Cruise secrets: Cruise worker reveals ‘ridiculous’ truth about staff parties below deck

Cruise ship workers travel the world as part of their job. Though they spend their lives onboard cruise ships, the experience below deck is certainly different from that enjoyed by passengers.

Indeed, the anonymous crew member isn’t the only one to make the party revelation.

In his 2018 book Chronicles of a Cruise Ship Crew Member, Joshua Kinser remembers “never having to walk far for a celebration” during his years on deck.

“Once a month on most ships, the cruise ship company paid for an official crew party, usually with a theme like ‘70s Disco party,’ or ‘Dress Up Like a Superhero,'” he writes.

“These parties were often helpful when ship life began to get us down.

“It was always enjoyable to have the opportunity to bring music to the crew and entertain those who worked so hard on the ship.”

It’s not just onboard the ship the staff enjoy themselves either, much like guests, they too make the most of port stops – particularly ones with overnight itineraries.

“These are the best nights,” he recalls.

“Went to a club and it was mostly crew and locals, few guests. It was a riot, also there was a monsoon going on.

“When we left we just walked to the ship, in less than a minute I might as well have just jumped in the ocean.”

Though these nights of carnage surely had some subsequent hangovers to match, it seems they were some of the key nights for the anonymous worker.

“These were all so fun,” he concludes. “Everyone is overworked and the time to release the stress was not wasted.”