Cruise Director Announcements - helpful or annoying?

[57redbird]

We agree. On our last cruise (Panama Canal), without us doing anything, all but the Captain's announcements didn't broadcast into our cabin - we had to open the door & listen in the hallway, if we chose to. That was nice...

[Lizzie68]

To me it's no big deal. It's a few seconds a day.

[UPNYGuy]

Linda Minnikin drove me insane when we were on Statendam. She was on the PA every half hour hawking bingo, art auctions, foot of gold sales, restaurant and spa hours, etc. etc. etc. This was during an Alaska sailing, and was VERY annoying. More than one person actually made a comment to the captain about it.

[Stratheden]

If I ever hear another 'WooHoo' over the speaker system I may jump overboard. Don't think I would like Tootleloo either.

 

I do think HAL could cut down on the reams of paper that we all seem to receive in our staterooms. Does anyone ever read that art auction stuff. Mine goes straight in the bin.

[Tripper10]

Agree wholeheartedly. It's extremely annoying.

 

100% agree

[Ky Colonel]

Extremely annoying. As others have posted, we read the daily program, decide what we want to do, & forget the rest. Having activities read to us grates. HAL has gotten worse over the years with these announcements. They need to cut out ALL announcements except those that relate to emergency drills & captain's daily update. Other than those, I don't listen nor do I care.

 

... add me in to the "Annoying" group ...

 

Rod

[take us away]

They probably could close down the speaker in the room you are using if you asked them to.

 

You can easily turn off the regular announcements in your cabin - the control is usually by the bed. Emergency announcements come in even when you do this.

[take us away]

Gene Young is great with his announcements, short, sweet and to the point. Usually there is also something that is changed, that we need to remember or an addition, such as who will be the guest at 'Good Morning Amsterdam'.

 

Totally agree with the blasted sales flyers - what they must spend in recycling and printing costs. Makes decent scratch paper and recycling trash can filler.

[TraelorMex]

Would love to say "tootaloo forever" to those announcements. :D

 

We were on a longish cruise where the C/D kept repeating this dumb sign-off,

"tootaloo".

 

I suspect it wont be long before this position is downgraded and/or eliminated...at least one can hope.

[CruisingSince2012]

You can easily turn off the regular announcements in your cabin - the control is usually by the bed. Emergency announcements come in even when you do this.

 

If it's so easy why don't more people know how to do it?

 

The only problem with that idea is it won't help when I am in a class or lecture.

[kazu]

We were on a longish cruise where the C/D kept repeating this dumb sign-off,

"tootaloo".

 

I suspect it wont be long before this position is downgraded and/or eliminated...at least one can hope.

 

Sounds like you had Linda.

 

I don't think you want the position eliminated - that will decrease activities on the ship.

 

A good cruise director can really make a difference :)

[freestyling]

I agree with Kazu but less frequent announcements wouldbe greatly appreciated. It is abit irritating during church services and classes. tootaloo for now :D

[oofroggie]

Listen up Holland America, after reading this post it looks most people want the CD announcements to STOP,including myself. I often think that perhaps they think I can't read

[lambcom]

Having cruised most recently on Celebrity and Crystal, I've become used to having only the noon weather and navigational announcements "from the bridige" by the Captain. The only exceptions seem to be when a port has to be skipped due to weather and replacement activities have had to be added.

 

If Holland America is looking for an essentially no cost way of looking more upscale, this is one answer that involves no work on management's part.

 

George +

[Nanner]

I agree that the CD involved makes a difference. Our last cruise we had a CD who seemed to be forcefully cheerful, and he didn't know how to just make the announcements and get off the mike. He also sounded too much like a huckster for the bingo games and sales in the shops.

 

We've had others who did a good job of imparting information and going away. They are deeply appreciated by us.

 

I'm not wanting to eliminate the CD position, but would like to hear them less and have them be in charge of more staff. I miss the free classes like tai chi, sit and be fit, or water exercise. It seems there isn't much active left unless you pay an exorbitant amount for a class in the gym led by someone who doesn't understand the guests are mostly way past headstands and heavy weights.

 

We do love to hear the "Voice from the Bridge" announcements. HAL better keep those forever.

Edited May 11, 2015 by Nanner

[SilvertoGold]

You can easily turn off the regular announcements in your cabin - the control is usually by the bed. Emergency announcements come in even when you do this.

 

This is the one thing that drives my DH insane.

 

While he doesn't mind announcements, a former CD managed to hit the emergency button every dam time she made announcements and you could not shut them off the the cabins.

 

Moveover, it cut out the TV (!!). This was in a US election year and it would often happen right in the middle of a televised debate!

[SilvertoGold]

Concerning the idea that maybe HAL will downgrade or eliminate the CD position: I think they downgraded this position some time ago.

 

The CDs used to work up the ladder for quite a while and the result was a more experienced and knowledgeable person in the position.

 

Gradually, we started getting younger, much less experienced people (the promoters and hawkers) who had little idea or interest in the HAL culture (ie: this is not Carnival or Disney).

 

There are some really good CDs, and then there are some who just don't fit in. HAL seems to be going for the younger set. Perhaps it is about the payroll?

[lazey1]

I read the "On Location" sheet before I go to bed; mentally, my next day is somewhat planned. I don't need a CD reading the information to me on the PA.

 

Really do enjoy the "Voice from the Bridge", even when one can predict what the Master is going to say except for the precise nautical/geographical details.

 

 

CD announcements are annoying.:p Totally agree with the above statement:)

[cbr663]

Unfortunately for some reason I am not able to tune out of background noise. If I am anywhere near a speaker the only way to not hear the CD is wear a pair of earplugs, which is not an option because I wear hearing aids everywhere except the cabin and pool.

 

The only time I heard a CD do this was during a photography class.

 

I also wear a hearing aid and background noise is a definite problem for me also. I find the noise in the MDR so overwhelming at times that I now avoid it whenever we can.

[Hlitner]

We love this topic. If left to the majority of cruisers there would never be any cruise director announcements. The one HAL cruise director who really minimized his announcements (to one a day) was Thom Faulkner...who unfortunately is no longer a CD (perhaps its a crime not to promote sales onboard).

 

And here is an interesting observation (factoid) based on a lot of experience. The more upper class the cruise line the fewer CD announcements. Go on the ultra-luxury lines and you might get one PA announcement a day. Go on the party lines and you will get too many announcements primarily intended to promote cruise line "events" that raise more onboard revenue. Perhaps it is telling that HAL seems to have been increasing their announcements in recent years :(.

 

Hank

Edited May 11, 2015 by Hlitner

[tmore]

Annoying. We are literate and don't need someone to read the schedule to us. We find Carlos particularly annoying. He is more of a shill for the shops than a cruise director. In his announcements he doesn't even mention the topic of the 10 o'clock lecture, but he is effusive in his descriptions of the sales pitch 'seminars'. He is just so phoney that we avoid anything when he is involved. 'I'll see you out and about' Not if we see you first, Carlos.

 

I'm surprised! If you are referring to to Carlos Mendoza, we sailed with Carlos on the Prinsendam and thought he was one of the best CD's we've experienced, second only to Andrea Korff on the Rotterdam.

[mudscraper]

Annoying. We are literate and don't need someone to read the schedule to us. We find Carlos particularly annoying. He is more of a shill for the shops than a cruise director. In his announcements he doesn't even mention the topic of the 10 o'clock lecture, but he is effusive in his descriptions of the sales pitch 'seminars'. He is just so phoney that we avoid anything when he is involved. 'I'll see you out and about' Not if we see you first, Carlos.

 

I was enjoying a beautiful morning until you mentioned Carlos ! First class phony. It's been four years since we sailed with Carlos but sadly that memory is baked into our brains.

[antique sailor]

AHOY SHIPMATES,

 

99% of the announcements could be RENAMED "HAL's ATTEMPT AT

INFOMERCIALS ABOARD SHIP"

 

These are actually not the fault of the CD, but due to the change in job descriptions of the CD and the EVENT CO ORDINATOR who is a Seattle home office enforcer of shipboard events.

Is this a move in .........what direction? could be a plus or a minus.

 

 

 

 

 

SEA YA

[Ky Colonel]

I was enjoying a beautiful morning until you mentioned Carlos ! First class phony. It's been four years since we sailed with Carlos but sadly that memory is baked into our brains.

 

For the most part, I have been oblivious to the CDs on our cruises ... all that was changed forever when (during planning for this year's Summer Adventure aboard the Westerdam) our 2 granddaughters (ages 11 and 13) asked if HAL will have "Jimmy" on our cruise ... it turns out that "Jimmy" was the very memorable CD on our 2014 Disney Wonder cruise, and our Princesses found his p/a announcements to be so obnoxious as to be humorous ... so, if nothing else, I guess some CDs may provide some (unintentional) humor to cruisers, but not enough that I would consider changing my earlier "Annoying" vote ...

 

Rod

[Tampa Girl]

Would love to say "tootaloo forever" to those announcements. :D

 

"tootaloo" - so that is what he was saying! Incredibly annoying.