We have cruised with Oceania enough times to earn Silver in Oceania Club, but partly due to longer cruises. We didn't hobnob with the crew or CD. However I appreciate the work of the CD and it does feel different if you have a good one. But one thing that a CD did that was really useful to me (may have been Dotty) was during tendering to a port was annoucing that "now is a good time for independent travelers to go ashore" - due to a lull in shipboard excursions.