7 secrets only people working on cruises will tell you

Have you ever wondered how much cabin fever a crew on a particularly long cruise get?

In a thread on Reddit, users of the site asked cruise ship staff what they get up to at sea when they're not taking care of their guests.

Their answers were somewhat revealing.

One of them makes perfect sense.

This was backed up by a number of other posts within the thread:

The crew has so much sex. There was a place in the main crew area with free condoms but the STD rate is still through the roof. Well over 50 per cent. It honestly amazes me how much sex everyone has when everyone is also sharing rooms. But most employees will be on the ship 8 months out of the year, and all that pent up tension will get released one way or another.

- Phantomsplit

Flags of 'convenience'

The one thing to realize is that most cruise ships sail under a 'flag of convenience.' This means that they register the ship under some country that has some really relaxed regulations. For you the customer this probably does not mean much. Your wait staff, shopkeepers, and cleaning staff, etc. are really all you ever talk to so the companies will really focus on training them... The more concerning part comes with safety. These ships may not be built to last under heavy conditions. The deck and engine departments (who you the customer will almost never see) may not be very well trained which makes a catastrophe like the Carnival Triumph (the engine department really s*** the bed on that one).

- Phantomsplit

Where your water comes from

When people die on board, they stay there

Be careful what you flush

You would be amazed at what people will flush down the toilet. Pool noodles, t-shirts, shoes...pretty much anything that people don't want to pack with them when they leave. Cruise ships primarily use vacuum flush systems. These are very efficient but very sensitive. A tampon or condom can take out the toilets for everyone above and below your room. Then somebody from the engine department has to start braking open black water pipes or ripping open pumps to find where your blood stained cotton has managed to stop a whole lot more fluid flow. Toilet paper only in the toilets.

- Phantomsplit

There are bars just for the crew

Cruise ships have multiple crew bars. Booze is about $1/drink for the crew. That's where the real parties are at. Except for the, like, crew parties that show up every once in a while, normally in cool places like 'On the bow of the ship'. Those are also where the real parties are.

- OptimalGoat

The crew is watching

HT Mail Online Reddit

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