Meet the Cruise Director and Marathoner Who Brings the Energy to Every Vacation

With so many experiences to choose from on a Royal Caribbean vacation, you can have your pick of adventures—whether it’s thrill, chill or everything in between. You can do just about anything, from sitting front row at a Broadway show to plunging 10 stories down one of the world’s tallest slides at sea or enjoying the many flavors on board, all while going from one bucket list destination to the next and only having to unpack once.

Who is behind these experiences? Meet Joff Eaton, one of Royal Caribbean’s cruise directors on board. He and his team keep the good times rolling, from the shows to exciting activities for kids and teens. And during Joff’s 15 years with Royal  Caribbean, he’s covered a lot of ground, too, traveling everywhere from the Caribbean to Australia. His next big adventure is the Ultimate World Cruise on Serenade of the Seas, which will visit 65 countries on all seven continents in 274 nights.

Get to know Joff, like his favorite things to do, the most memorable moment of his career so far and more. 

Joff is front and center for many of the celebrations and events on board, like the Midnight Balloon Drop on New Year’s Eve.

Credit: Joff Eaton

Q: Let’s get started with your travel experience. How long have you been exploring the world with Royal Caribbean? And what do you do? 
Joff: I’ve been a cruise director at Royal Caribbean for 15 years, working with an incredible team to ensure the entertainment and activities offered onboard our ships are top quality. In a sense, it’s my job to make sure our guests are having the best vacation ever!

Q: What’s your favorite part about what you do?
Joff: It’s impossible to pick just one because my role is so varied. Watching the ambiance develop throughout the cruise is highly rewarding, and simultaneously, seeing, meeting and engaging so many guests is always a highlight.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about living and working at sea?
Joff: Not having to cook!

Q: What’s the most common question you get when people find out you work on cruise ships?
Joff: I’m often asked what my favorite destination is, and I have two answers: Sydney, and Villefranche (Nice) in the French Riviera—both of which we’re going to visit on the Ultimate World Cruise.

Q: What is the most memorable moment from your career so far? 
Joff: Being asked to debut two ships—Anthem of the Seas in 2015 and Ovation of the Seas in 2016. It has always been a goal of mine to join the start-up team for a brand-new ship and I’m honored to have been part of that process twice!

Royal Caribbean offers a range of thrilling experiences everyone in the family can enjoy, like the RipCord® by iFLY® skydiving simulator.

Credit: Royal Caribbean

Q: Do you have a favorite show?
Joff: I’ll have to give you my top two: Grease and Tango Buenos Aires.

Pro tip: Once you’ve booked your cruise, you can pre-book seats for a show ahead of your sailing online.

Q: Where would you say is the best view on board?
Joff: Anywhere outside at sunrise or sunset—though I tend to be around for more sunsets!

Q: What item do you always make sure you pack for a cruise? 
Joff: Shoelaces. From walking from one end of the ship to another to scaling the rock wall and everything in between, you’ll be moving your feet quite a bit!

Pro tip: Hit the jogging track onboard your ship so you don’t have to miss your daily run while on vacation.

Q: How much time will you be on the Ultimate World Cruise? 
Joff: I’ll spend four months on board from Miami to Beijing, followed by three months from Istanbul and then back to Miami.

Q: What destination are you most looking forward to visiting? 
Joff: Port Stanley, the southernmost city in South America. I’m a half-marathon runner and it would be a dream come true to run on the Falklands.

Q: What’s one reason Royal Caribbean is a great way to vacation?
Joff: The passion and drive from the onboard teams to make every day of that vacation count!

With Royal Caribbean making stops in 24 Australian locations, you can see the magic of the Sydney Opera House come to life.

Credit: UNSPLASH

Q: And now for a quickfire round of “this or that” questions, starting with chill or thrill? 
 Joff: I’m going to have to pick both. Chill from midnight to 8 a.m., and thrill from 8 a.m. to midnight (except for lunch!)

Q: Night on land or sea?  
Joff: Sea.

Q: Chocolate chip or Ranger cookie? 
Joff: Ranger.

Q: Coco Loco or The Lime & Coconut (from the Lime & Coconut Bar)?
Joff: Lime & Coconut.

Q: Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas or Labadee in Haiti?  
Joff: Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Make memories that will last a lifetime by exploring the world with Royal Caribbean.