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Carnival Cruise Director Schedule for 2026-2027

By Melissa Mayntz
Last Update:

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Carnival Cruise Directors
Carnival Cruise Line Cruise Directors Across the Fleet

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.

We’ll keep updating this list weekly.

Carnival Adventure

DatesCruise Director
Nov 17, 2025 – Jan 24, 2026Sophie Gideon
Jan 24 – Jun 5, 2026Felipe Do Couto
Jun 1 – Aug 7, 2026Grant Bowden
Aug 7 – Nov 30, 2026Felipe Do Couto

Carnival Breeze

DatesCruise Director
Sep 8, 2025 – Jan 12, 2026Sinclair Hammerbach
Jan 8 – Mar 14, 2026Abbie Lockett
Jan 26 – Feb 5, 2026Jeimy Caro
Mar 14 – Jul 13, 2026Sinclair Hammerbach
Jun 1 – Jun 11, 2026Ciara Crowley
Jul 9 – Sep 12, 2026Adam Gilbert
Sep 7, 2026 – Jan 11, 2027Keegan Van Zyl

Carnival Celebration

DatesCruise Director
Nov 2, 2025 – Jan 4, 2026Louie Clare
Jan 11 – May 10, 2026Joey Boyes
May 10 – Jun 28, 2026Louie Clare
Jun 21 – Nov 7, 2026Jacky Tang

Carnival Conquest

DatesCruise Director
Nov 3, 2025 – Jan 5, 2026Victor Pastrana
Jan 2 – Feb 6, 2026George Cross
Feb 15 – May 18, 2026Gabby Gamboa
May 15 – Jul 17, 2026Vanessa Fredrich
Jul 17 – Nov 20, 2026Gabby Gamboa

Carnival Dream

DatesCruise Director
Feb 1 – Feb 7, 2026Lawrence West
Feb 1 – Mar 3, 2026Filipe Mendes
Mar 16 – Apr 18, 2026Filipe Mendes
Apr 18 – Aug 16, 2026Lawrence West
Aug 16 – Nov 14, 2026Andy Mercer

Carnival Elation

DatesCruise Director
Nov 3, 2025 – Jan 15, 2026Leo Alexander
Feb 2 – Apr 27, 2026Franco Spies
Apr 23, 2026 – Sep 10, 2026John Loney
Sep 5, 2026 – Jan 9, 2027Amber Celen

Carnival Encounter

DatesCruise Director
Oct 11, 2025 – Feb 16, 2026Lia Stivers
Feb 26 – May 8, 2026Sophie Gideon
May 1 – Jul 11, 2026Kieran Wilson
Jul 4 – Nov 7, 2026Franco Spies
Nov 3, 2026 – Jan 17, 2027Kieran Wilson

Carnival Firenze

DatesCruise Director
Oct 30, 2025 – Jan 12, 2026Keegan Van Zyl
Jan 8 – Mar 9, 2026Zack Paiement‑Dockrill
Mar 5 – Jul 6, 2026Amber Celen
Jul 3 – Aug 21, 2026Jei Caro
Aug 17, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027Mike D’Auria

Carnival Freedom

DatesCruise Director
Nov 8, 2025 – Mar 14, 2026Todd Evans
Mar 9 – May 14, 2026Michelle Purdy
May 14 – Sep 1, 2026Todd Evans
Oct 4 – Nov 7, 2026Frankie Portera

Carnival Glory

DatesCruise Director
Sep 8, 2025 – Jan 9, 2026Rico Betancourt
Jan 5 – Mar 2, 2026John Loney
Feb 27 – Apr 9, 2026Andy Mercer
Apr 6 – May 11, 2026Cryssi St Cyr
May 22 – May 29, 2026Ciara Crowley
May 8 – Sep 14, 2026Abbie Lockett

Carnival Horizon

DatesCruise Director
Sep 27, 2025 – Feb 22, 2026Tyler Meehan
Jan 11 – 25, 2026Jeimy Caro
Feb 14 – May 23, 2026Deon Williams
May 17 – Sep 20, 2026Marq Anthony
Sep 12, 2026 – Jan 16, 2027Zack Paiement‑Dockrill

Carnival Jubilee

DatesCruise Director
Aug 9, 2025 – Jan 10, 2026Andy Mercer
Jan 8 – May 9, 2026Kyndall Fire
May 2 – Jul 18, 2026Rainier Scholtz
Jul 18 – Nov 14, 2026Kyndall Fire
Nov 14, 2026 – Jan 17, 2027Andy Mercer

Carnival Legend

DatesCruise Director
Jul 7 – Nov 10, 2025Adam Gilbert
Nov 6, 2025 – Jan 15, 2026Filipe Mendes
Jan 15 – Apr 29, 2026Adam Gilbert
May 15 – Nov 16, 2026Simon London
Nov 12, 2026 – Jan 24, 2027Frankie Portera

Carnival Liberty

DatesCruise Director
Jan 22 – Mar 8, 2026Grant Bowden
Mar 1 – May 3, 2026Victor Pastrana
May 3 – Aug 30, 2026Gabe Coppolla
Aug 23 – Oct 25, 2026Kieran Wilson
Oct 18, 2026 – Feb 21, 2027Lawrence West

Carnival Luminosa

DatesCruise Director
Oct 26, 2025 – Jan 11, 2026Michelle O’Callaghan
Jan 11 – Mar 5, 2026Louie Clare
Feb 26 – Jul 6, 2026Keegan Van Zyl
Jul 2 – Oct 23, 2026Louie Clare

Carnival Magic

DatesCruise Director
Sep 28 – Nov 15, 2025George Cross
Nov 9, 2025 – Apr 19, 2026Rainier Scholtz
May 21 – Jul 5, 2026Filipe Mendes
Jul 5 – Nov 8, 2026Sophie Gideon

Mardi Gras

DatesCruise Director
Oct 11 – Dec 6, 2025Deon Williams
Dec 6, 2025 – Apr 18, 2026Jacky Tang
Apr 11 – Jul 11, 2026Andy Mercer
Jul 4 – Nov 7, 2026Joey Boyes
Oct 31, 2026 – Jan 16, 2027Rainier Scholtz

Carnival Miracle

DatesCruise Director
Nov 20, 2025 – Jan 17, 2026Frankie Portera
Jan 17 – May 21, 2026Gary Blair
May 21 – Jul 23, 2026Frankie Portera
Jul 23 – Nov 23, 2026Gary Blair

Carnival Panorama

DatesCruise Director
Aug 30, 2025 – Feb 14, 2026Simon London
Feb 8 – May 3, 2026George Cross
Apr 28 – Jul 18, 2026Zack Paiement‑Dockrill
Jul 18 – Nov 15, 2026George Cross

Carnival Paradise

DatesCruise Director
Oct 9, 2025 – Jan 10, 2026Edgar Toscano Murillo
Jan 5 – Mar 7, 2026Sofia Tosches
Mar 2 – Jul 6, 2026Michelle O’Callaghan
Jun 14 – Sep 14, 2026Ciara Crowley
Sep 14 – Nov 15, 2026Michelle O’Callaghan

Carnival Pride

DatesCruise Director
Jan 25 – Mar 15, 2026Ben Kitchen
Apr 4 – May 17, 2026Frankie Portera
May 10 – Aug 2, 2026Sam Thurgood
Jul 26 – Nov 29, 2026Deon Williams
Nov 22, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027Cryssi St Cyr

Carnival Radiance

DatesCruise Director
Nov 17, 2025 – Feb 26, 2026Gabe Coppolla
Feb 7 – May 10, 2026Jei Caro
May 1 – Jun 25, 2026Ivan Estrada
Sep 28 – Nov 28, 2026Filipe Mendes
Nov 22, 2026 – Apr 1, 2027Marq Anthony

Carnival Spirit

DatesCruise Director
Nov 2, 2025 – Mar 8, 2026James Love
Feb 28 – May 5, 2026Charne Marais
May 5 – Sep 8, 2026James Love
Sep 1 – Nov 8, 2026Jei Caro
Nov 8, 2026 – Mar 6, 2027James Love

Carnival Splendor

DatesCruise Director
Sep 17, 2025 – Jan 24, 2026Lizzie Clough
Jan 28 – Mar 14, 2026Kieran Wilson
Mar 14 – Apr 2, 2026TBA
Apr 2 – Aug 7, 2026Lizzie Clough
Oct 1 – Nov 28, 2026Lizzie Clough

Carnival Sunrise

DatesCruise Director
Sep 29 – Nov 24, 2025John Loney
Nov 24, 2025 – Jan 5, 2026Abbie Lockett
Dec 31, 2025 – Apr 4, 2026Cryssi St Cyr
Mar 30 – May 30, 2026Dean Pompey
Jul 20 – Nov 5, 2026Cryssi St Cyr
Oct 31, 2026 – Jan 9, 2027Todd Evans

Carnival Sunshine

DatesCruise Director
Sep 6, 2025 – Jan 10, 2026Amber Celen
Jan 4 – May 2, 2026Sara Taskoski
Apr 26 – Jul 5, 2026Sofia Tosches
Jun 28 – Nov 8, 2026Alex Siegler

Carnival Valor

DatesCruise Director
Sep 15, 2025 – Jan 15, 2026Dean Pompey
Jan 10 – May 11, 2026Alex Siegler
May 7 – Sep 14, 2026Ben Kitchen
Sep 10, 2026 – Jan 9, 2027Sinclair Hammerbach

Carnival Venezia

DatesCruise Director
Oct 6, 2025 – Jan 11, 2026Mike D’Auria
Jan 4 – May 3, 2026Robby Howell
May 3 – Jul 1, 2026Mike D’Auria
Jul 1 – Oct 6, 2026Robby Howell

Carnival Vista

DatesCruise Director
Aug 31 – Nov 9, 2025Sara Taskoski
Nov 9, 2025 – Mar 15, 2026Marq Anthony
Mar 7 – May 2, 2026Mike D’Auria
Apr 26 – Aug 30, 2026Tyler Meehan

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 Carnival Cruise Director Schedule Remains Fluid

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, with multiple entries listed for different individual contracts.

Dates Can Overlap

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.

Cruise Director Marques “MarQ” Matthias
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line

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.

What Are the Social Profiles for Each Cruise Director?

What You Need to Know 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.

Cruise Director Jake
Cruise Director Jake (Photo Credit: Jake Miller)

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 activity 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.

Fleet Carnival Cruise Director

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.

Fleet Cruise Director, Lee Mason
Fleet Cruise Director, Lee Mason (Photo Credit: Lee Mason)

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.

Melissa Mayntz
Melissa Mayntz
Melissa has been offering her expertise on cruises since 2017 and reporting on cruise news since 2021. She has been on more than 40 voyages to the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, and more, and always has at least one more sailing booked on the horizon.
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