ONE Cruise Director's opinion of Cruise Critic

[BecciBoo]

I agree with the fact that she is the face of the company, nothing negative about paying passengers should have been said, Cruise Critic or anyone else....period. Imagine if her employers had heard her comments....

 

NOw they just might see this thread, as this site and others are regularly monitored. So somebody at corporate does think it important.

 

Having said that, the CD and who it happens to be on any given cruise...unimportant to me:rolleyes: I don't interact with them. The only person of any importance I talk to is the Diamond Concierge and that is brief to say the least.

[CanadaRob]

On the Jewel last week, both Denmis and Enzo the AD attended the meetnmingle and also stroked cruise critic a little bit by noting how valuable our input is....

When I'm going on a cruise I check the CD thread to see who is there and maybe what some opinions are of them, but at the end of the day they all work hard and some have better capacity in dealing with the public.

[Royalty X]

Cruise Critic has a terrible reputation throughout the cruising industry. And really, when you see some of the threads (how to smuggle alcohol onto ships, how to avoid tipping, borderline stalking of upper staff members, constant complaining about any change the cruise lines make, etc) its really not hard to see why.

It amazes me how being a member of this forum seems to give some people such a huge sense of entitlement, like they deserve extra perks or special treatment when they go on a cruise. I don't blame many of the cruise lines or their staff for being wary of CC members either.

Still, I am amazed at just how many fellow guests on a cruise have never heard of this website. :confused:

Probably because CC isn't the be all and end all of cruising. While there are absolutely some very handy tips on some threads, the majority of threads are pointless. Just my opinion of course. But not everyone who cruises comes here to discuss every last detail. That's not a bad thing. :)

[cheezwiz]

On the Jewel last week, both Denmis and Enzo the AD attended the meetnmingle and also stroked cruise critic a little bit by noting how valuable our input is....

When I'm going on a cruise I check the CD thread to see who is there and maybe what some opinions are of them, but at the end of the day they all work hard and some have better capacity in dealing with the public.

 

Sounds like it was a pleasant gathering. However, if the truth of the matter were that they consider CC a ridiculous PITA and engage in endless snickering & eye-rolling whenever they can get away with it, do you think they would say that at a meet & mingle?

Edited March 9, 2016 by cheezwiz
grammar ;-)

[Ocean Boy]

But look at the YEARS long threads asking almost daily about CDs and ADs. It is interesting to thousands on this board. And for the benefit of their employer, RCI, many passengers book cruises based on who the CD/AD will be on their cruise.

 

These staff members are public figures to hundreds of thousands of paying passengers over their careers. If they don't want simple questions then they should not be in the public arena.

 

They do? Wow, I personally couldn't care much less and I can barely remember one from the other except for Mike S.

[chengkp75]

After the thrashing the Captain of the Anthem received here from the uninformed, non-maritime members of CC, who even refuse to accept the judgement of those government agencies they were vehement about getting to investigate, when those agencies went against their pre-conceived ideas, is it any wonder that officers, staff, and crew regard CC poorly?

 

Off the soapbox now.

[Ocean Boy]

I could also care less about who the CD/AD are going to be and usually can't even remember their names....However...It was how the question was handled that's the problem here...and it should have been done with diplomacy as the face of RCI speaking negatively about a rather large interest group....not good.

 

It not only was negative toward large group but it also sounded judgemental toward the OP for being part of this community.

[Royal2464]

Pretty harsh assessment and maybe she was having a really bad day?

 

Most cruise/hotel staff I have encountered have respect for CC and know the people who post here generally don't have to be hand led and spoon fed on a cruise.

 

Still, I am amazed at just how many fellow guests on a cruise have never heard of this website. :confused:

 

One might understand a crew member's animosity towards Cruise Critic when you consider the recent threads on the Anthem during and after the storm. The personal attacks on the Captain and Cruise Director were completely unjustified, vulgar and disgusting.

[alfaeric]

I'm not sure why so many of you taking is so personally.

 

Then again, if YOU are, doesn't it make sense that when any CD is attacked on this board, they would take it personally, too?

 

I've seen some pretty nasty posts about Mercedes (and other CD's too), which I do not get- having met with her, I thought she was really nice, and a great CD. There are a few other's I was wary about based on posts here, and the actual interactions were better than I could have imagined.

 

So she takes personal hits toward her as personal. That's not a surprise, and I don't at all see her reply to CC as all that bad.

 

If you want reasons to not like her more- there you go.

 

I'll see it as reasons to respect her more, as she stands up to internet bullies.

[BecciBoo]

I consider the "thrashers" a minority on CC, at least on this thread, however aggrevating:mad:....most who frequent this thread are supporters of RCCL. Rah Rah Rah!;)

[Ocean Boy]

After the thrashing the Captain of the Anthem received here from the uninformed, non-maritime members of CC, who even refuse to accept the judgement of those government agencies they were vehement about getting to investigate, when those agencies went against their pre-conceived ideas, is it any wonder that officers, staff, and crew regard CC poorly?

 

Off the soapbox now.

 

There are people here who consider themselves to be experts on everything. I find that at times on medically related threads I can't teach some posters anything no matter how wrong they are about something. I tend to not even bother posting to those threads any more.

 

Off the soapbox now, also.

[marci22]

Well cruise critic has not cornered the market on dumb internet posters, it's just how it is now. Companies don't like it because they have to be more accountable. Instead of 2 or 3 people comparing notes, you have thousands. I'm sure it can be annoying.

[minn0315]

I am the OP. As I posted on another thread earlier, after the C&A welcome back party in Studio B this week, in the reception line after catain's speech. Mercedes was on her personal cell phone. It was not a ship radio/walkie.

 

So instead of greeting loyal C&A passengers, she was on her cellphone. That is why I talked to her when she was walking down the promenade last night.

[DonnaK]

Well, Mercedes just lost all my respect, and I hope I never have the misfortune of sailing with her.

[OHCruisin]

IMHO she is one of the worst CD's we have ever experienced so, for that reason i do hope she isn't on your cruise in April ...and no, she won't attend the M & M (or at least she hasn't on the couple of cruises we have been on that she was CD) :)

 

I agree with you 100%. I don't care for her at all. I generally don't care who the CD on my cruise is, but when Mercedes is the CD...ick.

[cheezwiz]

Well, Mercedes just lost all my respect, and I hope I never have the misfortune of sailing with her.

 

Based on a conversation reported by an anonymous poster on the internet? Seriously?

 

While the OP may be the very embodiment of veracity, you have no way of knowing that (unless you are indeed personally acquainted with the OP) and it seems a bit extreme to write off a person on that basis.

[TravelerThom]

...Mercedes was on her personal cell phone. It was not a ship radio/walkie...

How do you tell the difference? I thought that many ship employees have ship issued cell phones that have ship 4 or 5 digit extensions. Room Stewards give me their cell phone number (often on a business card; I've never felt the need to call it). It has been a number of years since I've never seen a ship officer that wasn't carrying what looked like a cellphone.

{However I see nothing other than company policy to keep a person from using a ship issued cell phone for a personal conversation}

[CanadaRob]

Sounds like it was a pleasant gathering. However, if the truth of the matter were that they consider CC a ridiculous PITA and engage in endless snickering & eye-rolling whenever they can get away with it, do you think they would say that at a meet & mingle?

That is exactly my point the CD and AD who were both very active didn't have to come and say how important CC is to them, the 10 to 15 minutes taken was well spent and they can continue rolling their eyes and snickering in private

 

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

[ryano]

After the thrashing the Captain of the Anthem received here from the uninformed, non-maritime members of CC, who even refuse to accept the judgement of those government agencies they were vehement about getting to investigate, when those agencies went against their pre-conceived ideas, is it any wonder that officers, staff, and crew regard CC poorly?

 

Off the soapbox now.

 

While I agree with you 100%, have you noticed where those people are now? :) Im convinced most of them were just drive by trolls from other cruise line forums here on CC stopping by to stir up the board. it worked unfortunately :o

Edited March 9, 2016 by ryano

[ryano]

So funny. The majority of people bashing this place and the people here have been members for years and even one has over 1000 posts :rolleyes:

 

Thats what pathetic

[cheezwiz]

That is exactly my point the CD and AD who were both very active didn't have to come and say how important CC is to them, the 10 to 15 minutes taken was well spent and they can continue rolling their eyes and snickering in private

 

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

 

Sure, they could have delegated to low-level staff, but it's also possible that they decided to "take one for the team" and do it themselves. The point is that you'll never really know which it was.

[bobbie0253]

If it was a personal cell call... Maybe she has a dying family member and had to take the call? There are so many unknowns I wouldn't pass judgement without knowing what that call was about.

[bouhunter]

I agree. It could definitely feel a little intrusive standing in their shoes. I think those threads are a little creepy, but that's just my opinion, so I don't read them.

 

I agree, have never understood the obsession with who is a cruise director where and when. Those are threads I never open.

[minn0315]

Ok. I'm done trying to be helpful when thousands of people on CC wanted to know about CD and AD. When you attack me personally it is over.

 

As to my authenticity, just ask the thousands of patients I have helped in my 36 years as a licensed, board certified physician and surgeon. If have not lived a truthful, honest life both in person and professionally, I would have failed in life and medicine long, long ago.

 

I do find it interesting that there are character assassinations on members of CC every day; but on roll call boards where you will actually will meet other members face to face there are none. Nor is there snark.

[BecciBoo]

MINN, don't get offended...that's exactly what they want....stay, we trust you.

 

All you did was make a fair report, you didn't make any assumptions that I see.