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Former Royal Caribbean crew member accused of placing hidden camera in guests’ bathrooms

A former Royal Caribbean cruise line worker is in jail, accused of hiding a camera in guests’ bathrooms.

▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS

The cruise line notified Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection and the Broward Sheriff’s Office on February 26 about a crew member on board the “Symphony of the Seas” who had placed a camera in guests’ bathrooms to record them while the ship was in international waters.

According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court Monday, HSI and CBP agents were waiting when the Symphony of the Seas arrived at Port Everglades from Haiti on March 3.

READ: FBI: Former Kissimmee Cyber Security Officer planted hidden camera in cruise ship restroom

The ship’s security pointed agents to 34-year-old Arvin Mirasol, a citizen of the Philippines. The agents immediately seized Mirasol’s electronic devices, including a cell phone, various storage devices, and a camera.

Investigators say a preliminary examination of the files found on a USB device taken from Mirasol revealed multiple videos of nude women and young girls undressing in a bathroom.

During an interview, investigators say Mirasol admitted to taping a video camera in the guests’ bathrooms that he worked on as a stateroom attendant aboard the cruise ship.

As a state room attendant, Mirasol would service the cabins during the cruise, to include cleaning it throughout the voyage and restocking towels and linens.

Investigators say Mirasol explained to them how he would place the camera in the bathroom then “pleasure himself” after retrieving the camera and viewing the videos.

READ: Report: Merritt Island man caught with boat full of undocumented migrants off Brevard County coast

According to the complaint, Mirasol went on to admit that he had been placing the camera in the guests’ bathrooms since he started working on the Symphony of the Seas in December.

The complaint says, at one point, Marisol said “I want to control it, but I can’t.”

When asked how he decides which room to put the camera in, investigators say Mirasol told them “If I like who is in that room, I place it.”

He went on to say he would choose women and girls who appeared to be approximately 16 years of age and older.

The complaint says Mirasol also admitted that he would go into the cabins while guests were showering and hide under the bed while recording them with his cell phone.

READ: Deltona man charged after bar fight leaves man hospitalized with ‘severe’ brain bleed

Mirasol faces federal charges for production and possession of child pornography. Authorities in Broward County also charged him with six counts of video voyeurism.

Mirasol is being held in the Broward County jail on no bond.

“We have zero tolerance for this unacceptable behavior,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement. “We immediately reported this to law enforcement and terminated the crew member, and we will continue to fully cooperate with authorities.”

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

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I've worked on cruise ships for over 6 years. Here's an inside look at what it's like living on board.

  • I've worked on cruise ships for over six years, so I'm familiar with how the crew lives on board.
  • Staffers typically live with a roommate in tiny cabins that have bunk beds and small closets. 
  • We usually eat at our own buffet and hang out after work at the crew bar .

Insider Today

Between the unlimited buffet, glamorous destinations , and entertainment around the clock, living on a cruise ship sounds luxurious , but there's a whole other world below deck.

I've worked on cruise ships for over six years , so I'm very familiar with how crew members eat, sleep, and live.

Here's what it's really like living on board, based on my experience.

Most crew cabins are tiny

Measuring around 120 square feet, crew cabins are typically tight and don't have windows.

They're commonly furnished with a set of bunk beds with privacy curtains, a mini-fridge, a desk, a closet, and a TV with a side table.

Although every cabin is equipped with its own bathroom, it's typically so tiny that you can brush your teeth, use the toilet, and shower at the same time.  

Crew members in higher positions have better cabins

Based on what I've seen, managers and officers typically have cabins with a porthole and full-size bed, plus an additional fold-down bed for guests.

They also typically receive daily housekeeping while most crew members are responsible for cleaning their own cabins.

Most crew members have roommates 

Roommates are typically assigned by division, but I've found it's easy to move in with a friend if you'd like.

The bottom bunk is highly coveted in the crew world — roommates usually claim it as soon as the other ends their contract. 

Cabins are divided into 'neighborhoods'

There are crew cabins on several floors, from deck 00 — below sea level — to deck three, though the captain and bridge officers typically live adjacent to the bridge higher up.

The main crew corridor that runs up and down the entire ship is nicknamed the I-95, after the popular US highway . It's always busy with foot traffic and tons of trolleys and carts, so we have to be attentive when walking through it.  

Crew members have to sort their own trash

All of the ship's trash winds up in the incinerator room, but there are a lot of categories to sort the garbage into.

Although housekeepers sort guest garbage, the crew is responsible for separating their trash into the correct bins.

We also typically do our own laundry

On larger ships, there are multiple crew laundry areas , which resemble laundromats.

But our uniforms can be dry cleaned at the formal laundry area for free.

Staff members often enjoy after-hour parties and events at the crew bar

After work, most of the staff hangs out at the crew bar, which is usually a covered outdoor area with a functioning bar and dance floor.

Events like bingo, karaoke, all-crew parties, and trivia happen almost daily.

There is a separate buffet for the crew

The crew mess is a buffet with set times for meals at different points throughout the day.

It typically features more international foods — like Filipino, Indian, and Caribbean cuisine — than the guest buffet to represent the hundreds of staffers from different countries.

The mess often offers special themes, like crepes with the captain or barbecue day, as well as late-night options like pizza and lasagna.  

There are other places for the crew to hang out

Most ships have a crew café where they can order coffee and juice.

There are usually also computer, training, and game rooms. The game room has video-game consoles and popular arcade picks like foosball, air hockey, pool, and darts. 

There's also a dedicated front or back deck for the staff to enjoy the sunshine on lounge chairs. Some companies even offer a crew pool.  

We also have a human-resources center for discussing needs regarding cabins, payroll, contracts, or crew life.

cruise crew member cabin

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Crew Members Talk Living Conditions on Cruise Ships

  • June 6, 2021

cruise crew member cabin

The cabin options for cruise ship guests are usually if not endless, then at least plentiful. For a pricey fee, guests can upgrade all the way to penthouses and ship-within-a-ship concepts onboard most major cruise lines.

But what about crew accommodations?

Cruise Industry News spoke with several crew members working on different ships to find out. They agreed to provide comments on the grounds of anonymity.

Cabin Types

A crew member who worked for all the major cruise lines – Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International – said that the higher the position of the crew member, the higher will their deck usually be.

“Management onboard and most ‘second’ management get their own cabins. On Norwegian and Princess, you have the best management cabins that are like guest staterooms, with many perks. Royal Caribbean and Carnival management cabins are not as luxurious as most and vary between the size of the ship and position,” they said.

“Crew and staff cabins are anywhere between two and four team members. Four members are usually with housekeeping/bar/restaurant as these are the biggest departments. During the comeback to sailing, all cabins are limited to two crew members. Cabins with more than one crew member have bunk beds with curtains and are not made for privacy. You need to time your morning showers and so on properly – otherwise, you will be late for your shifts,” they added.

The crew member explained that crew cabins are made only for resting, not living. And closet space can barely hold the cruise uniform and some personal belongings.

A crew member on a Disney Cruise Line ship told Cruise Industry News that they had a cabin to themselves.

“All officers have their own cabins while the rest of the crew used to share a cabin (two per room). It seems like as of now, all crew members will have a single cabin. Cabins are, I would say, ok … There are three cabinets, bed, sofa, working desk and chair, tv, porthole, bathroom including shower cabin,” they said.

A crew member with Viking Ocean Cruises said that crew members on their ship shared cabins with a fellow department staffer.

“The cabins are really tiny, and you will have to think wisely before purchasing anything. They are all inside cabins,” they said.

Two crew members from AIDA ships said that until passenger sailings resume, they got to stay in a passenger room with a balcony on their own. However, normally, a cabin is shared between two crew members.

An employee with Silversea said that “in general,” they liked their cabin. It was “nice” and a “perfect” size for one. The bed was comfortable, the pillows were of good quality, the linen was great, they said. The TV was 39 inches, with “lots of movies on demand.”

They also said they were given $25-worth of free laundry, and their cabin was cleaned twice a week.

“That we can’t complain about. And we have a minibar. And good entertainment on TV. I’m happy with my accommodation; I had it much worse on other ships,” they said.

“Some positions – such as waiters, bartenders, housekeeping, cooks etc – always share a cabin between two people. But it’s enough space for two,” they added.

Improvements?

A crew member with one major cruise brand said that usually, crew cabins get virtually zero improvements.

“There are very often some minor improvements – like new carpet, new shower cabin … but in general, no improvement,” they said.

The crew member with Silversea said that crew cabins had gotten better over time.

“Cabins got better and a little bigger. The bed is now higher – that was a smart thing to do, so we have a lot of space for our luggage and storage,” they said. “The new air conditioner system is modern and can be adjusted by a little screen on the wall.”

The crew member who worked for multiple cruise lines said that, despite numerous drydocks and wet docks, crew cabins rarely undergo major changes.

“I’ve been working on ships for many years on many brands. Cabins have not changed at all, bar refurbishment. During wet and drydocks all cruise lines maintain the same cabin structures,” they said.

They warned that cruise ship crew members’ life often looks glamourous on the outside, but a lot remains hidden behind the façade.  

“You will become very close to your peers as they are constantly in your face from the second you wake up …

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7 Gifts Cruise Crew Members Really Want & Need

gifts for cruise members

Sharing is caring!

It’s not uncommon for cruise passengers to want to acknowledge the hard work of cruise ship crew members and show appreciation. In fact, in many facebook groups and message boards, gifts for cruise ship crew members is a hot topic of discussion.

Some people wonder if there are items cruise workers need and find difficult to get these days, and others like the idea of giving something that will make their lives better.

On a recent cruise, I had an interesting conversation with a crew member, that opened my eyes to what can really make a difference for cabin stewards, waiters and other cruise ship workers.

In this post I share 7 gifts cruise crew members really appreciate.

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click and buy that I may make a commission, at no cost to you. Please see my  disclosure policy  for details.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Gifts for Cruise Crew Members that Are Most Appreciated

Tips & cash.

cruise crew member cabin

Yes, cash is king. This might be obvious, but the best “gift” you can give your cruise cabin steward, waiters and even your favorite bartender, is a nice tip.

Even if you auto or prepay your gratuities on a cruise, giving extra cash above and beyond the cruise ship gratuity is very much appreciated by cruise ship staff.

Crew members often send money home to their families. Money can also be used to purchase any items that they need, including wifi or SIM cards, so cash is very useful.

Edible Gifts (Chocolates & Candies)

cruise crew member cabin

Crew member cabins are usually very small. Therefore there isn’t a lot of space to keep items you may bring onboard as a gift. However, cruise ship crew can enjoy and share any edible gifts like chocolates and other treats.

If you know the crew member, you may have an idea of his or her preferences. For example, does he or she like salty snacks like chips or Doritos?

In most cases you won’t really know, but bringing a box of chocolates or local treats from home is a nice gesture.

Toiletries & Convenience Items

cruise crew member cabin

For some time after the cruise restart, many cruise ship crew members weren’t able to get off the cruise ship when in port. This meant getting convenience items and toiletries was a challenge.

For this reason, some cruise passengers brought basic items and toiletries like shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste and moisturizer to cruise ship staff. Through the grapevine, I’ve heard more recently, that crew aren’t as much in need of these items anymore as they can either get off the ship or order things to the cruise ship that are delivered.

If you feel it’s appropriate, you can always ask a crew member if you can pick them up anything while in port of call.

Positive Comments

Cruise Tip: take photo of crew member nametag

While tangible gifts like tips and chocolates are nice, something that can make a huge difference for cruise crew members is leaving positive comments on surveys and comment cards.

When cruise ship staff get positive comments and feedback, this goes a long way towards their career with the cruise line. Good ratings can mean promotions onboard and even rewards and privileges onboard their cruise ship.

When you get off the cruise ship after disembarkation, you’ll be sent an online survey to review your cruise experience. Make sure to fill it out and use this this as an opportunity to highlight any cruise ship staff that made a positive impact on your cruise vacation .

Get The Ultimate Cruise Planner

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cruise crew member cabin

A Handwritten Note

Thank you note

Over the years, writing a personalized thank you note is not very common. So, when you take the time to write a handwritten note to a crew member, this can be more meaningful than you think.

As a crew member mentioned to me recently, many cruise ship staff are away from home for several months and it can be very lonely. Those passengers who have personal interactions, even if brief, are meaningful and have an impact.

A handwritten note, usually accompanying a tip, is very appreciated.

cruise crew member cabin

Kindness costs nothing but makes the life of cruise ship crew more enjoyable. Working on a cruise ship isn’t easy. Even if they enjoy their work, which many do, there are times when it’s likely tough.

Saying please and thank you, and showing appreciation is nice. Remembering their names, asking how they are doing or about their families or life back home, is a good way to learn more about them too.

Let’s face it, positive interactions with guests, probably help to make up for the times that cruise passengers have complaints .

Ease Their Workload

cruise crew member cabin

Cruise ship cabin attendants, waiters and other staff work really hard, often for many hours a day. Try not to give them extra work by not leaving your stateroom an absolute mess.

Even at a restaurant or in the main dining room, try as much as possible to be respectful and not create extra work.

Video: 7 Gifts That Cruise Crew Members Appreciate

In this YouTube video I share more about gifts for crew members, including a few examples from cruise passengers.

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Final Thoughts on Gifts for Cruise Ship Crew Members

There is no obligation to give a gift to cruise ship crew members. However if you are wondering, giving tips or gratuities, being kind, and filling out the post-cruise survey are 3 things that are very much appreciated by cruise ship staff.

Have you given a gift of any sort to cruise ship crew members? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Happy Cruising!

P.S. If you found this helpful, please don’t keep it to yourself ;-). Please share on Facebook or PIN to your favorite Pinterest board (share buttons at the top). Thanks so much!

Let’s connect:

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Join me on Instagram at Life Well Cruised

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Thank you for useful info. I was watching your video about the ports it was mention to take a local taxi I just want to let you know a family member in the port in Honduras took a local taxi to the driver told him for $50 will take his family of 3 to a nice ride to see all around he drove about 1 hour away from the port at that time he demanded $250. or get out of the car. It was a scary and disappointing experience. Have a good day, Maria

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Oh no! Thanks for sharing your story Maria

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I love your videos and information for cruising. What do you consider to be an appropriate gratuity for the cabin steward especially if he went above and beyond the normal service?

This is a great question.That said it’s very personal & there’s no right or wrong answer. In some of my videos about this topic, many cruisers will share their own experience in the comments of what they gave as an additional tip.

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Cruise Ship Crew Accommodations

One of the most common questions cruise ship job applicants have is what the crew cabins and facilities like onboard a cruise ship. Find out where the cabins are located and what to expect from your home away from home. Learn where the crew eat and where they can spend their free time onboard.

Location of Crew and Officer Cabins

There is a misconception that all crew and officers live below the water line. The fact is that there are crew accommodations throughout almost all the decks of the ship. It is true that the lowest ranking crew have their cabins on deck two and three below the water line, here is where else they live.

Some departments have their officers on decks that are close to where they work. For example, most engineer officers will have their cabins on the same deck as the engine control room which is located around deck four. This deck is just above the water line and many junior engine officers will typically have a porthole.

There are many cabins located on that particular deck because the whole deck is a crew only area. Typically that deck (usually deck 4) houses all provisions, food prep areas, the crew mess, crew office, and a corridor that goes from one end of the ship to the other.

Comparatively, most deck officers will have their cabins close to the bridge at the forward part of the ship. On many cruise ships, the forward part of deck 5 and deck 6 are also officer cabin areas with the outside cabins occupied by senior officers.

Layout of Crew and Officer Cabins

With every new ship built, cruise lines are taking the comfort of their crew into consideration. For example on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas there are more single cabins for crew compared to other cruise ships (see video of at single cabin on Oasis of the Seas, last video on this page.)  Note that this type of single cabin shares a bathroom with their next door neighbour. Here are the other types of crew and officer cabins that you can expect on a cruise ship:

Captain’s Cabin – This cabin is the biggest and best cabin out of all the officer’s cabins, obviously. But, the size and amenities of the Captain’s cabin varies from cruise line to cruise line and from ship to ship. Some of the largest Captain’s cabins feature a separate bedroom, a living room, dining room, bathroom with bathtub, and an office. He also has access to his own pantry and his own conference room.

Senior Officer Cabin – This type of cabin also varies from ship to ship, but is considered the best after the Captain’s cabin. They usually have a separate bedroom, a living room and a bathroom with a bathtub. Their office is typically located within their department rather than close to their cabin.

Junior Officer Cabin – Depending on the cruise line will determine if you are considered a junior officer and thereby get a better cabin than other crew. These types of cabins may also be given to staff holding a managerial position. A junior officer cabin is a single cabin where you don’t have to share your room or your bathroom. It may or may not have a porthole or window, depending on rank.

Deluxe Crew Cabin – This type of cabin is where two crew members share a cabin, typically with bunk beds. They also share a bathroom with each other. These types of cabins are small and don’t have a porthole or a window.

Amenities in the Crew Accommodation

Depending on how new the cruise ship is will determine how well the cabin is set up and how new the amenities are inside the cabin. Typically each cabin has one TV. Sometimes, you may get lucky that a previous crew member has left behind a DVD player or a stereo. There is always a mini fridge to be shared with your cabin mates.

The bathrooms are small in even the largest of cabins. There isn’t a lot of space to put toiletries especially if you have to share the space. There is a single wardrobe for each crew member and the space to keep your empty luggage comes down to creativity. There may be space under a bed or above a wardrobe.

Where Crew Eat On Board Cruise Ships

Where you will eat will also depend on your cruise job which is categorized by rank. Lowest ranking crew have only one option, the crew mess. The crew mess is a cafeteria style setting. There are TVs and some crew like to bring their laptops there because there is typically a WiFi signal there.

On large ships there is a Staff Mess which is offered for people that work for one of the onboard concessions such as spa, the gift shops and the photographers. The Staff Mess is typically a mini-crew mess.

There is also an Officer’s Mess onboard each cruise ship. Depending on what the cruise line considers an officer will determine who is allowed to eat there. This is a sit down service where officers are given a menu that they me choose their meal off of.

Officers and some crew members are also allowed to eat in the passengers’ buffet restaurant. Most crew are also permitted to eat in the specialty restaurants on the ship. Generally, they must pay the price that the passengers pay and they may need approval from their head of department for this occasion.

Crew Facilities on a Cruise Ship

Depending on the cruise ship, there are also a range of crew facilities (usually the bigger and newer the ship, the better the facilities). Most cruise ships have at least a crew recreation area that can be used as a crew internet area and a disco in the evening hours. On bigger ships, these facilities are separated into three separate areas. These spaces are equipped with table games, board games, library of books and DVDs and comfortable sitting areas.

Other facilities for crew include a number of crew and officer launderettes, a crew gym, and a crew store. Officers and some crew members are also permitted to use the passenger gym facilities. More and more cruise ships are making all crew cabins wireless (need to purchase prepaid internet card).

Videos of Cruise Ship Crew Accommodations

Princess Cruises:  Crew cabin on board Golden Princess

Carnival Cruise Lines: Crew Cabin on Carnival Dream

Norwegian Cruise Lines: Officer Cabin on Norwegian Jewel

Royal Caribbean: Crew Areas on Voyager of the Seas

Royal Caribbean: Crew Cabin on Oasis of the Seas

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Royal Caribbean crew member arrested after allegedly filming guests with hidden camera

cruise crew member cabin

A Royal Caribbean International crew member was arrested Sunday after allegedly filming naked guests without their knowledge on board, including children.

Law enforcement found child pornography among Arvin Joseph Mirasol’s electronic devices after conducting a border search. The search came after the cruise line notified Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection and the Broward Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 26 that an employee on its Symphony of the Seas ship had hidden a camera in guest bathrooms, according to an affidavit signed by HSI special agent Michelle Maglione.

“During the examination of his USB Stick device, law enforcement discovered numerous videos of naked females undressing in the bathroom as well as videos of child pornography,” the document said. 

In one video, Mirasol, 34, could be seen installing a camera in a stateroom bathroom, according to the affidavit. The clip then shows a girl who appears to be 10 years old undressing and getting in the shower.

The crew member, who is from the Philippines, “admitted to taping a video camera in the guests' bathrooms that he worked as a stateroom attendant,” according to the affidavit filed in the Southern District of Florida.

“Mirasol revealed that he has been placing these cameras, in the bathroom since he started working on Symphony of the Seas around December 2023,” the document said. “Mirasol stated, ‘I want to control it, but I can’t.’” 

Cruise ship crime: What to know if you're sexually assaulted on a cruise

When asked how he picked which cabin he put the camera in, he told law enforcement, “If I like who is in that room, I place it.” He also noted that he would choose females around 16 and older (though he acknowledged that he knew filming minors was illegal).

Mirasol also said he entered cabins while passengers were showering and filmed them naked with his cell phone while hiding under the bed.

He is charged with production of child pornography and possession of child pornography, as well six counts of video voyeurism in Florida.

“We have zero tolerance for this unacceptable behavior,” the line’s parent company, Royal Caribbean Group, told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. “We immediately reported this to law enforcement and terminated the crew member, and we will continue to fully cooperate with authorities.” An attorney for Mirasol declined to comment.

The news comes after two Disney Cruise Line employees were arrested in January on child pornography charges.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

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Life Onboard a Cruise Ship: 18 Crew Cabins Must-Haves

Crew cabins must-haves

18 cruise ship crew cabins’ must-haves

Being a cruise ship crew member is both a challenging and rewarding experience. Living several months onboard a cruise ship, in a small cabin usually without any view (no window), and sharing your personal space with a person you don’t know doesn’t sound that fun, does it? Well, life onboard a ship means you have to adapt to these new conditions and find your way to organize your living space.

I’ve been working as a Shore Excursion staff onboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships for a few years now, and in this article, I want to share with you 18 crew cabin must-haves that will make your life onboard a cruise ship easier and more organized. Regardless of what kind of crew cabin you have (single-shared or double-shared), or what cruise line you work for, my blog post will help you prepare for your cruise ship contract and make your onboard life more enjoyable!

So, here’s the list.

1. Bed Sheet Set

The bed sheet set is something I regret not bringing when I first joined the ship. The cruise line normally provides the pillows and a bed sheet set to every crew member upon coming on board, but these usually aren’t new. They have been used by who knows how many crew members, and re-washed every time. During the first few months on board, I was using cruise ship bed sheets, but later I decided to order a brand new bed sheet set and use it till the end of my contract.

So, I suggest you either bring your own bed sheet set from home that you can get rid of once your contract is finished (trust me, you won’t have space in your luggage to drag it back home), or buy a new one that is not that expensive and that you can give to someone or toss after your contract is over.

The one below is made of a comfortable material, suitable for bunk beds, and it is so cheap that you don’t have to keep it afterward. Every crew member’s ship life is all about saving money and space!

cruise crew member cabin

2. Memory Foam Pillow

Work onboard a cruise ship is hard – you don’t have a day off, and your schedule is quite busy (although this depends on your job position). Therefore, having a good and healthy sleep is essential for your well-being, and it is important to have a good rest before your next day starts. A memory  foam pillow is an extremely useful thing that I highly suggest having if you are not happy with the pillow your cruise line has provided you with. I must say, Royal Caribbean provides its cruise employees with really cozy pillows (I’ve never had any back or neck issues), but in case you aren’t comfortable with your pillow (or you simply want to have a brand new one) – order a new one and you will not regret it!

Memory Foam Pillow

3. Mesh Pop-Up Laundry Basket

This is one of the most useful items when you live in a limited space and always have a bunch of dirty laundry to wash (which is the case when you work on a cruise ship). Instead of keeping your dirty laundry in a plastic bag (like I did on my first contract), a mesh pop-up laundry basket can make your life easier. It is collapsible, portable, and doesn’t take up a lot of space (although it looks like it does). I highly recommend you have this item –  it will make your crew cabin look so clean and organized!

cruise crew member cabin

4. Air Freshener

Cruise ships are normally several years, or even decades old. Now, imagine how many crew members lived in a cabin you live in? Hundreds of them. Every cruise ship worker is responsible for keeping their cabin clean and tidy, but unfortunately, many cruise ship employees don’t care about that. As a result, crew cabins sometimes have unpleasant smells that can’t disappear even if you clean them on daily basis. What saved my life in regard to that matter is a scent diffuser (or air freshener ) that I usually order online, because I can’t find the one I like when I go out in port. It is totally worth investing, as the scent lasts up to 3 months. You can choose your favorite scent – mine is lavender and was worth every cent I paid for it!

cruise crew member cabin

5. Pou-Pourri Toilet Spray

Pou-Pourri Toilet Spray is a very useful item to have when you have a small bathroom, especially when you share it with another person. Cruise ship bathrooms can have very poor ventilation and you will want to have a good toilet spray, trust me! Pou-Pourri Before-You-go Toilet Spray has proven to be really handy, as it eliminates the smells straight away. It is difficult to find it in ports, and the best option is to order it online or bring it from home. Always have it in your bathroom, and your problems are solved!

cruise crew member cabin

6. Antibacterial Wipes

Cleanliness is of crucial importance onboard a cruise ship, and I always have stocks of hand sanitizer wipes .  You can either have hand sanitizer wipes in a canister or just regular packs. I like to buy in canisters because they last longer (a few canisters can last the whole contract), but I also always have several packs of hand sanitizer wipes as well.

cruise crew member cabin

Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, Bleach Free Cleaning Wipes, Fresh Scent, Moisture Seal Lid, 75 Wipes, Pack of 3 (New Packaging)

Antibacterial wipes in canisters - Crew cabins' must have

7. Travel Toiletry Bag

A travel toiletry bag is one of the cruise cabin must-haves if you want to keep your bathroom organized and smartly use the space. If you are sharing your cabin, you’ll have an extremely limited bathroom storage space, and I highly recommend you get this travel toiletry bag as it will significantly save your space. Your cosmetics, makeup, shower gel, shampoos, man’s razor blade , hairbrush – everything can fit! In addition, you can hang it on your door so it doesn’t take up additional space.

cruise crew member cabin

8 . Travel Power Strip (Ship Approved)

As you may know, cruise ship cabins have a limited number of electric outlets, usually two per crew cabin, and only one per cruise passenger cabin. Therefore, if you want to charge more things simultaneously, and your roommate wants to do the same – you’re stuck. That’s why having a travel power strip can save you the troubles and you can charge your phone, laptop, speakers any time!

cruise crew member cabin

9. JBL Portable Bluetooth Speaker

If you are into music (who isn’t?), and even if you aren’t that much – you’ll need some music in your cabin from time to time! JBL portable Bluetooth speaker is one of the most practical cruise gadgets that you can use both in your crew cabin or outside in port (chilling at the beach, cocktails, friends, and music – what can be better than that?). I have both this one in the picture below, and a smaller, pocket-size JBL speaker , and both are great, except that the bigger one is louder. You can choose whichever you prefer, based on your needs and preferences.

Recommended:

cruise crew member cabin

10. External Hard Drive

Let me tell you something – I suck at technology and I had no clue what a hard drive was until I came to the ship. And guess what – this little, seemingly insignificant gadget made my life onboard a cruise ship much easier and more fulfilling! A hard drive   can store a huge amount of files, including a bunch of TV shows and movies, which come in handy when you just want to chill in your cabin and avoid the crowd in a crew mess, staff mess, and other crew and guest areas. Cruises are always busy and you are always surrounded by thousands of people, but sometimes, you just need time for yourself, your thoughts, and a good movie. I always go through such a period at least a few times during my ship contract, and in those times, good movies and music are lifesavers.

cruise crew member cabin

11. JBL Wireless Headphones

When you share your cruise ship crew cabin with another person, you need to respect his/her needs and wishes. If your roommate is tired, or just wants to have some peace and rest, you have to respect that and remain silent. That’s why JBL wireless headphones come in handy, and they are also amazing if you want to use them in a gym or during a run. They are small and comfortable, they don’t fall off your ears and they are loud enough.

cruise crew member cabin

Have I said that I am not into technology? lol. Well, I had a laptop on my first contract, and I used it a lot when our cruise ship was in a dry dock and I had actual free time to spend in my cabin. The only thing that annoyed me was that my laptop was too heavy, and on my way back home I could barely carry it. On my second contract, however, I decided to leave my laptop at home, and it’s one of the worst decisions I could have made! I really missed my laptop for many reasons – I couldn’t watch movies, transfer my pictures, write emails. And, now if you ask me, I’ll tell you to ALWAYS bring a laptop with you. However, make sure you have a laptop that is light and slim, so it doesn’t take up much space and storage!

ACER laptop

Or, if you are looking into something really classy, light and professional, Mac Book Air Retina is the way to go! I am about to buy one and I am so excited!!

2020 Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1 Chip (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) – Silver

MacBook Air Retina

13. Sony Playstation

If you are into gaming and this type of activity – don’t come on board without Sony Playstation (or come, but order Sony as soon as possible!). I’ve seen so many of my fellow crew members using it, and even I used it for some time. It’s a great way to put your stress away and have fun with your roommate and friends during your time off!

Recommended: PlayStation VR – Marvel’s Iron Man Bundle

PlayStation VR - Marvel's Iron Man Bundle

14. Over The Door Hanging Shoe Organizer

An over-the-door hanging shoe organizer is one of the best things I’ve seen people using on cruise ships! It saves you a lot of effort in properly organizing your shoes, and saves so much space! You simply hang it on your door, place your shoes in it, and you can even share it with your roommate as it has a lot of pockets!

cruise crew member cabin

15. Refillable Water Bottle

Tap water onboard a cruise ship is pottable, but to be honest, I never drink it. I prefer to buy a water case and then pour water into my refillable water bottle that I carry with me around the ship and outside in ports. I found this one with some motivational notes to lift your spirit when you feel down and depressed. Super cool stuff!

cruise crew member cabin

16. Indoor Slippers

If you are used to wearing slippers at home – don’t forget to bring them on a cruise ship, too! Although crew members live squeezed in small cabins, it is our home for several months and slippers are good to have, as floors can be cold sometimes. I never bring them from home, as I always try to save as much as luggage space on my way to the ship – Instead, I prefer to buy them either online or outside in a port.

cruise crew member cabin

17. Insulated Water Bottle

For safety reasons, it is strictly prohibited to keep any electric appliances in cruise ship rooms and cabins. A kettle is not allowed, so if you want to have a cup of tea or coffee, you have to go to the crew mess or staff mess. The best way to keep your drinks hot is to buy an insulated water bottle that you can carry around and have your tea/coffee whenever you want. You can also bring it outside in port, and have your drink at the beach or elsewhere!

Recommended: Triple Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Straw Lid – Flip Top Lid – Wide Mouth Cap (26 oz) Insulated Water Bottles, Keeps Hot and Cold – Great for Hiking & Biking (Dreamy Pink-Green)

Insulated water bottle

18. Clutch Wristlet Purse

For women, a clutch wristlet purse is definitely one of the most useful cruise ship must-have items. When I am on duty, I always carry it with me – Inside, I store my phone, schedule, a sea pass card, a pen, and that’s it! Otherwise, I would have to wear these things in my pocket! The purse doesn’t have to be fancy and beautiful – it needs to be practical, discrete, and simple, and it’s good to have a wrist strap so you can put it around your wrist (in the picture below).

cruise crew member cabin

I hope my list of 18 crew cabins must-haves helped you plan how to organize your living space onboard a cruise ship. Whether you are joining as a new hire , or as a returning crew member, consider getting these items as they might be extremely helpful and useful to have!

This article may contain Amazon affiliate / compensated links. For full information, please see my disclaimer here.

You May Also Like:

  • New Hire? This is How the First Day on a Cruise Ship Looks Like
  • Working On A Cruise Ship: How To Apply For Cruise Ship Jobs?
  • 11 Things You Would Never Expect To Be Part Of Your Cruise Ship Job
  • Life Of Shore Excursions Staff Onboard A Cruise Ship: Job Description And Daily Duties
  • Life of a Photographer on a Cruise Ship – Crew Member’s Story

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Such a great article. Keep up the good work.

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cruise crew member cabin

Inside Crew Cabins on Cruise Ship

cruise crew member cabin

Standard crew cabins have: - Beds (usually bunk beds). - Toilet/shower cubicle (some of the ships share one bathroom between two cabins, or the older ships have common shower areas for female or male crew). - Small to medium wardrobe cabinet. - Writing desk with drawers. - Phone. - TV and DVD/VCR player. - Small refrigerators (rarely, but some crew cabins have them). - Chairs (usually one or two). - Safe boxes. - Mirror.

You need to keep the cabin clean and tidy because you share it with different people from different cultures. Also, there are cabin inspections from time to time in order to make sure that you are living within the rules laid down by the cruise company.

bathroom-cruise-ship

See Crew cabin Gallery

There is a range of crew facilities including bars, open deck area, gym, laundry, crew mess, staff mess, officers mess, disco, accommodation, recreation area, pool, and some even sauna, especially for the crew.

Press here to take a look inside other cruise ship crew areas.

Take a look at MSC Meraviglia Crew Cabins

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Understanding Cruise Ship Ranks

Rank affects nearly every aspect of life onboard a cruise ship. Rank on a ship is part of how life onboard works. Ship ranks is a huge way of determining where you can eat onboard, what cabin you get and so much more. In this post we will dive into how the ranks on a cruise ship work.

Your rank onboard directly corresponds to your job onboard. The Captain has a higher rank than the Dining Room Manager, the Dining Room Manager has a higher rank than a dishwasher, and so on and so forth.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon affiliate I may earn from qualifying purchases at no expense to you.

The rank structure on a ship in some ways is not that different than it is in the majority of large corporations, hotels, or businesses. The higher up you are the more responsibility there is and the more perks you get. Conversely, the lower on the ladder you are the less responsibility and the less perks you get.

The part that makes the cruise ship ranks structure a bit different than land based is that everyone that is needed (save for a few various specialty technicians or training officers) to keep a cruise ship running has to live on the ship all the time. It is not just a revenue generating resort but also employee housing and a vessel. As a vessel it also comes with the navigational, safety, environmental, engineering, and maintenance demands and those professionals responsible for it.

Want to understand cruise ship stripes and what stripes correspond with which ship ranks? Take a look at this post on Understanding Cruise Ship Officer Stripes .

Ships are Truly Floating Cities

On land a company and it’s building exists within it’s environment and society and it can utilize resources from that society. Most likely the building doesn’t have it’s own sewage treatment plant or diesel generators to power it. (Although more and more are utilizing solar power which is awesome). Those services are likely run by the municipality that they’re a part of. And, if the building needed painting, windows washed, a plumber called, or maybe some wiring fixed – there are professionals you can call in for those jobs. If one of your employees gets sick they can go to their physician. In addition, the company and it’s building on land aren’t also expected to house everyone that is needed to keep that branch of the company and it’s building running smoothly and then also maintain that employee housing.

But, Which Crew Member Gets the Biggest Cabin? And Other Things to Think About

What does all that have to do with the rank structure on a cruise ship? Everything. Think for a minute if your office building suddenly needed to house everyone that contributes to not only that part of the business but also the building. How would you decide who got the biggest room? Who do you want eating dinner with your highest paying client?

These are hard truths to think about. On land society and the money in your pocket deals with answering these questions. If you are higher up and getting paid more maybe you will choose to spend that money buying a bigger house or apartment. The company can quite easily decide who goes to dinner with the high paying client. They can’t necessarily stop another employee from being in the restaurant at the same time as that high rolling client, but society probably will. A fancy dinner on a Wednesday for the lower to middle level employees is probably only reserved for special occasions.

Now, exist in the world where everyone that keeps your company, it’s building, and your transportation going all lives, eats, and works in the same structure. You need to decide how to best serve your clients (guests), while also maintaining some level of employee satisfaction. What has developed is the cruise ship rank structure. It is somewhat a mix between a naval structure and high end resorts and hotels.

Each crew members rank corresponds to what their job onboard is. That rank determines so much of your onboard life. Here’s a short list of the ways that your rank affects your onboard life:

Ship ranks affect everything about life onboard, from which cabin you get to where you can eat.

What Does Cruise Ship Rank On a Ship Affect?

  • Cabin – roommates, bunk beds, window?  
  • Note: I will be writing a separate post diving into the differences between these various dining venues and options!
  • Laundry – Can you get your laundry sent out? Can you use the super secret hidden Officers laundry room?
  • Shows & Passenger Areas – can you go enjoy a show, listen to the band, or grab a drink in passenger areas?

What Ship Ranks Are There?

The crew ranks are typically divided into three to four main categories. The names might be different depending on the line, but in general: crew, petty officer, staff/officer status, and officer. In addition there are a few other funky categories, too, like guest entertainers and contractors. While from a passenger perspective the easiest and most obvious rank differentiations are among the officers. As they literally wear their rank by the stripes on their shoulders ; however, the greatest differences in privileges lie between these other more broad categories of rank.

The Different Ship Ranks:

Note: What is outlined below are generalizations. There are differences between cruise lines and even differences within each rank category. They also adjust and change over time. Below is meant to give you a basic idea what cruise ship rank affects and impacts in your day to day life onboard outside of work. It is not meant to denote hard and fast rules. The information gathered below was based on research of many cruise lines, other cruise bloggers, YouTubers, as well as my own experience and experiences of people I know.

Crew/Rating:

  • Cabin – bunk cabin with a roommate. Most likely a bathroom between two crew members; however, there are set ups where there’s a bathroom between two bunk cabins so then those four crew members would have to share a bathroom (more common on older ships).
  • Food – Crew mess
  • Laundry – Main crew laundry room
  • Shows & Passenger Areas – Not except when you’re working or for very specific occasions

2023 Update: Big changes they are afoot! There has been a big push by many cruise lines to more equalize some privileges. This includes some cruise lines opening up the ability for Crew/Rating positions to go to things like shows and specialty restaurants when not on duty.

Petty Officer:

  • Cabin – The majority of Petty Officer positions will have a roommate in a bunk cabin and your own bathroom (no sharing with another cabin for you!) Depending on the position you may not have a roommate but still be in a bunk cabin.
  • Food – Crew Mess or Petty Officers Mess
  • Shows & Passenger Areas – Maybe – depending on position and cruise line (in uniform).

Staff / Officer Status:

  • Cabin – There is some variety here. Some of these positions will have roommates in a bunk cabin. For example: shop workers, photographers, youth staff, or dancers. Sometimes there are supervisors in bunk cabins without a roommate. You can also find people in these categories in single (non bunk) inside cabins that might even have a full size bed!
  • Food – Petty Officer / Staff mess. Depending on the ship and set up, the Officers mess as well. Very possibly the passenger buffet. Passenger Dining Room or Specialty Restaurants on special occasions with prior permission. And, on some cruise lines: room service!!!
  • Laundry – Main crew laundry room – some positions may be able to send their laundry out (for a small fee)
  • Shows & Passenger Areas – Quite often, depending on cruise line, and always on a “passenger first” basis. The more luxurious the line the more restrictive they tend to be with this particular privilege. (In uniform; there tends to be more leeway about uniforms on Formal/Gala nights to wear your own gown/suit)
  • Cabin – Officer cabins start from inside full sized bed cabins, to porthole cabins with a full sized bed and a couch, to cabins with big windows, king sized beds, a bathtub, and for the very highest up on newer ships – a balcony!
  • Food – Officer Mess/ Dining Room. If there is a separate Officer Dining Room they can likely order food off of the dining room menu to have delivered to them. Typically allowed to eat in the passenger buffet, dining room, and specialty restaurants (with prior permission). Some luxury lines only allow 2 or 3 stripes and higher to eat in the passenger buffets. Most can get room service!
  • Laundry – The higher up officers may have a small separate (super secret) laundry room. They can also have their laundry sent out.
  • Shows & Passenger Areas – On some luxury lines it may only be 2 or 3 stripes and higher, but most main stream cruise lines will allow their officers to go to shows, various lounges, and bars onboard.

Fancy World Cruise dinner

Is the Ship Ranks System A Good System?

There are times onboard when it doesn’t feel “fair” or “right”, but on any given cruise ship there are usually people from 40+ countries working onboard in relative harmony. Everyone has good days and bad days, but overall it works. There are some things you can bring with you onboard to make it feel more like home , and for the most part people are onboard to make a living (often to send home to their families) and to travel and explore.

It would be lovely to think that everything was equal amongst the crew for everything. That everyone gets a nice cabin with a big window and can order room service and can go to the shows – but, as much as I would love that to be so, it’s just not possible. The cruise ship rank has such an affect on so much of life onboard. And, while the rank system might be more obvious on cruises but the rest of the world is certainly not insulated from it and these can be hard truths to think about.

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Gratuties and tipping on a Cruise ship. A Guide to Extra Tips for Crew Members & Staff

To tip (extra), or not to tip, the dilemma on a cruise.

Bring up the topic of tips & tipping on a cruise ship and you’ll get a wide variety of recommendations and no shortage of opinions on both ends of the gratuity spectrum. For some people, even the mere mention of how much to tip on a cruise evokes panic and stress. We’re here to help out with that a little.

Before we get into tipping etiquette when you go on a cruise vacation, it’s important to point out that attitudes on extra tipping are largely cultural and vary greatly. Americans have tipping engrained in their DNA whereas Europeans don’t consider tipping a requirement. For Europeans, it is more of a gesture of simple “thanks” no matter how small the amount is.

There is no right or wrong when it comes to tipping extra on a cruise. It’s a very individual choice.

The most compelling comment I’ve heard regarding tipping crew members on a cruise was from a fellow passenger from the UK. She simply stated that everyone’s economic situations are different. Someone from the UK who has saved 2 years for a cruise vacation and has paid for gratuities during booking won’t necessarily have significant extra resources to continue tipping people and will likely believe the cruise line-imposed gratuities are sufficient. Conversely, an American passenger will normally budget extra money for their cruise to accommodate additional gratuities while on board.

Most, if not all, major cruise lines impose automatic gratuities now. These are in addition to the cruise fare, port taxes, and general taxes. These automatic gratuities or ‘service charges’ are split, in theory, among all service staff on the ship as well as behind-the-scenes staff. These extra service charges don’t come cheap either! For your average cruise, expect to spend $15 per passenger per DAY. For a family of 4 on a seven-day vacation, this adds up to an extra $420 to the vacation cost.

Each cruise line distributes these gratuities differently among front-of-house and back-of-house staff, so it’s impossible to really know how much of this mandatory service fee goes to each person you come in contact with every day.

All of this complicates the question of which crew members to tip extra and when it’s appropriate to tip on a cruise. So we have put together a quick guide on what we have experienced in 20 years of cruising when it comes to tips for the crew.

If you’re a first-time cruiser reading this guide, check out our 20 great tips for first-time cruisers !

On a Cruise, Who to Tip & how much :

Most importantly, when you spend money for anything on most cruises, there is generally an automatic gratuity added to the bill. First and foremost, if you’re feeling generous and want to leave an extra tip for a service, don’t accidentally double-tip! Inspect your receipt before adding any gratuities. Beyond that, don’t feel pressured or obligated for additional tipping. Reserve it for exceptional service if you feel the need.

Should you tip a room steward / cabin attendant?

Dig through Facebook groups and Reddit threads about tipping on a cruise, and how to handle extras for a room steward. It’s a hot topic! While most cruise lines have a per-passenger daily gratuity added to the cruise fare, many people assume that is for the steward exclusively. In reality that is a shared gratuity. This leads a lot of people to give additional money to their stewards. I’ve talked to so many passengers over the years and the consensus is that giving SOMETHING extra is the norm. What that SOMETHING extra amounts to is so subjective. Here’s how we do it:

If a steward goes out of their way to introduce themselves at the start of the cruise and makes sure you have a bucket of ice or some other small convenience available immediately, generally on the first day we’ll give them $10-$20. While many people will feel like this is ‘greasing the palm’ of the cabin steward, it’s showing appreciation for their proactive attempt at starting the cruise right! Beyond that, if everything is exceptionally clean and we are provided the expected service, mid-cruise we generally contribute another $10-$20 +/- and at the end of the cruise, if the steward has been attentive and performed ABOVE expectations, and maybe makes a towel animal here and there, we’ll leave more! Generally, the total adds up to about $50-$75 for a 7-day cruise in addition to the prepaid gratuities.

However, If we enter our cabin with a steward nowhere to be seen and we don’t ask for anything above basic service, we’ll sometimes leave nothing extra. This will be controversial to many experienced cruisers. So let me put it in perspective.

As a rule, we generally are very clean and tidy up our cabin. On some cruises, we ask for no service for several nights and sometimes never see the steward. I believe we are doing as much or more than financially rewarding them by not asking for anything at all.

Just remember the concept of exceptional. It goes both ways. If your steward is outstanding in what they provide you, they deserve a little extra. If you are an exceptionally messy person and your steward is taking a lot of time sorting out your cabin every day, then they deserve extra. To round this out, if you are difficult as a passenger, they probably deserve a lot more than you’re going to give them!

At the end of the day, the choice is always yours on whether or not to tip the cabin steward extra.

tipping a cabin steward on a cruise

Should you tip bartenders on a cruise?

Tips for cruise ship bartenders are generally more common. Passengers, especially those from the United States equate bar service with tipping. Therefore, it’s not uncommon to see bartenders getting tipped frequently on a cruise.

We’ve been on cruises where we’ve witnessed the typical tipping behavior, leaving a dollar or two per drink or per round for a bartender. That’s definitely mighty generous considering that you’re going to be paying an automatic gratuity for that beverage or if you have a beverage package, you’ve paid substantial gratuities in that package cost.

Here are our thoughts on extra tipping for cruise ship bartenders :

As with other service people working on a cruise ship, those who give exceptional service are those we often tip extra. This includes bartenders. Our standard practice is if we’ve discovered a specific bar location and staff that really go out of their way to either give prompt service or make drinks to our liking, we usually tip a little extra a few days into the cruise then towards the end. ($10-$20) If the bartender(s) do something special, we’ll often leave more. However, if we’re on a cruise where we literally just have a beer here and there or a glass of wine on occasion, we’re less likely to tip much extra if any at all.

It’s worth noting that in general, if you tip a bartender, that tip may be pooled with other bartenders at that bar. It’s always worth asking if you intend your tip to go to a specific server or bartender.

Remember, you’re never going to get treated poorly if you do not tip extra! You will still receive great service. Some passengers just choose to tip extra to feel like they’re getting priority service, but in reality, I rarely see anyone get served ahead of another customer because they’re tippers.

tipping bartenders on a cruise

Should you tip the main dining room servers?

The automatic service charges you pay when you book a cruise are divided among many staff members, including the main dining room servers and assistants. Though it’s not uncommon to leave extra for a server that has been. your dedicated server for the duration of your cruise vacation. Some people will leave nothing extra while I’ve witnessed passengers give a server $100+ at the end of a cruise. Again, this to me comes down to service level. I’ve had a wide variety of service quality over the years and If the server is the same server every night, I’ll often leave them around $25 at the end of the cruise IF the service has been really good. When there is an assistant server, I’ll usually give them a bit as well. If the service is just average, I’ll sometimes leave nothing extra.

This gets even more complicated on cruises where you can choose your own dining time like on Norwegian Cruise Lines with their freestyle dining. You may never encounter the same server twice, so tipping becomes more difficult.

Gratuties and tipping on a Cruise ship. A Guide to Extra Tips for Crew Members & Staff 1

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Should you tip in the specialty dining restaurants?

Remember! When you pay for specialty dining on your, even if it’s a perk in a package from cruise lines like Norwegian, you’re going to be paying a mandatory gratuity when booking. It makes this tipping advice a bit trickier. Knowing we’re paying an automatic tip means that the service should be special to consider tipping extra in the specialty dining restaurants on a ship. Many may disagree with this since the experience is supposed to be “elevated” and believe gratuities should better reflect that, but I stick with the personal opinion that the service should be above and beyond my expectations to consider tipping extra. When that happens, I’ll generally leave an extra $10 +/- for a specialty dining restaurant tip.

Tipping Musicians & Performers on a Cruise

Generally speaking, the entertainment staff is very well paid and on contract from an outside entertainment company. These talented folks don’t rely on tips and don’t expect any additional gratuities while performing on board. There are a few occasions, however, when we’ve observed passengers & guests tipping singers and musicians. This usually can be seen when there is live music in one of the bars. It’s not uncommon to see a passenger hand a musician singing solo a few dollars or even buy them a drink (depending on the rules of the cruise line).

Other cruise gratuity advice

You are going to encounter hundreds of crew members on a cruise ship, many of whom are paid a living wage and do not ever expect anything extra! These include :

  • The Cruise Director
  • Entertainment Staff & Performers
  • Maintenance Staff
  • The Captain

There are other services where people generally give staff a tip and those are:

Room service on a cruise – Remember, it’s never required to tip, but usually people who make use of onboard room service leave a small tip of $1-$5 per delivery.

Baggage handlers at embarkation port – It’s customary to tip a little to a baggage handler, especially at American ports. On average, $5 is usually sufficient. However, some passengers will insist that $5 per bag is more appropriate. I’m somewhere in the middle on this. I generally tip a minimum of $5 if I have a couple of bags, but on a transatlantic cruise where I might have 5 or 6 bags, I’ll definitely tip extra.

Automatic service charges & gratuities by the major cruise lines

Each major cruise line has a slightly different policy and fee for per-day automatic service charges and gratuities .

MSC Cruises Daily Service Charge / Gratuities:

MSC Cruises doesn’t call this “gratuities”, they call this a hotel service charge. These charges also vary by region. In typical MSC fashion, there’s nothing straightforward about their service fees <insert huge eyeroll>

For the Caribbean, South America, and Asia MSC daily gratuities are:

  • $14.50 per night per adult and $7.25 per night per child (2yrs or older)
  • 12 Euro per night per adult / 6 Euro per night per child (2yrs or older) for European booked clients

European Itineraries, MSC bills and books all gratuities in Euro only:

  • 12 Euro per night per adult
  • 6 euro per night per child

South African cruises have a slightly different daily gratuity amount with MSC:

  • $10 per adult per night
  • $5 per child (2 and over) per night

MSC Cruises charges a little more for Grand Voyages depending on the itinerary, it’s best to confirm this with them at the time of booking.

What is Royal Caribbean’s service & gratuities daily amount?

The Royal Caribbean automatic service gratuity is as follows:

  • $14.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Junior Suites and below, or
  • $17.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Grand Suites and above.

Read the full automatic gratuity policy at the Royal Caribbean website.

How much are the required daily gratuities and service charges on Norwegian Cruise Line?

Norwegian has steadily raised their daily service charge per person depending on cabin type.The service fees are as follows:

  • $20.00 USD per person per day for The Haven and Suites;
  • $18.00 USD per person per day for Club Balcony Suite;
  • $16.00 USD per person per day for all other stateroom types

For the complete service charge information with NCL, see the Norwegian Cruise automatic service charge rates & information .

What are the per-day service fees for Carnival Cruises?

  • Standard Staterooms: $16 USD per person, per day
  • Suite Staterooms: $18 USD per person, per day

How much is the Celebrity Cruise automatic gratuity?

Celebrity automatically adds gratuities to guests’ onboard SeaPass® account, except for guests in Excluded Bookings*, as defined below, in the following amounts:

  • $17.50USD per person, per day for Inside, Ocean View, and Veranda staterooms
  • $18.00USD per person, per day for Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms
  • $21.00USD per person, per day for guests of The Retreat.

A 20% gratuity will be added to all beverages, mini bar purchases, and beverage packages.

But WAIT! Celebrity also has an all-inclusive program called “All Included rate” (formerly Always Included) where these fees are part of the rate. You’ll have an option at booking to go the all, or nearly all-inclusive rate or select a cruise-only booking where the above automatic tips are added.

For a complete service charge policy, visit the Celebrity Website

Still have questions? Here are a few that we hear being asked regularly. If you still have more, please comment and we’ll add your tipping questions to this list!

Holland America Line Daily Gratuity Amount:

The cruise line calls this “Crew Appreciation” which is the most appropriate across all cruise lines.

The daily Crew Appreciation charge is $16.00 per guest per day on Holland America for non-suite stateroom guests and $17.50 per guest per day for suite guests. The charges are subject to change without notice.

Holland America Line explains their gratuity policy and how it’s adjustable on their website, which makes it feel a little better about being charged extra fees.

Do you have a comment?

Did we miss something? Have you had a different experience? Did we get it wrong?

Recently we were asked this by a fellow passenger – so let’s elaborate :

For the Room Steward, you give “about $50-$75 for a 7-day cruise in addition to the prepaid gratuities” for services above expectations. This converts to a daily range of about $7-$11, helpful for shorter / longer cruise calculations. For MDR waiters, you often leave ~$25 at the end of the cruise for really good service. But you don’t indicate the length of cruise you are referring to. Is that figure also for a 7-day cruise, which would convert to about $3.60 per day? CR Christian

As for the question, I use this as a guideline regardless of the cruise length actually. With gratuities already being added to the cruise, and they are ever-increasing, I’ve become more selective on how I choose to tip extra. If our room steward goes out of their way for anything, I’ll tip extra… and if they frequently go out of their way, I’ll possibly leave an extra $75 regardless of the cruise length.

For the waiters, I use the same rule of thumb. If I am particularly needy during a trip, I’ll leave extra. But I often dine at the specialty restaurants that have gratuity already added, so it’s not unusual for me to only visit the main dining room 2-3 times on a 7-10 day cruise.

This is all discretionary, don’t feel compelled to tip if you don’t feel like it, it’s up to you as the passenger. The topic is frequently discussed and devolves into a heated debate, just remember it’s your money and your experience, tip or not, do what’s best for you!

Phil Crane

Cruise Gear Editor

I'm a global nomad at heart, and the dedicated editor behind CruiseGear. For the past two decades, I've experienced exciting voyages across the world, discovering countless ports from the decks of dozens of ships, visiting 40+ countries (and living in some of them for years). It's been an exhilarating journey to say the least! I want to share everything I've learned and hope to make your next cruise vacation as enjoyable as possible.

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Well, on the one hand, cruise workers don’t get a good salary like that. But sometimes people work really well, which makes you leave a tip. The main thing is not to tip employees who are hypocritical – it is immediately written on their face. I usually tip the steward or the photographers who can take cool photos of me and my partner from time to time! I really adore this. But usually, in general, tips are already included in the cruise ticket, so it’s up to you to leave a tip or not.  But it’s never a bad thing, in fact, if a person does his job well and helps you feel relaxed during the cruise.

I think that it’s ok to tip the photographers. There was a team of 4 on our ship. They worked tirelessly and was always so friendly. Thanks to them we have a wonderful set of photos from our trip. Plus we did a professional photo shoot while aboard. They turned out so beautiful. We tipped them for their work. They seemed surprised as if they never see tips.

I don’t entirely disagree about photographers, especially when they do a great job! But like you said, they’ll probably be surprised as they don’t usually get tips.

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cruise crew member cabin

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Crew Cabins

  • Scarlet Perez
  • 3 April 2011

Your cabin will be your home for the next 4, 6, 8 or more months, depending on how long your contract will be.

Crew Cabin

If this is your first contract it is almost certain, that you will share a cabin, since single cabins come with higher positions.

The space in your new living space is very limited. Often Bunk beds, a small tiny bathroom, a little locker, a few drawers and not much space to store your luggage.

However, this also is a good thing: When it comes to keeping your cabin clean.

Crew Cabins

Crew Cabin Inspections

Once a week, a crew cabin inspection will be done by middle and senior management onboard. Each cruise company organizes this a little differently.

Crew Cabin - bathroom

Crew Cabin inspections are announced and serve two purposes. The one is to keep the living quarters tidy and clean, the other one is to check that there are no items which require repairs.

How the cleaning is organized among you, the occupants, is basically up to you. If one cleans the bathroom, the other the living space, if one cleans the entire cabin – taking turns, or if you alone or together decide to pay another crew member to clean your cabin.

It is expected, that the garbage has been removed from your cabin, that no food is found in the cabin (code of conduct), that the beds are made, that the bathroom is cleaned.

And yes at inspection time the toilet is checked, the drain in the shower, the floor, the mirror. Checks also include, if your life jackets are at the designated spot and not obstructed by other items.

Things like an unclean cabin, perishable food in the cabin, glass-and tableware in your cabin, transformers, tampering with safety items or taking your garbage to the next "public garbage bin" instead to the garbage room can get you into quite some trouble including a warning or even dismissal for tampering with safety items.

If items in your cabin are broken or don't work any longer, follow the ships reporting system as soon as you discover a problem.

Your cabin will be your home for many months and up-keeping therefore is in your own interest.

The Points Guy

What is a cabin steward on a cruise? Learn about the people who keep your room clean

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One of the best parts of a cruise is that you don’t have to worry about dusting, vacuuming, scrubbing or otherwise lifting a finger to clean during your vacation. That’s due, in large part, to your room steward (also known as a cabin steward or cabin attendant). These cruise line employees make sure your cabin stays tidy throughout your sailing.

What else should you know about your cruise cabin steward? In this piece, I’ll lay out their duties, what you can (and can’t) ask them to do and what sets them apart from the folks who straighten up your room at a hotel or resort.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter .

Room steward duties

In addition to cleaning and sanitizing your room and bathroom before you embark, your cabin steward is also responsible for tidying and cleaning your cabin during your cruise.

Many cruise lines offer twice-a-day service in each cabin. That means you can expect your room steward to come in sometime between breakfast and lunch to make up the beds, remove any used glasses or room service trays and provide fresh towels and toiletry refills when necessary.

They’ll also pay visits to your stateroom at night, likely while you’re at dinner, to provide turndown service, which sometimes includes treats like pillow chocolates and towel animals. On lines that still provide paper printouts, your steward’s nightly duties will also include leaving copies of the next day’s activity schedule, as well as dinner invitations, shore excursion tickets and flyers for events like art auctions and spa tours.

However, there are exceptions. Several major cruise lines — including Royal Caribbean , Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line — have cut back to once-a-day room cleaning in order to trim costs. On those lines’ ships, passengers can expect room straightening once per day.

If you don’t want your cabin steward to enter your room, put the provided “do not disturb” magnet or hanging sign on your door. I do this when napping, getting ready for dinner or working.

As for their other tasks, room stewards are responsible for collecting clothing that passengers wish to have laundered, dry-cleaned or pressed (for a fee); restocking each cabin’s minibar; and fielding requests for things like extra bedding or hangers.

What a cabin steward can (and can’t) do for you

Keep in mind that a room steward is not a butler. While they can refill your ice bucket, show you how to work your TV and climate control, provide you with child-size life jackets and fold the pajamas you left strewn around the room when you ventured out for morning trivia, they won’t be able to honor specific requests outside the scope of keeping your room spotless.

Here’s some of what you can expect your cabin attendant to do:

  • Introduce themselves to you on the first day or two of the sailing.
  • Deliver your checked luggage to your room after you board the ship.
  • Remove dirty dishes, cups and room service items from your cabin.
  • Straighten up and tidy your room (vacuum, wipe up spills, fix beds and generally organize).
  • Remove dirty towels and provide new ones.
  • Change your bedsheets (if requested).
  • Set up sleeping arrangements (splitting beds, combining beds and pulling down bunks).
  • Refill complimentary shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and lotion.
  • Restock tissues and toilet paper.
  • Deliver daily schedules and other paper announcements.
  • Answer general questions or point you to the person who has answers if they don’t.
  • Alert maintenance if something goes wrong with things like plumbing or electrical in your cabin.

They won’t be able to do the following:

  • Answer questions related to your onboard bill.
  • Schedule shore excursions, dinner reservations or spa treatments for you.
  • Take room service orders.
  • Help you unpack or repack.
  • Offer assistive services if you have mobility issues.
  • Babysit your kids.
  • Hang out with you during your cruise.
  • Show you the crew quarters.

To address the first few items on the second list, you’ll have to call guest services, the shore excursions desk or the spa from your cabin, or visit in person. Sometimes, you can also make these reservations on your cruise line’s mobile app . If you’re booked in an expensive suite that includes the services of a concierge , you’ll have the option to book through them as well.

For room service , you’ll have to call your ship’s dedicated room service number, which is often noted on your cabin’s phone. For packing and unpacking services, employ the services of a butler if you’re staying in high-level accommodations. Otherwise, you’re on your own.

How room stewards differ from hotel housekeepers

Although a cruise cabin steward is similar to a housekeeper who would service your room at a hotel, there’s one major difference: You’re likely to actually meet your room steward and, possibly, even get to know them. They will almost always knock on your door on embarkation day to introduce themselves and their team (if they aren’t working alone), explain the particulars of your room and ask if there’s anything you need.

It’s also common for them to greet you by name when they pass you in the hallway and ask about your day.

In addition to knowing your name and the names of those traveling with you, cabin attendants have a tremendous knack for remembering special requests. Would you like a daily refill of your ice bucket? Do you prefer only one pillow chocolate instead of two? Do you want a printed copy of the daily schedule even though your cruise line only offers them on request? Do you need four washcloths instead of two? Ask your room steward.

Service on a cruise is far more personalized than what you’ll receive at a standard hotel. For that reason, it’s customary (except on luxury cruises where gratuities are included) to tip your room steward for a job well done. Most cruise lines charge a per-passenger daily service fee that covers the cost, but many passengers choose to leave extra in cash at the end of their sailing if they feel their cabin attendant has gone above and beyond.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

  • The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
  • The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
  • The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
  • A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
  • 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
  • 15 ways cruisers waste money
  • The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

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What is a cabin steward on a cruise? Learn about the people who keep your room clean

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