Considerations for cruise passengers regarding staff interactions

If a staff member feels seasick, too bad. If a huge swell makes food preparation in cramped galleys difficult, guests still expect dinner. Waiters cover 25 seats a shift, while explaining unfamiliar food and taking orders in a foreign language.

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The hours are incredibly long. It isn’t uncommon for staff to spend 12-hour shifts entirely on their feet. They work every day for six or nine months. They rest between contracts, during which they get no pay or entitlements.

And the hardest part, unlike for most workers on land? They don’t see their parents, spouse or children for all that time. To support their families, they must sacrifice time with them.

And so yes, sometimes you may meet a cruise-ship worker who gives you half-hearted service or appears grumpy. They aren’t saints. But 99.9 per cent of the time you get smiles and efficiency, which on luxury ships can extend to the slightest detail.