NCL Well Known Cruise Directors

Royal and Carnival each have cruise directors that are sort of celebrities in their respective companies. Everybody who cruises with them knows who they are and their reputation.

Does NCL have any cruise directors like this?

I realize there are two sides on this issue. Some people think CD's don't make a difference and others do.

I fall in line that a good cruise director does set the tone for the cruise activities. Especially in the evening.

We've cruised with Jersey Joel twice and he's a blast!

There was one named Simon who was fantastic. English I believe... overused the word "Smashing" but it became a point of humor over the cruise.

Believe he's more on the Corporate Entertainment side these days though but could be wrong.

Really good guy though

LOL re Simon, can still hear his voice and he always said hello when we ran into him. Haha editing to say I read question wrong. Was thinking Hotel Director and Sean still wins there. Our cd was ok, actually don't remember his name. However, not in answer to your question Sean W who was on Getaway for our January cruise is our all time favorite Hotel Director. I am so glad he will be on the Escape. He and the excellent staff and crew made our Getaway cruise our best ever :)

Never had the pleasure to meet Simon, but he is seems to be universally loved by many NCL cruisers.

Probably star CD right now would be Julie Valarote who is currently on the Getaway and I believe is slated to move over to the Escape this year. I think she has opened every new cruise ship over the past few years.

I am of the camp that are left cold by CDs. I find most of them to be a little smarmy and fake. Wish I had met Simon, my impression is that he may have been very genuine.

Never had the pleasure to meet Simon, but he is seems to be universally loved by many NCL cruisers.

 

Probably star CD right now would be Julie Valarote who is currently on the Getaway and I believe is slated to move over to the Escape this year. I think she has opened every new cruise ship over the past few years.

 

I am of the camp that are left cold by CDs. I find most of them to be a little smarmy and fake. Wish I had met Simon, my impression is that he may have been very genuine.

Far from being very genuine! More in the camp of "over the top". Lot's of noise, a bit goofy, but OK I suppose. Typical CD.

If you've ever seen the hour long CNBC special "Cruise Inc." Simon is the CD in the featured cruise and is interviewed a lot.

Simon Murray from Australia. Went Corporate but with all the Corporate changes in recent weeks, do not know if he is still there.

Far from being very genuine! More in the camp of "over the top". Lot's of noise, a bit goofy, but OK I suppose. Typical CD.

Well, if his true personality was a little bit goofy and over the top, then he was "genuine".

Does anyone who has met Julie believe that we have seen her "genuine" personality or rather just a fake persona of her impression of what she thinks a CD should look and sound? ( sorry, Julie fans )

Simon Murray from Australia. Went Corporate but with all the Corporate changes in recent weeks, do not know if he is still there.

Oops! Thinking back it was more of an Australian accent... My bad! :eek:

Well, if his true personality was a little bit goofy and over the top, then he was "genuine".

 

Does anyone who has met Julie believe that we have seen her "genuine" personality or rather just a fake persona of her impression of what she thinks a CD should look and sound? ( sorry, Julie fans )

Does her true personality really matter?

Fwiw she was a wonderful personable attractive fun cd who always had a smile and kept everyone aware of the activities

She was at all the deck parties encouraging the fun for all

What else is needed? She is not your new best friend....she doesn't insult pax nor does she ignore them

I just don't get what you expect from her other than the fact that.....

She is just a competent probably bilingual well educated savvy cd and was picked to lead the ba out of NYC.... A flagship port and ship IMHO and I hear her next gig is the ncl Escape!

That says it all as I doubt a marginal cd would be chosen for that job

Sorry she didn't become you newest bffl but she knows not to be that way

Good for her!!!!

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Sinan was a legend. But he is with another cruise line now.

Dan Dan was one of my favorites. I believe he'd on the Gem now. Julie didn't make much of an impression with me (agreed she seemed a bit fake) but some people LOVE her. She was on the Getaway when I sailed with her - but I think she's back on the Breakaway now and will move to the Escape when she launches.

Well, if his true personality was a little bit goofy and over the top, then he was "genuine".

 

Does anyone who has met Julie believe that we have seen her "genuine" personality or rather just a fake persona of her impression of what she thinks a CD should look and sound? ( sorry, Julie fans )

Could not agree more!!

My personal favorite is Pedro Serra. He has no schtick, but is just a genuine emcee type CD.

My personal favorite is Pedro Serra. He has no schtick, but is just a genuine emcee type CD.

agree with you...and an all around nice guy too. He even remembered DH and I when we boarded Sun a year or two after we left her last. Wish he was still doing US based cruises.

I'm of the camp that a good cruise director can enhance the experience, but it isn't a deciding factor in any way. The most memorable one on NCL was a guy named Big Ken Mills on the Jewel. I don't think he's with the company any longer, but he was a good one: personable, approachable, not over-the-top.

Pedro Serra is near the top of my list... but I really liked Ricky Matthews when he was on the Star in 2007. From what I have read elsewhere, he is one of the favorite cruise directors on Royal Caribbean these days.

Does her true personality really matter?

 

Fwiw she was a wonderful personable attractive fun cd who always had a smile and kept everyone aware of the activities

 

She was at all the deck parties encouraging the fun for all

 

What else is needed? She is not your new best friend....she doesn't insult pax nor does she ignore them

 

I just don't get what you expect from her other than the fact that.....

 

She is just a competent probably bilingual well educated savvy cd and was picked to lead the ba out of NYC.... A flagship port and ship IMHO and I hear her next gig is the ncl Escape!

 

That says it all as I doubt a marginal cd would be chosen for that job

 

Sorry she didn't become you newest bffl but she knows not to be that way

 

Good for her!!!!

 

 

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Well, I said, "sorry Julie fans".

Not expecting or even wanting any CD to be my BFF. I usually avoid them whenever possible because I find their plastered on smiles and banter a little annoying because it is to me so blatantly fake. Some remind me of those annoying sales people who try too hard and end up losing the sale because of it. I never said I didn't think Julie did an adequate job. I said she is probably considered the "star" at NCL, so relax. Not everyone has to like her.

Pedro Serra is near the top of my list... but I really liked Ricky Matthews when he was on the Star in 2007. From what I have read elsewhere, he is one of the favorite cruise directors on Royal Caribbean these days.

Yep, Ricky is on Royal right now and just like always varying opinions, he was meh for me.:D

Sinan Ulucay, what fantastic cruise director!!!

And a real nice guy on top of that

We really enjoyed Richard the cd on the Sun when we cruise the PC last October. Very friendly and did a great job; always out and about.

The CD has very little to do with our cruise enjoyment - not so sure about well-known, the last one that we have any sort of memories with on the Star going back to 2009 and his show on Fountains with the cruise staff on stage.

JC Sanchez was on our BA last month and the name Dan Dan sounded familiar, but what ship or when, frankly - must be old age.

I guess one man's garbage is another's treasure.

Sinon was one of the biggest loud mouths I ever met in over 30 years of cruising

We do not take much notice of Cruise Directors generally, however Gary Glading who used to work on the Jade was impressive (particularly his language skills). He was knowledgeable about the ports as well as being entertaining and approachable.

Well, I said, "sorry Julie fans".

 

Not expecting or even wanting any CD to be my BFF. I usually avoid them whenever possible because I find their plastered on smiles and banter a little annoying because it is to me so blatantly fake. Some remind me of those annoying sales people who try too hard and end up losing the sale because of it. I never said I didn't think Julie did an adequate job. I said she is probably considered the "star" at NCL, so relax. Not everyone has to like her.

I really don't bother much with the cd either

I just find it interesting that wether they are fake to a pax or not matters

They are all acting so who cares

If her being fake makes an impression on you then I guess the cd does matter to you

In my book every single Ncl employee from the captain down to the knob polisher is just putting on a facade anyway when they greet you or help you

Does anyone really think the crew on any ship is not just putting on a show for the pax?

Of course they are because its there job to be overly nice and accommodating to the pax

We will never see the "real" personality of any of the crew because we aren't supposed to

I am still amused that anyone really cares if the cd is perceived as phony or genuine.

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