Hired by Ted Arison, co-founder and general managing agent for Norwegian Caribbean Lines (precursor of Norwegian Cruise Line), Stafford worked in sales at NCL during the 1970s and '80s, developing the new corporate incentive business and then international sales and marketing before going on to sales roles at Costa and Commodore.
Stafford was 'an amazing, nice guy ... who was kind to everyone' and a 'great sales person,' according to Mark Conroy, managing director, the Americas, Silversea Cruises. 'He really invented charter and incentive sales.'
Mentor to many
Conroy, who's held the top job at several cruise lines, credits Stafford for giving him his first break by promoting him to a manager role at NCL in 1974.
'I would not have had the success I have had without working for David,' Conroy said.
Roy Grimsland, who also reported to Stafford at NCL, attributes his hiring at Radisson, where he spent the bulk of his cruise career, to a glowing recommendation by Stafford.
'He was a mentor. Here's David, doing everything in his power to help me get to the next level, and I never forgot that,' Grimsland said. 'He was always laughing and smiling and saw the good things about people.'
'He had a huge, giving heart,' Stafford's wife Mary said. 'He would offer assistance to anyone and he never asked for anything in return. He was happy giving, not receiving. He just loved people.'
Ron Kurtz, who worked with Stafford at NCL and Commodore, considers him a cruise industry pioneer and noted he was 'effective in introducing and building Maritz incentive business on cruise ships.'
Stafford was asked to focus on incentive sales in the early 1970s by NCL's sales boss, Bruce Nierenberg, who had identified that market as ripe for potential.
Creative streak
Stafford turned out to be a 'perfect match for that job,' according to David Christopher, a colleague at NCL and, later, his boss at Costa. He was a 'very good salesman ... who also had a creative streak that came in quite handy,' Christopher relates.
Stafford developed a strong relationship with Maritz Travel, the incentive powerhouse. Maritz began booking groups, then full ship charters, with NCL.
'We got a lot of business from them in the shoulder seasons, which really helped in the early days,' Christopher said.
Stafford also cultivated Funk Seed, a giant Midwest-based agriculture company. Funk ran sales incentives for farmers and became one of the first companies to charter a full ship from a US port. That business grew from one ship to three, including the charter of all three NCL 'White Ships'—Starward, Skyward and Southward—the same week. Christopher also remembers Funk Seed as the first to charter the Norway, world's largest cruise ship at the time.
One of the Maritz charters was for Winnebago, aboard the 540-passenger Starward. Two lower decks at the center of the ship were loaded with new trailers and campers.
When the Starward arrived at Port-au-Prince in Haiti, the Winnebago campers were moved to the grounds of the Royal Haitian Hotel. There, the Winnebago dealers were treated to a lavish lunch before wandering the property to see the new Winnebago product line.
A brush with 'Baby Doc' Duvalier
'Baby Doc' Duvalier ordered three campers brought to the palace, where Stafford and the Maritz representative were held inside while Baby Doc took spins in the Winnebagos. The men were released, but the campers had vanished and the ship had sailed. Eventually the Winnebagos were recovered and loaded onto the Starward for their return to Miami, weeks later.
Another time, for a large group of appliance dealers, the Starward was loaded with washers, dryers and stoves. During the call at Port Antonio, Jamaica, these items were placed on various small islands in the Rio Grande and the dealers were floated down the river on small bamboo rafts past the product line.
'That was another Dave idea,' Christopher said. 'He did many similar things during his incentive sales career. Dave was a unique individual and will be missed.'
Mary Stafford recalled that on the same cruise, her husband had placed washers and dryers in a foyer, ensuring they were hooked up to water and electricity and ready to demonstrate to the sales people. But crew members got there first and washed their clothes. Thinking fast, Stafford had them put on the clean uniforms and taught them a short script to tell how easy and well the appliances worked.
For a Nissan charter, new model cars were lifted onto a ship with cranes, something that eventually became a standard practice for automotive company incentive trips.
Fireworks and cannons
When the Southward was christened at Miami and a big travel agent party followed, Stafford ordered fireworks—a white 'waterfall' with the blue letters 'NCL' to explode in the middle. Explode they did. The blast was so powerful, it blew out windows in the port office.
For an incentive program, a company owner requested a pirate-themed party, which Stafford tried to liven up by shooting ping-pong balls filled with $20 bills or certificates for free cruises from a cannon. During a test firing, the ping-pong balls knocked out stage lights and jammed the air-conditioning vents as staff members dived for cover. The next time Stafford boarded a ship, the captain scolded: 'Never again ping pong balls!'
Before his cruise career Stafford worked in the airline business. Joining NCL in 1970, he stayed on after Ted Arison left to found Carnival Cruise Line. Stafford worked his way up to VP sales then VP charter and incentive sales. He also started NCL's international marketing and sales efforts and served as VP international.
In the late 1980s, Stafford and two colleagues formed Zeller, Compton, Stafford, a cruise consulting business, before he went on to OM Marketing. In the early 1990s, he joined David Christopher at Costa, working as director of sales. Later, at Commodore, he was VP sales under president Ron Kurtz. When that brand ceased operations in 2001, Stafford planned to retire but had a brief stint at SeaEscape.
A Facebook post about Stafford has drawn many scores of comments.
'My dad always stayed friends with people,' daughter Raegan said. 'He was always a people person.'
Stafford is survived by Mary and Raegan, both of Fort Lauderdale, and by an aunt, Marie Carter of Ocala.
Rites of cremation were performed, and a memorial is being planned for March in Fort Lauderdale, with details to come. March would have been Stafford's 75th birthday.
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