UPDATED List of Current Cruise Directors (CD)

skeeter21 · June 23, 2014

I have a question. This is going to be difficult but; there are two cruise directors that I loved, but I can't remember their names or ships they were on. It was RCI. The first was a guy that changed characters all the time, western, hillbilly, English, he was histerical! Tall, American I believe. He would dress up and walk around the ship, and you didn't know it was him. Very funny guy. The second was a short, older guy, i think he was on Voyager or explorer several years ago. He too was really funny and an excellent CD. Anyone have any ideas who these two are, and where they are now? Thank you!

Clarea · June 23, 2014

I have a question. This is going to be difficult but; there are two cruise directors that I loved, but I can't remember their names or ships they were on. It was RCI. The first was a guy that changed characters all the time, western, hillbilly, English, he was histerical! Tall, American I believe. He would dress up and walk around the ship, and you didn't know it was him. Very funny guy. The second was a short, older guy, i think he was on Voyager or explorer several years ago. He too was really funny and an excellent CD. Anyone have any ideas who these two are, and where they are now? Thank you!

The last one you mention reminds me of Dennis Charles.

Cruzin-K · June 23, 2014

The last one you mention reminds me of Dennis Charles.

Well, except the description was "older". Dennis is only in his 50's, so several years ago he would have been in his 40's, and I AM NOT OLD. :-p

DonnaK · June 23, 2014

Well, except the description was "older". Dennis is only in his 50's, so several years ago he would have been in his 40's, and I AM NOT OLD. :-p

LOL...I was thinking the same thing! I love Dennis...he is one of my very favorites, right behind Leigh Xuereb!

DonnaK · June 23, 2014

Adventure OTS - Rob McNally started on May 4 (until when? Then who?)

Allure OTS - Allan Brooks started on June 15 (until when? then who?)

Anthem OTS - Joff Eaton will be taking out the ship and continuing on as its regular CD. Ken Rush will also be onboard for the first 6-8 weeks doing behind the scenes duties to provide a smooth take out

Brilliance OTS - Clo O'Connor began on April 30 until July 26. Then who?

Enchantment OTS - Mitch Merucci will be filling-in from May 9 to July 12, followed by Marc Walker from July 12 until Nov 17, then Mitch Merucci from Nov 17 until Jan 19.

Explorer OTS - Leigh Xuereb from May 8 until September 6, followed by Keith Williams on September 6 until November 1. Leigh has confirmed that he will be returning from his vacation on November 1 for another contract on Explorer.

Freedom OTS - Rich Edwards from June 8 until August 3. (Then who?)

Grandeur OTS - Paul Rutter May 24 until August 1, then Ricky Matthews from Aug 1 until October 16, then Rich Edwards from October 16 until February 2015.

Independence OTS - Joff Eaton May 17 through October 25. Then who? (This is Joff's last contract on Indy - after his vacation, he is headed to the shipyard mid-March to prepare for taking out Anthem on April 22, 2015).

Jewel OTS - Carly Boileau returned on March 15 until July 12, followed by Dennis Charles for 2 months, followed by Carly for 4 more months, then Dennis for 2 more months.

Legend OTS - Topi Ylönen started on April 1 for the 2014 European Season. Keith Williams starts in November.

Liberty OTS -Jerome Sueur started June 6 for 4 months. (Jerome's break will likely be October and November, returning for December through end of March 2015).

Majesty OTS - Carlos Torres started June 8

Mariner OTS - Ken Jones started May 18 (until when? then who?)

Navigator OTS - John Perry from April 20 until Aug 17 then Mitch Merucci Aug 17 until Oct 19 .

Oasis OTS - Jimmy Rhodes is filling in from May 17 through July 19, then Drew Devine July 19 through November 15, then Ricky Matthews starts November 15

Quantum OTS - Jimmy Rhodes will be taking out the ship and continuing on as its regular CD. Ken Rush will also be onboard for the first 6-8 weeks doing behind the scenes duties to provide a smooth take out. (Zach Stratford will be the Activities Manager)

Radiance OTS - Amy Fickert starts April 27 until August 22 and returns November 5 (who is filling in from Aug 22 - Nov 5?)

Rhapsody OTS - Graham Seymour Feb 1 through August 1 (Then who?)

Serenade OTS - Bobby Brown started April 26 (until when? Then who?)

Splendour OTS - Bill Brunkhorst for the European Season

Vision OTS - Steve Davis will started on June 9

Voyager OTS - Lixin Fang began April 10 for the Asian season

Richard Spacey is now Manager of Entertainment, Activities and Family Strategy Development for Celebrity Cruises in their corporate offices in Miami, working alongside Becky Thompson.

Dave Chapman has left RCCL. He is taking an extended break, and then he will be moving over to another cruiseline.

James Andrews is a real estate agent in Sydney

Mike Szwajkowski is a Canadian Mountie

Leo Papa at Cornell University working on a Master's degree in Hospitality Administration/Management

Anna Bass is now Client Services Manager at ISS London

Abe Hughes is Director of Port Revenue Operations at Royal Media Partners

João Pereira is studying Portuguese/English education and translation at Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas in Brazil

Kirk Detweiler is now CD with Silversea cruises.

Simeon Baker - married a dancer, had a baby girl and is a sales exec at a Porsche dealer in Saskatchewan

Matt Baker - Sim's brother - recently married and living in Wales. They bought a pub called the Tiddley

Kieron Buffrey - CD with Holland America

Tom Canosa - teaching 6th grade science in North Carolina

Peter Benfield and Johnny Osborne have emigrated to Thailand

Anthony Richards is living in Miami with his wife, and is working for Royal Media Partners as Manager Port Revenue Operations

Rico du Breil is now a CD with NCL

Paul Lancaster is no longer with RCI, and resides in England

Abel Jeney is International Manager at Kingswood Education and Adventure in London

Parker Cristan is living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - staging/choreographing for local theater

Ashley Kerr - married and living in Vancouver BC, working as a marketing rep for a PR firm

Karen Maybury - has a consultant/pr/entertainment agency

Jannie Cloete - leading expeditions on small ships

Where is Warren Allen? (aka Warren Melhuish)

(If anyone knows the whereabouts of other former RCI cruise directors, I'd be happy to add them to the end of this list, as there seems to be a lot of questions about them)

Clarea · June 23, 2014

Well, except the description was "older". Dennis is only in his 50's, so several years ago he would have been in his 40's, and I AM NOT OLD. :-p

OK, lost my head, you are NOT old.:)

jules815 · June 23, 2014

Does anyone know who the CD will be on FOS this fall?

DonnaK · June 23, 2014

Does anyone know who the CD will be on FOS this fall?

Did you see my reply to your post last week?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=43094071&postcount=1546

jules815 · June 23, 2014

Since you are cruising on FR in September, maybe you can use the email for the concierge or for entertainment info to try and find out????

To email the concierge,use the 2 letter code for ship(i.e FR for Freedom),followed by an underscore then Concierge@rccl.com The underscore is ONLY between the ships two letters and Concierge. i.e FR_Concierge@rccl.com

To email for entertainment info: web_reservations@rccl.com Note the underscore between web and reservations.

Somehow I completely missed this reply! Thank you so much!

sf2 · June 24, 2014

I have a question. This is going to be difficult but; there are two cruise directors that I loved, but I can't remember their names or ships they were on. It was RCI. The first was a guy that changed characters all the time, western, hillbilly, English, he was histerical! Tall, American I believe. He would dress up and walk around the ship, and you didn't know it was him. Very funny guy. The second was a short, older guy, i think he was on Voyager or explorer several years ago. He too was really funny and an excellent CD. Anyone have any ideas who these two are, and where they are now? Thank you!

I'll say the first is Eric Dowis? Now on HAL? https://www.facebook.com/humoroushost

and the second may be Jeff Arpin, who's sometimes back for CD fills and Ohio State Buckeye charters . . . .

Edited June 24, 2014 by sf2

Clarea · June 24, 2014

I'll say the first is Eric Dowis? Now on HAL? https://www.facebook.com/humoroushost
and the second may be Jeff Arpin, who's sometimes back for CD fills and Ohio State Buckeye charters . . . .

I remember Eric, on Voyager out of Galveston back in 2008. Excellent CD.

DonnaK · June 24, 2014

I'll say the first is Eric Dowis? Now on HAL? https://www.facebook.com/humoroushost
and the second may be Jeff Arpin, who's sometimes back for CD fills and Ohio State Buckeye charters . . . .

Could be Jeff. He was our CD on our first RCI cruise, Explorer in 2002

DonnaK · June 24, 2014