Surprise! – The “Guest” Next to you may be a Crew Member on Vacation!

While many people might think that the fact that crew members spend most of each year onboard would make the idea of cruising for fun less than appealing, you would be surprised to know it is not at all a turnoff, except for a few specific points. Many crew members choose to cruise during their vacations, even if it turns out to be just once.

Being a crew member myself, I have experienced being a passenger, and while it was most relaxing, as most cruises are, it did not turn out to be the experience I had hoped for. The main disadvantage was that I was cruising on the same cruise line I worked for. This meant I was very much in my head about my behavior and the perception my (when working) colleagues had of me when in public areas. I felt embarrassed, and constantly concerned about drinking one too many, or getting into trouble for anything I said or did. So much so, it took me 4 days to gather the courage to enter the swimming pool.

Cruising on the same cruise line you work for does have its advantages, like getting major discounts on the fare price, sometimes free (just paying port taxes and fees), and of course being surrounded by friends able to enhance your experience onboard (ie. getting a room upgrade, a few free drinks, …), but these pale in comparison to how awkward I felt during the actual cruise. In any case, this might be a different scenario for different people, much more so if the cruise includes family members who will distract you and make it easier to enjoy the cruise.

If I ever decide to cruise again, I would definitely choose to do so on a different cruise line. Not because I don’t believe in my own product, but because being an actual stranger on a ship sounds like so much more fun. After all, one of the things crew members are biggest on is gossip! So any scene caused would probably be heard across the fleet within days… Just kidding: HOURS!

Now, next to cruising, one of the biggest benefits most cruise lines offer is being able to bring one or more relatives or friends to sail with you, while you are on contract and working. I have taken advantage of this perk several times, and, while rewarding, I must admit that I remember it as being exhausting. In addition to my already busy day, I had to dedicate time to entertaining my family! Again, I was very aware of what an amazing experience it was for them, but giving up my daily nap did not necessarily make me happy.

All in all, cruising isn’t very different for a crew member than for a regular cruiser, we might know a few tricks to get our way, and will definitely make use of the whole “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” situation, but not everyone will be happy to show their fun side to other crew members who will sooner or later work side by side with them, or much less, as their supervisors and managers. – That Guy (onboard)