Cruise Directors are not trying to win over millennials

[OCruisers]

It's a difficult problem:  How to appeal to the younger crowd and still keep the long time older crowd happy.  

[RW20]

2 hours ago, MainerRN92 said:

As a millennial I'd like to weigh in, but I haven't been on Royal yet (in December!). I've been on Carnival and Norwegian. My first cruise ever was on Carnival Vista and we had an awesome CD! I still follow him on Instagram! He had such an outgoing personality, he was a constant presence throughout the cruise, and really engaged the cruisers. NCL was a different story. The CD was practically absent, I saw more of his asst. CDs than him! I like a fun, energetic CD that engages you, not someone who is part of the background. I feel like it ties everything together. I'm interested to see what it's like on Harmony in December.

 

All the CDs we have cruised with on Carnival have been great. You must be talking about Matt. We cruised with him before he moved to the Vista. We thought he was amazing and there couldn't be anyone better. Then we cruised with Dr. E on Carnival Magic who was trained by Matt. He was unbelievably good. Before the shows started and he would get up to speak we were hoping they would cancel the show and just let Dr. E continue. He would start the morning off with his good morning song which just set the day off right! I have never met anyone with so much energy before.

We also cruised with Princess, had a great cruise but couldn't even tell you if they had a cruise director. I guess I'll find out what the CD on the Navigator is like next month.

 

[The Fun Researcher]

 OK, I will throw this out there. Maybe cruise directors aren’t  trying to win over millennials.  I don’t go around thinking about why cruise directors aren’t catering to my generation either  (Gen X) .   Never crossed my mind.    I do appreciate a fun, engaging cruise director though.  I think that is universal for all ages. 

 

Dan

[Lorey2007]

38 minutes ago, WeExplore said:

Well there really is no dress code anymore. You can basically wear whatever you want including shorts, T-shirt’s, tank tops, ball caps, flip flops etc. 

It's really that casual? No formal night whatsoever?

[ONECRUISER]

2 hours ago, pcur said:

HA!  We had 70's night even in the 70's:  they called it Disco Night!!

Actually took Disco lessons in 70's, think they made me a worse dancer

[OACEIS]

Millenial here, cruise once every year for vacation. Cruise director has zero impact on our cruises, and I couldn't tell you the name of one we had. As long as the events/location info is available through the paper cruise compass,  app, or TV in room we are good to go. 

 

In regards to the previous comment about the disco theme, I also believe the 70s nostalgia thing is incredibly played out and we avoid this event every time. Somebody who was a young adult in 1970 would now be almost 70 years old, not necessarily the type of dance party I would seek out. 

 

We do wish they would enforce dress code a little more, if we are going for a nice dinner (not windjammer) I would like the atmosphere to reflect this. 

 

The biggest attractions for us on the ship are specialty dining, good bartenders, pool area, and night life. We choose cruising to try new international destinations without being stuck with one we may not like. 

[Mikew0805]

The RCI cruise directors have never been memorable to us, with the exception of one. Ricky Matthews. In my opinion, CCL has far better CD's in general. 

[gsb]

3 hours ago, time4u2go said:

I'd be happy if they would just ditch 70's night and maybe consider moving to something more recent (like at least 80's night?).

NO NO

The music started going downhill after the 60's and hasn't stopped. 

[RNCindy]

33 minutes ago, Lorey2007 said:

It's really that casual? No formal night whatsoever?

They still have a dress code and formal nights, just more relaxed and not as enforced.  We still dress casual for dinner but no more formal wear on those nights (slacks & nice polo for husband, fancy top and dressy capris for me).  I'm fine with not having to bring formal wear!  I would usually change clothes after dinner anyway!  But, for those that enjoy it, I'm glad they do!!

[Lorey2007]

13 minutes ago, RNCindy said:

They still have a dress code and formal nights, just more relaxed and not as enforced.  We still dress casual for dinner but no more formal wear on those nights (slacks & nice polo for husband, fancy top and dressy capris for me).  I'm fine with not having to bring formal wear!  I would usually change clothes after dinner anyway!  But, for those that enjoy it, I'm glad they do!!

Thanks that sounds good to me.

[SkaterJasp]

Mercedes is really appeal among the younger 20s / 30s demographics. You'll see her at the night club and parties interacting with guests more so than other cruise directors. All my friends in that demographic can remember cruises with Mercedes but not any other cruise directors. 

[xxHadleyxx]

I can live with 70s night as  once a cruise party (though i owuld be perfectly happy to see it go away)--what I get sick of is the lion's share of the music in the club being 70s with so many of the DJs.  Meanwhile the dance floor stays mostly empty.  One transatlantic not too long ago, another couple and us ended up dancing in the Diamond Lounge (which was seperated from the club by only a partition) on the night the club was closed and being used for a staff party---it was the only night on the whole transatlantic in which newer dance music was played more than once an hour in the club!  I am mid 40s and the other couple was a good 20 years older than we are---but we'd still like to dance to something we haven't been hearing for 40+ years---sheesh.

I think we get a good DJ who plays a decent mix of older and newer tunes, and actually danceable things, about one quarter of the time.  

 

 

My son is 20.  He finds most cruise staff and activites directors are great with the younger crowd, but some of the CDs are downright insulting to the younger passengers---insulting their music taste, etc as a way to ingratiate themselves to the older cruisers.  I have seen that a few times, mostly on the morning shows, and yeah, it just seems weird to do that.  He would, of course, really like the nightclubs to play newer music---I imagine one reason we run into this is that we tend to sail Europe and TAs and a bot off season, so the passenger base tends to be older.

[Joseph2017China]

A ship is the whole package, not just a CD.  Sure I like a funny CD, but what's more important is what the CD plans out daily, that makes my life on vacation fun.  The 70's dance party is more of a strange tradition now, than anything else.  It's fun, and humorous.  So speaking on the whole package, a cruise is about traditions.  The dinners, the shows, the dress up nights.  What I like most is the fact that I can prepay every thing, and not worry about driving, finding hotels, finding a place to eat or knowing what entertainment I fill do in the evenings.  I want the CD to schedule the evening entertainment so that I have choices.  On the other hand, I would like to see some evening shows changed up to different shows, like Love and Marriage.  It's funny, but it's old.  I'm sure other shows can happen in it's place.  Same with Quest.  Can we have another raunchy show in it's place?  (seriously, it has to be as good).  Maybe put a new twist on it?  Instead of a 70's dance party, can we have a Rocky Horror Picture Show night?  Plus have a least one midnight buffet night for those that know how to eat.

[orville99]

We've never met a CD on any of the lines we routinely sail that wasn't eminently forgettable, or patently annoying.

[molsonschooner]

13 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

The CD ranks about 200th on my list of things I look forward to. 

that is about the way I feel also.

[NateUpNorth]

Cruise director? Is that the person that holds the main show hostage while they do the 2 minute infomercial about the excursion desk, specialty restaurants, promenade sale of the day etc etc? 

 

[John&LaLa]

4 minutes ago, molsonschooner said:

that is about the way I feel also.

 

I may try and make a list next week on Oasis

 

Not sure I can get to 200, but I'll try. 😉

 

 

 

[rbschultz]

If they want to capture the millenials they need a 90s night. 90s pop and hip-hop would bring out all the millenials (or at least would bring me out). 0 interest in 70s night and minimal interest in 80s night.

[cot427]

Millennial here...and here's my two cents if anyone cares. So I've been cruising for 17 years now, since I was 10. So growing up, taking 1-2 cruises a year, I do remember looking up to the CD as the person who was everywhere, was energetic and funny and who sometimes made a difference or a memory, in some way or another. 

 

Fast forward to taking cruises with friends groups or with my s/o, I pay less and less attention to CDs. I think it's a combination of the fact that 1) I care less about them and 2) they are repetitive and less entertaining lately. I doubt my friends even know what a cruise director is or does, especially with no thanks to Dennis. It was a lot of their first times and he just does not do it at all anymore. He was not only unfunny, but he had no energy and was downright creepy...in my opinion. 

[John&LaLa]

FWIW, some people do care about the CD.  

 

Pretty active thread on CC about that. 🚢

[Iamcruzin]

In my 10 years of being a member of Cruise Critic I never quite understood the fascination that everyone has about the cruise director. I would think that Millennials  wouldn't even notice a cruise director unless he/she were an app.

Edited February 14, 2019 by Iamcruzin

[bouhunter]

14 hours ago, mcatmcat said:

Hi

Every time I talk to my friends ( millennials) about cruise lines and their ships the topic about Royal Caribbean's cruise directors come out 

Interesting.  Every time we talk about cruises with friends who cruise a lot, the topic of cruise directors never comes up.

[Iamcruzin]

26 minutes ago, rbschultz said:

 

 

 

1 hour ago, NateUpNorth said:

Cruise director? Is that the person that holds the main show hostage while they do the 2 minute infomercial about the excursion desk, specialty restaurants, promenade sale of the day etc etc? 

 

That's pretty much it. They used to also host the shopping events where they sell you the coupon book. That's a first time cruiser trap. I haven't been to one of those in over 30 years. I don't know if they even have them anymore.

[Luv2Cruise525]

I am a millennial and I couldn't name a single cruise director that I've had on any of my cruises.  As someone who has cruised mostly in my 20's, I believe that the cruise director could have a larger presence among the passengers between the ages of 18 and 20.  This age group is old enough to enjoy the adult venues, but not allowed to drink alcohol, which leaves them in a tricky position.  Many of these guests are travelling with their families, so it is more difficult to find people their own age and mingle.  I also think that the cruise director can enhance the club environment, much like NCL does during their White Out party.  Many times during each of my cruises I have walked into the club during prime time and see everyone spread out sitting in the corners of the room.  I am definitely more critical about this topic because I have worked various events as someone who was hired to get the crowd dancing and engage with guests of all ages.  RCCL should definitely utilize their staff more to enhance the guests' experience.   

[Tree_skier]

1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said:

 I would think that Millennials  wouldn't even notice a cruise director unless he/she were an app.

LOL