It wasn’t a good start to the cruise on Saturday. …….here is why:
From: DREAM I/S MANAGER
Sent: Saturday, February 27, 2010 5:25 PM
To: Distlist Dream
Subject: CRT – SPMS – FSS- Unix Server
Importance: HighGood Afternoon Dream.
Due to sudden hardware failure we have lost connectivity with our Oracle Data Base on Unix server that means all systems using this DB were not available. We have moved over to secondary (standby) Unix server our Data Base and brought back all systems to their operational level.
Due to the hardware failure and complexity of the system part of DB (SPMS) got corrupted and our programmers are working on it to have this corrected. We do not have estimation when the system will be available, so please kindly standby and monitor your emails for further development. We are very sorry for any inconvenience to all users and partial lack of services to our Guests. Thank you.
Now for those of you without a beard and who would rather eat deep fried camel scrotum …… on a stick…….than tofu, let me translate what that means. Basically……the ship’s computers decided to wake up on Saturday morning thinking they were cauliflowers and other assorted vegetables. This meant that various guests services did not work, including:
- We had no final count of who was onboard and who was in what cabin and who had not made the ship.
- All guest purchases in bars, casinos and other areas of the ship where the sail and Sign card is used could not be charged to the cabins. Hold on, don’t get excited, this didn’t mean free pina coladas and casino chips for everyone. What it meant was that we had to take a manual written check each time a purchase was made which of course we used to do on the Mardi Gras.
- We had no idea what our shore excursion counts were.
- The casino had to revert to using buckets of quarters at the slot machines
- And the chief accountant drank 2 bottles of vodka and sat in a darkened room dribbling on himself.
Obviously this was the worst possible start and there is nothing I hate more than having to apologize to the guests within just a few minutes of them coming onboard. Actually that’s not true……I hate sitting on the toilet for 20 minutes of pure uninterrupted heaven only to discover there’s no toilet paper and having to use the shower curtain instead….yes……I hate that more. But apologizing to the guests before the fun has really begun …….well that’s never good.
However, surprisingly there were no complaints from guests and all 4,000 understood that the world of computers is an unpredictable one………..well…………nearly everyone
B – ____PLATINUM GUEST UNHAPPY WITH BENEFITS
Mr.________ came to the GSD during embarkation and asked to purchase a shore excursion. GSA explained that the computer system was not working and that all we could do would be to make a note of the excursion the guest wanted and print the tickets later. Guest started shouting and threw his Platinum card at me saying he was a VIP and he wanted the tickets now. GSA called Supervisor to talk to the guest
Well, I can understand his frustration but as this was embarkation and only hours into the cruise I doubt this is the last we have heard of Mr. Platinum.
It goes to show you though how much we rely on computers these days both at work and at play and it is of course especially difficult here on the ships because these days we are cashless and your Sail & Sign card is your onboard credit card. And while the Platinum gusts we carry are very special I guess this chap thought that it gave him the right to shout and scream. And as the many, many Platinum card holders who read this blog thingy know……..it doesn’t.
Sometimes it’s people with posh credit cards that do have a bit of an ……… ummm ………. attitude. I am not a huge fan of credit cards but obviously you have to have one in today’s world because it’s the law. I remember when I got my first one when I was 19 years old. It arrived all bright and shiny in the mail and I spent the next few months pummeling it within an inch of its life. I remember I had a 2,000 pound sterling credit limit which back in 1984 seemed like 20 million And I bought everything. Clothes, a watch, a new 8 track stereo for my car, and holidays in Spain and Latvia. And then I had just enough credit left on my card to buy a new pair of brown pants when I discovered how much interest I had to pay.
And of course thanks to people like me and those bastard bankers at AIG and wankers ……..sorry………bankers………..the economy was hovering on the brink of collapse and little old ladies were having to sell their cats for medical experiments.
But there’s an even darker side to credit cards……..one that like who the hell designed the Norwegian Epic……. is rarely talked about. I’m talking about the misery of not having the right one.
We’ve all been there. Dinner is over, the check (bloody hell I am an American…….I said check and not bill) has arrived and everyone is chucking their credit cards onto the plate thingy that the leather bound wallet containing the bad news sits on. It’s a sea of platinum and gold……….just like the ship.
And then it’s your turn. And all you’ve got is your green Amex card. Suddenly you have the social standing of fart……………a post Taco Bell fart ………..in church.
A few years ago I met a Carnival Executive who showed me something called “Black Centurion” American Express card. He looked at me, winked and said it “gave him certain privileges.”
Obviously, I had to have one. So I called Amex, told them I was a senior cruise director, lied about my salary, handed over 750 sodding dollars, and there it was, in a leatherette box, presented like a fine Cartier piece of jewelry. My very own passport to the life of George Hamilton.
A few weeks later I was flying economy class back to England after a long contract on a ship……I forget which one and found myself sitting in one of those overpriced tasteless fast food Cuban places at Miami airport. As I was eating my Los BLT sandwich I remembered the black “master key” in my wallet and recalled a bit in the pamphlet that came with it that said it opened the door to airline lounges around the world.
So, I waddled over to the club class lounge with my cargo class boarding ticket and asked if I could use the facilities. “I’m afraid not,” said the woman cheerfully. “Aha,” I countered, “but I have a black American Express card,” producing the thing and holding it over my head like a fishing trophy
It didn’t……….and she told me to bugger off and that was me back at Jose’s Bar and Grill.
Sometime later I was checking in at the Excelsior Hotel in Rome on our Honeymoon when, again, I remembered the card and thought: “I wonder if this will get me a room upgrade.”
Bugger me, it did. All I had to do was check into one of the Caesar suites at $1 billion a night and I would be automatically upgraded to the Berlusconi suite, with the enlarged mini bar and lap dancers at no extra cost. So, off to the room with a view of…….ummmm ………..another room we went.
As the months went by, I kept producing the jet-set, jet black Amex and the result was pretty much always the same. “Non.” “Nein.” And when I was in Holland with Heidi someone actually said” What the f***’s that?”……in Dutch. That was the last straw. Having a black Amex is not like having a big yacht, house, car or penis. They are useful and others will find them impressive. This card exists, solely, to impress. It has no other function.
If I were the sort of person who had clients or needed to impress Megan Fox and her bottom, then maybe it would have be useful………. so I got rid of it. Because at the end of the day it was as pointless as Bath and Body Works opening a store in Paris.
By the way, later that night the I/S beardies fixed the problem and the cauliflower became a computer again……..Mr. Platinum got his tour tickets…………and all was well.
Time for today’s questions………..lets crack on.
John and Patty Asked:
Hi john please reply.The post from David and Lucy has me baffled, we have been in the spa suite on both the splendor and the dream, we are not aware of the “key card for access” we had the wrist bands on both cruises and had no problems gaining access anywhere in the spa areas, this is the first time we are hearing this, are we misinformed? Ps we are booked on the magic for 12 day out of Barcelona Spain in the spa suite; please tell me you will be our cruise director! Thank for all you do for us personally john & patty
John Says:
Hello John and PattyThe Spa Suites do indeed have a key card here on your Carnival Dream. When guests go to Cloud Nine their state room key is swapped for a key card which gives you private access to a world of total relaxation. Congratulations on booking the Carnival Magic and if you have any questions about the ports please let me know and I thanks so much for your words of kindness.
Best wishes to you both
JohnRoxianne & Lon Asked:
John (Please reply),Ok, so now we have our passports and I have a couple of questions. I am sure you have answered these before but I have no idea which blog they are in. 1) I am a US citizen, will Carnival take my passport until the end of the cruise or will I keep it? and 2) Will we get the visa stamps at the various ports of call?
We love the blog!
RoxiJohn Says:
Hello Roxianne and LonCongratulations on getting your passport and the only time Carnival will take it from you is if you sail in Europe and then only at certain ports. For all other cruises you will keep your passports with you. Remember, we always recommend you carry a photo ID with you when going ashore. Unfortunately the days of the passport being stamped are long gone although some guests do I know take it to a local post office where they have a similar stamp that guests like to collect.
Thanks for the kind words.
Best wishes to you both
JohnJeanette Asked:
Please reply, if you so desire…I did it, I booked my Platinum cruise!!!!!!!!!! Liberty Sept 18th back to Half Moon Cay (otherwise known as paradise found), St, Thomas, San Juan, and Grand Turk!!!!!!!! Embarkation day is on my 41st birthday, so that ought to be fun!!!! I can only hope that that Alex, that hot maitre’d is on the Liberty in September!!!!!! It’ll make my seven day 41st birthday bash even more fun….*BG* wink wink nudge nudge…..I’ll go for a different cabana number this time, something closer to the food….
Platinum perks–laundry service–I know Platinum gets free wash n fold laundry, but it is everyday or limited to a certain number of days only?
I am tickled to be getting a card of a different color!!!!!!! Bye bye gold, hello PLATINUM!!!!!!
John Says:
Hello JeanetteMany congratulations on your Platinum card and joining a world of priority boarding and debarking, free stuff and a world where we wash your underwear for you. I look forward to receiving a reminder of your sailing in early August so I can act on your “nudge nudge, wink wink.”
Congratulations again and best wishes
JohnKaren pee Asked:
Oh by the way– (John reply)We leave on March 1 for our 13th cruise on the Carnival Triumph.
Karen
John Says:
Hello KarenI know you are already onboard but wanted to wish you a very fun cruise and look forward to reading all about it.
Best wishes.
JohnNew York Sam Asked:
Posted a request for a dinner reservation 12 days ago and no response. Hope the service on the boat is better than on this forum
Sam
John Says:
Hello SamI did indeed post a reply to your request plus a reply to your reminder as well. I am working three weeks behind so my apologies for the delay. I assure you the service on board will be just what you expect and more.
Best wishes
JohnTom and Karen Asked:
John please reply– yes is your #1 blogger–(he he he)You ask our opinion on time in dining rooms. I love the time in the dining area. Why hurry? People are serving me anything I want and then more of the same and you want to rush? Why do people not see it is the experience that is the fun part? Food is good don’t get me wrong, but it is the time with friends, new friends, new wait staff and all the others that can’t be bought.
That fellow needs to get a life and slow down and enjoy the moment.
I always let my staff know if we are in a time constraint. And with that information, the wait staff has always accommodated the issue.
John Says:
Hello Tom and KarenI just wanted to say thank you for those words of wisdom. While I respect opinions I must say it still astonishes me that so many want fast service….the faster the better.
Thanks then for showing us the other side of the coin and taking the time to write.
Best wishes
JohnSusan V Asked:
Hi John: PLEASE REPLY SOON!I am glad you are enjoying being the Cruise Director again and look forward to having Heidi & Kye join you on board!
I need your help! My daughter and her fiance are looking at getting married next year on the Dream. They are a little concerned since it doesn’t have a wedding chapel as to where they hold ceremonies. Could you check for us and let us know. I see they have conference rooms on the ship and wondered if that is where they are held. They want to have about 60 people with over 1/2 sailing. Would it be better to have our PVP Charlene Reisler take care of the bookings for the cruise or should we deal directly with the group department? My BIL got married on the Legend but that ship had a chapel and it was a beautiful ceremony. Our daughter wants it to be a very special day and with our love of cruising as a family, what a better place than aboard one of Carnivals beautiful ships!
I know you mentioned it before but are the prices for the spa passes? They are considering a spa cabin just for the use of the spa but we would really like to put them in a suite for their honeymoon.
Any help you can give us would be highly appreciated!
Thanks for all you do to make our lives better by having your wonderful blog to enjoy!
SusanJohn Says:
Hello SusanMy goodness I am sure the excitement is building as you prepare for the big day and I am glad that you took the time to write to me. This past Saturday there were four weddings on your Carnival Dream held in our conference rooms and of our Burgundy Lounge. Both locations are transformed into beautiful settings to make your daughter’s special day one she will never forget. I am going to take the liberty of asking our Bon Voyage and Wedding Director contact you via e mail and let you and her discuss the big day. Then I would suggest that we talk to your PVP about your group options. But let’s start with the wedding itself and go from there.
As for the Spa passes that open the door to the Thesol…Falosotharp…Thaloosop……the pool with the fountains, the thermal suites and relaxation rooms are $249 per couple for the cruise. The Spa Suites are amazing and I will try and take some photos of one soon for you.
So, let me help where I can to make her wedding day so very special. And if your future son in law needs help with the honeymoon night……I am available for him as well.
Best wishes
JohnJUDY SHARUM Asked:
JOHN PLEASE REPLY!!!!We are scheduled to travel on the special Itin of the MIRCLE that starts in Oct of this year. I know it’s an older ship but can you give us a little run down of what the ship is like and what to expect on it???
Also! WHEN is Carnival going to start going to places the OTHER cruise lines go??? Like GREECE??? We had to book our trip on NCL because Carnival doesn’t go there. Those of us who have been to Italy, Spain, France, Croatia, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Russia, Estonia,Amsterdam and so Ion would like to see different areas????Your favorite ships RCCL goes there some but not too far. Please talk to the powers that be and tell them we need different Itins!!! You can only go to the Caribbean sooo much!
Thanks
Judy S(It’s IPAD JOHN!)
John Says:
Hello Judy SharumI know what you mean about Greece as I spent a season on the Carnival Freedom going to Athens and Katakolon and they were certainly great ports. Our marketing department stroked their beards a lot when deciding what the itinerary of the Carnival Magic would be and it was decided that the popular vote was the Grand Med. This allows fun and sun for two perfect Carnival common denominators while still allowing to our guests to explore Venice, Monte Carlo, Tuscany, Florence, Croatia and more.
Now, on July 23 I am going to be sailing on the Queen Victoria and exploring England, Scotland and Ireland…….why not come with me? Then how about a Holland America voyage to Egypt or a Costa trip to Dubai. Our sister companies have a wonderful portfolio of destinations.
I am glad that you booked the Carnival Miracle though because for many the Spirit class is their favourite. The ship will carry around 2000 guests and the flow of the passengers is terrific thanks to the two-level promenade. There is only one dining room and the ship therefore has a wonderful sense of togetherness which is perfect for the longer cruise. The steakhouse on the Carnival Miracle is arguably our prettiest and I know you will love the ship.
Please let me know if you have any specific questions about her or any of our sister lines voyages and destinations as I would be happy to help you.
Best wishes
Johnauntsaras Asked:
Hi John, A reply would be appreciatedThis is my first time responding to your blog though I’ve been reading it for a couple of months. I like the new design of the old “Capers,” but like most everyone else, I am just not sure I like the name change. There’s a sense of continuity that’s lost – in my business, we say that if you make a big change, you have to keep something from the original so that people don’t lose that continuity. But no matter! It’s not gonna keep me from using it to plan my days! And like another blogger, I *really* hope it’s 11″ x 17″!
So, the real reason for writing you… My mom turns 60 in April and has never been out of the southern US – literally, never farther south than Georgia or farther north than DC! She just got her very first passport! Well, being the marvelous daughter that I am, I am taking her on the Legend’s April 18th sailing at no expense to her. It’s a week after her birthday but as close as our schedules could get. I’ve purchased room decorations for our extended-balcony stateroom from Bon Voyage but was wondering if you could arrange just a little something special for her? It’s just the two of us as my dad died when I was 14 and she’s been a single mom to me for the past 17 years.
Thanks for always keeping us up-to-date on the goings-on at Carnival. AND, thanks for the personal attention you seem so willing to bestow on all of us!
Sara
John Says:
Hello SaraThanks so much for taking the time to post a comment here on the blog thingy. It is always wonderful to welcome first time posters. It will certainly take some time to get used to the new name. I think I have said “Capers” three or four times already this cruise and considering I have been saying this for 22 and a half years…….it’s no surprise. How brilliant that your Mum has her first passport and is using it to come and cruise with us on the Carnival Legend. I would be honoured to send her something and can I ask that you send me a reminder on March 20th and I will make it so.
My best wishes to you all and thanks so much for the kind words.
John
That’s all for today and those questions were posted on the 4th of February ……… bugger.
I see that we have more and more new comers to the blog thingy each day and so I would like to kindly ask that if you have a question that needs answering to please mark it “John Please reply” unless your name is Sam and you are from New York in which case you don’t need to bother with the word “please.”
Last week I had the pleasure of Don and Carolyn sailing. They spent lots of money just to come and see Kye and Heidi and while they got to see lots of them, they saw little of me. Obviously being a cruise director is a little different to when I host the bloggers cruises and I want to apologize to them for not seeing as much as I should have done. Kye took to Carolyn immediately and that’s because she is a warm wonderful lady who along with Don I want to publicly thanks for their extreme kindness.
Today I had a visit from bloggers Linda and Mike, Frank and Bridie (Birdy) and Linda’s family and friends as well. They were all so kind to Kye both with words and by spoiling her rotten. I am so lucky to have friends like these and even was told that one of them had a “Man Crush” on me. I have never been so scared………..kidding………humbled. Frank and Birdy gave me a pillowcase ……………here it is.
I will be sleeping soundly tonight, resting my cheek on hers.
Thanks’ again everyone on behalf of Kye, Heidi, Megan and myself.
The 343 Stephanie’s bought me a new digital camera thingy which I received on Saturday.The idea is for me to have it with me at all times and take random photos of …… well………anything I see. OK, well I am not a Radu and most of my photos I warn you will be crap and very, very random. However, there is a bigger problem.
How the hell do you get them from your camera to the computer to the 343 Stephanie’s? You see, Heidi has always looked after this part of my blog which is why when she is not with me and when Radu is not onboard you don’t see any photos on the blog……..apart from the screen shots of my shows that the Audio Visual beardie sends. But now, I have this Fuji Fine thingy and am expected to pepper you with photos each and every blog. This morning I decided to transfer all the pictures I had taken since the Fuji thingy arrived on Saturday…onto my computer. This is easy enough if you have about four spare weeks, the temper of someone who’s actually dead and a master’s degree in engineering.
The problem is that when I try and save them my bastard Dell stores them in the electronic equivalent of a box, in the cellar, behind your collection of Star Trek on betamax. Finding them again is a bloody nightmare.
But find them you do and then what? Do you delete the ones that have no meaning or which are out of focus? No. You either leave them all where they are, in which case they will be lost for all of time when your hard drive crashes. Which, one day, I know it will. That, of course, is not as disastrous as losing a photograph album because you will also have put them on Facebook in the mistaken belief that the rest of the world will somehow be interested in what you did on vacation. Frankly, I’d rather look at someone’s Hemorrhoids than their holiday photos.
Or you carefully move them to a disc, which involves going to Wal-Mart, buying a packet of three, coming home, finding out you’ve bought the wrong ones, going back into town again and then finally getting everything transferred. It would be easier to set up an easel and paint you a bloody photo.
However, after a bollocking from Heidi about how “Kye could do this, so grow up” I have managed to sit here ……in my underpants……….and take a photo or two. Now I warned you they would be random and we start with four photos of the bridge of your Carnival Dream taken a few moments before I started Saturday’s safety briefing. Note the plasma TV’s which help the Captain during maneuvers.
OK, who’s sailing with us this week? Let’s find out.
GUESTS – 4,006
NON US OR CANADIAN – 217 (no specific large non US or Canadian Groups this week)
KID COUNT
| AGE GROUP | TOTALS |
| Under 2 Years | 10 |
| 2-5 Years | 48 |
| 6-8 Years | 61 |
| 9-11 Years | 75 |
| 12-14 Years | 71 |
| 15-17 Years | 81 |
| 18-20 Years | 46 |
Platinum and Milestone Guests – 237 with Mr. and Mrs. Lunstrom having cruised the most with 45 Carnival voyages.
We have a ballroom dance group from Ocala, Florida who have private lessons all cruise long and a group of 53 retired Vietnam Veterans who all served together and are here on a reunion. I will certainly be writing more about them later this week.
Overall I think the average age went up a few years this cruise which is to be expected. I always remember from my days on the Carnival Triumph which also did an alternating Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean cruise that it was the Eastern that seemed to have a slightly older clientele. I always thought that this was because of the ports and certainly here the more adventurous ports of Roatan and Belize seem to attract a younger group of guests. Whereas the shopping Mecca of St. Thomas along with Nassau and St. Maarten seems to have, like this week, older guests sailing. Now I could be talking bollocks here so let me ask you……..is what I said true. Are ports of call age restricting………I would as always be interested in your thoughts.
On Sunday I decided to show the Canada vs. USA hockey gold medal game on the big screen. I canceled the live music and moved up the Mixology contest and the pool games. And it was well received by many. However, I had not planned for this in the Capers ……. bugger…………Fun Times……..and therefore I did have some guests who were unhappy that the game was shown and the music postponed. I guess it’s just one of those times that you just have to realize that you can’t please everyone all the time…..but you know how much I hate admitting that.
Here is a copy of our first Nassau Funtimes and let me know if you see any spalling or grammer, .! mistakes
Well one of the stars of this week’s welcome aboard show was our blogging friend Big Ed. Here he is proclaiming his love for Pat………who when asked if he was romantic replied “He’s as romantic as a wet noodle.”
We were in Nassau, Bahamas yesterday and just a few days ago the Carnival Pride was here as her young Cruise Director Jaime will describe in a Dear John letter in tomorrow’s blog …….and it’s a side of Jaime we haven’t met before. As for us here on the Carnival Dream those guests who left the snow and the cold to join us will be basking in the glorious sunshine and a high of ……….bugger……..68 degrees and in the morning when we arrived it was only 60 degrees. ………GWMA!
I often wonder what would happen to the tourist trade in Nassau and other Caribbean destinations should Senior Castro push off this mortal coil thus allowing the cruise industry to sail on mass into Havana.
For years, hair braiding in Nassau has been a tradition and I guess I need to let guests know that they need to be careful if they decide to have this done…………here is why.
Guest: Mr. ———Ref: 846009176A
Cabin: ____Booking#: ____Added-Changed: 02/28/10 – 02/2/810C – 2384 – Disputes Medical Charge
Guest called the GSD to say that his daughter had her hair braided in Nassau and had returned to the ship to find she had tiny insects on her head. Guest went to the medical center for assistance and wants the charges removed from his sail and sign card as he thinks the Cruise Director should have warned guests that this was a possibility. GSA explained that we do not recommend hair braiding but guest is demanding refund of charges. Tasked to GSM and CD
Now I think the “tiny insects” the guest is referring to are what we in the UK call “Nits.” Not sure if you call them that in the UK. Obviously this poor kid (who is 15 by the way) has them and has been asked not to go to the Club O2 activities until she has been cleared by the ship’s medical department. As far I can recall I never had nits or lice or “tiny insects” as they are now known. I don’t remember anyone at my school having them either, or, if they did, it was kept very quiet and the tiny bastards were eradicated before they had time to mastermind their dastardly attack on the rest of us kids.
Obviously the problem with having your hair braided by Big Mama on the pier in Nassau is that although she is a lovely lady and a brilliant hair braiderist……she no doubt uses the same comb and hair braiding tools for multiple people and her cleaning regime is nonexistent ………..short of wiping the comb under her armpit. I asked Heidi about Nits (tiny insects) and she said that her grandmother had a great cure for them. She would spread mayonnaise over the child’s head and then put a shower cap on them overnight. It will smother the little buggers. Bloody Dutch………..they put mayonnaise on everything.
Anyway, I have talked about this numerous times before in the blog and on board the ship while it is ridiculous to blame me for not informing him that the particular hair braiderist he went to had things living on her……..I will add this to my “be careful” list of things to do which includes renting mopeds, not buying replica weapons and avoiding Easy Elsie’s House Of Pleasure in St. Maarten……..don’t go there………because if you do…….not even a big jar of mayonnaise is going to help you.
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.
Hey John,
Great blog as always, I was on the Carnival Dream Feb 13th and enjoyed the time away from the cold, my mom had sent you a letter with pictures inside, we though you might have sent them back to us before the end of the cruise. No worries that you didn’t my mom just wanted to make sure you did get them.
Jen M
John, there’s no need to apologize for not having the time to visit with us last week. You have a job to do which, unfortunately, doesn’t allow you to spend very much time with Heidi and Kye. I sure wouldn’t want you to take time away from them in order to spend time with us. I will see you a few more times this year, and it was very important that I get to spend time with Heidi and Kye and I definitely got my money’s worth.
For the blogger’s who weren’t as fortunate as Don and myself. I have to tell you that Kye is one very beautiful, special baby, She is so full of energy and loves to bouncy, bouncy all the time. She is very vocal, wonder who she takes that after? and jibber jabbers, laughs and squeals all the time. I don’t think she ever cries.
I got to spend time with her and Heidi up until the last day and all though I was sad not to be able to tell her goodbye, it was probably for the best I would have been blubbering and sobbiing and the whole ship would have thought Don had beat me or asked for a divorce…..
Kye absolutely stole my heart and the thought that I might not be able to see her again, brings tears to my eyes.
God surely blessed Heidi and John when he allowed them to give birth to such a special little sweetheart.
Carolyn…………..sending hugs and cuddles to Kye
Hey, New York Sam,….. Bugger Off!!!
Be patient.
John is one of the busiest & kindest people I know.
He is the CD of a ship with 4000 people on it, not to mention his “Brand Ambassador” duties, This “Blog Thingy”, and his wife and child (who he sees very seldom) is on holiday with him at the moment.
I’m quite sure you will have your request granted…even after your nasty comments.
By the Way……
John,
Thanks for taking care of my friends Kim & Ann. You made them fell real special!!!
Peace,
Jay
Oooppss sorry – I forget to put on the please reply – this is a repeat of an earlier request. So just in case I’m adding the reply thingy!!!
Hi John
It has been a while since the TA Dream. However Chris & I are now going to try the Splendor – May 16th. How do we find out who might be our Cruise Director on that cruise. I realize that you are on the Dream for a while and just curious where Todd might be sailing on.
I would love to surprise Chris with one of those behind the scene tours. I don’t see it listed on the shore excursions, how can I go about securing two spots. Could you help me out.
Can’t wait till our paths cross again, so I can bring you some good to earth “Timmie Goodies” again. Take care!
Hi John,
I would say the person had them before they had the hair braided especially if there are eggs present.
I would also like to say thanks to the following crewmembers on the Triumph for making our cruise one of the best ones we have taken. We saw a lot of crewmembers from the Fantasy and Holiday onboard the Triumph.
Felipe and Yudi our great dining room waiters. Felipe was a great dancer during the show part of the meal that I told him a couple of the ladies wanted him added to the dessert menu.
Jorge (CD), Squishy (ACD), Laura (SH), and Rick (SH) for making our week fun and entertaining. I wish I had filmed Laura trying to open our bottle of champagne at the production show. It was quite entertaining and had folks laughing around us.
It was great seeing Dino (Security) and Willie (Asst HSKP Supr) during our Behind the Fun tour. Willie came running over and gave me a big bear hug when he saw me at the laundry room. I had sailed with him a couple of times on the Fantasy. The Trainer used me as an example of how we as passengers can see crewmembers work their way up in the company.
The great folks in the Casino….Cecilia; George; Anton (pit bosses)……Veronika (Casino Host)……Granny and John (Cashier Cage)…….Waza (dealer) and many others. We only lost $20 for the week but had a GREAT time because of the crewmembers.
There are many others whose names are not remembered but whom have made an impression on us. For all a big THANK YOU.
Dave & Kimberly (Michelle)
John,
I know I would expect a refund for the shot of penicillin I would get if I got a blister on my…peni-cillin…while I was in Nassau. Somebody should have told me about what could happen when you spend a little time with Big Mama under the pier.
Ok now!! I said the guys at work think I have a man crush on you!!! I guess now I do!! HA HA HA HA, Oh god the pillowcase, HA HA HA.. Didn’t I tell you Heidi would want to kick me in the bollocks!! I see you left out she chased me through the casino and out on to the lanai!
So I hope Big Ed is having a good time is was wonderful to meet him also. John thanks for having us on it was an amazing experience and we had a blast took a lot of pictures and were very glad we went into the kids club so are son should have a blast we think. It was also very calming and reassuring to us as to how nice the counsler was to us. Told us to come on in and look around and to take photos. I wish we had got her name John she deserves a pat on the back.
Also thanks to you we are booking again tommorow for 2011 on the Dream our 10th Cruise with Carnival! WOO HOO
Ok in reguards to mr stuck up platium…Um anytime this is an issue john,,, You and craig, along with that guy in the astronaut suit (as you come in to the lobby) simply show him the gang way back into the terminal…. And as we told you Call us we will be there in 1 hour packed and ready to go! And happy and ready to relax not complain!
You have one beautiful daughter! Its nice to see she got Heidi’s looks
Just Kidding
Big fans as Allways,
Oh and a Man Crush Too,
Frank and Bridie
John Please Reply-
I am new to your blog and left a reply two days ago but was unaware of the need to post “john please reply”, so here it goes again.
My husband and I sailed on the beautiful Carnival Dream January 9th. It was our 6th Carnival cruise! We were wondering why Carnival no longer gives out its ships pin to past guest, the ones they sell in the gift shop are bigger pins and don’t look like the previous ones. why do they charge to use the hot tub in the spa area now because on other ships they do not charge a fee. Also, one last comment about Dream.. why in the world did you remove the hot tubs mid ship near the big screen tv? We truely did miss those hot tubs, but the ones that jet out from the side of the ship were pretty awesome! The hallway that leads past the mid ship dinning hall to the back of the ship is so convenient too! I brag all the time about the “dancing in the streets” show too, you need a show like that on EVERY ship!
Also, I am happy to say we just booked for September 28th on Carnival Miracle to celebrate our anniversary!!
Thanks,
Violet
26 from Syracuse, New York
The “tiny insects” that your guest brought on were most likely in her/his head when he/she arrived on the ship! Ewwwww…….let’s hope they don’t spread!
Hey New York SAM!
Lighten up. John is not your slave.
Learn some manners and maybe people will show you some respect. A lesson you really need to learn.
I suggest you check with the dining room once you’re on board because if I was John……………your request would have been filed in the round one…………and then flushed.
BTW……………you just confirmed what the world thinks of most New Yorkers. Get a life buddy.
Signed,
A polite Canadian
SICK BRIDGE!!
Just discovered you blog. I have enjoyed it the last couple and reading back some old ones. My wife and I are sailing on the Dream April 10th. Looking forward to it. This will be our 10th Carnival cruise, so we are now Platinum. We will try not to act too special and complain. I’ve always felt a cruise is what you make it. You can make it fun for yourself or miserable. We’ve always chosen to make it fun!
We’ve usually sail in April. Half way between my wife’s birthday, which is in March, and our anniversary in May. (28 years this year) Anyway, look forward to sailing on the Dream!
Bill M.
John,
My husband and I sailed on the Dream Feb 20th and we wanted to say the cruise was incredible. You are a fantastic CD and we loved your sense of humor. Kurt sent you a letter about our 10th anniversary and we were thrilled to receive the champagne, ship on a stick and the signed photo of the dream. I was surprised that you even tried to sing our song to us. The staff was incredible and made it a joy to sail with Carnival. We will be back.
Thanks,
Laura and Kurt S
New York
John,
I do feel bad about correcting the Fun Times, as I know I ignore many of my own grammatical errors, but you might want to have someone take another look at this particular one. I can tell someone put a lot of effort into organizing it, but there is still plenty of room for improvement.
In the 1st column of the first page alone….
After the dining attire—“Please Note: Gym or baseball hats…” Note should be lower-case.
Then, with your love of capitalized letters, ”The Gathering bistro & salad bar” looks weird as the only heading without them. I have no idea if it’s actually wrong, but it would be more aesthetically pleasing if it matched the other subtitles.
We Americans might be more interested in an “Unlimited Soda Program” than the offered “Programme”. Maybe it’s typical to write Carnival Capers/ Fun Times with the British spelling of words? There’s also no period at the end of the Soda Program description.
The second group of words in the Steakhouse description isn’t a sentence. Add a verb or change the punctuation.
Also, at the bottom of that first column is a warning about eating raw animal products that finishes with “may present a health risk to the” and just stops. Perhaps there is more of this warning someplace I haven’t found, perhaps the sentence should end after “health risk” or a few words need to be added.
If the other two columns on the page are at all like the first, I’m sure there are more improvements to be made. If our other blogger friends don’t find them, be sure to have someone else look over it again. I’m sure your cruisers know you have way too much to be doing to give you grief about a few punctuation or capitalization errors, but it’s still nice to put forth your best effort when 4,000 people are going to read it.
Enjoy the rest of your time with Heidi and Kye and keep up the good work on the blog!
JOHN PLEASE REPLY:
Hello John,
Re: “a group of 53 retired Vietnam Veterans who all served together and are here on a reunion. I will certainly be writing more about them later this week.”
Many have mentioned to us that along with the Friends of Bill/Dorothy SIGs (special interest groups) it would be nice if Carnival would have a servicemembers gathering at least once per cruise. Also, maybe make it clear that the gathering is open to all nationalities aboard.
Perhaps this is what you will address later in the week as you said.
Hope to hear about the Bloggers cruise before March 22nd!
Phil & Liz
Someone needs to tell Mr. Platinum that it does not matter what color card he has it does not give him the right to yell and throw things at crew members or anyone for that matter.
I think playing the hockey game on the big screen was the right thing to do. I even watched it and I don’t like hockey or even know much about it. It was a special game of interest to the majority of Americans and Canadian’s.
Well, since I have never had my hair braided it never crossed my mind about the sanitary issues. Since my granddaughters will no doubt want to have their hair braided when we sail on the Carnival Dream on 4-3, I’m glad for the heads up on that one.
I sure hope it warms up before we get there. I prefer the Eastern itinerary because I think the ports are nicer and not as much hassle with street vendors as in Mexico, Belize & Roatan. Being a grandparent and obviously older, I have done both many times. I do like the shopping better on the Eastern as well.
John,
Heidi is right. Last year my daughter had the same problem. “Nits” (commonly called head lice here in the US) were going around in her 4th grade class. We tried everything, including a prescription medicine from her doctor….nothing worked.
My grandmother recommended the mayonnaise treatment……….and it worked perfectly.
Computers and networks–we must love them AND hate them at the same time. I recall when the network at work had a crash that was heard throught the organization. Naturally, it was four days away from payroll cut off and it took a 1.5 days just to get the payroll system back up. Yes, it meant as much as four hours of overtime for the remainder of the week. Everyone knows their computer is a day away from a total crash/or meltdown…
Gold Medal hockey game– understand why the American fans were NOT happy you showed it, Canada took the gold in the first few minutes of overtime to prove, once again, Canada rules our game of HOCKEY!
Lice–Heidi’s got it! Mayonaise does get rid of the nasty little bug, but it does not require overnight, all it takes is around a half jar of Mayo, a showercap/or plastic bag, and 30 minutes of waiting. Once the mayo is ALL rinsed out (it takes a while….) your hair will be silky, shiny, soft, and lice free. A little lesson I learned from a co-worker who’s kids, while babyistting the wrong children, would come home with a pesky visitor….
Cheers
Nits, Lice, etc. Thanks for the tip. I truly never thought of what you said about the women who “braid” on the various islands.
Just a tip, the nits/lice do not like dirty hair, or hair that has been treated, (ie hairspray, moose, gel). Mayo on the hair does kill the live ones, but the eggs are the problem.
Dear John:
I am a little confused. You keep talking about how you lost so much money with AIG. How can that be???
American taxpayers have already given AIG 182B (yes with a B) and they will probably get more. Maybe next time we can designate it to which accounts we want the money to go to…LOL
John, it is obvious now that New York Jerk (I mean Sam) does not read your Blog…or he would have read your replies. He is probably expecting a reply in a leatherette box, presented like a fine Cartier piece of jewelry. Might I suggest where he can stuff his leatherette box? Considering his rudeness, I am certain there will be plenty of room.
As for Mr. Platinum, I suggest you let Klaudio handle it. He has experience (wait no one threw the “white” card at him) he sorta has experience at this…and maybe he can get a few more bottles of Stella Artois…. (wink wink)
Enjoy this last week with your precious ladies….
Hugs to Heidi and Kisses to Kye
Linda (Mom of your friend ~ taking good care of me now that David is traveling again~ DJ)
Hi John (please reply)
I really enjoy your blog. I am a long time reader, but this is my first time to post.
My family and I are sailing on the Carnival Glory on April 18th to celebrate my 40th birthday! I am hoping you will forward my request to the Maitre’ D for a table for 6 (or more, we don’t mind meeting new people if we need to) next to a window in the Platinum Dining Room during the early seating.
Thanks for your assistance. We can’t wait to be on the Carnival Glory, and we are waiting for the fall CD schedule to come out so that we can plan to be on our next cruise with you!
Thanks again.
Wes Parkey
Hi John,
Thank you for a look at the Fun Times for the Carnival Dream’s call in Nassau.
I never have thought of ports as being age restricting, but I guess maybe some could be, especially those ports whose excursions are more active in nature. Chris and I choose to sail on our Carnival Dream to the Eastern Caribbean because we like the 3 ports on that itinerary much better than those on the Western itinerary.
Enjoy your time with Heidi and Kye.
Clair
Hi John,
I can say our party is so excited as our sail date approaches on 3/20. We have been planning this trip since 9/08 after my husband and I returned from a cruise on the Destiny. Although this was our 2nd cruise, we wanted our family and friends to enjoy such a great time. This was the beginning of planning for a vacation and what better way to do that than to host it on a new ship. The ship was underconstruction and I frequently visited the website to check her status. It seems like we have been planning a long time but our crew is ready for rest, relaxation and fun in the sun. We have a few birthdays during our trip and we want to celebrate them. How can Carnival make these milestones special? Looking forward to meeting the Carnival Family especially the Cruise Director. See you soon.
Adriane
John Please Reply!!
A simple question really…I’ve been sailing with Carnival for almost 12 years now and am well over Platinum. I love the product and have no plans of switching any time soon. One of the things I’ve come to love over the years is The Grill which I believe is the absolute best grill at sea. They used to serve Minute Steak Sandwiches as well as Grilled Chicken Sandwiches and Onion Rings. All additions that I absolutely adore…but lately they seem to be scarce. Some report seeing them on some ships, but others adamantly say they are not on their ships. Please tell me these things are not being phased out!! I love the burgers, the hot dogs, the nachos, the chicken tenders but there’s something absolutely so special about the Steak Sandwiches and the Onion Rings as well as the Grilled Chicken Sandwich. Thanks a bunch, hope to sail with you soon =)
John and all the bloggers,
I SWEAR all New Yorkers are not as mean, nasty, cold or rude as SAM!!!
Most of us are friendly, nice, funny and know how to say Please and Thank You…
Hi Elaine,
You’ll notice I said “most” not all New Yorkers. I have many close friends that live in NY and Sam needs to learn to respect people who are doing him a favour.
Keep smiling and saying Please and Thank you.
Canuck Cruiser
John,
Brilliant blog, as expected.
As for Eastern vs. Western itineraries…I look at it in a few ways. Eastern we got to stay in port longer (I’m assuming bc the ports are quicker to get to from one another) and eastern is normally more relaxed and less scheduled for us (because wandering around the pier/town near the pier *atleast SEEMS* safer than doing that in say, Belize or Ocho Rios, where scheduling an excursion is really your only option). Eastern also had the third sea day for us as well.
Have a great week, John.
Stacey
When my boyfriend and I went to Nassau, they even offered hair braiding to him. He’s BALD. Of course… I would’ve paid big bucks to see them braid his ‘hair’, hehe.
I proofread the Fun Times because I write and edit for a living… and you know it would be really fun to do that for a living… for Carnival… hint hint
. I do love my current job though.
Under “Secrets of Art Collecting”, I’d remove the apostrophe in “Let’s”, because it’s used as a verb. Under “Cellular Phone Service”, I’d add apostrophes in “ships” (when it talks about the ship’s time) since ship’s is possessive.
I *love* the new look of the Fun Times, and I think most of the text is really funny and comical- which it should be, since it’s the Fun Times!
Dear John,
we just returned home from our cruise on Conquest to Jamaica, CI and Cozumel. Thank you and Chris so much for making this cruise the very best we ever had. My daughter, S-I-L and the grands were thrilled the entire time.
After a very long wait due to fog (doesnt Carnival have any big blow dryers for fog?) we slipped out of Galveston harbor about 2 a.m. Now our very sexy Captain Antonino kicked up the knots and after 2 fun days at sea, sailed into Jamaica only a little bit late. Everyone was impressed.
Somewhere on those 2 days my Hubby became, well uh, I had to call for Imodium AD. Our Infirmary people flew into action, checked him out, gave him the pills, the diet info & then quarantined him in-cabin for 48 hours. He missed Sky Explorer in Jamaica, and then the CI Atlantis (rough seas there).
NO COMPLAINTS!! He was treated royally, checked on, free movies & Sprite, as well as bottled water. Food Service had his diet info and brought anything he wanted—on that diet!! We had a balcony cabin so being stuck in the cabin 2 days was tolerable for him at least. While we were disappointed, we were so glad this policy is enforced, for all our safety. They follow CDC rules strictly and take this condition seriously. Franklin, our cabin steward, and his team, knew exactly how to disinfect the entire cabin, as well as steam clean the carpet. They took no chances. Our ship Doc (oops, forgot her name) was super, and told us of another cruise line with 300+ very ill passengers onboard. The cause of his problem was not discovered, and he is almost OCD with hand-washing, but we followed Carnival’s policy, especially since his Sail & Sign card was locked electronically. Smart move, Carnival, lol.
Every day we heard Chris Jefferson remind us to wash our hands, and that Purell dispensers are conveniently located all over the ship. I had to laugh because of one of your commenters about those announcements. How many did NOT get Montezuma’s revenge because they washed?? LOL
The entire cruise review will be on CruiseCritic but still have to thank you and Chris for making our trip much easier. I do not regret ordering the Bon Voyage cake for the kids….I had much more than a taste of the white cake with strawberry filling. YUMMMY! The Ship-On-Stick was a hit with the kids too (TY).
The entertainment was fabulous, and our dining waiter (Techisith) & his crew treated us better than family, and our 6 yoa grand daughter was enthralled with all Techisith’s “sounds” of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and much more. The beverage waiter, Bond, was the best ever! He knows his wines, and happily served the kids sodas from their soda cards.
On bar drinks, well the ‘Kiss-on-the-Lips’ was addictive, and we never got tipsy on those. At least thats what we told each other, and I saw the bartenders put plenty alcohol in them. MMMM, I want to cruise again just for that frozen drink, made from scratch, not canned! The kids love the smoothies, ice cream, and pizza, plus too much to list. They thought the bunk beds were ‘cool’ and want those at home, attached to the wall! LOL!
You guys really know how to make a family happy. My Holly had not had an entire week off in 15 years; this was all worth the effort if only just to see her relax.
Hugs to you & your family, Alice Sue & Kirvy
Dear John, (Please respond)
I have enjoyed your blog immensely. I think you write with a British accent. I hear it clearly while I read.
In an earlier blog you hinted at a change in photo sales. Can you share the changes with us and maybe tell us when it will be happening.
I hate looking for photos and if DH did not go and look we would never buy any. I am sure we missed some we would have loved to buy.
We sail on the Fantasy April 1st. Our first cruise was on our Honeymoon in 1998. I look forward to sailing on her again. I also hope in the future we will get to sail with you as our CD.
Cheers!
ReGina and Tod Quarles
Dear John,
I don’t think that the Eastern Caribbean Iteneriary attracks the older folks so much as the price is higher and the younger ones go for the less expencive Western Caribbean. The younger crowd would like Orient Beach (Nudie Beach) in St. Maarten and going to Trunks Bay Beach at St. Thomas (Short boat ride to St. Johns) The snorkeling and the incredible beaches are a big plus with the younger crowd. The shopping is a draw for some of the older crowd but I think that is still pretty good anywhere in the Islands. Ocho Rios, Jamaica is also a big draw to the Western Caribbean. I know you love it as all the young lovers like to go to Dunns River Falls. Very Romantic! Also the horse back riding in the Caribbean and the Ziplining through the trees of Jamaica is great. Nancy and I are planning on going to the Eastern Caribbean but we went to the Western Caribbean first due to the price and the date. If we hadn’t we would have missed the first Bloggers Cruise.
Both Eastern and Western iteneraries have great ports but the price and the variety of the Western is what makes the difference in my mind.
Nancy won’t let the ladies in the malls touch her hair let alone Big Mama in Nassau. Have a little common since lady.
The Cruzin2some
John, we are booked to sail on the Dream this coming Saturday, March 6th. We are so excited. There will be a party of 10 of us and we are celebrating the 65th birthday of my best friend, Nelita Collins so we are calling this the “Medicaid Cruise”! We are all looking forward to seeing Blackjack again as we have been on several cruises that they have been booked on and we love their music as well as we have become friends with Jim & Mel. We first saw them on the Celebration in 2003. They are one of the reasons we booked this cruise on the Dream. We are looking forward to all the fun we are planning to have this coming week!!!!! Hope to meet you while we are on board. Brenda Wells
Hi John (Please reply)
Thanks for another reply to my other questions. And yes, I am the shushing type. In the afternoons I would say I work in a zoo more then a library. I am so looking forward to the cruise and some nice quiet time. Only 73 more days until I walk onto the deck of the Dream.
I actually have a few more questions which I hope you don’t mind answering…I checked the Carnival website but can’t find the answers. As some who tends to keep to a budget I was wondering if you can tell me how much the unlimited soda program and photos cost on the ship? Also, is there anything I can leave out of my suitcase (since we all now have to worry about how heavy they are when we fly)? I know about the hair dryers but anything else you can suggest?
Love the photos that show up in your blog everyday. And I still continue to laugh at your posts.
Until the next time….shush!
Rachel
P.S. Love the new poll….of course, I voted for the British Isles intinerary.
Help for 2 ex-cruise ship employees!!
Hello John,
I love your blog. As someone that worked onboard ships in the past years it is a great way for me to relive my “prime!”
I am reaching out to see if you could help out my fiance and I that met while working onboard cruise ships. She was the Chief Purser and me the Shore Excursion Manager!! I am sure you have heard that story before!! LOL After attempts to stay on the same ship and the constant moving around we ended our time on ships (reluctantly) and have since started another chapter on land!
We recently entered a contest to win the wedding of our dreams, a $100,000 wedding to be exact! The catch is we need people to vote for our profile. Voting only takes a minute…click on vote, enter your email and a password, then check your email to confirm your vote. Can you please help us get the vote out?!! I thought your blog and your readers would be a great way to help us get to where we need to be. True Love can be found on Cruise Ships and I think your readers will love our story. Please check out the link below!!
http://www.ultimateweddingcontest.com/entries/27156?sort=votes
Thanks for your time!! We really appreciate any help that you can provide!!
Regards and safe sailing,
Michael Greco
John, We are going on the Dream on Saturday March 6th. This will be my 15th cruise- 11 on Carnival but the first time on a new ship. We are very excited. We have 10 going and will celebrate my 65th birthday on the 11th. Can’t wait to hear BlackJack Band again. I first heard them on the Celebration in 2003 and we have been good friends. You need MORE music like they play on Carnival.Can’t wait to see Extreme Country. Hope to meet you while we are their.See you soon.
Nelita Collins
to New York Sam – you are a jerk
The purpose of John’s blog is not solely to serve you and get you a better table!
Here’s some tips for your IT people in the home office. First, get rid of Unix and move to a modern OS like Windows 2008 Server. Second, get some new IT guys that know the meaning of the concept of “failover”. Then if a server ever fails, you have backup that takes over, instantly, not dropping a single transaction.
Unix is so 1960′s…
When we sailed on the Elation in 2000, I found several spelling errors. In the newsletter, “gemmologist”. On the door to the mens changing room, “chainging”. On the jogging track, distance marked in “status” miles. I brought them all to the attention of the front desk staff and was surprised to later find a bottle of free champagne in my cabin.
Hi John,
We were on the dream In January 2010. I celebrated my 40th with my husband who celebratede his 50th also his sister celebrated her 25th anniversary. We vacation twice a year and that was our first cruise and we loved it. We wanted to thank you and your staff for a wonderful job. We also wanted to name the new ship.
Carnival Generation , what do you think? We thought these new ships really are the new generation, they are the future of travel. The only way to go!
Dear John,
Oh how I wish the pics of Big Ed were a video instead! It looks like he had Pat in stitches!!!! I haven’t seen my cousin Ed since my 1st wedding in 2001 but I keep hoping that our cruise/financial schedules will match up soon!!!
Big Ed’s Little Cousin (BELC)
Maribeth
I want to tell you how wonderful my trip was on the Carnival Dream – Feb 20-27. I particularly want to express my appreciation for the Your Time Dining and the staff with whom I interacted. The hostess was adorable, but I never got her name down pat. It started w/ an E. Zsuzsa, the waitress, and her team composed of Andras and Matija were SO thoughtful and caring. I am a 70 something femme, eating alone each night. All the folks in my group of Dream Catchers (140+) were coupled and preferred assigned dining. Well, judging from the thoughtful attention by the staff, you would have thought I was some dignitary.
I did witness a frightening situation. There is no one at fault here, but rather it is part of the human condition. I have learned SO much from those who have posted to my commentary.
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=23391182&posted=1#post23391182
Thank you again for a wonderful team and a marvelous journey!!!
Vicki
John:
Just returned from the DREAM cruise to the Eastern Carribean. It was out 10 Carnival Cruise so we are now Platinum – wow such amenities!!! Clean undies each day if you wish.
We loved the cruise – although the weather was not very good – rather cool until St. Thomas & St. Marteen – then cool again. That was the first time the weather was not good so we were a bit disappointed.
The DREAM is gorgeous – but really a bit too big for us. It seems that Carnival offers more rooms – larger than before and more balcomies – but not any greater food and service areas to accomodate the larger numbers. We always seemed to wait in the GATHERING but not the Anytime Dining Area.
We love Carnival and will always cruise on her ships – and we loved being with you again as we were in 1995 & 1996 – the Bedtime Story will always be a favorite.
Thanks for a memorable week even tho it was cool.
john
this was our second cruise with carvinal. We did not care for the Dream, it is just too big and too crowded, did not like the wait in lines and services provided where not as good as on the Liberty. The gentlemen whom passes away while we where in port at St. Thomas was very upsetting. I had talked with him and his wife while sun bathing on March 28th, I would appreciate if you could give me a address to mail a sympathy card to her.
I do want to mention when the weather go ruff they locked down our balcony and proceeded to put the deck chairs and table in our room overnight which is very dangerous for the passengers when trying to get around in your cabin during the night. In the morning we called the desk to have them remove furniture and open door and the desk told us to tell the housekeeper. We did and the housekeeper told us no we need to call the desk again, we did and where told they are coming around opening doors. Needless to say over 3 hours later we where still waiting. We called again and it took them 4 hours before we where able to go on our balcony. from 8 am until after 12 moon. Unacceptable…………………