ONE Cruise Director's opinion of Cruise Critic

[minn0315]

One Adventure now. At precisely 7:35 this evening, some 25 minutes ago, while my wife and I are sitting in the R Bar, Mercedes and Margot pass by. I got up and asked to confirm for Cruise Critic that what they told me last night and this morning was true about assignments.

 

Mercedes stated, "I can't believe you contribute to Cruise Critic, it is rubbish and lies". She went on to contradict what was mentioned this morning. She told me that she is definitely "staying on board until at least April. These things are fluid and change by the minute." She would not confirm what others have reported here about who will replace her. Once again she asked, "where do you hear these rumors?" Margot did confirm the handover on Saturday and she is going to Oasis, albeit sheepishly, like it was no one's business.

 

As I stated in a review of the current cruise we are on, our concierge, Ryno Strapp does not read Cruise Critic because "the rumors are too upsetting".

Edited March 9, 2016 by minn0315

[matj2000]

I don't really blame them for being nasty.

 

Who wants a bunch of strangers asking questions like investigating reporters about their job.

 

It really isn't anyone's business anyway..

 

[Ashland]

One Adventure now. At precisely 7:35 this evening, some 25 minutes ago, while my wife and I are sitting in the R Bar, Mercedes and Margot pass by. I got up and asked to confirm for Cruise Critic that what they told me last night and this morning was true about assignments.

 

Mercedes stated, "I can't believe you contribute to Cruise Critic, it is rubbish and lies". She went on to contradict what was mentioned this morning. She told me that she is definitely "staying on board until at least April. These things are fluid and change by the minute." She would not confirm what others have reported here about who will replace her. Once again she asked, "where do you hear these rumors?" Margot did confirm the handover on Saturday and she is going to Oasis, albeit sheepishly, like it was no one's business.

 

As I stated in a review of the current cruise we are on, our concierge, Ryno Strapp does not read Cruise Critic because "the rumors are too upsetting".

 

I think they could have handled the response to your question much better....."Cruise Critic is rubbish" not a great attitude from her at all :eek:

[minn0315]

But look at the YEARS long threads asking almost daily about CDs and ADs. It is interesting to thousands on this board. And for the benefit of their employer, RCI, many passengers book cruises based on who the CD/AD will be on their cruise.

 

These staff members are public figures to hundreds of thousands of paying passengers over their careers. If they don't want simple questions then they should not be in the public arena.

[cheezwiz]

I don't really blame them for being nasty.

 

Who wants a bunch of strangers asking questions like investigating reporters about their job.

 

It really isn't anyone's business anyway..

 

 

I agree. It could definitely feel a little intrusive standing in their shoes. I think those threads are a little creepy, but that's just my opinion, so I don't read them.

Edited March 9, 2016 by cheezwiz

[Ashland]

But look at the YEARS long threads asking almost daily about CDs and ADs. It is interesting to thousands on this board. And for the benefit of their employer, RCI, many passengers book cruises based on who the CD/AD will be on their cruise.

 

These staff members are public figures to hundreds of thousands of paying passengers over their careers. If they don't want simple questions then they should not be in the public arena.

 

Wonder how she handles the RCI Meet-n-Mingles....I'll be onboard the AOS for a B2B in May.

 

She is the face of the company and that face may not look so good now to some :rolleyes:

[1ParticularHbr]

IMHO, every CD, AD, and concierge is responsible for their own professional brand. How they interact with passengers factors into that. We just sailed with Rayno and Mercedes and interacted with them both. We'd love to cross paths with Rayno on a future cruise. Mercedes, meh....

[Ashland]

I agree. It could definitely feel a little intrusive standing in their shoes. I think those threads are a little creepy, but that's just my opinion, so I don't read them.

 

I could also care less about who the CD/AD are going to be and usually can't even remember their names....However...It was how the question was handled that's the problem here...and it should have been done with diplomacy as the face of RCI speaking negatively about a rather large interest group....not good.

[1ParticularHbr]

Allow me to clarify. We wouldn't book or not book based on CD or Concierge. There are just some we look forward to sailing with more than others. ;)

[Beardface]

I think they could have handled the response to your question much better....."Cruise Critic is rubbish" not a great attitude from her at all :eek:

 

Cruise Critic has a terrible reputation throughout the cruising industry. And really, when you see some of the threads (how to smuggle alcohol onto ships, how to avoid tipping, borderline stalking of upper staff members, constant complaining about any change the cruise lines make, etc) its really not hard to see why.

[cheezwiz]

I could also care less about who the CD/AD are going to be and usually can't even remember their names....However...It was how the question was handled that's the problem here...and it should have been done with diplomacy as the face of RCI speaking negatively about a rather large interest group....not good.

 

I agree she could have handled it better, but having met Mercedes on my last cruise, I can almost hear her saying it and then quickly moving on to the next topic. As for a large interest group, I suspect the real die-hards on this forum represent a pretty small percentage of RCCL's slice of the cruising public.

Edited March 9, 2016 by cheezwiz

[Ashland]

I agree she could have handled it better, but having met Mercedes on my last cruise, I can almost hear her saying it and then quickly moving on to the next topic. As for a large interest group, I suspect the real die-hards on this forum represent a pretty small percentage of RCCL's slice of the cruising public.

 

Regardless of how small our slice may be...we still have a piece.

[SPacificbound]

When I read the first post I thought this was a joke thread. But you all are actually serious...... :eek:

[ryano]

Wonder how she handles the RCI Meet-n-Mingles....I'll be onboard the AOS for a B2B in May.

 

She is the face of the company and that face may not look so good now to some :rolleyes:

 

Cruise Directors actually grace meet and mingles with their presence? :confused: The few I've been to was "cruise director staff". I think we had the AD once.

[330searay]

I personally think there are way more threads that provide valuable information rather than rubbish. With the amount of people subscribed to this site, there is always going to be certain threads that may not be desirable to most. So in my opinion, to say Cruise Critic is rubbish, is nothing more than a stereotypical statement. I personally have met some very cruise/ship knowledgeable people on this site and I honestly really enjoy it. Are there threads that I read that make me shake my head?? Of course. Just my 2 cents. Dan

Edited March 9, 2016 by 330searay
Bad English. Lol

[CRUISEFAN0001]

When I read the first post I thought this was a joke thread. But you all are actually serious...... :eek:

Same here!

 

In reading the Cruise Director threads here for years, and also meting a number of these hard-working folks in person (Jerome Sueur and Amy Fickert-Southgate are two of our favorites), we've found them to very approachable, friendly, and helpful with information aboard our cruises.

 

The response from CD Mercedes Lafuente is nearly unbelievable and very unprofessional. My only guess - and it is a guess - its that someone may have posted something in the past about her that was less than positive, and now she is negative toward this site. I don't know this to be a fact, but it's the only explanation for that kind of response coming from any Cruise Director.

 

Based on the reply...our hope is that she's off of Adventure the beginning of April so that we don't have to experience her ourselves on our cruise.

 

Thanks to the original poster for sharing this candid insight on this topic, albeit a poor experience.

[BCCarty85]

I don't really blame them for being nasty.

 

 

 

Who wants a bunch of strangers asking questions like investigating reporters about their job.

 

 

 

It really isn't anyone's business anyway..

 

 

 

 

 

Over the years I have read far more "nasty" things describing individual people than the remark attributed to Mercedes about Cruise Critic. And the rumors/speculation do at times seem to come out of left field. Perhaps we should all be sensitive to the fact that although we may consider cruise directors, captains, concierges, etc. to be public figures, they are all individuals simply trying to do their jobs to earn a living like the rest of us. It cannot be easy to live under a microscope such as Cruise Critic, knowing that anything you say or do becomes instant "news".

 

 

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[papcx]

It cannot be easy to live under a microscope such as Cruise Critic, knowing that anything you say or do becomes instant "news".

 

 

Even more reason to not react the way they did!

 

My 2cents. Small slice or not, CC is a % of their customers so smile, and be polite, regardless how you feel.

 

 

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[Jeannie333333]

Same here!

 

In reading the Cruise Director threads here for years, and also meting a number of these hard-working folks in person (Jerome Sueur and Amy Fickert-Southgate are two of our favorites), we've found them to very approachable, friendly, and helpful with information aboard our cruises.

 

The response from CD Mercedes Lafuente is nearly unbelievable and very unprofessional. My only guess - and it is a guess - its that someone may have posted something in the past about her that was less than positive, and now she is negative toward this site. I don't know this to be a fact, but it's the only explanation for that kind of response coming from any Cruise Director.

 

Based on the reply...our hope is that she's off of Adventure the beginning of April so that we don't have to experience her ourselves on our cruise.

 

Thanks to the original poster for sharing this candid insight on this topic, albeit a poor experience.

 

 

IMHO she is one of the worst CD's we have ever experienced so, for that reason i do hope she isn't on your cruise in April ...and no, she won't attend the M & M (or at least she hasn't on the couple of cruises we have been on that she was CD) :)

[marci22]

Ironically, she ended up starting a thread about herself.

[shipshape sam]

Allow me to clarify. We wouldn't book or not book based on CD or Concierge. There are just some we look forward to sailing with more than others. ;)

 

I would echo your position.

 

I have never concerned myself with what staff was onboard. That is not why I choose a particular ship/sailing.

 

For sure, though, CD's can make a cruise more or less memorable. There was an older male CD many years ago that was great at trivia each day on our 14 sailing.

He interacted, cracked jokes, etc to the delight of those attending. I would stop and listen for a few minutes if I was passing by.

 

What makes or breaks a cruise from Great to Good? Never been on a Bad cruise. Had some interesting ones. For me, my quick answer is:

 

Weather, people we interact with, itinerary, food quality, service experience onboard. Cruise line can't control much of my expectation/experience. I am responsible.

[A&L_Ont]

Ironically, she ended up starting a thread about herself.

 

Was this a while ago? I guess so as I'd remember if it was recent.

 

Perhaps her thread is what brought about her spite for CC. These boards can be a though place if your skin isn't thick, and perhaps she didn't know what she was getting into.;) I wonder what she thinks of Facebook, it can be just like CC, but comments reach people you actually know not just random people you might meat one day.

 

CD and AD (AM?) might be private people but they are doing a very public job which launches them into the spotlight, literally and physically. If she did start a thread about herself it might not have been a wise decision.

[marci22]

Was this a while ago? I guess so as I'd remember if it was recent.

 

I meant that she inadvertently started this thread when she made her comments to the OP.

[Overtyme]

But look at the YEARS long threads asking almost daily about CDs and ADs. It is interesting to thousands on this board. And for the benefit of their employer, RCI, many passengers book cruises based on who the CD/AD will be on their cruise.

 

 

 

These staff members are public figures to hundreds of thousands of paying passengers over their careers. If they don't want simple questions then they should not be in the public arena.

 

 

One could argue that it is the responsibility of their employer to respond when it's appropriate.

However as others have pointed out to me in the past, they don't owe anyone a response at all.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Philly Steve]

Pretty harsh assessment and maybe she was having a really bad day?

 

Most cruise/hotel staff I have encountered have respect for CC and know the people who post here generally don't have to be hand led and spoon fed on a cruise.

 

Still, I am amazed at just how many fellow guests on a cruise have never heard of this website. :confused: