Victoria Cruises - The Majesty of the Yangtze

Cruise Staff

On your cruise, you will have the services of a full-time western cruise director and a river guide, who will provide interesting lectures about China and the Yangtze, and narrative about the sights along the river. In addition, our well-trained and accommodating local staff will make you feel right at home. It's our service that makes the difference!

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  Richard Carpentier

  With more than twenty-seven years experience sailing onboard cruise ships and now Victoria Cruises river boats in China, Dick is a seasoned veteran of the waters of the world.

  Having visited over ninety ports worldwide and spending his career on over twenty-nine ships, he still finds the lifestyle of a mariner to be fun, exciting, and at times challenging.

  Dick worked over the years with Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean, Royal Viking, Commodore Cruises, Epirotiki and many others. One of the highlights of his career was in being the first Cruise Director on the S.S. Norway , formerly S.S. France and implementing the programming and activities for this fabulous lady of the high seas.

  Dick has lived in Asia for over eleven years, and finds the opportunity to work onboard Victoria’s vessels on the Yangtze River a privilege and a pleasure. The year 2011 brings Dick into his eighth year with Victoria Cruises. Having worked on all seven Victoria boats, he has had the opportunity to view the changing Yangtze and its environs, its people, its magnificent Three Gorges, and most of all the sincerity and commitment that all of the crew members of Victoria dedicate to the guests onboard.

  Dick’s goals onboard are to exceed the expectations of Victoria’s guests, by presenting them with excellent service, unexpected quality entertainment, and to pass on his knowledge of the cultural differences and similarities of the West and the East that are a simple, yet complex, ever changing part of the Yangtze River and of China.

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  Miroslava Carrell

  Mira was born in the Bulgarian mountain city of Gabrovo in 1979. She completed her education in 1997 in the field of document processing.

  Mira began working in 1998, and moved to the Black Sea resort of Varna, Bulgaria, where she worked as a bartender and waitress; she later advanced to the position of restaurant manager, supervising a staff of twenty.

  Mira has been a Cruise Director for Victoria Cruises since 2010. She speaks English, Bulgarian, Russian and Macedonian. She loves to sing, and also enjoys riding motorcycles. Working for Victoria Cruise has given her a chance to learn about Chinese culture, and has come to appreciate their respect for tradition and for the family.

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  Michael Crowe

  English-born Michael Crowe has tremendous experience on cruise ships worldwide! He has sailed the seven seas, surviving two hurricanes and a fire at sea while visiting over 80 countries on more than 25 vessels. He now prefers the tranquility and history of Ancient China. He loves to share her beauty, culture, morning mists and magic mysteries with Victoria Guests!

  He says when the Himalayan waters combine with the melting glaciers of Tibet, flowing down into the Mighty Yangtze River to Shanghai, it is fascinating and forever changing. When not sailing, he enjoys being home with his son and daughter golfing in the sunshine in Laguna Beach California!

  He invites you to come join him on a cruise soon!

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  Marion Gaston

  Born and brought up in Germany, Marion spent several years in England, where she passed her Cambridge exam in English, and then moved to New York; here she was a daycare center administrator for seventeen years. She then began her career in travel as a tour manager for American Express, traveling throughout North America and the world in the late 1980's. She was elected Chairman for North America of the International Association of Tour Managers, serving for six years, and arranging a couple of the organization's annual conventions. In the 1990's, Marion worked for a variety of tour companies, traveling mainly with incoming guests to the United States and Canada. Marion joined Victoria Cruises in 2002 as cruise director, and has had experience on several of Victoria's ships.

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  Ernie Kemm

  Ernie Kemm is celebrating twenty years on the Yangtze River. Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and now a resident of New York City; he earned a B.A. and M.A. from the University of New Mexico. He came to China to work for Lindblad Travel in 1985, as a pianist/entertainer and assistant to the cruise director, spending three years on the Kunlun, Chairman Mao's state ship, and two years (1987-1989) on the Bashan. He continued working on the Bashan for Abercrombie & Kent until 1993, and joined Victoria Cruises in its inaugural year (1994). In his previous career in the entertainment field, he was a ragtime pianist, composer, and opened the nightclub "The Back Door", in Denver, Colorado, where Judy Collins played her first professional engagement. His nightclub act with Al Fike, "The Modern Minstrel Man", played some of the top rooms across the country from Florida to Las Vegas. Solo engagements at several clubs in New York included twelve years at Mrs. J's Sacred Cow. Engagements at sea included Celebrity Cruises, Sitmar, Royal Caribbean, and Cunard (Countess, Princess and the QE 2). He studied at H.B. Studios and with Broadway and tv star Charles Nelson Reilly, and Tony Award-winning composer Albert Hague among others. He was winner of Colorado's Bicentennial Song Contest ("Here's To Colorado"), and was recipient of the "Confetti" award for best performance in Charles Nelson Reilly's off-Broadway production "Confetti".

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  Mirza Natasuria

  Born in Indonesia, Mirza's educational credentials include a B. Sc. in Industrial Technology, an M.B.A., a Graduate Certificate in International Business, and an M.Sc in Computer Science.

  His interests include traveling, tennis, swimming, and reading.

  Mirza has an abiding interest in the people of China, and aims to offer passengers the most memorable travel experience of their lives.

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  Robert Shigo

  Originally from Long Island, New York, Bob has worked for Victoria Cruises for three years, after spending eight years working on seventeen different ocean ships for a number of cruise lines. On the ocean ships, he worked both as Activity Manager and Cruise Director, entertaining and assisting guests in enjoying their cruise through teaching dance, performing music, leading activities and catering to guests’ needs. He also brings ten years experience in the restaurant industry, including formal dining, casual dining and catering.

  Bob has worked previously in China as an English teacher in the city of Ningbo, after working briefly as an educator in the state of California. In his spare time he loves playing guitar and piano, and keeping active with various sports including basketball, volleyball and biking. What he likes most about travel is not the sites he sees but the people he meets. After spending many years sailing the high seas and visiting forty-two countries, he is enjoying the beautiful and friendly atmosphere that sailing on the Yangtze provides.

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  Christof Von Zieten

  Christof sailed originally with Victoria in 2004, and returned to sail again from 2007 until the present.

  He first came to China in 1984 for ten weeks when he was a student of Sinology and Economics. As a tour director from 1988 to 2003, he led sixty tours around China for several major German tour companies. Christof moved to China in 1995, and considers it his second home.

  In his spare time, he enjoys photography, riding his bike around Chengdu and Sichuan Province, swimming in the ocean in Thailand, drinking Chinese tea in a teahouse, playing badminton, watching movies and travelling to remote places.

  He has enjoyed working together with a young and energetic Chinese crew and taking care of Victoria’s passengers from all corners of the world.

  His future dreams include taking the highest train in the world along the Qinghai-Tibet plateau to Lhasa, and one day traveling through the highlands and mountains of New Zealand.

River Guides

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  Cathy Huang

  Born and raised in the Three Gorges region, Cathy has worked for Victoria Cruises for twelve years. She has an intimate knowledge of the lifestyle of the people living along the Yangtze, and has observed the changes taking place here. She has a keen interest in the Three Gorges Dam project, and enjoys communicating with guests on a variety of topics. She likes to share her experience with passengers, and bring them a pleasurable and informative journey.

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  Daniel Li

  Hometown: Chongqing

  Number of years with Victoria: Fifteen

  What I try to offer passengers: An interesting perspective relative to the ancient and modern China, as China moves its people and country into a new era of exciting challenges, and I also relate to passengers the impact on the Yangtze River

  What I enjoy about working on the Yangtze: Meeting guests from around the world, and introducing the fast-changing China, its people, and the Yangtze to them.

• Three Shi

  Born in the city of Yichang, site of the Three Gorges Dam. I graduated from the University of Yichang, and then served in the Chinese army for three years. When I left the army, I became teacher in the Policeman's School of Yichang.

  Number of Years with Victoria: Ten (I started as receptionist, and was later promoted to Front Desk Supervisor, then Operations Manager. In 2010, I was asked to be a River Guide.)

  What I try to offer passengers and enjoy about working on the Yangtze: As a river guide, I have enjoyed being with passengers and providing information about the Yangtze and Three Gorges Dam. I also enjoy pointing out and discussing the various interesting sights along the river, and making passengers feel at home in my country and on our ship.

• Bobo Wu

  Born in Szechuan Province. Attended university in Chongqing in the 1990's.

  Number of years with Victoria: Eight (Has worked on the Yangtze for fourteen years)

  What I try to offer passengers: Since I have seen the changes that have occurred in the Three Gorges and in the people's lives over the years, I endeavor to convey this to passengers.

  What I enjoy about working on the Yangtze: I enjoy relating to the passengers from different countries. I hear their ideas, and also have been able to improve my English.

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  Luther Zou

  Born in Shuangshi, a small town in the Chongqing municipality.

  Number of years with Victoria: Eight

  What I try to offer passengers: During my presentations, I always try to provide information, entertainment and outstanding service to all our passengers.

  What I enjoy about working on the Yangtze: I enjoy sharing my knowledge of the magnificent Yangtze River, my beautiful country-China, and personal life experiences from the countryside to river wide. I am looking forward to meeting you in the near future and sharing a wonderful voyage.