The Cruise Director's Role

[Uniall]

Oh come on, that's half the fun. On one cruise, the staff member had a thick Russian accent. My goal was to get her to say "We will get moose and squirrel."

 

Love it! Been there! :D

 

I have a photo of a recent graduation of Russian women from the Cruise Director Training Academy.:D

 

 

Click On Photo To Enlarge

[ColinIllinois]

Oh come on, that's half the fun. On one cruise, the staff member had a thick Russian accent. My goal was to get her to say "We will get moose and squirrel."

 

 

LMAO.....I just spit out my coffee.

[Arzeena]

Some job descriptions I came across:

 

http://www2.ncl.com/about/careers/overview

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=306

[weltek]

For me, there are three key ways a cruise director could impact my cruise:

1) Activity and entertainment selection. Do a bad job of this and I won't enjoy my cruise as much. Do a good job with quality and variety, and I will like it.

 

2) Accessibility. Good cruise directors can be see at most activities and venues throughout the day and night, making it easy to access someone with decision making capability. They are always willing to stop and take a moment to answer a guest's question or concern, or just to say hello and that he/she hopes you are having a nice cruise.

 

3) Crowd energizing. This is such a hard skill to master. Obnoxious and cheesy? You win some over, but annoy most others. Eloquent for some things, funny for others, dancing crazy the next? That will impress me if a CD has the ability to switch their personality to fit the activity/occassion/current vibe of the crowd. Without a CD, getting the dance floor rolling or activity buzzing would be difficult.

 

So could a bad one RUIN my cruise? No way. Could a bad one annoy me a bit? Yes.

 

A good cruise director will help me have fun when I want to, and will give me a lot of variety in activities to choose from. That will IMPROVE my cruise experience.

[OceanDreaming2]

Some job descriptions I came across:

 

http://www2.ncl.com/about/careers/overview

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=306

 

Good info - thanks Arzeena. :)

[Pokeraddict]

Personally I think the CD's job is to be annoying. They should be banned from getting on stage and making PA announcements. I wouldn't miss them if I never had a clue who they were or what they sounded like.

There should be an on board law that states no cd announcements before 12 noon or after 12:05 pm.lol

[Arzeena]

Good info - thanks Arzeena. :)

 

Welcome!

[Arzeena]

There should be an on board law that states no cd announcements before 12 noon or after 12:05 pm.lol

 

:D:D "EET EES BEEENGO TIME!!!"

 

We were recently on the Enchantment of the Seas. They had no entertainment or useless announcements in the rooms. Only the really very important ones were piped in. However, on debarkation day, an announcement was piped in at 7.15 am saying that those who are carrying off their own luggage may debark.

[Beaver1975]

:D:D "EET EES BEEENGO TIME!!!"

 

We were recently on the Enchantment of the Seas. They had no entertainment or useless announcements in the rooms. Only the really very important ones were piped in. However, on debarkation day, an announcement was piped in at 7.15 am saying that those who are carrying off their own luggage may debark.

There are no in room announcements on NCL either, with the exception of emergency type announcements.

 

John

[Arzeena]

There are no in room announcements on NCL either, with the exception of emergency type announcements.

 

John

 

Thanks. I did not remember that since my last cruise on NCL was in Oct 2011.

[OceanDreaming2]

Found this position description for HAL. I'm sure they are very much the same throughout the cruising industry.

 

 

Hosting:

• The Cruise Diretor drives guest satisfaction scores and on board revenue.
  
• Host all major events as directed by the Manager-Cruise Programming, setting the tone with energy & enthusiasm.
  
• Promote and support the HAL Entertainment brand identity.
  
• Host hotel parties and functions.
  
• Host ship tours on embarkation day.
  
• Make PA announcements as directed.
  
• Host a disembarkation briefing, adhering to approved script.
  

Management:

• Conduct regular one-on-one meeting with Event Manager to review policies, discuss opportunities and coordinate solutions.
  
• Coach, motivate and rehearse performance with team members to ensure that our overall standards are being met or exceeded.
  
• “Hands-on” manage all entertainment events on the floor, including the “look” of your show.
  
• Monitor and evaluate guest comments and create action plans for improvements.
  
• Foster a positive working relationship with other departments.
  

Guest Relations:

• The Cruise Director serves as the company’s ambassador and communicate pertinent information to guests.
  
• Be visible around the ship, and at the gangway. Interact with guests and serve as the consummate Host.
  
• Coordinate tender operations with the deck department to maximize efficiency and guest satisfaction.
  

Policies & Procedures:

• Ensure program plans and MOMs are followed.
  
• Follow approved announcement grid and scripts where provided.
  
• Comply with all health, safety and environmental policies.
  

[Uniall]

Found this position description for HAL. I'm sure they are very much the same throughout the cruising industry.

 

 

 

Hosting:

• The Cruise Diretor drives guest satisfaction scores and on board revenue.
  
• Host all major events as directed by the Manager-Cruise Programming, setting the tone with energy & enthusiasm.
  
• Promote and support the HAL Entertainment brand identity.
  
• Host hotel parties and functions.
  
• Host ship tours on embarkation day.
  
• Make PA announcements as directed.
  
• Host a disembarkation briefing, adhering to approved script.
  

Management:

• Conduct regular one-on-one meeting with Event Manager to review policies, discuss opportunities and coordinate solutions.
  
• Coach, motivate and rehearse performance with team members to ensure that our overall standards are being met or exceeded.
  
• “Hands-on” manage all entertainment events on the floor, including the “look” of your show.
  
• Monitor and evaluate guest comments and create action plans for improvements.
  
• Foster a positive working relationship with other departments.
  

Guest Relations:

• The Cruise Director serves as the company’s ambassador and communicate pertinent information to guests.
  
• Be visible around the ship, and at the gangway. Interact with guests and serve as the consummate Host.
  
• Coordinate tender operations with the deck department to maximize efficiency and guest satisfaction.
  

Policies & Procedures:

• Ensure program plans and MOMs are followed.
  
• Follow approved announcement grid and scripts where provided.
  
• Comply with all health, safety and environmental policies.
  

 

Mary

 

I think there are major differences between various cruise lines. I've only sailed on HAL once and it was a chartered Irish entertainment theme cruise, so I didn't get a handle on their operation.

 

But some of the major HAL activities are handled by other personell on both NCL & RCCL and they have major differences.

 

NCL turns over passenger services to the Hotel Director and all service persnonell report to him. There is a pecking order of people who are given more latitude to operate without tight controls down to tight control by tghe HD. Some with great degree of freedom would be the Concierge, Entertainment Director, F & B Manager, Exec Chef . Some who are more closelly supervised would be the On Board Service Coordinator, Guest Service Manger, etc. In the middle ground would be the Cruise Director, Excursion Director, Restaurant Manager, etc.

[Inuvikcouple]

Oh come on, that's half the fun. On one cruise, the staff member had a thick Russian accent. My goal was to get her to say "We will get moose and squirrel."

 

and she was a true good sport, putting up with all of our teasing

[che5904]

Mary, the CD's duties include all on board entertainment and passenger activities. IMHO opinion a "bad" (impersonable) CD will probably have little or no effect on your cruise. But, on the other hand, a "good" (personable) CD could have a positive effect on your cruise experience.

 

John

 

From what I understand, I agree with you. I've never understood the hype about CDs. I'm assuming the ones we had on our 2 cruises were not great as they made no impact on our cruise what so ever. I can't say they were bad because as I said no impact one way or another. I'm waiting to see what difference a good one would make. :)

 

Normally the ast. cd makes the bingo announcements..

 

Perhaps, I can't respond to what is "normal" because I've only taken 2 cruises and they were both completely different.

 

Our first cruise the bing bong seem to be continual and the CD and ACD took turns annoying us throughout the day.

 

On our 2nd cruise it was only the CD and she would 90% of the time only come on once in the morning to give the highlights of the days activities, unless something changed through the day.

 

A lot of the plans can be carried over week to week, but when acts swap out, bad weather hits, a performer gets hurt, etc. they have a lot of planning to do

 

And don't forget missed ports turned to sea days.

[drvalo]

We had a really great cruise director on the Majesty, right before it was sold. Maybe it was because it was a small ship, I am not even sure the was an AD. He made the whole cruise feel like family (in a good way). He was a great entertainer himself (started out singing while making the omelets or something like that) and he sang that NCL goodbye song the best ever. I just heard that the CD on the Pearl is named Julie. NOt sure if that is true or not, but I am hoping it is THE Julie with Issac serving drinks and Gopher doing whatever it is he does. Then I KNEW what a CD did....solved all relationship problems and helped passengers find true love........oh well.

[Hikini]

The CD doesn't make or break a cruise for me, but they can have somewhat of an impact for me. My all time favorite CD was Kieron Buffery who used to be on the Star. He has since gone to RCCL....NCL's loss.

 

He was hilarious and very personable. I ran into him on the street in Juneau, AK after he had left NCL the year before and he actually remembered me from our cruise the year before! I was shocked.

 

Kevin Warner was a good CD as well, but I don't know where he has gone. I've never sailed with the same CD twice. I've had a couple that I thought were duds - Julie (I don't know her last name) on the Pearl was one. Nice lady but not a crowd energizer and just generally kind of boring.

 

But, I wouldn't want their job!

[ColinIllinois]

I've had a couple that I thought were duds - Julie (I don't know her last name) on the Pearl was one. Nice lady but not a crowd energizer and just generally kind of boring.

 

But, I wouldn't want their job!

 

Julie McCoy?

[johnsak123]

I dont necessarily think a cruise director can make or break your cruise but having a good one makes the cruise alot more enjoyable.

I cruised a few times with Sinan. The first time he was just the bingo boy and then he was cruise director.

He is a bundle of energy and a really great guy

He made my cruise enjoyable party becasue of his mundane, yet funny announcements.

He was always in a good mood and very pleasant

Enjoy!!

[mjsshipboy]

The CD doesn't make or break a cruise for me, but they can have somewhat of an impact for me. My all time favorite CD was Kieron Buffery who used to be on the Star. He has since gone to RCCL....NCL's loss.

 

He has parted company with Royal also.

[buckirj1]

I dont necessarily think a cruise director can make or break your cruise but having a good one makes the cruise alot more enjoyable.

 

Yep. I can remember only two cruise directors out of all my cruises (one CCL and the other NCL) as being at all memorable. They made the showroom experience better.

[Uniall]

Yep. I can remember only two cruise directors out of all my cruises (one CCL and the other NCL) as being at all memorable. They made the showroom experience better.

 

What did they do to make the cruise "memorable" and "showroom experience better" ?

 

 

[gra2172]

maybe its those stupid lottery tickets they hock before every show! :p

 

 

Seriously tho, I think its the energy they convey that lifts a cruise for people, not anything specific that they do. Ive never actually interacted with the CD or his staff, but the announcements they make, if they are full of energy, really want to make you want to go do the stuff they are talking about.

[Hikini]

He has parted company with Royal also.

 

Wherever he is, I'm sure he's having a good time because he knows how to make a good time!