Bloody hell it’s early…..6:45am to be precise. Once again, the three-hour difference between here and El Miamio means that with a busy day ahead of Morning Shows, Marriage Show, Past Guest Parties and the other delights of the day, if I don’t write the blog now there won’t be one. It was hard to leave Heidi and Kye this morning. It’s their last week onboard and during the night Kye decided she wanted to come and sleep with Mummy and Daddy so to have to get up and walk from the guest cabin to the CD cabin at 6:30am was bloody depressing.
I would love to be able to write here that it was hard to leave because Heidi was wearing a little Victoria Secret’s number because she wasn’t. I am positive that in every relationship whether it’s a man and a woman……and because I have to be politically correct here on the blog thingy …… a man with a man……a woman with a woman……or if you are reading this and you are French ….a man with….well…..anything with a pulse …. when the immense pleasure and exuberance of sleeping intertwined amongst the limbs of your sexy lover……. buggers off forever.
This is usually about the same time that she starts wearing barbed wire pajamas and green cucumber facemask that changes her from looking like Megan Fox to looking like sodding Shrek.
Anyway, let’s get on with what’s happening here on the Carnival Splendor shall we?
Guest: Mrs. ———–Ref: 731022381A
Cabin: —-——-Added-Changed: 10/04/10 – 10/4/10C – ——- CHEWING GUM ON CLOTHES
Mrs.–came to the GSD stating that she had sat on a lido deck chair and when she stood up she saw that she had sit on a piece of chewing gum. Guest says that her pants cannot be worn. Guest was offered free laundry service. Housekeeping advised.
Ahhh yes, the joys of chewing gum……Heidi loves it….as do many of you I am sure. I will tell you who doesn’t like it though……….Rudy the Housekeeping Manager and of course the poor lady who sat in a dollop of the stuff. Me……ummmm…..nope. Heidi says it’s comforting …….. how is chewing gum “comforting?” It’s a tiny thingy that lasts five seconds before you’re left chewing a flavorless knot of what is probably part of a horses dangly bits….my underpants have more flavor…and lasts longer. I bet the stain on the guest’s pants lasts a bloody lifetime though.
You’ve probably noticed that I dislike gum. It’s because ever since, aged 12, I blew a bubble that popped in my face and stuck in my eyebrows for a week. A Snickers bar or a Latvian woman in suspenders …….that’s a treat. Chewing gum is bugger all, as insignificant as Long Tall Sally. All it does is foul sidewalks and Lido Deck chairs. Obviously we don’t sell it on board and guests bring on their own supply. I just can’t understand who’s buying it. It’s not teenagers anymore these days because they’re too busy spending their money on Eye Pods and Marlboro Lights.
But I can’t argue with the figures which if I could be bothered would probably show me that I’m a minority. What I can look forward to now is more people chewing noisily with their mouths open, stretching the revolting stuff round their fingers and sticking it behind their ears for later.
It’s that chomp chomp chomp noise I hate more than anything though………but I guess everyone’s got bad habits. So I won’t mind anyone chewing gum around me if they don’t object to me pulling a piece of wax out of my ear and eating it.
What else…….well you remember the guy who volunteered to be in my Welcome Aboard Show and then insisted that because he was an actor that it be removed from the cabin TVs? Remember, I had removed his speaking part, the bit where I interview him but he of course wanted the whole show taken off….which I politely refused to do.
Well, Mr. Cloonpitt made it very clear to me last night that “I have not heard the last of this.” I met him at the Captain’s Celebration and I really tried to bury the hatchet but he was all threats and bravado and given the choice I think he would like to bury the hatchet in the back of my head. It looks like I might need to take some legal advice on this. I have Googled the man’s name by the way (not Mr. Cloonpitt, his real name) and honestly I can’t find any mention of him appearing in anything……..well at all really. Maybe he has a stage name. Anyway, for now I think it’s safe to say that I am not on his Christmas card list……….some more cynical than me might say…..”only in California.”
Time for some Q and A I think………….so let’s crack on.
April Z Asked:
Dear John, (please reply)It has been several months since we met you on the Carnival Fantasy back in May, and MAN am I ready to cruise again! We are looking at the Magic next! I think it is fitting to go from the oldest in the fleet to the newest! lol.
On to my question… I have been keeping up with your blog and checking frequently, but I haven’t seen the picture you promised of Kye in that little dress I brought you. (Houndstooth and crimson with her name on the bottom). I would just love to see how cute she is in it, if you don’t mind.
Hope to sail with you soon!
April Z.John Says:
Hello April ZBugger….double bugger. I did promise you a photo didn’t I and I forget……I am an idiot…. I am very sorry. I just told Heidi who is still here with Kye and she will make sure she wears it this week and I will post the photo here for you. Thanks again for your unbelievable kindness. I will be on your Carnival Magic and I hope that I get to show you this gorgeous and exciting ship.
Best wishesJohn
Mike mcd Asked:
John, (Reply if you want to)Just wanted to say to you, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GETTING US OUR TABLE FOR 4 IN THE BACK OF THE SHIP AND GETTING MY SON-IN-LAW ROBERT A SHIP ON A STICK FOR HIS BIRTHDAY.
Just wanted to give you a short review of My Families and mine of our cruise on My Carnival Triumph on 08/21/10.
Embarkation was a pain. Had to wait about 2 hours because of a new computer problem on the day we got there…We understood because we know how computer programs can be, especially new ones, but you wouldn’t believe all the stuff we heard about this from Folks waiting in line, even some Platinum Folks. Gotta love it,
Good stuff:Dining Room: Matrie D…Fantastic Came around to see how his Wait Staff was doing, asked if they were meeting our expectations. Told him NO, they were exceeding them, they were Mind readers. Sorry I don’t remember their names. We were at table 429 Lower, Paris, Early dining They brought us things we didn’t think was possible, like 2 helpings of Lobster, and every night no matter what we ordered for desert we always got a Chocolate Melting Cake. One night, when they had Apple Pie, I asked for melted Cheese be put on top. This is not a standard thing, but the Wait staff made it happen. As a matter of fact, other folks saw it and they wanted the same. Just a side Light, Ken the Matrie D is gonna have a tough act to follow when it comes to singing ours was Fantastic.
Ports: Nassau-Fantastic. Loved it. Atlantis was Fantastic, Not to mention that I Put a 20 dollar bill in a slot and got back 65 bucks, one quarter at a time.
Freeport. Not good. Went on the Beach Break and shopping tours. Too many folks trying to get you to buy stuff while on the beach, like every 5 minutes, same folks. Went to the local Pub on the beach that was supposed to open at 11 am so we were told by our tour guide, was told wrong, we don’t open till 11:30. I can’t confirm this, but I was told by other folks, that the Radisson, which we were supposed to have access to was truly Lousy, No air Conditioning, Bugs running around the Lobby, in the pool, and God knows where else
Key West: Best Port we did the Pub Crawl Tour. Our Guide was Fantastic…Did 5 Pubs and enjoyed every one of them Would HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS TOUR…
LIDO Deck:
Excellent food Loved every minute of it Fantastic Pizzas, Burgers, Great for a Quick LunchHad a Bartender wave at me every morning when I came through the sliding doors, no matter what time. He knew I wanted BREAKFAST, before Breakfast, if you get my drift, Tomato Juice and a few other things, not from the Pre-Mixed Stuff but from the Bottle of SKYY and the tomato Juice. It was there before I sat on the stool
Getting Off. Easiest we have had on all Carnival Cruise. Bags were all together, not all over Hells Half Acre and 3/4 Quarters of Georgia.
Bad Stuff:
WIFI throughout the ship:
We were in Cabin 6360 (This is something you might want to send to the Beards In the IT Department) – Bullocks as you say Hope you are not writing the blog in your underpants from the computer room and sending it WIFI, because that is the only place my laptop would work, except for the last sea day, Finally got it to work on the Balcony..Spent $100.00 to get Internet connection in our room…Didn’t work. I took my laptop because my Wife’s is slower. Literally took it down to the computer center, got on-line, walked it back to my room, and the connection was gone. Asked about the access points and was told they would be checked…Went back the next day and the attendant told me he had somebody check them…Still NO LUCK GETTING ON LINE FROM INSIDE MY ROOOM I know about steel and the WIFI, but at home I can go 200 yards from my home and still get connected.
Thanks again John. Hope you are having a Great time with your Bride and Beautiful Daughter. Keep the stories and Pics about them coming
Mike, Judy McDaniel
Robert, Shannon MathisJohn Says:
Hello Mike mcdThanks for the great review and I am glad the table assignment worked out for you. I will make sure that all the people you mentioned get to see what you have said about them and those little extra things the dining room staff did are the little things that I know can make such a difference to the cruise experience. It sounds like we need to work harder with the folks in Freeport and I will make sure our Miami-based shore excursion department get to see your comments.
I was so very disappointed to read about the internet service. You know, there is one company that supplied the entire cruise industry and obviously I don’t understand bandwidth and satellites and tofu but I think we need as an industry to improve the internet services we provide the millions of passengers who cruise every year. So thanks again for this great review and I hope it’s not long before we see you again.
Best wishes to all.
JohnTravel girl23 Asked:
Hi, John (Please reply at your convenience anytime before Oct. 2011)Thank you for putting videos on your blog, especially those on the ship. It is like being on the ship again while actually sitting at my computer.
We have a very active roll call on CC for our Carnival Magic transatlantic repositioning cruise from Barcelona to Galveston; in fact we just hit 1000 posts. Many times, people there have asked if you are going to help us with a meet and greet. Knowing you, I just feel you will. I know this is rather early but I thought I would check with you and see if you would help us. Thank you for anything you can do to help us set one up.
I am so glad your lovely wife and precious little girl are now with you.I just love your blog as it provides a good laugh each day.
Looking forward to the Magic and meeting you in person (and hopefully, Heidi and Kye, too).
John Says:
Hello Travel girl23I am glad you like the videos and I will include more later this week. Congratulations on the 1,000 hits and of course it would be an honour to arrange a meet and greet for you. Just let me know nearer the time and we can arrange a time and place. Actually, we can do two as it’s such a long cruise. Thanks so much for the kind words for me and the family and I hope you continue to enjoy the blog.
Best wishes and see you on your Carnival Magic.
JohnMike Asked:
Dear John, (Please respond)Well, I just found your blog and have enjoyed it. My family and I are booked on the Legend for Oct. 10 – 17. This is actually our 3rd attempt to cruise and hopefully it will happen this time. The first time was Katrina’s fault and the second was just this year in February. We were booked but my wife came down with pneumonia and spent a month in the hospital and a few months beyond that recovering. We nearly lost her. Her health is not good at all and hasn’t been for some time.
We got insurance too late, but we were able to get a credit which allowed us to rebook. My wife wanted to wait due to the finances of her hospital stay and then my youngest son having to have a cornea transplant, but I was not willing to risk another winter. So, although we are having to do the cheapest of the cheap version, barring any unforeseen difficulties, we are bound for a seven day cruse of the western Caribbean in about a month. I will say that we did upgrade the cabin since we were booking so much earlier this time, our credit (which had to be used in full) allowed a nicer room.
So my question is, is there anything you could suggest for us to make this cruise particularly memorable. I know it will be anyway, but I’m talking something to make it really special for my wife. This has always been a dream vacation for her (and myself for that matter) and I have no idea if we’ll ever get to do it again. I’d love for it to be really special.
My wife is 45 and I’m 47, boys are 18 and 19 (hopefully they will both get to come). She has
some mobility issues, but not wheelchair bound yet, though we will have one with us for those long trips around the ships and off when possible. So anything that fits with that would be great.
John Says:
Dear MikeWelcome to the blog and I am glad you enjoy it so much. I see that you and the family are sailing on one of my favourite ships next week and after Hurricane Katrinabastard and your wife’s unfortunate illness I hope that this time it is indeed third time lucky and you will all have a brilliant cruise. I really suggest that you book a family table at the Steakhouse and celebrate ……. well……life and valuable family time.
May I also suggest that you take your wife to swim with the stingrays in Grand Cayman. Even with her mobility concerns this will be an incomparable experience. She doesn’t need to be a great swimmer as the water is shallow and honestly it is a superb experience that will afford you unforgettable memories. In Roatan I think you should all go see the monkeys and parrots at Gumbalinda Park, you will all love that. Now, as you didn’t write either your last name or cabin number I would like you do something for me.
Please leave a note at the guest services desk addressed to the cruise director. Mention that I said that you are a blog reader and that I had promised your wife a little something to celebrate her recovery. I have also asked the maitre d to arrange a table that is easily accessible for your wife.
Have a brilliant time and my best wishes to you all.
JohnWill Johnson Asked:
John (Please reply)Very quick question and I’m sure one of the Stephanies can answer. I am trying to book the Steakhouse on Carnival Dream sailing 5th Mar 2011 – the web site has options only for 2008,9 & 10 is it going to be updated soon?
Regards
WillJohn Says:
Hello Will JohnsonI just checked with the 344 Stephanies and they told me that this will be available from December 1 of this year. If you have any difficulties please let me know.
Best wishes
JohnCindy Beggs Asked:
PLEASE REPLYHello John,
I put a comment in while you were on vacation and have not heard back from you so thought I would resubmit. I have enjoyed reading your blog and especially sailing with Carnival. I have a small request if you can help. I finally managed to get our family to take a cruise together, probably the only one for a couple of the people, and would prefer a ROUND 8 top table for our table assignment. It would be much easier to talk to everyone that way.
We are sailing on the Triumph out of New Orleans on October 23rd. Have all the booking numbers for you if you are able to help.
Thank you.
John Says:
Hello Cindy BeggsSorry that I missed your comment until now and congratulations for getting the family together for this special cruise. I have asked the maitre D on the Carnival Triumph to help you with your reservation and I wish you all a brilliant time.
Best wishes
JohnPAT67 Asked:
Reply if you wantI know you think that Carnival is the perfect company and that your servers are good but they are not. Have to say that the crew seemed extremely unhappy most of the time. There were a “FEW” crew members who were smiling and nice, helpful…but…Most…were not too friendly and definitely NOT helpful.
Most acted like I was bothering them, if I had a question.
Had 2 different room stewards. 1st one a girl from Indonesia. Had her from day 1 – 3. She acted really nice the first day. 2nd day made me a puppy out of towels. I told her how cute it was and thanked her. She brought me a book on how to make towel animals. I asked her how much it was and she told me that I could have it for free. I thanked her and thought in my head that I would include the price of the book in my tip, at the end of the cruise. OKAY, well, the next day after she gave me the book, she saw me entering my cabin and said that she “borrowed” my book because another guest wanted to see it and that she would bring it by my cabin later that evening. Well, later never came. For some reason, the next day we had a new cabin steward, a nice guy. Never did understand that. She also totally ignored us, as we could tell, was on purpose. All I could figure is that, she never returned the book, BIG DEAL…NOT.., and she knew that she had lied to me about returning it. Other than that, I don’t know if it was something I said or did, maybe in her culture that offended her…I honestly don’t know, but..The guy we had was very attentive and we did tip him personally at the end of the cruise. As a matter of fact, HE WAS ALMOST THE ONLY PERSON ON THE CRUISE THAT CONSTANTLY SMILED AND ALWAYS ASKED IF HE COULD GET US ANYTHING OR HELP US!!! KUDOS TO HIM!! Okay, Dinner. We had early seating in the lower (Deck 3, POSH DINING ROOM). I was not too impressed with the seating. Seemed like we were in a dungeon. Couldn’t see anything on the main floor (They had small shows, etc). Never saw who the Matri’d (Sp?) was UNTIL the last nite of the cruise…OF COURSE, you had an envelope for his TIP that you were supposed to give him when leaving dinner. THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN!! …We had a very disgruntled waitress. She acted like it was total trouble to take our orders and serve us. I forgot to order iced tea the first night…And almost went through the entire dinner without; because she never came back to the table once the main course was served. Oh, I did ask for the iced tea when she served our appetizer, but, received it during the dessert part of the meal??? Go figure!! The food was really good in the dining room and also in the buffet, but the service was NOT SO GOOD. Sail on Royal Caribbean if you want to know what good service is all about John and stop pretending that you have the best because I have seen that you don’t. Be advised I posted the rest of the post on Cruise Critic.
John Says:
Hello Pat67I am very sorry to read about your experience and that you did not find the crew friendly and that you did not appreciate their service. I have sent your comments to the office but as I don’t know what ship you sailed on. I can tell you that while I am very sorry that you had such an experience I can proudly stand behind the statement that we do have the best crew in the industry. I will certainly look into this and hope you can write to me again with more information on your ship and sailing date. Until then, please know that we will learn from our mistakes and I hope you did have a great cruise.
Best wishes
JohnFrank and Bridie Asked:
John please Reply,I have a question for you ever since the pre-booking or online purchasing of shore tours has become popular and available on-line just like The steakhouse reservations. The spa pre-booking has remained very limited. We just booked Shore tours for are upcoming trip on the Carnival Dream. However you can only book some spa treatments, not everything. For example under Massages you can only book the stone or couples massage not a regular Swedish massage. Even the Hair Treatments are very limited. This is true for a lot of other things also they only give a very limited selection. Why is this? Can you forward this to the beards? We love to pre-book everything but always go straight to the Spa upon Embarkation to book are treatments. Can’t they upgrade this seeing they have most of the shore tours and Steakhouse reservations?
Thanks,
Big Fans As Always,
Frank and BridieJohn Says:
Hello Frank and BridieIt’s great to hear from you and you are absolutely right about our online spa booking service. I just checked myself and you’re correct – many of the menu of treatments are not available. I know that many like to pre book their spa treatments as it allows for less things to have to worry about onboard and assures that you get the treatment you want. I know we can do better and I am going to send this to the beards straight away. I hope you are both well and hope to see you soon.
Best wishes to you both
JohnJeff Asked:
Dear John, Please read and reply if you would like.I have been reading and enjoying your blog for about two years now. I was so excited to find out that you would be on the west coast! We finally booked our cruise for the Carnival Splendor for October 10th. Our original plan was to sail on the Spirit next (haven’t sailed on her yet), but I convinced the family that we should sail on the Splendor for a second year in a row because we don’t wanna miss you. This will be our 5th Carnival cruise. I will be with my wife Heather, daughter Lili, and niece Shalyn.
Hope to get a chance to say hi and maybe even take a few minutes to smoke a cigar. If I remember you like Montecristos right?
See ya soon!
JeffJohn Says:
Hello JeffIt will be an honour to welcome you onboard and I hope we can find time to have a cigar. Please can you find the time to leave me a note at the guest services desk with your cabin number on it and I will send you a special dedication in the morning show and also a little something to your cabin. Maybe you can say a few words of love for your wife.
I will do all I can to make this your best cruise ever.
Best wishes
JohnJosée Rainville Asked:
Bonjour John! (Please reply)Yes! I am FRENCH-canadian! Just started reading your blog “thingy” a month (or so) a go. You make me laugh so hard that my husband comes to the room and I have to translate everything to him!
My question is: is the “HONOUR (SPELT CORRECTLY)” an inside joke? Or is it just a debate between English and American? The way I see it, it’s just the same as “potato” and “potato”. It depends on where you come from?
Anyway! We will take our first cruise ever on “my Carnival Glory” January 9th, for our 25th anniversary. Will it still be Jorge the CD? I know that you will be on the Carnival Glory for BC4 in February. Is there a chance that you’ll start on the Carnival Glory earlier (like Jan. 9th)? The CD “schedule” ends in December (so is the calendar for the steakhouse reservation). When will we know?
Please, keep us laugh!
Yours,
JoséeJohn Says:
Hello Josee RainvilleBonsoir monsewer un est la grand honour je welcome dans la blog. Mon derriere ce formidable e scherde du fromage. Just in case you don’t actually speak French let me say that in English. A bid you a big welcome to the blog thingy and my bottom smells of cheese.
Right, the word honor is the American way of spelling honour. As you can see, much to the Queen’s disgust they have dropped the “u” as they have also done in Splendor and color. I am trying to convert them one blogger at a time but so far I have failed miserably……La Bugger.
It looks like George Solano will be the CD for your Carnival Glory cruise and as I am sure you will have read here dans la blog that he is an excellent CD whom I know you will love more than a big plate of frog’s legs. I hope we get to sail together soon and we can share our favourite (spelt correctly) French stories.
Au revoir mon petit croissant
John
That’s all for today and I will be back with more tomorrow. Just to follow up on a request from a blogger last week for a recipe we used at the brilliant Chef’s Table………here it is.
I receive lots of letters each and every week for my morning show. Sometimes they are simple dedications of love and sometimes they are far far more complicated. This week I have been working hard ……….to save a relationship. Let me show you the letter I received on Monday and for obvious reasons I have not included their names.
Now I can’t tell you what the lady had done but I don’t think you need to be Sherlock Holmes to work out what she did. Anyway, I called the guest who we shall call Amanda and she was in absolute tears and she begged me to come and talk to her partner whom we shall call Sam. Now, I am not a counselor nor did I really have time to spend with them on a busy sea day. But I am glad I did. I am not saying that everything in their garden is rosy but at least they’re talking again.
The 30 minutes I was with them were emotional and at times Sam was angry….very angry….. but as I tried to explain that if there was ever a time that they would know that their young lives were meant to be shared with each other, it was now in this environment of fun and relaxation. Sam had not spoken to Amanda since they had been onboard and they would have canceled had they taken insurance. At least now I have them being civil to each other and talking again. Will their relationship survive? I have no idea……..but hope springs eternal.
This was a part of my job that isn’t in my job description and I must say I found it quite difficult but hopefully my help………well……….helped.
I feel that I need to open another can of huge wriggly worms here and talk once again about that most controversial of subjects…..smoking. I have stayed away from this since joining the Carnival Splendor but having been here for two months now I think it’s time I sent in my report. We have been a trial ship for two areas, the piano bar and the dance club (disco as we used to call it back in the days of the mullet and Wham) both of which are non-smoking. Now, the most controversial area here is the piano bar which remains for most of the fleet a smoking location. So here we stand at the end of the trial period with the hotel director and I having the choice of whether to keep it non-smoking or return to a smoking bar. Before I tell you what we have decided let me first pass on some facts.
I guess that Duncan and I expected more complaints from regulars then we actually received. My regulars, I mean guests who have sailed Carnival before and are used to being able to smoke in this lounge. Well, we did get some……but not a lot and that I must admit surprised the heck out of me because I had read some very passionate pleas here on the blog thingy from smokers to allow them to light up in the piano bar. Yet, here onboard there were not that many. Second of all we looked at revenue and again we were surprised that there was little if any difference between when it was smoking and when it wasn’t. Now I think that has a lot to do with the entertainer we have in there and if he or she is top quality then maybe it doesn’t make any difference at all.
What we are finding here is that smokers are taking a smoke break, popping on down to the Robusto cigar bar and having a cigarette and then returning to the piano bar. And obviously there is one more area to factor in and that is the demographic of the guests themselves with California having some of the strictest smoking regulations on the planet. You can’t even smoke a cigar on the sodding golf course anymore. Anyway, taking all of this into consideration we have decided to keep the piano bar non-smoking. This is just on this ship and it is NOT — I repeat not – a fleetwide change. I say this only because I don’t want another power strip/burgers/iced tea situation rammed up my arse.
As for the dance club. Well once again revenue there is the same and people are enjoying the music and bumping and grinding as ever before. So this will also remain non-smoking. Again, this is I believe the only dance club in the fleet that is totally non-smoking.
So, what else on this subject. Well, I have added an area outside on deck 10 aft overlooking the ocean for smokers. There are tables and chairs and we also have sail away mojitos and cigars from the three ports of call. I think this is a nice added touch.
On a very positive note you will be glad to hear that Carnival is assisting its crew members to stop smoking. While smoking may be a less popular trend in North America and the UK it is on the rise in places like Eastern Europe, the Far East and India where many of our crew come from. And so Carnival is giving free medical advice and free stop smoking kits and patches etc to those crew who wish to do so…….it is already proving very popular.
However, while I understand smoking is a subject that many feel passionate about I am sure that there are very few who would not agree that the polar bear-loving beardies have taken anti- smoking to ridiculous new heights.
Have you heard that a board of beardies who give movies their ratings is seeking an 18 certificate for any film in which a character smokes, and where the film fails to explain that smoking is bad for you. It was only a matter of time before this reached us. In France, there have been bans on posters advertising films in which characters are shown with a cigar, such as the recent one of Audrey Tautou playing Coco Chanel….who smoked like a bloody chimney. That’s typical of France……stop your citizens from smoking ……. OK…..but while you’re at it maybe you can educate them that bathing is something that would also do the body good.
Whenever I see a film with an 18 certificate I am treated to torrents of foul language and relatively explicit rumpy pumpy. None of that seems to be so bad as people having a cigarette. My Mum and Dad have watched thousands of old films full of smokers but have never smoked so much as a salmon in their life.
Now there is another problem though as you will see here and the timing of this comment was just perfect for today’s blog.
Guest: Mr ——–Ref: 842020109A
Cabin: _____Booking#: 99N4J4 Added-Changed: 10/04/10 – 10/03410
Maitre D called the GSD and said that two male guests were smoking inside the dining room during dinner. Maitre D stated that other guests were complaining but the cigarettes were not real and guests refused to leave. Security were asked to assist and guests left. Guest Mr ______ late came to the desk to say he had been embarrassed by the situation (see incident 84202117B) and that he was allowed to smoke in bars and restaurants in California.
OK, for those of you who are going “Ugh, not real, what are they talking about,” let me explain. The battery powered, steel gadgets are designed to look like real cigarettes, with a glowing end and a plume of fragrant smoke, but instead of inhaling tobacco the user breathes in a mist of nicotine that is absorbed in the lungs. Now I don’t know much else about them apart from I have seen my great mate Big Ed use one during our time together on our Carnival Dream. I guess the thing here is not so much do we allow them because yes we do but should we restrict them to the smoking areas. And if that’s what we do then I guess the point of having them is …well…..bugger all because why would you shove something you can buy from Radio Shack in your mouth when you can have the real thing.
So for now, we have told the guests that they can smoke them around the ship but only in designated smoking areas. I think we as a company need to educate ourselves more about these things and then set a more standard policy in place….because they are getting more and more popular for sure.
Big Ed……..I have seen you use these things………..what do you say mate?
In the last few days we have had some changes amongst the beards at Carnival HQ and soon we will have a new Senior Vice President of Guest Operations joining us and I will be welcoming him officially soon. He has an incredible resume which includes managing some of the most important hotels in North America so it will be fascinating to see his insights into smoking. One thing is for sure, we have to try and do our best to appease everyone. As any smoker knows, the ban on smoking in public places has caused cigarette and cigar smokers to be forced to stand outside like a naughty dog every time you want a smoke. Even now when I dare light up a cigar, there’s a sense still that I shouldn’t. That if I do, it will be for some guests as though I am sitting there playing with my thingy. But then again, smoking and the dangers of it for the user and those around us has to be taken seriously and that’s why once again Carnival is doing all it can to try and appease everyone………and that I can promise you is about as easy as Mongolian algebra.
Maybe one day they will invent an electronic cigar. Heidi will be happy but I won’t be. I am sure people will say it’s like the real thing…………yep….of course it is…………in much the same way as a blow up version…………….. Is the same as the real Megan Fox?
Last night at the Captain’s Celebration I met so many wonderful guests and for some reason many wanted to take my photo. Having my photograph taken has always been like having extensive root-canal work done or a hemorrhoid that is so far up that my bottom there is no way to get there and scratch it. I hate it with an unbridled passion. A photograph of me serves as a permanent reminder of the simple fact that I am just a stomach with a bent nose.
Unfortunately these days everyone has a camera phone, so everyone has become an amateur paparazzo.
I understand why, of course. If you could get a snap of Judge Judy smoking a joint with Simon Cowell, then – ker-ching! – I bet it’d be worth thousands.
However, why anyone should want a photo of me is beyond my comprehension. However, my misery was nothing compared to Captain Cupisti. That’s because we have a fantastic group onboard ….they are The Japanese Karaoke Group from…….well Japan. There are 54 of them and last night they arrived at the party all at the same time. They saw the captain…….looked up at him…….and that was it…….he was General Custer…….. was surrounded.
Each guest wanted to have a photo with him and each had bigger more expensive camera than the last. Some had two cameras. They were pushing and shoving each other trying to be the next to have their photo taken. The captain looked at me with panic-stricken eyes but there was bugger all I could do and so for a solid 45 minutes he stood there and had multiple photos taken of him. Now there was a group leader there and you might wonder what he didn’t organize them into a nice line……well that may have been because none of his group were ever going to take him seriously. Why……..well that’s because for some bizarre reason…………Mr. Makoto the Japanese group leader…….was dressed as Elvis.
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.
Wow looks like another incarnation of Cindyx5. Another review that is posted on Cruise Critic. No ship name, no sail date. Hope you are not letting it bother you. Some people just need to get a life. You know, maybe they are ex Royal Champions that just can’t get over that they are no longer as important as they once were.
Wow, you go above and beyond on such as regular basis! Can’t believe you did “relationship counseling” for that naughty young lady! You are a gem.
Here’s a “wow” customer service experience I had with Carnival today. I received a call from lost and found in Miami and they had my wedding ring that I thought was on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean in Cabo. I enjoyed myself so much that day I couldn’t remember what I had done with the ring and figured I had forgotten to put it somewhere safe.
Well, turns out it was in the safe, and some great guests who used the room after my wife and I turned it into guest services. Now, my modest, but invaluable wedding ring is on it’s way back to me thanks to Carnival, it’s staff and well meaning guests.
John,
I know smoking is a difficult win-win situation, but I really wish the piano bar was non-smoking fleet wide. I love to go to the piano bar but cannot deal with all the smokers. I have to limit my time there and also the casino. It would be nice if there was a non-smoking night at the casino also or a least a non-smoking section. This issue is the only thing I really dislike about cruising and wish smokers were more limited in public areas. I know not everyone agrees..just my take on it. My state NC has taken away smoking in all bars and restaurants and guess what..business was actualy better and restaurants actually made more profit because you can now sit at a bar and drink without being in a cloud of smoke.
UGGGGGG!!!! Why don’t you sit down and write a list of all the places smokers can not smoke, then make a list of where that can smoke. See how many places you can go without being bothered with smoke.
Then put yourself in a smokers shoes for one minute and see what you think is fair.
It’s to bad the alcohol served onboard that almost always is involved with the fights and riot type situations isn’t band from everywhere except the back of the ship, outside in the wind.
Janet -
Do you need a cigarette break. As someone who also has not been able to enjoy the piano bar because the smoke bothers me, I understand where Kay is coming from. I’m not going to get into a smoking debate with you but I fail to see why someone else’s bad habits should affect another’s vacation – be it smokers, drunks, potty mouths or whatever else.
And by the way, if the e cigarette is everything people say it is, I’m all for it. Heck, go smoke one out of every orifice.
Cheers ~
Colleen
Ahhhhhhhhh…another CC poster…jeeeeeeeeez!!!
Hi John (no need to reply),
Pat67′s comments on Carnival’s service are pure bullocks. People who have sailed Carnival know better. And btw, why does she have to YELL in her post?
One word describes you Pat67….TROLL.
Nice piece of fiction though…would have made for good reading if Troll67 hadn’t YELLED.
Marty (& Jeanne) Paul
John, Great news on the non-smoking piano bar and dance club on the Splendor. We are boarding in 5 days and… seriously… I wouldn’t step foot in there if it was a cloud of smoke. No offense to the smokers, I did it myself for many years, but I quit 18 years ago and cannot stand the smell any more. Smokers these days are accustomed to having to go outside to smoke, so the mojito patio for them and the cigar bar should suffice. Can’t wait to see you!!
yes, because that is exactly where the piano player is causing all the fun to be had! OUTSIDE! You have the showrooms, dining rooms, hallways, one entire side of the ship, on some ships, entire levels of the ship, and most of the bars. God forbid that there should be one place to have fun and out of the 30 miles an hour wind that smoking be allowed!
Excellent point for the Smokers!
Seriously? You think only smokers like to have fun???
John:
Re electronic cigarettes
. I have been present when Big Ed smoked his electronic cigarette and I can assure you there is absolutely no cigarette odor. I am very allergic to cigarette smoke, but Big Ed’s E cigarette did not bother me. I can find no reason why people “smoking” them would need to be banned to smoking areas.
Carolyn
John, as you said I had no problem using them on the Carnival Dream. We bought the electronic cigarettes mainly for use in the casino after we heard of the smoking changes on the Carnival Dream. Pat and I also used them in the MDR and the main lounge. Again with no problems. THEY ARE NOT CIGARETTES. The smoke you see is the same thing you use in the shows to make smoke/fog.
In the casino I even had dealers saying they were going to get them so they can smoke them in the crew areas when they take their breaks.
The ONLY problem is when other guest see the light on the end glowing and they THINK your smoking. So we just hold our hand over the end covering up the fake ash glowing.
While playing at a table game in the non-smoking area only one person complained to me. No it was not a non-smoker that complained it was a smoker. She was sitting right next to me trying to catch a wiff of secondhand smoke but there was nothing there for her. We all laughed when she said that.
Here in Michigan we have no smoking in most places but like the man from California said we can use the electronic cigarettes.
Since there is no fire they are even safer them real cigarettes. Carnival should encourage the use of them all over the ship and even sell them at near cost to encourage their use.
BIG ED
PS; YES John they even have electronic cigars for you.
John,
I asked Ed what brand he used tonight. James and I have tried them, but the product Ed uses looks really good. We were a bit disappointed in the selection of machines in the smoking section of the casino, but they probably just got less revenue from us because of this. I will bring some on our Carnival Conquest this Saturday, on the BC4 and hopefully our Carnival Magic.
Seriously though, what is the point of using them only in smoking areas? I think it’s a great option for cutting down on the smell and smoke in cabins also. Our cabin steward asked us not to smoke too much in our cabin on the Dream, so I suppose this would help in that area too. Please John, tell the beards to keep them legal in nonsmoking areas. I am 100% with Ed and Pat on this.
Hugs,
Bobbi
John,
I first learned about the E-Cig from another guest onboard the Fantasy. He had pulled out his E-cig at our breakfast table in the MDR one morning after breakfast and puffed on it.
I am a smoker and immediately became concerned, given all of the bad press smokers are getting on the ships.
I asked him about it and wound up buying a kit from him. As of this time, I have been tobacco free for 2 weeks today.
The E-Cig (Electronic Cigarette) creates a vapor containing Nicotine that the user inhales and what is exhaled is nothing more than a vapor, not smoke. Nothing is being burned. There are no elements of burning tobacco that can be seen as Second Hand Smoke.
All I can ask is that the Carnival Management please learn as much as they can before they go listening to the Alarmist and banning e-cig to the smoking areas of the ship.
As my little card says:
IT IS NOT A CIGARETTE!
No Fire, No Flame, No Ash, No Smell.
And they even have flavors!
Regards
Ron
Ron, When people give me that look from across the room I just take the E-cigarette and tap it to my hand or face. This way they can see from across the room it’s not a cigarette.
BIG Ed
as some one that does not smoke (never have) I would rather see these than the real ones and would not care where they were allows, on second hand smoke, no problem for other and dose show that smokers are trying to respect the rest of us o:)
John-
I HATE being in place where there is a cloud of smoke… I grew up in a big time smoking home and couldn’t get out fast enough!
The E-Cigs are the GREATEST thing ever! The smokers get their nicotine fix, but unlike patches, gums, etc… their oral and tacitile habits that are a huge part of smoking is compensated for. (I know it is not exactly the same but I’ve been told it is 90% similar.)
Here at home the ban on smoking in public has made these very popular. I have sat right next to a friend in a restaurantbooth who used one and I barely noticed it was there. There is NO smell, no fire, no exhaled smoke… very non-smoker friendly indeed!
As a big ANTI-SMOKER I am all for CCL (or anywhere) allowing electronic cigarettes in any and all of the bars, clubs, or lounges onboard. What a great way for everyone to be basically happy!
Big Ed, et. al…
My last Carnival cruise (Glory, Sept to Canada and New England) my husband and I we’re both smokers (30 years worth). Two weeks ago, we got e-cigarettes (wish they would call them something else since they aren’t cigarettes, “e” or otherwise) and have not smoked since! I think it is great that the you and other staff/crew are using these and educating yourselves about them. If the “powers that be” can be likewise educated as to what these are and what they do, then more of us who cruise and who want to continue our non-smoking via e-cigs will be happy, adding to the coffers of the cruise lines, and living longer to cruise more!
John,
Fan of your blog here. We set sail on the Ecstacy on the 7th of October, two days away. I am a huge baseball and Texas Rangers fan, and unfortunately the American League games are going to be on TBS. I read the stateroom channels, and didn’t see TBS. Will there be a bar that gets TBS so I can catch the World Series games. I planned this cruise before knowing that the Rangers would reach the WS for the first time in 11 years. I am going to go nuts without seeing the WS on TV, and don’t want to be stuck with just the National League. Any insight you can shed for me would be awesome. I didn’t know who else to ask.
Damian Leonard
funny you should talk about those electronic cigarette, my hubby and I where around someone who puffed away on one of those things for 6 hours strait yes 6 hours. Only put it down to refill. I did a quick search and didn’t find anything about 2nd hand smoke. Didn’t know the person well enough to ask, but maybe some one here knows. Or if they have different strengths to wean your self off the nicotine. I have to say it looked a little ridiculous, to me. But if makes my air better I’m all for it. Being and ex-smoker it really grosses me out to smell cigarette smoke. But I also understand how hard it is to quit, wish it was easier, so less people would have health problems.
Safe travels
Geanine
I use the e-cigarettes….mine are menthol flavoured.
They have different strengths of straight Nicotine. reduced levels, menthol, and cherry flavours.
Mine comes with an identification card that I can produce if I encounter any problems. It also has a tel: # to call regarding the legality of using these in NO SMOKING Tobacco areas.
Club Fifty-One is my brand.
Hope this helps.
A new blog from PRINCESS.
Thought your readers might pop on over for a peek.
http://50essentialexperiences.com/
Yes John, the NEW E cigarettes are great. I am not and never have been a smoker, but Mike is. I emailed Big Ed to find out where he got his, and Mike got one too, and very reasonably price. 1 Cigarette is like 2 packs of cigarettes in price. They have them in different strengths of nicotine, Mike gets the lightest one, but they even have NO nicotine also, and high nicotine, and as Big Ed said the puff of fake smoke is like fog, no smell, no bothersome nicotine or smoke in your face. This is the first time in 18 years Mike can smoke in the house! They are the best gadget to come out. NO ONE should be bothered by them on a cruise ship! Carnival should put up signs that say NO SMOKING except for ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES. Linda & Mike from Florida.
John, I am very angry about the e-cigarettes having to be smoked (vaped is what it’s really called) in the smoking areas. There is absolutely no danger to anyone else. You would have to be sitting on my head, with your mouth or nose next to mine to even begin to have a chance of inhaling the small amt. of vapor exhaled.
I smoke these things on airplanes! Some airlines even sell them to their customers.
Carnival has been making some very rediculous changes lately. But this? This takes the cake.
Smokers already have so few places to smoke, and now Carnival is taking away another one of our rights. I say rights because it is not harmful to anyone else therefore it is my right. There is no law that states e-cigarettes can’t be smoked everywhere!
I am so angry that I won’t even continue, but man….when will it stop?!!
Settle down, I think you are misreading what John was saying. This is not a fleetwide rule, it was a reaction to one guest complaining and this is what they have decided to do until they know more about e-cigarettes.
Yes, ONE person out of 3000 whines, and now a rule is in effect! what about the 1500 smokers onboard? They don’t count?
And with all the policy changes that have been by carnival lately, this one takes the cake. Don’t tell me to settle down. Settling down is how we now have rediculous policies on the ships.
Sorry to disagree with you Janet, but your smoke does affect other people. Second-hand smoke is not a joke or a myth – it is real. Do you have a right to smoke – absolutely. But, you don’t have a right to subject other people to it who don’t want to breathe in the second-hand smoke. That is why they have ‘designated’ areas for smokers to continue their habit. It is called a “compromise”. You get to do what you want to your body, and those of us who don’t smoke don’t have to breathe it.
Janet -
Statistics indicate that only about 25% of the population are smokers. You might want to do a little research before making claims that half of the guests onboard are smokers.
Additionally, you seem rather irate about how inconvenienced you are by having to smoke in designated areas. Well, let me tell you something that chaps my hide….having to pay higher health premiums for the bad habits of people. I choose to not smoke. Why should I have to pay for lung cancers, throat cancers, respiratory issues of people who do smoke?
Good health to you ~
Colleen
Marsha and slickabrina – How about you actually READ Janet’s comment before climbing your ladders to your high horses? She’s talking about E-CIGS, not real cigarettes. For the record, e-cigs produce NO second hand smoke. There is no tobacco, no additives beyond flavourings, and no combustion. They are personal vaporizers – all that is inhaled or exhaled is a small cloud of vapour, which RAPIDLY disperses leaving no lingering scent. Slickabrina, your particular little snide parting comment is for naught: Janet is a vaper, not a smoker, and thus her risk of ANY negative effects associated with smoking is, to quote a scientific study on e-cigs, several MAGNITUDES lower.
Janet is asking why THESE are being relegated to the “Smoking” areas – where those who have successfully used them to move AWAY from tobacco cigarettes (and in doing so realised just how horrific they taste and smell) are FORCED back into that smelly environment. It’s not fair, is it?
And you know what – I’m not even a smoker, or vaper, but my partner is. I took the time to research it lest he be damaging his health even further by switching, but 6 months on and we both couldn’t be happier. The house doesn’t stink, we can sit indoors and eat/drink without a problem and not huddled outside around a heater with people chugging like trains making me cough. His health is up already, too – no more morning coughing fits or phlegmy hocking all the damned time. They’re brilliant, and awareness needs to be raised by making them more available to smokers.
John,
I wanted to share a review of my cruise on the Carnival Miracle out of NY on Sept 20th. I know it is long but hopefully you will enjoy reading it.
I had a balcony cabin, my group had three cabins next to each other 7258, 56, & 54 and my parents were lucky enough to have the balcony cabin in the middle 7258 (oh only about 4 normal balconies long and about a foot wider) we had the partitions opened up and had one massive balcony.
Cruise overall was fantastic.
Embarkation was a little rough, a little slow. I made a comment that it might be nice to make an announcement about the delay and they did, they let us all know about being in the wrong pier due to another ship being there for several days in the normal pier and only having one gangway, that made a big difference and it was nice to get the information.
Debarkation – a little late – ship did not dock until about 8:00 (I had an 11:20 flight out of LaGuardia) I was able to get #2 and was off the ship by 9:30, going through the terminal was a breeze (made the flight by about 10 min)
Room Steward – very poor, made little or no conversation. Never asked or knew our names. Basically did his job and kept cabin clean and beds made – nothing special
Dining room – Tried any time dinning. Any time is not for me, too many delays, servers don’t get to know us and we don’t get to know them. Miami assured 12 would be able to be accommodated, this was a problem most night but we managed to get two tables near, not next to, each other. Hosts and Marti-de were really not helpful. We managed to have the same server for about 5 of the nights but I would probably not take this option again.
Server in Dining room – Komang – Great server – loved him, he is hilarious. We tried to get a table in his section every night.
Cruise director – Forgot his name – not very good – never saw him other than hosting the main shows – was not even Dolly Parton, passed off to Social host. Really wished we had Malcolm but he came back on the day we left.
ACD – Gary – Hilarious – should have been CD – Vary active and visible
Comedy Club – Loved it – loved all the comedy – saw all 5 adult shows (one comedian had 2 adult routines) great concept, just need to be early to get good seat.
Marcus Monroe Juggler/Comedian – Hilarious, great show – would definitely see him again – except next time I hope I don’t get selected to help him on stage, he had me running all around throwing batons at him.
Ventriloquist – can’t remember name – he was hilarious – seen him before but still funny.
Main lounge shows – loved generations, great show, great music – missed the welcome aboard show as I was a little sea sick (Damn Igor) and skipped ticket to ride as I have seen it before. One of the Dancers Andrew had family visiting him and we met a few times and talked allot, he is a great dancer and very friendly, great job and great representative of carnival.
Food overall – great, loved all the choices, loved all the food. Plenty of food available at night with the grill being open late and the buffets. Did however miss the snacks at night on the promenade, which was available last year on the Freedom. There does however need to be more options for drinks available. I know fruit punch was removed due to staining, but lemonade gets old and it is strong, Ice Tea is horrible, why not leave the orange juice or other juices in all day, perhaps also add a juice machine to the main lobby bar and casino, if I am playing in the casino it is a long walk to lido to get a drink of juice (don’t drink much alcohol) also the lost playing time just to get a drink (lost revenue less time playing) Maybe one option is add a juice bar in Lido and main lobby with all the options that are available from room service – tomato, apple, orange etc… Not everyone drinks alcohol all the time.
John I have to ask why does Carnival use canned soda, I know soda is a source of revenue but if you installed fountain soda the cost to purchase and transport and space to store would be so much less, you could reduce the price and make more money at the same time, just makes sense to me.
Chefs table – Amazing – well worth the cost and I will be doing this again. Food was aaaaaaamaaaaaaaazzzzzzzzzzing, Small portions but there are seven courses not including the hors d’oeuvres served in the galley beforehand. The Chef was great and answered all questions, Disco was nicely set up.
Coffee Bar – Kannika the Barista, wonderful ambassador, very sweet. She remembered my name and what I ordered after my first visit – always happy and ready to serve.
Casino – dealers not as friendly as I remember from previous cruises but I did not get to play as much – lost too much money too quickly. I did make the qualifying round with the top score in the blackjack tournament. The Casino Host from Russia (can’t remember her name) was great and funny. Way too much smoke, non smoking tables right next to smoking slots or vice versa. I had to laugh at the non smoking poker table right next to the sports bar??? Now that was someone thinking.
Ports -
Half Moon Cay – what else can I say but paradise. I did the Aquatrax adventure excursion, this was great and worth the money, will do again and tried to do again but it was sold out. If you want a little adrenaline (or a lot) and a lot of fun do this.
Nassau – nice place but overrated, lots of good shopping. I did the catamaran and snorkel tour, was good but was in open water, was a little rough for snorkeling. I also took a taxi to Atlantis, only 4 dollars, not bad, very expensive but glad I made it there.
Grand Turk – What can I say but Margaretville, in the pool. Great afternoon, Went on Conch World tour, Tasted Conch, not as bad as I expected. Was a little let down by the tour as I thought it was the hatchery not just a little museum, but still informative. Oh by the way John the male Conch should be called the King and not the Queen, 18 inches enough said.
Ship overall – looked a little rough for the wear, lot of places needed touched up paint wise and a lot of places where paint was touched up but did not blend, very obvious, Ship hull very bad, lot of bare metal. Mini golf course was atrocious, big chunks of “Grass” missing just overall very weathered and abused – needs lots of attention to get fixed and I would not find it acceptable if I worked for Carnival
Service overall – great crew – working very hard however it was not hard to notice there have been some cutbacks. My father noticed not once was there a bar server in the sports bar – very few and far between in the MDR, they have too many tables to cover.
Value for the money is true and I love cruising on Carnival but I want you to know and let the beards know that the cutbacks are becoming noticeable “Big Time”
Overall – Great cruise, Had a wonderful (but busy) time. Did not really stop and rest much, now I need a vacation from my vacation. Can’t wait till next year when I will again find myself on a Carnival ship. Trying to convince the family to wait till October/November (usually go in September) for the Carnival Magic in Galveston, Here’s hoping
John, I want to thank you for giving us this opportunity to learn a little (well maybe a lot) about you and your wonderful family. The insight into what you do and see each day (even when you are not on a ship, I still want to hear about it). I want to thank you for that laugh you give me every day when I am at work. Please don’t listen to the haters, that is all they are haters, they see people who are happy and having a good time and they want to ruin it.
Thank you John, Don’t change a thing about you or “YOUR” Blog. Hope to see you on a ship some day.
Fraser
Good evening John. Regarding gum, I use to enjoy chewing gum but no longer. After my stroke and two brain operstions if I chew gum I start having bad headaches so I have given up gum. It really isn’t a lose but I now got into eating M& M’s and the problem is if I eat to many of them I gain wait. Oh well. See you my fried.
Paul F. Pietrangelo
We want your photograph because it will remind us of what a nice, friendly and fun person you are, and what are great time you give us, be it in person or on the blog. When people look at you, we see a geniune love for his fellow man or woman, his wife, daughter and family. We are honored to share that with you – and why we want your picture!
MissKitty
John,
My Dad has just started using an e-cig. His are actually to help him quit smoking (they slowly decrease the amount of nicotine realeased until you no longer need it). It has made his life so much easier! He no longer has to rush outside between airline flights to smoke or leave the family between courses at dinner. They should be allowed as no smell comes from them.
I have to say I’m so happy you are keeping the piano bar non-smoking. The piano bar was my favorite part of the cruise (aside from the shows) and I can say I would not have spent every night in that room had there been smoke everywhere. Not only do I not want to inhale it, but I don’t want my clothes smelling like it for the rest of the trip.
You do great work John!
I’m very sensitive to cigarette smoke – can’t even visit my beloved Dad as much as I’d like because I can’t afford the time it takes for my nose/eyes/throat to recover from his smoking – and I have no objection to these e-cigs.
If the e-cigs are scentless, that’s good enough for me, and I have no problem with people using them anywhere they like. I also really hope Carnival will start selling e-cigs onboard. If nothing else, then the next time I’m driven from my balcony by the fumes of a smoker next door, I can offer to buy them some e-cigs as a compromise! Seriously!
Soooo…. if demographics are a factor, any chance of a smoke-free piano bar/dance club on Spirit or Paradise (or Imagination when she comes west)? Please?
john i see signs about please refrain from chewing gum or please deposit ur gum in a trash receptical – i say if u cant smoke a cigar you should not be allowed to chew gum and of course the gift shop should not sell it
pat67 — I have been on both cruise lines many times…. Carnival surpasses Royal Caribbean hands down, for customer service & food. Please,,,,, go back to RC. I’ll bet you enjoyed the rest of your cruise !!!
Loved the entry tonight!
Thanks for all your time and effort you put into this.
Hi John..
I would sure rather see people smoke those “e-cigs” than see
them smoke real cigarettes
I love the idea of a NON smoking piano bar and disco and Ihope it goes fleet wide
we have strict anti smoking laws in Florida too..and I am NOT used to smelling smoke indoors
I don’t think the piano bar needs smoking, it can’t even be good for the poor singer/piano player
outdoors…in cigar bar…in sports bar…ok
but really the world is changing, I hope Carnival can keep up with the times, limit the smoking
BUT ..allow the addicted to smoke those e-cigs
anywhere JMO>> you should sell them on board and make a nice profit on them
Thanks
Good God, now your on Johns blog with your anti smoking crap. Get back over to Cruise Critic where everyone loves you!
Hope Johns blog will not be a place for anti smoking zealots from Cruise Critic to rant.
As a non-smoker I have say I wish more folks would move to the E cigs. I have not noticed an odor from thsm and would not object to seeing them in non-smoking areas such as the dining room or lounges.
I do agree that more education may need to be done so that people understand it is just the E cigs allowed but what a great compromise for smokers who will use them.
Cigars and Mojitos, great idea. Make it fleetwide!
I’m glad the piano bar will remain smoke free. Will be able to spend time there next Feb/March when we do a B2B on the Splendor. Wish the piano bar was smoke free fleet wide.
Bonjour John! Thanks for your reply. I am glad that George wil be our CD on the Glory in Jan. I did read verry good reviews about him. Your french is lousy! But who cares!!! We (my husband and I) almost pee in our pants reading it! When we sail together, we will have a lot of french stories to tell!
Your petit croissant (lol)
Josée
John,
Look your Mr. Cloonpitt up on the Internet Movie Database:
http://www.imdb.com
If he’s not there under the name he gave you, then he either has a stage name or he’s not really the big deal he thinks he is. My money is on the “not really a big deal” option…..
Give your girls a hug and thanks for the laughs your blog brings me – I hope to meet you on a cruise some day. You would make the cruise!!
My husband “vapes” using an Ecig. They are not cigarettes, there is nothing but flavored vapor coming out. Sometimes, I smell sweet smells like cake or candy, whatever flavor he is using.
I think Carnival needs to look at this from the facts not the feelings of people who are uninformed. They are harmless to others. It is a mixture of glycerin and nicotine going in and water vapor going out.
Also a note on the lady complaining and stating she posted on Cruisecritic. Her post on there was just as ridiculous and even more spoiled sounding.
BAN Smoking from ALL Interior sections of ALL ships with no exceptions!
Smoking to ONLY be allowed on outer decks (reluctantly).
If people want to commit slow suicide do it outside and leave my lungs alone !
Why don’t you go on the smoke free Paradise. Oh sorry that is no more because they couldn’t fill it as a non-smoking ship.
Hey John, see what you started. Smoking warfare. This will be worse than no hamburgers, power strips etc.
Personally I think it would be better if the ships had designated “smoking areas” where smokers could go – like the cigar bar as you mentioned, leaving the main areas pleasant for everyone.
I think that’s the thing we need to keep getting back to about smoking. It’s something people enjoy doing, but it comes at the expense of the comfort of others in the vicinity.
Kudos to these decisions aboard Splendor. Just another reason it’s my favourite ship.
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John-
Still chuckling over the “professional” actor who is flipping out over being seen on TV without compensation. My daughter, who is a WORKING professional actress, would be THRILLED to be featured on Carnival TV – and without compensation. Perhaps mr Cloonpitt is upset because it’s the first opportunity he’s had to view himself on film and isn’t happy with what he saw – maybe he forgot to apply his makeup.
In any case, if he goes home to complain to his agent, she’ll likely tell him that he’s nuts for having pulled himself off TV because there may have been a casting director onboard and he may just have cost himself an opportunity! I hope that’s the case – it would serve him right. And as for legal repercussions – I’m no lawyer – but I’d guess he has no case – just as he’d have no case if the NBC news caught him on camera as he passed by a news report or if Jay Leno interviewed him as one of the stupid people on Jaywalking – and I doubt he’d threaten to sue over being on the Tonight Show – chances are he’s looking for a freebie and an ego stroking – ignore him. It’ll drive him nuts!
Hi, John. Just wanted to thank you for the decision to keep the piano bar and dance club smoke free. I detest the smell of smoke, having it caught in my hair, etc. so I have always avoided those areas of the ships I have sailed on.
As I will be boarding the Splendor on November 28th in order to meet you, I am excited that I will be able to partake of these venues on your beautiful ship.
Can’t thank you enough and can’t wait to meet you. By the way, I’ll be writing to you in a couple of weeks (and leaving you a note once on board) to ask for some help celebrating my friend’s birthday which is the day after we set sail. We are two female Army officers who met in our basic course 11 years ago and have been great friends ever since even though we have never lived closer together than 3,000 miles since we left that course. We have over 35 years of service between the two of us and we both have a love of serving our country as well as traveling. This is her first cruise and is being planned (in addition to the opportunity to meet you) to celebrate her birthday as well as give us one last big hoorah before I head back to Afghanistan. I guess since I’ve been home two years next month from my last stint over there, the Army thinks I need to go back.
Anyway….sorry to get so long winded. As I said, I’ll write again soon to ask for your help to celebrate her birthday (maybe with an announcement on the morning show or something). For now, thanks again. I’m looking forward to having a drink and listening to the tunes in the piano bar and dancing the night away in the dance club (even though I have no rhythm.)
Have a fabulous day!
I think it is great that the piano bar is non-smoking on the Carnival Splendor. I wish it would be a fleet-wide policy. Love the piano bar, just can’t stay in there for more then a few minutes because of the smoke. How can the entertainers handle the smoke night after night?
It is a shame that your time with the girls is soon over. I know you will be sad when they head home. You will all have two months till you are home for vacation. I hope the next two months of Carnival Splendor families will be good to your.
Pat
I’m not a smoker but I do believe that smokers have rights.
In my perfect world, on a cruise ship, smoking would be allowed in cabins, on balconies (because that is the person’s private area although a heads up to neighbors is always appreciated), in the cigar bar, in the sports bar and in some outdoor areas. I’m abivalent about the casino because I don’t spend any time there. I do know that when I have to walk through to get somewhere else, it can be pretty smoky.
I think the piano bar is too small of an area with not enough ventilation for smoking. Maybe a small area of the disco could allow smoking?
I think as long as there is a smoking area (either outside or inside) close to pretty much everything and smoking is allowed in private cabins (although a note to smokers to be considerate of neighbors would be nice), smokers shouldn’t have any reason to complain and non-smokers should have any reason to complain.
Hello John:
Seems unfortunate to put the vapor breathers in with the smokers. They are trying to avoid the real thing and making them breathe second hand smoke is not a nice thing to do.
Don’t think the second hand vapor is a big deal for others.
We are rushing into the future, seems I read about these electronic cigarettes many years ago in science fiction.
You sure married a great woman and mother, taking care of a toddler in difficult circumstances so you could spend time with your lover and daughter. Here here. I bet they had a wonderful time with you John. Next spring will be Camp Carnival on Carnival Magic.
Your friend
Bill Heck
With three Carnival cruises reserved, I’m hoping that the NON smoking piano bar and disco goes fleet wide and soon.
More and more states have strict anti smoking laws and I’m used to smelling smoke indoors, plus the more you stay away from the smell, the more it affects you when you do smell it. It was good to hear that revenue & participation was not affected with the non-smoking policy. Right now because of the smoking smell I stay away from the Piano Bar, but I bet attendance will improve once it’s known that it is smoke (and odor) free.
Aloha, John!!!
The Crazies are back from another magnificent cruise and I’ve got to sing the praises of the staff and crew of the Carnival Conquest. As you well know, we met some rather adverse conditions… and then there was the weather…
We missed Montego Bay as it was impossible for Capt. Sammartano to maneuver the ship to the dock in the tight confines of the port at MoBay. 60 knots winds from the starboard side were far too much for the thrusters. Canceling the call was the exact right thing to do.
Sadly we missed Grand Cayman, our next port of call, because the waves were too high for safe tender operations. The port authority closed the port for tending. There was an RCCL vessel behind us who got waved off as well.
All this precipitated a very angry response from a significant number of passenger, not a majority by any stretch of the imagination, but many none the less. Two ‘gentlemen’ started walking about the lobby telling people bold face lies about why we missed MoBay and Georgetown and additionally claiming that we would never make Cozumel as the ‘hurricane’ had devastated the island leaving 3000 dead in mudslides. MUDSLIDES? The island is 49 feet high at its tallest. If you want to get mud to move you have to push it.
Anyway, these folks started getting some of the guests (not passengers… guests…) stirred up. They were rude and obnoxious to the staff members, particularly the folks at Guest Services, cursing and yelling at them. In one instance, that Stitch observed, these people actually blocked a staff member’s access to the Guest Services area. Interfering with a crew member in the execution of his or her duty… isn’t that a criminal offense?
The Crazies stayed positive and did what we could to dispel the rumors and lies and, at the same time, show support for the crew.
Our time on the hurricane savaged island of Cozumel was brilliant! We went to Nachi Cocom, about 60 of us, and nearly had the place to ourselves. Fantastic.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE tell the Captain Sammartano and the amazing crew of the Carnival Conquest that we loved our voyage and appreciated every single thing they did to keep us safe and provide a great cruise.
All the best, my friend!!!
Ciao!
Host Mach
Host Mach,
You really are a great ambassador for Cruise Critics and your group is always too much fun. No wait a minute there is no such thing. Anyway you are great.
Thanks for keeping it positive!
The Cruzin2some
John,
I hope you reverse your decision on e-cigs. They seem to be the way to go for smokers.
John, We thoroughly enjoy the Piano bars on all of the ships. I would certainly vote for having non-smoking piano bars on all ships. Smoking has to be an obvious detriment to the entertainers health as well. Just my thoughts!
Hi there, John, and others. I’m glad to see folks who are open to the e-cigarette. It’s been a fantastic device for me. Since I started using it in August, I’ve gone from a pack of cigarettes a day to just vaping. I’m still in the process of helping my husband switch over to vaping full time.
For those who note concerns about the lit LED on the end, there are several devices (with longer battery lives than those stock batteries with the LED) that do not have that lit tip. As indicated earlier, they have longer battery life and work as well as the stock e-cigs. Thus far, I’ve used mine (a Riva) on an airplane with no problems. I did have to change flavors after my seat mates asked if I had anymore Werther’s candies. (Yes, I was vaping a butter rum flavor and yes, that one does make a smell just like the candies.) Learned my lesson there. No more strong flavors in close proximity to others unless I can provide the candy.
John, if Carnival is actually looking for more information on the e-cigarette to make an informed decision, I’d suggest looking to the forums at http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com. There’s a section there on Health and Safety and some very knowledgeable folks at CASAA who may be able to assist. In fact, I believe there’s a brochure they’ve made that specifically addresses the various components of an e-cig that might give more technical information.
Lumping vapers (what e-cig users call themselves) with smokers would be rather short-sighted to me. I actually do not care for the smell of tobacco any longer and, when forced outside to vape, move as far from the smokers as I can. (Honestly, I always hated the smell of cigarettes on my clothes when I smoked.) In most instances, I’m able to stealth vape well enough that anyone nearby doesn’t realize what I’m doing anyway.
By the way, one of the core components in many e-cig liquids (aka juices) is propylene glycol. This particular ingredient can be found everywhere from toothpaste to processed food to shampoo to sanitizers. It is cleared for use as anti-bacterial agent in hospitals, restaurants, etc for air treatment. Perhaps a quick read on this EPA report might provide ample information: http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/reregistration/REDs/propylene_glycol_red.pdf
I do hope this information proves helpful to you and to Carnival as decisions are made to the relative safety of e-cigs, particularly in reference to known toxicity of tobacco cigarettes.
John, my wife and I have been enjoying Carnival cruising for several years now. I always ran back to the smoking areas and interupted our fun with my addiction. I have been using the e-cig for over a month now and have been over a month without an “analog” cigarette. Please do more research into these instead of sending us back to the smoking area because since I quit the smell of smoke has started making me feel sick. Please visit CASAA.org, that’s the sight for Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives. They can provide you lots of info on the e-cig and studies into it’s safety and efficiency. I would love to see e-cigs sold onboard, perhaps through the spa as this is a great way to promote a healthier group of passengers and keep repeat customers alive for years to come!
Pat67–You sound a bit prone to over-exaggeration. Even if what you wrote really did happen (and I’m not saying I’m convinced it did)….big deal! So you didn’t get a book that you wouldn’t have gotten anyway, and maybe your tea was late for one meal? And from this, you’ve decided that all staff are bad…Sheesh! Talk about going overboard….
Love reading the blog as always, it looks like I agree and disagree with you int this one…
I do not like gum, can not stand to see some one chewing it, they look like a cow chewing the cud! and the messes to clean, my Kevin stepped in some the other day in a parking lot… what a mess, it make no sense the mess people make where there is a trash can near by…
as for the smoking, I can’t stand the smoke, I was very glad when all restaurants became smoke free in my art of Florida. I do not usually say much just avoid it if I can, I do wish all would quit not because it annoying (there is a lot that annoys me more that I will not be stopped) It is the health risks that are involved I have seen in my family that do smoke… but in the end in all thing a little respect by both side would be nice.. I don’t complain if it stays in the designated places. However the piano bar smoke free, that would be nice, even if Kevin and I do not drink it would be nice to order a soda and have the piano play our song “As Time Goes By” and really enjoy it…
I don’t post in a bit and now I write a book… o:)
The one
and only1
Heidi-Beth
John,
I would definitely like to see the entire fleet go smoke free in the dance club. When I am any ship, I frequent these because I like to dance even though I am no good at it. The smoke does bother me more in recent years because I haven’t been around it as much because of the smoking bans and now that my grandfather died a few years ago. I am definitely more sensitive to it than I was years ago but still didn’t like it. Love your blog and I get a kick out of all the things that you end up doing while with a new group of people each week. Keep up the great work and I can’t wait to one day sail with you.
John,
thanks for the reservation request of the chef’s table for our upcoming trip on the VALOR. I got a conformation email from the valor steakhouse hostess and everything is set. I was a bit concerned when I first asked guest relations for the reservations and here is what I received in way of a response.
Hello Philip,
Thank you for contacting Carnival Cruise Lines. We appreciate the opportunity to be of assistance.
In response to your email, we don not offer the Chef’s Table on the Carnival Valor.If there is anything else we can do for you please don’t hesitate to ask.
Cordially,Nastassia Foster
Reservation Support Specialist
I know from reading your reviews and those on CC that there was indeed a chef’s table on the Valor. O would hope you would let the corporate hand know so they don’t give our false information.
as a side note we will be leaving on the Valor on Nov 21st for thanksgiving and looking forward to a festive time. This will be our sencond time on the Valor and love the ship.
keep up the blogy thing, it is great.
regards,
John
My wife, a smoker, and I will be back on board the C. Splendor on 31 Oct. She, as do I, finds the smoking rules to be about right and one of our favorite places is deck 10 aft with the tables overlooking the ocean–it is very relaxing and most always has lots of good conversation going on.
We look forward to meeting you.
Regards,
Roger T
Dear John,
Well it looks like you lit a fuze again mate. ecigs and ecigars should be allowed everywhere. They are safe and they don’t bother anyone else. It is the whole purpose of using them in the first place.
The only negative is it will make it harder to spot the people smoking real cigs and cigars.
The Cruzin2some
Cruzin2some,
It is very easy to tell it’s an E-cigarettes. The light on the end is a very bright red or blue. When I don’t want to draw attention I hold my hand over the tip so people don’t even see it. The vapor that comes out when you exhale does not linger.
BIG Ed
I think it is so funny when people threaten to post something on Cruise Critic. “Be advised that I am posting this bad review on Cruise Critic for the masses to read (because I know everyone will read it and not sail on Carnival)”…..What a load of bullocks!!!!!
Be afraid John…..be afraid!!!!!!
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Dear John,
You have a heart of gold. For you to get involved in such a delicate issue between two strangers is so inspiring. I think you did the right thing and im sure it helped them.
I was just curious back a couple of years ago you had written in your blog about your trip to a Turkish Bath House. Well I have followed your blog ever since I read that hilarious story. I would love to be able to see it again is there a place like an archive where I could find it? Thanks for all your contributions to making our vacations stay alive through your blogs. Looking forward to our 9th carnvial cruise on the Glory nov.14 best wishes to you and your family.
Janet…you really need to chill…you posted very nasty about John and e-cigs on CC …posting untruthfully and stirring things up
yeah we can see you are so upset and so addicted
I find it amazing that YOU “lead” a group cruise…with your nasty attitude
I can’t go in the piano bar or casino cause of the smoke
and I can only stand the disco for a while
FYI : not only does smoke smell, but smokers smell
if people can be happy with an ecig that doesn’t smell that would be great
John apparently just learned of e-cigs..the “decision” was not set in stone. Your post on CC was inflamatory and nasty and calling him and others at Carnival dumb a==s
was really not needed
I use an ecigarette, and since switching the smell from regular cigarettes sickens me. I resent being lumped in with smokers, and would not choose to take a cruise where I had to be subjected to cigarette smoke to get my nicotine fix.
The only thing expelled from them is water vapor, and I am polite and considerate to those around me. In public I exhale almost nothing at all when I vape.
Personally certain perfumes give me migraines, but I would never request someone dining near me to stop wearing perfume.
If Carnival is looking to help their crew members quit smoking an ecig kit is cheaper than patches, and an extremely viable alternative.
Carnival ought to sell ecigs onboard…I never thought I could quit, and the ecig made it easy.
John….there are many of us that vape, ecigarettes, or other personal vaporizers, that use only flavoring, NOT nicotine! I vaped on an airplane, with a woman next to me who was allergic to cigarette smoke. She was amazed at my ecigarette, and loved the light minty smell of the vapor!
Why should someone who doesn’t smoke, yet uses a PV (ecigarette), be subjected to second-hand cigarette smoke in your designated smoking areas? A PV with mint flavoring produces less aroma and vapor than a home vaporizer (used when people have chest colds), with Vicks in it!