Cruise Directors

[Sny]

Wondering who the cruise directors are on each ship at this time.  Are they mostly veterans; or has O picked up some new talent since the pandemic?

Impressions?

[basor]

2 hours ago, Sny said:

Wondering who the cruise directors are on each ship at this time.  Are they mostly veterans; or has O picked up some new talent since the pandemic?

Impressions?

From what I have seen on postings and from personal experience, most of the CD's onboard are seasoned O veterans dearly loved by "most"....with the addition of Vista they are going to need to hire some new ones but probably will move current assistant CD's up and hire new assistant CDs.  

[aqua]

Dottie Kulasa is on Sirena. I thought she was outstanding.  

[mommykim]

Peter is now on Regatta replacing I think Julie who retired. He came over from Princess and his first cruise was in May. He was very good.

[ToxM]

7 hours ago, aqua said:

Dottie Kulasa is on Sirena. I thought she was outstanding.  

I had issues with her husband’s humour. As he is the ship comedian this wasn’t optimal. I can imagine it is a bit of a conflict of interest with your boss being your spouse, so expect that is why the situation is allowed to continue. 

 

 

[edgee]

11 hours ago, aqua said:

Dottie Kulasa is on Sirena. I thought she was outstanding.  

 

3 hours ago, ToxM said:

I had issues with her husband’s humour. As he is the ship comedian this wasn’t optimal. I can imagine it is a bit of a conflict of interest with your boss being your spouse, so expect that is why the situation is allowed to continue. 

 

 

Dottie and her husband Tom moved to Oceania more than ten years ago because Oceania allowed them to work together and previous employer (I believe Azamara) would not. I do not mind Her husband Tom Drake's humor, but I understand why some would not. Dottie is a great person but I do not like the frequency and length of announcements in her booming loud voice where she reads the activity schedule which is available for passengers to read for themselves.

[ToxM]

36 minutes ago, edgee said:

 

Dottie and her husband Tom moved to Oceania more than ten years ago because Oceania allowed them to work together and previous employer (I believe Azamara) would not. I do not mind Her husband Tom Drake's humor, but I understand why some would not. Dottie is a great person but I do not like the frequency and length of announcements in her booming loud voice where she reads the activity schedule which is available for passengers to read for themselves.

 

I didn’t appreciate the announcements either, once a day is fine.

[LHT28]

7 hours ago, mommykim said:

Peter is now on Regatta replacing I think Julie who retired. He came over from Princess and his first cruise was in May. He was very good.

Peter??

There are a couple of them

[DrHemlock]

+1 to both edgee and ToxM.  Maybe she's a wonderful person but she definitely needs an Edit button -- or even an Off button -- when she gets on the PA to tell us in excruciating, repetitive detail what we have already read.  JMO.

[ak1004]

Paul Baya on the Riviera sailing in December 2021. I was not impressed at all. He seems like a nice guy, but we hardly saw him.

[edgee]

1 hour ago, ak1004 said:

Paul Baya on the Riviera sailing in December 2021. I was not impressed at all. He seems like a nice guy, but we hardly saw him.

IMHO that is not a bad thing. Compared to some (including Dottie Kulasa) who make the cruise too much about her/him...drone on and on during announcements, major applause expected every time they are introduced during evening show...talk too much during trivia. A cruise director who manages the team well, is courteous to passengers but does not talk too much or appear too often can also do their job very well.

[DeanoNorthPerth]

2 minutes ago, edgee said:

IMHO that is not a bad thing. Compared to some (including Dottie Kulasa) who make the cruise too much about her/him...drone on and on during announcements, major applause expected every time they are introduced during evening show...talk too much during trivia. A cruise director who manages the team well, is courteous to passengers but does not talk too much or appear too often can also do their job very well.

Interesting point of view. So which of the Oceania CDs do you prefer?

[ak1004]

2 minutes ago, edgee said:

IMHO that is not a bad thing. Compared to some (including Dottie Kulasa) who make the cruise too much about her/him...drone on and on during announcements, major applause expected every time they are introduced during evening show...talk too much during trivia. A cruise director who manages the team well, is courteous to passengers but does not talk too much or appear too often can also do their job very well.

 

Agree.. but in our case the activities were very limited. We don't expect the CD to make many announcements (I agree that I would consider it not a good thing), but we hardly saw him even on evening shows.

[edgee]

5 minutes ago, DeanoNorthPerth said:

Interesting point of view. So which of the Oceania CDs do you prefer?

Julie James (who I hear may have just retired). Once when I complimented her for not making announcements too often, she told me that Oceania passengers are "not stupid" and do not to have read to them what they can read themselves. Exactly my feeling. However she also is very talented and did a fine job at triva and as emcee during the evening shows. 

[AMHuntFerry]

2 hours ago, ak1004 said:

 

Agree.. but in our case the activities were very limited. We don't expect the CD to make many announcements (I agree that I would consider it not a good thing), but we hardly saw him even on evening shows.

I am admittedly an inexperienced cruiser, but we liked Paul on our December 2021 Riviera cruise. He was friendly (but not overly fake friendly), called us by name, and we enjoyed asking to see his socks each day (he has a fun collection!).

[mauibabes]

Paul got on board Riviera in Civitavecchia in November for the Transatlantic and it was the start of his contract after Dottie finished up.  We met and chatted with him a number of times, really nice guy and I would expect him to be a good CD.  Not a clone of Dottie who provides TMI and makes too many announcements. When you can sit down and just chat with Dottie she is great.  
Ray Carr is another great CD.  He lets you read the Currents and does not regurgitate it multiple times daily. We have had dinner with him back in 2018 on Insignia ATW segment along with Jennifer the O Club Ambassador. Just the best people to be with on a cruise. 
I am sure there will be quite a number of new CD’s coming aboard with Vista coming on line within a year and diluting the pool of current Oceania CD’s.  Lots of new Asst.CD’s too.

 

Just keep cruising 🤪👍🤙🛳

Mauibabes

[mommykim]

12 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Peter??

There are a couple of them

Peter Tredgett. His first Oceania cruise was 5/3/22 so he's not been with them long. he's on the Regatta and came over from Princess.

[pinotlover]

20 hours ago, DeanoNorthPerth said:

Interesting point of view. So which of the Oceania CDs do you prefer?

Dave Carr

[ORV]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

Dave Carr

Is that Ray's brother? Like the Kinks?

Edited June 17, 2022 by ORV

[pinotlover]

1 minute ago, ORV said:

Is that Ray's brother? Like the Kinks?

😂

 

Opps! Should have been Ray ! 🥂

[Rosroz]

I should think their  job is pretty boring as far as I can see they don’t have a lot to do as the activities and entertainment is pretty non existent , this is no reflection on them as people . It would appear that a lot of what they do is very generic, there are very little impromptu activities  unlike Azamara where the officers seem to have a bit more freedom.

[Noxequifans]

On 6/16/2022 at 12:35 PM, edgee said:

IMHO that is not a bad thing. Compared to some (including Dottie Kulasa) who make the cruise too much about her/him...drone on and on during announcements, major applause expected every time they are introduced during evening show...talk too much during trivia. A cruise director who manages the team well, is courteous to passengers but does not talk too much or appear too often can also do their job very well.

I agree +++

[no fuss travel]

Carson is on the Nautica. I think he is due for leave in July. He has an interesting bow tie collection 

[khuselid]

17 hours ago, mommykim said:

Peter Tredgett. His first Oceania cruise was 5/3/22 so he's not been with them long. he's on the Regatta and came over from Princess.

We were on Marina in March and out CD was Peter but I don't know his last name so will call him "Peter with awesome shoes for every occasion". He was one of the best CD's we have ever had!

[LHT28]

37 minutes ago, khuselid said:

We were on Marina in March and out CD was Peter but I don't know his last name so will call him "Peter with awesome shoes for every occasion". He was one of the best CD's we have ever had!

Peter Roberts

He usually has about 80 prs of shoes  plus some funky outfits  LOL

They had a video of  behind the scenes & showed his cabin for his shoes & outfits