I originally had the distinct honor to meet Mr. James Deering during his time as Hotel Director aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Star.  I was immediately taken by his passion for ships, knowledge of the industry, and personal touch to each guest's experience.  I was also enthralled by his distinct knowledge base of fine wines.

I have since kept in touch with Mr. Deering and these days, guests are able to see him aboard the five-star ships of Holland America Line.  I had conducted an interview with him originally in early 2003 and have decided to refresh his feature on shipcafe.net given his recent career change.

"When did you first realize your passion for ships and seagoing life?"  

"In 1974 I was a free-lance photographer in San Francisco . American Express hired me to produce a brochure for a new Holland America Cruise Line ship called Prinsendam. They flew me to Singapore and I spent one month aboard the ship, sailing around the Indonesian Islands , producing the brochure. I couldn’t believe that people got paid to work on cruise ships. I was hooked. Then and there I decided that this was going to be my life for a long time. My contacts at HAL helped me get a position on Prinsendam."

"What steps did you take to begin the momentum of achieving a career and life at sea?"  

"As you know, cruise passengers spend a rather large proportion of their shipboard time eating. As a result, cruise lines tend to hire their hotel management people from strong F&B backgrounds. I had been involved in several famous high-profile restaurants in my hometown of San Francisco . My reputation in hospitality and service gave me some leverage with several cruise companies.

This cruise business is a rather small world; everyone seems to know everyone else. Once you are inside, it is much easier."

"What was a prominent seagoing experience and what told you that that would be the life for you?"  

 "My second cruise line experience was even more intense. In 1978 I joined an old renovated ship that was one of the first Chinese joint ventures with the outside world. The Aquamarine was to do cruises from Hong Kong up the coast of China . Our first showcase trip (with International Travel Writers aboard) was altered when a Chinese Navy warship chased us and stopped us. Troops boarded our ship and held all the crew and passengers at gunpoint for several hours. Later, a very embarrassed Chinese Commanding Officer apologized to us all, explaining that the Chinese Government had neglected to tell him that we were coming and he naturally assumed we were part of an invasion force. He admitted that the fact that everyone was in bathing suits and sitting by the pool – as well as the lack of weapons aboard – had seemed a bit odd for invaders. His warship escorted us to Shanghai and we had a marvelous time there."

"What different titles have you held throughout your seagoing career?  Which has been the most memorable?"

I started as Restaurant Manager / Maitre d’, and held just about every Hotel position above that before becoming a Hotel Manager. My lifelong love affair with Food & Beverage has given me many memorable and exciting experiences in that area. But I must say that I have most enjoyed being a Hotel Manager. From Crew Members to Officers to Guests, I have had the privilege to meet more wonderful, exciting, famous, and truly remarkable people than I had ever hoped to meet in my entire lifetime.

"What are some of the most memorable ships that you've worked aboard and why?  Are some / any of them still sailing today under the same flag?"

Two of my favorites were Royal Viking Sun and Crown Odyssey. Both –when new – were in the “What will they think of next?” category. At the time, we just marveled at their size, luxury, and innovations. It seemed impossible that it could get any bigger or better. The Sun, of course, is now HAL’s smallest ship – Prinsendam. The Crown Odyssey is now with NCL, but rumored to be retiring soon.

“You’ve most definitely created a solid name for yourself in the time you’ve spent with Norwegian Cruise Line.  It is apparent that you were a key figure in developing the Freestyle Cruising concept.  How has that experience contributed to your career portfolio?”

I must admit that I love to work on new innovations and challenging concepts. When a ship operates too smoothly or too well, I get bored very quickly. Many of the new innovations in modern cruising are related to food and wine; my favorite subjects. From cruising’s first alternative restaurants on the SS Bremen in 1906 and RMS Titanic in 1911, there has been a growing interest in placing additional dining options on ships. At this point in time, I consider it inevitable that any new big ship will offer several dining options for Guests. Strangely, placing those venues on a ship and making them operate as planned is a far bigger challenge than most people realize. After developing the process at Star Cruises in Asia for many years, and again more recently at NCL, I wouldn’t mind doing a more modern version of the idea again. Once you have attended a progressive dine-around dinner on a cruise ship; with each different course served in a different restaurant, there is no looking back.

“The foundation of your seagoing career was essentially born aboard a Holland America Line ship.  Has this played any role in your return to Holland America Line and/or what key event(s) prompted you to do so?”

Your first cruise is always the best one. Your first ship is always your favorite.  HAL has always had a special place in my heart. Over the years, financial and marketing considerations have forced the former Elegance, Grandeur, and Great Style we always had with cruising to morph to a more Democratic – and sometimes less elegant - version of cruising for the Mass Market. The change was inevitable, so there is little value in complaining about it. But I really do miss those “Good Old Days”. To my way of thinking, the HAL Signature of Excellence is taking the “higher road” in the development of Modern Cruising. We are holding on to as many of the finer elements of cruising as we possibly can, while still offering the new technological “bells and whistles” that modern cruisers really want as well. I don’t know of any other cruise line company that is attempting to do this. Before I returned to HAL, I wrote to HAL CEO Stein Kruse, complimenting him on the Signature of Excellence Concept. My comment at the time was, ”If I managed or owned a cruise line, I would be doing exactly the same thing”.

“You have a very solid and diverse cruise industry portfolio.  How do you see Holland America Line being able to contribute to its further development?”

This business is evolving more and faster every day. Holland America Line is developing new and improved product ideas at a faster rate than I have ever seen. At HAL I am learning a great deal about the future of cruising.

“Having played a key role in the development of an all-US shipboard staff, how would you compare and contrast that to returning to one that is international?”  

The American product is completely different from the International one. I feel that one of the most charming elements of a cruise is the opportunity to meet and interact with people from all over the world. A typical International Cruise Ship has as many as 80 different nationalities working onboard. We are a mini-United Nations at Sea. The potential learning experience from meeting and speaking with so many different types of people in a safe, clean  environment is worth the entire cost of the cruise.

"Where do you call home?  What has drawn you to that part of the world?"  

 "My wife and I live in Tokyo , Japan .  We both have worked on ships for many years; we have been just about everywhere many times. This has been a great opportunity to find the place that fits us the best. As with airline employees, there is no need for me to live in the place where I work. The safety, security, hospitality, and cleanliness of Japan are not so dissimilar to a cruise ship. We love it."

"How are you able to fuse your love of that culture with that of seagoing life?"  

 "Japanese hospitality and courtesy are legendary. I have learned a great deal from the Japanese and learn more every day. I make every effort to apply that learning to my hospitality career."

“Wine tasting and education have been integral parts of your onboard programming role in the past.  Are you able to continue this role to date?”  

I am continuing it, but in a different mode. My friends know that I am an absolute Wine and Japanese Sake fanatic. This fits in perfectly with our new HAL Cellarmaster Program. As much as I enjoy conducting Wine Seminars for our Guests, I now normally defer to our new Cellarmasters. Instead, I am now conducting Wine Education Seminars for our Wine Stewards and other Beverage Staff. This also gives me more time to do some informal wine tasting with my Guests. My wife also does a masterful job of getting some of my favorite Sake to me every so often. I am occasionally able to do a bit of Sake tasting for my Guests.

"As Hotel Director, what are some of your greatest challenges?  Greatest rewards?"  

 "I have about 2,500 guests every day who need looking after. A good Hotel Director should not be hiding in an office somewhere, but out meeting his guests, ensuring they are well taken care of. I always make the time to do this.

 The greatest reward is hearing a guest tell me that he has had the vacation of a lifetime."

"Throughout your career , you've certainly seen most of the world.  What do you consider to be some grand highlights and why?"  

• • Singing Karaoke with the Prime Minister of Malaysia in the Malacca Strait.
  • Attending a formal cocktail party (with several thousand penguins) on a large ice floe in the Antarctic Sea.
  • Standing Pirate Watch in the South China Sea
  • Meeting with the Village Chiefs on Fanning Island.
  • Riding out a typhoon in the Indian Ocean.
  • Transiting the Suez Canal.
  • Visiting dinosaurs on Komodo Island.
  • Swimming with humpback whales in Maui.
  • Trading pineapples for beluga caviar in Odessa. (They thought they got the better deal)
  • Bargaining for shrunken heads with headhunters on Sumatra.
  • Sailing past Mt. Fuji in the evening.
  • Hunting wild boar with borrowed Indonesian Army rifles on Sulawesi.
  • Approaching the Gate of India in Mumbai Harbor .

"All of these things happened to me on a cruise. They would have been rather difficult any other way."

"Are there any regions to which you would like to get back?"  

 "As I mentioned, there are many great reasons to take a cruise – and my favorite is visiting exotic places.

• • The Black Sea in Summer is delightful.
  • The Southern Indonesian Islands are like a Spielberg movie.  
  • The Norwegian Fjords – and the rest of Scandinavia – in Summer.  
  • Any long ocean trip with many sea days is very therapeutic for me.  
  • The Inland Sea of Japan is fascinating.  
  • The West Coast of Turkey is an other-worldly place.  
  • The Greek Islands are lots of fun.  
  • A trip around South America can change your life.  
  • Fanning Island is always great."

“The Internet has undoubtedly played a dynamic role in consumer research, education, and communication.  How do you respond to this evolution in consumer behavior?”

I love it. Increasingly I see first-time cruisers who take their first cruise after watching “Love Boat” re-runs and the “Titanic” Movie. They come aboard a ship for the first time with rather unrealistic expectations of what a cruise should be like. And they are disappointed. Just a few hours surfing on some of the major Internet Cruise Chat Rooms can give you information that would require a lifetime of cruising to compile. Armed with this valuable information, one can have a far superior cruise experience without spending any additional money. Cruisers who do their “Internet Homework” also have far fewer challenges once onboard. That means that my job becomes far easier; many cases of failed expectations and disappointed Guests never occur because smart Cruisers already understand the program.

“I think that we can both agree that the cruise product has evolved exponentially even in just the past ten to fifteen years.  A couple of the hottest topics of debate are cruise pricing and the average increase of ship size.  How would you interpret this debate?"

It is true that these are very hot topics and they are very closely related. The progressive lowering of cruise fares has been a blessing for some and a curse for others. Whether we like it or not, affordable cruising has dramatically altered the cruising experience and product. Lower ticket prices have forced cruise line companies to build bigger and more expensive vessels to maintain profitability. The need to completely fill the larger ships in order to make a profit has resulted in even lower cruise fares in some areas. Those lower fares force the cruise line companies to then build even bigger ships and to consider alternative methods of revenue in order to stay solvent.

There are still many Cruisers (myself included) who want and expect very low fares, small elegant ships, and very high quality food and service – all wrapped up in an all-inclusive package. Today, and into the future, that combination of low price and high quality is increasingly difficult to produce.

“To date you have spent your contracts aboard the Vista class ships of Holland America Line.  What is your long-term vision for your seagoing career?”  

To tell you the truth, I haven’t a clue. The Cruise Industry is changing so much – and in many ways unpredictably – that I really don’t know what to expect next. I have many ideas about what might / could / probably happen, but there are so many variables involved that nearly anything could change in a moment. World Politics, the price of fuel, and the American economy are just a few of the many random factors that can instantly and radically alter my career plans. If I had any control over the future, I would tell you that I cannot wait to see the newest developments on the next class of HAL Ships, and the future development of Signature of Excellence.