Cruise Directors

[slhw]

Hi

 

Just wondering whether Richard Sykes is still with Thomson. We have been on two cruises (both Spirit) when he was the CD and he was really outstanding. Other Thomson CDs have also been almost as good except for one on the Celebration who was really ............ Really enjoy Thomson entertainment. Went to the Caribbean on QM2 in January this year - of course, the ship is fantastic but the entertainment was not nearly as much fun as Thomson.

 

Sandie

[kruzseeka]

We were on the repositioning cruise from the Canaries to the Med on Destiny at the end of April. Kane Davies was the cruise director (I think we saw him as the assistant cruise director on the Celebration about 3 years ago). He had just taken over so I imagine he will be on this ship until the autumn now.

 

One evening we had a guest late night spot in the Oklamhoma lounge featuring Stephen Guy who I think was the CD on the Celebration possibly at the same time Kane was the asst. CD. I got the feeling he was just doing an unscheduled cabaret spot because he was on the ship - he described himself as a itinerant CD and I got the impression he was still with Thomson perhaps on the way to meet up with one of the fleet. He is excellent.

 

Yes, I agree, Richard Sykes is superb too. These two are the best we've seen. Don't know if Richard's still around though. (I think I know who you mean about being awful too! There was a lot of comment about this on the ShipHappens! forums before it closed.)

 

Like you, I'd be pleased to know who the CD's are on the Thomson ships - it does make such a difference because, as you say, the entertainment on Thomson is part of why we choose to travel with them.

 

Please let us know when you get back from your trips, everyone.

[Rambler12]

I think I read that Richard Sykes was currently on Transocean's Marco Polo.

 

I believe he was the CD on the Celebration in July 2006. If I have got the correct person he was great and very tallented.

[kruzseeka]

Yes, we were on Celebration June 2006 so I'm sure you have the right person. He got involved with a lot of the productions - and really led by example. (Unlike one or two others we've come across!)

[slhw]

Hi Kruzseeker and Rambler12

 

Thanks for your replies. I have also seen Stephen Guy - just for the start of the cruise where we then had the abysmal CD. Thought SG was very good - he told us that he had trained Richard Sykes - if he did, he made a very good job of it. Can't even remember the name of the one we thought was awful (I think I have blocked it out). Hope he isn't on our Taste of Ireland in October. Could possibly push him overboard and wait to see if anyone notices that he has gone! The CD can make all the difference. Look forward to any info. over the coming months. We are thinking of doing Destiny to Caribbean in January - any info. would be much appreciated.

 

Regards

 

Sandie

[Bridge1]

We adored Richard Sykes. I accept that Stephen Guy is very experienced and entertaining, but we still preferred Richard. I don't think that he slept at all on The Celebration. I hope he turns up on Thomson again some day, I'd buy any cruise that he's on, suppose I'll have to look up the Marco Polo now. Thank you for telling us where he is, we had wondered where he'd got to.

[jenny wren]

We thought Frank Hammond was excellent on the Emerald in 2006 and last year on the Calypso apparently. Anyone know where he is now??? we go on Calypso on Monday so will report back on our return!

[Billym1507]

I am terrible for remembering names. On the Destiny last year we had a lady CD called I think Sue Jennings who I thought was very good. She put her own show on I night a week. Do I have the correct name and if so has anyone else seen her?

Billy.

[kruzseeka]

She did a couple of shows on the Destiny repositioning cruise at the end of April. One was a comedy show, the other a tribute to Judy Garland. Both were very good so I don't know if she's given up doing the CD bit or whether she was just between ships and came on as a guest performer.

[slhw]

Anyone interested in starting the Richard Sykes Fan Club - finding out just which cruises he is going to be on so that we can become groupies! He was really responsible for such a large amount of enjoyment on two of our Thomson cruises.

[steelerannie]

We've just come back from a 2 week cruise on the Spirit - so this is very accurate information!!! The CD is Barry Summers a scot who looks strangely like Frankie Howerd!!!

 

Ann

[chelseabun]

Richard Sykes was on the Spirit last April. He had been the CD on our cruise the year before on the celebration and we agree he was great.

He is on facebook and we contacted him through that last year and he said he had left Thomson but we havent contacted him recently to find out where he is now. Could start a facebook Richard Sykes fan club.

 

Sam and Gary

[slhw]

Hi Sam and Gary

 

Thanks for the info. What a pity Richard has left Thomson. Was hoping that he might have been on the Destiny in the Caribbean next January. Saw that he was on the Marco Polo but the reviews for that ship aren't very good - let's know if you have any more info. on him from Facebook - I'm all for the fan club!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sandie

[sobral]

Does anyone know the CD on Spirit this summer season? Thanks

[steelerannie]

As stated above - CD for Spirit is Barry Summers. We were on in May/June

[Dr_Dave]

Barry Summers - we called him "Bazza" - he was good.

[steelerannie]

We called him "Bing Bong Barry!"

 

ps Dr Dave we were on at the same time as you!!!

 

Ann

[sobral]

Thanks everyone, sorry -didnt see previous post!

[jenny wren]

Just returned from Calypso.... Stephen Guy was the CD for the first week and then Keef Maynard for the second week both very good...I think Stephen Guy said he was off to the Destiny later and Keef Maynard also said he'd be going to the Caribbean on the Destiny for the winter.....they were both replacing someone who had left after being taken ill.

[Bridge1]

Richard Sykes was on the Spirit last April. He had been the CD on our cruise the year before on the celebration and we agree he was great.

He is on facebook and we contacted him through that last year and he said he had left Thomson but we havent contacted him recently to find out where he is now. Could start a facebook Richard Sykes fan club.

 

Sam and Gary

 

 

I've found his website:

www.rsykes.clara.net

[Dr_Dave]

We called him "Bing Bong Barry!"

 

ps Dr Dave we were on at the same time as you!!!

 

Ann

 

Hello Ann - didn't we have some scorching weather? Wonderful times.

[SOOTY SUE]

Just seen your reply in tracking down Richard Sykes fan club - don't know who he is but maybe I'll check him out!

 

Anyway, I was wondering if you could use your tracker skills in helping me find out anything on Janos Guylas and Joszef Paladis (I think that's how you spell them). They were on Celebration this year as Janos and Joszef - classical musicians (piano and violin). I can't find any info on them or where they'll be next year. Any ideas as I think they were brilliant and I must see them again.

[sobral]

I think they were the two classical musicians on the Spirit- we have just returned from our cruise and there were two musicians- pianist and violinist in Explorers lounge- they were wonderful

[kruzseeka]

Hello again, sootysue - seems that 'little crush' hasn't evaporated yet !!!!!!;) ;) We're off on Celebration soon (Hooray!!:D ) and I promise to see what I find out for you if they're still on the Celebration. Perhaps they have a website - I'll ask anyway. I do know they are from Budapest and are cousins - but watch this space and I'll report back if I can find out any more info for you.

 

Sobral - were you on the Spirit recently? Sootysue saw them on Celebration last month - I hope they haven't swapped over. We saw them on Spirit last year but sootysue had raised my hopes that they were now on Celebration. I shall find out soon enough - but I won't be able to help out Sootysue if they're on Spirit!!!!! And on a personal note, I'll be very disappointed as like you we thought they were brilliant and I'd really like to see them again.

[sobral]

Kruzseeker

Was on Spirit just last week- cant be exactly sure if the two musicians were called that but they were a pianist and a violinists and were amazing and the names sound familiar- wish I had kept at least one copy of my cruise news and I could have checked for you