I wrote on Facebook the other day about how the noise flip flops make really makes my hemorrhoids flare up. So add to that finger wag that people do when they can’t be asked to come over to you and expect you to walk to them like a subservient dog. I saw that some others had listed cold callers as their most annoying thing yet surprising nobody mentioned noisy eaters. How can cold callers be more annoying than noisy eaters? You can slam down the phone on a cold caller and listen, to some beautiful silence. But are you allowed to stab a loud eater in the eye with a fork and tell them to shut up? No. You’re expected not to notice while they chomp away like a human blender.
Here are some other things that annoy me:
1. When I am buying a new pair of trousers why do shop assistants who are usually called Nigel or Ben or Calvyn whip the curtain back at the precise moment when I am wearing nothing but white slightly stained underpants and say: “How are we doing, need any help?”
2. People who take too long to put their stuff back in their carryon bags at the security check points on the ship and at airports and is it wrong to fantasise about them being removed for a close encounter with some latex?
3. These new super-sensitive alarms we have at our photo galleries now on the ships which go off every five seconds and make other guests think you need to steal the photo of you in that yellow dress that makes you look like a NY taxi.
4. The people at large department stores who try and who bully you into debt saying, “If you sign up for a store card you’ll save 20 percent on your purchase today,” and then look bored when you reply that you’ve got so much racked up on your other store cards you may have to sell your liver to pay your bills.
5. Lines. Is there a retail law that states there will always be seven cash registers installed, but only two ever open?
6. Women who make their bored husbands comment on every garment they try on. He doesn’t care………he’s too busy staring at other women’s breasts.
7. Why did the beards only put one popcorn machine on the Carnival Magic when we have 300 – 400 people watching the movie. And now it’s free popcorn, everyone wants some.
8. People who are rude and cut into lines on Lido Deck………yes Sergei I am talking to you.
9. Guests that rub my belly and say “When’s the baby due?” …………I should be allowed to water board the bastards
10. And I have to say despite the fact that it’s environmentally friendly and loved by vegetablists and polar bears, I have to say I am having a problem adjusting to this new put your key in the slot thing in the cabin to turn the lights on. Twice now I have finished a show and rushed back to the cabin, run into the bathroom and hit the light switch forgetting I need to put the key in the slot which means I miss the target completely or end up pissing in the sink. Either way……Ketut isn’t happy.
Time for some Q and A. Off we go.
Wendell Pendell asked:
Hi John,I’ve cruised 13 times with Carnival including your wonderful BC4 for which I thank you kindly. I occasionally cruise on other lines. One line whose name starts with the letter “N” offers a delightful onboard experience called the Pub Crawl for a reasonable fee like $30-40. I’m told that Carnival has offered this in the past on certain cruises, but I don’t believe I’ve ever seen it on any of my cruises. Any chance that Carnival could start this up again, in particular for my next cruise November 18th on the Carnival Spirit? You would get a whole bunch of signups just from my Cruise Critic Roll Call group (which consists largely of the Spirit Dawgs who have done the Spirit’s Thanksgiving cruise together for each of the last four years). You’re not gonna let another line have more fun than Carnival, are you?
Thanks mate,
Wendell
John says:
Hello Wendell,It’s funny how Carnival is sometimes referred to as the “party cruise line” yet we discontinued our pub crawls and yet NCL offers one on their ship. I personally think that this is something that if controlled by the staff that should and must be brought back and it is in fact part of my weekly phone call with the beards next week. I would hope that by the time your Dawgs sail that this will be back as a regular event. I promise to keep you informed and if you need anything else please let me know.
Best to you all and thanks for the kind words on BC4.
John
Paul Duckworth asked:
John,I recently heard that Princess Cruise Line will be returning to Galveston in late 2012. I like the choice of itinerary that Princess has chosen, and would therefore like to book the cruise at some point in the future. I am booked on my 4th Carnival cruise later this year and plan to someday achieve Platinum status on Carnival. Since Princess and Carnival are both part of CCL, I thought a Princess cruise would count toward status on Carnival. However, when I called Carnival and asked them if that was possible, they said it was not. I was wondering if you could confirm this for me one way or the other.
Thanks,
Paul
John says:
Hello Paul Duckworth,I think I may have mentioned a few times what a huge fan of Princess Cruises I am and I know many people who like me love their ships and their service. Each line that is part of Carnival Corp is operated as a single entity and therefore has their own loyalty programs. I know that some very senior beards looked at a loyalty program for those who sail on the corporation ships but because each program is so different it was thought to be not possible to do. It is a shame, but it is understandable I guess. I hope you have a wonderful time and enjoy a fantastic cruise with Princess.
Best wishes,
John
Francis J asked:
John,Carnival Triumph is getting lots of bad write ups on Cruise critic with people saying the service is bad and the ship has no working stabilizers and so it is very rocky. One poster said the food was the worst they had eaten and another that the cruise director was the worst they had seen. So I am very nervous as we have a family cruise booked on the Triumph for July 24 and we are very worried we may have chosen the wrong cruise line for our vacation.
John says:
Hello Francis J,Please don’t be nervous. Let’s start with a reminder that people’s comment on Cruise Critic and on any public forum is a personal opinion and not always based on fact. For example, I checked with the ship and I can promise you that at no time this year has the ship had any problems with the stabilizers which are both working perfectly. If the ship was moving more than normal it would have been an adverse effect of the weather. I am sure Francis that if I were to look at the reviews of the ship on Cruise Critic there would be far more excellent ones than negative ones and I can assure you that you will have a brilliant time. Finally a fact that I hope you will be overjoyed to read. You see some (not all much to my annoyance) guests receive review cards at the end of their cruise and the scores they give are calculated by people with beards and those marks are given to the ships.
So far for the month of June the top three ships are in reverse order:
3. Carnival Ecstasy
2. Carnival Conquest
1. Carnival TriumphSo there, you are actually sailing on what your past guests have rated so far this month, the best ship in the fleet. How brilliant is that?
Best wishes to you and the family.
John
Margaret Paterson asked:
John,Looking forward to cruise in July and really enjoy planning holiday. Wondered if there was any chance of Magic fun times being added to your site.
Thanks
John says:
Hello Margaret Paterson,I will be seeing you soon and with apologies for them being late I can tell you that the FT’s for Carnival Magic are now on the blog. See you soon.
Best wishes,
John
Yellowjacket Brandon asked:
Hey John,Me and my girlfriend will be going to spend our graduation on Fascination and want to get a table for 2. Its 4th July cruise and we are in R101. Can you send us something nice? We both graduated West Virginia State University.
John says:
Hello Yellowjacket Brandon,I will certainly ask the Maitre D and ask him please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, to reserve a table for 2. I will also send you something to congratulate you on your graduation. Have a great cruise and best of luck for the future.
Best wishes,
John
Amy asked:
John,Can you tell me where I can purchase or the name of the great tumblers (cups) in the Unicorn Cafe they had on the Legend? They were plastic in yellow and green.
John says:
Hello Amy,I checked and unfortunately we only sell these at the coffee shops and not online anywhere. We probably should but we don’t. I am so sorry I don’t have better news for you and if there is anything else you think I can do for you please do let me know.
Best wishes,
John
Cynthia Hancock asked:
John,My Husband Richard and Our Son Jonathan along with my Father Don will be sailing The Magic November 14, 2011 out of Galveston, they would love nothing more than to have you join them for a drink and a cigar they will be in Cabin 9362, this is their “Man Cruise” and they couldn’t be more excited they are going to head down a day early and watch her come in, I hope you can arrange a small window for them, I know you are very busy but it would make their trip, My Father is 73 and I never thought he would agree to travel without my Mom, so I would love this to happen.
Sincerely,
Cynthia Hancock
John says:
Hello Cynthia Hancock,What a brilliant thing…..a Man Cruise. How wonderful that three generations of men will be sailing together, I think it’s absolutely brilliant. That cruise we will have lots of bloggers on and I will be holding a bloggers get together in the RedFrog Pub and we will host a cigar under the stars night as well, which under the current smoking policy is the only way I can currently enjoy a cigar. It will be my honour to meet them and look forward to doing so.
Best wishes to you all.
John
Mama Bo asked:
John,I absolutely agree with Len. Carnival should compensate us for taking you off the Trans Atlantic voyage. Who is this James anyway? I did the Dream TA with Todd and even he who is supposed to be one of your best directors wasn’t good enough. It is really bad planning on Carnivals part and something must be done for those of us who have paid thousands of dollars to cruise on this voyage.
John says:
Hello Mama Bo,I am very sorry that I have disappointed you and others by not being the CD for the trans- Atlantic voyage. However, I have absolute faith in James Charlton as do the Miami office and we all think he will do a brilliant job as your Cruise Director. Please don’t worry and while I can’t offer you anything but my apologies and my best wishes for a great cruise I hope you will allow James a chance to prove himself by walking up the gangway ready to have a brilliant time. Do that and I absolutely know you will.
Best wishes,
John
Louise B asked:
John,While I know you will not be our CD on our upcoming cruise on the Inspiration on Saturday July 2nd I was hoping you might be able to send personal congratulations to our daughter. It would mean a great deal to her as she has graduated high school despite overcoming personal challenges that included being bullied over her weight. She is the apple of my eye and if anything could be done for her I would appreciate it so much. I love your blog and have been reading it for 2 years and never miss one. My favorite so far was the one where you had some hot sauce in Barbados or somewhere. I honestly could not stop laughing for a long time. Thanks for all you do and here are my daughter’s details.
John says:
Hello Louise B,Let me quickly say I removed the booking number you put at the end of the post there as I don’t like to publish those but don’t worry as I have your daughter’s details. It would be my honour (spelt correctly) to send your daughter a note of congratulations and a little something along with it. I won’t comment too much about what she has been through but I hope the bullies were caught and dealt with properly. I wish you a wonderful cruise and I am so glad that you enjoy the blog and I hope that you continue to do so. The hot sauce…..in Bermuda…..Oh yes that was sheer and brutal pain. Maybe we should make the bullies drink a bottle of that.
My best wishes to all,
John
That’s all for today. So let’s see as we start another cruise who is sailing with us on voyage MC9062411:
GUESTS: 4409
NON US OR CANADIAN
DUTCH 15
SPANISH 47
ITALIAN 10
PORTUGUESE 12
GERMAN 21
RUSSIAN 143
FRENCH 40
JAPANESE 11
UK 110
So the kid count has gone way up from last cruise and so has the overall count. Let’s see where they are all going.
Fri, Jun, 24 Barcelona dep @ 5pm
Sat, Jun, 25 Monaco 9am-8pm
Sun, Jun, 26 Livorno 7am-7pm
Mon, Jun, 27 Rome 7am-10pm
Tue, Jun, 28 Naples 7am-7pm
Wed, Jun, 29 Messina 7am-6pm
Thu, Jun, 30 at sea
Fri, Jul, 01 Mallorca 7am-4pm
Sat, Jul, 02 Marseilles 8am-6pm
Once again the fact that sticks out there is that we have only one sea day. Let’s hope the weather is a nice as it was this last cruise because it was simply perfect for 12 straight days. I was talking about lunch the other day and how the barbecue is very popular. Also very popular is the new dining room lunch menu. Here’s why:
Well, it’s 5:45am……yep 5:45am and here I sit in my underpants writing to you. We just started debarkation and I made my first announcement. It always feels like I am kicking the guests off when we start this early but with many having early international flights, we have to do it this way. Also leaving today are Heidi and Kye. At this point I should allow the people who hate me talking about things like this a chance to leave because honestly I don’t feel like writing anything else today so thanks for your time and I will see you back here on Monday when we resume with normal blogging service. And so for the two of you who are left I say thanks for sticking around and allowing me to use this blog for a bit of therapy for myself. You see I have to ask myself this question. Am I a bad Dad?
It is a question that has been keeping me awake. I am writing this as I said at 5:45am and while Heidi is quietly packing Kye is fast asleep in the bedroom. I can hear the gentle purr of her snoring. I just went in there to have a look at her and can inhale her distinctive smell. I never knew how much you could love something until she was born. Her birth completed my life. Which brings me back to that question that is gnawing away at me. Am I a bad Dad?
Very often I am asked “What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?” Most people are waiting to hear me tell them tales of the Carnival Splendor fire or nasty guests who throw wet laundry at me, so it usually comes as a surprise when I say that it’s the many times I have to leave my little girl and my wife as I head to another ship. I am sure you ask that to any crew member with a family and they will say the same thing.
A month after Kye was born, I had to go to the Carnival Legend. It was heartbreaking leaving Heidi and Kye on the doorstep as I headed to Tampa. That wasn’t as bad as the times that I have left them later because now she understands I am leaving. But it was my trip to the Carnival Splendor and the four months that I did there as cruise director that broke my heart. It wasn’t the fire but my return home afterwards that broke my heart and I have never told you this before.
Heidi and Kye came to meet me at Heathrow airport. I could see them both among the crowd. Heidi had a huge smile because she had been so worried about me during those 3 days with no communication. But Kye still hadn’t seen me. As I got closer, she was still looking past me and, as I arrived for an embrace, I realised that she didn’t have a clue who I was. That’s changed now as she has gotten older and when she saw me this time she ran into my arms which was joyful beyond measure.
It may seem hard to comprehend, but work for me is travel. I do it because I love it, but also because it is my career. I have a dream job, but it comes at a cost. I am one of the many absentee fathers in this world. And I have it easy. If I were in the armed forces I might not see them for nine months and have the ability to call them like I do, so I know that I have it easy compared to many.
Kye’s word for phone is “Dada.” She points at any phone and says “Dada.” At first it was sweet, but now it makes me sad every time she says it because she associates me with being away from her. I try to be the best father I can be. I spend as many weeks each year doting on my family, relishing family life. But then I am gone again. The stifled tears on the doorstep as I leave followed by the tears in the car as I pull away for life on the ship once again.
Which brings me back to that question that has been keeping me up at night. I hope that one day Kye will be proud of what I have done the places I’ve been, the people I have met and the things I have achieved. Until then, there is one thing that might work. Kye loves Barney, and if I could get a full size costume of the purple bastard and get off the plane wearing it…..there is no doubt she would recognise me then and to associate her Dada with Barney would make her so proud of me. Such is life.
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.
respond please-John I wrot you awhile back asking about the hat pins Carnival used to give to past guest. My sister is a 10 time cruiser and is missing a couple of them. She wanted me to ask is their any way to get the ones she is missing ? You should sell them in the gift shops-I would buy them and sure others would too ! Please respond by e-mail or on your blog and let me know one way or the other.
I found ebay had everyonr that my mom was missing, Good Luck
Hi John,
I enjoyed and was not annoyed by your list of annoyances. I’m confused by number 10. You have to use your key within the cabin now to turn on the lights? If that’s the case I’d be curious how much that cost to install and how many thousands of gallons of fuel is saved because of this (my guess that it will be many years before any savings catches up with the initial costs)
Regarding noisy eaters, I’ll take noisy over chew with mouth open eaters.
With regards to your one guest and the Triumph. That was the first ship we sailed on and it is a fine ship in my opinion.
Have a great weekend (although weekdays/weekends kind of blend on the ship huh?).
Capt Chuck
Capt. Chuck:
If I am understanding it correctly, there are new (and very expensive) cruise ship emissions standards for 2012.
It has been reported that it will cost Carnival $50 – 70 million dollars in additional fuel cost.
IF that is the case, that would explain the addition of this fuel saving device.
Linda
John, I remember the first time I traveled for work and left my ten month old behind. He woke upon the car after I arrived, and saw my face, and he was utterly confused. It was like he knew I was someone he should know, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.
You spend quality time with Kye when you are together which counts for much more than sitting at home in the evenings staring at the tv if you were a 9 to 5 dad. The quality of your time together will make Kye remember and cherish her dad and their memories together. Soon she will figure out how to get what she wants by playing on your guilt….just saying!
FRANCIS J–
You would do well to come to Carnival forums for writeups too. Also, I sailed Triumph in May–Cruise Director Tex is AWESOME..the best I’ve EVER sailed with-very personable, approachable, and visible-unlike some others I have been around. He isn’t bad to look at either! lol But, I digress.
Franis-the service was impeccable, also the best I’ve ever had. My room steward, and my awesome wait team (Adi and Zefry, and if you get them, OMG what a treat you are in for!) in London were just incredible waiters..by far the best service I have ever gotten ANYWHERE. Sadly, you will miss out on the best darn piano entertainer ever, but I’m sure whoever replaced Ben Prince will be very good as well. Mr. Prince was on his last cruise in May..I don’t know if he is going to do another Carnival contract, but I noticed he’s wasn’t on the list of piano entertainers, so he’s not on a ship right now.
anyway, the food was very good, I thought. A couple of things weren’t “winners” but they can’t all be winners, so if you don’t like something, by golly, get something else!
I really only had two issues that I disliked about Triumph–1) It seemed more crowded than Fantasy class vessels I’ve been on before, but for the most part, this wasn’t a problem. 2) Photographers took up a ridiculous amount of Promenade for photos, and I brought this to the attention of guest services, as well as John, and I’m hoping that has been addressed in some way.
Honestly-if that’s the only thing I have to complain about, then by golly, it’s a kick-butt ship!
Also, you’ll be gblad to know that the past few months, John has posted the top 3 or 5 ships as per comment cards and Triumph is always listed! She could use a few updates, but I think you’re sailling after drydock!
Happy cruising!!
Now I’m off to read the rest of the blog, which John has probably told you most of what I just said anyway!
Awww… So sweet yet so sad. You are a wonderful dad, one day Kye will realize what a wonderful and caring dad she has. You do so much for so many people. I can’t imagine Carnival without you. So please Kye continuing sharing your dad with all of us.
Hey John, I had James Charlton as our CD last year on the Glory! And he was AWESOME! We enjoyed him very much! Although I have never had you as my CD! I’m sure you would be a lot of fun, but today James is my favorite! Have a great weekend!
John (Private please-no reply necessary, not for publication)
John, you may know my name by now, as I comment a lot!
But you may not know, or recall, that my husband is US Navy and we have many friends that are gone possibly as much as you. Some of my friends’ children have NEVER spent a Christmas, or birthday, with their daddy. Some, only a few. Some of my friends have been gone 5 of their son’s 7 years. If you are bad daddy,t hen so are our military veterans, and you know that’s not true John. Now listen, I know you’re thinking, “But they’re protecting lives, protecting freedoms!” And you’re right, but you know what? In January, we, a military family, are cruising on Carnival-and you have a lot that do. And you, as CD and as senior CD, see that our military families have a wonderful time, a break from their responsibilities and a great time with THEIR families. You may not be “protecting freedoms” but you are SUPPORTING THOSE THAT DO and that is just as important, John.
Your job as a daddy is to provide for Heidi and Kye. You do that. Sometimes that means sacrifices along the way. But as long as Heidi and Kye have the means to live, a roof over their heads, food in their mouths, and I’m sure they get a little of what they want as well, then you are doing your job-because in addition to providing, you give them all the love and care any moment you can. I know you do! Kye will get to experience many things that many children do not get to experience-and it’s a tradeoff. She gets time with you-not as much, but I believe most of your time with her is QUALITY time, and I know many-a-dad that come home every day to their children, and don’t spend quality time with them that you do. My ex-husband is one of them.
Keep doing what you’re doing, John, and you are indeed a stellar daddy. Hugs to you. Keep your chin up.
Sincerely,
Sarah Padgett Oxfurth
US Navy Wife
Mom to Six (blended family)
Carnival Loyalist
I understand why you ask the question “Am I a bad Dad?”. As a parent I know it would be hard to leave your family. Just remember, the most important thing is that Kye knows you love her. Sadly, there are many kids who’s dads are home all the time but are in desparate need of someone to love them.
John you made me laugh and cry all in one blo thingy. You are a great daddy. When I was a child my dad worked A lot of hours and sometimes had to go on out of town trips so we didn’t always see alot of him. But when he was able to spend time with us he was THERE. We knew he loved us. I am older than you (won’t say how much) and am still a daddy’s girl to this day.
Awww John, you are a good Daddy. Your job no matter what it is would keep you away from your family. No, maybe not weeks or months on end but even 9-5 jobs normally turn out to be much more than that. Just think of the opportunities that she has because of your job. My husband is a pilot and thus, my son has raked up more “air miles” in his 21 years than most people do in their lifetime. It’s a trade off, my husband has missed birthdays, holidays, school events, and much more but for us that makes us treasure the times we have together that much more. Hugs to you John and have a good weekend despite missing “your girls”.
I’m nominating you for #1 Dad for Father’s Day after reading your touching remarks about Kye and the life you are missing while entertaining all us silly folk. Best to you and yours.
Maybe Big Ed could find that costume for you in fact I’m sure he could.
See you on the Magic BC5.
Love Grandma
West Virginia State University:
Could you please add an etiquette class to
your mandatory curriculum, since it is
obvious some of your student’s parents could
not be bothered to teach this?
Thank you
Linda
Don’t you wish the graduates would study the English language? “Me and my girlfriend want–”
Brandon,
ASKING for a gift is only allowed one time of year (in December) and you have to sit in the lap of the man with the white beard in the red suit with white trim (his name is Santa Claus). And even Santa Claus likes to hear PLEASE and THANK YOU when ASKING for GIFTS.
“A gift that’s demanded is no gift at all.” …by: Veggie Tales Snoodle!
Aaaa you poor thing, I wish you could spend more time with your family…
Hi, John! Wishing Heidi & Kye a safe trip back home and for you a word of advice: “Get over! Stop thinking that you are a “bad dad!” You are certainly not! Every parent feels bad when they say “bye” to their child every day when they have to go to work and leave the child behind, or feel bad the first few days when the child starts kindergarten and you leave him/her there crying! Yes, we all felt that way and this is your turn now. So now you know, you are a good dad.
Warmest regards to you and again, happy and safe flying to the girls!
The Santanas of Miami Beach
John:
You are not a bad Dad.
A bad Dad would not care.
A bad Dad would not wrestle IF he was making the right decision. A bad Dad would not care that Kye calls the phone “dada”. A bad Dad would not anguish over this the way you do.
As I have told you before, there are lots of “dads” out there that are with their children every day. And they do not make a positive difference in their child’s life.
As long as you are making a positive difference in Kye’s life, then “where” you are is not what is important.
Linda (Mom of your friend ~whose Dad just got back in town ~ DJ)
Francis J:
I have only speak from personal experience.
We have sailed on the Triumph many times…(3 times since October) and are headed out on her again in September.
In fact, the Triumph has won our “cruise of the year” award donation to St Jude TWO years in a row !!!!
Not to worry, you will have a blast.
Linda
Oh my, John, dressing up as Barney is a desperate measure!!!
You are NOT a bad dad! When you are in her life, you bring joy to her, right? And when you are home, you treat her mom/Heidi with love and respect in front of her, right? And you worry about her future and dreams, right? Since you are able to answer ‘yes’ to all counts (unless there’s a side to you we don’t read about), then yes, you’re a good dad. On the flip side of the phone issue, she’s a little young to understand how phones work– but she knows the voice of her dad who loves her so much can be heard through the phone.
)
My dad traveled for work, and I think I came out alright. (You can be the judge of that if we ever manage to meet in person– CCL just tried to tempt me with an offer for HAL Mariners
For better or for worse, she can read the blog when she’s old enough. She’ll be able to read the parts where you worry about her, but also about the times Ketut has to don a Hazmat suit…. Her bedtime stories can be your tales from the seas, her school vacations spent travelling with you to historical or exotic ports, and her walls decorated with postcards and pictures from your travels.
Just an idea John, have you ever thought about sending Kye postcards? It’d be a great way to say WYWH or WIWT, and she can collect them or put them up on her walls. Even now, when she’s too young to read but old enough to see the pictures and her dad’s handwriting. (And if you say your handwriting is lousy- bollocks! That’s no excuse!)
Mamma Bo,
You are are outside of the penalty phase so I suggest you cancel the TA cruise and never cruise again. I doubt anything on Earth is perfect enough for you. I can’t believe you have the audacity to mention compensation. No compensation for you.
Thank you Bill. I’ll see you on the TA and we’ll be having a BRILLIANT time. Hopefully we won’t run in to the “we need compensation people”.
I don’t see the lunch menu, but you can find it on this page, along with lots of food pictures:
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/CarnivalMagic/MENUS/index.htm
Bill – Thank you for all the photos/menus that you provided on your inagural back-to-back cruise. My daughter and I are going in Sept, and reading your blog day by day made us so much more excited for our trip!
And Dear, dear John….what everyone has already said, is so true. You are a wonderful father, and only you will know when it’s time to throw in the towel, but from my experience, your children need your presence more when they hit pre-teen than any other time of their lives. I wish I had taken off time during that period of their lives, rather than when they were small. “I” enjoyed the time, but they “needed” me more when they were older…
John, stop knocking yourself out because you are providing a good life for your loved ones. Kye will be okay and love her dada and understand. Cherish the quality time you have with her. There are a lot of dads who are with their kids daily and never enjoy one another. You, Heidi and kye are blessed.
Francis J,
Don’t believe everything you read on Cruise Critic.
We though the Carnival Triumph was great and loved our cruise. Above and beyond that, New Orleans is a great port to sail from.
Here are lots of pictures from our (too) short cruise on Carnival Triumph:
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/CarnivalTriumph/index.htm
John,
Once again you have made me smile, tugged at my heart strings and brought a tear to my eye….. I am having a hard time getting the visual of you in a Barney suit out of my head. Safe travels and hope to see you soon.
People should use the word please – as I think you demonstrated nicely. I am sorry about your family leaving to go back home. I can only imagine how sad you are.
Bad dad? Do you ignore your daughter when you are with her? Do you hit her? Do you wish she wasn’t a part of your life because she is burden who cramps your style? I know you answered no to all of the questions so you are not a bad dad. I am a teacher of first grade students and I have met parents who would answer yes to the above questions. They are bad parents!
You are a dad who has a career that seperates you from your family often. As long as you make the most of the time you have with your family it should be ok. Remember: It is not only quantity of time together, but quality. I am sure you provide the quality and your daughter will always know that you love her and you do what you do for her and your wife. See ya on the July 24 cruise. My b-day! Red Frog here I come!
You made me cry….These days we have to do what we have to do. Now that your daughter is older she will appreciate these wonderful times. I have guilt because I didn’t stay home with our daughter while she was young. We worked so that she could have the best of everything. The good times are what they remember and she will love you for it forever! You are a great Daddy and don’t ever forget it!
Well John That lunch menu must be top secret and guarded by the CIA and MI5
We see mention then “heres why:” and on to the next subject.
And NO your not a bad dad. If we had meet you might have heard about a bad dad !
Hello John
I never told you this but I meet a young woman who’s father was a CD all her life and I asked her to tell me what was it like. I did tell her I had a friend who was a CD and new Dad who was worried about being gone so much. She told me she always thought she had a wonderful childhood. She was really surprized when she got older to learn that not everyone had the same experiences as she had. They to visited their Dad on the ships when ever they could. She told me she never wanted her childhood to be anything different. The world was her playground. Take Care. Lynn Sagara
Perfect Lynn, thank you.
The places your friend and Kye get to visit, the educational experience she had and Kye will have as she gets older are inumerable. I’m jealous in a good way.
oh my john, you are a wonderful dad! charlie was gone for a year at a time several times when ours were little and we all did fine. please don’t beat yourself up, she remembers you, she looks forward to seeing you, and honestly she probably spends as much time with you as most other dads that are gone to the office all day and the child goes to bed early, relax and enjoy them, and so glad she has heidi all the time. you are a great family!!!
smiles, bee
xoxo
Don’t ever question yourself about the type of father you are. Your daughter knows how much you love her and Heidi loves you very much. All of us who faithfully read the blog daily want you to feel comfortable talking about anything you want, especially your family. You are always there for us and we will always be there for you!
well said!!!!!!!
You’re not going to want to hear this, but the one regret that will always be in your life may be that you didn’t take a few years off in the early years of Kye’s life. You won’t do it, but it will always be a regret. That being said, she will never forget who her Daddy is as there is a part of everyone’s inborn hardwiring that demands a father figure. Being the man you are will always make her proud and she will always know she can count on your love. Just take care of your physical health and get a trainer at the ship’s gym. You want to be there for her for a very long time. Besides, your experiences at the gym will make some of the best material you ever posted.
Get a computer with a camera (like Skype), to talk with Kye every night so she will always recognize you. I got one so my grandkids, who are far away, can call me to discuss things and will get to know me and recognize me when I get to go visit.
Is the internet service on board fast/reliable enough to Skype with? Would be a very handy thing for me to know.
Oh John, the fact that you even ask the question “Am I a bad dad” proves you are not. If you were bad, you wouldn’t even care. Kye is so blessed to have such a loving, caring and fun Dad as you and one day she will look back and know the best times of her life were spent with you on your “job”. Heidi told me one time on a cruise (before Kye) when I said to her that life with you must be such fun, she replied “and why not, isn’t that what life’s all about?” That has stayed with me.
Love and hugs to you threesome.
Awwww, John. I feel so bad for you. You’re not a bad father! You’re providing for your family, a family who I am sure loves you very much. You just feel a little guilt because you love your career, as you should. There aren’t many who LOVE their careers. And you are going to have more stories than any other dad that will keep Kye and her friends, and your grandchildren occupied and mesmerized and laughing for hours on end. My father passed when I was just 12, so I don’t even really know what it’s like to have a father. All you can do is make the most of your time with your family when you can. Cheer up buckaroo!
The best dads are the ones who love their families enough to do the tough things, even though it hurts their hearts. John, one of these days you daughter will understand it when all these “friends” tell her on her vacation that Dada made their vacation, and their time at the computer, special. And, she will understand… promise!
Bad dad? No. Kye knows that you love her and her mother very much. That is the best gift that you can give her.
Kye is a sweet little girl who does love her Dada. You are not a bad father. You do what you do 1) because you love Carnvial (in a different way than your family but Carnival is still family too) 2) you provide for your family so they may have a warm place to live,food on the table and electricity to see by.
My Dad is a wonderful Dad…but he too was an absentee Dad…working for AT& T and traveling a bunch. Do I love him less for that? NO, I love him more for doing what he loved and spending time with us whenever possible. Kye is very smart ( look at her smart parents!) She knows that Dada talks to her sometimes through a phone. Sometimes she can see him on the computer screen. Sometimes as in my Dad, she can’t see you at all that day. She still loves you. She is a well adjusted little girl. You are a terrific Father…Never forget that!
John, your number 4 of what most annoys you, annoys me as well!!! Problem is, Im on the other side of that counter. We are FORCED to TRY and open credit apps. If we dont, we have to come in on our day off and attend bootcamp to learn how to CONVINCE people that they WANT another credit card. No credit apps, no weekend off..it is VERY stressful. So, I hope you wont hold this against us. I do agree that some associates can be a little over bearing, but some of us ask politely and then move on.
Dot
Your blog tonight made me laugh so loud it scared the cat (house cat, don’t worry) and then I teared up as you spoke of your little Kye.
But first, let’s think about some of the comments you had to wade through today:
Francis J – DO NOT worry about the Carnival Triumph. It is a beautiful ship with a terrific CD “Tex”… assisted by Charlie (like John, a funny Brit). I may not be a “foodie” but I find the food in the MDR very nice. Jean Pierre, the senior Maitre‘d could not be nicer and he sings (not unlike the famous Ken Byrne). The Chef’s Table on the April 24th trip was the BEST of the 4 that I’ve done (so far). The ship does not “move” any more or less than any other ship of it’s size….some people think it’s rough when a ship shudders from running into a 4 foot high wave. Try to relax and be ready to ENJOY every moment. I’m sailing again tomorrow on Triumph and again later this summer. You can’t beat this crew Francis J you’re going to have, as John would say, a BRILLIANT time.
Yellowjacket Brandon – West Virginia State University should have had a mandatory class titled “Manners 101”….and YOU should have attended that class. If you would like to make a request, try using a “please and thank you” now and then. That is common courtesy, don’t you think?
Mama Bo –The only trip we can BE SURE that John will be on each year is his annual BC voyage. The next one, BC5, is sailing March 4, 2012. I too have spent THOUSANDS (Spa balcony) on the TA (it has a very inexpensive per day cost as you know). I will miss John also but I know that James will be working his butt off to entertain us each and every day and night. I feel kind of sorry for him having to put up with some of the complaining that he will most likely face. The “something must be done for us” people need to relax and stop whining about compensation. This trip will be what we make of it. I, for one, intend to have a terrific voyage. I hope you will too.
John, to even THINK that you aren’t the best Dad to your beautiful little Kye is crazy. You are a WONDERFUL Dad. Kye is a lucky little girl to have a Daddy who loves her so much that he tears up whether she is meeting or leaving him. She will know, one day, that her Dad had a job that he loved. That he was the BEST at his job. She already knows that you think about she and her Mom every single day (and night). She’s going to grow up faster than you can imagine and one day she’ll give you a big hug and tell you that she always knew how much you missed she and her Mom and that everything is just right.
Now, concerning Barney. I know she adores him. I’m sure you have fun dressing him up when you’re home. I hope you do this WITH Kye. Hopefully you don’t put him in “drag” too often….we have had about enough of the Transvestite Barney talk? If you would like a full sized Barney costume I’m sure Big Ed and I could make that happen for you (and Kye). Just let us know
)
Good night John, I know you’re sleeping now and missing Heidi and Kye. In the morning you’ll start another day as the best darn CD on any cruise line anywhere. Enjoy every moment. You truly are the most kind, loving and generous Dad on land or sea
)
Your OLD mate,
Steve O
Just the fact that you are worried about it proves you are a great Dad. Make the most of the time you have when you are together and you will be fine.
John- Don’t you EVER think you are a bad dad. I told you when Kye was born and you started wondering if you should hang up your job to be home with her that as she gets older she will be able to handle the time you are away. When they are very young they can’t understand why daddy would leave, but she knows it no other way. She may not like having to leave you, but its not like you are suddenly disappearing for long periods of time. She can understand that she will be seeing you again soon.
You have as you called it “a dream job”. DO NOT give up a job you love. Many people, including myself, would trade anything to have a job that we love so much as to not consider it work. As long as you can have Kye and Hedi visit you and you can spend Holiday time with her it will all work out. The time you spend away just makes the time you are together more precious. If nothing else, work out a way to video call her. Modern technology can make it so you are there even when you can’t be. She is at the age now where she will be able to understand it is you talking with her and it will be special time for both of you.
Your job supports her and Hedi… don’t be foolish and give it up until you just can’t do it anymore. Sitting behind a desk in an office in Miami is not the job you want mate.
Cheers… Jim. (See you on the Magic at Thanksgiving!)
Well said, I would love to have a job I love, and not one that leaves me so frustrated that reading the grumpiest & rudest of Johns blog thingie replies he receives make me a little less grumpy.
John, you are a great dad. Even though your jobs you away from your family they feel that so much better when they see you again. You know John, some fathers are at home all the time and really never see or know where their children are at. Being who you are only make you a better person and dad. Stop hurting yourself my friend. When you are finished cruising as a job, Kye will learn just great a person your are when she finds out that you helped so many people enjoy their fantasies, teach people how to enjoy cruising and most of all help those you might had never been ever had the opportunity to love what you love, going on a cruise. If I ever have a chance to talk to Kye I’ll be able to express the love I have for her father for his help whenever I needed it and my enjoyment and love for cruising.
Paul F. Pietrangelo
John the answer to your question is NO! You know why it’s no? Because it is tearing you up! It would only make you a bad dad if it didn’t bother you when you are away! Just always remember this one thing, one day when she is older she is going to proudly tell all her friends who her Daddy is! Your a great dad and she knows it, she may not be able to say it right now but she knows!
Oh, John, please don’t ever think you’re a bad father.
Many fathers – and mothers – have jobs that require travel and time spent away from their children. That’s got to be heartbreaking for the parent. But the important thing is to make the most of the time you do have together. Kye knows you love her. To see your face light up when you see her has to be wonderful for her. Too many parents are “there” physically, but not emotionally. You make your time together count. That’s the best kind of father a child can have.
Our son Travels for a living also so we know it is hard for your family, keep up the good work and Thank you for what you do!
John, you are NOT a bad dad. You love and provide for your daughter and wife and seem to genuinely respect Heidi and all that she does to raise Kye and maintain the home when you are away.
You don’t have a “common” 9-5 job that you hate and come home every night grouchy and wanting to sit in front of the television and complain about the baby making noise during the basketball game. Instead, you are away from them most of the time, but you savor and make the most of the weeks you are able to be together. I can’t imagine how hard it is to be away from your girls, but you are doing a job that you truly love and that is a wonderful lesson for your daughter in itself. Hopefully, Kye will someday follow your example and embrace a career that makes her happy while still meeting the needs of her family.
John,
Are you a bad dad? I feel as though through your facebook and blog we have gotten to know you. I know many bad dads (and bad mums too) some I work with hoping they will get it and make the changes they need to. Other times they are simply repeating the behaviors they learned as a child. While we work with them sometimes I admit I would love to throw them off the pier. You are not a bad dad.
That said the time will come where you will change what you do. You are the only one who can answer the question. I only hope that the change involves a move to Miami where you can still blog, cruise on occasion to help train new CD’s, host a few Blogger Cruises, and be able to be home so that Carnival can have the best trained cruise directors, you can continue to provide the great customer service, and Kye can enjoy the best father she can.
So there is my hope for what your future holds. That said I am selfish I want to cruise with you. Having been raised by a single mom I will do anything to make sure that my daughter has both her mom and I in her life.
So, John to be honest what “we” think is bullocks. There are only three people who can tell you if you are bad dad. (Kye, Heidi, and yourself and Heidi’s vote counts twice.) But I do hope when you are ready to hang up the mic at least most of the time I hope there is a job in Miami for you.
Oh my gosh John, you are a fantastic father! Any child – and I mean ANY child – should be so lucky as to have a dada who so obviously adores them! I could tell you an example of the worst kind of father but this is way to public a forum for those sort of details. Suffice to say I wish my kids were a fraction as lucky as Kye is. She associates dada with love, and that is a priceless gift.
John you are an awesome dad. Although you are not with her every day you tell her that you love her and that means more than someone who is just around but doesn’t say a word. SO I would definitely say from a single mother of three that you are special and you truly love your wife and daughter never doubt that. Love goes a lot farther then presents, toys and trinkets.
Are you a bad dad? With all due respect,NO! You are providing a healthy and stable home for Kye and Heidi. Modern communication enables you to keep in contact with your family. You might be physically absent but you are emotionally available — and that is ultimately more important. Kye knows that you cherish her beyond all measure. Saying goodbye to your girls gets harder each time, I know. But please do not doubt for a second that you are a wonderful father and husband. Know that all of us care about you and are here to support you. Hang in there!
You are not a bad Dad at all you are doing what you have to do for the time being. Many of us parents had to make decisions such as this at one time or another. At least now we have technology that allows us to be there even when we are not. FaceTime is worth the $$. She will love you and respect you for it when she gets to be old enough to understan, you are providing for her a better live.
John you are a great and loving father and the fact that you think so much about your daughter and your wife and how your life affects them proves that. Don’t beat yourself up too much about it and relish the moments you have.
Get a storybook that you can record your voice in and record a bunch for Kye so that you can read her to sleep at night.
Use Skype when you can so that she can see you and you can see her…you are doing a great job and I’m sure that Kye thinks so as well!
Paisley, mom of Payton 2 and a half
is any one going on carnival destiny july 21,2011 of the ages 11-13 please let me know
sorry wrong person i was replying to on this
The Europe disembarkments are tough as I remember getting off the Carnival Liberty in Civitavecchia and trying to find my luggage in the dark. I think it was 4 AM but when you have a 9 AM flight there isn’t much choice.
I know you miss the girls but don’t worry what Kye will think of you as a dad…children love their dads regardless of the time the spend. It’s not the quantity but the quality of the time you spend with her that will matter in the end. Soon she will change from loving Barney to a new toddler idol so what then would you do with the Barney costume?
Many pqrentsw have to travel for their jobs. It is important that Kye’s daddy has a job that he enjoys and provides well for his family. The quality of your time together is as important as the quanity. As she get older there will be more ways to communicate with her. It is very hard to leave children at any time- just the fact that you worry about it shows that you are committed to be a great father to Kye. You provide a great service to many and make people’s lives more enjoyable. Kye will be proud of that.
John, Please reply.
Damn i knew we forgot to bring something to give you on BC 4. will have to remember that for BC5
John- We can’t imagine how hard it is every time you have to say goodbye to Heidi and Kye, so hang in there.
In regards to #7 on your “annoy” list… we kind of wondered the same thing about the one popcorn machine. But we got a huge laugh watching our 7 year old from a distance carrying on a conversation with the bartender the night he was waiting for his popcorn. He just “bellied up to the bar” and had a nice little chat. I think they got to know each other pretty well. (our 7 year old is a he and the bartender was a she, which made it even funnier to watch)
John, Don’t know if you’ll read this, but without question being on the road and leaving your sweet little ones at home are one of the hardest things you can do. I feel your pain as I was just away for a business trip, and left Noah (Kye’s future Husband from Legend’s Goth Cruise) at home…it is heartbreaking. But on the other hand, having him run into my arms when I returned was amazing.
We as Dad’s sacrifice to provide for our families – that is our role in life.
Know that you are an amazing Dad – and that your daughter will be very proud of you. (up until the point where she turns into a teenager and parents aren’t cool) but even after that, she’ll come around.)
Don’t give up!
John,
Do not worry that you are a bad dad. My dad traveled all the time when I was growing up. He could be gone for months at a time. We moved all over the US. I move 7 times and lived in 6 different states before the 5th grade. I think I had the best childhood ever. My father was the best.
My son now travels about 40% of the time, as I watch him struggle with being away from his family. I now have a new respect for my father and how hard it must have been for him. Just remember Kye loves you and will always think she has the greatest Dad on earth.
Yellowjacket Brandon asked:
Hey John,
Quote
“Me and my girlfriend will be going to spend our graduation on Fascination and want to get a table for 2. Its 4th July cruise and we are in R101. Can you send us something nice? We both graduated West Virginia State University.” Unquote
They obviously did not teach manners at West Virginia State Universitiy. How rude to ask for something this way. John, they don’t deserve your kindness.
… nor did they learn grammar / sentence structure, should it not have been, “ My girlfriend and I … “ or does West Virginia have a different curriculum standard ??? ROFL [sorry WV] just a joke.
John,
It wouldn’t matter if you were at home every night or every week, you would still ask yourself, “am I bad parent?”
Kids, don’t come with instruction manuals, and every chld is different. Some days your parenting skills hit 100, then other times a minus zero. You will beat yourself up, when you think you fail, but fail to congraduate yourself when you see your child do something good and right.
Children know who loves them, even if you are gone, keep up the phone calls, emails, and SKYPE – send her cards and little gifts “so she KNOWS daddy is thinking about her.” I say this as a parent who traveled as my kids were growing up. Most important, and I bet you already do this to both Heidi and Kye – tell them you love them more than anything in the world!
MissKitty -
P.S. any man willing to dress in a Barney outfit..Well, he has my respect!
John,
It really is quality time that you spend with Kye that matters. Do you have the ability to access Skype? It would allow you some face to face time with Kye and Heidi. I know it is bittersweet, but having a loving fulfilled father far beats the father that is unhappy in life. It is pretty apparent to me and anyone who reads your blog that you are a great dad! A bad dad wouldn’t care so much!
Dear John,
My heart breaks for you and I am sorry that you have to be torn from your family once again.
Please don’t doubt yourself and please put away that guilt. I’m sure you are a great dad. MY dad was a bad dad, and I know exactly what I’m talking about from firsthand experience.
My dad sexually abused me when I was a teen, then told me to find someone else to walk me down the aisle at my wedding 7 years later, because he refused to go.
It’s been almost 16 years since I’ve seen or heard from him. He’s never met his grandkids. He moved away with his new family, so I tracked down his address and wrote him a letter some years ago, telling him I was sorry and that I forgave him. No response.
Anyway, sorry to unload on your blog, but I wanted to depict a proper picture of a bad dad so you can stop doubting yourself. The difference when you leave, John, is that you always come back.
Laura
Dear John: My Father taught me the perfect response to those inquiring minds who want to know if you are the first male of the species who will soon give birth. It goes something like this: “Actually any moment now and from the looks of things it’s going to be a baby elephant beause he’s coming out trunk first. They’ll either laugh hysterically and walk away knowing you both share a sense of humour or they’ll be offended and go off to right Mr. Arison yet another letter about what a filthy mind you havef. Either way you can bet they’ll never do it to someother fat guy who isn’t Buddha. And maybe they’ll even. mind their own bee’s wax the next time they think its funny to walk up and pat a pregnant lady on the tummy and ask if it is a boy or a girl. Have a lovely day John!
I simply had to comment on the tummy patting thing before I finished the blog, it was too good to pass up.
Then I read some bovine excrement about you thinking you might be a bad Dad and dressing up like the preposterous dinosaur the ding-dongs that make children’s TV could think of so she would be sure to recognise you.
Ok others have aready said it but really it’s true, do you really think that a bad Dad would worry about it if he were? Absolutely not, I can assure you. She will try your patience, tug at your heart strings, dissappoint you with at least one boyfriend she brings home, if not all. She will love to hear your wickedly funny stories about your time at sea, even though she will complain she’s heard them a thousand times. She will give you a near heart attack the first time she gets behind the wheel of a car. You will proudly, if reluctantly walk her down the aisle. Then she will put in your arms someone whom you will not believe can make you them more than you did her when you first saw her.
So on and so forth, it will all surely happen and you will grow to love each other so very much. She will probably tell you your jokes are silly, maybe even not funny, but she WILL laugh rigorously in privite. And then unfortunately the day will come that you will slip the bonds of this temporal existence and sweet, brilliant, vivacious little Kye, will cry. And every day when a tear rolls down her cheek because she thought of you, she will smile because she will KNOW she was loved by the greatest man in all the world. And even her dearest, most beloved husband will know that there is a piece of her heart he can NEVER have.
Rest easy dear friend, life is too short too worry so. When you think of her let the tear flow when it needs too, but smile at the thought that she is yours and no one else’s.
Good Night.
What a wonderful message, teared up reading it. But its so true. I’m a35 yo daddy’s girl we live 17 hrs apart now and see each other 1x a yr if I’m lucky but we talk almost daily. He knows I love him and I know he loves me. Daddy’s and daughters just have that bond.
Hey – Yellowjacket Brandon asked -”Me and my girlfriend will be going to spend our graduation on Fascination and want to get a table for 2. Its 4th July cruise and we are in R101. Can you send us something nice? We both graduated West Virginia State University.”
WOW! Did you not have to take an English course? Good luck finding a job!
First, John you are not a bad Dad! You are doing an important job that provides well for your family. It allows you longer periods of time at home as a trade off. Do you SKYPE yet with Heidi? I’m sure one of the techies on the Magic could set it up for you (my 15 year old helped me). Then you could have face time – which is an APP on Ipods – my 7 year old niece and nephew face time with each other. (different parents, differnt towns) So it’s possible if you have a iPhone (i know you make fun of) or Droid you could “facetime” with that too. The SKYPE is easy from your computer. That way Kye can see you every morning typing way in your undershorts.
Your list of the top 10 things that annoy you reminded me of a thread that just received many comments on Carnival’s forum. The topic of the thread was about “Hall Hogs”, but I do not remember the name of the thread. You know the people who have the need to walk shoulder to shoulder, and refuse to step aside in a narrow hallway. These “Hall Hogs” seen to have made their way around to every ship. Number 1 on my top ten would be the “Elevator Rushers”. Please let me off of the elevator BEFORE you come on to the elevator. It makes so much more sense.
PS I am a huge horse racing fan! I do not know if there are any other handicappers out there, but I would love to plan a cruise for the 2012 Kentucky Derby. John I have not read you mention horse racing before, so I do not know if you are a fan. If you know of anyone or any group that might be intereseted please point them my way. I would love to plan a Kentucky Derby cruise for 2012. Thanks!
Hi my family is cruising the sothern caribbean this Jul 3 on the carnival victory. One of my kids is adopted, I’m somehow disapointed in the little assistance Carnival offers on the process of making sure the doc at hand will be what Homeland security will’require to get the kid on board. I was expecting Carnival to at least liason us to pre check with customs but they basically wash there hands living us alone with the arrangements…in top’of this I have be already toodby Carnival that I will losse all the money and that they are not responsible. So far none’in Carnival has take the time’to help’me ctc customs in Puerto Rico to somehow make sure the documentation I have will be OK… allot of stress for my family
Our daughter is adopted and we have never had any problems. She has a US Passport just like our son. It’s been a non-issue.
If it were me, I’d do everything possible to get a job close to my family. I know it’s cliche, but it goes by fast. You’ll come home one day and she’ll be a teenager – and you’ll regret not being there. Just my to cents, since you asked.
John, You are a good Daddy!
You do so much for Carnival Corp, and represent them well; as the most amazing CD I have ever had the opportunity to meet.
The most important thing in a little girls life is her Daddy, and as long as she knows you love her to the ends of the earth… all is well
.
Good morning John:
Wanted some clarification if you will on one of the comments you made in your post above. We were on the Inspiration out of Tampa (our 6th time on a Carnival Ship), and were told that comment cards are not available any longer on ship, but rather a sample of those on-board would receive an email to take a survey. Are they available again on all ships?
Thanks.
Dear John,
I wanted to again, thank you for your very kind words during the 12 day that just ended. Even though we never got the opportunity to thank you in person, we did wave at you when you were on the Bridge with the Captain as we sailed past Stromboli.
The cruise was a wonderful memory making experience for us and my family continues to heal and move forward.
I did want to ask if there was any way to get a copy of the morning show? I thought that perhaps it would be on the dvd for the cruise, but was told that they are not on there.
Also, on a similare note, it sure would be nice to be able to purchase a dvd of the whole cruise on one dvd, including the shows. That would be such a great memory to have it all in once place instead of having to buy each segment separately. This is just a thought.
Thank you again for all you did for me and my children….
Tracy, Sam, Max, Spencer, and Molly!
I empathize for your long distance, absentee fathering feelings. But look up and smile my friend. At least you’re taking care of your family and love them dearly. And, you may be gone a lot, but you haven’t abandoned them! I’ve seen the long term heartache in people who’s fathers have left them for no good reason other than they were selfish bastards and didn’t care about anybody but themselves.
John!
I have no doubt that Kye will be proud of you. Just as you said, the people you have met, the places you have been and all of us floggers who love you and love the blog thingy and what you do for us.
You are a good dad… don’t ever forget it!
I am an avid reader of cruisecritic-sorry.
I would love if you would look into the camps /circle c /club 2o and find that if its possible to grease ones palms to get the kids into a higher age group then what they are supposed to be in.
I also would love to know that groups are age enforced for a reason. zi can not believe that a 14 year old can move up to the 15 -17 year group- I mean have you seen 14 year old girls today? a 14 year old girl in with a 17 year old boy can spell nohthing but trouble – more so if that 14 year old lies and says she is 17.
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we are sailing on Legend on January 29 8232
now I was wondering if we can take anytime dining the first night- and then traditional dining the rest of the week so we can see the bridge the first night.
this is my first platinum cruise and so excited
Mama Bo:
Anyone who follows John and knows Carnival, well enough to book a cruise just to sail with John, KNOWS that John’s schedule is never “guaranteed”.
You booked a cruise “to sail with John” KNOWING his schedule can change at the drop of a hat.
So stop ya whining!
Linda
Hi John! Two things: First of all…PLEASE send reply to my email I sent to “Ask John”. And now for the second thing…about the question you have been asking yourself. Trust me, I know what a bad dad is like. With all the love you have in your heart for that little girl…YOU WILL NEVER BE A BAD DAD!!! No matter where you are, or what you are doing, your daughter will know she is loved by her daddy. Sure, more time with her would be wonderful, but don’t think of it that way, just think of and cherish the times you do get to spend together. Always let her know how much you love her and you will have smooth sailing!!! You are NOT a bad dad…you are a very loving dad and husband…and I don’t even know you…only through the blog…which is wonderful, by the way. Stop worrying and just keep loving!!!
I just went in there to have a look at her and can inhale her distinctive smell. I never knew how much you could love something until she was born. Her birth completed my life.
Wow. Let me assure you, John, that no one who just wrote that could be a bad dad. There are bad dads who live in the same house as their children all the time, and there are wonderful dads who need to be away. It’s love that makes the difference … and you have plenty of that for your sweet little girl. She will grow up secure in that love, and will always be proud of you.
Dads and Mums have their heartstrings pulled for century’s living apart while providing, or doing the work God’s speaking to you. Skip the purple suit…go straight away into the John smile. Shell never forget her Daddy. Stay healthy!!! Please.
John you are a great dad! and I know she loves you very much. I”m sure that Heidi and Kye spend as much time with you as possible. You are a great CD saw you first on Carnival Dream in 2010. Keep up the good work. I”m from WV but not from West Virginia University.
Hi John, just want to let you know that this is my first and it won’t be my last, I had nothing but a great time. Your welcome on board show was excellent. Especially the great name of dick little, I am not uses if that was pal Ned, but it worked great. I have to tell you about my dick story, I worked for wells Fargo and we had a client named Harry dick. And when he called and asked about something that need from the file
. My assistant could not find the file and he asked everybody if they new where Harry dick was, she went Round for About 20 minutes and could She could not figure out why everybody was laughing when she asked for Harry dick, I could not stop lauqghing and I had to tell her. She was good sport and started laughing as well. So that is my dick story.
You are a good dad….you are providing a wonderful life for Kye…she gets to travel and see places many other children will never see…and how many dads work long hours and get home late and barely see their kids each night…..you may be away for longer periods but you also get to have good quality time on your extended vacations….you probably spend more time with her than lots of regular working dads do…trust me on this one……
Hi John,
I just had to comment regarding being a bad father. I was 8 years old when my father had a fatal heart attack. I can only tell you how I wish I had my father back with a job such as yours. Nothing takes that emptiness away that knowing some one you loved is never coming home. Someday Kye will understand what your job is all about, and I will bet she’s going to be so proud of that job, knowing that her father is providing so many dreams for so many people. Take comfort in the fact that it is quality not quantity that is important. Take care John.
John,
I now officially forgive you for not being our CD on the August 26th sailing of Magic from Barcelona. The paragraphs about the difficulty of leaving wife and daughter did tug at my heartstrings. Thank you for the joy you have brought to all “Carniva-maniacs,” and hope to see you live and in person on our next Carnival Cruise!
John –
A wise man once said, It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers.
You obviously must be THE BEST FATHER for your heart is huge. Know that your time away now is hard but she is always with you and you with her – in your hearts.
Take care and try not to be sad – You are a wonderful Dad! Your time away teaches her things like work ethic, to cherish time together, to appreciate family, and it obviously shows your love for her and her mother by sacrificing your time away. I was a military brat and my father was gone all the time. I appreciated him more than most of my friends did their Dad’s simply because our time together was short.
Don’t worry – this time will pass and soon you will be home all the time.
Take care!
John,
Having fun
WYWH
GC
Hi John:
First let me say I love your blog…. I love the section of the things that annoy you… I got tickled over when someone rubs your belly and ask you when your baby is due. Here is my husbands response when someone does that to him. “The doctors tell me any day now they also told me I was going to have an elephant….would you like to see it’s trunk…”
As far as you being a good dad… The greatest parents question whether they are good parents. It isn’t about how much time you spend with your kids… its about the quality of the time you spend with your kids.
She will know one day that her daddy works extremely hard and is very dedicated to his job and his family. When they are young like her she rather have her dad… when she gets older she will rather have her dads money…. Such is life…. But one thing that never changes is she will always love her dadddy… little girls are just like that.
Sending Prayers and Love
Terri
Mama Bo? seriously.. are you going to go there again? Compensation because the bosses decided that John needed to be somewhere else instead of the TA? you must be FREAKING KIDDING me! Get it inside your head! John will not be in the TA and you will not get a penny back because of it. and if you decide to cancel, then that is YOUR decision. You will miss a great cruise. My suggestion is try to make the best out of it, think that your are one of the lucky ones that have the time and money to do a TA. It will be a wonderful cruise, I can assure you that.
John,
You’re a great day because you feel this way, it shows just how much you love and value your family. Kye & Heidi are lucky to have you, and look at the education experiences Kye will have as she gets older, she gets to go to all these places I still dream of going to. These travel advantages will enrich her for her entire life and be an asset in school as she grows.
that should say your a great dad!
on your list… the credit card pushers, just cut them off w/”I already have it” and the loud chewer is only topped by the open mouth chewer. I also am anoyed by the length of time some ppl take at the sec. check points. to the point that I’m paranoid I’m taking to long.
John,
We had a fabulous time on the June 12th cruise. The best cruise out of 8 we have taken.
You are not a bad dad. One could only see the joy on your face when Kye came into your view during your morning show. She clearly knows her dada.
Happy sailing….Cheers.
Hey John, I can so relate. Nothing worse than having to leave your family for work. It always took me a couple of days to even beging to breath again. Oh and it doesn’t get any better as they get older. Oh and by the way I do have a full size Barney Costume that you are more that welcome to use, if we can figure out how to get to you from Ontario Canada.
Kevin
John…. understandably I teared up with the Kye and Heidi story…. it touched my heart. Ever do a video conference with your girls on the computer? Heidi can also help explain things to Kye as she is more able to understand…..most importantly you with your great communicative skills can explain this to Kye through the years…. you don’t need the purple dino …. promise me you will talk to Kye about all this…. children need both parents to talk to the+ about their thoughts and feelings. Kids will respect their parents more and be excellent communicators as adults. Once again, I encourage you to write a book on your life as a cruise director. It would be a best seller!! Love, Theresa Taylor.
John,
You are certainly not a “bad dad”. You love your daughter and want the best for her. When you do get to see her, you undoubtedly shower her with affection and she will remember that. I know internet can be an issue on the ship, but you should look into installing Skype on your computer and Heidi’s computer at home. Then you could video chat with Kye frequently. You could also film yourself reading her a few stories that Heidi could play for her at bedtime. Not the same as a real hug, but she will be able to see your face and hear you talking at the same time. When we were on the Destiny in March my heart went out to the many dads on the ship who were working to provide a better life for their families but were not able to see their kids often. It is a sacrifice for sure. Best wishes.
John,
I know it is hard to say to never question if you are a good dad. I can say; from experience from having a dad that travelled alot with his job, that I loved my dad very much and even though he is gone now he was and remains my hero. He did what he loved and he loved us very much. And because of his travels I got to see a lot of the world that most kids never get to see. We even lived in Palma de Majorca for a while when he worked in Algera.
You do what needs to be done for you and your family. Your family is happier if you are doing what you love. They would not be a happy if you had a job you hated because that would spill over into your family life.
I myself have traveled for work away from my husband and my son. And yes I cried as I left but I knew I was doing what needed to be done for myself and family.
It is cool to see that the top three rated ships in June are the two ships currently in Texas (Conquest and Ecstasy) and the ship coming to Texas (Triumph).
The Ecstasy is my absolute favorite ship and I am sorry to see her leave Texas. But it is exciting that we are getting two new ships to explore.
Oh my goodness. This was my first time to read your blog. I read it all the way to the end.
I understand your question that keeps you up at night but I have to think the words you wrote proof that you are not a bad Dad.
For what it’s worth, that same question enters my mind at times too and I’m not in the same situation you are. Maybe that is the sign that we aren’t bad dads because we think about it. I’m going to go with that. I thnk you should too.
Dear John,
I just read your blog and was moved by the question keeping you up at night: “Are you a bad Dad?”. As a former employee of Carnival, I feel I am qualified to answer your question: HELL NO! You are a GREAT DAD!!! Although Kye associates you with being far away now, soon and very soon she will know what Daddy does for a living is FUN and she will want nothing more than to sail with Daddy on the big ship. How about when she gets to Grammar School and its Career Day? How proud she will be to introduce her Daddy to her class? Surely then you will know you are not a bad Dad. And think of the fond childhood memories she will carry with her all of her life because her Daddy had THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD! She will be proud of her Daddy for doing what he loved for a living. You know what they say: Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. You’re doing the right thing, John.
Best regards,
Darren Mann
No, you are not a bad Dad. You are making a living for your family. Thankfully it is a job doing something you love, which is why you have so many readers. But there are many dads and moms who work in their home town, come home at the end of the work day, and it isn’t until the children are grown that they realize they never saw a school play, or attended a band concert, or watched them play football or allowed their daughter to apply makeup to their whiskered face or were home to see what Santa brought, or had breakfast served in bed on Father’s Day because the JOB needed them. It took every cent to pay bills and any job beats no job every time. Some of these parents are long haul truckers only home once a week or policemen on the night shift passing their kids going out as they come in. You do what you have to do. No job is perfect. We all make a sacrifice of one form or another to provide for our families. Thankfully your wife can stay home to raise Kye. Thankfully you can give them lovely vacations from time to time. Thankfully your baby knows you love her and that you are going to call her. Saddly we have to take the bad with the good. But in answer to your question, No, John, you are not a bad Dad. You are a Dad like 99% of the rest of the Dads in the world: you are putting the needs of your family ahead your own desires to be home with your girls every day. Life can be a real booger.
Hi John,
It is said “any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a Dad”. You are an amazing Dada with tons of love for Kye and Heidi. You provide well for them doing a job that you enjoy and are great at – absolutely nothing wrong with that picture. Kye will grow and flourish with fantastic memories of your times together and all the wonderful places she gets to go. We had a blended family, and I am eternally grateful that my late husband (Ryan’s father) was a Dad to all our children. Rest easy that you have all the love in your heart that’s needed to be an awesome husband and Dada – worry and wonder only if the partings become easy.
Loyal blogger, always here to listen,
Nancy
I wish CCL would allow the cruisers to disembark silently in a timeslot from CABINS…. Other lines do it and it takes the frustration level down about 25 notches on disembark day. You have a wake up call system…people are intelligent enough to use it… Assign WINDOWS 20-30 minutes and then assign disembark times according to flight departures and allow only those folks in that time to disembark….works like a charm….
John,
You responded to a question/request of mine on June 1, 2011 and asked me to resend my request about two weeks before we cruise. We are cruising on Carnival Freedom, July 16. I wrote to thank you and my PVP, Sarah Elizabeth, in advance for a great cruise. Please know your help continues as I am disappointed I will not be able to smoke a cigar in the cigar bar. While I am disappointed, this is just one of the small things that too many let become big things…ostensibly ruining cruises. I know you understand. We will have a great cruise. Thanks for everything.
John,
Your post today is a great example of why your blog works. Many obviously relate to you on many different levels. Today, you connected with me in a way I have been wondering about since I began reading your blog thingy. Four years ago I started a masters degree at the University of Chicago. I commuted for two years from southern Missouri by train and kept an apartment during the week. Today, I am writing my dissertation proposal and well on my way to earning my PhD at another institution. The goodbyes were nearly unbearable. My work has forced me to miss many goodnight kisses. It hurt every time. I think you will appreciate knowing one way I dealt with what you wrote and helped my boys through those nights when daddy did not come home. Every night without fail, when I came home, I placed a “thought”, a little present, under their pillows. Every morning my boys knew that even though I was away, my heart was with them and they are loved every day. Blessings on your continued, loving, struggle with your goodbyes. Your struggle, and so much of what is written between the lines of this blog thingy communicates what a great dad, husband, and person you are which also explains, in part, why literally millions read your musings.
John, In a word NO, you are not a bad daddy, a bad daddy woulkdn’tgive a rats rear end about having to be away. On a lighter note, James could make cudo’s by doing the pub crawl on the TA!
Hello John,
Enjoy your blog immensely. I took my first Carnival cruise on Liberty the week of July 4th, 2011 and loved it! I was telling Kirk Benning how wonderful it was to read your blog Smoke on the Water and feel safe and confident, from reading it, on how well the staff takes care of its guests in times of emergencies. Kudos to you and your crew!
Was wondering, I know she’s only be at sea a few months, any chance Magic may come to port in Fort Lauderdale or Miami? Really hope to get on board for BC5
I am going Sept 25 with 5 other people and wondering if we can get on list for chefs table? we are going on Conguest to the Bahamas on 8 day cruise. Thank you Mr John What info do you need from us?