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[Blockbuster]

What can I say about the cruise. One good thing that came out of it was the captain was excellent as usual as I have been on a cruise on the Sky with him. He was so out there with all the passengers and very friendly and informative. This cruise was not the same as other cruises I have been on. The bar staff and cabin staff were wonderful and helpful as usual. I found the activities very boring and lack of. You only saw the cruise director when he was out and about with his girlfriend or hosting a show. He always walked around with a frown on his face and didn't stop much at all to talk to anyone. He spent far too much time with his girlfriend in front of the passengers. Not a sociable couple at all. I was on a cruise when his wife was on and together they were very approachable, in fact his wife was on this cruise and is still friendly, still a stunner and still has a great voice. I spoke to her and she has such a great attitude and didn't let the fact that Michael was on board hinder her holiday with her girlfriends. Does this man know what he has done???

We attended a couple of the shows and thought it was really good although the guests could be alot better whoever chooses them. There was a comment made to one of the crew and I suppose it was meant to be funny by Michael (which he isn't). In the crew/passenger volleyball game Michael made comment about Luke (dancer) and called him handbag Luke. We thought that was a bit on the nose saying something like that about him being gay.

Thank you to all the bar, accomodation and food waiters. They work so hard and deserve all the tips that they get.

Mussik Unlimited did a great job as always. It must be so hard away from all their families for so long.

Troy and Michael together are not funny at all. I watched the morning show and how fake are they (especially Michael). I think they try too hard. As for bingo calling from Troy, bring back the aussies. His voice got on alot of peoples nerves. It would have been nice to see more of the crew mixing with passengers on deck. They do what they have to and then they are gone. The only time public relations came out was when they were there for an activity. One girl stood at the tshirt painting looking like she really didn't want to be there.

I take my hat off to the captain because he was out there day and night.

[DucknChook]

Welcome to CC Blockbuster,

Shame your cruise was not all you had anticipated. It is a pity the attitudes of a few staff can ruin it for those onboard. Hopefully you will have met some other cruisers who made up for this, and brought home some wonderful memories of the tropical paradises you visited.

[howsthis]

Hi Blockbuster, I hope you have or are going to give your comments to P & O, they need to hear these sort of things. Hope you had fun anyway regardless.

[suey]

What a shame that your cruise was not what you had hoped. A few people have commented on Troy and Michael not being approachable and friendly with passengers. But when we were on in September I thought they were Ok they were always ready to stop and have a chat with us. I thought that I saw as much of them as other cruise directors on recent cruises. I do agree though that the cruise staff generally today are not the same as the ones of yesteryear or the activities for that matter!:confused:

Hope this cruise experience will not stop you cruising again:)

[kaseyoz]

welcome blockbuster.

havent been on the star so it is always nice to read something about it.

hope you post more now you have joined.

 

did you check out these boards before you left or only found them now?

[chaz cruiser]

Is anyone else confused?? Let me get this straight. Michael was married to someone who also use to be on cruise staff. But he now has a girlfriend who was onboard (was she a passenger or crew!)! But his wife (or is it ex wife) was on the last cruise! Now gee that must have been awkward.

 

Confused,

Chaz:confused:

[kezza]

Is anyone else confused?? Let me get this straight. Michael was married to someone who also use to be on cruise staff. But he now has a girlfriend who was onboard (was she a passenger or crew!)! But his wife (or is it ex wife) was on the last cruise! Now gee that must have been awkward.

 

Confused,

Chaz:confused:

 

Hi Chaz, Michael is a bore and does have a girlfriend on board with him. She has been on board with him since before Xmas. She is not crew but gets all the benefits and them some. She was getting off at the end of this cruise and she said Michael was doing one more after she left then he was off for a couple of months, but it appears he was getting off at the end of our cruise as well.

 

He walks around with his thumb up his b**, talks only when he needs too. We were on a tour with him on one of the islands and it was a fairly new tour so things didn't quite run as they should have and boy was he pi**ed to the max. He was so rude to the people (he had a point but his attitude towards them sucked).

 

Which one was his ex-wife, that's what I want to know:rolleyes: .

 

(Just got back onto boards and read this so had to reply!! Will get back on soon to catch up. Had a great cruise)

 

Kerri

[Star-Man]

I wonder who is going to be taking over from Michael then? Hopefully someone with a better attitude than him because he sounds like a w****r.

 

If they are looking for someone to fill the position, i am available and more than willing (Now that school is over) :D

[qld cruiser]

Hi cruisers.....I can't believe your attitude towards Michael....it all sounds so silly.

Some of you seem to think you know so much about the man and in reality you know didly squat.

Firstly he and his wife broke up ages ago. and yes he has a new partner,but she has not been on board since before Xmas. She got on after I got off in August. plus she was not a passenger.

if your holiday was ruined because you did not like him, then you cruise was not based on the idea of having a good time, but just to watch Michael.

I have cruised many times with Michael, not always as a C.D, and I found him quite pleasant.(except when he was d.c.d to James Ibraham, they messed about a bit) but there has certainly been worse than Michael.

The cruise director is on board to organise the everyday events etc, not to go around being everyones friend.

maybe his attitude comes across as stand offish, that may be because of his police background, but I think he doesn't deserve the beating he is getting from all of you

kind regards, Lorraine:) :)

[aprilsweetpea]

Hi there. Had a wonderful time on the cruise Peach Sunsets. Didn't find anything wrong with Michael either. Thought he was very professional, actually, as were all the staff.

All contributed towards me having a great time on this cruise. Everyone was very friendly, and looked like they were enjoying themselves as much as I did.

Looking forward to reading more reviews too.

 

Bye

 

Ingrid* :)

[howsthis]

I imagine that there are no 'perfect' cruise directors (although James comes close) so I guess it means not everyone will like them and some often take some things very personally. Like Lorraine says they can't always have the time to be 'everybodys friend'. I hope whoever is doing the job on the Star in April next year is at least funny and bright. That's what I think is important, not whether they smile at me as I pass them on deck somewhere.

[claudio]

was the captain stefano raveraand i take it michael whitmore is the cruise director, ive cruised with him a few times hes ok james ibrihim is better. michaels ok he thinks every other man on the ship is competition when there are woman around

[aussiedisneyfan]

I too initially found Michael a bit distant. I guess that could be part of the way that P&O is trying to instill professionalism and destroy the image that all the staff are party animals.

 

He spoke with us on the last day during horse racing and was quite friendly then. He also approached us later and had a chat. It did improve my opinion of him. During Rock and Roll he basically just sat in the corner with his girlfriend but I noticed later on that he was wearing the glow bracelet that we gave him.

 

Was the t-shirt girl Helena, the redhead? I found her very standoffish but polite if you spoke to her.

 

Blockbuster, did we meet you? We were the mad girls taking the horse everywhere. Go number 6 Pistol Star.

 

I liked Troy, his bingo calling was a bit annoying but never mind.

[suey]

Hi cruisers.....I can't believe your attitude towards Michael....it all sounds so silly.

Some of you seem to think you know so much about the man and in reality you know didly squat.

Firstly he and his wife broke up ages ago. and yes he has a new partner,but she has not been on board since before Xmas. She got on after I got off in August. plus she was not a passenger.

if your holiday was ruined because you did not like him, then you cruise was not based on the idea of having a good time, but just to watch Michael.

I have cruised many times with Michael, not always as a C.D, and I found him quite pleasant.(except when he was d.c.d to James Ibraham, they messed about a bit) but there has certainly been worse than Michael.

The cruise director is on board to organise the everyday events etc, not to go around being everyones friend.

maybe his attitude comes across as stand offish, that may be because of his police background, but I think he doesn't deserve the beating he is getting from all of you

kind regards, Lorraine:) :)

 

I agree, as I have said before I found both him and Troy OK:)

[keepcruising]

I have to agree with Aussie. Once we actually got to talk to michael a bit, you realise that he isn't bad after all. Yes he is a bit more stand backish than the likes of James and Demo, but as he pointed out noe, they only had 2 staff, and the rest of the activities were done by the entertainers. I'm sure this all adds to Michaels work load, so concidering all of this I thought ho was ok, you just needed to go out of your was to get to know him.

[kezza]

Hi Lorraine, his girlfriend was on our Asian cruise in March/April. She told me she'd been on since before Xmas and does get off when Michael gets off. He will be back after a couple of months off on hols.

 

I didn't think much of her much last cruise, but I quite liked her this cruise.

[qld cruiser]

Hi Kezza, thanks for your reply.

I was just so stunned to read the personal attacks on Michael Whitmore,and felt I needed to answer.

lots of marriages break down and people find new relationships.

If there was a problem with his work, then by all means make a complaint to P&O, but to air his life on this site I think was wrong.

We can all hide behind a non de plume, he cannot.

I know Michael is a proud father and grandfather ( yes he is a grandfather), I hope none of his family have been hurt by any comments.

 

If his new partner was on the Pacific Sky out of Singapore, then she would have gone home to Auckland when it was sold ,rejoining end of July.

 

hope we can still have a good debate about other things in future.....

kind regards, Lorraine:) :)

[begginer_cruiser]

Shame your cruise was not perfect. I have been told the Star no longer has pyjama parties. Can you tell me if you had one on your cruise?

 

Thanks

[aussiedisneyfan]

There are no pj parties anymore.

 

We had country & western; rock and roll/retro and island night. Also had a special halloween thrown in. Just as well because a lot of people besides us insane cruise addicts went to the trouble of bringing costumes.

[begginer_cruiser]

Thanks aussiedisneyfan. Also, can you remember off hand the prices of the drinks on board ie wine, spirits, beer, cocktails and does the Star provide any toiletries ie shampoo, conditioner.

 

Your help would be appreciated as we cruise very soon.

[begginer_cruiser]

We have learnt heaps from this site as to what to pack and expect etc. Is there anything else anyone thinks we should no before cruising.:)

 

Thank you all for your help.

[strawberrypatch81]

We have learnt heaps from this site as to what to pack and expect etc. Is there anything else anyone thinks we should no before cruising.:)

 

Thank you all for your help.

 

Welcome to the boards! Ask as many questions as you like, as we all love to answer and we are all adicted to cruising!!!!:D I only found these boards in January and already I can't stay away!!

 

When is your cruise and where are you going to?

[strawberrypatch81]

Thanks aussiedisneyfan. Also, can you remember off hand the prices of the drinks on board ie wine, spirits, beer, cocktails and does the Star provide any toiletries ie shampoo, conditioner.

 

Your help would be appreciated as we cruise very soon.

 

Sorry, I haven't been on Pacific Star, so can't help there. I am sure someone will answer for you.:)

[aussiedisneyfan]

I think Corona's were $5.50 and Crownies too, maybe $6. The Brown Bros Dolcetto and Syrah was $26 per bottle. Coke was $2 per can. Cocktails ranged from $7.50 to $13.50. Most were $7-8 mark.

 

The Star doesn't have toiletries. Just cakes of soap and a shower gel dispenser in the shower. It would have been good to have them like the Sun.

 

Another "dumb thing" I packed was some of those 3m removable hooks, you know with the double sided tape. I put four in the bathroom and none of us had to worry about our tootbrushes being all over the place. Also used one to hang up lanyards etc.