Click the link thingy below for the new dessert menus that will be fleet wide with the exception of the Carnival Spirit and Carnival Magic by the end of September.
Carnival dessert menu link thingy.
Bon appetite.
John
So being the brave soul that I am, I decided to hold a live Question and Answer session after my travel talk and after telling the guests last week that Jose and his mates were on strike and that we were not going to Palma De Mallorca but spending an overnight in Barcelona instead. I was ready and prepared for the onslaught to begin and had a crack security team standing by in case things turned ugly…..OK……..my crack security team consisted of Calvyn who is to security what Richard Simmons is to cage fighting. (more…)
And now, for those of you who have not seen the new menus that are already being enjoyed by guests on some of the ships, I invite you to feats your eyes on these.
Click here to view all of the new menus.
Bon Appetit.
John
A few days ago I went on board the incredible Queen Elizabeth which was docked in Livorno next to the Carnival Magic. I am no doubt going to delve into my limited bag of superlatives here and repeat myself, as well as start with a naughty word and I therefore I apologise. But bloody heck, the Queen Elizabeth is simply gorgeous, beautiful and quite simply oozes class, comfort and tradition.
(more…)
Yesterday on departure from Naples found me on the bridge escorting a family of eight people who the captain had invited to join him. The family consisted of mum, dad, grandparents and three children, two of whom were about to enter United States Coast Guard training like their father who was a high-ranking USCG officer. Anyway, I went to meet them and on the bridge I listened to the radio chat on the VHF between the captain and the port authority, which interestingly, like all bridge commands on Carnival ships, must be carried out in English, not Italian.
Just a week or so after the terrible earthquake in Japan, I remember I had a Japanese guest on stage with me during the Welcome Aboard show and how I treated him so carefully and was nervous about saying anything that would cause him any embarrassment. I actually felt quite uncomfortable and a little nervous. But the guests were magnificent and applauded as one when I said that we were all thinking about him and his country during those horrific days. Well, last week it happened again and with the “bag lady” and everything else last cruise I haven’t had time to tell you about it. Except this time it wasn’t a Japanese guest I had on stage but a guest from Norway.
We have a new department head here on the Carnival Magic whom I will introduce to you in a moment. He is the first in this position in the fleet and soon there will be one on every Carnival ship. It’s a super addition to what we do and I know the crew will appreciate it very much. As I said, more about him in a moment but what is it that he does……well he is the new shipboard human resources director.
I must be the only man on the Carnival Magic amongst the guests and the crew who does not own a pair of sandals or flip flops. And I don’t own a pair because I despise feet, all feet, with nearly the same passion as I despise hemorrhoids, people who blame me for being fined for buying a fake bag in Venice…….and the French. I’m told some people enjoy the art of toe sucking. How is this possible? How can a man look at a lady, even a Latvian lady, and think “Mmmmmmm, look at the big toe on her!”
The last few days I have started to feel really old. I was invited out by the entertainment staff to go out in Venice and “chill” at a bar but I was too tired so I read a book, had a cup of tea and went to bed. Yep, I am an old 46 year old man……with hemorrhoids.
I am straight. I am so straight you could grow flowers up me but let’s face it, you can’t work in the entertainment department of a cruise ship for 25 years and not understand and respect all cultures, lifestyles and backgrounds. However all the admiration and understanding in the world doesn’t mean that for one moment I can pretend to understand my friend, morning show co-host and entertainment staff member Calvyn “Champagne” Martens.
(more…)
