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Cruise directors are the face of fun aboard Carnival cruise ships, and having the Carnival cruise director schedule can help travelers plan which ships to book to enjoy their favorite Fun Squad leaders.

This updated schedule is the ultimate tool for knowing which particular cruise director is assigned to which ship in the coming months.

Complete Carnival Cruise Director Schedule

Do note that schedules can change as operational needs change and different cruise directors may move to different positions in their careers. Gaps in the listed dates may indicate dry dock plans or currently unassigned roles.

The list below (alphabetical by ship) will be updated as such changes are confirmed, so check back often to see where your favorite Carnival cruise directors are sailing. Where individual names are linked, you can get to know the cruise director through their social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram (not every cruise director has a public account).

Carnival Adventure Cruise Directors

Formerly Pacific Adventure, this 109,000-gross-ton, Grand-class ship was transferred to the Carnival fleet from P&O Cruises Australia in March 2025. Leading the way into Carnival-style fun as cruise director are two charismatic ladies and one charming gentleman.

Michelle “Chelle” O’Callaghan – 3/14/2025 to 6/12/2025

Abbie Lockett – 5/30/2025 to 9/30/2025

Felipe Couto – 9/22/2025 to 11/24/2025

Abbie Lockett – 11/24/2025 to 3/23/2026

Sailing from Sydney, Carnival Adventure offers a diverse year-round schedule of cruises throughout the South Pacific, ranging from 3-10 nights.

Carnival Breeze Cruise Directors

A quartet of all the best Carnival Cruise Line has to offer are scheduled to rotate as cruise directors for Carnival Breeze through the busy 2025 summer season sailing from Galveston.

Lia Stivers

Sinclair Hammerbach – 3/1/2025 to 5/19/2025

Crystal Archibald – 5/19/2025 to 6/12/2025

Louie Claire – 6/12/2025 to 9/8/2025

Sophie Gideon – 6/20/2025 to 7/12/2025

The Carnival cruise ship is the youngest of the Dream-class vessels and the 128,000-gross-ton ship can welcome 3,690 guests per sailing.

Carnival Celebration Cruise Directors

Marty Pitts is currently bringing the fun to Carnival Celebration. In May, Joey Boyes will take over until Pitts returns in July. Popular CD Lee Mason has already left Carnival Celebration, following his promotion to Fleet Cruise Director, but Louie Clare will take over in November and through the holiday season.

Leon Smith

Marty Pitts

Joey Boyes

Marty Pitts – 11/24/2024 to 5/4/2025

Joey Boyes – 5/11/2025 to 7/6/2025

Marty Pitts – 7/6/2025 to 11/9/2025

Louie Clare – 11/2/2025 to 1/11/2026

Carnival Celebration is celebratory indeed, with unique tributes to the cruise line’s more than 50 years of history onboard, including the Golden Jubilee bar and lounge.

Carnival Conquest Cruise Directors

Robby Howell has overtaken entertainment duties onboard Carnival Conquest until early May, when Dean Pompey will assume the role through the first half of the summer season. No permanent assignment has yet been made for the remainder of the summer or into autumn sailings.

Savannah Mitchell

Stjepan Neral

Robby Howell – 3/3/2025 to 5/9/2025

Dean Pompey – 5/5/2025 to 7/7/2025

The lead ship of the popular Conquest class, the 110,000-gross-ton ship can welcome 2,980 guests aboard and is also home to 1,150 crew members.

Carnival Dream Cruise Directors

Just one cruise director is currently making dreams come true aboard Carnival Dream. Lawrence West signed on in April 2025 and will remain the ship’s cruise director until the end of August. He will return to the ship in November and into the new year, but no one is yet assigned to the September/October gap.

Lawrence West

Lawrence West – 4/27/2025 to 8/31/2025

Lawrence West – 11/1/2025 to 2/1/2026

The 128,000-gross-ton Carnival Dream debuted in 2009 as the largest ship in the fleet at the time, offering dreamy vacations to 3,646 passengers on each sailing.

Carnival Elation Cruise Directors

Guests will be elated with a fun lineup of cruise directors at the moment for Carnival Elation. Franco Spies is heading up the fun aboard the Fantasy-class ship through early May 2025, when Stephan Neral will take over until early July, when Spies returns.

Franco Spies

Christian Matthieu

Franco Spies – 1/2/2025 to 5/3/2025

Stephan Neral – 4/28/2025 to 7/3/2025

Franco Spies – 7/3/2025 to 11/6/2025

Now the oldest ship in the fleet and one of only two Fantasy-class vessels remaining, Carnival Elation offers a more intimate feel than larger ships.

Carnival Encounter Cruise Directors

The second ship being transferred to Carnival Cruise Line following the sunsetting of the Carnival-owned P&O Cruises Australia brand, Carnival Encounter will be led into the Fun Ship fleet by a dynamic pair of cruise directors. George Cross will be the first through mid-June, followed by Ben Kitchen into mid-October.

George Cross – 4/12/2025 to 6/11/2025

Ben Kitchen – 6/11/2025 to 10/11/2025

The vessel has rebranded as a Carnival ship but will continue offering Australia and South Pacific cruises from Brisbane.

Carnival Firenze Cruise Directors

Leading the fun on Carnival Firenze is Keegan Van Zyl for three separate contracts through mid-January 2026. At this time, no one has been assigned to the gaps between his assignments.

Keegan Van Zyl

Joey Boyes

Keegan Van Zyl – 3/10/2025 to 7/10/2025

Keegan Van Zyl – 9/9/2025 to 10/20/2025

Keegan Van Zyl – 10/30/2025 to 1/12/2026

Coming to the Carnival fleet after her transformation from Costa Firenze, the renovated and renamed Carnival Firenze officially welcomed guests for the first time with her April 25, 2024 sailing.

Carnival Freedom Cruise Directors

Leo Alexander is leading the fun aboard Carnival Freedom for one confirmed contract into June 2025. At this time, no other cruise director has yet been assigned to the vessel.

Todd Evans

Leo Alexander – 3/31/2025 to 6/2/2025

The vessel is updated and sailing smoothly after her October 2023 dry dock that finally replaced her whale tale funnel that was damaged in a fire in May 2022. Unfortunately, a lightning strike once again damaged the ship’s funnel in March 2024, but she continues to sail with a straight funnel, lacking the iconic “wings” on either side.

Carnival Glory Cruise Directors

The Conquest-class vessel will have glorious leadership indeed with Rico Betancourt leading the ship on two contracts in 2025 and into 2026. As schedules are confirmed, future cruise director assignments will be finalized to cover the August gap.

Rico Betancourt – 3/14/2025 to 7/7/2025

Rico Betancourt – 9/8/2025 to 1/9/2026

The 2,980 guests who can set sail on every Carnival Glory cruise will have glorious getaways with such energetic attention.

Carnival Horizon Cruise Directors

Tyler Meehan, Sophie Gideon, and George Cross have got the fun covered board Carnival Horizon through January 2022. Meehan has two contracts lined up, while Gideon is onboard briefly during the first and Cross will be filling in the gap between Meehan’s contracts with his charismatic charm.

Tyler Meehan – 3/29/2025 to 7/27/2025

Sophie Gideon – 6/15/2025 to 6/29/2025

George Cross – 7/27/2025 to 9/27/2025

Tyler Meehan – 9/27/2025 to 1/31/2026

A Vista-class vessel, the 133,596-gross-ton Carnival Horizon offers Western and Southern Caribbean itineraries from Miami, each one offering great horizons to explore.

Carnival Jubilee Cruise Directors

Five different cruise directors are currently assigned to the larger-than-life Carnival Jubilee sailing from the Lone Star State. While some are short-term assignments, others are the typical longer cruise assignments expected of Carnival cruise directors, including for the Texas native leading lady of Carnival Jubilee, Kyndall Fire.

Louie Clare – 3/9/2025 to 5/10/2025

Gabby Gamboa – 3/5/2025 to 5/17/2025

Kyndall Fire – 5/17/2025 to 8/23/2025

Sophie Gideon – 5/31/2025 to 6/14/2025

Andy Mercer – 8/9/2025 to 1/10/2026

The newest ship in the fleet is the new fleet flagship and the largest ever Carnival ship to sail from Galveston, Texas, offering exclusive fun with the Lone Star Tailgate Party, a celebration of Texas culture onboard.

Carnival Legend Cruise Directors

Legendary fun is in store for guests setting sail with Frankie Portera and Adam Gilbert aboard Carnival Legend. The cruise director duo will share leadership roles aboard the ship through most of 2025, though no assignment has yet been confirmed for the holiday season.

Adam Gilbert – 1/5/2025 to 5/8/2025

Frankie Portera – 5/8/2025 to 7/7/2025

Adam Gilbert – 7/7/2025 to 11/10/2025

The 88,500-gross-ton, Spirit-class Carnival Legend offers exceptional vacations with diverse deployments, setting sail in the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, and Mexico depending on her sailing date and homeport.

Carnival Liberty Cruise Directors

Gabe Coppolla is offering uniquely fun leadership as cruise director for Carnival Liberty with two contract assignments in 2025. At the moment, no assignments have been made between his contracts or in the fall.

Gabe Coppolla – 3/9/2025 to 5/17/2025

Gabe Coppolla – 6/24/2025 to 9/28/2025

A truly beautiful Conquest-class ship, Carnival Liberty was the first in the fleet to offer the Carnival Seaside Theater on the Lido deck, a feature often used by cruise directors for parties, dance contests, and more.

Carnival Luminosa Cruise Directors

Carnival Luminosa is lighting up the fun with Zackary Paiement-Dockrill as cruise director for two lengthy contracts as the ship sails in Australia and Alaska. In between, Paully Munhollon is assigned to the gap, and Michelle O’Callaghan will arrive for the holiday season and into 2026.

Zackary Paiement-Dockrill – 1/12/2025 to 5/8/2025

Paully Munhollon – 5/1/2025 to 6/26/2026

Zackary Paiement-Dockrill – 6/26/2025 to 11/2/2025

Michelle O’Callaghan – 10/26/2025 to 1/11/2026

The first ship transferred to the Carnival fleet from Costa Cruises, Carnival Luminosa has a distinctly different vibe but is no less entertaining with the work of her dedicated cruise directors.

Carnival Magic Cruise Directors

It takes a special kind of cruise director to bring the magic to Carnival Magic, and that is just what Todd Evans, Sophie Gideon, and Rainier Scholtz will be doing in the next few months, with lengthy contracts extending well into 2026. A small gap in October is not yet covered.

Todd Evans – 4/13/2025 to 7/26/2025

Sophie Gideon – 7/13/2025 to 10/6/2025

Rainier Scholtz – 11/10/2025 to 3/15/2026

Anyone looking for a magical getaway can’t do better than the Dream-class Carnival Magic, offering Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean itineraries from Miami.

Mardi Gras Cruise Directors

Three energetic gentlemen are leading the fun aboard Mardi Gras in the coming months, with Jacky Tang, Rainier Scholtz, and Deon Williams sharing the duties through early December. At times, two CDs will be onboard at once, ensuring plenty of fun onboard.

Rainier Scholtz – 3/1/2025 to 5/10/2025

Jacky Tang – 5/10/2025 to 9/27/2025

Deon Williams – 6/28/2025 to 7/13/2025

Deon Williams – 10/11/2025 to 12/6/2025

The first of the Excel-class ships, Mardi Gras also set many other firsts when she debuted in 2021 – the first LNG-powered vessel in the fleet, the new red-white-and-blue livery, the award-winning BOLT roller coaster, and much more.

Carnival Miracle Cruise Directors

Two different cruise directors will be making cruise vacation miracles come true aboard Carnival Miracle through the end of the year and into January 2026 – Gary Blair and Frankie Portera.

Gary Blair – 5/5/2025 to 11/22/2025

Frankie Portera – 11/20/2025 to 1/17/2026

A popular Spirit-class vessel, Carnival Miracle is a guest favorite offering diverse itineraries from various homeports, including Dover, Rome, Tampa, Seattle, and Galveston in the next two years.

Carnival Panorama Cruise Directors

Carnival Panorama has three take-charge cruise directors lined up through the end of the year sure to bring the fun to all guests – Andy Mercer, Rainier Scholtz, and Simon London – each one with his own distinctive style.

Andy Mercer – 2/22/2025 to 7/5/2025

Rainier Scholtz – 7/5/2025 to 9/7/2025

Simon London – 8/30/2025 to 1/11/2026

Carnival Panorama is fresh from dry dock with extensive renovations and has returned to her year-round homeport of Long Beach with exciting Mexican Riviera itineraries.

Carnival Paradise Cruise Directors

John Loney and Paully Munhollon both offer outstanding fun for guests to enjoy, and their leadership ensures everyone sailing aboard Carnival Paradise has a great time on one of the most intimate Carnival ships.

John Loney – 4/10/2025 to 8/10/2025

Paully Munhollon – 8/4/2025 to 10/13/2025

The last of the Fantasy class ships to be built, Carnival Paradise has been delighting guests since she first set sail in November 1998. She debuted as the world’s first completely non-smoking cruise ship, though that policy was discontinued in 2003.

Carnival Pride Cruise Directors

Every cruise director aboard Carnival Pride takes great pride in delivering exceptional experiences with Amber Celen and Dustin Gabriel filling that role for much of 2025.

Dustin Gabriel – 1/5/2025 to 5/11/2025

Amber Lynne Celen – 5/11/2025 to 7/6/2025

Dustin Gabriel – 7/6/2025 to 11/2/2025

The Spirit-class vessel sails year-round from Baltimore destinations in the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, the Bahamas, Greenland, and Canada, taking 2,124 guests along on each amazing trip.

Carnival Radiance Cruise Directors

It takes a radiant personality to lead the fun aboard Carnival Radiance, and that is just what Kieran Wilson and Lia Stivers are doing this year. The radiant pair both have confirmed contracts to bring their own brilliant light to the ship and all the fun aboard for guests, though the summer gap is not yet filled.

Kieran Wilson – 3/23/2025 to 5/26/2025

Lia Stivers – 8/15/2025 to 10/18/2025

Formerly Carnival Victory, the ship underwent an extensive, $200 million renovation in 2020 to become Carnival Radiance and now offers Baja Mexico and Mexican Riviera itineraries from her year-round homeport in Long Beach, California. Guests will also want to check out the occasional longer Hawaii sailings aboard Carnival Radiance.

Carnival Spirit Cruise Directors

Cruise directors have to have bold and energetic spirits aboard Carnival Spirit, and that is just what Alex Siegler, Sinclair Hammerbach, and Frankie Portera will offer through their assignments this year.

Alex Siegler – 3/16/2024 to 5/27/2025

Sinclair Hammerbach – 5/20/2025 to 7/15/2025

Alex Siegler – 7/15/2025 to 9/9/2025

Frankie Portera – 9/2/2025 to 11/8/2025

A very popular ship with Carnival fans and repeat cruisers, the first-in-class Carnival Spirit sails from Mobile, Alabama each winter and repositions to Seattle for the Alaska sailing season each summer.

Carnival Splendor Cruise Directors

Lizzie Clough and Michelle O’Callaghan are the faces of fun for Carnival Splendor, with both serving good contracts aboard the ship. At the moment, they are the only CDs assigned to the vessel.

Lizzie Clough – 4/18/2025 to 7/7/2025

Michelle O’Callaghan – 6/28/2025 to 9/17/2025

The vessel was first planned for Costa Cruises but transferred to Carnival Cruise Line during construction. The 113,300-gross-ton ship sails year-round from Sydney, Australia, with diverse itineraries Down Under including the South Pacific and New Zealand.

Carnival Sunrise Cruise Directors

Cruise directors have to have a triumphant attitude, and that’s just what the all-star lineup for Carnival Sunrise offers. Deon Williams and Edgar Toscano Murillo will both offer their own fantastic fun onboard the ship for the next several months, with other assignments yet to come to cover the autumn season.

Deon Williams – 1/6/2025 to 5/17/2025

Edgar Toscano Murillo – 5/12/2025 to 7/17/2025

Deon Williams – 7/17/2025 to 9/29/2025

Previously Carnival Triumph before an extensive $200 million refurbishment in 2019, Carnival Sunrise now sails from Miami, offering cruises to the Bahamas and both Eastern and Western Caribbean destinations.

Carnival Sunshine Cruise Directors

The cruise directors on Carnival Sunshine bring a bright light of fun and excitement every guest can enjoy. Sam Thurgood, James Love, and Alex Siegler will all lead the way aboard the ship into November 2025.

Sam Thurgood – 3/16/2025 to 5/25/2025

James Love – 5/25/2025 to 9/14/2025

Alex Siegler – 9/10/2025 to 11/9/2025

Formerly Carnival Destiny, this ship was the first to be extensively refit to lead the new Sunshine class of vessels and now offers year-round sailings Norfolk, Virginia.

Carnival Valor Cruise Directors

Lia Stivers and Filipe do Couto are up next to lead Carnival Valor. There is a brief gap in the CD assignment for the vessel in late May, but there is still time to fill that position with another great cruise director.

Flipe do Couto – 1/11/2025 to 5/10/2025

Lia Stivers – 6/3/2025 to 7/12/2025

Flipe do Couto – 7/12/2025 to 9/20/2025

Part of the Conquest class of ships, Carnival Valor can welcome 2,980 guests onboard at once, with nearly 1,200 international crew members to ensure everyone has a great time.

Carnival Venezia Cruise Directors

The distinct Italian vibes of Carnival Venezia will also enjoy the distinct flair of two of the cruise line’s most popular cruise directors through the summer of 2025. Mike D’Auria and Joey Boyes will lead the ship with extraordinary fun and European vibes.

Mike D’Auria – 3/9/2025 to 7/9/2025

Joey Boyes – 7/9/2025 to 9/2/2025

Carnival Venezia originally belonged to Costa Cruises but was transferred to offer “Carnival Fun, Italian Style” with distinctive touches of Italy, including an exclusive Venetian mask party onboard every sailing.

Carnival Vista Cruise Directors

It takes true vision to lead the fun on Carnival Vista, and two amazing cruise directors will do just that over the next few months – Marq Anthony and Frankie Portera – each bringing unforgettable style to the ship.

Frankie Portera – 3/3/2025 to 5/3/2025

Marq Anthony – 5/3/2025 to 9/6/2025

The first of the 133,600-gross-ton, Vista-class ships, Carnival Vista sails year-round from the world’s busiest cruise port, Port Canaveral, offering a variety of top Caribbean itineraries.

Understanding the Carnival Cruise Director Schedule

Carnival Cruise Line employs approximately 30-40 cruise directors, though schedules and assignments are fluid and not every cruise director may be under contract at the same time.

Contracts vary from just a few weeks to several months, though even in those time periods an individual cruise director may move from one ship to another, depending on operational needs and available assignments.

The dates for each cruise director indicate the beginning and end of a specific ship contract (??? indicates an unknown end date), with multiple entries listed for different individual contracts.

Dates occasionally overlap for multiple cruise directors as assignments change. This extra time is when the new cruise director will meet their team, familiarize themselves with the vessel, and prepare for a smooth transition from one leader to the next so all guests have the very best onboard experience.

Individual cruise directors often remain aboard the same ship for several weeks or months at a time, allowing them to develop a truly unique personality for that vessel and to work seamlessly with their Fun Squad team.

Cruise directors with greater seniority may request specific ships or homeports as they prefer, though assignments are always subject to the operational needs of the overall fleet.

How the Schedule of Cruise Directors Can Change

Carnival Cruise Line changes the cruise director schedule nearly every week as different contracts are adjusted and ship deployments and dry dock schedules change.

Crew members can come and go with different commitments or promotions, which can also impact which cruise director is assigned to which ship for different time periods.

Cruise Hive is committed to providing the most accurate, updated information to all readers, and will update this list regularly with new information. Check back to keep track on all your favorite cruise directors and to learn who will be the face of fun on your next Carnival cruise.

About Carnival Cruise Directors

The cruise director is one of the most visible members of a ship’s crew. He or she is the “face” of fun for Carnival Cruise Line’s Fun Squad—the crew members who host trivia contests, lead deck parties, judge contests, and share other fun with every guest.

Cruise directors are leaders of the activities staff and coordinate closely with the entertainment staff to provide amazing fun for everyone aboard, no matter what the time of year, specific cruise itinerary, or any challenging circumstances.

Read Also: How Much Does a Cruise Director Make?

Cruise directors often introduce the evening’s entertainment or production shows, host question-and-answer sessions, make onboard announcements, greet embarking passengers, and more.

Behind-the-scenes duties such as planning daily activities schedules, balancing the schedules of crew members under their leadership, and ensuring the Fun Squad is fully equipped with games, prizes, and equipment is also part of the cruise director’s job.

Carnival Cruise Line also has a unique role in its leadership team, the Fleet Cruise Director position. This is an experienced and charismatic individual who helps train other cruise directors and develops new activities that can be used fleet-wide.

Carnival’s first Fleet Cruise Director was Mike Pack, who was promoted to the leadership role in early 2022, along with Chris “Donkey” Salazar who assumed the role in early 2023. However, Mike Pack announced in November 2024 that he would be retiring.

Chris “The Flying Scotsman” Williams was promoted as the third Fleet Cruise Director in November 2023, while Erin Weigand was promoted as the fourth to the position in February 2024.

While Chris Williams retired completely from Carnival Cruise Line in August 2024, the Fleet Cruise Director position was filled by Lee Mason in mid-October.

It is possible that additional active cruise directors will also be promoted into the new leadership position in the future. At that time, they would no longer have individual assignments on specific ships, but would operate from Carnival Cruise Line’s shoreside offices to support all cruise directors on the line’s 29 vessels.

Carnival Cruise Director Schedule for 2025-2026

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