Latest news with #Heald
Miami Herald
03-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Carnival Cruise Line shares serious weather warning
Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30 and that six month period means that any plans you make to cruise may change. Every cruise line puts the safety of its passengers, crew, and ships ahead of all other concerns. That can mean changed itineraries, delayed cruises, and sometimes ships that get stuck at sea. Related: Carnival Cruise Line sailings disrupted by Hurricane Flossie In many cases, passengers may not even know what's happening. The captain may sail a different route to avoid weather, but still make the same stops. There are, of course, also times where the changes are more drastic. Ports may be skipped or itineraries could get shuffled around. In rare cases, there can be major changes like a New York Caribbean sailing moving to a Canada itinerary. Last year, port closures in Tampa and at Port Canaveral forced multiple ships to spend extra days at sea. That's not convenient for people flying home the day after their cruise, but the cruise lines don't control the ports, and would likely reach the same decision to close even if they did. Every cruise contract makes it clear that itineraries can change. When that happens, port fees and cruise line excursions are refunded, but cruisers are not entitled to any additional compensation. When cruise dates change, cruise lines generally work with passengers to get flights rebooked and figure out how to get people home. In the end, however, safety comes first and Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald talked in a recent video about how his company handles bad weather. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Heald, it should be noted, is a messenger. He didn't make the decision to change your itinerary or cancel your cruise. He's also not the person who decides on compensation when something as extreme as a cancellation happens. He will, however, relay your concerns to "The Beards," his term for Carnival management. Heald also shares lots of information as he did in a July 1 video. "In all seriousness, we have to talk about the weather because I want to keep you updated. And even though this may not be affecting you directly, I do want you to know these things because I think it's important that during storm season, we do highlight the incredible work of the Fleet Operations Center and the fact that we have spent millions and millions of dollars and continue to invest in this center," he shared. Heald noted that the operations center looks like CTU in the old television show "24." "There are screens. And anyway, it's something that is in direct contact with all of the ships, the latest information and 24 hours manned by wonderful ladies and gentlemen. And they've been working very hard and they confer and they talk to the captains continuously," he added. Currently, there are multiple situations the cruise line is monitoring. "Now we have over on the west coast, I'm pointing over there, over there is London. Anyway, across the west coast at Long Beach, we have a couple of ships that have been affected with that," he added. He started by talking about the Carnival Panorama. "I mentioned that Flossie, the very inappropriately named tropical storm, which could strengthen to a hurricane, the Fleet Operations Center said in their latest report, they have informed the captain that they would advise that the captain leaves after the first day in Cabo. So they'll have a full and extended day in Cabo San Lucas, but they won't be there for the second planned day because that will be some very adverse weather coming in on the bands of tropical storm Flossie. So they will have that day at sea," he added. He also noted that another West Coast cruise was being impacted. "Now also on the west coast, we have Flossie affecting Carnival Firenze and they also were supposed to go to Cabo. So instead, they will stay away, keep the ship safe, keep everybody safe, and we'll have two days in Ensenada," he added. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. When a change in itinerary happens, some passengers will take out their anger on the crew, Heald has always asked them to express their anger to him, no crew members who have no role in the decision "The crew, as always, will give everybody the most wonderful, wonderful time," he added. Heald also understands that people will be upset when their long-made plans change. "So, it's great to see that as always, there's going to be disappointment when we have to change an itinerary, but I'm sure, I'm sure, he says with eyes closed and fingers crossed, there won't be a single glitter-knicker who is screaming at the guest services desk for compensation, etc., he shared. The Brand Ambassador stressed that changes aren't made to keep people on the ships so that Carnival can make more money (a common charge). "It's all about keeping you safe, keeping the fun going, and that is what is happening," he added. "But anyway, my point of that was that we do have the Fleet Operations Center and it is keeping every ship safe from Australia across North America into Europe, wherever we are, this Fleet Operations Center are there to make sure that we have all the information that the captains and the crew need. So stay safe, have a wonderful time, and the crew, as always, are going to make sure that that happens," he shared. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Miami Herald
27-06-2025
- Miami Herald
Carnival Cruise Line passengers vote against US ports
With economic concerns and increasing political tensions on the mind of many U.S. travelers, it's no surprise that more people are choosing domestic vacations this summer. As the U.S. continues to issue heightened travel warnings for U.S. citizens visiting certain countries, it wouldn't be shocking if more cruisers decided to stay closer to home for their next cruise vacations. Related: US shares troubling 'violent crime' warning for more cruise ports Some cruise lines like Norwegian Cruise Line have reported experiencing a softening in bookings for Europe cruise itineraries this summer, although demand remains strong from Caribbean cruises departing from U.S. ports. Americans are increasingly choosing to forego long-haul international trips, but they aren't ditching travel altogether. States across the U.S. like Florida and Texas are reporting sharp increases in the numbers of domestic tourists visiting this year. With domestic destinations trending, you might expect Carnival Cruise Line - which prides itself on offering more accessible U.S. home ports than any other cruise line - to feature more cruise options that sail to close-to-home destinations. That's not the case, however, and it doesn't seem to be what Carnival passengers want, either. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. Although Key West, Florida, has long been a staple of Caribbean cruise itineraries, other U.S. cruise ports (outside of Alaska and Hawaii) have traditionally served much more often as departure ports for cruises than as cruise ports of call. This is changing, however, as popular U.S. cities like New Orleans, San Francisco, Boston, and Portland, Maine are increasingly being featured as stops on cruises departing from other destinations. Related: Carnival Cruise Line raises red flag over new cruise 'hack' Cruise lines like Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, and Virgin Voyages are leading this trend, and although Carnival does offer some U.S. port stops, they're not a big focus. Carnival's cruise itineraries lean heavily into The Bahamas, Caribbean islands, and Mexico. Despite current travel trends, Carnival Cruise Line passengers are continuing to show strong interest in sailing to these popular destinations outside of U.S. waters as they plan for their next cruises. It turns out that most Carnival cruise passengers don't actually want more cruises that visit U.S. ports of call, at least according to a June 16 poll conducted by Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald on his popular Facebook page that's followed by more than 600,000 people. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Poll results showed that thousands of Carnival cruisers don't want the cruise line to lean into the growing cruise trend that's seeing more U.S. ports of call featured on cruise itineraries. The poll was driven by a recent message Heald received from an unidentified Carnival passenger who said: "Please include more American ports as places we visit during the cruise. Why does Carnival Cruise Line not include New Orleans, San Francisco, and Boston? These are just as good and fun places to visit as most of your selections in the Caribbean." More Carnival cruise news: Carnival Cruise Line fixes massive passenger pain pointCarnival cruisers get free drinks with this lesser-known dealGoogle scam targets Carnival, Royal Caribbean cruisers Through votes in the poll, about 5,700 Carnival cruisers indicated that they agreed and would like to visit those U.S. cities during their cruises. Many more passengers rejected the idea, however. About 15,000 Carnival cruisers voted for the poll option, "I really do not have interest in having places like New Orleans, San Francisco, and Boston as part of my cruise itinerary." In the comments on the poll post, some Carnival cruisers explained that the Caribbean is far more interesting to them than U.S. cities. "If I'm taking a Caribbean cruise, get me there as fast as possible, without stopping at additional U.S. ports," Bob Riedle commented. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Miami Herald
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Carnival Cruise Line shares update on loyalty program
Carnival Cruise Line probably did not expect the level of anger its new loyalty program caused with its passengers. The cruise line shared a program that eliminated lifetime loyalty levels that was based on dollars spent, not nights stayed. Many cruisers saw that as a money grab. Related: Carnival Cruise Line suddenly cancels sailing Others were simply crushed that they had spent years, decades in some cases, building up loyalty status only for the new program to not recognize that. Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald had no say in creating the new program. He has, however, spent most of his time answering questions about it since it was released and he admits he does not have all the answer. Heald also has shared that the Beards, his term for Carnival leadership, will be examining the program. He recently shared a letter to explain everything he knows and what's happening next. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Heald shared a letter on his popular Facebook page on June 26: Heald may not have all the answers, but he remains an ally to Carnival passengers. He serves as their link to upper management and he takes that job very seriously. In addition, Heald deals with near-endless insults, often over things he has no control over. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. Over 1,500 people commented on Heald's post. Many were kind to him, but angry about the changes. "Booked my first Royal cruise for next year. It's not bye bye permanently,I just am now open to trying all lines," Helena Hall wrote. Rene Chapman was more harsh. "Carnival said 'you get what you get and you'll be happy about it,'" she wrote. Not everyone was kind to Heald. "I dont like that you keep saying a year, as if hoping we will forget. Almost makes me think the Beards want us to forget about it completely, posted Baxter DeBerry. Beth Sanders Young wants to believe the company will do the right thing in the end. "I think many of us are holding our breath hoping that the beards have realized how a big chunk of the loyal customer base feels about this and they are busy revamping it so that it remains a 'loyalty' program with an added rewards program for those who can spend the big bucks (or at the very least grandfathering us in). Most of us are grateful for you and what you do everyday, even when the going gets tough," she wrote. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Miami Herald
26-06-2025
- Miami Herald
Carnival Cruise Line shares advice, process for port emergencies
Preparing for a cruise, especially one that will sail in a part of the world you've never visited before, can be daunting and exciting at the same time. If you're like me, you probably focus a bit more on the adventure than on what could go wrong, but you shouldn't dismiss the fact that emergencies, although rare, do happen. And usually when you least expect them. Related: Carnival Cruise Line pledges greater cruise loyalty benefits If you're lucky, you'll never actually experience an emergency during your vacation, but being prepared for one is smart. If you're someone who tends to worry about what could go wrong, knowing that you have an emergency plan will give you peace of mind. One Carnival cruise passenger named Miriam who wanted to be well prepared for her upcoming cruise recently wrote to Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald with an important question about emergencies in foreign ports of call. Few cruise passengers probably think about how to prepare for a potential emergency while off the ship in port, but it's something that every cruiser should consider as they get ready for their sailing. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. "Getting ready for our cruise on Miracle to the British Isles. We are bringing our older parents with us for the trip. I would like to be fully prepared and would like to know what is the protocol if there is a medical emergency while ashore," Miriam asked Carnival's brand ambassador. "What if we need to dial 911 while we're out exploring? Who do you call? What happens? Could you please go through that situation?" Heald shared Miriam's message in a video posted on his Facebook page on June 16 to bring attention to this important step in cruise preparation. As he addressed Miriam's question, the brand ambassador offered some helpful advice on how to best make sure you're covered in case of an emergency in a cruise port. "Taking excursions from the ship is the best way because if anything were to happen, you don't have to do anything. The [tour] operator knows exactly what to do," Heald pointed out. Related: Google scam targets Carnival, Royal Caribbean cruisers No matter which cruise line you sail, booking your shore excursions through your cruise line means that the local tour operator leading the in-port activity is a vetted cruise line partner who follows the cruise line's safety and emergency protocols. "They have their own protocols, our protocols, and we will take wonderful care of you, especially in Europe where you are perhaps a long way from the ship," Heald noted. "And it might be something that you'll never have to face, but if you do, having an excursion from the ship means we take care of you from right from the beginning of that emergency situation, right until everything is taken care of." Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. If you're not taking a cruise line shore excursion, you should make sure to save a couple of important phone numbers before getting off the ship in port to explore on your own. To be prepared in case of an emergency in port, save the number for your ship's port agent as well as the local emergency services number, which varies by country. In the UK, for example, the emergency services number is 999 rather than 911 as it is in the U.S. Carnival passengers can find the name and number for their cruise ship's port agent in the Fun Times onboard newsletter. More Carnival cruise news: Carnival Cruise Line adds powerful solution to solve cabin problemCarnival Cruise Line passengers love this free drink dealCarnival Cruise Line answers a question cruise lines avoid "We have an agent in every port who takes care of everything to do with the ship, from organizing the linesmen, the pilots, stores, everything, and the telephone number is always listed in the Fun Times, either in the paper copy or on the app, so you can call that number," Heald explained. Whether you get the port agent's number from the paper newsletter or the Carnival HUB app, it's important to save it in your phone before you get off the ship in any port of call. "But wherever you're going, if you have an emergency situation, you will have the name of the port agent written there. Call them and they will assist you," Heald advised. "If you get lost or you lose your pass, anything, they'll be there to help you and be the automatic liaison directly with the ship." (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Miami Herald
25-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Carnival Cruise Line fixes a big loyalty program problem
Shortly before Carnival Cruise Line made a problematic announcement that its current loyalty program will be replaced with a new spending-based Carnival Rewards program, the cruise line faced another issue with one of its perks for loyal passengers. With the cruise line's current VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) Club loyalty program, passengers can earn onboard rewards just for spending time cruising on Carnival ships. Related: Carnival Cruise Line promises loyalty will be better rewarded While the new Carnival Rewards loyalty program will allow passengers to earn points and status through spending when it launches in June 2026, the current VIFP Club rewards passengers based on the number of nights they spend at sea. And with the current reward system still in place for nearly another year, passengers are still eligible to receive all their existing VIFP Club benefits when they sail with the cruise line now until June 1, 2026 when the new Carnival Rewards program takes effect. That means that along with taking in passenger feedback about the new Carnival Rewards program, the cruise line also needed to address an issue that recently arose with an onboard reward that most returning Carnival cruisers are currently entitled to redeem during their sailings. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. As Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald responded to questions and concerns raised on his popular Facebook page recently, he uncovered an onboard problem that left some VIFPs frustrated and confused about one of their benefits. Thanks to his attention to passenger feedback, Heald discovered that there was a lack of consistency across the fleet when it came to the process for how to redeem an onboard reward that most repeat passengers are entitled to receive - a complimentary 1.5-liter bottle of water. Although the cruise line used to provide these complimentary bottles of water in staterooms for their VIFPs, Carnival updated its process, requiring passengers to pick up their bottle of water from an onboard bar. Related: Carnival Cruise Line takes on a new passenger problem However, the Carnival Cruise Line website confusingly states that the VIFP bottle of water benefit is "redeemable at any bar, restaurant or stateroom." And as Heald investigated the situation, he found that not all ships in the fleet were handling the benefit redemption in the same way. On his Facebook page, Heald promised passengers that he and his team would quickly sort out the process internally and communicate a resolution to passengers. On June 23, Heald delivered on his promise, providing new direction for VIFPs on how to redeem their complimentary bottle of water. "If you are entitled to a complimentary bottle of water, you may take that from the cabin," Heald shared in his June 23rd three-minute video update for his followers. "Again, you may take it from the cabin. You do not have to go to a bar to get that, but everything else will remain unchanged." Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. In the video, Heald also took a moment to acknowledge the many questions and comments he's received in the wake of the announcement about the new Carnival Rewards program. Heald emphasized that beyond ironing out a better, more consistent process for redemption of the VIFP bottle of water perk, Carnival has changed nothing about the current VIFP Club program yet. The new Carnival Rewards program does not take effect until June 1, 2026 and until that date, Carnival passengers can continue to enjoy all their VIFP benefits. "Between now and June the 1st, if you're entitled to a gift, or your pin, or the Platinum and Diamond Party, the Diamond Lunch - all of that is unchanged," the brand ambassador stressed. More Carnival cruise news: Carnival Cruise Line answers a question cruise lines avoidCarnival Cruise Line's Project ACE vs. Royal Caribbean's Discovery ClassCarnival Cruise Line raises red flag over new cruise 'hack' Heald also noted that as passengers continue to write to him with feedback about the new Carnival Rewards loyalty program, he's passing the comments on to Carnival executives through his detailed weekly reports. But although he's gathering feedback, he doesn't intend to make further statements about the new loyalty program. "I can't really comment, I don't want to comment. I've said everything else that needs to be said. I'm on your side, I'm here to pass on your comments. And thank you to everybody who's taken the time to write to me in such a respectful and kind way," he added. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
