Does anyone really care

[Ladylouwho]

Whatever! :rolleyes: I'm just here to chat about cruising, not start fights with anybody :cool: You apparently have a different agenda, so have fun with that!

 

In fact, remember it was YOU who went out of your way to make a comment about me. I was just responding to YOUR comment about me, which of course I have the right to do. Believe me, if y'all think making cynical and catty remarks about fellow passengers and how the crew views them is a fun way to "chat about cruising", have at it.

[ILoveScotland]

I do understand that people who cruise on the same cruise line and perhaps the same ship a lot get to know the crew, and I have friends who have favorite Captains and CDs.

 

But, I could care less. I want a Captain who is good at his/her job of getting us to each port on time and doing so safely. I want a crew that does their job, whatever that job is, all of which makes for a more comfortable and pleasurable cruise. And most CDs just annoy me partly because we don't participate in all the games and activities and partly because too many of them are just too over-the-top.

[mommabean]

Why do you care if somebody wants to go see somebody they remember fondly? I'll grant you that there are ways to phrase the statement and you picked a fairly obnoxious one, but if I see somebody I know, I'm going to excuse myself and go over to him or her to say hello. The only reason I wouldn't give them the time of day at Denny's is because I don't eat there.:p

 

Like mommabean, I’m one who has made some friends and some good acquaintances onboard ships, and I make no apology for it.

 

In general, I really don’t care who the Captain or CD is. The exception is Captain Rick Sullivan on Monarch. If I make it to Port Canaveral to sail her again, I will do my best to coordinate the trip when he will be here. Otherwise it wouldn’t make any difference to me except to be surprised and thrilled to encounter Captains Teo (Independence) or Hakan (Brilliance), both formerly on Monarch, again.

 

After 25 cruises on Monarch, I came to think of some of the crewmembers as my second family, and cabin 1088 as my second bedroom. My husband and one of the Chief Engineers got to be good friends. I got to be friends with several of the staff and crew, and we correspond, although infrequently. There were many (many, many ) bartenders and servers who know us by name and would make a point of coming up to greet us by name before we saw them. We also danced with the staff at Bolero’s (our skill level depending heavily on how generous the pours from the aforesaid barpeople were), had dinner with the Captain and other senior staff (in the dining room but more often in the Windjammer) and in general had a wonderful time. I’m fairly confident that they didn’t sigh with relief when we disembarked. Sadly, they’ve run away from home.:(

 

On other ships, we’ve always found a favorite place (bar:D) to hang out on the ship and always got to know the people working there. We don’t share our contact information unless somebody asks us for it, which happens fairly often. And, just as happens with fellow passengers, sometimes we hear from them and sometimes we don’t.

 

I don’t see why anybody cares that I care. To each his own.

 

PS I enjoy tales told about passengers by the crew as much as anybody else. And I'm sure I'm on somebody's story list out there, somewhere...:eek:

 

And it's all of this that reminds me of what I like best about cruising...it's the crew. All of them in any position. (and the cc people are up there with them :D )

 

Have you ever tried talking to the guys who clean the windows and railings? They WILL start laughing because I think they have no idea what we are saying to them. But I think they like the interaction anyway.

 

Gina

[TEXASMUNK]

But have witnessed many occasions where a staff member has to bail out the CD or the Captain from a "guest" fawning all over them and monopoliizing their time.

Seems that connection "makes" their cruise. It is not good nor bad, but just a part of the great mix of folks that cruise.

 

Me? Give me a bartender that KNOWS how to make and extra dry martini and I am a simple man happy with life.

[shayelle]

about who the captain or cruise director is! We too have been on 8 RCCL cruises. Everyone was enjoyable. I don't even remember who the captains or cruise directors were!

[KatieGator]

I couldn't care less, though I will admit to feeling almost relieved to find out a certain CD will not be on my upcoming cruise--at least I'm pretty sure he won't (he was a first rate jerk to me on a previous cruise on Mariner, though everyone here seems to adore him). I do tend to smirk when people talk about how they need to visit so-and-so in the Windjammer, or advise other cruisers to "tell Joe at the Viking Lounge that Joan says hi!"

[toothy26]

Hey you know what...It's not that big a deal. If someone wants to know so what. I personally would never let it stop me from taking a particular cruise however, it makes me all the more excited to anticipate my cruise if I know there is a fun cruise director or interesting captain. When I went on the Serenade a few years ago, I was happy to hear I would have the captain that circled the Pitons in St Lucia. It was awesome!!

[sealeggs]

Well this went well now didn't it. This is just one of my pet peeves. I opened a can of worms. I just don't get the reasoning for everyone caring about acertain CD or a Captain. I for one let that determine what, where , or when I would cruise.

[marci22]

If people attend a lot of onboard activities, who the CD is might be important to them. CDs all seem to have distinctive personalities and that might influence what cruise someone books. I don't really care, but I do not go to a lot of CD-led activities.

 

Regarding captains, I am sure that some people have more interaction with the captains and again, this might be important to them. I never took notice of the captains until our Brilliance cruise with Capt. Zini. He was so pleasant and would mingle and chat with many of the passengers. People on that cruise all commented on how his good mood seemed to filter down into all the crew. (He was funny, too)

 

http://www.beyondships.com/LOS-Ziniinterview.html

[cruisinisforme]

I am good friends with many staff members...regardless of what you all think, these people are away from their families months on end. They love seeing familiar faces and old friends. One couple on the mariner had a child a couple of weeks apart from my sister and they still exchange photos (they are both 3 now) They arent any different than any of us, and I have had staff members come and find me when they hear I am on a ship, so please do not say it doesnt matter.

 

As for favorite Cruise Director or Captain...well I personally feel that people who tend to participate more in the ships events instead of standing by and watching them are the ones who get to know these people. My friends and I are participaters..we do all the group dances, get involved in the activities and once the staff tends to notice people like that. If anyone here has sailed with Captain Johnny then they certainly know the difference a captain can make.

 

It doesnt make anyone right or wrong, you have the right not to get involved, just like others have the right to get to know people and enjoy them...its no different than liking one cruise line over another...its all personal preference

[Georgiagolfer]

Well this went well now didn't it. This is just one of my pet peeves. I opened a can of worms. I just don't get the reasoning for everyone caring about acertain CD or a Captain. I for one let that determine what, where , or when I would cruise.

I'm not a really experienced cruiser (9 on CCL and 3 on RCI) but I only remember 1 Captain and 1 CD. Captain Johnny on Mariner and Wee Jimmy (CD on CCL). I remember Cpt. Johnny because all the people on our roll call constantly talked about him as he was a relative and everyone knew him personally. As for Wee Jimmy, he wore a kilt and had the personality of ?????, well let's just say he was annoying to DW and myself.

I personally could care less who is the Cpt. or CD.

[sealeggs]

I to participate , my whole family usually does, but at least for us part of the cruising experience is finding new people and new places to see. If after we board we see someone we have had on a previous cruise then that is an extra bonus. At least for me I don't need to know if so an so is my CD or Captain or what the entertainment, menu choices, or what ever are. If you have sailed a few times you will know not much changes especially the menu's.

 

I didn't start this thread to start a fight.

[KMagz]

There is so much to do on the ship that neither the Captain nor cruise director really has the ability to make or break my cruise. As long as the Captain is SAFE, I'm a happy cruiser.

 

I don't give it one bit of consideration when choosing a cruise. IMHO.

 

Now if the captain let me pilot the ship or blow the horn I might change my mind.... ;)

[Happy ks]

We're guilty of not knowing the CD or even seeing the Captain of the ship th entire cruise :o We don't go to the Captains party, although we have attended the Plat/Diamond parties a few times. My husband does a good impression of the Swedish baker from the Muppets that will sound just like a lot of the Captains. My husband will point out who the Captain is from the uniform, I'm the type who wouldn't know from the desk clerk uniform.

 

But, I do think that some of the staff really do remember people. We cruised on Monarch several times and were really surprised when staff approached us to say hello and remembered our names. How do they do that? With thousands of new pax every single week. We enjoy a good rapport with all our servers and attendants every time we cruise, we try our best to treat them kindly.

 

Most of the time whoever is CD is doesn't mean much to us one way or another, the only time I really cared was this one Becky person that everyone seemed to love. She really got on my nerves with her "Hello Luv". I was on a ship with her more than once and she did the exact same performance every single time. Come to think of it, that is probably when and why we stopped going to the shows :p

 

A note to sealeggs, don't worry about it, people will post what they want, you have no control and this is not the first thread like this.

[Aubiecruiser]

Whatever! :rolleyes: I'm just here to chat about cruising, not start fights with anybody :cool: You apparently have a different agenda, so have fun with that!

 

Try the ignore feature, I think several people have with a certain poster. :D

Best of luck!

Aubie

[Brad1185]

Does any one know who the hotel director is on the Jewel?

[alansfreed]

People that cruise ALL the time seem to feel a conection to these people like they are family.

 

I guess since a lot of people here seem to have an unnatural fascination with the ship's vacuum cleaners, this isn't surprising...!

[xpcdoojk]

Have I ever booked a cruise because of a captain or a CD? Nope. Would I? Maybe if Captain Rick Sullivan was on a certain ship going to the place I already wanted to go, and there was another ship doing the same itinerary without Captain Rick. I would probably choose Captain Rick all other things being the same(they rarely are). Is Captain Rick a personal friend, probably not, but he sure made me feel like one. Would he remember me if I walked up to him right now. Maybe. Do I care if he remember my name? Nope. I mean he is meeting thousands of new people every single week. I meet a handful of people every week for the first time, and a month later 99% of them, I might recognize the face, but the name, most likely not. It has been a delight to sail with the same crew members, and it has been my experience that if you treated them like a human being in the previous cruise that they will go out of their way to talk to you in the future. I am sure that works the opposite as well, but since I have never had a negative experience with any crew member in all of my cruises, I hopefully would be happily re-introduced to them on a future cruise. There was another young captain that we had on the Splendour in 2006 that we really liked as well, but I don't even remember his name. In other words, I don't think I qualify as a crew member groupie, which many folks here at CC seem to revel in. Do I care if they get a thrill from these "friends" on the ship? Heck no, why would I give a rip? Whatever makes em happy is a good thing. I just don't share it.

 

jc

[VASOXFANN]

Try the ignore feature, I think several people have with a certain poster. :D

Best of luck!

Aubie

 

 

I already have. :D If my first attempt at reason fails, the very special folks on my ignore list get more company ;)

[marci22]

I guess since a lot of people here seem to have an unnatural fascination with the ship's vacuum cleaners, this isn't surprising...!

 

Ok I had to laugh at that one.

 

I don't think many people book a cruise strictly due to the CD or Captain, I think they are just curious and making conversation.

 

Seriously, look at all the threads that get posted: I'd delete lots of them before I got up to 'Current Captains'.

[KOT]

For one I feel its wonderful to see old faces on new ships regarding the crew. Secondly I find your comment about not giving the "crew" the time of day if they had not been on the ship, offensive and ignorant, speak for yourself.......KOT

[KOT]

Very funny Alan!....KOT

[Set2cruz]

Aubie, you mention Rusti being on the Brill, well my DW and I also remember him as well as a bartender in the Champagne bar named Marli. She made a wicked Dirti-tini. As you can see from my siggy we cruised on the Brill 2004, 05, 06 & 07, all during the first two weeks in Feb. Yes people we do remember the CD on that ship during all four of our cruises on the Brill. and he remembered us, Bill was his name and he always found time to chat. I also was aquainted with the two different captains (the first retired after our second Brill cruise), the hotel directors, bar managers, etc... You never know when you may need an ear in which to put a bug in. Got my favorite wine glass after a note to the Captain on our third Brill. cruise and the same thing happened after talking to the Captain on our fourth Brill cruise. So, you see people, while it may not determine whether or not you will take a cruise on any particular ship it's nice to know that if you need something in particular you know who's ear you'll be putting the bug in. ;)

[mommabean]

Does any one know who the hotel director is on the Jewel?

 

No! But I know who the hotel director is on Radiance. :D And I have a picture of me with him. I spoke briefly with him several times. LOL I know this isn't what you wanted to hear. But he IS a nice guy. :p Clunis Daley! ;)

 

Gosh I hope he's on the ship in April.

 

Gina

[Tranquil Waters]

Have I ever booked a cruise because of a captain or a CD? Nope. Would I? Maybe if Captain Rick Sullivan was on a certain ship going to the place I already wanted to go, and there was another ship doing the same itinerary without Captain Rick. I would probably choose Captain Rick all other things being the same(they rarely are). Is Captain Rick a personal friend, probably not, but he sure made me feel like one. Would he remember me if I walked up to him right now. Maybe. Do I care if he remember my name? Nope. I mean he is meeting thousands of new people every single week. I meet a handful of people every week for the first time, and a month later 99% of them, I might recognize the face, but the name, most likely not. It has been a delight to sail with the same crew members, and it has been my experience that if you treated them like a human being in the previous cruise that they will go out of their way to talk to you in the future. I am sure that works the opposite as well, but since I have never had a negative experience with any crew member in all of my cruises, I hopefully would be happily re-introduced to them on a future cruise. There was another young captain that we had on the Splendour in 2006 that we really liked as well, but I don't even remember his name. In other words, I don't think I qualify as a crew member groupie, which many folks here at CC seem to revel in. Do I care if they get a thrill from these "friends" on the ship? Heck no, why would I give a rip? Whatever makes em happy is a good thing. I just don't share it.

 

jc

 

I think you are right, jc. About the not remembering perhaps. Vacations are very special times for us. We only do so many a year. But the captain cruises week after week. It is his job.

 

I know I don't remember the people I deal with at work. I will be out in town and people will stop me and say "hi". They will tell me I gave them, or their SO, or their daughter or whoever their epidural when she had her baby.

 

And I have no clue! I will always smile and return the greeting. Ask them how the baby is doing. Say it was nice to see them again and we part ways.

 

Having a baby is a unique period for the mom and family. For me it is a job. One I love very much but still - after 25 years I just don't remember each patient....... :)