I am at the best of times a news junkie of massive proportion and after checking my e-mail the first post poo thing I do is check the news. I read both the BBC and CNN websites and have CNN International playing in the cabin 24 hours a day. It is especially important to me now as we are a few days away from a general election where hopefully the British people will see sense and tell our Susan Boyle lookalike of a Prime Minister to bugger off. However, it looks like there is no clear favorite at the moment and that’s not good. And so I crave news and I must admit ….. and I say this respectfully………..I miss the BBC and Sky news stations.
While news readers in the UK are rather plain looking in America you seem to have only soap opera men with silver hair and women with blonde helmets sitting side by side at the CNN desk, having giggling conversations with each other about the weather in between commercials for heartburn pills and laxatives. I love the commercials, they are hilarious.
There was one for the United States Navy, a proud organization full of brave men and women whose commercials are written by a 12 year old. Honestly, the one I just saw showed a lot of big scary looking missiles powering through the sky. The punch line was: “Rocket science is so much more fun when you get to use real rockets”……………..good grief!
But I saw my new favourite very early this morning. It was a commercial featuring some men and women who it seemed were having nervous breakdowns over having to deal with cat litter.
“Never deal with cat litter again!!!” boomed the voice-over and this got my immediate attention. The ad showed a nervous looking cat entering what looked like a small white spaceship. Then a close-up showed a hand hitting a blue button. “Wham – it’s all gone!!!” said the proud voice over chap.
It was unclear whether it was just the litter or the cat had gone as well. It was equally unclear where all the poop went. Only in America………the only country in the world where you get a new cat every time it takes a crap.
Anyway, our new Carnival commercials have been a huge success and I have read how many of you have enjoyed them. One of the features has become the sound of the ship’s horn at the end of each spot. The sound signals the start of a brilliant fun for all vacation and has become truly iconic.
Well, thanks to a chap called Lance, a blogger and the chap that designed the hilarious “Climb This” T-shirt has recorded the Carnival horn onto a file thingy which he then downloaded onto his cell phone and it is now his ring tone. Here is the file thingy and one of the 343 Stephanies will work on a way to try and get it to be a downloadable file thingy.
Here it is:
Thanks Lance. So now when your phone rings it will remind you of all the memories you have had on past Carnival cruises and get you ready for the next one……..plus if you turn the volume on your cell phone to its highest setting……..it will scare the crap out of those around you.
Time for today’s Q & A – off we go.
Janet Sammons Asked:
Hi John,I wanted to add to Melissa Woods comments regarding the future cruise credits we were unable to buy onboard the Dream during our sailing 2/20/2010. It was published on the carnival website that the desk would be open for business during our cruise. Most of us were planning on purchasing one or two credits while onboard. When we discovered the desk was not open as advertised, we all decided that Carnival would take care of us when we returned home. After all it was advertised that the desk would indeed be open. We also decided that instead of 130 of us each calling Carnival, we would have one person speak for the group and take care of it when we got home.
The one person that we let speak for the group did indeed call carnival and after several conversations with several people, he was allowed to purchase the certificates for himself and his cabin mate. He was told that since the desk was supposed to be open, and wasn’t, we were all going to be able to purchase the certificates over the phone. Guess what. NOT! We are being told that we cannot purchase them. I don’t think it’s fair to allow one or two to purchase the certificates and not the rest of the group. Some are very angry about this and they feel lied to by carnival.
I feel that because it was advertised as a ship that would have the desk open during our sailing, and because our spokesperson was told we would be allowed to purchase the certificates over the phone, that we should indeed be able to purchase them over the phone.
How do you feel about this?
John Says:
Hello Janet SammonsI am very aware that there was indeed no Future Cruise Desk on your Carnival Dream back in February although it was advertised as you said on carnival.com and for this I send you my apologies. I will certainly plead your case with the right people and ask them to give this situation some serious consideration. A member of our CARE Team will be in touch with you.
Just so you know, it was the intention to have the desk open on the ship but unfortunately due to a last minute manning situation we were unable to have anyone there. In fact the two people finally arrived on the day I left the ship and headed here to the Carnival Conquest. Anyway, I will ask someone to look at this and get back to you and I thank you for letting me know about it.
Best wishes
JohnJANET THAMES Asked:
Hi John, (Please reply)You were the CD on the first cruise I went on in June of 1991 on the Carnival Fantasy, You were wonderful. You were also on my second cruise on the Carnival Ecstasy for my honeymoon in October 1992. I read your blog daily or when you post it. Thank you for all the wonderful information. I now have my entire family cruising with Carnival.
I have seven cabin cruising on the Carnival Dream May 29, 2010. I have all the cabin crossed referenced for dining but if you could work some of your magic and try to get us near the back windows in the Scarlet restaurant I would be forever grateful. Our cabin numbers are 2374, 2376, 2378,2380, 6397, 1334, 9400.
Thank you for all that you do. We love Carnival. I have been on 15 Carnival cruises.
John Says:
Hello Janet ThamesNow that is weird. Here I am……….in my underpants……………writing to you a few days before I return to the Carnival Fantasy as cruise director since 1991 which is when we first cruised together. I am so happy to hear that we had two fun cruises together and that you enjoy the blog thingy so much.
I have sent your request to Mr. Ante the Maitre D on your Carnival Dream and he will do his best to help you.
Have a brilliant time.
Best wishes to all
JohnTakmom Asked:
Hi John, (Please Reply)This is my first post…I’m a quiet stalker
I just felt the need to provide you with some great feedback and get a few questions answered as well.
We just returned from our 12th Carnival cruise on the Carnival Splendor. We had a fantastic time as always, loved the ship and the staff. They sure know how to throw a deck party…the Rock n Roll deck party was the best one we have been to yet! The other thing they are doing right is the final farewell party…they had plenty of wait staff in all of the aft lounges and plenty of drinks for everyone!!! On previous cruises this has taken place in one lounge and you are lucky to walk out with 1 drink let alone two! Although I have to say I truly miss the Captains Cocktail party…it just seems like a part of tradition is missing.
My only negative about this cruise is the port of Long Beach. As you know we are platinum cruisers, we had a nice lounge to wait in…which was great…but when it came time to board we were not the first ones on the ship. We were mixed in with boarding zone 1 waiting in a long line to get on the ship. Our previous platinum cruises were different, we were escorted on, in Miami even before the photo crew was ready! This is something I believe they need to work on. Of course we were treated very well by the Splendor staff and of course escorted to the tenders in Cabo…very nice job there!
I also have one comment about a previous CD. That is James Carleton…not sure if that’s how to spell his name…but he was our CD on the Carnival Glory last Aug for our back to back cruise. He is the BEST CD we have had to date…of course we have not been on a ship with you yet. He was very visible and always took the time to say hi…we felt like family on that ship! His staff also handed out trading cards…what a great idea!!! He was nice enough to have a set sent to my daughter that each entertainment staff had signed!
Ok so on to the main reason I am writing…I am the winner of the Carnival Sunday Funday free cruise. Now I have a PVP that I am extremely loyal too…have booked 11 cruises in 2 years with him…so I am not used to jumping through hoops to book a cruise. It took me 2 weeks to get someone from Carnival to call me back to answer my questions, now that I have someone to work with she is extremely difficult to communicate with. When I finally got confirmation that I could book the ship I would like it had the wrong date…at date that ship doesn’t even sail on! Not to mention that I am being quoted taxes and fees well above what I would pay if I were to book this cruise separately. It has been almost 2 weeks since she quoted me my rates and I am unable to get a hold of her. My hope is that by the time you get this will all be resolved, but I felt you needed to know the difficulties that I am having. I am a loyal Carnival cruiser and this in no way affects that…however if this were my first experience I’m pretty sure it would be my last.
One last thing…please tell me you will still be on the Carnival Spirit in November…or at least on the west coast! We have been on the Carnival Spirit the last 2 years on Thanksgiving and were so excited to hear you would be there. We actually have not booked yet waiting to hear for sure as I would be happy to switch to the Carnival Splendor if you were to be there!
Thanks for all you do!!!
TakmomJohn Says:
Hello TakmomI am very much looking forward to my return to the Carnival Splendor in August. I have not seen the rock n roll deck party so it will be very interesting to see what you and so many others have been so excited about. I am glad you enjoyed the ship and I understand that change is always hard to accept and even I miss the old style captain’s parties.
I was surprised to hear about the embarkation in Long Beach and that you were not escorted onto the ship. I am so sorry to hear this and I will bring this to the immediate attention of the people in charge of the program there. Thanks also for the high praise of James Charlton. He is one of the select group of young CD’s who are the future and I know that when he reads what you have said he will be as proud as punch.
I was very unhappy to read though about the difficulties that you have had booking a cruise and I have sent your details to a vice president who will make sure this is addressed immediately. Please let me know if you have any further problems.
I will not now be the CD of the Carnival Spirit but I will be on the Carnival Splendor from August through to mid December. I truly hope you can join me.
Please let me know if you need anything else.
Best wishes
JohnViolet Asked:
John Please Reply.Is the shipwreck you can see just off the Mahogany Bay Beach on Roatan a real shipwreck or is it staged there just for an interesting view for the beach goers? I’ve been wondering this since January when I went there on the beautiful Carnival Dream!
Thanks,
Violet
Syracuse, NYJohn Says:
Hello VioletThis is a good question and I have asked the port authority if they can provide me with the name of the wreck. I am sure it is totally real and as soon as know the details I will let you know. I hope you had a great time on your Carnival Dream.
Best wishes
JohnPatricia Solis Asked:
Hello Mr. Heald,My husband & I are long time fans of yours, we first discovered you on the Carnival Triumph in 2002. We will be on cruise # 11 in July and you have by far been our favorite.
So, my question is one you probably get quite often. Do you know who will be the CD on the July 7th 2010 sailing of the Fantasy?
I did a search of the schedule and see it is only updated until June.
Thank you in advance for your response.
PatriciaJohn Says:
Hello Patricia SolisCongratulations on your Platinum status and thanks so much for your loyalty to Carnival and your kind words for me. The CD on the Carnival Fantasy in July will be Risa Barnes. I know this because the cruise director schedule is finished and I will be posting it here on the blog thingy on Friday. I wish I could be with you. Have a wonderful cruise and thanks again for the very kind words.
John
Mike Caldwell Asked:
John, we traveled on the Carnival Conquest on 3/28/2010 thru 4/4/2010. We had a wonderful time we really enjoyed all of the activities you had planned on the ship. We need some help on contacting one of the people in the Spa Carnival. We have misplaced his email address on some items we purchased from the spa for reorders. If, you would please have him contact us so we can visit with him so we can get the numbers to reorder and get the items he is supposed to email us on his topics he talked about in his seminars while we were on our cruise last week.
Thank you
Mike Caldwell
Cabin 1044John Says:
Hello MikeI am very glad you had so much fun and I have sent your posting to the Spa Manager who will be in touch soon. If there is anything else I can do for you please let me know
Best wishes to all
JohnApril Z Asked:
Dear John, (please reply)We will be on the Carnival Fantasy May 3rd sailing. I know you will be the CD, but so will Risa. So, will you be the actual CD? Or is it another boring hand off week for you? I would really love to see the bedtime story if you can swing it, PLEASE. Can’t wait to see you!
April Z
John Says:
Hello April ZI will certainly ask Risa if she will let me do the bedtime story. She is the CD and yes…….it will be another boring handover. Regardless I hope you will come and say hello if you see me wandering the ship with no friends.
Have a great cruise and see you soon
Best wishes
JohnMarty Paul Asked:
Hi John (Please reply),Jeanne & I are considering a cruise to Alaska summer 2011. Although I know the Carnival Spirit sails to Alaska from Seattle, I was looking at a Carnival Corp “relative”, Princess to Alaska. What intrigued me was how engrained Princess was with shore excursions and lodges, trains, etc up there.
My question, if you sail with another line, but it remains a Carnival Corp line, does it still count toward platinum? Or, do they 10 cruises have to be strictly with Carnival Cruise Line?
Glad you are enjoying your “hitch” on the Carnival Conquest. Unfortunately, this time of year, with the still cooler water and the right air temperature, this is fog season on the SE Texas coast. Being the quality company Carnival is, I’m sure you “rolled with it” (no pun intended…get it, “rolled”….”fog”). Sorry.
Marty Paul
John Says:
Hello Marty PaulWell, that’s a good question. While both Carnival and Princess are part of Carnival Corporation they are run as separate companies and therefore have their own unique rewards program. I have been asked here on the blog thingy before about why the programs cannot be combined and with each program and scheme being so individual that it would be extremely difficult to formulate.
Princess Cruises have a superb Alaskan program and whether you sail with them or with Carnival I urge you to do what I have never been able to do…………..sail Alaska. I have enjoyed my time immensely here on the Carnival Conquest and (touch wood) I have only had the one encounter with the fog.
Let me know if you have any Alaskan questions.
Best wishes
JohnRaymond Krygier Asked:
John – please replyI recently sailed on the March 22, 2010 sailing of the Carnival Destiny with my mom. This was the 34th cruise that we have taken with Carnival Cruise Line. I thought you might like to know about the way Carnival Cruise Line should us how much they appreciate our loyalty.
- The last time we had sailed was on the March 13, 2009 sailing of the Carnival Miracle. During that cruise we received the ship pin and water bottle as Carnival Concierge club member gifts. From what I understand the water bottle was replaced by a picture frame. During the March 22, 2010 sailing of the Carnival Destiny we never received the Carnival Concierge club gifts.
- The past guest party on this sailing was held in the Palladium (main show) Lounge on March 24, 2010. During the party we asked 6 members of the bar staff for a glass of pop. What we received for our effort was nothing to drink. I have notified Carnival Cruise Lines about the problems with getting pop numerous times. The most recent time was in an e-mail I sent on March 2, 2010 about the problems getting pop at the (old style) Captains welcome aboard party and the past guest party. While I was on this sailing I was sent an e-mail on March 23, 2010. According to the e-mail “Our general policy at the Captains Party is that if a guest request soda, it will be served.” If Carnival Cruise Line is going to tell you that pop is supposed to be served that why isn’t it being done?
- The last time we sailed when there was a tender port was in September 2008 on the Carnival Liberty. On this sailing we were scheduled to sail the 7 day exotic Eastern Caribbean itinerary. Due to Hurricane Ike we ended up sailing the 7 day exotic Western Caribbean itinerary. On Sunday night we received a letter for VIP tendering for our stop on Monday in Grand Cayman. On Tuesday night we received a letter for VIP tendering for Wednesday for our stop in Belize. The March 22, 2010 sailing of the Carnival Destiny included a call at Half Moon Cay which is a tender port. We never received any letter for VIP tendering.
- Since the Carnival Concierge program started on the last full day on board we would receive initially receive luggage tags based upon out post cruise plans. Later in the day we would receive a VIP debarkation letter along with #1 luggage tags. On the March 22, 2010 sailing of the Carnival Destiny luggage tags #9 based upon post cruise plans. We never received the VIP debarkation letter or #1 luggage tags.
- The Fun Farewell Party was very poorly advertised. This was in sharp contrast to the Captain’s Celebration which was printed in the Fun Times very boldly next to that nights show. The only mention of the farewell party is the tear off section of Fun Times. I did not even realize that they had the party until after I returned home and was looking through the copies of the Fun Times that I had kept. From what I can tell by looking at the “Get Your Groove On” section of the Fun Times the party was only from 5:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M… I am basing the ending time on the schedule for the Criterion Lounge where the party was held. The schedule for the lounge was:
Jazzin’ with the Destiny show band 5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.
Karaoke party 7:00 P.M. – !0:00 P.M.
It also does not make sense that the Farewell party was held at the same time as the debarkation talk. It appears this is a deliberate attempt to keep the number of people going to the party for free drinks to a minimum.
On the positive side our favorite member of the bar staff – Katarina was working on board at the Flagship Hall bar. This is the bar on deck 3 in the atrium. We first met her on the March 17, 2007 sailing of the Carnival Liberty on the 8 day Western Caribbean itinerary. The first night on board we had gone to the bar to get a drink. As soon as we arrived she immediately recognized us and we recognized her. Every night during the cruise we made it a point to go the Flagship Hall bar to get a drink before dinner as we knew that she would be working.
John Says:
Hello RaymondYou know, some people think that I hide comments like this on the blog and that I don’t post the ones that are less than complimentary about what we do. As you can see…….they are wrong. It seems that the Guest Services Desk really dropped the ball when it came to making sure your express tender service and VIP debarkation tags were taken care of. This is just not good enough and I am going to have your comments sent not only to the ship but to the Vice President of our Care Team as well. It is only through comments like this from loyal Carnival guests that we will be able to continue to be the best. Please accept my apologies and someone will be in touch soon.
As for the Farewell Party I will speak to the ship and see what needs to be done to advertise this better if we can. The Fun Farewell Party is available on all the ships from 5 pm – 6 pm and is advertised accordingly.
I was glad that you took the time to mention Katarina your bar server and I know she will be thrilled to read your words of praise. Thanks again and please let me know if there is anything else I can do for you. Someone will be in touch very soon.
Best wishes
John
That’s all for today and I will be back with more comments tomorrow.
The other day I posted a blog thingy that included some details on what can be brought on board and what cannot under the new regulations we are now enforcing around the fleet. Obviously, with any new procedure there are going to be learning thingies and this is no exception.
I was asked by Host Mach from Cruise Critic about the confiscation of power strips and adaptors etc which are not allowed onboard. However, he brought up a great point and that was that a few people had reported that they needed these for medical reasons to charge appliances like PAP masks for sleep apnea, etc. Well, obviously these are allowed and I have had this confirmed by all the right people in Miami. Their suggestion is where possible to put these in your carry on and where this is not possible to please place them in your suitcase with a note attached to the charger etc that says “USED FOR MEDICAL REASONS.” This may sound a crude way of doing this but it will alert the people who are looking in the suitcases for prohibited items. Obviously, allowing lots of electrical items to be plugged into the ships system is dangerous and can overload it.
I would be grateful if Mach would spread the word. We will continue to learn and we will continue to make sure that this process is as easy to understand as possible and when questions or concerns arise, please let me know and I will investigate the answer for you.
Time for a break and while I pop to the loo, have a look at the first of some photos featuring the Carnival Elation. As you know, Radu our senior photographer is onboard and he is filming the upgrades that were made during her recent dry dock. We start with the dining rooms.
More brilliant photos from Radu very soon including shots of her journey through the Panama Canal.
And here are two great shots that I wanted to share with you ………….here is the introduction.
Hello All the Stephanies and John,
One of the joys of Carnival’s port at Long Beach, California is the fact that right next door is one of the Grand Dames of the Sea, the Queen Mary. Sadly, she is not kept up as well as during her days at sea, so during the day she looks a little faded and dull. But at night she still shines brightly. These photos were taken as we pulled away on December 27, 2009 for a New Years Eve cruise on the Carnival Splendor. It was a great cruise and I’ll be back on board for the next New Years Eve, (I booked on board.)
Thanks for the great job of keeping us informed
Ron Maurer
Great photos Ron and they have whetted my appetite for my Carnival Splendor contract that will be here in August. Thanks again for sharing them.
There is no doubt that Karaoke continues to be one of the most popular activities on our ships. Every day our guests come on stage and do horrible things to Frank Sinatra, Abba and that awful Summer Nights song from the Grease.
I cannot go into the Karaoke lounges on the ship because people see me and try to get me to sing and honestly, I would rather have gas pumped into the crack of my arse and have it set on fire than sing a Karaoke song.
People think I don’t like karaoke because I don’t like music. On the contrary, I don’t like karaoke because I’m a music lover. Granted, there are some people who are genuinely talented but being subjected to a chap who has been enjoying the company of Jack Daniels all night singing some drunken version of Bon Jovi is not my idea of a good night out.
I’ve concluded that karaoke singers collude with each other, ignoring how horrible their mates sound because they fear with good reason that they sound as bad. Me, I know it sounds horrible when I sing, I know that dogs will be howling back in Galveston and I know that my voice sounds as flat as Kate Moss’s chest. I make people vomit when I sing………………so I don’t.
Yes, occasionally you get some great singers and yet ask the guests and they will tell you that for some rather bizarre reason that they enjoy listening to the bad singers as much as the good ones. I wouldn’t mind karaoke so much if it weren’t for the fact that people force me to sing.
Last night I went to check up on our new Karaoke Host Magda. Sure enough, the moment I walked in, I was spotted and guests started to chant my name and one tried to thrust the microphone at me and started chanting “We want toilet, we want toilet” (my name this week……John…toilet). Making a break for it involved running the gauntlet through overexcited, slightly intoxicated Texan women grabbing at me from every direction……..it was like a zombie movie.
Well, I am in a minority and such is the success of Karaoke that Carnival is changing up a gear and giving their Karaoke guests a chance to do something very, very special indeed ………………. it’s already on the Carnival Inspiration and will be here in May on the Carnival Conquest and then on many other ships through this year………………it’s called “Rock Star……..Live!”
This is a cross between a talent show and live karaoke. It is held in the ship’s aft lounges and basically works like Karaoke. You have a song list. You choose a song and then you sing it. But instead of singing along to a CD or taped music…….you are front and center, performing with a 5 piece live band…………..you are………..a Rock Star!
This has been a massive, runaway success on the Carnival Inspiration and so much so that it will soon be here on the Carnival Conquest and all the seven day cruises should have this by the end of the year. We have regular karaoke as well but there is no doubt that this live version is capturing all the headlines.
I get the strangest letters for my Morning Show. Have a look at this one which is surely the cheekiest way of asking for an upgrade I have ever seen.
So a very good morning from Jamaica where the sun is shining and guests are off exploring the land of “no problem, mon” I have had a busy few days with Chris Prideaux our Director of Entertainment who has been sailing with me. He leaves today from Montego Bay and returns to Miami and while he was here we finalized the Cruise Director schedule for the rest of 2010. It has now been sent to all the Cruise Directors and they will be digesting what ships they will be on. And then this Friday I will post it here on the blog thingy.
Have a read of this:
Guest: Mr. ———-Ref: 832071389A
Cabin: ____Booking#: ______Added-Changed: 04/27/10 – 04/27/10STEAKHOUSE COMPLAINT
Steakhouse hostess called to say that guest Mr.____ had ordered a Fillet Mignon cooked to medium and had returned it to the server three times. He ate most of it but then walked out of the Steakhouse saying that the food was not good and he refused to pay. The other guest at the table ate everything.
F and B Manager taskedF & B Manager
I called Mr._____ and listened to what he had to say. He told me that the food on Celebrity was much better and that the quality of meat was of a higher standard. He has since paid for one meal but is refusing to pay for his.
Yep, it’s my old mate Mr. Celebrity, the chap who hates my jokes and me and prefers the all dancing CD over on brand X. It also appears that he likes the food better over there as well. I wonder what else he has in store for us before he leaves. By the way, we have served a total of 308 people so far this cruise in the Steakhouse…..number of complaints…..1…..Celebrity my arse.
Well, it’s Heidi’s birthday today and she has my parents round for lunch and friends over for a dinner party tonight and here I am ………..sitting here………in my underpants…….alone. I ended up buying her flowers and silly balloons which were delivered today and as always I hate being apart from her every day………….but especially today.
Certainly there are days when I think of saying “bugger it” and going home. Last night, for instance, when Mr. Celebrity was telling me how dreadful I was at my job. As I stood at let him ridicule me all I could think about was Heidi….and Kye……and that I should have been at home with them.
Of course there would have to be some sacrifices. I wouldn’t be able to afford a car, for instance, and we’d have to move to a much smaller house. And there’d be no more expensive cigars for me, or nice clothes for Kye and Heidi would have to do the dishes by hand. And we’d have to eat stray dog. But the biggest loss of all would be my job.
Yes, for five minutes a day the idea of being home all the time, every day all day is wonderful. But for the rest of the day I love what I do.
Of course there are times when I have to listen to guests like Mr. Celebrity shout at me and I want to go home. But there are times when I hear 1,000 people laugh out loud. And best of all there are times like right now when the house is quiet and I’m tucked away in my little office writing. This is not a chore. It’s called work, but there’s nowhere I’d rather be.
Thanks to those bastards at AIG who lost most of my life savings I have to keep working. Then there’s the question of marital happiness. At present I come home every four months fall asleep on the sofa and dribble slightly until bedtime. My wife is very happy with this arrangement. Whereas she’d be very mad if I were there all day trying to be helpful.
Furthermore, I need the buzz I get from working………. the juice. When I see people smile, hear them laugh and when they ask me for a photo I realise how lucky this ugly, fat British bloke is. And I know wouldn’t be any of that if I spent my days at home sitting in a cubicle in some god forsaken office.
I know that there will be days when I am miserable, days like today and of course on May 15. But then there are many, many more days where I realise what a lucky sod I am.
And that’s the same in most jobs I suspect. Take your family doctor for instance. He has to examine an endless parade of sagging, ageing flesh, but who knows, the next person through the door may be Megan Fox….and she wants the Doc to look at a mole……..on her bottom.
Goodnight
Your friend
John
Look, friends — there are a few things you should remember before you comment. The space below is for you to post your comments about the post I've just written above. If it is something that's unrelated, please use the Ask John tab above. Now, while I may not be able to reply to your comment below, I do sit in my underpants almost every morning and read everything that is here. So feel free to comment on the comments and then if someone wants to comment on the comment to the comment then go ahead as well. Please be courteous unless the poster is French...........then you can say whatever you want.
John, thanks for getting the clarification about the medically necessary devices. I’ve posted the information on Cruise Critic and will email the amazing number of folks who are concerned and let them know.
I have the Carnival horn as a ring tone on my phone as well. It was offered on the Carnival web site about six months or so ago. I copied the file and have sent it out to dozens of folks who have each sent it out to dozens of folks so in short order the Carnival ship’s horn will be universal!!!
All the best to the great crew of the Carnival Conquest, Heidi, Kye, and of course you my friend!!!
Ciao
Host Mach
Hi John,
I do hope Carnival bans Mr Celebrity for being the deadbeat that he is. The stress added by this individual far outweighs any income (loss) generated by the jerk.
Oh Mr. Celebrity is definitely an interesting one.
Happy Birtda’ Two Shoes
Happy Birtda’ Two Shoes
Happy Birtda’ Dear Heidi
Happy Birtda’ Two Shoes
Just wanted to you have the feel of being on the cruise with John….
Linda (Mom of DJ)
John, who says you can’t sing Karaoke? I remember one John Heald singing “I’m to Sexy” on the last bloggers cruise… FANTASTIC!!!!
Regarding debarkation. When we got our luggage tags for debarkation on the Drea…….drats..Carnival Dream BC3 they were number 9. I thought well maybe it was due to the fact there were so many Platinum cruisers on board and that they had taken more cruises than us. But found out later that some platinum members with les scruises under their belts, were given #1 Oh well we got off the ship, a little later than we would have liked, but what the heck. It didn’t disturb us we have gone on 3 cruises since then and fixing to join you on the Fantasy.
On the Carnival Conquest the platinum members weere mixed in with the other cruisers in embarkation. Embarkation and debarkation in Galveston is miserable…….. never again! Worse we have ever had to endure and we have been out of several ports.
But again, it doesn’t keep us from coming back to Carnival, but would definiteoly keep me from going back to Galveston…………… unless………. you guessed it……. you were CD and Heidi and Kye were going to be on the ship.
CYA soon
Carolyn
Happy birthday to Heidi, Kye give Mommy a hug from us
John Cheer up. You are great at what you do and we look forward to every day reading this blog. It makes our night and we allways know when we need a pick me up to read your great writings. Hey you may be some english bloke, but you are the greatest cruise director. John one jerk in the group shouldn’t ruin this for you! Throw him overboard sheesh.. As you say celebrity..My a**(correct spelling)
Big Fans as Allways,
Frank and Bridie
Well if you have had time to read the CC website, you will see that the whole power strip thing is causing a stir.
Talking to friends we have come up with a simple work around, we won’t be cruising on Carnival ships.
Now that sucks for us, we love Carnival after all, it sucks for Carnival, they lose Platinum cruisers.
But in the end, we go on vacation to enjoy ourselves on our terms, if that means taking a different cruise line then so be it, wouldn’t it be easier for Carnival (and all lines) to have more than one outlet in a cabin ?
Also, how many people will be labeling their power strips “for medical use” now ? really, someone didn’t think this through very well.
John:
I don’t about other selections in karaoke, but I happen to know first hand that you sing ‘I’m To Sexy” VERY WELL!!!
As you can imagine…I am all excited to hear about Rock Star … Live!
Speaking of karaoke, NO REPLY NEEDED, but if I could make a request ……
when we sailed on the Triumph in January, the key control (some people call it pitch control ) on the CAVS was broken.
We just booked a B2B on the Triumph in October.
If it isn’t to much trouble…..do you think they could have another CAVS unit installed that has a working pitch control?
I realize that most people who sing karaoke don’t know what “pitch is” but for some of us…..it really is a necessity.
Thanks
Linda (Mom of your friend ~ in his redneck 4×4 pick up truck~ DJ)
Pictures….don’t worry…he is only pretending to drive…
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/577490787PgoAiy
Happy Birthday Heidi. I hope that you received our birthday card? As far as Mr. X can’t you just let the X ask what you feel? This jerk will always continue and do what he does until someone tells him where to go or just take his two cents to the X ship company. I really hate it when people complain and state how great it was on the other ship’s company. Why in the hell didn’t they just take them for their cruise?
Have a rest John and son you will be home with your two ladies.
Paul F. Pietrangelo
Paul,
You so right. Why did he leave brand X. I’m a creature of habit. I’ve sailed now 14 times in a row with CARNIVAL and I wont change till they give me a reason to. I would hate to sail on a different cruise line and end up saying I should have stayed with Carnival. I forsee me being with CARNIVAL for a long time.
MR X just go back to brand X and I bet you will be saying “I got this or that while on CARNIVAL why not here”
BIG ED
Hi John,
I have a couple of comments about the letters today.
We would love to be able to combine the cruises from all of the Carnival brands to add to our past guest status. We have been staying with Carnival so we can make Milestone next May but after that we’ll be more likely to try something new. We’ve been on one Princess cruises and would like to try others. The odds of our getting to 50 Carnival cruises are probably slim so it won’t matter after next year. We did make a note about that when we filled out the survey about past guest benefits that we received via e-mail.
We also had a situation on the Carnival Imagination a couple of weeks ago at the Farewell Party when we asked for pop. We were told that the server could get it but we would be charged for it. We explained to him that it was complementary just as much as the alcoholic drinks were and he finally just brought it for free.
I think most people have no idea what the Farewell Party is. We went to the one on the Carnival Dream in February and only a small percentage of people were there. On the Carnival Imagination there was just a handful of people in the main show lounge. It looked pretty empty in there.
Hope lots of people sign up for Bloggers’ Cruise 4. It should be fun.
Hope Heidi had a great birthday today.
George and Linda
Long Beach–I had VIP boarding and we were all waiting outside to board. I stayed at the Queen Mary, so I was steps away from the port. Everyone that was Platinum, in a suite, or needed assistance or handicapped all boarded at the same time..formed two lines and went in….It was quick, but it would have ben nice to sit in a lounge instead of the wee bit chilly day as it was in LA
Splendor rock n roll deck party–excellent. I loved it!!! Don’t change a thing about it…..
Carnival Commericals–why do they not air in Canada….You could get more Canadians cruising if you showed them in Canada…
Mahogany Bay Shipwreck–I took a tour and the guide said that the ship, after the fire was out and it was safe, it was hauled and that is where it was left to rot as a wreck…Dunno if it was 100% true, but that is what w were told….
Cheers!
Jeanette,
We had VIP in Long Beach last month and had a lounge…however when they lined us up to board we got in line with boarding zone 1. Maybe they just recently added the lounge???
ATTENTION BLOGGERS GOING ON BC4
On my blog I have a easy to follow “Roll Call” for those going on BC4. Just add your full name and cabin number to a comment and I will add you to the roll call.
http://ekonefe.wordpress.com/bc4-roll-call/
BIG ED
Wish beautiful Heidi the best birthday she can have without John being there. May they be together for the many more in the future. Hugs to Kye.
Hello John,
Two weeks later I am still struggleing with my back but it’s getting better. Thanks again.
Well we just returned from our 50th birthday cruise on the Dream. Again I want to thank you for the gifts you had delivered to my stateroom. They were actually the height of my trip. Unfortunately, while in St. Yhomas we happened upon this little establishment that we had visited before and as it turns out, it had been purchased by some fine gentlemen from our hometown near Detroit, who encouraged me to celebrate my birthday with the yagermeister/ meisterburger. (I am not a drinker) After a few too many, I took a nasty slip and fall which left me virtually immobile for the remainder of our cruise and a visit to the emergency room when we got home. Your gifts were delivered two days after this happened and it brought a smile back to my face. I missed the last three days of my cruise and I feel cheated so now I have to book another to make up for it,
Hi John,
Happy birthday to Heidi.
Clair
Dear John,
I stumbled upon your very entertaining blog. I too will be sailing Fantasy on May 3, 2010…you seem to about as excited about it as I am. I read your response to April Z, I have cruised before, (Windstar, NCL & Carnival) but, I have no idea what a “boring handover” consists of for a CD…with the mention of you in your underpants blogging and a bedtime story; I find myself pondering if I really want to know what those references refer to….care to enlighten me?
I’ll be the one watching it rain with Martini in hand, til May 3rd…
Chunky
Linda:
A :handover: means that Risa will still be the acting Cruise Director. John will only be in the background familiarizing himself with the ship, ports and schedules.
This assures a smooth transition from CD to CD…
Linda (Mom of DJ)
John Please Pass On:
Carnival Dream 4-3-10 sailing: This was my 10th Carnival cruise and I have finally achieved the coveted Platinum status! The perks were definitely enjoyed. I took my grandchildren, boy/girl twins age 6 and a girl 9 this being their 3rd Carnival cruise and their parents went as well. We had adjoining cabins on deck 6 just above the Ocean Plaza. We loved the layout of this ship and our cabin location was perfect for us. The kids were in awe of the Drainpipe, Twister and Racer slides. The lines were obviously long with the ship being full but the kids didn’t mind waiting to get their chance to do it again. They also spent more time in Camp Carnival this time than on any of the other cruises we have done. They loved it and wanted to go to the activities they had planned for them. The staff was certainly busy since there were 1600 kids onboard for this sailing but they did a good job and made if fun for the kids with an Easter egg scavenger hunt and party and the Easter Bunny made appearances around the ship on Easter Sunday. I especially want to recognize Marguerita (not sure of spelling her name) at Camp Carnival. We met her when the grandchildren cruised the very first time on the Carnival Splendor. She was awesome with them and called them by name. It was especially good for my oldest grandchild, Lindsay who is very shy and Marguerita took special care of her. With the number of children she had there that week it was admirable she was able to remember her own name let alone those of my grandchildren. We also had to use the medical facilities for one of the twins this cruise and we were very pleased with the attention and service on Easter morning. Paige had her medicine and was feeling well enough by afternoon to sit in the sun on Lido for awhile and visit with the Easter Bunny. She asked her sister if the bunny she saw in Camp Carnival that morning had a zipper down his back too?
Our cabin service was awesome and our cabin steward Kun Kun was the best we have had since Eddie on the Carnival Splendor. He remembered every request we made of him the first day and all of our names and called us all by name when he saw us! Our waiters in the dining room were super as well and I thank you for asking the Maître to take care of us. Juanito and Mr. D were wonderful and the Maître in the Scarlett was so much fun (Sweet Home Alabama). The food was awesome as usual and the desserts to die for. Although the Warm Chocolate Melting Cake is still my favorite, the Bitter and Blanc was definitely a close second as was the Crème Brulee. Our waiters catered to the kids and that made our dining relaxing and fun but this has been the case on every Carnival ship I have cruised with the grandchildren. The magician was also a nice touch for the kids visiting tables in the dining room.
Our first port was Cozumel where we did the Catamaran, snorkel and beach excursion. We had a great day and the kids loved it. We didn’t all snorkel but my daughter said it was some of the best she had ever seen with huge schools of fish and a huge barracuda sitting nearby. I was surprised since we were not that far off shore where they snorkeled. We then went to the beach that had inflatables in the water like a climbing wall with a slide and a trampoline. It was a nice beach area with restrooms and food available for purchase. The ride back to the ship was fun with the crew leading the singing and dancing and the kids loved it. The crew was fun and attentive.
We had such awesome weather that by Roatan everyone was looking to buy the sunscreen/rash guard shirts to cover up and protect from more sun. Take note Carnival Shops…you would have made a fortune if you were selling these shirts on ships for kids and adults! They were not to be found in the shops off the ship either…maybe they need to lease a shop to Ron Jon in Roatan like they do in Grand Turk because they carry them. We did the Maya Key excursion in Roatan and loved it. Perfect place for the kids to see the animals native to the area, parrots in the wild just sitting in the trees, they got to see the sharks, sea lions and stingrays being fed. They were able to snorkel and play in the pool, see the exact Mayan replicas and artifacts and the food was awesome! The place is well kept and as close to natural as humanly possible. When we returned, we rode the beach lifts to Mahogany Beach which was really fun and walked around a bit through the shops before returning to the ship to get ready for dinner. Wonderful day!
I didn’t notice much movement on this ship at all which surprised me when I read in reviews of this sailing on Carnival’s website that others thought it didn’t feel stable. We did notice the thruster vibration in the Scarlett dining room when the captain was trying to back this monstrous ship into the dock at Roatan but other than that we never noticed much movement or ever felt the thrusters in action any other time. We did of course “spend the night” in Roatan and although I hated to miss Belize and would rather have skipped Costa Maya, missed ports are part of cruising and it is what it is and what’s not to like about another “fun day at sea”? It apparently doesn’t take a lot of wind to cause the ships to either run aground or hit the dock which is evidenced by the rusted hulls of shipwrecks in the water nearby. There were those that complained that Carnival did this on purpose. As I have read before on your blog, it doesn’t seem to be a new complaint when a port is missed but I still find it to be a ridiculous assumption and statement. I asked a man in the casino who was vocalizing his displeasure over missing Belize. I asked him what would Carnival possibly have to gain? There were port charges/ taxes not to mention all the tours for Belize that had to be refunded to guest accounts. My arguments fell on deaf ears but yours do as well I guess. I also thought Todd did a great job of keeping us updated on what was going on.
I was impressed by the crew keeping this ship so clean with all the kids on board spilling everything and everywhere. I have never been on a ship where I have seen so many dishes broken (and not just by kids) the crew was there immediately cleaning up the mess and making sure no one got cut on the broken glass. Kudos to them as it was not easy on this spring break week!
We all loved the Ocean Plaza and didn’t really get a chance to see and do everything since we did what the kids wanted to do. We did enjoy the shows and love it that the comedy club is separate on this ship which left more room in the Encore theater we thought and we only went about 15-20 minutes before the show and had no problem getting seats. The comedy show was good too and although it was standing room only, it was already started when we got there. The Dancing in the Streets show was great with the black light number being the best. The Fun Force guys are awesome and draw a crowd whenever and wherever they are performing on the ship. They are a great addition to the entertainment. We all thought Todd did a great job as CD and I hate it that I didn’t see him to tell him personally.
We did notice the sewer odors a few times that I saw you address on the blog. It was evident around the golf area on deck 12 and we did notice it on lido in a couple places. I hope they will be able to figure out what is causing that to happen and get it corrected as that is definitely not pleasant. The other issue I heard complaints about on this ship that has already been addressed is the lido buffet during peak times. It is like that on all ships when they sail full. We opted for the dining room breakfast to avoid the morning rush on lido and then tried to do lunch at off times so as not to have too long a wait.
Room for improvement: Room service is more cumbersome doing it on the TV interactive menu than just picking up the phone and ordering what you want. You tend to not get everything you really need when doing it this way. We ordered 2 hot chocolates and two hot teas when we came back to the cabin one night after the show. We didn’t realize the hot chocolate was a mix and had only ordered two place settings because we were thinking about the tea and therefore we had only two cups, two napkins, two sets of silver, two teabags with sugar service and two envelopes of hot chocolate. One of us had to run up to the buffet and get two more cups, spoons and napkins. When speaking to someone to place an order they ask the questions we forget about when using the TV. Anyway, it was a minor thing but nonetheless something Carnival should consider revising even if it’s just showing the hot chocolate as a mix or asking how many people and then automatically adding the right number of cups etc.
We all loved this ship and would definitely sail her again. My grandson was distraught the last night at dinner when the waiters sang. He cried and said he wanted to be a cruise director so he didn’t have to get off the ship…watch out John I think he wants your job… but you are safe for at least another 15 years!
A very happy birthday to Heidi and Kye has her 1st one coming as well. I know that you miss them terribly. Thanks John for all you do.
Cheryl
John,
Loved the pictures today…we will surely miss the Elation on the West Coast.
Thank you for your reply regarding my difficulties in booking ourCarnival Sunday Funday free cruise. I have since finished the booking and we are looking forward to our cruise on the Carnival Valor in June! T
See you on the Carnival Splendor for Thanksgiving!
Takmom (Ann)
Hey John,
Love reading your blog, you crack me up! I’d love to vent to everyone on the ignorant things guests do where I work. Would be a lot less stressful that’s for sure. Anywho, I’ll be on my 3rd cruise in less than 3 weeks. One when I was very young, one on The Sensation last October and this one on the Glory starting May 16. I’ll be traveling with my partner and we were hoping to get a table assignement for two in the dining room. We are scheduled for the late seating. How does one go about requesting a table for two for dinner? Any help is greatly appreciated. Cabin #8388
Thanks,
Brian
Dear John,
I usually go to karaoke and plan on singing but then I chicken out. Rock Star Live sounds like so much fun! I think I may actually have to gather up some courage and participate.
I would like to wish Heidi a very Happy Birthday and many more to come!
Shenika:
If you are ever on a cruise with me…..just tell me the song and I will “ease” you into the wonderful world of karaoke.
I have assisted someone on just about every cruise.
I stand up there with you(but to the back out of the way)….help you find your key…..and sing with you until I can tell you have it….. then I only jump in if needed.
Most times, the singers are so wrapped up on following the lyrics that they completely forget I am there and do not realize that they are singing on their own!
It has been the start of many a karaoke career….
It usually only takes one song and then they are ready to solo!!
Linda (Mom of DJ)
Linda you sound like the patron Saint of Karaoke Virgins.
You don’t happen to be sailing 9/19 on Splendor do you?
Linda,
I’d be so happy if you assisted me with the start of my karaoke career! I hope to go on BC4. I think if I start with a duet I can work my way into going solo!
Just wanted to send you a note and let you know how much you are appreciated by everyone you come in contact with whether it be in person or on this blog. You make us poor sods in the cubicle realize there is more to life then being stuck in an office for 8 hours a day and there is life actually going outside the office. This gets me through many days and I think back to all the wonderful Carnival cruises I have had the pleasure to be apart of.
I have a question, it may be silly but I don’t know the answer. My husband and I were on the Carnival Sensation shipped out April 22 and Skip and you were wonderful to send us some birthday presents to our room. One of the gifts was a dvd that had a label on it that read “Gormet Cooking” – I was very excited about this because my teenage daughter loves to cook. So she and I sat down the day after we got back from the cruise popped it in the dvd player and there was nothing on the disk. Do you have an address or someone I can contact about this? I am clueless when it comes to this type of stuff.
Thanks again for all the wonderful things you do and I know you miss your family and hate going back to your empty room, I will say a prayer that you will get to see them very soon.
John,
Please Send Warm Happy Birthday wishes to Heidi for Marie and Me!!!!
Chin(or chins in our case) UP!!!
You are GOOD PEOPLE!!!
Peace,
Jay
Hi John
I just wanted to thank you for posting the ship’s horn mp3. I had one on my phone, and my 6 year old daughter get’s my phone and plays it for me when she wants me to smile. I commented on Cruise critic that the sound of the ships horn, in addition to that wonderful “ding” of scanning my S&S card while getting on the ship, are both like audio Prozac to me. I’m sure I’m not the only one! Many thanks to Carnival for giving me the opportunity to truly relax and have fun. Cruising with Carnival is the only vacation I’ve ever come home from actually feeling “rested” despite traveling with a husband and 3 children:) Here’s a link to my CC post.
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1191620
Don’t forget the sound when the CD is going to make an announcement. I’m going to record it one of these days.
John, PLEASE REPLY
*** NOTE :: This is a copy of a post I made on your 3/25 Blog. It showed as “awaiting moderation” for 3-4 weeks. During the week of 4/19 it was posted on that page (no longer in moderation). Perhaps the “John, PLEASE REPLY” part was overlooked, as I have not seen it addressed and the questions to which you are now replying are from April. THANKS!***
Cheryl and I, after every few cruises, make a trip to the bank to pick up a fresh crisp stack of $2 bills. We enjoy giving these (not often seen bills) out as tips – luggage arrives, there go a couple… BLT, Cookies and Milk (at 2 AM), there go a couple more. Often the look on the persons face is one of surprise (perhaps they think I erased the “0″ after the “2″, LOL).
… at any rate there have been more than one threads on Cruise Critic regarding tipping (surprise). On almost every one the topic of $2 bills comes up. There are a few people who emphatically say that the staff DO NOT care to have $2 bills, and would rather have ones – due to the difficulty on the ship and/or in ports of spending/using them.
Could you shed some light on this for me? I would prefer to continue with our tradition (on 50 cruises now). I know that staff people would never turn down a well intentioned tip, but I certainly don’t want to inconvenience anyone!
THANKS!
Tom
I can’t help feel a little sad for you when you miss important “family” days, like Heidi & Kye’s birthdays.
As adults, we like to say that birthdays are no longer a big deal, however, I’d be very disappointed if I didn’t see my boys, or get a card, or even dinner with my husband. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but it would just be nice to have them there.
So, here’s my question…Isn’t there some way that you, being Senior Cruise Director & Brand Ambassador, and general “go-to guy”, could plan your vacations as well as Heidi and Kye’s visits to the ship around these important dates? It seems that would be the best of both worlds!
I truly hope that as Kye grows up, you will be able to find a peacful coexistence between a job you love and your family, which you obviously love a whole bunch, too.
I’m sure that Heidi LOVED the flowers and balloons, but I’d start shopping NOW for that super special gift for Kye!
Take care and be well,
Leanne Banks
Heidi think this might be late getting to you
sorry for the delay
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Hope you had a fantastic day with family and friends
look forward to catching up soon
Michelle and gangx
Happy Birthday Heidi!
Cheers,
Peter
John,
I give today’s blog a 2 – that’s the number of times I literally laughed out loud!
The letters and the guest comments are always quite entertaining. We all know that you are good, but that you would require Harry Potter’s wand to upgrade Jessie & Lavelle from an inside cabin to a balcony cabin. Just because he farts – who doesn’t?. Unbelievable!
I’m sure Carnival just keeps several balcony cabins empty just for this very reason – NOT!
Be Good (or at least enjoy yourself),
John
Dear John (Please Reply),
• Thank you so much for giving me a laugh each morning.
• My husband & I have returned from our 9th Carnival cruise. This cruise was extra exciting because my poor husband had an accident during an excursion. He is fine but will be wheelchair bound for a few more weeks (the accident happened six weeks ago – both legs were injured). I want to say Thank You to the great staff on aboard the Miracle. From the golf pro (yes, a golfing accident), to the medical staff, guest services, housekeeping (getting all that extra ice), our great server (who seated us in the dining room just before the crowd) to the fellow who escorted us off the ship to the bus transfer. Everyone went out of their way to help us. Having Luggage Express was a great help as well.
• Well, believe it or not we are scheduled to return to the Miracle July 2 (out of NYC) with his whole family (yes, this is my effort to convert them to Carnival cruising, his brothers have cruised other lines). This will be our 10th (Yeah – VIP Platinum status here we come!) There will be 13 of us: my husband’s parents & his three brothers w/families (3 children), a total of 13. I know we will be getting our VIP gifts, but any possibility that a small token could be sent to the others? Our cabin is 7299, but their cabin numbers are: 7105/7107/7227/7147/8266.
• We are all scheduled for late seating. Do you have any idea how the dining staff will seat us? Are there tables that accommodate 13 or will we be split up? I have told them all about how the wait staff entertain the guests during meals & hope that we are seated where we can “see the action”.
• We are planning a night at the Steakhouse but don’t want to go on an Elegant Night, would you be able to tell us which nights are Elegant?
• Last, but not least a thank you to our wonderful PVP, “Sam” Welsh who has lots of patience & has helped me many times.
John, I have really enjoyed reading your blog and if I am reading correctly, you will be our CD when we board the Splendor on November 28 for the Mexican Riviera – correct? My husband and I have cruised with you before but our daughters have only cruised Disney and are really looking forward to our holiday cruise! I neglected to let the folks I reserved with know that my husband and I will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary on this cruise; it will be especially sweet as the cruise will occur 6 months after what I anticipate will be successful breast cancer surgery for me! We are in cabin #2247; could you have someone add to our reservation that we’ll be celebrating? We cruise in 213 days! WOO HOO!
Hi John;
We just returned April 11 from a Celebrity cruise through the Panama Canal. We booked it for the location Ft Lauderdale to San Diego, where we live. While we had an excellent cruise due to the itinerary and the crew working on board, we will not be doing another X cruise. Why, the ship was not kept in good repair. We had a massive water line break the day before we boarded and all they did was blow our carpets for a day. they were not dry and barefoot in the cabin for 4 more days our feet got wet, never mind the moldy smell. Then we had port visits cut short due to a bad engine. This was so we could make San Diego on time. We left Cabo San Lucas two hours early. Well, as it turned out we made San Diego 1 1/2 hours early. This is poor planning.
The food was good, not great. We think Carnival food is much better and more to choose from.
NOPE, No more Celebrity Cruises for me. Lesson learned and I will see you all soon on another wonderful Carnival Cruise to somewhere or to Europe and hopefully the Trans-Atlantic as well.
Forgive me please
Dear John,
Please have the security group escort Mr. I like Celebrity better to the nearest exit and put his sorry arse ashore. He can book a cruise with Celebrity to get home. The BEST meal I have ever eaten was at the Steakhouse onboard the Carnival Spirit. Not good my Arse. The food is great and he is one of those people that think if he raises enough of a stink then he will not have to pay for the things he is ordering. I absolutely despise people like him.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEIDI I hope you are enjoying the day. I know John wishes that he was there and so do you but we need the BEST CD so thank you for letting us steal him away from you on your special day.
The Cruzin2some
James & Nancy
Happy Birthday Heidi!
From your friends in Canada
B&D
Dear John,
Hi, my name is Pamela Hogue. I had the WONDERFUL pleasure of having you as the CD for my first cruise, which was on Carnival Dream on March 13th. The cruise was wonderful. I LOVED all of your shows in the Encore Theatre. We had a splendid time on the cruise.
While on the cruise, my birthday was March 18th, and my husband, Michael, wrote you a Dear John letter asking you to wish me a Happy Birthday. You read his letter on the Morning Show on Thursday, March 18th. You called our room to wish me a Happy Birthday in person, however, we were on Lido deck eating breakfast and watching your show. Thank you sooooo much for the champagne, picture and trophy of The Dream.
Michael purchased a CD of the trip because he thought the Morning Show was on the CD, however, it was not.
Michael was so disapointed that he made the mistake of not getting the Morning Show on CD for me to remember my Special Birthday by.
I contacted Carnival to see if there was any way I could purchase a CD of The Morning Show, but I received a letter from Carnival yesterday stating that the show had been erased and there was no way to obtain a copy of it.
I was wondering if you keep any copies of your shows OR if you by chance keep the actual letters that the people write to you. If you have a copy of the CD or a copy of the actual letter, is there any way I could obtain a copy from you?
I hope to see you again on our next cruise. I think we are hooked for life.
Thank You,
Pamela Hogue
Heidi, Happy Birthday to you, give Kye a big kiss from her Daddy John.
Your friend,
ERNIE
Hello John,
My 25 year old son, who is a Platinum cruiser and his girlfriend will be sailing on the Splendor on 5/16. I realize that you will not be the CD, however I wonder if you could tell me how to contact that CD. Kev will be asking Savannah to marry him upon boarding that day (the ring is burning a hole in his pocket), so that I could perhaps have him wish Kev and Savannah the best.
Thank you for any help you could be, and I’ll be seeing you in Sept as DH and I will be taking the Splendor.
Spoilt
Ships horn uploaded..
John,
You can now download the horn directly to your phone browser or send the link to anothers phone from
http://www.myxer.com/ringtone:3103642/
The site is free to join, and has many free ring tones…
Hi John
Have friends sailing with you on the Fantasy on May 8th…great fun couple…as an avid cruiser and done many, many cruises on Carnival, I did indeed tell them they were fortunate to have you as their CD.
Do you remember the original passenger YMCA group back in the early 2000′s …the guys in our group had “hats” to wear and thought they were just going to perform for our group at the Lido party ..but the crew staff announced them “as guest” performers and had them come on stage to perform “their routine” LOL ..what a fun memory indeed.!!! We still laugh about it and the pictures taken were fun to look at as years have gone by.
John, Just catching up on the Blog. We cruised on the Splendor last week. Great cruise. We also had the opportunity to stay overnight on the Queen Mary. It was well worth it! We had a blast. The VIP building was not open but we did get onto a line and it did move very quickly. Yes it is typically cool or cold in Long Beach early morning. One suggestion regarding any News programming on the big screen. Please consider not showing CNN. CNN tends to be extremely negative news casting and that is the last thing we want on a cruise. I would prefer to go back to the days when we only had a printed set of news briefs available in the lobby. I found the long winded Obama speech at the Michigan commencement irritating and not newsworthy. Just a thought!
Jim