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New UPDATED Cruise Director (CD) List - starting from April 2018 onwards

Joe12

By Joe12,
in Royal Caribbean International

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KazAllen

KazAllen

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Wouldn't say he broke my cruise but Jamie Fentiman is probably the worst CD I have encountered. He just seemed really unorganised and uninterested and all the events onboard were a total shambles. Can't say I'd be overjoyed to have him as CD again any time soon ... but everyone deserves a second chance right?

Wow that is the first negative I have heard about Jamie, we had him as CD on our 14 day, Sydney to Singapore (Voyager of the Seas) and he was absolutely fantastic, organized special shows and events and such a fun guy, put his heart and soul into everything. He has been off sick for a while (was suspected to be really serious) so maybe your cruise was in the time when he wasn't feeling well, but has been cleared and back at work now.

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Joe12

Joe12

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Keith was on a medical leave, but has been cleared to return. I don't know yet where or when.

 

Thanks for the info. Glad that Keith is doing better and hopefully he returns to a ship soon.

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royzer76

royzer76

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Wow that is the first negative I have heard about Jamie, we had him as CD on our 14 day, Sydney to Singapore (Voyager of the Seas) and he was absolutely fantastic, organized special shows and events and such a fun guy, put his heart and soul into everything. He has been off sick for a while (was suspected to be really serious) so maybe your cruise was in the time when he wasn't feeling well, but has been cleared and back at work now.

 

Maybe, and as I said ... I think everyone deserves a second chance.

 

He just seemed very uninterested ... to be honest the whole cruise directors staff seemed in disarray. Events were always running late, seemed half hearted and were poorly executed. Something seemed off.

 

I'll have to see how it is next time I sail with him as CD.

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Joe12

Joe12

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Maybe, and as I said ... I think everyone deserves a second chance.

 

He just seemed very uninterested ... to be honest the whole cruise directors staff seemed in disarray. Events were always running late, seemed half hearted and were poorly executed. Something seemed off.

 

I'll have to see how it is next time I sail with him as CD.

 

I've sailed with my 2 least favorite CD's twice and neither impressed me much on the 2nd time either (one was just awful and the other was mediocre but paled in comparison to the other CD we'd had on the same ship). That being said, a lot of people like Jamie so hopefully you can sail with him again.

 

How was Jamie's AM on that sailing?

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Joe12

Joe12

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Happy Monday! Thanks all for the updates!

 

 

Adventure OTS - Chris Brown started mid-April until July.





Allure OTS - Jimmy Rhodes returns March 11 for 4 months, then Mitch Merucci returns mid-July for 2 months. (Mitch's schedule is tentative due to his contract extension.)

Anthem OTS - Dennis Charles returns May 12 until July, then Chris Brown starts in July.

Brilliance OTS - Abe Hughes started March 31 until early-July, then Clo O'Connor will be CD from July until September 1. (need July handover date)

 

Empress OTS - Hugo Arenas began November 10 for 4 months. (then who?)

Enchantment OTS - Bobby Broughton returned April 6 for 4 months. Mike Szwajkowski is rumored to be on EN for his next contract, but no confirmation yet.

Explorer OTS - Graham Seymour returned February 9 (until when?). Topi Ylönen returns June 8 until July 27. Graham is wanted to be kept on Explorer by the HD, so may be regular CD again for the rest of 2018.

Freedom OTS - Drew Devine starts March 17 until July 28, then Topi Ylönen returns July 28 until September 29, followed by Drew September 29 for 4 months.

Grandeur OTS - Mike Szwajkowski started April 14 for 2 months, then Bob Leininger returns June 2 until October 6, then Mitch Merucci from October 6 until December 1, followed by Bob starting December 1 for another 4 month contract. Mike is reported to be leaving June 2 for a 3 week vacation then returning. Any updates to this info?

Harmony OTS - Dru Pavlov returned April 21 until August 4, then Marc Walker returns August 4 until October 6.

Independence OTS - Tim Connor started March 15 until May 28, then Joff Eaton returns May 28 for the Summer season for 4 months.

Jewel OTS - Andrea Olivieri started February 25 until June 30. (then who? Simona?)

Liberty OTS - Mitch Merucci joined April 15 for an emergency fill-in. (until when? then who?)

Majesty OTS - Susan Adams took over February 26. (for 4 months?)

Mariner OTS - Ricky Matthews until July, then Carlos Torres joins in July for 2 months, then Ricky returns in September for 4 months.

Navigator OTS - Rob McNally started May 6 until August, then Cuddy Cudworth returns in August.

Oasis OTS - Dan Whitney returned early May for 4 months.

Ovation OTS - Mike Hunnerup returned March 23 (for 4 months?).

Quantum OTS - Paul Rutter starts April 9 for 2 months and again in the Fall for 3 months. Who will fill in for Paul's vacation? Fang Lixin?

Radiance OTS - Ken Jones joined April 17 for 2 months, then Cuddy Cudworth starts late-May/early-June for 2 months.

 

Rhapsody OTS - Elvis Pinto returned early February for 4 months. (then who?)

 

Serenade OTS - Jamie Fentiman started May 13 for 4 months.

Symphony OTS - Michele Scarpato joined March 11 and will still be onboard in mid-July. Bobby Brown will eventually return and be CD for the TA. Marc Walker takes over November 9 in Miami until February 16. (He joins Oct 23 for a 17 day handover)

 

Vision OTS - Steve Davis returned April 6 until August 11.

 

Voyager OTS - Carlos Torres began late-January until late-May. (then who?)

Where is Patricio Honores?

Jerome Sueur has left RCI and is reportedly joining Carnival and getting married soon.Keith Williams has been cleared to return from medical leave, but does not currently have a ship assignment.

Casey Pelter is now working shoreside for Celebrity as Manager of Entertainment.

Graham Seymour is stepping back from cruise life after July 28, 2017 except for occasional fill-ins. (Graham is filling in on Explorer from Feb 9.)

Rich Edwards has unfortunately passed away in June 2017. RIP Rich.

John Perry has left Royal and is now Operations Manager at Hyatt Hotels (per LinkedIn)

Ken Rush works at corporate in Miami as RCI's Director of Entertainment. He may occasionally fill-in as CD

Amy Fickert-Southgate has taken a job shoreside as of June 8

Luke Aerowsmith is working at the corporate office in London

Gordon Whatman is retired, but will be filling-in from time-to-time if needed.

Allan Brooks works for Celebrity in their corporate office.

Richard Spacey is a CD with Celebrity

Becky Thompson works for Celebrity Cruises in their corporate offices in Miami.

Dave Chapman is a CD with HAL

James Andrews is a real estate agent in Sydney

Leo Papa is a Product Manager at Tauck Corp in Connecticut

Anna Bass is a make-up artist

João Pereira has returned to Royal Caribbean and is now the Cruise Sales Manager on the Liberty of the Seas.

Kirk Detweiler is now CD with Silversea cruises.

Simeon Baker - married a dancer, had a baby girl and is a sales exec at a Porsche dealer in Saskatchewan

Matt Baker - Sim's brother - Has sold the Tiddly and is now a radio presenter.

Kieron Buffrey - CD with Viking River Cruises and recently became a father to a lovely baby boy

Tom Canosa - teaching 6th grade science in North Carolina

Peter Benfield and Johnny Osborne have emigrated to Thailand

Anthony Richards is living in Miami with his wife, and is working for Royal Media Partners as Manager Port Revenue Operations

Rico du Breil is now a CD with SilverSeas out of Italy

Paul Lancaster is no longer with RCI, and resides in England

Abel Jeney is now with The World - Luxury Residence at Sea

Parker Cristan is living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - staging/choreographing for local theater

Ashley Kerr - married and living in Vancouver BC, working as a marketing rep for a PR firm

Karen Maybury - has a consultant/pr/entertainment agency

Jannie Cloete - leading expeditions on small ships

Warren Allen (aka Warren Melhuish) lives in Ontario, Canada. He has retired from ship-life but still works on the stage

Thomas DeCell is no longer with RCI

Leigh Xuereb and his AM Frankie Portera are CD's for Carnival

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little britain "Live from...." Rare

little britain

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Symphony OTS - Michele Scarpato joined March 11 and will still be onboard in mid-July. Bobby Brown will eventually return and be CD for the TA. Marc Walker takes over November 9 in Miami until February 16. (He joins Oct 23 for a 17 day handover)

Any ideas who is on from mid July onwards?

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Joe12

Joe12

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Any ideas who is on from mid July onwards?

 

Probably Bobby, but I don't know the handover date. Hopefully it isn't July 8th.

If there is no info by then, I will ask Michele when I am on SY in 7 weeks.

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Blue Eyed Belfast Belle

Blue Eyed Belfast Belle

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What percent of RCs cruisers are Brits? Just curious.

 

It is always an international mix, never 95% Brits from Southampton, maximum about 50% from Southampton and in the Med is my experience.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I am not a 'Brit' but I tend to sail from wherever has good flight connections from Belfast or Dublin (mainly Dublin as cheaper!) I have only sailed from Southampton once 10 years ago with Princess and to tell you the truth it is less expensive sometimes to fly to Barcelona, Venice or the US to join a ship than to go to Southampton.

 

 

The only British CD I have sailed with who made an impression was Carly B on Serenade from Cape Liberty...very personable and her Morning Show with Tino was hilarious!

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Joe12

Joe12

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I am not a 'Brit' but I tend to sail from wherever has good flight connections from Belfast or Dublin (mainly Dublin as cheaper!) I have only sailed from Southampton once 10 years ago with Princess and to tell you the truth it is less expensive sometimes to fly to Barcelona, Venice or the US to join a ship than to go to Southampton.

 

 

The only British CD I have sailed with who made an impression was Carly B on Serenade from Cape Liberty...very personable and her Morning Show with Tino was hilarious!

 

A lot of people in Britain can drive or get budget flights to Southampton. Those cruises are very much geared to the British market, and I can't see why an American would really want to sail them.

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royzer76

royzer76

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I've sailed with my 2 least favorite CD's twice and neither impressed me much on the 2nd time either (one was just awful and the other was mediocre but paled in comparison to the other CD we'd had on the same ship). That being said, a lot of people like Jamie so hopefully you can sail with him again.

 

How was Jamie's AM on that sailing?

 

It was a young lady called Katie. She was nice.

 

We saw much more of her than we did of Jamie.

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Joe12

Joe12

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It was a young lady called Katie. She was nice.

 

We saw much more of her than we did of Jamie.

 

That would have been Katy McCullagh, as they worked together on Indy in 2016. We had her on HM last year and she was nice but a bit inexperienced. I think that having the amazing Abe Hughes as CD overshadowed her a bit.

 

She was quite shrill though - I was in Central Park and could hear her at the Sailaway on the Pool Deck.

 

I'd personally quite like to sail with a dud CD in the future to see if the AM can step things up themselves.

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Joe12

Joe12

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I was watching an interview with Carnival CD Frankie Portera, who used to be an AM with Royal that I had the pleasure of sailing with on Explorer and Oasis.

On Carnival, they don't have any Activities Manager/Assistant Cruise Director, and instead, they have an Entertainment Director who is the Division Head and carries out the back of house duties, whereas the Cruise Director spends all of their time at the guest activities. Frankie said that he thinks this approach works better as it means that CD's spend less time behind the scenes and more time having a direct impact on the guest vacation experience.

 

With Royal's ships getting bigger, it seems as if CD's are spending a lot of time behind the scenes and outside of the main shows, are not spending time around the guests. I wonder if having an ED on Royal Caribbean would work better, as it would allow the CD's to have more time front of house. They could put the low-key CD's in the ED position and the AM's and CD's who are high-energy and fun can go in the CD position.

 

What are your thoughts? With the Vision Class being phased out soon, and with more Oasis and Quantum Class, alongside the Icon Class coming soon, it might make more sense. I've seen multiple comments since I started doing this list about CD's who aren't visible, and this solution may resolve it.

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ncb106

ncb106

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It sounds great Joe but royal is not gonna change they way and other things RCL has alots more activities then carnival and more shows for example you have studio b,270,main theater shows,and Don't forget royal ships are huge as for carnival they don't have much menus so the CDs on carnival could be seen all over the ship but as for royal big ships its alot off work for the CD behind the scenes that why royal has activities manager to make things go smooth but like I said royal is not gonna change anything

 

Sent from my Z982 using Forums mobile app

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Joe12

Joe12

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It sounds great Joe but royal is not gonna change they way and other things RCL has alots more activities then carnival and more shows for example you have studio b,270,main theater shows,and Don't forget royal ships are huge as for carnival they don't have much menus so the CDs on carnival could be seen all over the ship but as for royal big ships its alot off work for the CD behind the scenes that why royal has activities manager to make things go smooth but like I said royal is not gonna change anything

 

Sent from my Z982 using Forums mobile app

 

That's exactly why I am suggesting the ED as with bigger ships, there is simply too much going on for a CD to do at once, not to mention that there is a greater amount of admin behind the scenes. By having someone else take care of that, the CD would therefore be able to spend more time with guests.

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Joe12

Joe12

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We haven't cruised with Dennis Charles lately, but maybe he'll be on our Radiance cruise in September, Vancouver to Honolulu!:D

 

That is possible as someone needs to replace Cuddy in August, however I don't think that Dennis would be the right fit for the Australian market, from what I have watched of him.

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