Favorite HAL Presenters & Cruise Directors

[idiebabe]

14 hours ago, Cruising-along said:

Hamish is no longer with HAL?  We really enjoyed him on our last cruise (fall of 2019, Nieuw Statendam.

We were on that Cruise and really enjoyed Hamish, too!  Also, sailed with him on Oosterdam and, IIRC, Zuiderdam.  One of our Favorites.

 

We also like Mario (haven't seen him in awhile) and Simon.  Simon and Captain Timmers together were a hoot!  

 

We very much enjoyed Kainoa and a Presenter which I can't think of her name on our AK Cruise.  She was excellent!

 

[dockman]

16 hours ago, Btimmer said:

In another thread it was suggested that a good topic would be to share who our favorite presenters have been in on prior HAL cruises. I'll start with my two favorite presenters (in no particular order).  I have some others, but I'll save those for a future post.

 

Terry Greenburg who speaks on Asian culture

Dr. Kam or Master Kam who also speaks on Asian culture with more of an emphasis on China.  He also leads Tai Chi classes.

 

Who's been a favorite presenter while you've been on board a HAL ship? This topic should stir up some pleasant memories.

 

Dr Kam is fantastic.

[Cruising-along]

26 minutes ago, idiebabe said:

We were on that Cruise and really enjoyed Hamish, too! 

He was great.  He helped with our vow renewal on that cruise performed by Captain O'Driscoll.  

[sail7seas]

 

 

 

 

 

16 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

CD Gary Walker on my 2002 Volendam's Maiden Asia Pacific Cruise.  The "Voice from the Bridge" reports with Captain Jonathan Peter Harris were both informative as well as being hilarious at times.  They were a comey team that was better than any HAL employed for that cruise.  

 

[Bopster]

Our all time favorite cruise director was Mario Vines!  We were on a 28 day Med cruise in 2014 and it was his first gig on Holland.  He was training under Eric, who was also a fabulous cruise director and was married to the lead singer onboard, Keri (not sure how to spell her name)  Eric told us they had chosen to leave cruising behind.  We then were lucky enough to have Mario as our cruise director two more times, but he also decided to go to another career.   He and Eric always made every effort to make cruising FUN.

 

 

 

[highscar]

Few years ago our cd was a gal named Sydney. She had so many activities planned also crafts. Unfortunately most times the only participants were my sister and I.  Felt sorry for her. Could not understand why more were  not interested. 

[Sue from Canada]

My favourite presenter on my two Hawaiian cruises was a guy called Kainoa.  He was from Hawaii and had wonderful stories, history and a lot of information to share.  HE made the cruise so memorable.

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, RuthC said:

Going way back, Rick Spath was one of the best ever. 

 

YES!  He was the CD on Rotterdam V during her final Alaska season.  I was so pleased to see that he was aboard when I embarked because of his reputation.  He did not disappoint!  His programming was excellent.  The shows often started with Johnny Horton's North to Alaska with the ship's actively participating during the song.  

 

18 hours ago, USN59-79 said:

I think of Gene Young when I think of excellent cruise directors.

 

Yes.  It was probably a long cruise where I first encountered this gentleman.  January, 2020 aboard MSC Meraviglia, I was very pleased to learn that he was the CD.  Personable and very approachable, an excellent entertainment program where he even performed in an afternoon show:  a quality individual.  During the Meraviglia M&G, he told us that MSC had recruited him out of retirement to help them in establishing a stronger marketing footprint in the North American market.  

 

 

[RuthC]

56 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

YES!  He was the CD on Rotterdam V during her final Alaska season.

Rick stayed on through the ship's final journey from Vancouver, down the coast, through the Panama Canal, and ending in Ft. Lauderdale. 
Since we had to keep missing ports due to hurricanes in the Pacific (I think there were three of them), he had to come up with plans to fill the new sea days. In those days, though, there were a lot more fun activities during the day, and a staff to host them. In spite of the missed ports (and my husband not being able to catch up with the ship easily), it was a great send-off for that beloved vessel. 

[510picker]

Jason Venner has been my favorite cruise director. He was funny, pleasant, and simply comfortable in that roll. 

[tjcox9]

We have to agree with some previous posters regarding Frank Buckingham, Thom (and his wife Tina) who in our remembrances of the old Prinsendam, made it what it was. We frequently ended up eating in the same restaurants as they did, and one in particular, Corsica as I recall, we all shared a table and Limoncello!

 

We frequently ran onto Frank in other ports in restaurants, just not in the group settings, and in his next talk, we would get kudos for those finding the 'real' local places to enjoy the local offerings. Fond memories from more years ago than I wish to admit! 

 

Thanks to all who may have been part of these memories!

 

 

[St Pete Cruiser]

10 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

We enjoyed Kainoa on several HAL South Pacific and Panama Canal cruises.  His port lectures were always a full house.

 

He was with us on our 2017 South Pacific Maasdam cruise but left the company abruptly in Tahiti.  Many speculative reasons why were floated around but I won't go there.  I hope he is doing well whatever he may be doing.

 

 

 

He was on the Eurodam, Nov 2018, Hawaii cruise RT out of San Diego.  I agree he was great and sincere.  

 

Barbara, long time port lecturer including the WC, is a favorite.  We invited her to share dinner with us on the Volendam in 2018 and was a delight as we reminisced about the ships and ports and the people.

 

Frank Buckingham, only once on the Prinsendam in 2010, was also great.

 

Susan Woods, CD, was another favorite, and didn't get old for me.

 

Hamisch was going to the WC last year from the Nieuw Statendam where I met him.  Hope he returns.

 

There have been more good ones than bad.  Let's hope the return to cruising brings more good ones back. 

[Mary229]

There was at one time a list of CD.  Does that list still exist?

[highscar]

Kainoa was on the circle Hawaii cruises the years I was on, 2018,19 & 20.  He and his ladies disembarked I belief it was the island of hawii.  He not only lives in Honolulu but also has a dance studio there. 

[ger_77]

Bruce Scudder - he was on our first ever Mediterranean cruise on the Prinsendam and we thoroughly enjoyed him. Such a professional, yet he made you feel like you were his only concern on the entire ship.  We ran into him on a couple of other cruises, then he was deployed to the World Cruises and we lost track of him.  

 

Mario Vines was another who was a great personality - loved his warmth and humour.

 

We tired of Hamish's "woo hoo" pretty quickly.  LOL

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

 

 

[RedneckBob]

10 minutes ago, ger_77 said:

Bruce Scudder - he was on our first ever Mediterranean cruise on the Prinsendam and we thoroughly enjoyed him. Such a professional, yet he made you feel like you were his only concern on the entire ship.  We ran into him on a couple of other cruises, then he was deployed to the World Cruises and we lost track of him.  

 

Mario Vines was another who was a great personality - loved his warmth and humour.

 

We tired of Hamish's "woo hoo" pretty quickly.  LOL

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

 

 

Bruce was excellent. Was on our VOV cruise twice.

[RedneckBob]

My favorite Cruise Director was Eric Dowis. Maybe his southern accent or jokes fit my style, though I know a few of you were mixed about his presentation. He left HAL several years ago to do stand up comedy on his own plus his wife, who was a singer on HAL, performed with him. I understand he was doing very well before the pandemic.

 

RNB

[Indianadaytripper]

My favorite was party boy Gene Young he had the best entertainment and activities in my view wish he was back with HA

[Storylady]

On 4/18/2021 at 7:24 AM, StLouisCruisers said:

We enjoyed Kainoa on several HAL South Pacific and Panama Canal cruises.  His port lectures were always a full house.

 

He was with us on our 2017 South Pacific Maasdam cruise but left the company abruptly in Tahiti.  Many speculative reasons why were floated around but I won't go there.  I hope he is doing well whatever he may be doing.

 

 

 

From what I heard Kainoa’s contract wasn’t renewed due to his weight. Since then he has been traveling with the Hawaiian group of entertainers. And are you sure he was Port Lecturer on your Maasdam Cruise when he left in Tahiti. He might have been part of Paki’s group, all of whom would have left in Tahiti. Kainoa was the lecturer for the group on our World Cruise 2018 and 2020. And he and the whole group left when we reached Tahiti. Kainoa, I believe stayed on to Bora Bora where his relatives won a black pearl store. 

 

Edited April 19, 2021 by Storylady

[Sososailer]

Our favorite Cruise Director was Eric Holland. Yes, Holland. Not sure where he went but we always enjoyed his humor. 

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, ger_77 said:

Bruce Scudder

 

My opinion of him differs from yours based on my 2008 Grand World Voyage experiences with him as CD.  

 

18 hours ago, St Pete Cruiser said:

Barbara, long time port lecturer including the WC, is a favorite

 

Barbara had a wealth of information, provided entertaining and interesting port talks, and was quite personable, approachable.  

 

18 hours ago, St Pete Cruiser said:

Susan Woods, CD, was another favorite, and didn't get old for me.

 

I agree.  I sailed with her on 2 or 3 cruises and was always glad to learn when I embarked that she was the CD.  

 

Reportedly, during her last stint with HAL, she left a VOV cruise mid-voyage which was unexpected.  I have wondered what caused that disruption.  

[StLouisCruisers]

20 minutes ago, Storylady said:

From what I heard Kainoa’s contract wasn’t renewed due to his weight. Since then he has been traveling with the Hawaiian group of entertainers. And are you sure he was Port Lecturer on your Maasdam Cruise when he left in Tahiti. He might have been part of Paki’s group, all of whom would have left in Tahiti. Kainoa was the lecturer for the group on our World Cruise 2018 and 2020. And he and the whole group left when we reached Tahiti. Kainoa, I believe stayed on to Bora Bora where his relatives won a black pearl store. 

 

 

Yes, he absolutely was the port lecturer, or destination guide, whatever they liked to call it.  The pictures of him in my post were taken during that cruise as he was giving his lecture.  I remember him talking about his family's pearl store in Bora Bora and wondered if he was reprimanded for pushing it, especially with the shops on board the ship selling black pearls too.  Competition!

 

However, it sounds to me from other posters saying he left in the middle of their cruises that he always did that.  With the high ratings guests gave him I'm sure HAL would think twice about canning him.  There was some talk that he failed his company physical though, as you mentioned.

[sppunk]

For entertainment, Diane Fast is/was the best piano bar player. She beats the socks off anyone. 

[KarefreeKaren]

1 hour ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

Yes, he absolutely was the port lecturer, or destination guide, whatever they liked to call it.  The pictures of him in my post were taken during that cruise as he was giving his lecture.  I remember him talking about his family's pearl store in Bora Bora and wondered if he was reprimanded for pushing it, especially with the shops on board the ship selling black pearls too.  Competition!

 

However, it sounds to me from other posters saying he left in the middle of their cruises that he always did that.  With the high ratings guests gave him I'm sure HAL would think twice about canning him.  There was some talk that he failed his company physical though, as you mentioned.

By far,  the best person to have on board when sailing French Polynesia or Hawaii! I’ve enjoyed his lectures on three different cruises, the last was two years ago.  He shared with me that he no longer works for HAL, but was hired on as a guest lecturer—expert— on the islands.  I’m sure they will keep bringing him on because his stories make the ports come alive! 
 

[aliaschief]

It’s been a long time since I have said this Cruise Directors name. After five hours his named just popped!😁 

 

I believe the name is correct but our favorite Cruise Director was Drew Murdock! Correct me if I’m wrong! He was everywhere and was a great host.

 

Today’s Cruise Directors just seem to come and go.

Edited April 19, 2021 by aliaschief