Buzz
To an outsider, a cruise ship job might appear to be the ultimate dream—earning money while sailing the globe, with free accommodation and meals. However, like many so-called dream jobs, there are notable drawbacks to consider before applying. We gathered insights from cruise ship staff to uncover the realities of life aboard a floating hotel.
1. Americans are the least suited for cruise ship work.
Most large cruise ships employ a diverse international crew, with Americans being a minority. “During any contract, you’re collaborating with around 64 different nationalities,” shares Kat, a former employee of a major cruise line. This trend is partly due to the grueling work hours and lack of days off, which deter Americans accustomed to a standard 40-hour workweek and weekend leisure. “During my toughest contract, I was clocking nearly 300 hours a month,” Kat recalls. “Sure, you’re in stunning locations, but exhaustion often keeps you from exploring. Many cruise lines avoid hiring Americans because their dropout rates are alarmingly high.”
Hiring Americans is costlier, even when they perform the same tasks as workers from developing nations. Sam, a former Princess Cruises employee, shared that her $1100 monthly salary exceeded that of her Filipino supervisor. The cruise line justified this by stating that the dollar holds greater value for individuals from developing countries compared to Americans.
2. Cruise ship staff undergo training for pirate threats.
While pirate attacks on large cruise ships are uncommon, crews are ready to respond if such an event occurs. Nolan, who worked for Princess Cruises and Oceania Cruises, mentioned being trained to move passengers away from windows and use powerful water cannons against intruders.
“Our ship can easily outpace their small boats,” he explained. “We could drench them with water, leaving them powerless.” Some ships also use Long Range Acoustic Devices, which produce deafening, painful sounds to repel attackers. This method helped a luxury cruise ship evade a pirate assault near Africa in 2005.
3. Looking to shed some pounds? Consider working on a cruise ship.
While passengers indulge in steak and delicious seafood, the crew’s meals are far less appealing. “Picture eating in a high-school cafeteria three times a day, every day, for an entire year,” a former cruise ship employee shared on Reddit. Kat remembers unusual dishes like goat foot stew. The unappealing food, paired with the physical demands of running across the ship, often leads to significant weight loss for crew members. “I’d lose around 10 to 12 pounds per contract,” Kat revealed.
Gavin, a former waiter for a major cruise line, mentioned that the crew occasionally enjoyed leftovers from the passenger buffet, but “they vanished in seconds.”
4. Crew members occasionally play pranks on passengers.
Life at sea can become repetitive. “It became boring very quickly,” a former worker posted on Reddit. “Every day felt like the same series of mishaps, with a new group of passengers each week.”
To break the monotony, some crew members enjoy teasing passengers with harmless jokes. As one former crew member recalled, “A popular prank was to loudly tell a coworker in a passenger area, ‘See you at the bowling alley tonight!’” Naturally, there was no bowling alley on the ship. “We’d then wait for the comment cards asking, ‘Why do crew members have a bowling alley when we don’t?’”
5. … and chances are, the workers might be intoxicated.
When off duty, employees are often drinking and celebrating. “We partied relentlessly,” Gavin admits. “We used to joke that it made a frat house seem tame in comparison.” The crew has exclusive bars on board, known as crew bars, where drinks are incredibly affordable. “At passenger bars, a drink cost around $15, but in the crew bar, you could get a beer or cocktail for just $1.25,” Sam explains.
What happens when you provide large amounts of cheap alcohol to people confined together for months? “It sounds like a stereotype, but everyone was involved with each other,” Sam says. “Many crew areas had prominent posters warning about STD prevention.”
Crew members are often warned about random breathalyzer and drug tests, but these rules aren’t always enforced. “Our ship had a strict rule of no more than .04 blood alcohol content at any time,” Gavin notes, “but as long as you didn’t cause trouble, you wouldn’t be tested, so people frequently ignored the rule.”
6. Crew members are strictly prohibited from getting involved with passengers.
If you’ve noticed an attractive crew member and are considering striking up a conversation, think again. Engaging in a romantic relationship with a passenger is a surefire way for a crew member to lose their job. This rule is in place to safeguard the cruise line from potentially damaging allegations of misconduct. Security monitors crew members closely at all times. While such incidents do occur, if a crew member is discovered with a guest, they’re immediately dismissed at the next port.
7. Crew members are almost constantly under surveillance.
“You should assume that if you’re outside your cabin, you’re likely on camera,” Gavin explains. “In case of an emergency, security footage can be accessed at any moment.”
8. Passengers hold significant influence over crew earnings.
At the end of a cruise, passengers are often asked to rate their experience and provide feedback on comment cards. These reviews are taken very seriously and can directly affect crew salaries and bonuses. “Most crew members earn modest wages and depend heavily on those bonuses,” Kat notes. If you leave a negative review and mention someone by name, rest assured it will impact their income.
“The most helpful thing you can do for a crew member is to write a stellar review, specifically naming them on your comment card,” a former cruise employee shared on Reddit. “Their higher-ups pay close attention to such feedback.”
9. Some cruise workers lead double lives.
“Many married individuals maintain separate lives while working on the ship,” Kat explains. “I’ve known colleagues who have families at home but engage in entirely different relationships onboard. It’s almost like an unspoken agreement.”
Gavin recalls a coworker who lived openly as a gay man on the ship but remained closeted in their personal life ashore.
10. They’re often completely disconnected from global events.
“You stop keeping up with news, sports, and pop culture,” Gavin remarks. “You’re pretty much cut off from the world out there.” Finding an internet connection at sea is challenging and costly, so many crew members lose touch with current events during their contracts.
11. They communicate using coded language.
Crew members use specific codes for situations like fires or medical emergencies, which they broadcast over the loudspeaker without causing panic among passengers.
Code Adam: a child is missingCode Alpha: there’s a medical emergencyCode Oscar: man overboardCode Bravo: fire on the ship
12. The cruise ship has numerous tight-knit groups.
But these aren’t the kind of mafias that make you offers you can’t refuse. Sam explains that crew members on her ship were divided into groups based on their nationalities, each specializing in certain goods. For instance, the Indian group handled food for crew parties, while Sam, working in the youth center, provided art supplies for costume events. “It’s part of the ship’s economy,” Sam notes. “Everyone is always looking to trade or get something from someone else.”
A former cruise ship employee mentioned that the Filipino group was famous for securing alcohol at any hour. “If you wanted drinks after the crew bar closed at 1 or 2 a.m., they’d get it for you! Sure, you paid a premium, but it was worth it,” they shared.
13. Every cruise ship has a morgue.
Around 200 people die on cruise ships annually, so ships are equipped with small morgues to store bodies until they reach land. “We definitely had one onboard,” a former employee revealed. “Since our passengers were mostly older, deaths occurred fairly regularly.”
14. They won’t wait for you if you’re late.
If you disembark for a shore excursion, ensure you return before the ship’s departure time. Cruise lines face hefty fines for exceeding port time limits, so the ship will likely depart without you if you’re late. “You’re on your own,” Kat warns. “They won’t wait for anyone.”
This list first ran in 2016 and was republished in 2019.
