Cruise Staff

On your cruise, you will have the services of a 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!

Bios of some of our selected staff are below.

Dai Bo

Captain
Victoria Jenna

Dai Bo

Captain
Victoria Jenna

Dai Bo

Captain , Victoria Jenna

A graduate of the Chongqing Navigation College, Captain Dai has thirty years of experience on the Yangtze River. He started to work on cruise ships in 1994, and has been a Captain for eight years. His previous positions included Third Officer on the Victoria Prince, Second Officer on the Victoria Katarina, First officer on the Victoria Anna, and Captain on the Victoria Rose. Prior to the Victoria Jenna, he worked on the Victoria Selina. Captain Dai was named one of the Excellent Individuals by the Maritime Authority several times. His management team has been named Advanced Group on Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection. He was listed as a Five Star Captain by the Bureau of Yangtze Shipping and Transportation in 2014, and as Captain he receives wide praise from his staff.

Richard Carpentier

Cruise Director

Richard Carpentier

Cruise Director

Richard Carpentier

Cruise Director

With nearly three decades of experience sailing on cruise ships (including seventeen with Victoria), Dick has worked with Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean, Royal Viking, Commodore and Epirotiki. He was the first Cruise Director on the S.S. Norway (formerly S.S. France), where he implemented its programming and activities. He has had the opportunity to view the changing Yangtze region, and most of all the sincerity and commitment of Victoria’s crew.

Marion Gaston

Cruise Director

Marion Gaston

Cruise Director

Marion Gaston

Cruise Director

Born and brought up in Germany, Marion spent several years in England, and then moved to New York. She began her career in travel as a tour manager for American Express, traveling throughout North America and the world. She was elected Chairman for North America of the International Association of Tour Managers for six years, and arranged a couple of its conventions. She joined Victoria in 2002.

Michael Darby

Cruise Director

Michael Darby

Cruise Director

Michael Darby

Cruise Director

“Darby” earned his B.S. in Hospitality & Hotel/Restaurant Administration from Johnson & Wales University. He has over twenty years of cruise management experience, including the Mississippi Queen, and later as Chief Purser and Hotel Director aboard such lines as Regency, Renaissance, NCL and Commodore. His extensive experience on river/small ship cruises also includes positons with Lindblad Expeditions, American Cruise Lines, Glacier Bay Tours & Cruises and Alaskan Dream Cruises.

Linda Houghton

Cruise Director

Linda Houghton

Cruise Director

Linda Houghton

Cruise Director

Linda was born in Scranton, PA but has spent half of her life living abroad in Ecuador, Argentina, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, and France. She has years of experience as a tour guide in France and as a port presenter aboard cruise ships. She holds a bachelor’s degree in foreign languages and culture from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, a postgraduate diploma in international tourism management from Université Paris 1-Sorbonne, and a master’s degree in international tourism and hospitality management from Varna University of Management.

Teodora ("Teddy") Karidova

Cruise Director

Teodora ("Teddy") Karidova

Cruise Director

Teodora ("Teddy") Karidova

Cruise Director

Teddy was born in the small mountain town of Troyan, Bulgaria. After graduating from high school with degree in hospitality, she moved to Plovdiv, Bulgaria to study tourism and to work. After gaining experience in almost every department in the hotel industry in Bulgaria and Switzerland, she came to China in 2013 to embark on her career on the Yangtze River.

Daniel Li

River Guide
Victoria Jenna

Daniel Li

River Guide
Victoria Jenna

Daniel Li

River Guide , Victoria Jenna

Daniel is from Hechuan, Chongqing. He graduated from college in 1997 and joined Victoria the same year. He worked in the restaurant and on the front desk, and began to serve as a cruise guide beginning in 2003. During his two decades working on the Yangtze River, he witnessed the tremendous changes brought about by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam on both sides of the river. He enjoys sharing with passengers from all corners of the world what he has seen and heard on the mighty Yangtze

Dragon Long

Head Chef
Victoria Grace

Dragon Long

Head Chef
Victoria Grace

Dragon Long

Head Chef , Victoria Grace

Born in Guang’an City, Sichuan Province, Dragon began his career with Victoria in 2003 as a prep cook. He has trained and collaborated with master chefs from different countries, learning several styles of cooking, and adhering to the highest hygienic standards. Victoria has a worldwide clientele, and Dragon is adept at creating meals for different palates from around the world.

LEO-WU

Leo Wu

Operations Manager
Victoria Jenna
LEO-WU

Leo Wu

Operations Manager
Victoria Jenna

Leo Wu

Operations Manager , Victoria Jenna

Born in Chongqing, China, Leo (Wu Wei) joined Victoria in 2004, full of enthusiasm to be sailing the Yangtze River. Leo began as a receptionist, and is proud to have worked his way up to Operations Manager. He has always loved the beauty of the Three Gorges, and has not forgotten the initial heart of customer service, taking every guest’s smile as the motivation for his craft. He regards guest satisfaction as the result of hard work, and takes guest feedback as a beacon of direction. Leo hopes to continue to apply innovative ideas to the future development of the Yangtze River cruise experience with Victoria.

Rebecca Zhang

River Guide
Victoria Lianna

Rebecca Zhang

River Guide
Victoria Lianna

Rebecca Zhang

River Guide , Victoria Lianna

Rebecca is from the “Mountain and River City” of Chongqing. She joined Victoria in 2002 as a receptionist and was promoted to Front Desk Manager. Now as a River Guide since 2006, Rebecca looks forwards to presenting the beautiful scenery of the Three Gorges to passengers from around the globe.