I’m a cruise ship worker – there’s a type of passenger we dread having onboard…we ‘make fun’ of their major faux pas
HAVE you ever wondered what it's really like to work onboard a cruise ship?
Lucy Southerton, 28, from Birmingham, has been working on one since the age of 19 when she applied to be a massage therapist at an onboard spa.
Lucy has revealed all of the juicy secrets that passengers wouldn't know.
And according to the cruise worker, there's one type of passenger who crew members dread having onboard - so are you guilty of committing this major faux pas?
"Crew members generally make fun of passengers who think it's okay to walk around the cruise ship barefoot," says Lucy, speaking to The Daily Star.
“There's always at least one passenger per cruise who feels comfortable strolling around the entire ship without shoes.
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“They'll even go into shops and the theatre barefoot because technically they are indoors."
The cruise worker, who regularly shares a sneak peek inside her life onboard on Instagram , points out that "you should have your shoes on" as soon as you walk out of your cabin door.
She continues: “And if you do want to walk around the cruise ship with no shoes on just know that the crew members will be making fun of you."
Lucy also goes on to say that the "biggest mistake" passengers can make is being rude to staff because she warns you never know “which crew member is going to be able to solve your issues."
And according to the cruise ship worker, being polite can pay off, because well-mannered guests may get extra perks if they've made "genuine connections" with the crew.
“If you are a nice person and you have a connection with a crew member they are more likely to go above and beyond for you,” she explains.
She goes on to discuss certain "unspoken rules" on cruise ships.
“When you start your career on cruise ships you will see that there are a lot of rules that you have to follow," her website says.
“Some are talked about and taught and some are unspoken they are things that people do and rules that people follow without even questioning why they are doing it.”
Lucy previously revealed the four easiest jobs that give you the best time at sea and exploring stunning destinations.
According to the cruise ship worker, the first is a shop assistant.
"For those of you who don’t know, I work in the shops on board and it is a really easy job," she says.
“The shops can only be open when the ship is at sea for tax reasons.
“Today we are in port until 6pm and I start work at 7pm.
“I have all day off, I have all day to do whatever I want, whether that is sleep, record videos or go out and explore the port that we are in.
“It is one of the lowest-paid jobs on the ship, but I get so much time off that it kind of warrants the salary.”
Next up, she says working in the box office and casino are also top of the list, before also suggesting the excursions department.
“You get some nice time off, you get to go on a lot of the excursions," she explains.
“On most cruise ships if you are in the excursions department you have a higher rank so you have your own cabin.
“You are a higher status so you do get privileges.
“Your job is to book lovely trips in beautiful countries and destinations and go on those trips because you have to experience the excursion to recommend it to the next people.
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“I would consider working in the excursions department.
“You are very well compensated in terms of pay.”