Carnival Cruise Mayhem...

 Carnival Cruise Mayhem...



Carnival Splendor being brought back to San Diego by tug boats!



Many of you may remember back on November 20, 2010 Carnival Splendor was stranded out in the middle of the Pacific ocean do to a fire that broke out in one of the control rooms.  Well for most of you this was just a topic you talked about, you felt sorry for the vacationers stranded and it took a few minutes up on the evening news.  Well for the Henke family this hit a little harder. 

Let me start from the beginning.  A couple of months ago Cameron and I started to discuss Christmas.  What we were going to do for Christmas.  What Courtney and Derek would like for Christmas and we both had the same thoughts and feelings.  Since Courtney and Derek get actually 2 Christmas's.  One with us and then one with their mom.  Then if you add up all the Grandma's and Grandpa's and aunts, uncles and all the cousins!  This score when it comes to the present aspect of Christmas.  So we thought it would be a great idea to forgo most of the presents this year and lets start to create some memories that will out live all those toys that will end up broken, lost and forgotten.  We approach the two oldest kids with an idea of going on a FUN FILLED VACATION for their Christmas this year and they both were totally on board.  They saw our vision and jumped right on with us.  So we talked about it and we all came up with the idea of going on a cruise.  Cameron and the kids love to watch the Travel Channel and watch all the different beaches, and cruises and vacation destinations so they already knew what they wanted to do.  So the planning of this vacation started.  We decided to fly into Long Beach, CA. and cruise into the Mexican Rivera.  I picked a cruise line that was within out price range and booked our cruise.  Not a week later we saw the above news story.  We couldn't believe it.  That was out boat!  That was our vacation!  That was our Christmas stranded out in the ocean.  Well I call Carnival and promised me that The Splendor would be up and running and better than new for our cruise date.  So I proceeded to make flight arrangement, bookings and all the paperwork that went into getting passports for the kids.  Then the heartbreaking happened.  Cameron got and email yesterday stating that our cruise date had been cancelled.  WHAT!!!!  Are you kidding me!  All the work and planning erased and I was back to square one!  Yes we were going to be refunded our money and we were going to be compensated for our troubles but that didn't help the disappointed on the faces of Courtney and Derek when we told them.  So before I made that terrible announcement I went to work.  After an hour and half on hold for Carnival Cruise lines and numerous calls to Delta we got it figured out!  It isn't the Mexican Rivera and it isn't Carnival Splendor (which is a good thing I guess) we are going to the Mexican Baja Cruise.  Instead of the 7 day cruise with three different stops we are going on a 5 day cruise with only a stop in Cabo San Lucas for 2 days.  So that gives us 2 full days in paradise.  There is only one problem.  Since we didn't want to pay the $150 per ticket change order charge to our airfare we are still flying into Long Beach.  Somehow we will find transportation to San Diego.  We arrive around 9:30am and The Carnival Spirit leaves around 4:00pm.  So we have the time if there is no delays!!  We are crossing our fingers!  Since we get back from our cruise on Friday and we don't fly out until Sunday we will have to fill our time up with all the fun that Sunny California has to offer.  We might hit Universal Studios or something.  We want that to be a surprise to the kids!!

NEW BOAT.... Carnival Spirit!

For our troubles we were upgraded to a Balcony Suite and given 25% the price of this cruise.  So we are going to receive a refund!

I guess more money to spend in Cabo!!!