I met a lot of great people, made a few friends and the passengers were generous with tips. I met two writers and an amazing traveler form Brazil. 

She would always come to my bar during cocktail hours, she was always alone and set there quietly drinking her champagne and reading a book. There was a sophistication about her and she was always very polite and happy. One night she sat at a table in an even greater mood. 

She shared the great news with me and told me that one of her Cook books just got an award for a book of the year. She said it with such confidence and with a smile on her face. 

I was thrilled and said, “That’s amazing, you need to drink to it”. I ran to the bar and got another champagne bottle and a different glass in which I put a strawberry. I opened the bottle with a smile on my face, filled the glass and said “Congratulations! This is my treat and I wish you much success in the years to come”. She was quite confused because she expected that she should treat me and not the other way around. 

I explained that in my country we celebrate and drink to success, regardless if it’s ours or someone we like. At the end of the cruise she left an envelope for me, it contained a 100 Dollars, a letter where she thanked me for my kindness and great work and her business card. 

I received a lot of letters and tips like that. One couple always gave me big hugs, others would give me great compliments, and one passenger gave a CD with Tina Turners’ greatest hits. Whenever she saw me she would start singing one of those songs to me. 

Such niceties make the job easier plus it makes the passengers have a better time. I respected the passengers because if it wasn’t for them none of us would have a job. 

There were passengers from all over the world but most of them were from USA, Canada, and Australia. There were also people from Europe and some from South America. Mostly people older than 50, some of them were retired and some were still working but with more free time. 

So cruises are a good way to have some fun and enjoy the time they have left in their lives. You witness a lot of things on these cruises – from the good to the horrible. 

Some of the worst things you could experience are the rude guests who get aggressive when they have too much to drink. There are also those who give you the kindest compliments and are very charming but only in an attempt to get a free drink. 

My tactics were great and I was able to earn a lot of money. 

I’ve met a few amazing people that I will always remember. An older couple, the wife was a retired school teacher and the husband was a retired truck driver. They started going on cruises as soon as they retired.

 They were incredibly nice and polite, never ordering around but rather asking in a calm voice if I could do something. 

I spoke with them a lot and I really enjoyed it. Since it was their anniversary 

I put a Happy Anniversary card on their cabin door with a few balloons. I also gave them a few glasses of champagne and strawberries dipped in chocolate as a gift. They were more than thrilled and happy. We took a few photos together. 

I also liked them because the wife told me that they currently live in a camper and that they travel all over the county with it. They decided to do that when both their children got married and left. They sold their house and bought a super modern camper, with a separate kitchen and eating area, a bedroom and a small bathroom. I was told that campers like that can cost up to 500.000 Dollars. I was a bit shocked when I heard that but it didn’t matter because she was so excited when she talked about their travels and they can go where ever they want. 

And also how she didn’t have to spend too much time cleaning like she did when they lived in a house. 

Millie and Douglas were the second couple, even more special. Whenever I saw them my mood brightened because they were so charming and kind, always ready to joke around. Sometimes they would hug me, almost like they knew that I was having a bad day. 

I still have them as friends on Facebook as well as a lot of other amazing passengers I’ve met over the years.