Social media can be a fantastic resource for cruise travelers to connect with other fans booked on the same sailing, follow breaking cruise news, ask questions as they prepare for their next cruise, or even just to share tips and tricks for the best vacation ever.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, has one of the most popular and active social media presences in the industry, with nearly 600,000 followers on his Facebook page.
Every week, Heald responds to hundreds of fan comments. Many are compliments of crew members on recent sailings, while others are questions about issues such as how to spread ashes at sea, drink package offerings, or plans for solo staterooms.
Heald also gets many, many requests that he does his best to accommodate. This includes guests asking for special dining room tables or dining time assignments, stateroom amenities such as mattress toppers, and just hopes for “something special” to make their cruise memorable.
Heald does his best to respond to all comments and fulfill as many requests as possible, but there is one thing he will not tolerate.
Now, the Brand Ambassador has noted on his daily “Please post your questions, comments, photos, and reviews here” post that certain social media behaviors will not be acceptable.
“I have to kindly remind everybody that any foul language and rude comments are absolutely not allowed,” he said.
Heald often uses tongue-in-cheek humor in his responses, sometimes with innuendos that might be a “wee bit naughty” but that are intended in only the most lighthearted fashion.
Rude commenters, however, may blurt out profanity or hurtful language, either directly to Heald or in response to other guests’ posts. Such behavior is not acceptable and will be deleted.
Furthermore, Heald also has the ability to block such rude guests from his page entirely, so they cannot disrupt other Carnival cruise fans or continue their poor behavior.
Unfortunately, some people feel braver behind a keyboard and more able to lash out in ways that they might never do face-to-face. This type of behavior is seen on many different social media platforms, but Heald is trying to keep his page civil, helpful, and fun for everyone who visits.
For the best results, it is always prudent to be polite – especially on social media! Use “please” and “thank you” and express yourself with kindness.
Not All Questions Can Be Answered
Heald has also begun prefacing his daily “Ask here” posts with the note that not all questions may be able to be answered. While he does have a very productive assistant, Jacinta, between the two of them it isn’t always possible for every inquiry to receive a personal response.
“We will do our best to answer those questions that we can but there are no assurances we will respond to every comment or question,” Heald said. “As always, I will always do my very very best for you.”
Some guests may miss Heald’s answers to their questions because Facebook doesn’t always tag the original poster when he responds, or else they may have their settings adjusted to not receive such notifications.
It is also important that guests post their comments or questions on the appropriate daily post. Heald does not continually browse other posts for inquiries, and will not be able to respond if guests leave their comments in the wrong spot.
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Furthermore, there is no way to contact Heald privately or through direct messages or email. Using his daily comment post is the only way to effectively reach the Brand Ambassador.
Guests who need to ask Heald about special questions or requests should reach out as soon as possible, and he will often ask travelers to remind him of requests just a few days before sailing.
Checking back to one’s original post is the easiest way to see if either Heald or Jacinta have been able to respond, and of course, always be patient when waiting for a response.
Sometimes, questions may be inadvertently overlooked. Using the search function can help guests learn if their question has been addressed previously and get answers even more quickly.
