impact of the Captain and Cruise Director?

[gatordoc]

One thing I've noticed is some captains like to play the horns more than others. On our last cruise on the Fantasy, it seemed like Captain Thord played all 7 sequences as many times as he could. His announcements were also very good - filled with interesting details, unlike some other captains.

 

[NZMUM]

One thing I've noticed is some captains like to play the horns more than others. On our last cruise on the Fantasy, it seemed like Captain Thord played all 7 sequences as many times as he could. His announcements were also very good - filled with interesting details, unlike some other captains.

We've noticed that too. On the Fantasy, Captain Marco hardly played the horns at all. Captain Fabian played them all each day.

 

[tvguy]

They have some effect, the Captain not a lot, the CD some, it's like seeing old friends.

Natalie , ( biased as from UK, in fact England), she is excellent, she can be understated. She will muck in. Some CDs are a bit aloof, you will see her in Cabanas at breakfast clearing trays, or helping cruisers all over the ship, say on embarkation from port, she will be calling the elevators.

Rachel ( by coincidence from England) was excellent, very attentive, didn't muck in, but would pixie dust, if she spoke to a family, you may find a gift in your room, like a plush toy for the children. She then went high up in WDW.

Clayton and Christian were professional CDs ( Christian trained by Rachel). Warm, but came the entertainment route.

Clayton is a darn nice guy lots of fun.

Brent was aloof, separate, his own man.

Rachel was our CD on the Magic in 2013. 15 years later my (now adult) children still from time to time make fun of her PA announcements. She really didn't have a good voice for that, but other than announcements and MCing some events, really didn't impact our cruise experience, that we know of. Same with the Captain.
I do wonder if for me the size of the ship is the reason for that. My first cruise was on a much smaller ship, 450 passengers. The Captain was also the singer, and the Cruise Director the comedian. I had a lot more interaction with them.

 

[BruinEd03]

Last year was the first time we had good interaction with the CD, and we loved Trent and his assistant Carly. I've seen very few positive comments on Darren. I'm hoping he's ok.

ETA - While very different than Trent, we did really enjoy Natalie too but didn’t come away saying “wow” like we did with him.

On the contrary, we had Darren for our cruise to Alaska last year and he was amazing. His morning show with Anthony (Assistant CD) was the first time we really paid attention to the morning show. They were hilarious. We had them again on our Bahamas cruise, and again he and Anthony were amazing.

We've been lucky, we've liked all of our CD's so far.

 

[Dug720]

Last year was the first time we had good interaction with the CD, and we loved Trent and his assistant Carly. I've seen very few positive comments on Darren. I'm hoping he's ok.

ETA - While very different than Trent, we did really enjoy Natalie too but didn’t come away saying “wow” like we did with him.

On the contrary, we had Darren for our cruise to Alaska last year and he was amazing. His morning show with Anthony (Assistant CD) was the first time we really paid attention to the morning show. They were hilarious. We had them again on our Bahamas cruise, and again he and Anthony were amazing.

We've been lucky, we've liked all of our CD's so far.

This just demonstrates that different people connect with/gel with different Cruise Directors. It's not uncommon as different people have different personalities.

I have always had good experiences with Disney Cruise Directors (Christiaan was 100% my favorite), but honestly the Cruise Director is not make or break for me. I don't have to seek them out to say hi if I don't want to. But overall I've found them on Disney to be what I think a good Cruise Director should be. Someone who keeps the entertainment and activities running smoothly and is certainly friendly and approachable, but NOT someone who has to be in your face all the time.

I can say that the only one who I would actively go the other way if I saw her was someone named Amy on Royal Caribbean. She was just flat-out obnoxious. (I'm sorry when your "tag line" is "I'm Amy! And you're AWESOME!" you are going to get on my nerves quickly.) And she never came across as genuine to me. Yet over on Cruise Critic she had a cult-like following that was "crushed" when she got a job shoreside. Meanwhile I was jumping up and down that I never have to worry about her being the Cruise Director on a RCCL ship I might be on. She honestly was the closest I've come to having a Cruise Director negatively impact my time just because of the constant in your face whenever she met you or was out and about stuff.

So...like anything, different people are going to connect with/like different Cruise Directors.

 

[KashasMom]

We honestly don't pay much attention to the Captain or CD. We have little or no interaction with either so they don't affect our cruise one way or the other. Having said that we did notice CD Clayton because he was pretty funny. I couldn't even tell you the names of any of the others.

 

[ACQUADUCK]

Rachel was our CD on the Magic in 2013. 15 years later my (now adult) children still from time to time make fun of her PA announcements. She really didn't have a good voice for that, but other than announcements and MCing some events, really didn't impact our cruise experience, that we know of. Same with the Captain.
I do wonder if for me the size of the ship is the reason for that. My first cruise was on a much smaller ship, 450 passengers. The Captain was also the singer, and the Cruise Director the comedian. I had a lot more interaction with them.

I think Rachel made a number of lasting impressions on many families, she was professional and had a real disney pixie dust heart.
Rachel would remember us, on a ship of 2500 over 15 nights that was impressive, our full names, - nit from cruise card, where we live, and what room and deck we had.
We knew of many times she would talk to a family then they had a surprise in their room later.
Her voice accent was funny, coming from the UK, but best described as mid Atlantic, as she obtained a USA accent. With us, she would slip back into English in seconds.

 

[ACQUADUCK]

On the contrary, we had Darren for our cruise to Alaska last year and he was amazing. His morning show with Anthony (Assistant CD) was the first time we really paid attention to the morning show. They were hilarious. We had them again on our Bahamas cruise, and again he and Anthony were amazing.

We've been lucky, we've liked all of our CD's so far.

You reminded me, when you post about a morning show.

Whilst we debate DCL CDs they are far better than say RCCL.

On RCCL, for 14 nights we had an appalling CD, he was so in love with himself. He really thought every woman loved him. They had a morning show, him and his ACD, and in a show of 30 minutes it was all about them.
A discussion on the CD having a hair cut was 25 of 30 minutes one day. They would faux laugh at each other's comments, ( not jokes),

Last nights show in the main theatre had a film where all the women on the ship, swooned the CD, very 60s style .

 

[DCLCrazy64622]

Hi,
I'm still relatively new to cruising. I've seen a number of Disney threads about the captain and cruise director. Why are people so interested? what impact do they have on the cruise?

Thanks for the explaining!

My favorite was always Christiaan. He had a very distinct voice and we always felt like we were “home” when we boarded the ship and heard him make announcements. He was on the Dream and we sail her A LOT. So we got used to hearing his voice.

 

[CarolynU]

On the contrary, we had Darren for our cruise to Alaska last year and he was amazing. His morning show with Anthony (Assistant CD) was the first time we really paid attention to the morning show. They were hilarious. We had them again on our Bahamas cruise, and again he and Anthony were amazing.

We've been lucky, we've liked all of our CD's so far.

I’d had Daren before too and it had been fine, but I’m not sure what went wrong on the WBPC but something did which is why I mentioned extenuating circumstances being a possible factor.
Lots of acts got on at the start of the cruise and some of them didn’t perform until day 5!
One main headliner act a huge favourite who packs out the WDT was only given one show and had to personally ask to do another which then clashed with pirate night so that the minute the fireworks finished it was like a race to get down to Azure to see him and consequently the place was heaving so many people couldn’t get seats and had to leave. In order to accommodate this the second Match Your Mate was cancelled. Chuck Wagner was given two shows on the same night almost at the end of the cruise so the second had hardly anyone there as second diners came late for the first show and the ABBA Tribute band had to host a general music quiz much to their bemusement !!! Darren arranged nothing around the pool even though the acts were onboard and nor did he want to do the pub skit on the last night so many of us were told by other officers. The only event that did occur over 17- 23 times was family/adult karaoke which was poorly attended.
When you are onboard for 14 nights with lots of sea days the entertainment becomes more important I feel.
I’ll give Darren the benefit of the doubt that something was just not as it should have been which was out of his control.

 

[TestingH2O]

I’d had Daren before too and it had been fine, but I’m not sure what went wrong on the WBPC but something did which is why I mentioned extenuating circumstances being a possible factor.

Was that this year's cruises?

 

[CarolynU]

Was that this year's cruises?

No not this years. I did back to back Southern Caribbean this year, and the CD was Natalie for both.

 

[CanuckOnaBoat]

Wasn't Peter the CD in Alaska 2016? I remember him being very quiet and not outgoing. I do remember the female assistant cruise director and liking her but not remembering her name.

not on our cruise. i'm sure it was trent once i saw the photo. we were on the wonder toward end of June. he was all over the ship etc.. loved that they actively mingled with guests. But after my experience of the debarkation debacle - i felt he was all show and no capability to manage guests or unexpected situations.

 

[xavier2001]

not on our cruise. i'm sure it was trent once i saw the photo. we were on the wonder toward end of June. he was all over the ship etc.. loved that they actively mingled with guests. But after my experience of the debarkation debacle - i felt he was all show and no capability to manage guests or unexpected situations.

I am so confused lol. We sailed Mid June 2016 and I would bet my life we had Peter!! I think we need a drink of the day to sort this out!!

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Coming from a platinum cruiser, it doesn't make a difference to us for either position. We've never been disappointed in anyone. Sometimes I think that knowing names is more of a boasting thing to passengers. Rachel was a favorite CD and always remembered us. We miss her but all the others are great in their own way.

 

[Geomom]

I am so confused lol. We sailed Mid June 2016 and I would bet my life we had Peter!! I think we need a drink of the day to sort this out!!

We had Peter in Alaska August 2016. I'm trying to remember the assistant cruise director...Natalie...Allison..or maybe Ashley as I see that name listed on Scott's blog. Do any of those names ring a bell to you as the assistant? Long blonde hair? It's been 2 years...

 

[xavier2001]

We had Peter in Alaska August 2016. I'm trying to remember the assistant cruise director...for some reason both Natalie and Allison are the names in my head...do either one ring a bell to you as the assistant? Long blonde hair? It's been 2 years...

Yes she was female, and long blonde hair. Not Natalie b/c we just had her as CD on the 2018 WBPC. I want to say maybe Ashley but that's a shot in the dark. I remember really liking her.

 

[Geomom]

Yes she was female, and long blonde hair. Not Natalie b/c we just had her as CD on the 2018 WBPC. I want to say maybe Ashley but that's a shot in the dark. I remember really liking her.

That works...i just edited my post after visiting scott's blog and seeing the name 'Ashley' listed.

 

[xavier2001]

That works...i just edited my post after visiting scott's blog and seeing the name 'Ashley' listed.

Because I"m OCD I went back and looked at my Alaska trip report, I didn't mention her name (I was a rookie, that was cruise #2 lol) but here she is in the lower left of the photo:

 

[aliceinvunderland]

Definitely Ashley. She was super enthusiastic on the Wonder this spring!