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The second John Heald Bloggers Cruise aboard the Carnival Fa ntasy attracted more than 400 enthusiastic participants, including Matt Meisenhelder, a Wilson, N.C., resident who was awarded a free stateroom as part of an on-line contest sponsored by Porthole Cruise Magazine.
The John Heald Bloggers Cruise brings together fans of the senior cruise director’s blog (www.johnhealdsblog.com) which has garnered nearly four million views since being launched two years ago.
The contest posed the question “What would you do if you were a cruise director for a day?”
Meisenhelder’s idea of a “futuristic cruise day” -- with cruise passengers and staff dressing up as robots and other fun events and giveaways -- was deemed the winner. In addition to a free ocean view stateroom on the five-day Carnival Fantasy cruise, Meisenheld was included in a variety of exclusive events and activities hosted by Heald.
Two more John Heald Bloggers Cruises are planned for 2009 – an eight-day voyage from New York departing Nov. 15 and a nine-day sailing from Port Canaveral, Fla., departing Dec. 3.