John Maucere, Deaf Cruise Director

John consults with cruise staff about upcoming entertainment on the ship.


John and Mac perform a belly flop at the end of the Belly Flop Contest.
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John Maucere was the perfect cruise director for the Deaf Freedom Cruise. Filled with boundless energy and sporting a Hollywood smile, John entertained the guests each day through various activities. With his background in stand-up comedy, John kept the passengers laughing each day.

"My experience as the Cruise Director was awesome!" said John. "It was almost 24/7 on the job for me, having to host games and perform evening shows. I had a fabulous time seeing thousands of smiling faces."

John was chosen as the Cruise Director after Mac and Tab Partlow, owners of Passages Deaf Travel saw him perform as a stand-up comedian at the DeafNation Expo in North Carolina. "I was honored to be part of history in the making," John continued. "The Deaf Freedom Cruise will be an unforgettable time in my life. I had a wonderful experience and I was blessed to be a part of that special week."

John grew up in Hollywood, California and attended the California School for the Deaf in Riverside at the age of four. John is part of a third generation deaf family. "My family was heavily involved in Deaf community events, which exposed me to the deaf way of life, its culture, history and language," explained John. He grew up watching his mother perform at deaf clubs and while at Gallaudet University, John was bitten by the acting bug. He performed in the National Theatre of the Deaf and later formed his own company, Deafywood, which specializes in stand-up comedy and shows about deaf life. John is known as the "Deaf Jay Leno" and does impromptu interviews with deaf and hard of hearing individuals at events, just as Leno does on the street in his show.

John and his wife Lauren are the parents of two children. When he isn't off performing, John works as a Deaf Interpreter in the Los Angeles court system.