John Heald, Carnival Cruise Lines’ senior cruise director and brand ambassador, was named Best Cruise Blogger in USA Today’s inaugural Readers’ Choice New Media Awards. 

The awards are based on on-line surveys that asked readers to vote for their favorite cruise blogger.  Heald received more votes than any other nominee.

Launched in March 2007, Heald’s blog (www.johnhealdsblog.com) offers a “peek behind the crew door” with engaging and entertaining stories about the people he comes in contact with every day.  Heald also answers reader questions covering a wide variety of topics.  There’s also the annual Bloggers Cruise that attracts upwards of 1,000 of his readers who enjoy a number of exclusive on-board activities and events, all hosted by Heald.

Heald’s blog is supported by his widely popular Facebook page (www.facebook.com/johnheald). which currently has nearly 60,000 fans.