As well as 11,000 plus Carnival fans being able to talk with me and each other, Facebook has allowed some of my old friends from the 80′s to reconnect with me. One of those is a wonderful lady called Samantha who I knew from my days as a spotty 18 year old. Well, she got it in touch with me via Facebook the other day and as soon as I saw her name I could think of only one thing ………………her 18th birthday party held at her house which my mate Alan and I were surprisingly invited to.
Her parents were very wealthy and had a huge house where there would be beer, girls and who knows……maybe enough girls who would be drinking enough beer to want to have rumpy pumpy with me……although that is a heck of a lot of beer. Things though did not turn out how I expected they would and it was though, thanks to Alan, the last party we were ever invited to…. here’s why.
So, there I was dancing away to the sounds of Frankie Goes To Hollywood looking like Richard Simmons with a swarm of bees down his underpants. The beer poured, the music played and every now and then I got to touch a girl called Karen’s thigh as she danced with me. All of a sudden ………..and yes, I swear this is the truth……….all hell broke loose.
I heard laughing mixed with screaming and as I walked into the hallway of the grand house there at the top of the sweeping staircase was Alan…….who had obviously had one beer too many which meant he had had three and now was very, very drunk.
Alan was at the top of the staircase and for some bizarre reason he had his pants and his underpants round his ankles. He then gingerly mounted the banister by swinging one very drunken leg over…….. and at the speed of a geriatric turtle slid to the bottom of the staircase ………and as he did so he shouted “Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.”
Obviously the view was not a pleasant one and when he finally reached the bottom he was met by cheers, laughter, applause and a very angry Samantha. She screamed “What the hell are you doing?” Alan, slowly pulled up his underpants and trousers and in that slightly slurred and oh so familiar voice he said………………….“There was no toilet paper in the bathroom.”
Five minutes later we were on a bus……going home………..never to be invited to a party again.
Let’s better crack on with some Q and A……..here we go.
Karen G Asked:
Dear John, (Please respond)First, I want to say, I love your blog. I’ve been enjoying going back and reading everything since I discovered the site. Anyway, I am going on my first Carnival Cruise on the Dream on May 21st in I have grown up cruising with my parents on Royal Caribbean, but I’m 23 now and am branching out on my own with my boyfriend and trying out Carnival. My boyfriend has never cruised before and is very concerned because my parents have been telling him horror stories about Carnival They’ve never even been on a Carnival cruise, but there seems to be some competitive loyalty thing going on. I think Carnival will be much more our style and I know we’ll have fun, but I would really like to out-do my parents and come back with a special experience to brag about. Competition can go both ways, eh? One thing I’ve never done is gone on a tour of a cruise ship. I’ve been on a Galley tour, but never on a full ship tour. Is there any way to do a full tour of the ship including the usually restricted areas? I would absolutely love this and it would certainly be a “coup de grace” to my parents!
Thanks John,
Karen
John Says:
Hello Olivia and Andrew,It’s great to know how much you enjoy the blog and next week when I become a cruise director again you will hopefully enjoy the true life stories that the guests provide as they adventure on their Carnival Magic.
Isn’t competitive loyalty fabulous…….especially between family members? I am sure your Mum and Dad have every reason to say they love RCI but to tell horror stories about Carnival without ever actually having taken a cruise with us is surely cause for you to smack their bottoms and put them on the naughty step.
Tell your boyfriend to ignore his mother in law……..not just about this…..but on every subject ……and then to just relax and get ready for the best 7 days he has ever had. We do have Behind the Fun tour which is available onboard and takes a select group of people to the bridge, engine control room and the galley as well as other crew only places. There is a charge for this but it is worth every single penny and then some. So have a wonderful cruise and my best to you and your boyfriend and even Mum and Dad.
Best wishes,
John
Brett H Asked:
Greetings John, (please reply)Hope all is well with you and the family, back home. Looking forward to my 8th carnival cruise in April. I received a call one day from my Carnival Vacation Planner about a great special for us interline folks. So I got with some co-workers and friends and we planned a little getaway for ourselves. There will be six of us going on the cruise and we are all looking forward to it. We will be on the Carnival Victory, haven’t been on the Carnival Victory but I have been on her sister ship the Carnival Triumph. I would greatly appreciate if there is anything you can do for the guest I am bringing as this will be her first Cruise, also would appreciate anything you could do for us as a group. I see Karl with a “K” will be our cruise director and can’t wait to say hello to him again, he is an awesome CD.
2 questions for you John…
1) Will this sailing have the “Behind the Fun Tour”?
2) Why did Carnival stop giving past guest the Funnel Pins? Since my first cruise I buy the model ship for each Fun Ship and since my second cruise I have collected each Funnel pin. On my last cruise the guest services desk informed me these are now only available to guest after they have sailed 10 times. I understand they may have changed the way they give the pins out to save some money but if that’s the case can they please make the same pin available to past cruisers for purchase? Sorry but the funky pins in the gift shop are not the same.Thanks,
Brett
John Says:
Hello Brett,I am sure by now that you and your friends are getting very excited about your cruise on the Carnival Victory and I know you will have the best of times and really enjoy Karl with a K. Regarding the pins, we now provide them only to our Platinum guests. More on this though in the days ahead I promise. The cruise will though offer the Behind the Fun excursion and I know you will all love that. If you send me your cabin number a few days before you sail via my Facebook page I will see what we can do for you as requested. Get ready for a great cruise.
Best wishes to all,
John
BobbieQ Asked:
REPLY PLEASEJohn, you may wish to rethink your Facebook strategy because as you can read on this link from Cruise Critic Members Boards there are many who feel you post too much
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1354494&highlight=john+heald+on+fb
One member wrote “agree…I had to “unlike” because it’s just too much. Too much underwear talk too. I suggest if you have something that everyone needs to know then do post it on FB but otherwise please stop clogging up everyone in box.
ThanksJohn Says:
Hello Bobbie Q,I think……..and I may be wrong…….but I have either addressed this comment before here on the blog or on Facebook itself………..I just can’t remember. I do apologise that if for some my posts are too many or contain what some may feel as inappropriate underpants talk. However, FB has become a massive customer service tool for me and unless I start seeing my number of friends drop then respectfully, I am not going to change anything. Thanks for taking the time to write.
Best wishes,
John
HandH from Ohio Asked:
John Please reply,John, we are taking our second Carnival cruise in April on the Splendor out of Long Beach. I have a few questions. I read somewhere that the Splendor has a “chicken rotisserie” rather than a Fish & Chips selection. Is that true? I’ll be bummed if there are no Fish & Chips. Anyway, my second question is that we have no sailed out of Long Beach for about 3 years. I remember we had to stand in long mega lines outside of the terminal “dome” before boarding. My question is, has that changed? Is there now seating inside the dome similar to the Miami terminal?
Thanks,
Eric
John Says:
HandH from Ohio,You will love the Carnival Splendor and after her trials and tribulations I can promise you she looks fabulous. Yes you are correct. The ship does not have fish and chips but does have a rotisserie which not serves the best chicken but you must also try the wonderful mac and cheese. Did you know we also have a make your own Burrito Bar now? Well, when I say make your own….we do the “making” but you get choose what goes inside. I tried one during my recent trip and it was fantastic. There is also the Tandoor, The Mongolian Wok, The Grill, The Pizzeria, The Deli and the Grand Buffet featuring our daily Taste of The Nations.
The new terminal at Long Beach has been improved with an $8 million renovation and reports from the ship are that the guests board much quicker than in the past but seating is still limited. And it would be dishonest of me to not admit also that the local Customs and Border Protection processing takes a little longer than other ports so a dollop of patience is required during the debarkation process. I wish you a wonderful cruise and have fun.
Best wishes,
John
Missie Susan Asked:
John please reply…I need some help organizing a meet in greet on our cruise on the Legend. There are about 150 of us that have met on the cruise critic message boards. We are booked on the April 10th sailing of the Legend. We will need a room to meet in and have the Captain stop by and will require bar service. I am not sure if I am going about this the right way but have been elected the spokeswoman for the group. Can you put the details in the Funtimes so the whole group can see where it is.
Thanks
John Says:
Hello Missie Susan,I will indeed ask the groups coordinator on the Carnival Legend to accommodate you with a reserved room. You didn’t mention when you wanted this so I have taken the first sea day afternoon and asked for the piano bar or similar lounge to be held for you. This will also appear in the Fun Times as you requested. I am sorry that I cannot promise the captain will be able to come but I am sure you will have fun regardless. Please let me know if there is anything else you need.
Best wishes
John
Mike from VA Asked:
JOHN PLEASE REPLYI cruised on the Carnival Fascination the week of 11/5/10. I have been patiently waiting on my email “COMMENT CARD.” This was by far the BEST of my 9 Carnival cruises and I wanted to let the “beards” know it by my comment card……. oh well. Does everyone now receive an “E” comment card or only a select few? Enjoy your blog and looking forward to my “PLATINUM” cruise this year. Best of everything to you and your girls!
Mike from VA.
John Says:
Hello Mike from VA,The answer is I am sorry to say that the computer program we have randomly selects only some of the people who have cruised and have elected to receive electronic mail. In my humble opinion, this is not a good thing as I know many want to express their views and are not getting cards. Please, if you or anyone do not get cards and have words of praise or indeed suggestions for improvement, please use this blog or Facebook and I will make sure the right people see them. I am so glad this was a great cruise and many congratulations on your Platinum status.
Best wishes to you and your family
John
John Gatto Asked:
John (please reply)Researching The Chef’s Table I was under the impression that the experience offered cocktails (wine included) as described below. Information on CC indicates that only wine is included and that a pre-dinner cocktail would cost extra.
So I come to the one who knows all
(Or can find out) to get the real story!
A search on Carnival’s news site (http://carnival-news.com/) turns up this:
——–
Carnival Cruise Lines has completed the fleetwide rollout of its exquisite and exclusive fine dining experience, The Chef’s Table, which is now available on all 22 of the line’s ships.Launched as a pilot program last year, this one-of-a-kind culinary experience includes a sumptuous multi-course dinner hosted by one of the line’s master chefs along with a private cocktail reception and a personalized tour of the galley.
With The Chef’s Table, a select group of 12 guests enjoy cocktails and hors d’ouevres hosted by the ship’s chef de cuisine. The chef then takes the group on a tour to see the galley in operation, providing participants with a unique perspective on Carnival’s extensive food and beverage operations.
The evening concludes with a sumptuous full-service dinner with delicious appetizers, entrees and desserts created by the line’s master chefs. Depending on the vessel, the meal takes place in non-traditional dining venues throughout the ship – the galley, library, conference center, etc.
The program can be booked on board through the ships’ guest information desk. The cost is $75 per person.
——–
Keep up the great blog thingie!Thanks.
JAG
John Says:
Hello John Gatto,Yep, this was a bit of an error by the beards and was recently pointed out to me by someone on Facebook as well. It has now been changed to champagne and hors d’ouevres with the word cocktails being taken out. Sorry for any confusion and I hope you get to experience this brilliant event very soon.
Best wishes,
John
Cherrie and Lionel Asked:
Hey John ,Is there ever anytime where there are no children on the Carnival boats. My husband and I are retired and do not want to be around lots of annoying rug rats during our vacation. We live in Sarasota and are looking at the Dream from Port Canaveral or the Legend from Tampa. Is there a time you can GUARANTEE there will be no kids on the ship? You should do a kid free ship, it would be full every week. There are lots of people like us who just don’t like children! Thank you in advance for your prompt reply.
John Says:
Hello Cherie and Lionel,The simple answer is no. Carnival is proud to be the most popular cruise line for families and therefore we always welcome them to our ships. I will say that some periods of the year there are more children travelling than other times but at no time do we not have children on board. Honestly though, I don’t think that they would affect your enjoyment of the cruise would they ……………. really? The entertainment facilities we have for them these days are wonderful and they are really occupied throughout the cruise. Please let me know if you have any more questions.
Best wishes,
John
Doctor Kent W Asked:
John (please reply) -I am new to this blog and am so glad I found the link on Cruise Critic! Your name is mentioned a lot over there you know. I was reading back to a posting from a few days ago where you directed someone else to applications for entertainment positions. I was wondering how one applies for a position as a Doctor? I am resident in a hospital in Toronto, Canada and am thinking of spending some time at sea and where better than Carnival?
John Says:
Hello Doctor Kent W,Welcome to the blog. They are unsung heroes for sure on cruise ships and one of those is the medical department whose Doctors and Nurses save so many lives. If you go to www.cclcareers.com you will find all the information you need on possibly joining this great company. If you have any further questions please let me know and if this site is not clear then also let me know and I will direct your information to the correct people.
Best wishes Doc,
John
PS – if I get you a job will you have a look at my hemorrhoids for me?
Charlie Franklin Asked:
I have a question we did 12 cruises so far with Carnival and we are planning one day to do a world cruise but we never took Cunard does pass guest counts as a Carnival cruiser? Or do we have to cruise on Cunard to qualify as a pass guest before we book our world cruise to get a better deal.
Thanks Carole Mace
John Says:
Hello Charlie Franklin,12 Carnival cruises, that’s brilliant and let’s start by saying thank you so much for your loyalty. And now it seems you are ready for the most amazing cruise voyage possible…..a World Cruise. Well, unfortunately even though Cunard are part of the Carnival family our loyalty programs are very different and therefore are not interchangeable. Please though don’t let that stop you taking this once in a lifetime voyage. If you would like more information on current rates and details of the ships would you let me know and I will have a mate from Cunard send you the details or call you for a chat. Let me know and I remain at your service
Kind Regards,
John
Patty Klein Asked:
Hi John – Reply if you have timeI am currently aboard the Carnival Freedom and have only 10 minutes left of expensive internet time to type on your blog thingy. I have to pass on a message to you from my husband. Today he played in the Blackjack tournament with Ryan, our CD. My husband was very happy to report to me that although Ryan is an excellent blackjack player (Ryan said to say that), my husband beat him by $100. We are so excited that we get to take home a beautiful whale tale bank/cup in carnival red white and blue. Of course we would rather have a ship on a stick, but this is supposedly a rarer find.
It has been a wonderful cruise. Our dining times were messed up the staff made it right. The ports were fun and a bit educational. I have to commend the whole Carnival staff for their professionalism and concern since we made 2 adjustments to this cruise because of passenger illness. We have a large population of older Veterans on board and they sure deserve the best care. We had an unplanned stop in Grand Cayman tonight to get attention for someone. I am pleased that Ryan asked for prayers for this passenger over the PA system. I hope everything turns out ok. I am probably paying by the minute now, but wanted to let you know that our 4th Carnival cruise is another vacation success!
Patty Klein
John Says:
Hello Patty Klein,It’s posts like this that give me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. Thanks for writing from the ship and my apologies for the delay with this reply. Ryan loves to host the blackjack tournament and I do here he is quite the player. But not as good as Mr Klein and that is something I congratulate your husband on. We have recently added a veterans meeting on each and every cruise and it is so very, very important that we acknowledge their service, which allows all of us the freedom to cruise. I hope you had fun.
Best wishes to you both
John
So, let’s talk Italian food shall we. Obviously I have been privileged to travel to many parts of Italy with the various ships and being in the ship yards and eating with Italian captains in their dining rooms on board has given me a wonderful insight to their culture and their food. I have to admit that I am not a huge fan of Italian cookery though. Two reasons why. First of all there is the pasta which when you are trying to lose weight and when you are diabetic and need to control carbs …………..well Italy and her pasta are not your best mates. The second reason I am not a fan is garlic. I hate garlic. I would rather eat a dead hamster that has been marinated in my underpants for a week…………then eat anything with garlic in it or on it.
Now I can see some of you bloggers sitting there, in your underpants, saying “John, you are an idiot, garlic is wonderful.” No………..it’s not……….it’s revolting. Not just the taste…..but the smell. God, the smell. Try coming onto the bridge of a ship early in the morning and have the Captain talk to you inches from your face after eating a huge dish of pasta de garlicbastardo the night before . I’d rather be sprayed in the face with Mace or have a cattle prod shoved up my arse.
Well, I guess I have to say that I am probably in a minority when it comes to garlic and I am sure also that there is going to be lots of it at a very special restaurant on your Carnival Magic. Yep, I am talking about Cucina del Capitano, the new family style Italian restaurant on your Carnival Magic.
Now I will be publishing a full version of the menu soon but here is a small taste of what you will find there.
Appetisers will include:
- Calamari Fritti (fried calamari)
- Arancino and Parmigiana de Melanzane (eggplant parmigiana).
Sample entrees include:
- Pollo Parmigiana de la Cucina (chicken parmigiana)
- Gamberetti Pizzailoa (shrimp pizzaiola)
- Brasato Al Barolo (braised short ribs)
- Spaghetti Carbonara
- Nonna’s Linguine & Meatballs
- Salmone Griglia (grilled salmon)
- Bistecca alla Griglia (grilled steak)
- We are also offering a unique spaghetti and clams entrée named Il Baccio del Mare by past guest, Ted Fazioli, who won our online contest.
Desserts include (but are not limited to):
- Tiramisu
- Sicilian Canoli.
Now here is the best bit, the cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children, which is quite a bargain.
Reservations will be open via the blog but not yet…………please don’t send them in yet as I need to post opening times and get a little more information on this once I am onboard.
Now the idea of this is not just to serve the best Italian food and the most absolutely ridiculous price anywhere……..in the world……….but for you to sit around the table and eat it family style. And that just doesn’t mean that we will serve the pasta in big steaming bowls, no, it means that if you are the Smith family from Florida, you have to become the Rossi family from Florence. If there’s a nation that knows how to enjoy good food better than the Italians, I’ve yet to meet them. Nowhere else have they made the family meal such an art form?
You’ll find whole generations from the grandmother in her black shawl to the babies being passed from lap to lap sitting around the same table chatting and eating, and eating and chatting, the noise of their conversation increasing with every course. Being an Italian family also means that you all have to have at least one argument at the table……because in Italy…….that is the law.
You know, Italians often sound as if they’re having a vicious argument, even when they’re discussing football, cars or rumpy pumpy. Yet these arguments are not really arguments, they are conversations spoken passionately.
It strikes me that in Britain and America we’ve lost that ability to have a proper heartfelt, and yet still civilised, disagreement. When we fall out with a stranger on the blog, Facebook or on Cruise Critic our two modes seem to be either simmering moody resentment, or all out nuclear F-word attack. Silence or aggression…………..that’s it.
Anyway, I encourage to think Italian when you are at Cucina del Capitano and that also means that your clothes cannot match and as the ship sails from Naples to Venice you pinch yourself about the delicious food you are eating on such a beautiful ship and that your family are the most important thing in your life. After the meal you take a walk on the deck. The summer breeze blows gently across the Mediterranean. Life is good, life is in fact wonderful at the moment because you are together on a wonderful ship with wonderful people. The kids are having fun at Camp Carnival and now you stand by the railings and hold hands, silent, no talk is needed because you both know how lucky you are. And then as you look into your wife’s eyes, passion takes over and you lean in to let your lips meet hers. And then suddenly you pull back…….and vomit over the side of the ship ……. “Bloody hell woman,” you say…………”will you eat some sodding Tic Tacs?……….you breath stinks of garlic.”
Goodnight.
Your garlic free 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.
Cherrie and Lionel talked about no children on board ship. We have sailed several lines and yes Carnival seems to have a lot of children on board but they also handle them very well and better than the others. We just got off of the Conquest with almost 1/3 of the passengers children. Really was not a problem! Even took along a 5 year old grandchild for her birthday!
I agree with you Joe Ship are fantastic with Kids.
As for Cherrie an Leo – I hope your fixed cuz your not worth the the words of disgust for comments of hating kids. Think you need to cruise some other line like “old farts Cruise Line.com”
Having raised a large family I can understand some of the comments. We have been on over 15 Carnival Cruises and have never experiences bad kids maybe once in awhile for those left unsupervised. The only problem we had, as one of us is in a wheelchair, is the rude older persons who do not hesitate to push those handicapped aside on the elevators, hog the handicapped seating areas and push ahead in lines. The younger people have been kind and helpful. I commend especially the college age kids who have pushed us around and assisted us and are wonderful!
I agree Joe. Very sad day when the older generation does not like children? I am a grandmother of 2 and absolutely love children. Have had kids around my house now for 42 yrs. and counting!! I really feel sorry for Cherrie and Lionel.
I coulndn’t agree more with what you said. We took our family, which included 5 grandkids and had a relly good time. Don’t people remember they were kids once too.
Don’t people know you have to have young people to have old ones! I hope I never et that I don’t want kids around.
Apparently there were HUNDREDS of children when I sailed on the Carnival Glory last April … but I only saw a handful, and they were beautifully behaved. Carnival loves kids and entertains them. You want to be assured of a kid-free area, make sure you are on a ship with a Serenity area, but really, that’s not necessary! (I saw far more badly behaved adults than I did children!
)
I couldn’t agree more! We sailed on the Glory during Spring Break a few years ago and worried about the college kids and their behavior. How wrong we were!! We actually enjoyed watching them have respectable fun. It’s a shame the parents of younger kids on that same cruise didn’t have the same type of fun as they were the ones with the bad behavior!!!
John,
The offerings look wonderful at Cucina del Capitano, especially the cost. I already know the food quality will be top-notch, so the surcharge is quite the bargain!
I will have to disagree with you on the garlic. I like it (I am Italian on my Dad’s side), but not too much garlic. Also, keeps the sodding vampires away.
Thanks for sharing what I’m sure will be some interesting information on our Carnival Magic, as she comes to life. Us Texans will do our best not to smack our lips on the pasta…
Marty Paul
John:
I have to admit that, while I do love garlic, I was totally unprepared for the Italian food when we spent 2 weeks in Italy on our honeymoon.
I learned ratherly quickly that while I love the Americanized (is that a word?) version of Italian food….the real thing was definately “different”.
For one thing, I ordered a plate of spagetti and that is what I got. IF you want sauce, that costs extra and beef is not automatically part of the sauce. It is just sauce.
Now this was some 20+ years ago, but I still remember that at lunch…a plate of sauce and pasta was $10.00. No meat…just sauce and pasta.
Needless to say, we did not starve the 2 weeks we were there….but it was definately an education in Italian food.
And $10 on the Magic sounds like a real deal compared to what it would cost you in Italy!
Linda (Mom of your friend DJ)
To the lady who doesn’t like children…..I’m in my sixties and have never been around children very much so I kindof know how she feels. But, I would never say I don’t like children. I just don’t want to be around them a lot. I have my 7th cruise upcoming and I have never had an issue with children on board. John is correct, the programs for children are wonderful and keeps them occupied and out of everyone’s hair.
We’ve never encountered a problem with the kids on board even during Christmas or Spring break. Camp Carnival seems to keep the kids entertained. Since we have late seating for dinner that seems to have fewer kids also. Renaissance Cruise Lines used to have an adults only (18+) policy but they didn’t last after 9/11 as a lot of other didn’t. Carnival does a good job and you should not have a problem with them.
Two months from today we’ll be on “our” Carnival Magic!
Linda & George
I agree. I don’t “hate” kids at all…raised a houseful of them myself. However, at 70, I have NO desire to cruise or travel with the darlings at all. I always cruise in the months when schools are in session. Would never consider summer cruises, holidays, etc. I like a more adult venue, thanks….
That’s what’s so nice about Carnival…lots of choices…
Several weeks ago on the Carnival Glory we were enjoying some seafood at the Sur Mer and there was a big table of children from Camp Carnival. Perhaps 5 years old or maybe a little less. There was a beautiful black haired woman from Florida that was director of Camp Carnival who along with three or four other young women was looking after the kids. The kids were having a ball. Having a conversation with each other and with the camp counselors, laughing and enjoying lunch. When they finished, they all lined up and walked out with the director carrying a young fellow that decided to start his nap. It was a beautiful occasion. The promise of a young child is a wonderful thing, why would someone want to just have a ship full of grown-ups? One of the reasons I like Carnival, it is full of kids and young people.
Bill – I love your post! I just returned home from a 7 day cruise with my husband and two boys. The look of wonder and pure enjoyment in their eyes was priceless. Children are like sponges and with the proper upbringing can really turn out to be such wonderful creatures!
Thank you for loving children.
John,
We are in total agreement when it comes to the horrible GARLIC TASTE AND SMELL. I think it should be banned from the kitchens of the world. Lets hear from the restof the worlds Garlic Free cruisers.
However I think it sucks that the Carnival Comments/Surveys will now be limited to ONLY THOSE A COMPUTER PICKS TO SEND AN EMAIL COMMENT SURVEY. WHY NOT SEND IT TO ALL WHO ASK FOR IT? BETTER YET – Put the survey on the Carnival web page so all who desire can access and complete it and submit. I have suggested this for several years.
Not to fret.
When you return, simply sit down and write a letter to Carnival. Much more room for your comments anyway..then mail it…real mail..with a stamp……
Sorry Dave, garlic is a cooking staple in this kitchen. I even grow it in my garden.
I wish Carnival would rethink the cruise comment cards also. Still don’t understand why they didn’t leave them where they belonged, on the cruise ships. They could have had a distribution point for them for people who wanted to pick them up. Maybe the intention is to phase them out all together. That would be too bad, as feedback, whether positive or negative, is how improvements get made. And the employees deserve the input from guests.
JoyceG
I just can’t imagine many of the dishes prepared without some garlic. How bland.
About kids on the ships
Because of the kids actions (sometimes)I hesitate to call some of them children.
Children are NOT LITTLE HOODLUMS.
I find most kids well behaved and respectful of the rules and becasue of the Carnival programs most are generally kept busy and away from passengers. However, what I really find objectionable and hard to put up with are the small bands of kids (3 to 8+)running around the ship without supervision on their own and getting into trouble with the elevators (sometimes vandalizing spots)and hanging around outside lounges etc.
The second thing I find hoghly irritating is when the parents leave 2-6+ kids alone (some are teenager size and age)in staterooms while the parents are partying somewhere until all hours. These kids generally get loud, and sometimes obnoxious and go out into the halls or constantly run between rooms and will take off and roam the ship.
This is when security and the CREW need to be extremely vigilant and corner this activity and go find the parents and advise them if it happens a SECOND TIME they WILL BE PUT OFF THE SHIP AT THE NEXT STOP. NO IF ANDS OR BUTS. Carnival owes it to all other passengers to control and strictly enforce this situation. This could also be grounds for child abandonment charges by the local police.
John you are so right about the garlic. I’ll add onions and peppers to your list. Hate them all. When we did the Chefs Table on the Miracle the Chef made a serving of his dishes without all three of them just for me because I said I didn’t like them. I told him I don’t drink alcohol and they offered me a soft drink. They really went out of their way to please me. It was great.
Jo
Children aren’t as much as an issue, as adults that can’t read, or adults that are just plain ignorant. There are adults that don’t stay in the areas specifically allowed for smoking. There are other adults that are just pure busriders that don’t know how to travel, nor can they just use basic manners of politeness or respect for those around them. There are adults that are loud, obnoxious, and act as if they are the only one on the ship. However, most people do behave accordingly. You always have a few idiots as you do in most any part of the US.
My son started cruising with us when he was about 8 years old (he is 26 now). Half the time, I didn’t even know he was on the ship. Camp Carnival for all ages (even the teens) is a fabulous program. Eat at the late dinner and go to the early show — the kids will not bother you.
Wow, John…I can’t help but wonder about all these people who “don’t like kids.” I wonder if they realize that at one point in the past, someone had to put up with THEM?
I love kids – but I am not overly fond of poorly-behaved children. Fortunately, most kids don’t fit that mold, and I have never had a bad cruise due to a kid (or anything else!) yet! The nice thing about Carnival is I know that I can count on them to take good care of the kids….the many varied programs keep them way too busy to cause trouble!
In response to children. Our son is now a young adult and went on several cruises as a child with us and his godfather. On those cruises, he has learned proper dining manners and appropriate behavior that helped him grow into a very well behaved young man. If children are not exposed to those experiences, they are missing out on an important part of their personal development. We still love all children, and look forward to becoming grandparents and taking our grandchildren on their first cruise! Also, children can sense if you don’t like them, and purposely can become “rug rats”. Usually a little smile and a wave will set the right atmosphere around these youngest members of our society.
John , I cook just about everything with garlic and no one has died yet. Believe it or not garlic and red wine will keep you alive my friend. I’m very excited with this new Cucina del Capitano . I’ll be looking forward to eating at the Cucina del Capitano . Maybe you can sit with us at the Italian dinner. Ciao John.
Paul F. Pietrangelo
John, talking about Italian’s and their traditons for a good pasta dinner. One of our family friends is a first generation Italian Canadian and his mother, father, and their siblings came to Canada in the 1960′s. This Italian family also loved to go camping. Sunday was the day for the big pasta dinner, NO MATTER WHERE THEY WERE!!! Yes, this meant that their mother and aunt would prepare a multicourse Italian mean while camping in the great outdoors..That is a true sign of being Italian!!!!!!!
I guess I am the only one who really never popular or invited anywhere when they were young….
Cherie and Lionel: While there are a lot of “young” passengers on the Carnival ships I have been on, I have hardly ever been bothered by them.. actually, I hardly ever see them except for casual dining on the Lido deck or near the main pool area. Carnival does an excellent job of entertaining them. Was shocked when one cruise I was on boasted having over 1000 under the age of 18.. (never saw any of them being unruly or out of hand) … wish I could say the same for some of the “adults”!
Bobbie Q: If you and your friends are going to use Facebook, LEARN HOW! You can limit the email notifications… and yes if you are smart enough, you can limit the sites or pages you want them from. Really, how can someone post TOO MUCH on a SOCIAL NETWORK???
John: Having spent over 3 months in Italy last year, and this year is looking to be about the same, I can say I do get tired of Pasta.. But garlic really is good for you… More Garlic less colonoscopies… Just kidding has nothing to do with it… Just wanted so see if you actually are reading this!
oh john let me say that i AM italian and i hate garlic too! cannot stand the smell of the stuff let alone the taste! and you are correct about the arguments. the yelling in the morning at the kitchen table! and all my father wanted was another piece of toast. you’d have though they were mad but no, just loud! ha ha
and don’t change for anyone, ever. we all love your blog and facebook and anyone that doesn’t should not read it. the end.
smiles, bee
xoxoxoxoxo
I’ve always liked Italian food and love garlic. I tend to go overboard on the garlic when I make Italian food. The menu sounds postively yummy for the new Italian place to open on the Magic. Heck I can’t wait for the Magic to get to Galveston.For people that are not wanting to have alot of “kiddos” around when the cruise may I suggest cruising during the months that the “kiddos” are in school? There really needs to be an adults only pool onboard ship seperate from the kiddos. That way people won’t complain as much!! Great Blog John..as usual keep up the good work!
John – you are hilarious! I too, REFUSE to enjoy garlic! I can’t stand the way it permeates the skin of those who eat it. My husband loves Garlic and I promise I can smell him a mile away – he doesn’t even have to open his mouth. GAH!
I am praying for Cherrie and Lionel for the simple fact that she actually WROTE the words “there are lots of people like us who just don’t like children”. It seems awfully hateful to have a dislike for children seeing as THEY WERE ONCE CHILDREN!!!! It’s a good thing their parents liked children or they never would have been priviledged to have a life on this earth!
John,
My father hates garlic so growing up we never had it in the house. Therefore the first time I ever tasted it I was in grade 11 cooking class in school. I NEVER went back to the world of bland cooking. I was hooked and still am today. Sorry about my breath!!!
I guess what I really am saying is you remind me of my father and that is a good thing. Funny, check. Hates garlic, check. Loves cruising, check.
Thanks for the entertainment every night. Keep it up.
Oooo, John.
Sorry to hear of your aversion to garlic.
I’m not Italian but was married to one for many years….and, I live in South Jersey about 15 minutes from Philly. Italians and Italian foods reign in this region and even the smallest corner Mom and Pop place puts out some of the best Italian food anywhere.
In addition,I’m one heck of a cook. When you’re married to an Italian, you simply must cook better than your husband can. (Most Italian men are simply great in the kitchen).
I adore garlic and buy it by the pound! Roasted carlic on crispy-crusted Italian bread…whole cloves cooked with pork, Sunday gravy or marinara sauce loaded with it…Yum.
I’d like to complement you on your good grace and excellent manners when faced with a posting by some cranky battle-axe or outraged egoist… However, methinks that underneath your tact is a fervent desire to sock someone right in the gob….
100% agreed on the garlic. Horrendous.
Just mentioning that I also never received an E-COMMENT card. I joined you on the Bloggers cruise in Feb on the Glory and did enjoy myself. Just no comment card offered. It’s not a big deal, for me, I still cruise Carnival… but wanted to respond to your request for any others that hadn’t received the E-Comment card.
Be well Mr Heald.
John Please Reply
Just to remind everybody………the Epic is still ugly.
PS Got my comment card from BC4 the other day and the only disappointment was…..we didn’t get any inside stories about someones stinky bloomers!
Thanks, Troy
John I posted this before but havn’t seen a reply or maybe I missed it –with FB and your site going thru many changes it could be lost out in syberSpace –So here it is once again : John– IDEA!!! Could you talk with the beards about starting a Rewards Program for people that refer their family and friends to cruise with Carnival–Maybe points( 1point per booking– 16 for free cruise ) or cash (like $50 dollars per boo…king) to use on board–Not for travel agents just Friends and Family
18 hours ago · LikeUnlike… · 5 people like this.See More
Yesterday at 9:00am · LikeUnlike · 6 people6 people like this. As u see John people like the Idea aready—One travel agent said why not us ? Told her that they could do something different like: 30-50 points for a free cruise or $25per booking for on board credit —So John what do you Think ????
Been on 14 cruise on Carnival and have never had a problem with children. We cruise usually in Jan or Feb. We eat early and never had kids near us that drew our attention to them in any way. We hardly know there on the ship.
BIG Ed
The sneak peak at the Cucina menu looks delicious! We cannot wait to make a reservation John!
John,
You were incorrect when you said there no “rugrat free” cruises. did you forget the chartered nude cruises?
Cruising nude on the Carnival ======= again in October!
Dave
I would suggest Cherrie and Lionel gather a group of 3,000 who don’t want to cruise with children and charter a ship!
Dear John,
You are a hopeless romantic. At least you were until the vomiting part. Alan’s slide down the banister is classic. Too funny for words. You are so lucky to have him as a friend as he has supplied you with countless stories for the blog. He has also given you someone else to blame for your lack of scoring with the women. As a young man this was probably more important, but now it’s the classic stories.
Have a great day.
The Cruzin2some
To the retired cruisers who hate children:
Might I suggest you cruise during the following months in order to definitely limit the number of children you find on board. Thankfully, it is easier to reduce the number of children you may trip over as opposed to the number of drunks if you cruise in September and October, Mid January until March 1, May 1 until July 1. The last two weeks in August should be okay, as by then the kids in the South have gone back to school and the Kids in the North are heading there shortly.
I can’t decide who is worse to sit next to, a child who whines he wants a hamburger, or an obnoxious young adult who makes snide comments about people named ‘Mandic’.
Those of us who have children and may cruise with them during the time they are out of school respectfully request that you avoid cruising from July 1 to August 10th. These are the most expensive times to cruise for you anyway, as well as February school vacation, April, and Christmas break.
I’m sorry but some people just say the dumbest things! How can someone say the don’t like children……I guess they must’ve crawled out of the womb as perfect adults right?! I have to say I have seen many more rude obnoxious ADULTS than children on some of the cruises I have been on. Just another example of an ignorant person. Oh, and yes I am a mother to 3 amazing children who enjoyed a fabulous cruise!!! They were respectful & had FUN……something I assume would’ve driven Mr. & Mrs. I Don’t Like Children crazy at the mere sound of the children’s laughter!
BobbieQ should simply stop reading the blog & “unlike” the FB page! I for one appreciate the laughter your blog & FB provide after a day of dealing with the “terrible” children!!! LOL!
In ten Carnival cruises, the only time I have had trouble with kids is on a St. Patrick’s Day cruise that had too many college spring breakers.
I have never had a problem with kids themselves on a Carnival cruise.
JJ
FISH & CHIP FANS,
the Carnival Freedom has Fish & Chip and
unlike the Cucina del Capitano joint !!
you dont have to pay ,,,,,,,,,,,its FREE.
and the Bouillabaisse is to die for !
we had many bowls,sooooooooooo good.
we love the Freedom and its staff
very very nice !
Hi Tom and Jane,
To my knowledge ( from what I have read )the Pasta Bar will still be no extra charge on the Magic at lunchtime. Did you try it on the Dream? Great food there too. It becomes Cucina del Capitano for dinner and will have the $10 charge.
Mary
NO REPLY NECESSARY, BUT PLEASE FORWARD RECOGNITION FOR OUR CABIN STEWARD.
John,
My daughter and I just returned from our trip on the Carnival Legend and wanted to tell you what a wonderful trip it was. I have noticed so many people request things from you without saying please and thank you (drives me crazy), I wanted to say THANK YOU for making sure we were not in a booth in the MDR. All I asked for was not to be in a booth and we had a fabulous table at the back of the ship by a window – THANK YOU!
This trip we had a GREAT room steward – Erwanto Rizky. He said to call him Rizky, like “Risky Business”. He was the best cabin steward we have had on a cruise. From the first evening, he called both my daughter and I by name and spoke to us everytime we saw him. He asked about our day and let us ask him questions. Our room was always taken care of and any request I made he was right on top of it. In addition, his partner (who I didn’t get his name) was also great. He helped me out a couple of times and was always very courteous and helpful. Both of these people are great assets to Carnival and I want to make sure their superiors know what a great job they do.
I also loved Peanut in the Comedy Club. I bet he is quite a character and did a great job managing that club. He seemed to keep order and roll with the jokes. I really enjoyed the comedy. I think Carnival will have to give this a bigger venue, these shows were standing room only most nights.
We can only cruise once every 3-4 years because of budget, but were amazed that our cruise director would be Wee Jimmy. He was the CD on the last cruise we took. He is as funny as ever and I stopped to tell him what a great cruise we had. The ACD was also great and many of the entertainment staff that I don’t know their names. There were many opportunities for fun and we enjoyed ourselves completely.
So I don’t sound like a “cheerleader”, I want to comment that the only down side was our service in the MDR. I have read others on the same cruise had some issues also. I’m not sure what the problem was, but I would rate it as “adequate” but not the standards we have had before. We were lacking refills of water glass (one night wasn’t refilled after we first sat down until desert time), no offering of condiments for baked potatoes, no offers of sauces for the prime rib, no grated cheese on caesar salads, etc. The food was great and I certainly don’t need the “extras”, but it would have been nice.
THANK YOU JOHN for everything you do and for honoring my request for a table instead of a booth. We love Carnival and will sail in the future. I wouldn’t hesitate to sail the Legend again…in fact, would go in a heart beat.
THANKS again…
Karen
Attention Cherrie and Lionel
Well, all I have to say today is that I couldn’t imagine a Carnival Cruise with children on board. Our last cruise was in November, there wasn’t as many kids. We had late dining, so there wasn’t any children in there, at least that I saw. The water was a bit chilly, so there really wasn’t anyone swimming, and the lido deck was fairly quiet. I have a feeling they must have been having fun at Camp Carnival. So if anyone reads this, try a cruise when schools are in session.
Our summer cruise was with a granddaughter and we had so much fun. Yes there were more kids, and younger people. It wasn’t the little kids it was the younger adults that acted up a bit.
I am glad that Carnival is a family vacation venue. I can’t imagine CCL changing a thing.
If you don’t want to cruise with families with children, then find an all adult cruise line.
Well a lively bunch today! Garlic to kids to comment cards and even a smoking shot thrown in for good measure! LOL! Some things just don’t change. Just wanted to throw in my 2 cents here John regarding the Chef’s Table. On the Carnival Spirit (may not be fleetwide) we had to go up to the Steakhouse to make reservations. No one at the purs….er….Guest Services or the Excursion desk could take those. Not that it is an issue at all, just wanted to let folks know. Also, they used the main bar as a meeting place, but there were no cocktails served there (unless you bought them I suppose); however, once we got into the kitchen there was a large work area set with Champagne glasses and hors d’oevers plates. We had Champagne (and somehow my glass stayed full…hmmmm)and 4 courses of appetizers while Chef was explaining how the kitchen was organized and showing everyone how to make Chocolate Melting Cake (take a pencil and paper with you if you do this and want to make notes!). We then went on the galley tour and then dinner, and what a dinner it was! And both white and red wine was served with dinner and there, again, my glass was never allowed to empty! I finally had to say enough, and get some water into me (not a big drinker!)! Fabulous! Worth every penny and will now be a part of every cruise for us!
Mike
John:
Bobbie Q may have a point. Even if your number of fans doesn’t drop, you don’t know how many have hidden your posts on their wall and just didn’t ‘unlike’ you. I have a cruise upcoming and cruise more than once a year, so that’s one reason I read. Others, who may be CCL customers less frequently may find the number of non-Carnival or personal posts excessive. Using your number of fans not dropping isn’t really a valid measure of whether or not people are enjoying it. You could make two posts and ask people to Like the one they prefer and get an idea of how many people are still reading. Just something to think about.
I love garlic. Except when I was pregnant with my youngest this past year. My oldest son ate pesto made with LOTS of garlic… I couldn’t be in the same room with him for 3 days.
oh john, garlic is SO HEALTHY for you! maybe you could learn to like it :] it’s a superfood with great benefits!