Shona Ballantyne

From yesterday's Courier-Mail.... (The photo to go with the article is on my webshots page in the Pacific Star album - http://community.webshots.com/user/skyrules2005 )

Life has been a holiday for the past eight years for cruise director Shona

Ballantyne.

Originally from the Gold Coast, Ms Ballantyne has been travelling around the

world with cruise company P&O, organising and coordinating onboard

entertainment for thousands of guests.

She was at the Port of Brisbane yesterday for the launch of the maiden

voyage of the new liner, P&O Cruises' Pacific Star, which will offer year

round cruising from Brisbane to the Whitsunday's, north Queensland and the

South Pacific.

In a life of high activity, high intensity working and playing 600 staff

will live and work aboard the new ship to serve every need of the 1400

passengers.

Ms Ballantyne said life on the high seas was like the hospitality industry

on land, with the chance to live and work with a huge diversity of people.

"It's just the lifestyle," she said. "The chance to travel and meet a lot

of people. The people that we work with are great. We're like a family in

itself, not like one at home, but a family anyway."

And the love boat image seems to hold, as Ms Ballantyne met her fiance

working on a cruise three years ago, and became engaged a year ago. She

said she had seen many romances form onboard.

The brand new 12 level liner is the third ship for P&O Cruises and boasts an entertainment deck, a casino, four dining venues, piano bar, swimming pools and children's and teenager areas.

And the love boat image seems to hold, as Ms Ballantyne met her fiance working on a cruise three years ago, and became engaged a year ago. She said she had seen many romances form onboard.

Maybe the rumours about Shona & Demo are correct. Except that maybe they didn't get married in their holiday! Will be fun to have Shona as a Cruise Director again. I assume she will be staying on for our cruise.

Cheers,

Chaz

Maybe the rumours about Shona & Demo are correct. Except that maybe they didn't get married in their holiday! Will be fun to have Shona as a Cruise Director again. I assume she will be staying on for our cruise.

 

Cheers,

Chaz

From what I've heard, she (and Demo) will be on there for awhile! They seem to be following me around. By the time we go in March, I will have been on 3 cruises on 3 different ships - and every cruise I've been (assuming they'll still be on Star in March) I will have had Shona & Demo as Cruise Director and Deputy!

We had Shona and Demo for half the cruise in NOv and Shona left us at Isle of Pines to fly to Italy to return with the pacific Star so we got Dan Styne. I love all 3 of them but it will be great on the Star to have both Demo and Shona so maybe the rumours are true~! Good luck to them

Yeah Shona is gorgeous,but Dan Styne is HOT!!!

Both Dan and Demo are the funniest guys i have met...

I hope to see them again in the future!!!

Nov 2005 Pacific Sun first cruise and many more to come!!!

Yeah Shona is gorgeous,but Dan Styne is HOT!!!

Both Dan and Demo are the funniest guys i have met...

I hope to see them again in the future!!!

 

Nov 2005 Pacific Sun first cruise and many more to come!!!

Last thing I heard Dan Styne was also single!!!

Cheers,

Chaz:)

sorry to disappoint you but Demo was the cruise director on pacific sun. Just got off yesterday, James was supposed to be cruise director - he was very good too but resigned to go home on land. Demo was promoted to director this cruise. I have known him since the days when he was the DJ on the ship and last south pacific cruise I done he was actually a passenger but I seen him and Shona together a fair bit. They are getting married this year. As much as I like Demo especially his jokes maybe it was first timer as director but we felt that we have had far superior directors than him. Maybe after a few months he will be better at it. We actually fount that the deputy CD had a much more bubbly personality and was very outgoing.

I would like to have seen James as CD. He was deputy on our last with Dan. So who was Deputy on your cruise?

sorry to disappoint you but Demo was the cruise director on pacific sun. Just got off yesterday, James was supposed to be cruise director - he was very good too but resigned to go home on land. Demo was promoted to director this cruise. I have known him since the days when he was the DJ on the ship and last south pacific cruise I done he was actually a passenger but I seen him and Shona together a fair bit. They are getting married this year. As much as I like Demo especially his jokes maybe it was first timer as director but we felt that we have had far superior directors than him. Maybe after a few months he will be better at it. We actually fount that the deputy CD had a much more bubbly personality and was very outgoing.

Oh well, as long as Shona stays on Pacific Star at least until March.

Kym

Laura was the Deputy who I thought actually was better personality wise than Demo. She was a very outgoing person from Wollongong. Apparently was on a cruise about 3 years ago liked it so applied and got a job. She is actually an ex Drama teacher who also has appeared on TV in Blue Healers and another show- I cant think which one.

We had James as deputy 2 years ago and before that was just part of cruise crew. he was very good obviously had enough of shipboard life to get a job back on land. It must have happened very sudden because Natalie another cruise staff told my husband there had been a very big shuffle quite quickly.

Hi All,

Just to let you all know Shona & Demo will be leaving the High Seas when they get married in March. Will be interesting to see what they have lined up on dry land when they finish. Shona said they have a few options they are looking at.

BTW we spoke to a few crew members about cruise critic while onboard the Star (Frog mostly) including Shona, so don't be surprised if a few crew members suddenly start appearing online (while they are on shore of course, too expensive on board and besides when do they have the time!!). They must have discussed it because one of the girls told us she had heard about it when it came up in a conversation we had with her.

Cheers,

Chaz:)