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Crew Life on Cruise Ships: Ship Life & Crew Areas | Ultimate Guide

All You Need to Know about Crew Life onboard a Cruise Ship: Ship Life & Crew Areas

Before I joined a cruise ship for the first time as a Shore excursions staff , I couldn’t imagine how the life onboard cruise ships actually looked like. All I knew was that I was going to spend seven months at sea, with people I didn’t know and doing a job that I didn’t know much about.

The first few days on a cruise ship were confusing, both fun and challenging… On the first day, I didn’t manage to find my cabin for 45 minutes. I was literally wandering around corridors trying to figure out the ship’s layout. The first days were stuffed with trainings, familiarization with the crew areas, rules, regulations, ship in general, and learning about the job itself, of course.

Whether you are joining a ship as a new hire , or you are just curious to see how the crew life onboard a cruise ship looks like, in this article, I share with you useful insider information and an insight into the crew areas and how we spend our days at sea.

Cruise Ship Crew Life – What to Expect

One of the things you will often hear people saying is that once you experience life at sea, the life on land will never be the same – and I couldn’t agree more.

Living and working on a cruise ship is one of the most rewarding experiences you can get for a lifetime. It involves not only getting paid for what you do but also traveling and seeing the world, interacting with people from different social backgrounds, meeting new cultures and traditions. Working on cruise ships is more of a lifestyle than a simple job where you get to earn money for what you do.

Depending on the ship’s size, you will be sharing your living space with hundreds and thousands of people from all around the world. You will be eating, sleeping, working, hanging out, partying, and spending time together. You will make new friends, relationships, experience break-ups, tough times with your coworkers, go through ups and downs.

Be prepared for hard work! Your free time will mainly depend on your job position, as well as your “privileges” and rights. However, whatever your job position is, we all get the same chance to enjoy the ship life and the opportunities offered.

Suggested articles:

10 Things to Know Before You Apply for a Cruise Ship Job

11 Things You Would Never Expect to Be Part of Your Cruise Ship Job

In the sections below, I want to share with you some basic things you need to know about the organization of crew life on a cruise ship and walk you through the crew areas where the crew spends most of their free time.

Disclaimer: Keep in mind that many things have changed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and that rules, regulations, and ship life organization mainly depend on current cruise line policies and health protocols. 

Given the fact that crew members’ contracts vary from 2 to 9 months, crew life is organized in a way to facilitate the crew members’ life onboard. Accommodation, food, and the use of crew areas are free for all crew members during the whole duration of their contract, which allows us to save money and not spend it on basic life needs.

The majority of crew areas are located on decks zero, 1, 2, or 3, however, this varies by ship size and layout. Read below about the main crew areas onboard cruise ships.

1. Crew Cabins

Most people and new hires are curious to know how our crew cabins look like. First of all, there are two types of crew cabins – single-shared and double-shared cabins , meaning that most of us need to share a cabin with a roommate, usually from the same or similar department.

They are normally located on decks zero, 1, and 2, whereas Bridge officers have their cabins on higher decks closer to the bridge.

Crew cabins are tiny and usually consist of a bunk bed, a closet (with drawers and shelves), a mini-fridge, a TV, a small desk, a chair or two, and a bathroom. Each cabin has its own bathroom, which is good because you share it with only one person.

Depending on your job position and title, you may be assigned a single cabin, meaning that you will have your own privacy and most probably housekeeping service.

If you want to read an in-depth review of crew cabins, I suggest you read my article Inside Cruise Ship Crew Cabins Full Review (2021)

2. Main Crew Corridor

Known as I-95 onboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships (named after the famous highway in the USA), every cruise ship has the main crew corridor that runs from the aft (the back of the ship) to the forward of the ship on deck 1.

The majority of the crew cabins are located around this main corridor, which can get extremely busy during the embarkation/debarkation times.

On the surrounding walls, you will find numerous boards filled with important ship rules, regulations, announcements, trainings, activities, and all relevant information for the crew.

While walking down the i-95 corridor, make sure you wear appropriate footwear as it can be very slippery and busy with trolleys and working crew.

Suggested article: Life Onboard a Cruise Ship: 18 Crew Cabins Must-Haves

3. Crew Mess

Crew members onboard cruise ships have their own places to eat, known as “crew mess” and “staff mess”. These are practically buffet-style canteens offering various food choices, from Asian to international cuisine. Depending on the ship size and the number of crew members, there might be a couple of these, two or more, onboard each ship.

Accommodation and food are free for all crew members. Besides the three main meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), there are snacks in between and you can always go for filtered coffee, tea, or water in a crew mess. If you want to drink a cappuccino or more quality coffee options, you can order it in a crew bar for an extra fee.

Water on cruise ships is usually potable, however, it is strongly recommended to use bottled water that you can buy in a crew shop for a reasonable fee. You can always buy a case of water and store them in your cabin.

Now, the canteens for crew members are known as crew mess and staff mess .

“Crew mess” is normally dedicated to crew members without stripes, and the food served here is usually Asian cuisine, as the majority of crew members come from the Philipines, India, and other Asian countries.

“Staff mess” usually offers international cuisine and is dedicated to staff and officers.

However, there is usually no difference and everyone is allowed to eat whenever they want.

Based on your rank or title, you may be allowed to eat in guest areas and restaurants in the evening, and this applies only to staff members and higher positions. You may also be allowed to have dinner at specialty restaurants for an extra fee with discounts applied.

Bridge officers and higher management positions are welcome to eat in guest restaurants whenever they want.

4. Crew Bar

Crew bar is one of the most lively areas on a cruise ship. Based on the size of the ship, there might be one or more crew bars on each ship.

It normally consists of an inside area and so-called “back deck”, an open deck where smoking is allowed and where parties and crew events take place. You need to pay for the drinks in a crew bar (starting at $2 per drink), except when the HR department throws theme or “all crew parties” where they offer free soft drinks and beers for all crew members.

There are various events organized on a weekly level, including bingo, raffle, music and food events (wine and cheese, fish and chips nights, etc.), movie nights, and more. These are announced on an information board that you will find in crew areas hanging on the wall.

However, keep in mind that due to the new regulations following the Covid-19 pandemic these might be limited, and vary by companies’ and ships’ management.

5. Crew Laundry Area

Crew members have their own dedicated laundry area that consists of a multitude of washing and dryer machines that are operational 24/7.

The laundry service is free and every crew member is responsible for washing their own clothes and uniforms (although there is an option to have your uniforms washed by the laundry department, however, this takes a few days and I always used to wash uniforms on my own).

You need to use your own washing products that you can purchase in a crew shop known as “slop chest”. Inside the laundry area, you will find ironing boards where you can iron your stuff as ironing inside the crew cabins is not allowed.

As for your cabin sheets, pillowcases and towels, you don’t need to wash these – You can simply discharge the dirty items in the main laundry room and ask the laundry crew to get you the clean ones. Here, you can also grab toilet paper and cleaning products for your bathroom.

Useful tip: I mentioned that the laundry is operational 24/7, however, it usually gets busy during specific peak hours when the majority of crew members have their break. If you are planning to wash your stuff, make sure you avoid these hours.

6. Slop Chest

Every cruise ship has its own slop chest, which is basically a store where the crew can buy snacks, water, soft drinks, hygiene products, cleaning items, and more.

Prices here may be higher than if you buy the products outside in port, so I suggest you buy all you need in a supermarket/shops outside the ship if you find any because that will most probably save you some money.

7. Crew Gym

Every cruise ship has a dedicated gym for its crew members. The size of a gym varies by the ship size and the number of crew members, and these are free, fully equipped, and open 24/7.

Some job positions (staff members, stripe officers) are allowed to use the guest gym at specific time slots (mostly in the evening) however this is now vastly limited and is nowadays based on the Covid-19 regulations.

8. Internet Cafe

Cruise ships feature an internet cafe where crew members can surf and chat with their friends and family back home. This room is equipped with a multitude of computers that crew members can also use to do their job duties, more specifically the company-assigned tasks and trainings, and other online and IT-related jobs.

Some programs and websites can be accessed for free (if it’s for business purposes), however, you need to pay for the internet you use.

Wi-fi internet can be quite expensive and there are several packages you can opt for (daily, weekly, monthly packages). During the Covid-19 pandemic, many companies have provided their crew with an hour or more of free internet.

9. Playroom/Crew Lounge

Besides the crew bar and a coffee shop, there is normally a dedicated area for the crew who wants to play pool table games, table tennis, table football, darts, and other social games.

There is also a library filled with books that the crew members can borrow for free.

10. Incinerator Room

You have probably been wondering where the crew members throw their garbage. Saving and taking care of the environment is a high priority for cruise lines, and there are numerous programs applied to maintain and save the ocean and the environment in general.

Recycling is widely promoted among the crew members and there is a multitude of trainings that enforce us to take the whole save-the-environment concept very seriously.

All crew members collect the garbage inside their crew cabins (bins are available) and once it’s full, the trash needs to be taken to the incinerator room where the items are sorted into differently designated bins. There are bins for glass, paper, plastic, electronics, cans, and there are a couple of incinerators where the rest of the trash is burnt under the supervision of trained staff working in that division.

The incinerator room is normally smelly and can be very slippery, so it’s very important to wear comfortable shoes while walking around (avoid flip-flops, slippers, etc.).

The incinerator crew is always there to assist you to separate the trash in case you need it.

11. Medical Facility

Guests’ and crew members’ health is a top priority for cruise lines and there is a dedicated medical facility onboard each cruise ship for both guests and crew. This medical facility is usually located on deck 1 and is shared, however, there are separate entrances for guests and crew.

All crew members are provided with health insurance and medical care free of charge during the whole duration of their contract. Depending on a cruise ship size, there are a couple of doctors and nurses in charge of the Medical department that you can always address to.

Besides performing their job duties, crew members spend most of their free time outside in ports when available, or inside the crew areas that I mentioned above.

The crew life is organized in a way to make life easier and fun for all crew members, and the department in charge of this is the crew HR department.

Crew HR Department

Every cruise ship has a dedicated HR department that takes care of crew members’ needs, paperwork, payments, crew activities, and everything related to the crew members in general.

This is the first place where you’ll go once you join the cruise ship, regardless of whether you are a new hire or a returning crew member.

The HR department will assign you a cabin based on your job position and vacancies available; they will issue you a cabin key, an ID card that you’ll use for payments onboard the ship, exiting/entering the ship, etc., an emergency card…

If you have some special requests, or you want to complain about something, you can head to the HR team who will help you resolve your issues.

The HR department is also responsible for organizing all crew-related activities, including parties, bingo, raffle, movie nights, and more. These can widely depend on the HR team and HR manager themselves, so the organization of the crew life is not the same on all the ships.

There are usually a couple of crew ATMs onboard each ship and they are located within crew areas. They allow you to withdraw your money in dollars and there is a small fee to pay for each withdrawal transaction (around $2 per transaction). In case that these don’t work, you can go to the HR department who will assist you.

Crew Drills

Safety and security are the top priorities for all crew members working onboard a cruise ship. There are drills organized every cruise, and each crew member is assigned an emergency function and muster station during the whole duration of their contract.

All crew members must be familiarized with the ship’s layout, fire zones, main crew/guest areas, emergency stations, and all relevant to the ship’s safety and how to manage emergency situations.

There are many trainings that all crew members need to go through, both online and onboard, and these are constantly updated.

Whether you are joining a ship as a new hire or a returning crew member, there will be a lot of trainings that you need to do, both online before joining a ship and onboard.

The trainings are organized on various topics, including environmental topics, zero tolerance, safety and security topics, crowd management, and many others.

You will be advised which trainings to do by your direct supervisor or a dedicated app.

In this article, I did my best to give you a simple overview of our crew life and areas where we spend our time when working on a cruise ship.

However, bear in mind that many rules and regulations have changed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and these widely depend on the cruise companies’ health protocols and policies.

If you want to read more about crew life, I suggest you take a look at my articles:

Working on Cruise Ships: How to Apply for a Cruise Ship Job?

Inside Crew Cabins on Cruise Ships – Full Review 2021

Food and Beverage Department – Working as a Cruise Ship Waiter?

10 Things to Know before Applying for Cruise Ship Job

Security Jobs onboard Cruise Ships – What You Need to Know

New Hire? This is How Your First Day on a Cruise Ship Looks Like

Life Onboard a Cruise Ship: 18 Crew Cabins Must-Haves

Life of a Cruise Ship Photographer – Crew Member’s Story

Working as a Guest Services Representative on a Cruise Ship

This article may contain Amazon affiliate / compensated links. For full information, please see my disclaimer here.

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Crew Members Talk Ship Amenities Available To Them

• June 26, 2021

On most cruise ships, there is no shortage of facilities for guests. Waterparks, gyms, numerous bars and theaters are there to satisfy any possible needs of the passenger.

But the options for crew members to unwind and relax are usually much scarcer.

Cruise Industry News spoke with employees from a number of major and niche brands to see what crew members do after they change into casual clothes.

They agreed to share their impressions on the grounds of anonymity.

A Bar and a Gym

Employees of most of the cruise lines Cruise Industry News spoke with said that they had at least a crew bar and a gym.

A crew member with a key luxury brand said his ship had a “very-very small crew bar and no library.”

“The gym is actually very nice,” he added. “We have a jacuzzi on deck 11, but they never put water inside, so I don’t know the point of having one!”

He also said that his ship had a broken ping pong table and a foosball table in need of repair.

“We don’t have a basketball court like others, game room or anything fun for us,” he said.

Who’s Got It Better  

A crew member with Disney Cruise Line said that his ship had a gym, indoor bar, outdoor bar, pools, play courts and a library. All of these can be used by crew members but with some restrictions.

“Mostly I go to the bar for a drink after finishing work, and I do go to the gym three times per week. There is actually everything that a crew member needs (on the ship),” he said.

A crew member who’s worked for all major cruise lines said that the best cruise lines for crew facilities, in his opinion, were Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International.

“They have numerous crew bars, game rooms, big nightclubs, big smoking areas, crew stores (which most ships are doing right now). Royal Caribbean’s Oasis, Allure, Harmony and other ships have different options of crew bar activities, as well as numerous table tennis tables, pool tables, dartboards, PS rooms and massage chairs,” he said.

In general, he added, “the higher the ladder you are onboard, the more facilities you have to enjoy.”

Another crew member who’s worked for Crystal Cruises, as well as other cruise lines in the past, said that Crystal had the best facilities for crew members.

“They really care about the crew: a lot of activities, parties, they do a lot … We could sometimes use the guest pool, and we also had a mini pool always available for us,” he said.

What Crew Members Want

A crew member working for a “major European cruise line” said that his ship had no crew facilities at all. When asked about what he would like to have on his ship, he said:

“I would like to have a proper non-smoking crew lounge with guest-level furniture and live music with direct access to a crew swimming pool.”

A crew member who’s worked for all the major cruise lines said that steam rooms in crew gyms could be added to cruise ships as “most crew members don’t have guest privileges.”

“But for everything you implement onboard for the crew, you need more crew to maintain,” he said. “In all honesty, you don’t get much time for use of any facilities … If you are working like most crew, which is minimum 12-hour days, the best facility tends to be your cabin.”

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Working Onboard a Cruise Ship

We help create lasting memories.

There's nothing like bringing people together to share unique experiences and see the world, making them feel special and becoming part of the stories they tell for years to come. That's what we do and what you'll do if you join us.

As part of the Princess® family, you’ll develop your skills, work with committed crew members and travel to some of the most breathtaking places around the globe. And while an adventure at sea is its own reward, we offer a variety of programs to recognize employees who go above and beyond. Princess offers a winning combination of pay, benefits and lifelong friendships, so come aboard the Love Boat. We’re expecting you!

Why work onboard a Princess Cruises ship?

Don’t take our word for why it’s great to be at Princess — let our team members tell you! In the "I Love My Princess Job" video series, our colleagues on shore and at sea share what they love about their work.

Cruise Career Opportunities

Onboard departments.

We offer exciting cruise career opportunities in a variety of onboard departments. Working for Princess Cruises is ideal if you are looking to take your career to the next level and enjoy working in a challenging and unique environment. We employ team members of over 70 nationalities, creating a diverse and welcoming environment.

International recruitment partners

Princess Cruises cooperates with a world-wide network of recruiting agencies to select only the most qualified crew. Resumes may be forwarded to the agency that is nearest the applicant’s residence. Once received, candidates will be processed based on current available positions.

Fraudulent Employment Opportunities We have recently been made aware of fraudulent entities around the world claiming to represent Princess Cruises as recruitment partners. We are working closely with our Security department and local police authorities in various countries to prevent individuals from wrongly representing themselves as Princess' recruitment partners. We strongly suggest that you only discuss employment opportunities with the agencies/partners listed below. If you have any suspicion about the nature of ads or websites claiming to recruit on behalf of Princess Cruises, please contact the approved Princess agency located nearest your place of residence (choose from the list below).

Living & Working at Sea

Life onboard.

Not sure what to expect while working onboard a cruise ship? A career at sea affords you many unparalleled opportunities such as travelling to world-famous locations, building meaningful friendships with diverse colleagues, and gaining valuable professional skills in a world-class environment.

Unlike careers on land, however, working onboard a cruise ship has some unique conditions. Princess Cruises takes great pride in our efforts to make the adjustment to sea life as easy as possible so you can focus on making our guests feel special.

Total rewards

Here at Princess Cruises, we understand how challenging it can be for our crew to work away from home for such substantial periods of time. Therefore, as a company we strive to help give you all the necessary resources and comforts to enable you to take care of our guests – and yourself.

While working onboard a Princess cruise ship, you can enjoy these living essentials provided by the company:

• Furnished living accommodations
• Crew cafeterias (also known as Crew Mess) with a variety of menu items from around the world
• Laundry facilities and services
• Crew Store with discounted convenience items such as toiletries and snacks
• CrewCard pay system to help manage your finances at home while you are at sea

Cruise Employment Application Process & FAQs

As a well-known premium brand in the cruise industry, we receive a high volume of cruise employment inquiries each day. To help you understand what to expect if you are being considered for a position, we’ve outlined the application process below.

Princess Cruises works with a global network of authorized recruiters to attract and select the most qualified candidates to join us at sea. If you are being considered for a position, there could be several steps after your initial application before you are notified with a decision. Depending on the job you are applying for, these could include follow-up interviews with our corporate hiring managers.

If you are successful in your application, there are also several steps you will need to take to become travel-ready to work onboard. You will partner with a manning office that will help you obtain the required seafarer medical certificates, travel visas, and other required documentation to work at sea.

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Confessions of Cruise Ship Insiders: Secret Parties, Crew Bars, and More

Many of us go on cruises to let our hair down. To party with a cocktail or several. Some of us, flush with memories of the whirlwind romances on the TV show The Love Boat , maybe even seek a real-life shipboard love affair.

But what you might not know is that oftentimes, the real partying and at-sea romances are going down on the lower decks, where the ship’s crew lives and plays.

“It’s just an orgy down below the water line,” says Brian David “B.D.” Bruns , a former cruise ship waiter and author of Cruise Confidential , a series of books based on his life at sea. “The best thing about working on cruise ships — they’re like wild parties. I live in Vegas and I would have to go to a private party to find this kind of behavior.”

Related: Kitchen Confidential: Confessions of a Cruise Ship Waiter

Cruise ship vet B.D. Bruns says his days at sea were a constant party. (Photo: Facebook )

Not to paint all cruise ship crew members as a bunch of randy, drunken party animals. They are, by and large, a dedicated and hard-working bunch who take their work seriously. After all, in addition to being bartenders, servers, housecleaners, cruise directors, salespeople, and the like, they’re also experienced sailors trained in lifesaving techniques and are ready to assist you in an emergency.

That said, it’s a stressful job with long hours (100-hour weeks are not unheard-of) and demanding passengers. So many cruise ship crew members — especially the younger, unmarried service staff — blow off steam the way 20-somethings away from home for the first time typically do: by partying and hooking up with each other like it’s the end of the world.

Related: A First-Timer’s Guide to Cruising

“Think about when you went to college for the first time,” says Bruns. “That sense of freedom, like, ‘Oh my God, Mom and Dad aren’t here looking over my shoulder.’ So you go to town! Well, now amplify that by 10. Because these [crew members] — who are often from Second or Third World countries — lived in a house with their moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, uncles and aunts because they’re from a small village in Indonesia. Suddenly they’re on their own and they’ve never experienced freedom like that.”

“I generally describe living onboard as like being in a college dorm but no one has any homework,” says Lisa Niver , another cruise ship vet and founder of the travel site We Said Go Travel .

Lisa Niver looks back fondly at her cruise ship days. (Photo: Lisa Niver)

Bruns and Niver — both happily retired from the crew life on the high seas — shared with Yahoo Travel the side of cruise ships you probably will never see, one the cruise lines generally don’t publicize. The partying. The hookup scene. Your chances of getting with a crew member if you’re a passenger (spoiler alert: not good). And how cruise ship crew members work hard but play harder.

Party at sea

We all know the average cruise ship has numerous bars. What you may not know is that there are additional bars that you’ll never see, bars exclusively for the crew.

“A lot of people that work on the ship don’t have the privilege to go out and about on the upper deck [with the passengers],” says Niver. “So after they finish their shift, which could be anywhere from 10 to 14 hours depending on what their service is, there is really only one place they could go, which is the crew bar. The drinks were very reasonably priced, and it was always a great place to hang out and not have to be in uniform.”

The bartender at the crew bar aboard Holland America’s Eurodam. (Photo: Holland America )

So you mix cheap booze with young, stressed-out workers stuck in a confined ship with tight quarters, and you know what’s going to ensue. “Are there a lot of relationships?” Niver remembers. “The drinks are a dollar and no one has any homework, so yes — draw your own conclusions!”

“Every week you’ve got new people from all over the world popping up onto the ship,” says Bruns. “It’s like an international smorgasbord of beautiful young people far from home.”

The multinational flavor of cruise ship crews means that many crew members like to do their own version of cultural exchanges. Bruns says the only reason he stayed in one particularly miserable cruise ship job was because he was chasing after a certain Romanian waitress (he eventually caught her).

“It was one of the unspoken rules that you don’t date somebody who is from your country or your color,” he remembers. “I thought that was awesome. It was really cool for me to see that. Especially nowadays in America, everyone is like, ‘I hate you, you’re not just like me.’ On ships you’re not supposed to talk about politics or religion, but that’s all we did. It’s because everybody is like, ‘Wow, I want to learn.’ And of course, the ultimate way to learn about a culture is to sleep with somebody who is from that culture.” (Are you listening, United Nations?)

Cruise ship crew members engage in international relations. (Photo: iStock)

While much of the partying and hooking up aboard cruise ships involves young crew members, Bruns says older officers were known to get into the act too. “The officers have their own officers’ bars and they don’t mingle with the crew,” he says. But some did. “The Italian officers loved the ladies,” Bruns says of his time on one ship. “They would go to the crew bar intentionally to pick up chicks. They would always have their ship [girlfriends]. And believe me, there are a lot of women who just wanted to have a better cabin for the six months [of their contracts] — even if they aren’t so stupid to think that the officers are going to remember them, because it’s like, ‘Honey, he’s married.’”

Looking back, Bruns does not blame those who gleefully participate in the cruise ship’s hookup culture. “They’re going to be gone in a month anyway; why not have a good time?” he says. “Believe me, you are a zombie, you’re overworked, you’re exhausted. At least you want to try to have a good time or take some memories with you.”

Who are the biggest partiers at sea?

The shipboard entertainers (dancers, singers, musicians, comedians) often aren’t official crew members. But Bruns points to them, especially the musicians, as the hardest partiers of all those working aboard the ships he’s been on.

“I hung out with a lot of the singers on one ship in particular,” he remembers. “We had a great time, but man, these poor people. And they’re just drunk all the time.”

Cruise ship news flash No. 1: Musicians know how to party. Cruise ship news flash No. 2: Water is wet. (Photo: iStock)

Of course, the story of musicians drinking and hooking up at sea is as old as music and water. But Bruns says it’s especially noticeable on cruise ships.

Related: ‘We Bring the Fun’ and Other Confessions of a Cruise Ship Entertainer

“These guys make no money — they’re like the proverbial starving musician types,” he says. “They’re the only ones that have free time. They work like two to three hours a night doing a show. Because everybody else [in the crew] is working all the time — and they’re like, ‘Well, we don’t have enough money to go into port’ — these guys are bored out of their minds. So these guys drink like fish and they sleep with each other all the time in their own little entertainers’ circle.”

Passenger and crew flings? Forget about it.

Maybe you’re reading this and thinking you might be able to indulge in a little shipboard romance with a crew member on your next trip (hey, those uniforms can be pretty sexy). Sorry to let the wind out of your sails, but forget it. Niver and Bruns — in addition to just about every single cruise crew member, past and present, we’ve talked to — say the same thing: Crew members just don’t hook up with passengers. Mainly because it is so against the rules.

Niver compares the no-fly zone cruise lines place around passengers to her previous job at a Club Med resort, which was a tad more, shall we say, permissive about such matters.

“At a staff meeting, the chief of the lodge looked at the team and said, ‘There’s a lot of single women coming next week and I want them to be happy,’” Niver says. “That is not a conversation we’d have on a cruise ship!”

Says Bruns: “Every single time somebody tells me a story [about passenger-crew romances], I call bulls*** on it.”

Looking to make out with a member of the ship’s crew? Don’t make any bets. (Photo: iStock)

Not that crew members aren’t ever tempted to hook up with passengers. You could meet a cruiser who’s extremely attractive, for instance. Or, as Bruns points out, the appeal of hooking up — and potentially starting a relationship — with an American passenger has benefits beyond the physical, especially for some of the foreign crew members.

“You need to understand, some of these crew members would love to have a green card,” he says. As one of the few Americans on the cruise ships he worked, he remembers some fellow crew members even going after him for the same reason. “Me being the American, I got people knocking on my door offering everything you can imagine because they wanted a green card,” he says. “You’ve got a supermodel chick from a small town in the Czech Republic, a village of 50. She wants out of there and she is smoking-hot. She’ll do whatever it takes. Likewise, these crew members would love a green card, so they’re thinking, ‘Hey, if I can get with an American passenger…’” But despite the many reasons to hook up with passengers, crew members generally agree it’s not worth violating the strict rules cruise lines have that discourage that kind of fraternizing.

WATCH: ‘Saturday Night Live’ Cruise Ship Sketch

“It is forbidden,” says Niver. “Passengers are not allowed in crew areas.” Also, crew members — unless they have a specific, cruise-related reason to be there — generally are banned from passenger cabins.

“If they get caught even talking to a passenger inappropriately, in an inappropriate location, they get fired, no questions asked,” says Bruns. (He adds getting fired from a cruise ship is no picnic: “An officer just points to you and says, ‘You, get off at the next port with your luggage.’ Some cruise lines fly you home from there, some don’t. In fact I was abandoned in Copenhagen once.”)

Think you have what it takes to get these guys to risk their jobs? (Photo: iStock)

In short, crew members generally aren’t going to risk their jobs for a quick romance. “These crew members fight tooth and nail to get these jobs,” says Bruns, noting the small salaries crew members tend to make are often small fortunes back in their home countries. “They will not risk that job, and all that money, just for the very slim chance that ‘I’m going to meet this person for seven days, and I’ll convince her or him to marry me.’ They’re not that stupid.”

“Certainly it’s not never, but it’s at great risk,” says Niver about crew-passenger liaisons. “You have to be like, you don’t care about your job or you’re going to get fired anyways. I can’t say never; I would certainly say it’s rare.”

Related: Ships Have Padded Cells for Problem Passengers and Other Confessions of a Cruise Security Officer

Love: exciting and new

Cruising is hard work, and long days at sea could wear on anybody. So it’s comforting to see that cruise ship crew members know how to have a deserved good time to help them deal with the real pressures of the job.

“One of the best things about working onboard is there are people from all over the world that get to meet all different people,” says Niver. Such people are ideal to party with. If an at-sea fling with a fellow cruise member results, so much the better!

“You’re dating someone from this other country, and you have them for two or three months before they leave their contract and you have to find somebody new,” Bruns says. “On a ship you live so much so fast because you know people are going. You make the connections real hard, real tight, real fast. I still have friends from all over the world. That’s awesome. That’s what ships give you.”

WATCH: The Cruise Ship Robot Bartender Hit On My Wife

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Life Onboard

Every day of your life as a team member aboard a Carnival cruise ship will offer new adventures as you enter a world of self-discovery, excitement, and fun.

Accommodations

• Accommodations Accommodations Recreation Gym Lounge Dining Mail Laundry

Most cabins are double occupancy with bunk beds. However, some positions receive single-occupancy cabins. Clean bed linens and towels are provided. The cabins are air-conditioned and equipped with TV, desk, chairs, electrical sockets, closet space, and drawers.

Carnival provides its team members with opportunities for recreation and fun. Our onboard activities include everything from crew parties, movies, spa or karaoke nights, in-port excursions, crew bingo, and talent shows to sporting events such as ping pong, yoga, dodge ball, basketball, mini-golf, and foosball. Crew activities encourage social bonding and team spirit as well as an opportunity to relax and unwind with fellow employees. In addition to organized activities, team members have access to dedicated crew facilities such as Learning Resource Center, crew gym, a crew-only outdoor space, and more.

Regular exercise is a terrific way to keep fit and reduce stress. It’s vital that we do all we can to remain healthy so we can fulfill our duties with enthusiasm. Each ship has a 24-hour gym available to all crew members free of charge. Carnival Entertainment team members may use the guest gym facilities, including the sauna. We also have a number of crew wellness programs to promote healthy living, including exercise and yoga classes for team members.

After the day is done, you can relax, enjoy a beverage, and socialize with fellow team members in our crew lounge. In the crew lounge, team members may buy soft drinks, snacks, cigarettes, and alcoholic beverages at discounted prices. The crew lounge is a popular venue for watching sporting events; playing games such as pool, foosball, and ping pong; or simply relaxing with fellow team members. The crew lounge is also a venue for karaoke, game nights, and other crew events. For the safety of our guests and crew, team members must adhere to Carnival’s policy regarding responsible alcohol consumption on board at all times.

Crew dining areas are assigned on each ship and serve an international variety of cuisine. To accommodate our team members’ varied shifts, meal times on board are scheduled four times a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a midnight buffet. With so many palates to please, the Staff Chef rotates the menus constantly and takes into account the variety of nationalities on board. Our meal selections include several courses and dessert. Along with multiple hot meal options, there is a sandwich station, salad bar, and healthy snack options like fruit and yogurt. All crew-area meals are served buffet style and provided to shipboard team members free of charge. Entertainment team members have the privilege of using the guest dining rooms and specialty restaurants during specified hours.

Mail is delivered every time a ship is in its port of embarkation. Most ports have facilities from which you can mail letters and/or parcels. Crew members may receive packages directly from Amazon or other online sites.

All ships have laundry facilities available for washing, drying, and ironing clothes. Crew laundry machines and detergent are free of charge. Uniforms are laundered for you for free. For safety reasons, ironing is prohibited in crew cabins.

Flowing Cents

10 Secrets from Cruise Ship Crews

Posted: May 24, 2024 | Last updated: May 24, 2024

Current and former crewmembers of cruise ships share secrets.

1. Boozy Confessions at Sea

A user confessed that crew members on the cruise ship would frequently engage in nightly drinking sessions, leading to severe hangovers the next morning. Their appearance would mirror the aftermath of a wild night, resembling someone who had just stumbled out of bed after an excessive party.

2. Love and Ships: Fleeting Connections

Living and working on a cruise ship creates a unique microcosm where crew members form relationships that are often fleeting. These connections, commonly known as “a ship thing,” are not expected to endure beyond the individual’s contract on the ship. The intimate and transient nature of life onboard gives rise to a distinctive perspective on romantic involvements.

3. Class Divide on Cruise Ships

Another seaman expressed strong disapproval of the class system prevalent on cruise ships. They highlighted the hierarchical structure comprising three levels: crew, staff, and officers. The user acknowledged their privileged position as an officer, particularly as an American.

In contrast, crew members faced a different experience, with their own designated mess hall and no access to the other dining areas available to staff and officers. They found this segregation based on job roles and rank within the ship’s hierarchy abhorrent.

4. Grueling Conditions for Ship Staff

The demanding and exhausting work conditions endured by room stewards and assistant waiters onboard cruise ships were brought to light by a mariner. These crew members regularly worked long hours, often exceeding 14 to 16 hours a day.

The user, who happened to be an officer, admitted to instructions to manipulate time cards to comply with maritime labor laws. Furthermore, the user disclosed that the room stewards and assistant waiters received meager monthly wages ranging from $200 to $300, barely covering their travel expenses and uniform costs.

5. Dancing Through Pain at Sea

One seafarer revealed the challenging conditions faced by the dancers onboard cruise ships. These performers were expected to showcase their talent every single night, often performing 2-3 shows per night, regardless of any physical discomfort or pain they might be enduring. Additionally, the user mentioned that every show had to be recorded and sent to the corporate headquarters for evaluation. Even in the face of injuries, such as a severe high ankle sprain causing significant swelling, dancers risked termination if they were perceived as not giving their best effort.

6. Dissatisfaction and Living Conditions

Dissatisfaction with the compensation and living conditions onboard cruise ships was expressed by an individual. They remarked that the wages received by crew members were inadequate, making it difficult to find solace in the provided food and accommodations. The user further emphasized their disappointment by stating that the quality of these amenities fell short of their expectations.

7. Affordable Alcohol for Crew Members

Another individual highlighted the affordability of alcoholic beverages for crew members on cruise ships. They noted that ordering a Coors Light at the crew bar cost less than purchasing a water bottle, emphasizing the significant price difference. The user cautioned about alcohol consumption during the initial weeks onboard but admitted to enjoying a few six-packs of Corona with fellow theater colleagues on their first night.

8. Haunting Incident at Sea

A commenter shared a chilling experience from a cruise vacation in January. They recounted being onboard a Princess cruise ship traveling from San Francisco to Hawaii for a 15-day journey when a crew member made the shocking decision to jump off the ship in the vast Pacific Ocean. Despite search efforts, the crew member was never found.

9. Musical Melodies on Cruise Ships

Another member of the crew undertook an exploration of the musical aspects of cruise ship entertainment. They noted that the musical performances varied depending on the ship and the specific show. In most cases, production shows involving singers, dancers, musicians, and catchy hooks were accompanied by pre-recorded tracks with synchronized clicks.

10. Extensive Surveillance on Board

One user shared an interesting observation about the surveillance system onboard cruise ships. They pointed out that cameras were present throughout the ship, monitoring various areas except for the privacy of passengers’ staterooms. The user mentioned that this extensive camera coverage facilitated the review of footage and the verification of instances when a crew member entered a passenger’s room.

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Crew Members Only Cruise Ship Areas

• Post author: Xuxu
• Post category: Resources

Cruise ship workers are one of the hardest working people in the travel industry. Working long days, some up to 12 hours with no day off in contracts that can last up to 10 months can seriously take a toll. The companies know that and they have tools in place to make sure the crew is also healthy, both mentally and physically. Most companies provide some sort of activities for the crew members from time to time, as well as facilities where the crew can relax and destress on your hard-earned free time. 

During your free time, you are free to do whatever you want with it but what is there to do onboard a cruise ship when you have some time off?  

 Below are some of the options offered exclusively for  crew members on cruise ships:

Table of Contents

Most cruise ships will have a dedicated crew gym with all the necessary equipment that you might need for your workout. They also have TVs and sound systems. There are some crew events that are held at the crew gym such as Zumba, yoga classes, salsa lessons, and aerobic classes, among others.

The crew gym it’s normally open 24 hours in some ships, and depending on the location of the gym, there might be some restrictions on the hours you can work out because there might be some crew cabins around the gym, and that may disrupt the sleeping of your fellow crew members.

Can I use the Passenger Gym?

The cruise ship main passenger gym, which is much better located on a higher floor on the cruise ship with excellent views, is also accessible for the crew members. A downside of the crew gym is that there’s no view whatsoever and working out while enjoying a nice view is a great motivator.  

The problem with the guest’s gym is that it is exclusively for guest use, however, if you are working in the position grants you guest access privileges, you might be able to access the guest gym. The guest’s gym is also open 24 hours and you can use it as long as the gym is not crowded with passengers, which is normally on sea days. Management is always reminding you that  that guests always come first.

If you are working on a cruise ship that has a crew pool you are in luck. Not all ships will have a dedicated crew pool. Crew pools are small, very small and the main point being is that the pool is meant for you to get a splash of water and just lay down on a sunbathing chair right in the front of the ship. 

The crew pool is located at the bow of the ship(front) and some cruise ships will have a crew pool and sometimes, a crew bar right next to it,  where you can drink at night under the stars. I have used the crew pool a lot when I had the chance and it’s definitely an asset to have when you are stuck on board, don’t have a lot of time to get to a beach. 

Crew bar is the social and most visited place onboard a cruise ship. It is the place where the crew goes to unwind and destress. Many events are held on the crew bar and almost every night there’s music at the crew bar. Aspiring DJs can sign up with the Crew Activities Specialist onboard to DJ at the crew bar. They have a monthly calendar of events around the ship and most of it happens at the crew bar. 

In my point of view, the Crew bar is the heart and soul of the cruise ship. The crew bar is where people go to socialize after work hours, to release stress, catch up with friends while enjoying a beer, wine or whatever drink you like.  At the crew bar, you can be yourself and dress the way you want (sort of). The crew go to the crew bar to let some steam off, relax and forget about work for a while. 

Also, a cool thing about the crew bar is that you have a chance to meet your friends from different departments, to chat and be yourself, listen to some music, wear your own clothes and just have a good time. Sometimes, people dress to impress and you will definitely notice it since you might be used to see a person only in uniform but when there’s a party at the crew bar, people will put on their best outfit, so make sure to bring one on your luggage.

Tip: Not sure what to pack for your first contract on a cruise ship? Visit this post , to learn more about it.

Drinks Are Cheap at The Crew Bar

Drinks at the crew bar are very inexpensive, and the crew definitely takes advantage of it. You can buy beer for as low as $1, glasses of wine for $0.75. Some cruise ships even have a full-on bar where you can order a nice cocktail, whiskey, margarita, etc. I wasn’t as lucky because, on Norwegian Cruise Line, they only sell wine, beer and sometimes, Smirnoff ice but on Disney, they had a nice full bar. Some crew bars also sell snacks to accompany your drink while chatting with friends

Awesome Parties at the Crew Bar!

The crew bar is a cozy place with many of it having comfy chairs and sofa, some have a jukebox and live DJ where the crew members can sign up to DJ. There’s always something going on at the crew bar. A calendar of events is posted on the main crew areas showcasing all the activities during that month, including special theme nights at the crew bar. If you like to Dj, then this might be a fun hobby when you are off at night, providing entertainment to your fellow crew members.  

The Crew Mess

Ah, the crew mess. Crew members have a love-hate relationship with the mess, mostly on the hate side. The crew’s main restaurant, the mess is a place where you will eat most of your meals, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. The mess is often divided into food categories, one catering towards Asian foods (most of the crew members are from Asia), a non-Asian food section including foods like pasta, rice, vegetables, pizza, burgers. There’s also a salad bar with a variety of options like lettuce, onions, olives, shaved carrot, tomatoes, etc.

Some crew messes also have a dessert section that, on some occasions, includes fruits but mainly pastries, cakes, and sweets.  

How are The Meals Served?

The meals are served buffet-style in the crew mess—that’s how they call the crew cafeteria. 

There are specific times for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some ships also offer a late-night meal. Outside of these times, there will be no food available. You cannot just come later to grab a snack to bring to your cabin or bring the food to your cabin.  If you miss a meal, for example, breakfast, you better have some snacks in your cabin to keep you going on your shift, until the next mealtime. 

Asian Style Food

Western Style Food

Officer Mess

For high ranked officials. Typically with waiter service and a menu to choose from.

Your position onboard will dictate what kinds of access you have throughout the ship. If allowed, on your time off you are free to eat at the guest’s restaurants, space permitting. Cruise ships have one, two or more main dining rooms (free), a buffet-style restaurant and some specialty restaurants (paid). 

Special Events Means Special Menu

There are some special events only for crew members and the most popular ones are the ones that involve food and drinks. During some holidays and special dates like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Philippines’ independence, the company provides special meals to the crew. When I was on the Norwegian Spirit, we had a Mexican night with Mexican food like tacos, burritos, queso, and chips, for Mexican independence.

Also, Philippines independency day is a big deal since the majority of the crew is from the philippines. There’s usually ton of food and party at the crew bar, usually featuring  a Philippine band.

There was also a chocoholic buffet where everything was made of chocolate, including a chocolate cruise ship model.

For the most part, the food will be tolerable. After a few months onboard, it will feel like you are seeing the same food over and over, making it very hard to get excited for a meal at the mess, unless it’s a special event like mentioned above. You will be craving home-cooked food and the simplest of the foods you can imagine from back home.

Try the Local Food Whenever possible

A huge plus is that you will also have the chance to eat the local food at the ports of call. Indulge yourself in the delicious pizzas and gelatos in Italy, Tapas, and paellas while in Spain, the fresh and cheap seafood in the islands of the Caribbean or authentic Mexican food while in Cozumel. Go ahead; enjoy all these perks while working on a cruise ship. Make it count!

Crew Game Room

Some cruise lines will have a dedicated game room that will have some games like PlayStation, Xbox, and Wii. They will also have board games and even books and DVDs that you can check out and take to your cabin. The crew activities team is always updating the book and DVD list, and they will have office hours when you can check out DVDs and books.

Crew Internet Cafe

A Crew internet café is offered onboard the ship so the crew can be connected even while at sea. The Internet is not free thought and it cost significantly more than on land without land speeds. Expect to pay approximately $20 for 220 minutes of use ($0.10 a minute). You can connect via Wi-Fi on your personal device or use one of the computers at the internet café. Simply create an account and choose an internet package. Packages vary from $5 to $20 although the price is the same, around $0.10 a minute.

The crew internet cafe also has some computers set up for you to access the internet if you don’t have a personal computer. They also provide access to the company’s exclusive website, where you can browse the latest news from the company via the intranet, find training, events, benefits like cruise discounts or even learn a second language. On NCLs ships, they provide free Rosetta Stone courses for free in English and some other languages like Spanish.  

Tip: give yourself a budget monthly for internet usage as costs can add considerably. I have friends that have spent over $500 a month on internet alone, a not very smart way to use your hard-earned money.

How Can I Stay Connected While Working on a Cruise Ship?

There are many ways you can save money on internet and not have to rely on the cruise ship’s slow internet access. Thee cruise line also sells phone cards if you need to make a phone call while at sea but on port days, you can use your own phone. One easy way is to have a plan from your country that allows roaming internationally. We currently use T-Mobile Simple Choice Plan(US Only) where we can have a data package valid in 160 countries, together with free texts and $0.20 a minute in international calls. All of this for $50 plus taxes a month or $90 for two lines. This plan has been invaluable for us while on the cruise ship and during our travels.

Get a GSM Unlocked Phone

If you don’t live in the US, you should definitely get an unlocked GMS phone. You can purchase a local SIM card in the ports that your ship calls and they are usually much cheaper than paying roaming charges. One such example is in Italy, where you can get a TIM Sim card with 5 GB of internet for $20 Euros.

There are also plenty of internet cafes and crew centers located in the ports of call that caters towards crew members where you can pay for internet usage, buy SIM cards and make phone calls. 

Crew Member Activities

There are a ton of activities created especially for the crew members. They even have a dedicated position created onboard to help manage events and cool activities for crew members. The position is called Crew Activities Coordinator . (Future Post coming soon)

Activities are varied but here are some ideas of events coordinated by the Crew Activities Coordinator:

• Shore Excursions
• Crew Parties
• Bike Rentals
• Movie Nights
• Theme Dinners
• Sports Tournaments
• Crew-Only Sales

Crew Only Excursions

Crew members also get to participate in crew only excursions to awesome places. The excursions offered often are similar to what’s offered to the guests but at a much cheaper price, since the majority of the cost is being subsidized by the company and the tour operators. 

  When a crew excursion is available, they will post on the crew activities board (monthly calendar) and a signup sheet will be available. Prices are low but spaces are limited. Very popular excursions tend to get full very quickly, so if you see something you like and have the time off, you should definitely go for it. Some managers will work with you on your schedule if you want to participate, sometimes by swapping schedules with a fellow coworker as well.

Tip: If you really want to be an expert in excursions, and by an expert I mean go on as many as you want, then you should definitely consider working as a Shore Excursion Staff.  

Final Words

Working on a cruise ship has its perks. What kind of job would you give a complete package with room, board, food, events, and activities, seeing the world all while getting paid for it? A job on a cruise ship might be just what you are looking for, so if you want some adventure in your life, then go for it, what do you have to lose?

TIP: Not convinced yet? Read 10 Reasons Why You Should Work on a Cruise Ship to learn more.

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Complete Bar Manual Crew Members Working on Cruise Ship

At all times projects a favorable image of the Cruise Company to promote its aims and objectives and foster and enhance public recognition and acceptance of all its areas and endeavor

Public Speaking/ Guest introduction. Before approaching your guest  on cruise ship you should have an idea in your mind of what you want to say, and it should be: Short, Polite and Formal.

You must have confidence, stand up straight, speak slowly, with a clear voice, get the people attention, and try not to interrupt; always excuse yourself when approaching.

Your introduction speech should include the following information:

Your name and nationality

Your position, Duties and responsibilities.

Example: Good morning Sir, I am …….from Brazil, I am you’re Bar waitress and I’m gonna take care of your drinks, have fun!

TIP 1: You may use this introduction at dinning room, in casino and bars be short, formal and polite.  

Standards of hygiene of the Bar

To wash the hands: All must wash their hands, every time they enter in the galley. The hands must be washed with hot water for about 20 seconds, dry the hands with paper. In case that the USPH catches, this penalty (not to wash the hands) is 5 points.

Do not smoke, do not drink and do not eat in the part where the Garnish and drinks are prepared.

Be aware of how to use the three bucket system, this facilitates the general clean.

The use of gloves, when requested, only if it has contact with the garnish that is ready to be served.

U.S.P.H STANDARD PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED STRICTLY on Cruise Ship

 Appearance (clean uniform, shaved, hair cut short and combed, trimmed nails)

Wash your hands before starting your duty. During service, every time you take any dirty items into the pantry dish washing area.

Doilies, ordering pads, tea bags, or any other papers must not be kept in contact with silverware in the drawers. Never leave personal items or keys in the drawers.

The waiter/waitress Station must be kept clean, tidy and organized AT ALL TIMES.

Glass polishing is allowed AT ANY TIME inside pantry.

NO EATING, SMOKING, or DRINKING (except from water fountains in the Galley) is allowed AT ANY TIME in the Galley.

Do NOT TOUCH THE GARNISH with your bare hands. Plastic gloves or tongs are to be used.

Cups, water, jugs, coffee, pots, milk, pots, creamers, etc. Must be kept up side down in the station cupboard on cruise ship.

To clean the station, use the THREE (3) BUCKET SYSTEM.

- one to “WASH” ,soap and hot water.( RED BUCKET )

- one to “RINSE”, hot water ( GREY BUCKET ) 

- one to “SANITIZE”, water and chlorine (WHITE BUCKET )

(Chlorine is 100 parts per million or, (to make easier) use one (1) cupful of chlorine per gallon).

Sales techniques on Cruise Ship

To up your sales, the most important thing is have knowledge of all bar menu. Sell by suggesting, suggest premium brands, bucket of beer.

1- use open-ended questions, as this questions requires an answer

Of more than just yes or no, like:

How many cocktails?

Which of our imported beers would you like to try?

What may I bring you from the bar?

Avoid closed-ended questions, like: Do you want a drink?

1-  Be skillful with words and description:

“Sir, any pre-dinner cocktail? I suggest a chilled Martini.”

“Ma’am, a frozen Strawberry Daiquiri is very thirst on this sun”

“Would you like a bucket of domestic or imported beer?”

(Use words such as cold, chilled, thirst quenching, refreshing, frozen)

2- Suggest appropriately. If a guest is celebrating an occasion

Suggest a bottle of champagne.

Is very important to read your guest, the situation, like dinner time, what kind of drink is recommended to take before? Example: Bloody Mary, as when the guest is about to have dinner, they prefer to have cold drinks. And after dinner? Digestive drinks such as liquors, are more appropriate.

3- Do not assume. If the guests do not want a drink at the moment, you can always check back later. Americans are used to wait for the waiter come to them and take the order, is not common for them to call the waiter, and don’t wait until their call!

4- Be attentive. Make you guest feel special; give them your full attention, and always smile.

5- Remove empty glasses and cans. This is a good opportunity for suggesting a refill or repeat order

Taking orders:

Greet the guest

Place the napkin

Present the menu

Assist the guest using the sales techniques

Take the order and be sure of that, if you have any doubt repeat all the order before proceed to the bar counter

Ask for the charge card

Serve the drink to guest from right side, ladies first, if there is a child he must be first.

Present the check for signature and verify the signature

Thank the guest

TIP 2: you must always keep the tables clean; taking away the dirty glasses, clean up spills, and change the ashtray if dirty.

Even if there are no one at your station you must always keep your tables clean, with an open menu, guest will always look for a clean and comfortable place to take a seat.

TIP 3:  To change the ashtray, take a clean one and put on top of the dirty one, leave the dirty one on your tray and replace with the clean one.

If you change the ashtray without anything on top, the ash can go to the drink and even to the passenger.

You should take the order in a logical way, as when you come back to the table and deliver you may not ask “who ordered coke?”

You may number each of your guests; number 1 will be always the one on the doorway, and 2, 3, 4 in clockwise direction, ladies first then serve the gentlemen.

As you have to serve the ladies first the graphic above shows what the sequence of serving is.

TIP 3: To avoid spill drinks, or drop off the tray, you may place the glasses on your tray, in a manner that the last drink to be served will be on the middle, using the example above ultimate mai tai will be on the middle, and on the border will be the first ones to be delivered, like that you will also avoid to touch the top of the glass when remove from the tray.

Remembering the guest names

Impression: observe facial characteristics; study the size of the person; listen to their voice.

Repetition: repeat name immediately, use the name several times in conversation.

Association: Mr. Barr = bartender, Mr. Baldwin = Very little hair, mach them with someone you know.

The importance

Calling your guest by their names they will be more confident to always order with you, is very important to memorize: their names, card number and drinks, you will make their life easy instead of all the time say what they want, name and card number, specially on Casinos, and pool.

At the pool they are usually dressed with bikinis and without any pocket so every order they need to look for their bag, open up and this takes your time and theirs.

At the casino they are very focused on the game and you can not distract them, so can take the order, like: Mr. Baldwin, may I take your Jim Bean on the rocks now? I have your card and I will be right back. Good Luck!

Table service is a form of service in restaurants, pubs, and bars where food or drinks are served to the customer's table. This is compared with counter service where service is provided at the counter.

Table service is the norm in most restaurants, while for some fast food restaurants counter service is the common form. For pubs and bars, table service is the norm in the United States whereas counter service is the norm in the United Kingdom.

With table service, the customer generally pays just before leaving rather on the delivery of the food or drink.

Learning about what are you going to deal with?

Rum is a distilled beverage made from sugarcane byproducts such as molasses and sugarcane juice by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak and other barrels. The majority of rum production occurs in and around the Caribbean and along the Demerara River, Guyana in South America, though there are rum producers in places such as Australia, India, Reunion Island, Mauritius, and elsewhere around the world.

Grades and types of rums

Example of dark, spiced, and light rums.

The grades and variations used to describe rum depend on the location that rum was produced. Despite these variations the following terms are frequently used to describe various types of rum:

Light Rums, also referred to as light, silver, and white rums. In general, light rum has very little flavor aside from a general sweetness, and serves accordingly as a base for cocktails. Light rums are sometimes filtered after aging to remove any color. 

Gold Rums, also called amber rums, are medium-bodied rums which are generally aged. These gain their dark color from aging in wooden barrels (usually the charred white oak barrels that are the byproduct of Bourbon Whiskey). 

Spiced Rum: These rums obtain their flavor through addition of spices and, sometimes, caramel. Most are darker in color, and based on gold rums. Some are significantly darker, while many cheaper brands are made from inexpensive white rums and darkened with artificial caramel color. 

Dark Rum, also known as black rum, classes as a grade darker than gold rum. It is generally aged longer, in heavily charred barrels. Dark rum has a much stronger flavor than either light or gold rum, and hints of spices can be detected, along with a strong molasses or caramel overtone. It is used to provide substance in rum drinks, as well as color. In addition to uses in mixed drinks, dark rum is the type of rum most commonly used in cooking. 

Flavored Rum: Some manufacturers have begun to sell rums which they have infused with flavors of fruits such as mango, orange, citrus, coconut, and like which is a lime rum found in Sweden. These serve to flavor similarly themed tropical drinks which generally comprise less than 40% alcohol, and are also often drunk neat or on the rocks.

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I left Michelin-starred restaurants to work as a cruise chef. We can feed 10,000 people a day and I'll never leave this job.

• Gary Thomas had never seen a cruise ship before he went to work as a chef on Oasis of the Seas.
• Thomas plans to work for Royal Caribbean until he retires and hates to think of leaving cruising.
• He oversees the meals across all 26 ships and shares why they'll never take prime rib off the menu.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Gary Thomas, the senior traveling corporate executive chef for Royal Caribbean. This essay has been edited for length and clarity.

I never thought I'd work in the cruise industry. I'd never even seen a cruise ship in person before I rolled up to Oasis of the Seas. It was the first cruise ship I worked on and the biggest ship on the planet when it was being built.

That moment will live with me forever. 

I've been the senior corporate traveling executive chef for 11 years and worked at Royal Caribbean for nearly 15. I oversee the culinary operations and 6,000 chefs across all 26 ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet. From menus and inventory to the day-to-day running of the kitchens in all our ships, I oversee it all. 

I head a corporate team of eight administrators who manage the 52 executive chefs on board the ships. Our team is responsible for making sure each ship can serve as many as 75,000 meals a day, seven days a week.

How I got into the cruise industry

I was always curious about cruises and whether the cooking standards were similar to kitchens on land.

Having spent 15 years working in specialty restaurants — like the luxury hotel restaurants at Claridge's and the London Michelin-starred restaurant Le Gavroche — I decided it was time to satisfy my curiosity.

In the early 2010s, I applied for a four-month contract as an executive chef for Royal Caribbean.

I was coming on board into a high position with no prior cruise experience. I was so nervous, I didn't think I'd last a week. Over a decade later, I'm still with Royal Caribbean. Taking this job was the best choice I ever made. 

What my day is like as an executive chef on board 

Ninety percent of my time is spent on board different vessels in our fleet. I'm usually on the same boat for two to three weeks, and occasionally I work from the Miami or UK offices. I'm based in Liverpool, where my family lives. 

I spend most of my day on calls and answering emails. I average between 1,000 and 2,000 emails a week. 

When I'm on a ship, I do some inspections with my executive chefs, culinary managers, and hotel leaders and offer ad hoc support. In the evenings, I walk around the ship with the executive chef and offer observational feedback.

Life as a chef on a cruise ship versus on land

People always judge the cooking on a ship. 

Our goal is to make sure that everyone's fed and watered — and leaves the ship 10 pounds heavier.

Related stories

We are responsible for feeding guests and crew alike. If our staff have full tummies and are satisfied, that translates positively into the guests' experience. 

As a chef on land, you only focus on your restaurant. But on board the largest ship on the planet, the 1,188-foot-long Wonder of the Seas , we have to feed nearly 10,000 people a day. 

This is the largest ship in our fleet. There are 33 kitchens on board, ranging from high-end specialty restaurants and steak houses to buffet areas, pizzerias, and sandwich shops. We also have a main dining room that seats up to 3,000 people. 

On land, your menus don't change much. Here, they change every day across the fleet. Our only fixed menus are the à la carte specialty-dining menus.

When you finish work at a restaurant or hotel at home, you can go home and switch off. As an executive cruise chef, I manage fleet operations seven days a week, 365 days a year.

I get normal annual leave, but it can be hard to switch off even on land. I'm still observing from afar. I don't mind it, though, because there's a good family spirit on board. 

We'd never mess with Royal Caribbean's signature dishes 

We have a product-development team that works with me and my team to develop menus across the fleet. They look at food trends and consumer insights on our dishes, and I do the culinary development with my team based on that. 

Some dishes might be introduced, some might be archived, and some might be tweaked. I listen to the guests more than I listen to anybody else.

There are a few signature dishes in the main dining rooms across the whole fleet that you just don't touch, like the garlic tiger shrimp, the escargot, and the prime rib, because they're so beloved by passengers. 

We'd be hanged, drawn, and quartered if we changed the prime rib.

How a kitchen on a cruise operates 

Everything we serve guests is produced on board. We butcher our own meat and fish, bake all our bread, and make all our desserts. 

For an Oasis-class ship, which carries up to 7,000 passengers, we load nearly $1 million worth of inventory onto the ship every seven days.

The fridges are a sight to behold. We operate a first-in, first-out system. Our target every seven days is for the fresh-produce fridges to be empty, ready to take on the new loading. 

I'll do this job until I retire

The people I've met while working as a cruise chef have inspired me, given me opportunities, and believed in me. You miss home, but there is a real family spirit on board cruise ships. It's one of the reasons I've stayed for so long.

I've been exposed to many cultures all over the world during my 15-year tenure. I estimate I've circumnavigated the globe over 100 times. These experiences are priceless to me.

I will 1 million percent do this job until I retire. I love my job and can't imagine leaving. 

Thinking about walking off the ship for the last time and knowing that I'm going home for good is scary, but I've got some good years left in me yet.

Watch: Why it costs $1 million a day to run one of the world's biggest cruise ships

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