Carnival is not just about Cruising but making New Friends too!

[SooNet]

I wrote this little summary and posted this on my blog but I thought I may as well post it here too. Enjoy!

 

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I just thought I would put together this little story of a friendship created on a Carnival Cruise. I had a friend and neighbor that had cruised many times and she had booked a cruise for her and her husband and extended family for December 2007 on the Carnival Miracle. The itinerary sounded like something we would love as we had travelled to a few destinations in the Caribbean and the ports on this itinerary were places we hadn’t been to. The cruise was to dock in the following ports: Nassau, Bahamas, St. Thomas, USVI, San Juan, PR, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos. So in the autumn of 2007 I booked my very first cruise for my husband, my son (12 at the time) and myself. We were happy that on this first cruise as newbies that we would have some familiar faces around to lead us in the right direction as required.

 

During my planning phase for this cruise I happened on the wonderful site called Cruise Critic. It was on this site that I found a very active roll call for our trip in December. We chatted about all of the possible adventures that we would embark on over the duration of the cruise. We made plans to meet on our very first day on board. One of the cruisers was doing a B2B and she was able to drop off lime green leis to identify ourselves at the meet and greet. It was a very lively bunch of cruisers and we did meet up on board the ship over the 7 days

 

On our first night in the main dining room we were paired with a couple from Quebec and their 4 year old daughter. We are also Canadian and everything would have worked out OK but we did not speak French and they did not speak a lot of English. We had a nice meal but towards the end of the meal the maître d’ came to our table and told us that he would like to move us to another table the following evening.

 

On our first port day in Nassau we didn’t do too much and we weren’t overly comfortable with going off in a taxi on our own so we just walked around the port of Nassau and returned to the ship later in the day. When returning to the main dining room we were eagerly anticipating our new tablemates. When we got to the table they were already there. They were a couple from Florida and their 12 year old son. We got along extremely well and our boys had a great time getting to know each other as well. On our next port day this couple and their son joined us on our planned excursion on the island of St. Thomas. We did some shopping, then an island tour and finally we had an afternoon at the very beautiful Sapphire beach. I would like to make a note here that this tour has been etched in my son’s mind ever since. The tour operator stopped along the way and described all of the local vegetation and had our boys smell the fresh Bay leaves and the bark of trees. He even brought us to his home and introduced us to his dog. Several of the cruise critic members were also on this tour with us. In San Juan we again embarked on a tour of the island on our own. In Grand Turk we took the Gibbs Cay tour to visit the Sting Rays and our new friends from Florida and their son joined us on this trip as well.

 

At the end of the cruise our new friends invited us to their Christmas dinner the following day. We were tentative at first as we had just met them but in the end we realized they meant no harm and they were just being very hospitable hosts. We were staying in Fort Lauderdale and were renting a car to get around so we were able to make the 1 ½ hour drive to their place. We had a fantastic Christmas with them. The following day we headed back to our home in Ottawa, Canada. We weren’t sure where this new friendship would lead but we were happy to have met them and enjoyed our Christmas vacation with them.

 

In the months that followed I continued to keep up with my Cruise Critic friends and our roll call kept going for several weeks after the holiday ended. At some point we all decided it would be easier to stay connected if we just became Facebook friends. I also found my Florida friend on Facebook and became friends with her. In the years that followed we kept up with all of the changes in our lives. People moved on and others moved away, our children graduated and many others continued to cruise. Over the years we tried multiple times to reconnect on a cruise with our friends from Florida but it just never worked out.

 

I was able to do two additional cruises between December 2007 and January 2014 but never found a roll call or met friends quite like these friends since that first cruise. Finally, in January 2014 we were able to reconnect with our friends from Florida on a short five day cruise out of Miami. Our children were unable to join us on this cruise. We had a great time and it almost seemed that we had known each other forever.

 

When we returned from that cruise I let my friend know of a great repositioning cruise out of San Juan – she was interested and we both booked that cruise for November with our husbands. We are looking forward to that cruise. However, this is not the end of this story….Not long after we returned from our January cruise my friend received a free cruise voucher from Carnival. Her husband was busy with work and her son was in school and others that she asked were not able to get away either. I offered to take the cruise with her! I know the hardships…it was a long winter here in Ottawa and it was a great opportunity to get away from the weather. We booked the Carnival Glory – Western Caribbean. We had a blast over that week and I can honestly say that I have met a friend for life and it feels like I have known her forever. There is one other little thing from that cruise that I find amusing. We did the Behind the Scenes Fun tour and we met the Captain – I told my friend that he looked familiar. When I got back home and did a search of his name it appears that he was the Captain on my very first cruise back in 2007 when we first met our friends. Captain Galotto had only arrived on the Carnival Glory two weeks prior to our cruise. He also mentioned during our discussion with him that his favorite ships were the Spirit class ships of which Carnival Miracle is one of them.

 

I guess the point I am trying to make here is that a Carnival cruise is not just about cruising and taking a well-earned vacation but it can also be an opportunity to meet some really great people and develop new and interesting friendships.

Edited June 30, 2014 by SooNet

[golfb4cruzing]

We cruise for new islands and adventures. I bring my friend with me. We have no real interests in developing new friends. Not trying to sound rude but we are good. We don't sit around on a cruise listening to everyone's story. We don't try and be buddies with any of the staff. To each his own. Pleasant travels.

[lbrav]

Thanks for sharing your story!! I think it's great to meet a new friend on a cruise... You can never have too many!! :)

Happy cruising!!!!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[frito58]

I agree with the OP I could tell you so many stories of so many wonderful people we have met and cruised with again one set of sisters as many as 5 cruises we are as close to them as my own family and it was all because of a roll call. But I can see it both ways , the only thing confuses me is people that participate in roll calls all the way up till cruise time and act like oh we are so excited to meet everyone and ........nothing never see them or never hear from them again or they my do a quick pop in and out and gone and you never even get there name , now its not like I want to be best friends with everyone on the ship but just saying why spend a year on a roll call then nothing , but like I said to each his own . I have never met a person yet I cant strike a conversation up with .....well they have to speak English LOL I haven't mastered any other languages yet. Would love to learn Spanish though for all those southern Caribbean cruises we take would open up a whole new batch of friends:D

[cruizinisthebest]

Very nice story. There's nothing wrong with making new friends on a cruise. We have always brought a friend or two with us as well - usually a newbie - and that's fine. But we've made some new acquaintances along the way. Some people on here have formed new lifelong relationships with people they've met on vacation. What a refreshing thread. Thanks for sharing!

[sgttami]

Back in 2002 I had reconnected with a high school friend after more than 30 years via ClassMates and found we both loved travel and cruising.

 

After chatting back and forth we found that we were booked on the same cruise in January 2003. We got together a month before the cruise (we were only a state apart) and had a great time then as well as on the trip.

 

We are in touch all the time and she recently moved to Florida and meets me when we dock in Port Canaveral.

 

I've also kept in touch with people I've sailed with as long as 10 years ago and cruised with them again.

 

More recently, I was on Splendor from NY in March and met a single guy and we had such fun together that we cruised again in May. So do be careful when you think, "I'll never see these people again." You never know!

 

I enjoy meeting new people. It's part of the cruise experience for me, whether sailing solo or with others.

[092306]

Thanks for sharing such a nice story! My mother in law met a life long friend on a cruise many years ago. They live in neighboring states and since both have them have lost their husbands, they are planning an Alaskan cruise together for next year.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[NCTribeFan]

We'll be sailing together again in November! :D

 

That Miracle December 2007 was my first cruise after discovering Cruise Critic. Having the Roll Call and getting to know people before we sailed was something totally new for me. Prior to that, it had mostly just been DD & I. Now, I'm often solo, so meeting people via the Roll Call is nice, but I've also made new friends with dining companions, too. You never know what you'll get with a large table of solo cruisers. It can be rather interesting! :p

 

I also cruise for new islands and adventures, but I've met some really great people through the Roll Calls and on board the ship. I may not be BFF with them now, but we have that "connection" even if it's just as "old friends" here on Cruise Critic.

[mickiemac]

Thanks for sharing your story. We, too, met a couple via our roll call on our very first cruise. Had a wonderful time and decided to cruise together again a couple of years later. We have had lots of laughs and shed a few tears, but thanks Cruise Critic, for the friendships born here.

[NCTribeFan]

Never mind. Sorry, SooNet. I'd written a terse response to the first response here and decided to just delete it.

Edited June 30, 2014 by NCTribeFan

[triciasrv]

I think it is fantastic to meet new people. Our first cruise was last summer. We happened to learn just a week before the cruise that a FB friend of mine that I had met ealier in the year was going with her husband. It was nice to have another couple to hang out with a few times.

 

This next cruise is just the kids and I. I hope we will meet some folks to hang out with as I am alone without the spouse this time.

[sjcruiser]

Great story, thanks for sharing it with us!!!:)

[Froufie]

I am definitely in agreement :D:D - thanks for posting this Laura!

[seeing this world]

On my first cruise i found CC. I joined the roll call, from that roll call i met a great lady from Australia and a couple from IL. The Australian lady and i have done an 8 day cruise together, and have met up on another trip in NYC and are planning something for 2016. The couple from IL will be sailing with me on the Bermuda cruise where i also will be sailing with a couple that i met on the Miracle last year. I have met some great people sailing and do keep in contact with a few.

[Ruggled]

On our first ever Carnival cruise we met several couples we are still friends with. Most recently we met up in Knoxville and spent the weekend riding our motorcycles together. We'll see each other again at Panama City Beach in September and we've been on several other cruises with them.

 

On another cruise (with one of those couples actually) we met a couple from Ohio (we live in NC). He was interviewing for a job in Raleigh a few weeks later and my husband met him and showed him around. Ultimately they moved down to NC and we live 15 minutes from each other. When I take my next cruise in 2 days, their oldest boy (who's wedding we will be attending later this month) and his fiance are house and pug sitting. Our son has become great friends with their 4 boys.

 

I agree fully with the OP. :D

[Engineerstar]

Awesome story! Thanks for sharing!

[Vidimom]

Love your story about CC friendships! We have met some of the most wonderful people cruising.

 

We had a huge roll call going for the Carnival Valor in September 2008. We talked all the time, planned a private party, met up before the cruise at a local hotel and it was the best trip we have ever taken.

 

We met our best friends on that cruise. We spent most of that cruise with all our CC friends. We met a wonderful couple from Ohio. (We live in Florida) and even after leaving the ship, we talked part of the way home. We have since then taken several more cruises together, they have come down to our house, we have been up to theirs, attended their daughter's wedding, done All Inclusives together and just enjoy spending time with them. We have cruised with others we have met on CC and we look forward to making new friends on our next cruise too!

[JustCruiseMe]

We met a couple on our last (2nd) cruise this past October and we hit it off so well that we booked that same San Juan Valor cruise for this coming November 9th! We can't wait. We have kept in touch via email and a few phoe calls. I feel like they are part of my family!