Journalists sailing on the John Heald Bloggers Cruise aboard the Carnival Fantasy hosted a question-and-answer session for more than 150 Bloggers Cruise participants. 

            The panel was comprised of eight journalists, including:  Anita Dunham-Potter of MSNBC.com and expertcruiser.com; David Molyneaux of travelmaven.net; Paul Motter of cruisemates.com; freelance writers Lynn and Cele Seldon; Gene Sloan of USA Today; freelancer Alan Whitt; and Susan Young of southerncruising.com and Travel Agent Magazine.

            Moderated by Heald, the 90-minute session included spirited discussions on topics such as the state of the cruise industry, an overview of the Carnival product, and the future of the media and its role in today’s society.

            The media Q&A panel was one of a wide range of activities for participants in the Bloggers Cruise, which departed from New Orleans on Saturday and ends tomorrow. 

            The cruise gathered together hundreds of fans of Carnival’s Senior Cruise Director John Heald, whose popular blog has garnered nearly 4 million views since being launched in March 2007.

            Fans of John Heald’s blog gathered in New Orleans this weekend, to help spruce up a neighborhood park in the Big Easy.  More than 100 bloggers joined in the volunteer service day in advance of the Bloggers Cruise which is being held on a five-day cruise of the Carnival Fantasy.

            Teaming up with the Beacon of Hope Resource Center, a non-profit organization in New Orleans, the park was transformed with the volunteers painting benches, columns and lamp posts, and clearing debris throughout the facility.

            In addition to the “sweat equity” provided by the Bloggers Cruise volunteers, Carnival Cruise Lines donated $5,000 to the Beacon of Hope Resource Center to help fund future hands-on community service projects throughout the city.

            The John Heald Bloggers Cruise gathers together fans of the senior cruise director’s popular blog, which has attracted nearly 4 million views since being launched in March 2007.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gImenBhkcm4

Matthew Meisenhelder of Wilson, N.C., is the winner of Porthole Magazine’s “Bloggers Cruise” contest, earning a free cruise for two on the “John Heald Bloggers Cruise” aboard the Carnival Fantasy from New Orleans Feb. 7-12, 2009. 

The five-day cruise brings together fans of the popular blog written by Heald, whose on-line musings have attracted more than 3.6 million visitors since being launched in spring 2007.   Heald’s blog can be accessed at johnhealdsblog.com.

Meisenhelder was selected from dozens of contestants who were asked to submit a 100-word entry on what they would do if they were a cruise director for a day. Meisenhelder’s idea of having a “futuristic day” with games and activities tied to the concept was deemed the winner.

During the “Bloggers Cruise” aboard the Carnival Fantasy, Heald will host of a variety of exclusive events and activities.  Special giveaways and logo items will also be provided to all Bloggers Cruise participants, and Heald will, of course, be submitting entries to his blog throughout the voyage.  

Carnival will also host two additional “Bloggers Cruises” aboard the new 130,000-ton Carnival Dream later this year – an eight-day cruise from New York departing November 15 and a nine-day cruise from Port Canaveral departing Dec. 3.

The blog of Carnival Senior Cruise Director John Heald – which has attracted 3.6 million visits since being launched two years ago – has been named “Best Cruise Line Blog” in Porthole Magazine’s 2009 Editor-In-Chief Awards. In his popular blog, Heald provides readers with a unique behind-the-scenes look at “Fun Ship” cruising while sharing his humorous and insightful observations on a wide range of topics.

The blog has even spawned the “John Heald Bloggers Cruise,” which provides readers an opportunity to sail with Heald and fellow blog enthusiasts and participate in a variety of exclusive events and activities.  The next Bloggers Cruise takes place aboard a five-day voyage of Carnival Fantasy departing Feb. 7 from New Orleans.  Two Bloggers Cruises are also scheduled for the new Carnival Dream – an eight-day voyage departing New York Nov. 15 and a nine-day cruise departing Port Canaveral, Fla., Dec. 3.

Two Carnival Corporation & plc port projects also received awards.  The Puerta Maya Cruise Center, which reopened in October after being destroyed by Hurricane Wilma in 2005, was named “Best Comeback Port” and the Grand Turk Cruise Center, whose features include the Caribbean’s largest Margaritaville restaurant, the FlowRider wave-riding experience, and an 800-foot-long beach, earned “Best Cruise Center” honors.

 

            Carnival Cruise Lines’ immensely popular senior cruise director and ‘blogger extraordinaire’ John Heald will host two Bloggers Cruises aboard the new 130,000-ton Carnival Dream in 2009. 

            The first, an eight-day voyage operating round-trip from New York November 15-23, 2009, will call at Port Canaveral, Fla., and Nassau and Freeport, The Bahamas. A second nine-day voyage sailing round-trip from Port Canaveral, Fla. December 3-12, 2009, will feature stops at Antigua; Tortola; St. Thomas/St. John; San Juan; and Grand Turk.

            These voyages will follow on the heels of two other Bloggers Cruises hosted by Heald in 2008 and early 2009.  The popular theme cruises provide fans of Heald and readers of his blog the opportunity to interact with him and participate in a number of exclusive activities and events.

            Heald’s blog (accessible via carnival.com and johnhealdsblog.com) has attracted more than 3 million visitors who enjoy his unique, behind-the-scenes look at shipboard life, with humorous anecdotes and observations focusing on the people and places he comes in contact with on a daily basis. He also features insightful interviews with colleagues in a wide variety of job positions both at Carnival and among the cruise line’s many sister cruise brands.

            “It was never my dream to write a blog. My dream involved an Aston Martin, Angelina Jolie and lots of sugar free Jello,” said Heald. “Anyway, after writing a blog and reaching 3.3 million hits, here we are announcing our third and fourth cruises for fans of my blog – on board the newest and most exciting Carnival ship ever — the Carnival Dream.  Now that truly does make this a dream come true and it’s going to be absolutely brilliant,” he said.

Special ‘Bloggers Cruise’ Events

            During both cruises, Heald will host a number of exclusive events, including a welcome aboard reception, trivia contests, question-and-answer sessions and private tea time with John among many other activities.  A variety of keepsakes and logo items will be provided to all Bloggers Cruise participants, and Heald will be blogging daily throughout both voyages.  

The Carnival Dream

            With a basis-two capacity of 3,646 passengers and spanning 1,004 feet in length, Carnival Dream is the largest “Fun Ship” ever constructed.  The Carnival Dream will not only introduce a new class of vessel for the line, but also usher in a new era of “Fun Ship” cruising when it debuts September 21, 2009.

            The vessel, which offers a new layout, sleek hull and distinctive profile, will introduce many unique features and amenities, including a new concept in entertainment called Ocean Plaza, a stunning indoor/outdoor café and live music venue; the most elaborate children’s facilities at sea, including expansive play areas and a huge Carnival WaterWorks aqua park; “scenic whirlpools” that extend over the ship’s beam, and a variety of new stateroom categories, including those specifically catering to families.  

            Also available will be a number of themed lounges, an expansive 23,750-square-foot Cloud 9 Spa, full casino gambling and a variety of dining options.

Information and Reservations

            For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call

1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.

            Participants must request fare code PBL to be included in the November and December 2009 Bloggers Cruise events.

          The popularity of the blog of Carnival’s Senior Cruise Director John Heald – available at www.carnival.com or www.johnhealdsblog.com — just keeps on growing.   This week several of John’s blogs ranked among the top 100 in WordPress, a leading blog-hosting service which offers more than four million blogs.

            His post titled “The Baltic – See You In 2009” – highlighting the scenic European ports featured within the Carnival Splendor’s 2008 inaugural season – as well as the Carnival Liberty’s Europe cruises in 2009 – achieved a ranking of 63.

            Since Heald’s blog was launched in July 2007, it has garnered close to three million hits, making it the most widely cruise-oriented blog on the Internet.

            The success of Heald’s blog has even led to a Second Bloggers Cruise on the Carnival Fantasy from New Orleans in February 2009.

John Heald, Carnival’s senior cruise director and travel blogger, launched his blog in March 2007.  Since then the blog has spurred a large fan base of guests eager to connect with John and other bloggers.  When the group was finally able to meet onboard at the first ever bloggers cruise held January 19-26, 2008 they quickly moved from friendship to “family”.

Harry Shattuck, from the Houston Chronicle was one of many members of the media onboard to experience a first of its kind cruise.  Read “Bloggers strengthen bonds, combine fun with good deeds” to get his take on the experience.