What Makes a HAL Cruise Director Excellent?

[richwmn]

Is that control still on headboard on Zaandam?

I thought they were all removed at dry docks. I remember well when we would tune to the 'communication' channel and leave it there for the cruise but there were also several music stations.

 

Veendam, Maasdam, and none of the Vista or Signature ships have that headboard control now.

It was last March when I was aboard. The only reason I thought about it was that the previous passenger left the volume up real loud and the first announcement came through loud and clear!

[Hlitner]

Even though we don’t need the games and many activities onboard to enjoy a cruise, the Cruise Director is part of the ship’s backbone, along with the Captain and the Hotel Director.

 

I agree with a lot of what Hlitner had to say. Our favorite Cruise Directors have been Bruce Scudder and Thom Faulkner. Gene Young and Glenn Coenen are both potential greats.

 

Slightly off the subject, we really miss Travel Guide Frank Buckingham. None of the newer ones we have had come even close to his expertise. And we wish that HAL would keep the Travel lectures more separate from the Shore Excursion talks. Exploring a port is different from buying a tour.

I do think that this falls under the responsibility of the Cruise Director, whose job covers far more than assumed.

 

Barbara

 

OMG! You mentioned "Frank." Yeah, we also miss that guy (a true Oxford man) but he sure reached a time of life where he deserved to live the retired lifestyle. What is a bit distressing about HA is the lack of a Frank-like expert on many of their cruises. Frank was a great resource for those of us who prefer to avoid excursions....but it now seems like HA prefers to keep independent travelers as ignorant as possible about port options.

 

By the way, we ran into Frank a few months after he retired when he joined the Prinsendam for a few days (as an ex employee) to visit some of his old friends. In the typical Frank way he told us that he was happy to be retired and "did not miss his job one bit!'

 

Hank

Edited November 13, 2013 by Hlitner

[OlsSalt]

OMG! ....but it now seems like HA prefers to keep independent travelers as ignorant as possible about port options.

….

Hank

 

Begging to differ here, but with the proliferation of online port information websites, digital devices, and the venerable Rick Steves DIY offerings, it hard to think any passenger today is kept ignorant about possible port options by anyone other than themselves. Particularly when HAL ships today offer onboard internet usage and a library full of travel books. And even the captain will not often know until the last minute the exact port location and weather docking demands. :cool:

 

On our 50 day Rotterdam cruise to Indonesia last year they had a dedicated port lecture person who constantly repeated she was not part of the Explorations staff to keep those two functions separate from her lengthy talks about each upcoming port as well as being the onboard agent who could help look up some of the details independent passengers needed.

 

She was not the most in-depth resource but I could never accuse that HAL ship of keeping the independent passenger intentionally ignorant about ports. Not by a mile or a kilometer.

Edited November 13, 2013 by OlsSalt

[Hlitner]

Begging to differ here, but with the proliferation of online port information websites, digital devices, and the venerable Rick Steves DIY offerings, it hard to think any passenger today is kept ignorant about possible port options by anyone other than themselves. Particularly when HAL ships today offer onboard internet usage and a library full of travel books. And even the captain will not often know until the last minute the exact port location and weather docking demands. :cool:

 

On our 50 day Rotterdam cruise to Indonesia last year they had a dedicated port lecture person who constantly repeated she was not part of the Explorations staff to keep those two functions separate from her lengthy talks about each upcoming port as well as being the onboard agent who could help look up some of the details independent passengers needed.

 

She was not the most in-depth resource but I could never accuse that HAL ship of keeping the independent passenger intentionally ignorant about ports. Not by a mile or a kilometer.

 

Hmmm. Lets use shipboard internet to research ports? At about 60 cents a minute (you could get that down to about 50 cents with a package) it might only cost about $20+ to look up a single port if the internet service was even functioning :). We do agree that Rick Steve's books are decent...but try looking up Puerto Chiapas and finding independent options. We have also had independent port experts on some of our HA cruises (the Frank Buckingham mentioned previously did just that service) but these experts on only on a limited number of HA voyages (such as Grand Voyages) and seem to be an endangered species. Our most recent Veendam cruise was a 28 day "Collectors Voyage" and had no such expert. Our 35 day Westerdam cruise (this past spring) also had no port experts.

 

Hank

[TheEmerson]

When I think about it. A Cruise Director has never made an impression on me. Not one name I can remember. Not one face comes to mind. I have never talk to one in person. I do not think I would even notice them if they walked right past me. But I can tell you the names of the people on each ship. But a CD...Nope.

[Randyk47]

A post in another thread got me wondering.......

 

What do you think makes an HAL CD more excellent, more to your liking, better at his/her work than another?

 

They're silent, not on the PA system, and stay in their office. :rolleyes::D

[momatibm]

When I think about it. A Cruise Director has never made an impression on me. Not one name I can remember. Not one face comes to mind. I have never talk to one in person. I do not think I would even notice them if they walked right past me. But I can tell you the names of the people on each ship. But a CD...Nope.

 

I will say they only time I was upset with a CD was when a presentation was due to start -- and then nothing....for 20 minutes -- no explanation, nothing -- the CD came out and just started in. No apology for keeping people waiting -- that I cannot excuse.

[nana51]

We had a fabulous CD on the Zaandam this March. I've forgotten his name but he was great. British and oh so funny. He was everywhere and always happy. He kept a not-so-great cruise becoming an awful cruise.

[popcan]

As long as they don't sound like a game-show host, I don't mind them :)

[take us away]

We do join in on some activities and have found Gene Young (who did the Grand cruises last year and will do the WC in 2014) to be outstanding! He never lost his smile even with the most difficult passenger, always had time to chat, even if just for a minute, was very gracious with the people who feel they just have to have a say in a Trivia answer, was on time, made only needed announcements, made each person feel special.

 

Barbara H was an excellent port person on the Grand Asia. It was our 1st time in Asia and we felt very educated when we docked in as she covered everything, especially public transportation, had maps of HOHO routes, knew what to expect for cab fare, let us know where to haggle prices but most importantly - what to avoid!. My favorite was when my husband asked her where he could get a hair cut and she immediately answered "go 1 block to the right, then up 3 blocks and there is a good barber shop in the basement of the hotel on the corner (which started with a B)". There was a shop, the hair cut was great and cheap!

[RuthC]

Barbara H was an excellent port person on the Grand Asia. It was our 1st time in Asia and we felt very educated when we docked in as she covered everything, especially public transportation, had maps of HOHO routes, knew what to expect for cab fare, let us know where to haggle prices but most importantly - what to avoid!. My favorite was when my husband asked her where he could get a hair cut and she immediately answered "go 1 block to the right, then up 3 blocks and there is a good barber shop in the basement of the hotel on the corner (which started with a B)". There was a shop, the hair cut was great and cheap!

I agree; Barbara is excellent. She's not Frank, but she does the job in her own way, and is an asset to HAL. I've heard her presentations before and hope to run into her again on another cruise some day.

[mcmarya]

Just catching up and noticed this thread. The worst cruise director ever has, I believe, been previously mentioned--Carlos Mendoza. He was on our May 2012 Bermuda cruise on the Veendam. He was like a caricature of a cruise director you might see on Saturday Night Live. The most obnoxious thing I remember was when he constantly reminded us to "Wash your hands! Wash your hands! Wash your Hands!", then repeated 3 times in Spanish overenthusiastically.

[innlady1]

Just catching up and noticed this thread. The worst cruise director ever has, I believe, been previously mentioned--Carlos Mendoza. He was on our May 2012 Bermuda cruise on the Veendam. He was like a caricature of a cruise director you might see on Saturday Night Live. The most obnoxious thing I remember was when he constantly reminded us to "Wash your hands! Wash your hands! Wash your Hands!", then repeated 3 times in Spanish overenthusiastically.

 

He was totally obnoxious. YUCK! Maybe you were on the same cruise in 5/12 as we were. :D

I'll bet he's "long gone".

[innlady1]

Google works wonders! Check out www.carlosmendozaonline.com.

[cruz chic]

He was the cd on my Veendam cruise too. Yup, he was a pain

[startwin]

Google works wonders! Check out www.carlosmendozaonline.com.

 

 

Looks like he's still with HAL - too bad:D Hope I never get him, I don't even like his website!

[SilvertoGold]

Google works wonders! Check out www.carlosmendozaonline.com.

 

Looks as if his main interest is theatre, not work as a CD. Has he been around HAL long?

[innlady1]

Looks like he's still with HAL - too bad:D Hope I never get him, I don't even like his website!

 

He is dreadful.

 

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[sapete]

Excellent and Cruise Director are mutually exclusive terms. Never met one worth his or her salary. No need for them.

[Cinder Again]

I must be in the minority. I DO like a well prepared, genuine CD. Not only does he/she set the tone for the other staff you may encounter, he communicates with the Captain to set up fun activities, especially when ports are missed, and schedules change. Recently I have had a few excellent, engaging Cruise directors. They can be a great asset to the cruise experience. I for one, admire how hard they work while making it seem like they aren't working at all!

So, I say hats off to this group, who work hard to give all of us the experience we desire...:D

[Hlitner]

Excellent and Cruise Director are mutually exclusive terms. Never met one worth his or her salary. No need for them.

 

Too funny! One night on the Prinsendam, the CD let the Captain's 14 year old daughter (Isabella Gundersen) do the main show introduction. More then a few passengers were heard to mummer that she did a better job then the CD. And Isabella told me she works "cheap."

 

Hank

P.S. We assume she retired from the job along with her Dad's retirement :)

Edited November 19, 2013 by Hlitner

[Cruzin Terri]

You betcha. I remember the name of our CD on the Veendam two years ago, but I won't repeat it here. A more annoying human being I have never experienced. Constantly making announcements. I was seriously considering cutting the wires to the in-room speaker (I would have reconnected them before we left).

 

I know exactly about whom you are referring and the only CD I remember. The most annoying individual I remember encountering.

Terri

[elycelynne]

I know exactly about whom you are referring and the only CD I remember. The most annoying individual I remember encountering.

Terri

 

Has that name since been repeated (as in a few posts before yours)?

 

I haven't been on all that many HAL cruises yet, but I thought that one of the standouts was Jason Venner. In my opinion he was the perfect blend of approachable, knowledgable and funny.

[Cruzin Terri]

Has that name since been repeated (as in a few posts before yours)?

 

I haven't been on all that many HAL cruises yet, but I thought that one of the standouts was Jason Venner. In my opinion he was the perfect blend of approachable, knowledgable and funny.

 

I'm referring to Carlos Mendoza. I hope he and I do not end up on the same ship again.

Terri

[innlady1]

I'm referring to Carlos Mendoza. I hope he and I do not end up on the same ship again.

Terri

 

I wonder how he can keep his job at HAL?