5 assistant cruise directors - is this normal?

[Ken the cruiser]

We’re in our mid 60s and are trying Princess again after doing an Aus/NZ cruise on the Diamond 4 years ago. We’re going around the UK right now on the Crown and are having a blast and were wondering if it’s normal for the CD (Kevin) to have 5 assistant CDs (Karen, Will, Coreen, Allyn and Thomas), all of which are great when it comes to making us laugh and have a good time!

 

We recently drifted away from HAL towards Princess and X due to a continuing lack of fun things to do on HAL ships and have had nothing but fun on the Crown with all the game shows, trivia’s and main theater performances.

 

If if this is the new norm, we’re loving it!

Edited July 20, 2019 by Ken the cruiser

[Jeter02]

Yes, that's completely normal. You have the Entertainment Director. Below him is the Cruise director. Followed by all of their Assistant Cruise Director s who are the ones who run all the activities onboard.

[paul929207]

Yes, we had 5 on the Royal early this year

[skynight]

Princess has an Entertainment Director who basically does all the admin. work freeing up the CD and assistants for passenger activities. Princess places a lot of importance on passenger activities. It is normal for the ED's staff to include the CD and 5 additional members. We had the CD +5 on the Emerald this past winter. On the Hawaii voyages add two Hawaiian ambassadors that conduct Hawaii themed activities plus entertain.

Edited July 20, 2019 by skynight

[Coral]

We had 3 or 4 Captains once on a cruise - now that was odd.

[geoherb]

One of the reasons I don't like Holland America as much as Princess is the lack of activities and the staff to conduct them.

[MissP22]

More is always better. 

[Ken the cruiser]

Thanks everyone! This is such great news to hear!!

[KCsealegs]

Yes, this is typical staffing on Princess. My one and only cruise on Holland America, I was shocked there was only a Cruise Director and one assistant. I’ve only cruises on Princess since, a big factor being the variety of daily activities and entertainment. 

[Thrak]

I remember being on a Princess cruise and telling one of the Assistant Cruise Directors that he was going to be a great CD one of these days. He seemed to really enjoy his job and put a lot of himself into doing it well. He's now a CD and people rave about him so it seems I was correct. His name is Matt O'Brien. 😁

[hpeabody]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

I remember being on a Princess cruise and telling one of the Assistant Cruise Directors that he was going to be a great CD one of these days. He seemed to really enjoy his job and put a lot of himself into doing it well. He's now a CD and people rave about him so it seems I was correct. His name is Matt O'Brien. 😁

 

You were so right!  I was lucky to cruise with Matt O on the Royal repositioning cruise around South America (the one you cancelled, right?)  He is meant to be in that job for sure. He made one happy bunch of cruisers. 🙂  He had his holiday and just rejoined the Royal in Alaska (He told me he was supposed to go to the Regal for the Baltic, but I guess that changed)

[ontheweb]

I don't remember if there were that many on the smaller former Ocean Princess when we sailed on her for a British Isles cruise. I do remember seeing the cruise director and one of the assistant cruise directors on the streets of Dublin when we were at that port.

[Dobby_The_Ship_Elf]

five ?????  that would be a handful!!

[Ken the cruiser]

16 minutes ago, Dobby_The_Ship_Elf said:

five ?????  that would be a handful!!

We actually had 6, but one is going to another ship today. 

[Thrak]

They are good, too. On our last cruise we were walking along inside on Promenade deck when one of the crew stopped, turned, and said, "I know you!" Yep, he had been an assistant CD we met on a previous cruise. I'm always amazed at the way they can remember someone out of the bazillion or so people they meet.