the cruise.
Big Fans as Allways,
Frank and Bridie
Oh John, I love Brunch. I so hope they will be serving it on the Ecstasy when we sail on January 14th.
I am so glad that I am in the minority when it comes to booking an excursion with Carnival. I think the risk is way to high to not do so.
How nice to hear from our Jaimie once again. I can only imagine what the Filipino crew thought when they saw snow for the first time. I remember when I moved from Texas to Iowa and we had our first winter. I could not wait to see snow, and boy did it snow. It snowed and snowed and snowed. Now what do we do, we go to Texas for the winter, it truly is fabulous.
CruisingPete probably posts on Cruise Critic and acts the same way. One more reason to say away. Of course I did go over there today and what do I find a post by someone that bashed everything and everyone on the Dream. He had never posted before nor did he comment after he posted. He probably never cruised on a Carnival cruise anyway.
Keep smiling John, you truly are one of the good guys.
My best to Heidi and Kye.
Hi John – In response to your asking our opinion on smoking. My husband and I both smoke – and we choose to vacation where there is smoking allowed. We always book a balcony so our smoking doesn’t bother others. Morning coffee with a smoke on the balcony – - The smokers’ police people should stay where there is no smoking and leave us smokers alone.
The CD who felt a little down because of a few bad comments – entertainers like to please everyone and all it takes is one ego-starved complainer and it is hard to not take it personally. It helps to have others CD’s like you bring back the reality of all the great compliments to this person. Keep up the good mentoring!
Carla Strong (the Mom)
Dear John,
Please reply,
I just had to let you know of some information that I found out about Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Car (well you know that other company). I happen to come across an article about Sanitation on passenger ships and it gave a reference to The Center of Disease Control Center. It lists every ship that each company has and the most important item is the score. Well out of the 22 ships that Carnival has 3 got 100%, The Carnival Splendor, Carnival Freedom and the Carnival Miracle, but out of all the ships the other company has, they only 1 (yes, I said ONE) that got 100%.
I just thought that you would be interested in this information.
Give my love to Heidi and Little Kye,
From your #1 Bloggy Thinggy Friend.
Kathy M.
Hi John (no need to reply),
I just wanted to express my thanks for using my review of the Carnival Dream (Oct 15, 2009 GrandMed sailing) for that family who expressed concern over reading some “negative reviews” about the vessel.
There are always going to be some people who cannot be pleased and will complain about the most insignificant things.
I agree, bringing out a brand new ship and a new design, is challenging to say the least. However, in my opinion, Carnival has done a fantastic job bringing the Carnival Dream into service. Yes, there were a few “bugs”, “glitches” both shipside & crew/service side, but nothing that can’t be easily fixed, as Carnival has already done and continues to do through customer feedback (ligitimate complaints).
I loved your comment about the beauty of the ship itself….I totally agree! I am a maritime professional (licensed officer in the U.S. merchant marine) and I have a trained eye in this area. The Carnival Dream is definitely a beauty! What impresses me the most, is that a vessel that size has retained very “sexy”, sleek lines like that of a much smaller ship. As I said in my review, Carnival has a winning design here.
Looking forward to her sister, Carnival Magic and her announced homeport & itinerarries (I’m guessing she’ll homeport out of Southampton; and you’ll work a deal with Carnival to sail as permanent CD on her, so you can stay close to your family!)
Lastly, for the 3rd in the Dream class, again, I recommend Carnival let her loyal customers name her through a naming contest! The winning selection gets to sail on her inaugural voyage…
Thanks for your great blog, I am a loyal reader (daily) and I hope to be able to sail with you some day. Maybe the Carnival Conquest in April?
Marty Paul
Houston, Texas
Hi John,
What a fantastic note from Tex! I think it’s wonderful that Carnival partners with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to make wishes come true.
Merry Christmas to you, Heidi, & Kye.
Clair
Hi, John!
Sorry I’ve been MIA lately. I’ve been out of town, plus making holiday plans these past few weeks.
Anyway, I have a lot of catching up to do on your blog, but wanted to say THANK YOU for responding to me last week and for forwarding my kudos for Laura in CARE customer service to the powers that be. I really do appreciate it.
I’m not sure if I’ll be back online until after the holidays, so let me wish you and Heidi and Kye a very merry Christmas and I hope that Kye’s first Christmas is filled with beautiful memorable moments for both Baby and her parents. Treasure this precious time, as it goes by so darn quickly.
Bless,
Laura
John,
I loved the brunch option. I can’t wait until we board her on February 27th.
As for the complainers, well I also work in customer service. Sometimes there are things that need to be addressed. But you are so right, we also need to focus on those we please. People are always quicker to complain than to praise. I am always amazed by how many people complain over silly things on a cruise. Come on people, there are no bad cruises on Carnival. Some are better than others, but no bad ones.
As for the smoking issue, I am smoker and I am used to looking for the smoking areas. If I had a balcony room, as I have had in the past, I would wish to smoke on it. I don’t do it a lot, but some. If I could not, I would adjust, but not be happy about it. I do think they could assign some smoking, some non smoking, it is such with hotel rooms and sometimes I have had to settle for non smoking rooms.
As always John, thanks for all you do, for listening and caring enough to ask our opinion.
Looking forward to meeting you in 67 days on board our Carnival Dream.
Bobbi
OMG Thank you for posting the brunch menu for the Carnival Dream. I am now going to check out when we can take a cruise!!! I can’t wait to eat off that menu!
Roxi
John, I think the smoking issue can be solved with a yellow line down the middle of the ship. All cabins on one side smoking and the other side non-smoking. This would encourage guest to book early to get there preference. You could have 3 choices smoking, non-smoking and No preference (this would be basically for non-smokers that are willing to be near friends and others that smoke). I believe there is a good percentage of non-smokers that do tolerate smoking around them and don’t go spastic at the first sign of smoke. I’ve even heard non-smoking people, mostly women, say they enjoy the smell of a good cigar or a pipe being smoked near them. Once either side is full then you take what you get and live with it.
BIG ED
PS. We solved our smoking problem. We bought electronic cigarettes. Now we can smoke all over the ship without bothering anyone even in the dinning room.
Dear John, (Please reply)
It’s Mrs. Shy again as you nicknamed me on the Bloggers cruise but after reading so many of my comments, you might re-think that.
I really did not want to write again so soon as I know how backlogged you are with so many of us writing to you. However, I am really bothered by all the comments re the long lines in the buffet areas on the Carnival Dream.
Since when has there not been lines in buffets whether they be on cruise ships or on land? On over 20 cruises ( with several cruiselines ), I have never been on a ship which did not have people lining up to get food from the buffet areas? If there was no line, you’d wonder if the food was bad or something was wrong.
Yes, there were lines on the Carnival Dream but none that were unreasonable. Here are my experiences and/or observations during the noon period. The longest lines I saw were the ones in the Mongolian Bar so I avoided them as I found it too long on the Splendor ( the cooking takes a while after it’s finally your turn) On the Liberty, I decided to try it on a port day when the Lido was not so busy. The Burrito Bar lines were never long……wait for 2 or 3 people ahead of you. Sometimes I only wanted a basket of nacho chips so I would not have waited if the line was long but it never was. The Tandoori was never long lines either. The one time I lined up on the Deli line, it seemed long but went very fast as there were 3 cooks taking your order. In the Pasta Bar, you place your order and sit at a tble to wait and your order is delivered to your table. A short wait but you’re sitting , not lined up. There were many choices so if you see a line is too long for your liking, go somewhere else. BTW: We never had trouble finding a place to sit.
When people eat in the main dining room for lunch, they are served but they also have to wait for their food so why all the complaints about lines and waiting on the Lido buffet areas, especially on the Dream?
It seems to me that people these days are all about “me, me” and want instant gratification.
We really enjoyed our cruise on the Crnival Dream and do not understand all the negative comments on Cruise Critic and here on the blog ( hearsay ).
Hope you are enjoying your visit at home with Heidi and Kye.
Mary
Hi John (reply please) I was writing you a note last week when I lost it in the vast internet domain that I like to call NeverNeverLand. So, if you have received a half written post from me, I apologize.
I have mentioned to you before about my B2B Dream cruise in April 2010. I am very excited about that and am not paying any attention to negative reviews!!! Thank you for all your posts and info you have provided on the Dream. It certainly has whetted my appetite!! That brunch menu sounds fabulous!!! Is this only offered on the Dream or is it going to be fleet wide?
My last cruise was on the Liberty in April 2009 and the wait between then and my Dream cruises proved to be too long and I was fortunate enough to be able to book a short cruise to the Bahamas on the Sensation leaving January 10th. I am doubly excited because friends have decided to join me who have never cruised before and I am looking forward to introducing them to cruising and aiding and abetting in their soon to be addiction
. When I originally booked I asked for the late dining and when they booked and had our bookings linked, they also received late booking. A couple that I met on the Liberty cruise are also on this sailing and their booking number is linked as well. So, we have 5 booked for the late dinner. I have since been made aware that one of my friends has some stomach issues and problems with digesting the food properly if he eats too late and this causes a very uncomfortable night. I have tried to change all of listings to the early seating but am told that it is full and we have been waitlisted. If we don’t get on the list for the early dining, what recourse do we have? Will speaking to the maitre ‘d when we get on board help? We don’t really want the anytime dining and my PVP says that we would probably not get to sit together if we did take it. I would appreciate any advice you can give me.
Also, just to let you know, the problem I was writing you in the past about my Dream cruise on April 24th has not been rectified. I did write a comment and labelled it STEPHANIE AS JOHN REQUESTED, as you asked me to in your Sept. 10th “A Blog to Chew on”. My question was why I was booked as an “Early Saver” with all of the potential penalties while I was in a group cruise but was not given the going Early Saver rate and I wondered why and suggested that maybe they should say that Early Savers are not allowed in conjuction with group cruises and it would save a lot of headaches. Anyway, no one ever got back to me but I wanted to say that I do appreciate you trying and I have resigned myself to the fact that it is costing me a bit more and that hopefully all will go well and I don’t have to cancel for any reason and face any of the penalties.
Thanks John for the service you willing and freely (well, I do hope Carnival is paying you something
give to all of us bloggers!
Enjoy your time at home yet and Best Wishes for a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, Heidi and Kye!
Daag
On the Carnival Dream brunch -
Not sure if it was just when they were testing or not, but didn’t they expand the hours so it opens earlier than some of the other lunch venues?
Cheers!
STEPHANIE!!
Please check and make sure I am still on the blog mailing list. It appears I’ve missed the last couple of John’s blogs. Thanks and Merry Christmas to all 343 of you!
Ken Stevenson
Hi John (please reply),
Just wanted to send a quick hello and say that I enjoy the blog very much. I didn’t think I would ever be prompted to reply to something on here quite honestly (technically I am “working”), but the part of your blog today about one of the CDs being a bit low made me a bit sad. I can only imagine how hard a job that is (I tend to just ignore whiners and complainers, but I can’t imagine having to deal with them every day… and having to plan enough fun to keep thousands of people amused for days on end either)…
I’ve only taken 3 Carnival cruises so far, but I was lucky enough to take them all this year, and of course I am now hooked. On my first cruise on the Legend in January, Jen was the CD and while she was lovely, we were a big group and pretty much made our own fun without taking part in many of the ship’s activities.
I’ve also sailed on the Freedom and the Dream with Todd, and I found him to be a brilliant CD – so I hope it’s not him who is down in the dumps from all the complainers getting off the Dream. I was thrilled when I heard that Todd and James would be on the Dream in fact. We were on the second European sailing and I can’t think of a single thing to complain about – everything was exceptional; the ship, the food, the staff, the ports of call… best cruise ever, without question. I feel a bit bad actually because there were so many excellent people we met on the Dream, I’m quite sure I didn’t leave any comments on the card about Todd and his staff. So if you wouldn’t mind forwarding this along, it would be much appreciated. (Even if it’s other CDs that are down in the dumps, who doesn’t like to be told they are doing a great job
I really enjoyed that Todd and the entertainment staff were very approachable and were always out and about around the ship. The Morning Show that Todd and James do was a guilty pleasure each morning for sure
I also really liked that there was a variety of activities, not all of which were geared at older age groups… something for everyone really. I’ve only ever talked to Todd briefly, but the thing I noticed most about him is that he seems to genuinely like and care about the passengers, all of them – even those that really deserve a kick in the pants… or a muzzle 
Happy holidays and safe travels,
Ange
John, I do have a comment about the shore excursions. I have always booked independently. That is not to say that I dont think the Carnival excursions are not as good. They are probably well worth the extra money, especially for the peace of mind that you will never miss your ship. However, I am always on a tight budget and I do plenty of research and talk with people who have booked these private excursions before. I have always had good luck (knock on wood), but I would never say that Carnival has ever offered anything short of top notch service in any area. I am sure that your shore excursions would be as top notch as everything else, I am just a penny-pinching accountant that needs to shop around. By the way…how much is the Behind the Fun Tour???
I do love the Blog Thingy and I am amazed sometimes at your patience with slow and unfortunate people.
John (please reply if you have time),
I met you back in March, the week you were leaving the Valor. I really enjoyed meeting you and talking with you. You are a wonderful man, and you make so many people smile every day. I posted this awhile back, but it may have gotten lost in the shuffile (no biggie!) but, Thank you for helping me with the project I had for school. I really appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to help a college student out.
One question though, what happened to “Charlie Davidson” or “David Tancock” the CD that took over after your departure? I haven’t seen any reviews on him anywhere from any recent cruises.
Best regards to you, and to the cute, charming Gary that was your ACD on the Valor. He is a brilliant young man and will do great in life.
Happy Holidays to you and your beautiful family,
Jordan
It was great to hear from Jaime and those pictures really make your shiver! I’ll bet those passengers didn’t want to get off in that. I miss you Jaime!
It’s so good to hear of the nice things that happen to those with Make A Wish. Nobody could do a better job than our Carnival crews with these kids and especially Big Tex….and this child was very special because he is wearing that Stetson….but did he teach him how to do the lawn mower?
Sorry about George and hope you can cheer him up.
Hi John!
What a wonderful thing that Tex and the gang did for Devante. Hats off to the group.
Its such a weird picture to see the Carnival Pride in Baltimore with all the snow. I bet those voyages are filled every week as people look to get away from the cold.
I hope you are having a nice time with the family.
Take care and have fun!
David
John,
We like to spend time on our balcony and at times, we have had to go inside because someone was smoking cigars or chain smoking cigs and the smoke was blowing onto our balcony. I do wish there were no smoking in cabins and on the balconies, but I know that many people would decide to not sail on CCL because they can’t smoke.
I also realize that there are people who travel with smokers and when they do so, if there were the no smoking as I suggest, those people would also have to book another line.
I am also concerned that there is a lot of smoking in the piano bar on the Dream. I have read that it has been quite smoky in there and I thought the majority of the bar was to be non-smoking. I don’t know if this is really true or not. I will find out for myself in a little over a week.
Speaking of the Dream, I am so excited about the brunch. I really don’t eat three meals a day but for some reason on a cruise I do. Now, I can have two meals with one being brunch. It’s the best of both worlds as some of the food sounds really great. I can hardly wait!
Thanks for giving us this information and I hope you have a Blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
Frank & Gerri
Hi John,
First I have to apologize for not thanking you the other day when you told me that you have alerted the Destiny of the arrival of my special needs child. Thank you so very much!! I have no doubt she will truly enjoy her first cruising experience.
I would also like to thank you for Devante’s story too … how heartwarming to hear about the make a wish foundation connection with Carnival. All the best to him and his family!!
And again, I truly appreciate everything you have done for me and my family.
Miriam
Greetings John!
I hope you are continuing to enjoy your time home with your girls and am looking forward to hearing about Kye’s Christmas.
While there is little that surprises me these day
(volunteering in the animal welfare field has pretty much taken care of that), I continue to be amazed at the gall of people who come on here to make a request of you and then get their panties in a bunch because you aren’t replying quickly enough. While I don’t know what’s behind the request for “a table of single ladies in the their 40s and 50s”, I didn’t know the blog was now a dating service. Somewhere along the way, it looks like “concierge” was added to your job title and it’s a shame that some people come on here to take advantage of your generosity.
With that being said, and to entirely change direction, kudos to Big Tex and his staff. What a wonderful story to read about during this time of year.
Merry Christmas to you, Heidi and Kye!!
Colleen
Just wanted to say that I think the Brunch idea is FANTASTIC and would love to see it offered fleet wide – especially on sea days when one is inclind to sleep in!
Hello John, I have been checking out the Carnival Dream webcam site, and it hasn’t been refreshed since Dec 12. I would really like to see what is going on on the Dream as I will be cruising on it Jan 9. Is there any way you could get someone to fix it???
EVIL CREW DOES JOHN
See the pictures of the breakfast party the Evil Crew gave John on Bloggers Cruise 3. See the “Toilet Cake”. Just click on this link http://ekonefe.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/bloggers-cruise-3-photos/
The captions are on the right/top. If you go “Full Screen” the captions will be on the top.
BIG ED
Hey John, please reply.
sorry to say that due to certian things the wife and I will not be joining you for the Jan 31st cruise, we had that cruise booked for a year and were looking forward to the following, #1 meeting you, #2 being on the brand new Dream, #3 our first PLATINUM cruise and lastly but most importantlycelebrating our 20th anniv. We have rebooked on the Triumph for a 5 day cruise for Feb 1st we were so disappointed that we had to cancel the Dream but i guess thats life anyway I was hoping that you may beable to do something a little specian for her, she is a very special woman ( has to be to put up with me for the past 20 or so years, lol) and I do love her dearly. I had some plans of my own for the Dream and am trying to change them and make them work for the Triump ( can the captian make a short stop at St martian or would that be a bit much to ask) she is a romantic and sees only the good in life but recent events hae left us very stressed out and she needs relaxing thanks for reading this. thanks for any help see you soon
Dear John,
Please reply,
I need some advice from you John, since I am a solo cruiser, I have been thinking about making a reservation in the SteakHouse on the Carnival Splendor, but I am concerned that since the SteakHouse is always full and is really set up for couples and families, I just don’t want to reserve a table only to find out later that a couple was denied a seating because I took a table for two. Do they have anything set up for solo cruisers to maybe share tables?
Give my love to Heidi and Little Kye,
From your #1 Bloggy Thinggy Friend
Kathy M.
Dear John,
So sorry to hear that a CD is having a hard time. They all work so hard normally and even harder when unusual circumstances arise and some folks just don’t get how difficult the job can be. I think I may know who it is just by the personality of one I’ve met and how much that person cares about everyone they meet whether it be employee or cruiser. Tell him/her not to worry about it!
The comment cards are not really suitable anymore with all the past cruisers. How can someone possibly rate “exceeded my expectations” when Carnival has already set our expectations so high? On my last cruise I was filling out my card and actually had to check “met my expectations” on most items and included a note that since it was my 9th cruise with Carnival and my expectations are quite high that it’s almost impossible for anyone to “exceed” them. Perhaps they should go with a 10-1 scale of satisfied to dissatified instead and ask for an explanation of any low scores?
Re: the smoking issue…..yep, it would be difficult to determine how many rooms to designate for smoking but perhaps booking can ask if people smoke and try to place them “downwind” of others while still accomodating their other requests? Of course, if they said they didn’t the agent would have to make it clear that that there aren’t any non-smoking rooms but that they are attempting to group the smokers away from the non-smokers, no guarantees. Without making that clear, it just sets the stage for a whole slew of complaints.
Hugs to Heidi and Kye!
BELC
Maribeth
John or one of the 343 Stephanie’s
Please Reply (911 concerning Sea Miles Program)
I wish you a Merry christmas and a very prosperous New Year.
I received an email today from the Sea Miles people telling me that Carnival is no longer with them and that you are going to be promoting fun points and according to my email from Sea Miles they are going to be worth about a 1/3 of what the Sea Miles points were. the question I have of course is wanting to know is this true???? We have enjoyed the substantial savings by using the sea miles on the last two cruises that we have gone on with Carnival of course. If you would like to see the email that also has a little movie explaining the differences to us in the two programs, please tell me where to email it to. I wanted to make sure you had a chance to respond to this before the whole world does on Cruise Critic.
Merry Christmas again,
Marqueta from Oklahoma (where the snow is going to be blowing through the wheat tomorrow)
John
My wife (who is a smoker) and I are Milestone Level cruisers. We are recently back from cruises on the C. Splendor and the C. Spirit. In both cases my wife thought the smoking rules were fair and fairly enforced. She smokes on our balcony but not in the cabin and is respectful of those who do not smoke. I only write because I think smokers should have a voice in this issue as well as nonsmokers.
Regards and Merry Christmas
Roger T.
Hello John, (please reply)
Having sailed on the Carnival Dream out of New York on 11/23 and having endured the chaos at the Lido buffet at mealtime due to overcrowding, I’m happy to learn that Carnival has indeed taken notice of the problem and has increased the amount of food venues to “liberate” the Lido. Unfortunately, I had to be a guinea pig in Carnival Dream’s “breaking in” process.
On another note, I must mention how pleased I am of the new smoking policy in the casino. It indeed was a pleasure to be able to enjoy the slot machines without having someone’s smoke whiff up into my eyes and nose. I trust that this new policy has been applied fleet wide?
Hopefully Carnival can add to the enjoyment of my cruise experience by allowing me the full use of my balcony without interference from other guests smoking habits. I thought Big Ed had a good suggestion, make one side of the ship smoke free.
I really enjoy your blog. Thanks very much!
I am behind in reading the blogs, but wanted to chime in about the smoking thing. I know at least one your sister companies does smoking rooms on one side of the ship, and non-smoking on the other. I think this would work as those who were adamant about being in non-smoking could book their rooms specifically.
CJ