Cruise Directors on HAL

[SeattleCruisePrincess]

It was Andrew Noyes; he is no longer with HAL.

[djhsolara]

I think I would choose a sailing if I knew that Susan Wood would be the CD. What a wonderful lady...a true class act!!

[spcl4cs_gal]

John Watters

 

Will he be the CD for the summer season or will a change be made? Thanks. :)

[Crusing Bob]

why do you think CD's turn over so frequently-is it the money or pressure?

[Zeta3]

I liked CD Shane although he did remind me of a goofy frat boy. Kinda hard to picture him being in charge of anything but he was fun.

 

DJ Glenn is awesome he would be a fantastic CD. I could not believe all of the things he was responsible for and ran so smoothly on the Eurodam.

[Copper10-8]

Will he be the CD for the summer season or will a change be made? Thanks. :)

 

He's scheduled through the end of July (unless he gets extended)

[Copper10-8]

why do you think CD's turn over so frequently-is it the money or pressure?

 

Excellent question! Better offers comes along? Think $$ You will find some former HAL CD's on other cruise lines. And besides some diehards (Susan Wood, Bruce Allen Scudder, Thom Faulkner and some others), there does seem to be a pretty high turnover rate among the CD's.

Pressure? HAL did make major changes to the entertainment dept. staffing in the last couple of yrs. It wasn't that long ago when a 'cruise staff' and later 'cruise activities staff' consisted of a CD and up to six staffers who together were responsible for all the onboard activities.

Now, it's one CD, one Event Manager, one Party Planner, one Tech Spert and one DJ

[RuthC]

why do you think CD's turn over so frequently-is it the money or pressure?

Besides what copper-John posted, I think that lifestyle comes into play here, too. You primarily see young people in this job. These are people who are newly out of school, don't have roots set in a community or career, have an interest in seeing the world, and don't have family responsibilities.

 

Living at sea is very different than the little white cottage with the picket fence out in suburbia. Eventually many of the CD's want that home and family and all the other things that go with that package. So, they leave the sea.

[510picker]

DH and I were on the Eurodam in April. Nancy Leach was our CD. She was NOT good! I hope she gets a job doing something else.:)

 

She's still on the Eurodam and still not very good.

[FRANKIEDNYC]

:) anyone know who will be cd on prinsendam"s nov 25th amazon river cruise?

[wander]

Expanding a bit on what RuthC wrote:

 

It takes a certain type of person to have a career as a CD. First you have to be good at the job (hopefully). You always have to be "on", friendly, supportive of others, and such. This can be wearing, particularly day after day, month after month, 24/7. While I had jobs where I had to be the same, it was for 8 hours, 5 days a week. Yes they do get nice time off, but the demands while onboard exceed what many can deal with.

 

Second, IF a solid home life with a family (partner/spouse and particularly kids) are important to you, it is NOT a career for you. So, this narrows the field for long term commitments to the job. For a few years, maybe even more it can be a wonderful job for many, but not long term.

 

I do think the situation for many of the onboard officers is different. First, many of them went to school from a young age for a career at sea. Secondly, they need to be friendly with passengers, but most of them have time away from the masses while working.

 

Just my thoughts.

[kakalina]

They are no longer even the activities staff on my most recent cruise they were called "the explorations team" - go figure.

[jena1]

She's still on the Eurodam and still not very good.

 

I agree with you 100%! She is the worse CD we have ever had. We are sailing Zuiderdam in Jan. does anyone knows who the CD is?

[velvetred]

Well, I have to put in a good word for Nancy Leach. I sailed with her on the Ryndam for 14 days in August 2009 and I found her low key but pleasant. She seemed to genuinely care and she tried to see that her guests had a great cruise. She was definitely not the worst cruise director that I have experienced nor was she in the bottom three. I understand she does a lot of vacation relief and that in itself can be tough as far as fitting in for short times with established crews. We were actually on her first Ryndam sailing after moving over from the Statendam and I thought she did well getting into the swing of the Ryndam. It will be fine with me if she is still on the Eurodam when dh and I sail on November 21. In fact, I actually put in a good word for her on my comment card at the end of my Ryndam cruise.

[cle1]

Thom Faulkner was the CD for both of our Prinsendam cruises.....IMHO he is the perfect CD for the Prinsendam. Hope he will be on our next TransAtlantic...Carol

[CoolChile]

. . . to make sure Drew Murdoch is back on Noordam for my 2010 Jan 26 20-day cruise? ;) He was on this same cruise last year and was, bar none, the best CD I can even imagine. Understated, hysterically humourous, not to mention his "recovery" when something goes awry. Hard for me to fathom how someone would not feel their cruise experience was enhanced with him on board.

 

OMG, I'm scared out of my pantyhosen about what you'll tell me I have to do to make sure he's on my cruise. :eek: :D

[SwissMyst]

Our first Maasdam had Samantha (last name?) and I thought she was great. Loved her interviews with key staff people. She had a very pleasing MC style and was low key yet friendly and creative, which is a HAL positive.

 

On the Rotterdam we had Susan Woods, again a very lovely and gracious lady, but a little higher profile with a few more intrusive qualities like the "Mr and Mrs Rotterdam" contest, which while meant to be a nice passenger ice-breaker, felt more like an invasion of privacy for those of us (few) who like to be left alone when we cruise. Her signature "toodaloo" was a bit grating and please spare me from any cruise director reciting those made-up "questions" asked on board - we have all heard them by now, even on other cruise lines.

 

Call me a crusty curmudgeon and listen to my answer with that in mind. I know it is a tough job being everything to all people. The position has to be really hard and I am pleased HAL gets such employee loyalty because it is the traditions that make HAL so special for us and their so many repeat customers. I guess that is the problem, what is cute the first time can become annoying the second and third time. Which takes us back to that old problem of trying to be everything to everybody.

 

But overall, the low key nature of intrusions while onboard for those wanting quiet and privacy are what will keep us choosing HAL over other more hyper-lines.

 

Keep your dignity HAL, that is a vacation for us to be taken away from the rude, crude and commonplace even for just a few days.

[Topsham]

Looks like CD's come and go quicker than you can say Michael Phelps or Pieter van den Hoogenband. There are some that last but most are here one moment and outahere the next

 

Hi John,

 

Not quite like the old days with the likes of Bob Smith... Cruise Director inthe NIEUW AMSTERDAM from 1938 to 1974... with the exception of WW2!

 

Stephen

[Zappa Fan]

I'm wondering if I'm the only one who doesn't give the CD the time of day on any line that I've been on. It's always seemed like "fluff" to this cruiser. :confused:

[SwissMyst]

DITTO!

 

The port lecturer on the Rotterdam "Northern Strongholds" (Eng-Scot-Scand-Poland-Germany)" last spring was superb. He had really done his homework on history and context for each port. They were a solid hour of fascinating information. He had a biological science background and also knew ways to explore areas independently. Sorry I can't remember his name, because he spoke for the best of this position.

 

But agree, the port information on the Maasdam Eastern Carribean one was more a shopping guide whereas that cruise is also loaded with fascinating history and architecture which was not well explored, in preference to the more popular "duty free" shopping opportunities.

 

For those not interested in the Carribean shopping spots, do read up on the early European explorers and how they created their presence in what they came to call the "New World". You can follow part of Christopher Columbus actual later voyages and see what he actually saw as he randomly when hit and missing through all the Carribean islands charting and mapping and opening the door to its later colonization.

 

Viewing the varying colonial details of construction on the different islands is a course in itself from Spanish Fort to Danish palatial villas and use of ballast bricks for pavings that are as strong and sturdy today as when originally laid centuries ago.

[Love Cruises]

They are no longer even the activities staff on my most recent cruise they were called "the explorations team" - go figure.

kakalina ...

 

Thanks so much for your input!

 

The "Exploration Team" ... how many staff members were on this team and what exactly did they do on board?

 

I guess there are no more sporting dam dollar events because of this change in cruise staff. We really enjoyed going to these events to make more friends with our fellow passengers. It surely was an ice-breaker.

 

What kind of activities did they have during the day besides the regular guest lecturers, shopping talks, excursion talks, bingo, etc.?

 

Any information you give about daily activities would be appreciated. Thanks!!!!

[Himself]

Someone in an earlier post mentioned Rick Spath. I had run into him about 10 years ago and I thought he was quite good. He left the company and went with the Disney Cruise Line. One of the Captains on the HAL line left HAL and went over to Disney and he highly recomended Rich Spath.

 

Gary Walker was an outstanding CD and I heard he left the Company. He was a very good CD and was quite congenial.

 

I think the events manager does some of the work that the Assistant CD used to do.

 

Shane Michaels is currently on the Zuiderdam.

[Copper10-8]

......................... One of the Captains on the HAL line left HAL and went over to Disney and he highly recomended Rich Spath.

 

............................................

 

That was Capt. Hans Mateboer - After that stint with Disney, he is (has been) back with HAL for about six or so years. We had him as chief officer on Oosterdam in SEP 02, just after his return to HAL

[E-500]

Another shout out for Susan Wood. In 15+ cruises she was the best by far. Professional, poised, balanced, great sense of humor, read the passengers well, suffered fools when she had to, stood up to the folks that were off base, did everything with a smile and an energy level most 18 year olds wish they had. Each toot-a-loo brought a smile to my face. Last item, she teaches a mean ballroom dance class. She has been around a long time and HAL is a better cruise line because of her.

[Copper10-8]

Another shout out for Susan Wood. In 15+ cruises she was the best by far. Professional, poised, balanced, great sense of humor, read the passengers well, suffered fools when she had to, stood up to the folks that were off base, did everything with a smile and an energy level most 18 year olds wish they had. Each toot-a-loo brought a smile to my face. Last item, she teaches a mean ballroom dance class. She has been around a long time and HAL is a better cruise line because of her.

 

Pretty sure it was reported, a month and a half or so ago, that she is no longer working for HAL. She apparently had to leave Maasdam when the ship reached Europe and supposedly did not return. If that's the case, that's really too bad. She is one of the best!