Cruise directors

[rainbowflag]

George Roberts deserves a ship on a stick trophy for "Ditziest Cruise Director" because he approved the printing and distribution of issues of The Fun Times with incorrect information. Little details like "all guests must be back on board by 4PM" during our Fun Day at Sea day. The Captain was being approached my many confused passengers who were new to cruising asking why we were "setting sail" for Long Beach when we hadn't even been to Ensenada yet! . I felt embarrassed for Captain Lanaro. George is not ready for the management aspects of his job but hey, he's only 25.

[joycedeer]

We have sailed with Big Tex (?) several times, Noonan several times, and a few others. The only time I really DIDN'T like someone was Jamie on the transatlantic Sunshine cruise in Nov 2013. She was ditzy and silly, and she seemed to really pay attention to certain ones and ignore others. It was just an impression, and I may have just taken her wrong, but 17 days at sea tends to unmask "fake" more easily :-) We did like "Shorty", her assistant, and Jamie wasn't BAD - but you did ask lol!

[mgriffus]

George Roberts deserves a ship on a stick trophy for "Ditziest Cruise Director" because he approved the printing and distribution of issues of The Fun Times with incorrect information. Little details like "all guests must be back on board by 4PM" during our Fun Day at Sea day. The Captain was being approached my many confused passengers who were new to cruising asking why we were "setting sail" for Long Beach when we hadn't even been to Ensenada yet! . I felt embarrassed for Captain Lanaro. George is not ready for the management aspects of his job but hey, he's only 25.

 

We absolutely loved sailing with George on the Freedom

[t1adams]

Just had Eversen Beville on Glory last week and he did great.

 

 

That's who I meant to say....."Everson." (I mistakingly said Emerson). I was on that cruise. If you went to the comedy on the last night in the main theater, i was the one that Macio was made the crude remark to with the bar waiter standing in front of me waiting for me to sign the tab (except Macio said from his angle it looked like i was----well, I won't say here, lol. But it was sooo embarrassing!). That theater was packed! But YES! Everson was Awesome!!! :)

 

 

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[rainbowflag]

We absolutely loved sailing with George on the Freedom

 

How wonderful for you, sounds like he didn't embarrass the Captain of the Freedom like he did on the Imagination.

[cruisedrew]

Our Magic cruise director was just awful.

 

I was so excited the schedule said Kevin Noonan who we had on the Destiny and LOVED, but instead it was a pretty boy named Lewis. He was not funny, not seen much on the ship, etc.

 

"Pretty Boy"

LOL

 

Good one Jordan! We leave for our cruise next Saturday!!! Wow!!

[Socref124]

Well, perhaps I should give him another chance? When I sailed with him, he was busy chasing the women aboard, and didn't do much else. There was no "Showcase of Stars" show, and when I ask him about it, he told me that he was just too busy to arrange that, and I'd just have to do without it? His whole staff on that cruise was exactly like him, and interested in doing NOTHING that they didn't absolutely have to do. It was maddening! There was no "Silent Film Skit", or any other extra entertainment. It's been a number of years since that cruise, so maybe he's straightened out. Just made me want to ask him "What's Your Major Malfunction, Sh** Bird?" :D

 

Semper Fi Brother

 

"SKY"

 

Wow, only sailed with him once but we had the opposite opinion. Didn't really see him chasing women, but I wasn't watching either. If you ever do sail with him again and he has the Silent Film Skit, it is a must see.Like the Keystone Cops, LOL.

Hope all is well brother, Semper Fi.

[TPFKAH]

Well, perhaps I should give him another chance? When I sailed with him, he was busy chasing the women aboard, and didn't do much else. There was no "Showcase of Stars" show, and when I ask him about it, he told me that he was just too busy to arrange that, and I'd just have to do without it? His whole staff on that cruise was exactly like him, and interested in doing NOTHING that they didn't absolutely have to do. It was maddening! There was no "Silent Film Skit", or any other extra entertainment. It's been a number of years since that cruise, so maybe he's straightened out. Just made me want to ask him "What's Your Major Malfunction, Sh** Bird?" :D

 

Semper Fi Brother

 

"SKY"

 

Ditto. He did appear lazy, and found him socializing with other crew most of the time, but he did do the silent Movie thing. So original to us, and even fnnier when it was shown on TV the next day in black and white, and sped up.

[SkyMaster]

Totally agree! We had him on the Miracle a few years ago and he was the worst we ever encountered! Lazy and almost non-existent!

 

Perhaps it was just when Malcolm was aboard "Miracle", because that's the ship we were aboard when I had the problems with him? Oh well, there are lots of EXCELLENT CD's out there, instead of sailing with the "DUD". ;)

 

"SKY"

[ofthesea]

You just don't realize how much a good CD does to impact your cruise. The good CD's have happy smiling people working for them that have a real desire to please the passengers. They also are involved with alternate events in case a ship cannot stop at a port. They make sure the entertainment staff is prepared and that the schedule of events goes on as planned. Some even have their own shows in the theater. Malcolm Burn for example has his Silent Film Skit and it is fantastic.

If you had a good cruise and everything went as planned and lots of smiles chances are you had a very good CD. If everything was slightly off and the staff was grunpy, chances are you had a new or poor CD.

There is a lot more that the CD does but what I mentioned are the most important imo.

 

Seconding what you said! A lot of passengers do not realize how much work Cruise Directors do! The entertainment staff and cruise director staff are the ones who mainly interact with the passengers. The cruise director tries to do that too as much as he/she can. There is a lot of behind the scene working like planning the fun events that will happen later in that day, tomorrow, next cruise. They have to go through safety briefings, audits, different check ups. I know Carnival is working on this. They want cruise directors to be more social, more on deck, so they're going to hire a cruise director assistant who will help more with the office work, letting the head cruise director talk to passengers and hang out on deck, just like Julie McCoy in the great ol' TV show The Love Boat.

 

I just came back from my first Carnival cruise and Jeff Bronson was our cruise director! He was pretty funny and cracked some silly jokes! I am not one who would specifically book a cruise based on cruise director. I have had alright cruise directors too, like Socref124 was saying, you really can tell how a cruise director is based on their staff. The only one mediocre cruise director I have ever experienced was the one where the staff obviously wasn't happy with him.

 

Happy Cruising!

[ccruisequeen]

The very first CD we had was John Heald. I loved him and we still follow him on facebook, but I don't cruise based on the CD since I usually book before the schedule is out. We have also had Eli Sharpley and Goose, both were very good and even though they were not around much except at shows and the officer meet and greet they did make our cruises memorable. You have to realize that they have many responsibilities on the cruise and unless you make the effort to introduce yourself to them, they cannot possibly know every passenger or their needs.

 

I'll get Goose in May on the Imagination. What did you like about him?

 

 

[Mysticks1]

I used to think there wasn't a difference one way or another. After this cruise I just got off of on Sunday, I do now think there is a difference. That week, all of the cruise directors were at a meeting so all of the ships had "subs." I believe they were all junior cruise directors. Well, We actually enjoyed having our young cruise director named Emerson. (I believe that's his name anyways.). According to the comedian during the week, he is the first African-American cruise director for Carnival. Well, he did an outstanding! I know all of them have their "thing" that sort of makes them known for that one thing they do, but he would sing in the mornings. Some may not like that but I thought it was cute. He actually opened for one of the comedians in the grand ballroom. You would never know he wasn't a comedian himself. He was hilarious. He was always happy and always had a smile on his space and really nice and down-to-earth. We finally got to meet him at invocation and realized he is from the same small town that I am from in Georgia. I should have known that this was why he was such a great guy. ;)

 

 

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You should send a message to John Heald and tell him how great you thought Emerson was.

 

I hate to say it but I agree with Pine Bluff:eek: So far the only cruise director that stood out enough for me to remember their name was Big Tex and that is because I thought he was really annoying. I didn't like him at all. The rest of them I guess were just average. Maybe one day we will have one that I will remember because they were outstanding.

[tkotis]

Butch is the best we also loved Todd W I don't think he is with Carnival anymore

[45014]

Anyone have any opinions of Hennie Van Heerden? We have been sailing with Carnival for a long time and have never even heard anything about him. (good or bad)

[cattipillar]

For me, CDs have never made a difference one way or another. I guess I just don't interact with them much.

 

Ditto!!!! After 20 cruises, my husband and I have had virtually ZERO dealings with the Cruise Director's on ANY ship and have often wondered what it is they "really" do? :D

 

Oh, well.......hakuna mata-ta!!!!!

[Socref124]

You should send a message to John Heald and tell him how great you thought Emerson was.

 

I hate to say it but I agree with Pine Bluff:eek: So far the only cruise director that stood out enough for me to remember their name was Big Tex and that is because I thought he was really annoying. I didn't like him at all. The rest of them I guess were just average. Maybe one day we will have one that I will remember because they were outstanding.

 

John sent out a fb post today mentioning Emerson.

[wb3690]

We had Jaime Dee on the Dream. She was fun. Small world she went to the same high school that I did but graduated about 10 years after me.

 

We just had Everson Bevelle. He was great! High energy, fun, I enjoyed him alot.

[Ladyarli]

I really think the CD makes all the difference. In my opinion anyway. Some of my favorites have been Wee Jimmy, Tex, Todd Whittmer, and Jorge Solano. Jorge isn't a CD anymore, but he often performs as a comedian. I've never had Jobn Heald as a CD but I like to. I love his blog!

Cheryl D

 

 

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[CruiseAwesome]

The only CD that I really cannot stand is Brent Mitchell/Loyer. I would avoid his ship at all costs.

 

 

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[jst]

Does anyone know if the new cruise director list is out yet as Jen mentioned there could be lots of changes.

[jennknee]

I would have been one of the people who said the CD didn't make a difference on cruises 1-11. Then, on cruise 12, I had Butch and LOVED him. He is the first CD I that remembered after getting of the ship and he just seemed to be having a great time the entire cruise. My cruisemates and I still talk about how much fun he was and we wish he would be the CD on all our cruises. Because of Butch, I paid much more attention on cruise 13 when we had Matt Mitchum. And, if Butch seemed like he was having the time of his life, Matt just...didn't. I don't know. I have heard decent things about him, but he just seemed to be really impressed with himself and not overly excited to be there.

 

Cruise 14 is 70~ days away and John's new schedule shows both Jamie Dee and Skip Lyons so I'm not sure who exactly will be ours. I've heard nothing about Skip so I'm hoping for the best.

[firemanbobswife]

Does anyone know if the new cruise director list is out yet as Jen mentioned there could be lots of changes.

 

 

Yes I started a thread already with the link.

[Rankbronc]

HA! Nope. MALCOLM BURN!

 

I will second that opinion. Spent 15 days on the Splendor to Hawaii last year and found Malcolm the worst CD we had sailed with in ten cruises. The rest of the entertainment staff were wonderful, but Malcolm rubbed us the wrong way

[CruiseAwesome]

I would have been one of the people who said the CD didn't make a difference on cruises 1-11. Then, on cruise 12, I had Butch and LOVED him. He is the first CD I that remembered after getting of the ship and he just seemed to be having a great time the entire cruise. My cruisemates and I still talk about how much fun he was and we wish he would be the CD on all our cruises. Because of Butch, I paid much more attention on cruise 13 when we had Matt Mitchum. And, if Butch seemed like he was having the time of his life, Matt just...didn't. I don't know. I have heard decent things about him, but he just seemed to be really impressed with himself and not overly excited to be there.

 

Cruise 14 is 70~ days away and John's new schedule shows both Jamie Dee and Skip Lyons so I'm not sure who exactly will be ours. I've heard nothing about Skip so I'm hoping for the best.

 

 

Skip is very blasé, he definitely won't have an effect on your cruise but Jaime Dee definitely will! I've heard nothing but amazing things about her.

 

 

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[nursepixie]

I would have been one of the people who said the CD didn't make a difference on cruises 1-11. Then, on cruise 12, I had Butch and LOVED him. He is the first CD I that remembered after getting of the ship and he just seemed to be having a great time the entire cruise. My cruisemates and I still talk about how much fun he was and we wish he would be the CD on all our cruises. Because of Butch, I paid much more attention on cruise 13 when we had Matt Mitchum. And, if Butch seemed like he was having the time of his life, Matt just...didn't. I don't know. I have heard decent things about him, but he just seemed to be really impressed with himself and not overly excited to be there.

 

Cruise 14 is 70~ days away and John's new schedule shows both Jamie Dee and Skip Lyons so I'm not sure who exactly will be ours. I've heard nothing about Skip so I'm hoping for the best.

 

 

I loved Butch as well. Was sad to hear that he is no longer a CD. He'll be in an office in Miami. :(

 

 

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