UPDATED List of Current Cruise Directors (CD)

Paulette3028 · July 25, 2015

No Problem. I get very confused too.

Michelle's post does say that she'll be in the Caribbean, so by process of elimination, she's joining Majesty (even though that's technically Bahamas). The other ships in that region all have CDs assigned.

I just heard from Elvis that Mercedes is still the CD on Vision. He did not let me know when her contract ends.

Eng23 · July 25, 2015

Hi Donna! I was just looking at the latest list you posted today. One name that was missing or I did not see anywhere on the list was Ken Rush. Do we know his whereabouts? I still see no names for Allure when she returns to the US in November. Is there a chance that Ken Rush might return to the Allure in November?

Paulette3028 · July 25, 2015

No Problem. I get very confused too.

Michelle's post does say that she'll be in the Caribbean, so by process of elimination, she's joining Majesty (even though that's technically Bahamas). The other ships in that region all have CDs assigned.

I just heard back from Michelle directly....she rejoins Majesty on August 3 for 2 months, as is the schedule now.

More information from Michelle....she will be on Rhapsody in November for the entire South American sailings that RH has scheduled coming up.

Edited July 25, 2015 by Paulette3028

DonnaK · July 25, 2015

Hi Donna! I was just looking at the latest list you posted today. One name that was missing or I did not see anywhere on the list was Ken Rush. Do we know his whereabouts? I still see no names for Allure when she returns to the US in November. Is there a chance that Ken Rush might return to the Allure in November?

Ken is working behind the scenes, training new CDs and preparing for the new builds. The last report we have is that he was on the Quantum repositioning cruise to get the CD and activities staff ready for the Chinese/Asian market. The next assignment we know about is that he'll be reporting to the shipyard about 6-8 weeks in advance to prepare for the rollout of Ovation and Harmony. When he is on these ships, he is pretty much invisible and definitely remains in the background. When we were on Quantum, I never saw Ken and only knew that he was onboard from this thread.

It is very unlikely that he will be back on Allure. I heard from one of the CDs (I don't remember who. Maybe it was Richard Spacey or Graham Seymour) that a CD can only be assigned to the same ship for 3 years and then must be reassigned. So, Ken has already done 3 years on Allure. I don't know if, according to this "rule", a CD can return to a ship that they've already been on for 3 years after a certain amount of time has elapsed. (For as long as I have been working on this list, I have seen the rule followed closely and have not seen a CD return.)

Jerome is now the permanent CD on Allure. His vacation coverage has been varied so far (a different fill-in CD each time), so it's not predicable the way Allan Brooks always alternated with Ken, covering Ken's vacations)

Edited July 25, 2015 by DonnaK

DonnaK · July 25, 2015

Adventure OTS - Dan Whitney started June 27 (for 2 months? then who?)

Allure OTS - Jerome Sueur May 19 for all of the European cruises thru Oct 25 then who?

Anthem OTS - Joff Eaton joins the ship on March 18 until September 15 Graham Seymour joins the ship on September 1 and will take over CD duties on September 15 until November 4, then Joff returns from his break on November 4.

Brilliance OTS - Tim Connor May 30 through July 29, then Steve Davis July 29 through September 3, then Clo O'Connor returns September 3

Enchantment OTS - Marc Walker July 20 through November 20. Marc will return from his break on Jan 18, 2016 (who is covering Marc's break Nov 20-Jan 18?)

Explorer OTS - Rob McNally started May 15 until November 13, then Graham Seymour

Freedom OTS - Jamie Fentiman June 7 until Aug 16, then Casey Peltier returns for 4 months

Grandeur OTS - Mitch Merucci April 28 until August 23 then who? Rich Edwards?(Mitch will not be returning to GR after his break)

Independence OTS - Leigh Xuereb May 17 through September 8, then Ricky Matthews from Sept 8 for 2 months to cover Leigh's break. Leigh is expected to return at the beginning of November.

Jewel OTS - Dennis Charles July 17 for 3 months. John Blair expects to return from his break in mid-October.

Legend OTS - Chris Brown from the end of June until late August

Liberty OTS Dru Pavlov July 16 until November 1. Luke Aerowsmith returns from his break on Nov 1

Majesty OTS - Carlos Torres March 27 until August 3, then Michelle Pimentinha Oliveira from August 3 for 2 months until Carlos returns from his vacation

Mariner OTS - Ken Jones until August 19 or 21, then Jamie Fentiman August 19 or 23 until sometime in November

Navigator OTS - John Perry July 5 for 4 months

Oasis OTS - Drew Devine July 25 for 4 months

Quantum OTS - Jimmy Rhodes July 20 for 4 months

Radiance OTS - Amy Fickert-Southgate May 15 for 4 months

Rhapsody OTS - Mike Hunnerup July 19 until Nov 19 (transatlantic) then Michelle Pimentinha Oliveira for the Brazilian season. (Graham has been reassigned to Explorer and will not be returning to Rhapsody)

Serenade OTS - Topi Ylonen May 9 for the Baltic/Nordic season (until Aug 30? then who?).

Splendour OTS - Simona Ferraioulo July 11 for the rest of the European Season (Nov 28?)

Vision OTS - Mercedes LaFuente started April 26 (until when?) Steve Davis returns September 13

Voyager OTS - Fang Lixin for the Asian season; then Mitch Merucci beginning October 22 for the Australian Season

Rich Edwards is home and currently recovering from surgery.Any updates? Grandeur at the end of August?

Allan Brooks left Royal Caribbean to take a position in Celebrity corporate office.

Richard Spacey is a CD with Celebrity

Becky Thompson works for Celebrity Cruises in their corporate offices in Miami.

Dave Chapman is a CD with HAL

James Andrews is a real estate agent in Sydney

Mike Szwajkowski is a Canadian Mountie

Leo Papa at Cornell University working on a Master's degree in Hospitality Administration/Management

Anna Bass is now Client Services Manager at ISS London

Abe Hughes is Director of Port Revenue Operations at Royal Media Partners and sometimes works onboard as the port and shopping guide

João Pereira is studying Portuguese/English education and translation at Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas in Brazil

Kirk Detweiler is now CD with Silversea cruises.

Simeon Baker - married a dancer, had a baby girl and is a sales exec at a Porsche dealer in Saskatchewan

Matt Baker - Sim's brother - recently married and living in Wales. They bought a pub called the Tiddley

Kieron Buffrey - CD with Holland America

Tom Canosa - teaching 6th grade science in North Carolina

Peter Benfield and Johnny Osborne have emigrated to Thailand

Anthony Richards is living in Miami with his wife, and is working for Royal Media Partners as Manager Port Revenue Operations

Rico du Breil is now a CD with NCL

Paul Lancaster is no longer with RCI, and resides in England

Abel Jeney is Customer Service & People Manager at Momentum Services Ltd

Parker Cristan is living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - staging/choreographing for local theater

Ashley Kerr - married and living in Vancouver BC, working as a marketing rep for a PR firm

Karen Maybury - has a consultant/pr/entertainment agency

Jannie Cloete - leading expeditions on small ships

Where is Warren Allen? (aka Warren Melhuish)

DonnaK · July 25, 2015

Can someone please find out:

Who is following Dan on Adventure at the end of August? Exact handover date?

Who is following Mitch on Grandeur as of Aug 23?

Is Rich Edwards returning to the schedule? (will he be on Grandeur in August?)

Who is following Amy on Radiance in September?

Will Mercedes remain on Vision until Steve returns from vacation in September? Or will there be an interim CD?

Eng23 · July 25, 2015

Ken is working behind the scenes, training new CDs and preparing for the new builds. The last report we have is that he was on the Quantum repositioning cruise to get the CD and activities staff ready for the Chinese/Asian market. The next assignment we know about is that he'll be reporting to the shipyard about 6-8 weeks in advance to prepare for the rollout of Ovation and Harmony. When he is on these ships, he is pretty much invisible and definitely remains in the background. When we were on Quantum, I never saw Ken and only knew that he was onboard from this thread.

It is very unlikely that he will be back on Allure. I heard from one of the CDs (I don't remember who. Maybe it was Richard Spacey or Graham Seymour) that a CD can only be assigned to the same ship for 3 years and then must be reassigned. So, Ken has already done 3 years on Allure. I don't know if, according to this "rule", a CD can return to a ship that they've already been on for 3 years after a certain amount of time has elapsed. (For as long as I have been working on this list, I have seen the rule followed closely and have not seen a CD return.)

Jerome is now the permanent CD on Allure. His vacation coverage has been varied so far (a different fill-in CD each time), so it's not predicable the way Allan Brooks always alternated with Ken, covering Ken's vacations)

Thanks Donna! :)

jabo73 · July 25, 2015

Any idea who will be taking over the Navigator OTS when it arrives in Ft. Lauderdale and John Perry leaves?

DonnaK · July 25, 2015

Any idea who will be taking over the Navigator OTS when it arrives in Ft. Lauderdale and John Perry leaves?

John is the regular CD of Navigator, so he will likely be taking a 6-8 week break and will be back around the beginning of January. His vacation coverage varies (it's not the same fill-in CD each time), so it's hard to predict. Jeff Arpin did the last vacation fill-in.

As soon as the info becomes available, I'll add it to the list.

Lmack · July 26, 2015

Does anyone know where John and Katrina Blair are?

truffles2 · July 26, 2015

Does anyone know where John and Katrina Blair are?

They went to Jewel when they left Serenade in the spring.

DonnaK · July 26, 2015

Does anyone know where John and Katrina Blair are?

It's on the list:

Jewel OTS - Dennis Charles July 17 for 3 months. John Blair expects to return from his break in mid-October.

Edited July 26, 2015 by DonnaK

Paulette3028 · July 26, 2015

It's on the list:

Jewel OTS - Dennis Charles July 17 for 3 months. John Blair expects to return from his break in mid-October.

Both John and Katrina Blair started their vacation in mid July; I guess they both will be returning to Jewel upon their return.

2catfamily · July 27, 2015

A big mix up here, Steve Davis will be off vacation early and joining the Brilliance on July 29th until September 3rd when Clo comes on. He then will be going to the Vision, taking over after handover from Mercedes, Steve will be on until the end of January. Tim Connor will be heading to the Explorer on same day to take over for Rob McNally. Have no idea why and how long.

2catfamily · July 27, 2015

Rob McNally is already off the ship and the Activity Manager is taking over until Tim Connor gets there.

Edited July 27, 2015 by 2catfamily

DonnaK · July 27, 2015

A big mix up here, Steve Davis will be off vacation early and joining the Brilliance on July 29th until September 3rd when Clo comes on. He then will be going to the Vision, taking over after handover from Mercedes, Steve will be on until the end of January. Tim Connor will be heading to the Explorer on same day to take over for Rob McNally. Have no idea why and how long.

Rob McNally is already off the ship and the Activity Manager is taking over until Tim Connor gets there.

Adventure OTS - Dan Whitney started June 27 (for 2 months? then who?)

Allure OTS - Jerome Sueur May 19 for all of the European cruises thru Oct 25 then who?

Anthem OTS - Joff Eaton joins the ship on March 18 until September 15 Graham Seymour joins the ship on September 1 and will take over CD duties on September 15 until November 4, then Joff returns from his break on November 4.

Brilliance OTS - Tim Connor May 30 through July 29, then Steve Davis July 29 through September 3, then Clo O'Connor returns September 3

Enchantment OTS - Marc Walker July 20 through November 20. Marc will return from his break on Jan 18, 2016 (who is covering Marc's break Nov 20-Jan 18?)

Explorer OTS - Tim Connor July 29 (until when?) Graham Seymour joins the ship sometime in November as its new permanent CD.