New UPDATED Cruise Director (CD) List - starting from April 2018 onwards

[BEENSAILING]

I saw the april 15 list and didn’t go far enough...

[Paulette3028]

I don't have a specific AM that I want to see as CD (the ones I wanted are no longer with Royal), but here are my 5 criteria:

1) Young - not being ageist, but it is refreshing to see a CD in their 20's or 30's. I would love if the next CD was born in 1988 or later.

2) Energetic - CD's need to energize a crowd and be the leader, so someone energetic is crucial.

3) Funny - a CD is useless if they have 0 comedic value.

4) Visible - Interacting with guests is important. If not, they are in the wrong industry.

5) Innovative - What unique things can one offer a job? If I made CD, I have some new ideas to bring to the table, so should they. New theme night, new jokes, new style of show, new activities etc.

 

Anything else that you would add to the list?

 

We have known several AM's that have moved up to CD status over the years. I have been surprised that Mauricio Diaz or Mo Vatuloka have not been promoted. They have both been AM's for awhile and we have enjoyed them tremendously. I have been surprised that Geoff Jones has not moved up to a regular spot as an AM, and only fills in when needed. But what do I know -- LOL.

 

Newer to our experience that show promise for stepping into the role of CD would be Grant Martin, Daniel Edwards and Mark Rous. Time will tell, I guess.

[Joe12]

We have known several AM's that have moved up to CD status over the years. I have been surprised that Mauricio Diaz or Mo Vatuloka have not been promoted. They have both been AM's for awhile and we have enjoyed them tremendously. I have been surprised that Geoff Jones has not moved up to a regular spot as an AM, and only fills in when needed. But what do I know -- LOL.

 

Newer to our experience that show promise for stepping into the role of CD would be Grant Martin, Daniel Edwards and Mark Rous. Time will tell, I guess.

 

I agree that I am surprised that Moe has yet to be promoted, although I hadn't heard anything about Mauricio. Glad that he could be CD material. I thought that Geoff was a permanent AM, hopefully he steps up soon.

 

Heard great things about Grant, Mark and Daniel. All 3 have been in the AM role for less than 2 years, but I could see them being CD's in the future, if they desire. They are all from the UK as well which gives them a thumbs up from me!

[BillOh]

4) Visible - Interacting with guests is important. If not, they are in the wrong industry.

 

 

 

I would discuss or debate this one to a small extent. I had Ken Rush on Allure twice and loved him, never had a personal interaction with him, but on a ship that size it would be hard to him to walk in public spaces without someone wanting to interact. I thought he did everything else great like his quest and morning shows.

 

I did have some nice personal interaction with some CDs but I don't seek it out or require it. I am still one week from evaluating Royal's newest CD on Jewel.

[dolphingirl47]

I would love to see Joe Chambers be promoted to Cruise Director. When we had him on Explorer last year, he was very proactive, visible and personable. He was also extremely funny.

 

I also really rated Mark Rous and think he has huge potential. When I cruised with him, he was fairly new in AM role. He was still running the show chiefly because the CD could not be asked.

 

Corinna

[BillOh]

So sad Casey is not a CD anymore he was amazing.

 

 

He was one in a message I was trying to remember his name with regard to personal interaction. He was great to talk to in each of my cruises. My only complaint and it really is a minor one, his Quests are just so-so and I don't think they actually keep score. But I did have two great cruises with him.

 

[Joe12]

I would love to see Joe Chambers be promoted to Cruise Director. When we had him on Explorer last year, he was very proactive, visible and personable. He was also extremely funny.

 

I also really rated Mark Rous and think he has huge potential. When I cruised with him, he was fairly new in AM role. He was still running the show chiefly because the CD could not be asked.

 

Corinna

 

Joe Chambers spent his most recent contract running the activities in CocoCay. I wonder if he is going back to a ship for the next one.

 

Mark Rous seems to be popular as AM - could be a good CD in future.

[Joe12]

I think that Simeon Kirkiles, Comedy Host on Symphony would make a fantastic Cruise Director!

 

Would you agree with me that they should make space in the CD schedule for those that want it? Even if that meant getting rid of some of the other ones or sending them to a sister line.

[Joe12]

I would discuss or debate this one to a small extent. I had Ken Rush on Allure twice and loved him, never had a personal interaction with him, but on a ship that size it would be hard to him to walk in public spaces without someone wanting to interact. I thought he did everything else great like his quest and morning shows.

 

I did have some nice personal interaction with some CDs but I don't seek it out or require it. I am still one week from evaluating Royal's newest CD on Jewel.

 

Oasis Class is a different format, but quite frankly, a good CD should have an interest in the guest experience and want to socialize with guests, rather than hiding in the office. As I said, that's the industry.

[Joe12]

I seriously wish that Royal would publish the schedule of CD's for the full year. That way, I would be able to choose an October cruise based on where the best CD's are, so that I can spend some time observing them and training myself for it. I don't know what cruise/itinerary to pick, and in this situation, the CD would be the ultimate deciding factor.

Edited April 23, 2018 by Joe12

[BEENSAILING]

Joe - It is nice when the cruise director is active and I have had some great cruise directors over the years but a cruise director will not influence what cruise I am going on. I care more about itinerary and price.

[Joe12]

Joe - It is nice when the cruise director is active and I have had some great cruise directors over the years but a cruise director will not influence what cruise I am going on. I care more about itinerary and price.

 

I get what you mean, but in this situation, I was looking to invest a lot of time in the activities and entertainment alongside spending time with the CD and Staff as I would personally like to join the ships myself. By avoiding dud CD's, the better "training" I could get.

It's not as if I would be missing out on anything if I avoided a ship due to their CD, especially when I can get better elsewhere.

[CTCruiser76]

Friends of mine who have cruised PLENTY, were just on Freedom with Drew Devine, and NEVER saw him. If you did not go to the show when he would MC, you would not know he was there.

 

We can back up your friends comments on Drew - we just got back from our Freedom cruise and only saw Drew MC the headline shows and never again. We did see him swimming in the ocean in St Marteen, but that was it. Someone even called him out on it on his daily morning show and he made all kinds of excuses about why - he says he calls the Freedom of the Seas, the Meeting of the Seas ship - because there are all kinds of meeting he has to go to....blah blah blah - excuses. He definitely did not show his face anywhere on the cruise except when he 'had' too. We were also not impressed with the AD on this ship as well, his name was Saini, but it was his very first cruise on Freedom after working 12 years in Australia and Asia, so I can cut him some slack as not being knowledgeable about the ship. He even still had a March Madness event on the Cruise Compass one day and it was April, so he was really just copying from the previous cruise.

[Mustang2015]

surprised that folks dint care for Casey however all had valid reasons. On our first RC cruise Dec 2016 we had him and loved him. Two cruises after that we did have Drew Devine on Navigator agreed he was not as visible but still did a ok job. He hosted sports trivia that my husband loved, Drew loves sports. Mitch was the CD on our Allure trip we felt he was a dud but Grant his activities mgr was great. Grant even hosted the Quest not Mitch. Now on our first cruise ever was on carnival breeze that CD was Matt Mechiam he was the best. These are just our opinions.

[Joe12]

One of the best things that a CD can have is an English accent. Needing to get one if I ever step into the job. Do you agree?

[Tin can]

One of the best things that a CD can have is an English accent. Needing to get one if I ever step into the job. Do you agree?

 

Not really and I’m English :) plus I can only think of possibly three with Royal who are English and therefore have the accent.

 

Fun, uplifting and clear with whatever is being said is the key in my opinion.

[Joe12]

Not really and I’m English :) plus I can only think of possibly three with Royal who are English and therefore have the accent.

 

Fun, uplifting and clear with whatever is being said is the key in my opinion.

 

As long as they aren't Scottish!;p

I'm English at heart so that's where I would claim to be from.

[Joe12]

BTW for Symphony cruisers - Michele is the only CD there now. Hoping that Bobby won't be back until I have done my B2B.

[BillOh]

I think that Simeon Kirkiles, Comedy Host on Symphony would make a fantastic Cruise Director!

 

Would you agree with me that they should make space in the CD schedule for those that want it? Even if that meant getting rid of some of the other ones or sending them to a sister line.

 

 

Oh Simeon is on Symphony? Good I didn't know that. When I was on Oasis in 2016 we went to the comedy show and Simeon was the host. A bunch of people where in the front row and had sailed Oasis many times. They begged him to do "His snowman" I thought they were kind of obnoxious, but when he did it, I laughed harder than I can remember recently. He did a visual impression of Burl I've's snowman character from Rudolph.

 

[Joe12]

As for English CD's - both Graham Seymour and Richard Spacey are British, and when I started looking at CC in 2013, they were Royal's two most popular. I also love Joff Eaton as CD, heard wonderful things about Tim Connor, Chris Hopkins was great in his CD stint, Marc Walker is fantastic.

Ironically, the only Scottish CD that I have seen is Bobby Brown, who I thought was a bit of a dud, hence my evaluation that the English make the best CD's. Abe Hughes is still my favorite though.

[Joe12]

Anyone else in agreement with me about the English being the best CD's? After my experience with Bobby, I'm not convinced that a Scottish person can make a good CD, but so many successful ones have been English.

 

My favorite thing in this video is at 9:28 when Tim Connor enters the Promenade Bridge doing the 70's night introduction in his wonderful south of England accent!

[Clarea]

Mike S. was excellent, and I believe he is Canadian.

[Joe12]

Mike S. was excellent, and I believe he is Canadian.

 

There are lots of excellent American/Canadian/Aussie CD's, but being a Brit, I pay a bit more attention to my fellow Brits, and it seems to me that the English have it nailed whilst the Scottish haven't. Only one Welsh CD in the fleet (Carly).

[Joe12]

Mike S. was excellent, and I believe he is Canadian.

 

Bob - Have you sailed with any Scottish CD's and can counter my opinion?

[Clarea]

Bob - Have you sailed with any Scottish CD's and can counter my opinion?

I don't know where Clo is from, but we found her excellent also.