Has anyone sailed with Damian DeLorenzis

[chamima]

Hi all.

We are sailing on the Eclipse this coming February.

In the past we have had the wonderful Sue Denning as our CD but she is off to another ship and we are being told Damian DeLorenzis will be our Cruise Director.

Since I know that the CD and their scheduling of activities can really make a difference in the "life" aboard I'm curious if anyone has sailed with Damian in the past and did you feel there were lots of things going on or was it pretty quiet?

(Please don't dissect his personality - I just want to know about activities )

Thanks!

[Orator]

Hi all.

We are sailing on the Eclipse this coming February.

In the past we have had the wonderful Sue Denning as our CD but she is off to another ship and we are being told Damian DeLorenzis will be our Cruise Director.

Since I know that the CD and their scheduling of activities can really make a difference in the "life" aboard I'm curious if anyone has sailed with Damian in the past and did you feel there were lots of things going on or was it pretty quiet?

(Please don't dissect his personality - I just want to know about activities )

Thanks!

 

Have cruised several times with Damian and found him quite good. Very friendly and approachable. Sue is a one of a kind CD, but Damien is excellent. Did the best Super Bowl Party I've seen!

Edited December 31, 2015 by Orator

[azle]

I have sailed with Damian de Lorenzis twice a few years ago. It was a Transatlantic in 2009 on the Summit and 2010 16 night Panama canal cruise from Seattle to Ft. Lauderdale. I don't remember much about the activities except that they were both great cruises. Things were very different then with many more daytime activities and Beyond the Podium speakers etc. I think Damian was a pretty good CD but nothing exceptional. I don't know where he's been in the past 5 years as we haven't run into him on our many cruises.

[Orator]

I have sailed with Damian de Lorenzis twice a few years ago. It was a Transatlantic in 2009 on the Summit and 2010 16 night Panama canal cruise from Seattle to Ft. Lauderdale. I don't remember much about the activities except that they were both great cruises. Things were very different then with many more daytime activities and Beyond the Podium speakers etc. I think Damian was a pretty good CD but nothing exceptional. I don't know where he's been in the past 5 years as we haven't run into him on our many cruises.

 

Damien left Celebrity for a few years and was a CD with Royal Caribbean. He has since returned to Celebrity.

[Karynanne]

We've cruised with him too. He's terrific!

[FlorenceItaly]

Damien was on our Constellation Christmas cruise. We enjoyed him very much. I am disappointed he will not be on our Constellation TA cruise in April. I spoke with him, and he was just filling in on the Constellation.

[harz99]

I really hope Damian can cater for his UK guests once Eclipse comes over the pond. As Orator says, Sue Denning is one of a kind and in my opinion is hugely suited to a UK based season. I really dont want to suffer a CD who thinks the ship is in the Carribean or South America and acts accordingly. My hopes were that Sue would be doing a straight swap with Steve, oh well. ...

[Ma Bell]

Don't worry, you won't have to suffer, Damian is a great guy and terrific CD. He's from Canada and has been with Celebrity for many years.

[FlorenceItaly]

Don't worry, you won't have to suffer, Damian is a great guy and terrific CD. He's from Canada and has been with Celebrity for many years.

 

I agree. He is a class act. He is not the loud, obnoxious type if that is what you are worried about.

[lovemylab]

We had him a few years ago on the Equinox and he was great.

[harz99]

Don't worry, you won't have to suffer, Damian is a great guy and terrific CD. He's from Canada and has been with Celebrity for many years.

 

Thanks, hope you're right, although being Canadian is no guarantee. Steve Gayda is brilliant and highly visible, on the other hand I don't rate Drew Devine at all - all ego and apart from his hosting of events never seen; both Canadians.

[Ma Bell]

Thanks, hope you're right, although being Canadian is no guarantee. Steve Gayda is brilliant and highly visible, on the other hand I don't rate Drew Devine at all - all ego and apart from his hosting of events never seen; both Canadians.

 

I've known Damian since he was just part of the activities staff and he is a classy guy with a wonderful sense of humor, but not over the top. He's a gentleman.

[lawgeek]

Just sailed with Damian on Constellation. Very high energy cruise. Very good job.

[Lastdance]

I don't think we should compare Sue to anyone else; she is the very, very best and in a category of her own! CD's are not the only thing that makes a ship fantastic, but I guess if you are in the Caribbean and like lots of fun games and activities, you need someone who can deliver. I always like to give them a chance...

That being said, please don't flame me!

Edited January 1, 2016 by Lastdance

[Sandtrap328]

I like joining the activities of the ship when sailing and enjoy the personalities of cruise directors.

 

I must be the only Celebrity cruiser who does not like Sue Demming's personality. I know of her talent achievements but ...

 

Best I have had was a cruise director named Rich. Super personality. His "gimmick" was wild colored and patternered socks he would show off at show time. He would get involved in the officer-guest volleyball game and jump into the pool wearing his business suit.

[bananawindnj]

I don't think we should compare Sue to anyone else; she is the very, very best and in a category of her own! CD's are not the only thing that makes a ship fantastic, but I guess if you are in the Caribbean and like lots of fun games and activities, you need someone who can deliver. I always like to give them a chance...

That being said, please don't flame me!

 

Sorry, I am going on the Eclipse shortly, and after two cruises with Sue and Perry Grant, finally relief comes. Just in the nick of time. I will agree with you, she is in a category of her own.

[chamima]

Thanks everyone for your responses.

 

Can I please request again that personalities of any cruise directors not be dissected.

 

Maybe if I explain the background of my inquiry about activities on Damien's cruises my query will make more sense.

 

Last year we sailed on the Equinox and then immediately afterwards on the Eclipse.

The CD on the Equinox was a lovely young woman (who shall remain nameless). HOWEVER, the activities, especially the evening activities , were few and far between and timed terribly!

We eat in Blu and there was almost NEVER any music in the Ensemble lounge going to or coming from dinner.

After about 10:00 the ship was like a ghost ship - with a few passengers (like myself) wandering around looking futily for something to do.

When there was an activity , there were three at the same time and several times 2 of those 3 were in venues where the sound overlapped from one area to the other.

Everything just felt off.

Then we got on the Eclipse......

The ship was ALIVE until way past midnight with constant different offerings back to back instead of overlapping. Every area on the ship was made use of.

We almost never walked through the Ensemble lounge when there wasn't some type of live music in there.

The vibe of the cruise was WONDERFUL.

 

So I am hoping for something similar this year.

[barbels]

I agree with Chamima. That's why we booked Eclipse again after three days on the ship last year. I felt the entertainment was the best ever in over 20 cruises. I will miss Sue but I hope Damian has her management skills.

And by the way I will not be booking on the ship again. I am waiting to hear where Perry Grant will be performing next winter.

[Orator]

Thanks everyone for your responses.

 

Can I please request again that personalities of any cruise directors not be dissected.

 

Maybe if I explain the background of my inquiry about activities on Damien's cruises my query will make more sense.

 

Last year we sailed on the Equinox and then immediately afterwards on the Eclipse.

The CD on the Equinox was a lovely young woman (who shall remain nameless). HOWEVER, the activities, especially the evening activities , were few and far between and timed terribly!

We eat in Blu and there was almost NEVER any music in the Ensemble lounge going to or coming from dinner.

After about 10:00 the ship was like a ghost ship - with a few passengers (like myself) wandering around looking futily for something to do.

When there was an activity , there were three at the same time and several times 2 of those 3 were in venues where the sound overlapped from one area to the other.

Everything just felt off.

Then we got on the Eclipse......

The ship was ALIVE until way past midnight with constant different offerings back to back instead of overlapping. Every area on the ship was made use of.

We almost never walked through the Ensemble lounge when there wasn't some type of live music in there.

The vibe of the cruise was WONDERFUL.

 

So I am hoping for something similar this year.

 

Damien has been with Celebrity for 14 years. He's very experienced and knows how to plan and schedule activities. Several years ago I was on a ship when the Super Bowl was played. There was an amazing party in the Theater where the game was shown on the large screen. I told Sue Richardson, who was then the HD how much I enjoyed the evening and she responded that it was all planned by Damien. Unfortunately, Damien will be leaving Connie on January 14th when I board. Fortunately, Rich Clesen, one of the most genuine people I've met will be the new CD. Celebrity has some really fine Cruise Directors who do a difficult job well.u

Edited January 2, 2016 by Orator