When you join a cruise crew, you not only have to go through rigorous training, but you also have to learn a new language! Ok, ok… Not an entirely new language but you do have to speak in code so you can communicate with the crew without letting passengers know what’s going on.
There is pretty much a term for every single eventuality imaginable. For example, Code Alpha is code for a medical emergency, while Code Bravo is a signal for Fire on board. Then there is Code Oscar, which is what the crew says when they mean “man overboard.” There are many other examples too.
Flooding is Fairly Frequent
You would think that the whole point of being on a boat (or a cruise ship) is to float ABOVE the water. Well, apparently that is not always the case. While many ships are prepared and have preventative measures to stop from sinking, there have been many occasions when flooding has still happened.
Take the following story, for example. Unlucky passengers on a 2018 Carnival Dream cruise ship experienced a flood that affected 50 staterooms caused by a water line break. So it goes to show that water can find its way on board any ship. We are sure the Cruise company was ...flooded...with complaints!
Isolation Station
Since it is no easy (or cheap) feat to get continuous internet access while on board, most cruise crew members lose touch with the outside world for the duration of their work trip. This can lead many crew members to feel extremely isolated, and a sense of hopelessness knowing that they don't have direct access to the outside world.
Not only do they lose touch with family and friends, but the world news events often go unnoticed until they return to shore. Talk about going off the grid! Thankfully, many cruise ships are improving their Wi-Fi capabilities, addressing this problem for the long term.
Ignorance Is Bliss
Like every other emergency, fires breaking out on board are terrifyingly NOT uncommon. After all, there are plenty of sources of fire on a cruise ship. There are engines. There is gas. There is electricity. The list goes on and on. And yet, if you have ever been a cruise passenger you might not have even been made aware of a fire emergency.
That's right, it is generally a Cruise ship policy to only alert passengers of fire if it's necessary for their safety. So while you're enjoying your dinner above deck, below there could be a fire raging! Yikes.
Stay on the Ship!
Cruise workers have their schedules planned out in detailed shifts. This includes telling them when they can disembark from the ship. This way, the ship can always guarantee that they are adequately staffed in absolutely every single department. And it goes both ways. Not only do they need to make sure they're never understaffed, but overstaffing can lead to burnout.
It's strictly forbidden to get off the ship if you're on shift. Even if you are particularly sneaky, there's no way of breaking this rule! Why? While it's your shift, your identification documentation and passports are confiscated by the captain.