Gentlemen Hosts?

[charlielinda]

On the Summit there were two (that we saw) Gentlemen Hosts that would dance with women in the lounges and also were at the dance classes. I'm just curious about a few things -- how does one go about becoming a gentlemen host? what are there duties? do they cruise for free? do they do it for months at a time?

 

Wonder if they have woman hosts?

 

Voyager of the Sea -- September 2001; Galaxy -- May 2002; Zuiderdam -- September 2003; Summit -- April 2004; CAN'T WAIT -- SUMMIT OCTOBER 2004

[demisod]

Doubt women hosts would be included in the cruise fare. Might not even be able to put it on the cruise card.

[Seabee]

Do a search on the internet for gentlemen hosts. There is a web site that recruits and assigns the hosts. I looked at it once but cannot remember the website. I think it was www.theworkingvacation.com or something similar.

 

******************************************************

With Compassion for others we build...we fight for peace and freedom

[jp1]

Basketlady, were you on the 4/16 summit sailing? I think I saw a couple of "hosts" as well....namely the cute little sailor man dancing away at the outdoor deck party.....

[Randyk47]

I have a funny story about "gentlemen hosts"...at least I think it's funny. A few years ago my wife and I were on a cruise for our honeymoon. The table next to us had two good looking couples. The gentlemen were particularly well dressed and appeared to be well spoken. After two nights we ran into the gentlemen in one of the lounges before dinner. The lounge happened to be a little more crowded than normal so I asked them if we could sit with them until their ladies showed up. They asked "What ladies?" I explained we were at the table next to them in the dining room and had seen them with two very nice looking ladies. They said "Oh....those are just two ladies that happen to be sitting at our table." My immediate thought was that these two guys were escorts or gentlemen hosts and I asked them if they were. After numerous...a lot more than several...minutes of laughing to the point of tears they simply said they were a gay couple and not hosts. They became and still are to this day very dear friends. We never fail to laugh over the "gentlemen hosts" mistake.

 

Until Galaxy

[joramrose]

On a transAtlantic cruise several years ago, one of our tablemates was a gentleman host. He was delightful.

 

He was a widower, a retired fireman from New Jersey. He had taken a lot of Arthur Murray (remember him anyone?) dance classes, and in his spare time had taken to brushing up his skills when someone suggested he apply for a GH spot.

 

He cruises six or seven times a year, free. His duties are to dance with the single ladies, mix and mingle with passengers and occasionally be the ship's rep on a shore trip.

 

Nice work, I should think.

 

love

joan

[Nitemare]

I'm Just a gigolo

everywhere I go

people know the part

I'm playing

 

Paid for every dance

selling each romance

Oh what their saying

 

There will come a day

And youth will pass away

What will they say about me

 

When the end comes I know

they'll say just a gigolo

Life goes on without me

 

I'm just a gigolo, everywhere I go

people know the part I'm playing

paid for every dance

starting each romance

oh what their saying

 

And there will come a day

And youth will pass away

What will they say about me

 

When the end comes I know

They'll say just a gigalo

Life goes on without me

 

Cause I aint got nobody

oh and theres nobody cares for me

theres nobody cares for me

 

I'm so sad and lonely

sad and lonely sad and lonely

Won't some sweet mamma

come and take a chance with me

cause I aint so bad

 

And I'll sing out, sweet love songs

All of the time

She will only be, only be

Bip bozadee bodzee bop le bop

 

I aint got nobody

oh and theres nobody cares for me

theres nobody cares for me

 

Hummala bebhuhla zeebuhla boobuhla

hummala bebhuhla zeebuhla bop

 

I ain't got nobody, nobody,

nobody cares for me

Nobody , theres nobody cares for me

I'm so sad and lonely,

oh lonely, oh lonely, lonely lonely

 

Won't some sweet mama come and rescue me

cause I aint so bad

 

And I'll sing out

sweet love songs

all of the time

she will only be, only, only, only only be

baby, sugar darling

 

I aint got nobody baby

And there's nobody, there's nobody

there's nobody theres nobody

there's no one, there's no one

nobody, nobody, nobody

nobody cares for me

[Jacqueline]

Who needs 'em ?

 

Jacqueline

Constellation 3/20/04

HAL Westerdam 7/30/04

Tahitian Princess August 2003

Grand Princess Western Caribbean 2003

Brilliance of the Seas Baltic 2002

Ocean Princess- Alaska 2001

Celebrity Zenith- Bermuda 2001

Grand Princess Med 2000

 

[Cruisindad]

I can share just a little general information about the OP's orignal questions.

 

After being single again for several years I decided if I was still unattached at 50 I would try to become a gentleman host. I did a little research (and remember even less), but:

The host's cruise fare is paid (not sure about transportation to the cruise)

I seem to recall they may also receive a small stipend for buying drinks for the ladies, etc.

They must dance with/treat all interested females equally, with no favoritism, and no romantic involvement during the cruise.

I'm not sure about the time committment, ie if they must do several consecutive cruises.

I've not heard of any female hostesses

The hiring is normally handled by a management company, and it required flying to California at the prospective host's expense for interviews, where dancing proficiency and other requirements would be evaluated (I think bridge playing is another desired skill)

 

As for me, I remarried last September, and gladly gave up my dream

 

Tim and Joann

[hajekfam]

They can only dance with unattached females. And they must dance with all who want to dance before dancing again with the same person.

 

They really do not need women hosts as there are usually an overabundance of single females on cruises.

 

Here is link for openings from a ballroom dancers message board:

Dance Hosts

 

Zenith-Western Caribbean-6/92

Zenith-Eastern Caribbean-6/93

Century-Maiden Voyage-12/95

Galaxy-Southern Caribbean-11/99

Mercury-Northbound Alaska-6/00

Millennium-Westbound Transatlantic-9/01

Horizon-Western Caribbean - Adults only cruise-11/02

Millennium-Westbound Transatlantic 10/26/03

Century - Western Caribbean 1/31/04