During a current cruise on Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam, quite a lot of visitors had gathered across the ship’s cruise director, Gage Griffin. The matter of dialog wasn’t the night’s leisure, or when the following bingo or trivia would begin. Instead, they had been all making an attempt to guess his age.
Even Griffin himself acknowledges his youthful look. “I could pass for 16,” he says throughout an interview.
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- Griffin attire up for The Orange Party
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In level of truth, he isn’t solely the youngest cruise director within the Holland America fleet, but additionally the youngest throughout its dad or mum firm, Carnival Corporation.
A local of Louisville, KY., you could possibly say Griffin was born to work on the excessive seas.
“My mom loved ‘The Love Boat,’ ” he mentioned. “She had us watch it (on reruns, of course) and we got very invested. We all wanted to be Julie, the cruise director.” So a lot so, Gage, alongside together with his youthful siblings, Stevie and Hunter, would “play fake cruise ship in our pool, with a blow-up raft”
Later, he obtained an opportunity to cruise on the actual factor throughout household holidays. “I thought (working on a cruise ship) looked like so much fun.” But, he added, “Watching ‘Love Boat’ was the biggest inspiration.”
Gage’s different early love was musical theater, which he obtained concerned with at age 5. For two years, he carried out within the nationwide touring firm of “Les Misérables,” taking part in the function of Gavroche, “a child that was supposed to be 8,” though he was 11 when the tour began.
?At Indiana University, Gage majored in broadcast journalism and theater. Upon graduating at 20, he grew to become a TV information reporter and anchor in Atlanta, Ga. While he appreciated what he was doing, the siren name from “The Love Boat” by no means left him, in order the pandemic started to wind down, he determined to use for a cruise job with Holland America, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian.
“I sent in my auditions and didn’t think anything would happen,” he mentioned. To his shock, he obtained gives from all three, however finally selected Holland America. “I one hundred percent made the right decision,” he mentioned. “It’s been the job of a lifetime.”
He credit his background as taking part in a key function.” Performing and journalism mixed to essentially assist me on this job, since I speak to lots of people, be taught lots of various things and need to convey info in a concise and straightforward to grasp manner.”
So far, he mentioned the job has “exceeded expectations,” and loves the constructive work setting,” including the “happiness and positivity is so refreshing.”
When he takes a break and is again dwelling, Gage can’t flip it off. “I’m shopping in Target and go around smiling and waving at the customers. People are probably freaked out.”
Gage has had a possibility to work on all 4 courses of Holland America’s ships. So what’s a typical day for him? Depends on if it’s a sea day or a port day.
“Sea days very busy,” he mentioned. After a morning workers assembly, he’ll host a espresso chat with one of many ship’s personnel, conduct one of many ships EXC (Explorations Central) talks and ship bulletins all through the day. It affords him loads of train since he all the time takes the steps, and has realized the artwork of the facility nap as properly.
?On port days, he’ll incessantly get off with the visitors to discover, since a serious a part of his job is to know every little thing concerning the ports of name. On these uncommon events when circumstances pressure a port cancellation, Gage mentioned, “It’s all hands on deck to rapidly plan a whole new sea day.” Rather than being tense, “weirdly, it’s almost my favorite,” he mentioned. “It’s like a bonus for the guests and we get to do some special events.”
So, why is Holland America a fantastic alternative for a cruise?
“People are amazed by artwork and design,” he mentioned, and since their ships are comparatively smaller, “they feel more like a village than a city, with a family feel.” He added that the road “represents classic cruising, with itineraries second to none to all seven continents.”
He summed it up: “We’re not trying to create tourists — we want to create travelers, helping people understand the places we go.”
While his typical contract is 4 months, Gage requested an extension and stretched it to virtually 10 months, saying, “I love this job so much, if I could, I would work 12 months a year.” Given his performing background, he mentioned he’s prepared to face in for any of the singers and dancers ought to the necessity come up.
And simply in case you had been questioning how outdated this cruise director that might go for 16 actually is, we are able to reveal it now: He’s 24. That little factoid would possibly come in useful on a future Holland America trivia session.
PHOTOS
- Gage Griffin aboard Nieuw Statendam (cowl picture)
- Griffin attire up for The Orange Party
- Photos by Gerry Barker
See sailings right here Holland America Line (cruisecompete.com)