Former TV Star Becomes Cruise Director

Willie Aames
image: twitter

In the mid 1980’s Charles in Charge was pretty popular television show. It’s also been popular when aired as reruns although I can’t recall the last time I’ve seen an episode of the show.

Did you know that one of the show’s former stars is now a cruise director on a 930 passenger ship?  

The former television star I’m talking about isn’t Scott Baio, the show’s main character or Nicole Eggert who went on to start in Baywatch for a couple of years.

The Viking Star’s new cruise director is Charles’ best friend on the show, Buddy Lembeck- Willie Aames.

Before Charles in Charge, Aames starred in many 70’s shows including Eight is Enough. (I can’t say that I’m really familiar with it…)

Considering I’ve only taken one cruise (I’m not a fan), I’m not really familiar with a cruise director’s duties. According to Frommer’s, “Cruise directors are entertainers of sorts. They’re tasked with getting guests pumped up for the day’s entertainment and excursions, appearing daily on camera to brief passengers on procedures, and mill around making conversation.”

Frommer’s mentions that Viking is not promoting the fact that the ship’s cruise director was a famous TV star and it turns out that the position isn’t new to Aames. He served as cruise director for Regent Seven Seas.

Find out more from Frommer’s here.

6 thoughts on “Former TV Star Becomes Cruise Director

  1. Willie, Tommy, Buddy..As long as your Happy..on your Journey..We call Life!!
    8 Is Enough..Charles in Charge..& now the Real Life Love Boat !
    Enjoy the Open Sea..

  2. FreeTravelGuys- That is interesting! To me, he’s Buddy Lembeck although I knew he was in Eight is Enough! Seems like he had quite the career from his teens through his 20s.

  3. Funny, I only remember Willie Aames from the 1975 TV series Swiss Family Robinson, which I watched when I was a kid. Interestingly enough you can see a 12 year-old Helen Hunt as part of the family in that show.

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