Are Cruise Directors necessary ?

[lenquixote66]

On my first cruise in 1973 there was no such thing as a Cruise Director 

[mom says]

Do you want any entertainment or activities on the ship? That is their job- to program and oversee those aspects of a cruise ship. So unless you are content to sit in a chair and stare at the ocean or 4 walls, then I think most people would say they are necessary.

 

And while there may not have been a CD on your particular cruise,  they certainly existed in the 70s.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

On my first cruise in 1973 there was no such thing as a Cruise Director 

On our 1974  Cruise we had one  it was a small cruise ship but still they were  providing  entertainment

 

What line  were you on ?

[jsn55]

I think people get confused ... a CD on a small ship is a person who you see around all the time, s/he's always putting things together, s/he's easy to find if you have a question or concern; I've become buddies with several of them over the years and enjoyed their company immensely; they're fascinating human beings.  On a big ship, they fill more of an executive role, mostly behind the scenes or on a stage somewhere making something happen.  Therefore, you may not realize how much they contribute to your experience.  Frequent cruisers have seen them all ... those who are always yelling shrilly about some nonsense or the other, those who quietly circulate greeting people and making them feel welcome and supporting their staffers, those you never see at all.  There's no question that they are an important part of any cruise.  

[Essiesmom]

I’m sure there were program directors, they just weren’t personalities.  I don’t remember seeing them in 1972-73, but someone had to be programming the musical groups, the horse racing, skeet shooting…EM

[BruceMuzz]

4 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

On my first cruise in 1973 there was no such thing as a Cruise Director 

On my first cruise in 1966 - and on the 1,517 cruises I have worked on since then (on 33 different ships) - there has always been a Cruise Director.

These people have far more responsibility than you will ever know. Not only do they plan, schedule, and manage all social and entertainment activities onboard, they also do a lot of trouble-shooting behind the scenes to ensure that you have a successful cruise.

Edited November 11, 2023 by BruceMuzz

[leaveitallbehind]

As @mom says says, Cruise Directors are responsible for all entertainment and activities on board. They have a staff which includes an assistant CD and other entertainment and activity directors. Every entertainer, activity coordinator, and ship performer reports through this staff to them, and they in turn report directly to the Hotel Director.

 

Their roles are far broader than just being visible on the ship or mixing with the passengers. Without them, none of the entertainment or activities would exist, so yes, I think they are an essential component on any cruise ship.

Edited November 11, 2023 by leaveitallbehind

[lenquixote66]

3 hours ago, LHT28 said:

On our 1974  Cruise we had one  it was a small cruise ship but still they were  providing  entertainment

 

What line  were you on ?

Cunard

[lenquixote66]

3 hours ago, mom says said:

Do you want any entertainment or activities on the ship? That is their job- to program and oversee those aspects of a cruise ship. So unless you are content to sit in a chair and stare at the ocean or 4 walls, then I think most people would say they are necessary.

 

And while there may not have been a CD on your particular cruise,  they certainly existed in the 70s.

I am content to sit on a chair,stare at the ocean and relax.I never cruised for entertainment .I cruised for pure relaxation.

[lenquixote66]

54 minutes ago, BruceMuzz said:

On my first cruise in 1966 - and on the 1,517 cruises I have worked on since then (on 33 different ships) - there has always been a Cruise Director.

These people have far more responsibility than you will ever know. Not only do they plan, schedule, and manage all social and entertainment activities onboard, they also do a lot of trouble-shooting behind the scenes to ensure that you have a successful cruise.

On the cruise that I referenced the only entertainment was evening singers or comedians .

[ldubs]

I think they are definitely necessary.  Some are just a little over the top. 

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

On the cruise that I referenced the only entertainment was evening singers or comedians .

 

On P&O back in those days we didn't have anyone as high profile as the current CD's, but we still had a person that coordinated all the entertainment and activities.

 

When we were shanghaied into performing at the Can Can or Swan Lake during the crew show, s/he was the one doling out the costumes and providing the post show refreshments.

[sparks1093]

Would the position exist if they weren't necessary? 

[CDNPolar]

I see it as a management role and a necessary role that heads all the entertainment and to a certain part too, guest relations.

 

On Viking Ocean ships the Cruise Directors are actors/singers themselves and often are part of the show at some point on the itinerary.  The ships that I have been on these folks are very talented.

 

I also see them all around the Viking ships and they stop and talk and interact always.  

 

We have happened on three Viking Ocean cruises and quite by chance had the same Cruise Director that immediately recognized and greeted us on the 2nd and 3rd ship.

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

5 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

Would the position exist if they weren't necessary? 

Excellent question. I have not known cruise ships to staff unneeded positions.

[ontheweb]

14 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

On the cruise that I referenced the only entertainment was evening singers or comedians .

And who do you think hired them and scheduled them?

[leaveitallbehind]

59 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

And who do you think hired them and scheduled them?

Back then if that was all they had on board for entertainment, they may have been handled by an entertainment manager as part of the hotel staff who maybe was less visible and did not have the passenger social responsibilities of the more contemporary CD.  

[Toofarfromthesea]

16 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

On the cruise that I referenced the only entertainment was evening singers or comedians .

 

Would that level of entertainment be acceptable today?  And what was the entertainment like on other lines?

[leaveitallbehind]

7 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

Would that level of entertainment be acceptable today? 

I am not answering for the OP but just adding my opinion on your first question by saying with the intensive level and diversity of entertainment on most mass market cruise lines, that would clearly not be acceptable today.  Cruise ship entertainment has become a very competitive draw between the lines and to have something far less out of the 70's (as referenced by the OP) would clearly not have a place today on these lines.  But there are different boutique, sailing vessel, and smaller scale cruise lines where the entertainment is still somewhat of a sideline with the focus on the cruise itself where that type of entertainment likely has a home.

Edited November 11, 2023 by leaveitallbehind

[lenquixote66]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

And who do you think hired them and scheduled them?

A person at the cruise line headquarters.

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

Would that level of entertainment be acceptable today?  And what was the entertainment like on other lines?

The entertainmeners were Class A .We saw Rodney Dangerfeld .Todays cruise lines do not offer anyone comparable.

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

The entertainmeners were Class A .We saw Rodney Dangerfeld .Todays cruise lines do not offer anyone comparable.

 

But you just said above that you'd be happy to sit in a chair and stare out the sea and you didn't cruise for entertainment. 

 

So....what does it matter?

 

[lenquixote66]

19 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

But you just said above that you'd be happy to sit in a chair and stare out the sea and you didn't cruise for entertainment. 

 

So....what does it matter?

 

It does not matter to me .I am merely posting to start a conversation as I have nearly always done in the many years that I have been posting here.

[Joebucks]

14 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

It does not matter to me .I am merely posting to start a conversation as I have nearly always done in the many years that I have been posting here.

 

Well you started one, and a conversation goes both ways. Do you literally sit in a chair for a week and stare?

[mom says]

28 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

Well you started one, and a conversation goes both ways. Do you literally sit in a chair for a week and stare?

Well  if the OP thinks that there is no better entertainment possible on a ship than Rodney Dangerfield... perhaps he deserves to sit in a chair and stare at the water for a week.

 

OTOH, if he never bothers to go to any of the entertainment offerings, how could he possibly know whether  they were good or not? Inquiring minds want to know.

Edited November 11, 2023 by mom says