Carnival Cruises to Hold the Second Annual ‘John Heald Bloggers Cruise’

Following tremendous response to the inaugural John Heald Bloggers Cruise taking place this week aboard Carnival Freedom, Carnival Cruise Lines has announced that the popular senior cruise director will host a second Bloggers Cruise, this time aboard the Carnival Fantasy.

The second Bloggers Cruise — a five-day voyage operating round-trip from New Orleans and calling at the Mexican ports of Progreso and Cozumel — will bring together thousands of enthusiasts of Heald’s widely read blog, which has attracted more than 1.4 million visitors since its debut last March.

The announcement for the second Bloggers Cruise was made yesterday by Heald aboard the Carnival Freedom where more than 1,000 of his readers gathered for a week of fun and interaction.

Through his blog (located at carnival.com and johnhealdsblog.com), Heald offers a unique, behind-the-scenes look at shipboard life, with humorous and often poignant anecdotes and observations focusing on the people and places he comes in contact with on a daily basis. He is often joined by his wife Heidi, assistant cruise director and regular blog contributor.

“I am very excited to host the 2009 Bloggers Cruise aboard the Carnival Fantasy and can’t wait to see the amazing additions that have taken place on board following the ‘Evolutions of Fun’ refurbishment,” Heald said. “This cruise will be a great opportunity for those who love cruising and read the blog thingy to come together for a fun celebration. Of course, I relish the chance to see New Orleans again and maybe in a small way this cruise will highlight the Big Easy’s continuing rejuvenation,” he added.

Carnival Fantasy was selected as the venue for the second “Bloggers Cruise” as it will be the latest ship to undergo the second phase of the line’s “Evolutions of Fun” vessel refurbishment program, which will result in a total transformation of the ship.

The upgrades, scheduled to be completed during a month-long dry dock this fall, will include a Carnival WaterWorks aqua park, Serenity adults-only area, and a totally redesigned main Lido pool area. These renovations will complement phase one of the program which included extensive refurbishments in public areas, as well as all staterooms and suites.

Special ‘Bloggers Cruise’ Events

During the five-day cruise on Carnival Fantasy, Heald will serve as cruise director and host a number of exclusive events, including a Welcome Aboard Reception, trivia contests, and question-and-answer sessions. Special photo opportunities with Heald will be available, as well.

A variety of special giveaways and logo items will be provided to all Bloggers Cruise participants, and Heald will, of course, be submitting entries to his blog throughout the voyage.