Five Types of Crew Who Work on Cruise Ship

Apr 08, 2016

As a crew member on board a cruise ship you will find people from all over the world with different characters. Sharing this small space of working and living environment, people are not only categorized by crew, staff and officers but also with their individual characteristics. 

Clearly not all crew can be categorized by this list. While a lot of them fit into the categories, remember to recognize everyone and celebrate the differences together with the similarities.

1. Old-Timers

The Old-Timers have decided to make ships their permanent home. These select group of people have found great meaning in their sea life. Some of them have climbed on high positions in the company, others are satisfied with their starting postions. This people have more than 10 contratcs on cruise ship. Their patience with guests is remarkable because they have seen it all, and no one can make them upset. They are like machines and can do their job with their eyes closed.

2. The Complainer

It doesn’t matter if they working 14 hours a day, or 7 – you are going to hear “I work way too much”, “I’m so tiered today”, this phrases they are repeating daily during entire contract. They deserve a gold medal in inventing different situations for complain and nothing is up to their standards on cruise ship. While listening to them drone on and on you can’t help to think, and realize the small pleasures in life they are missing.

3. The Sapo, Kiss-Ass

Sapo is a word used by crew members to mark a crew member who is a snitch. What workplace wouldn’t be complete without sapo. They’ll suck up to their supervisor relentlessly, in hope to get extra time off, in the best ports, better work schedule, or they do this to get promotion.  No one likes sapo, except the supervisors, because they need to know what is going on with their crew personal life and professional performances. All  colleagues try to avoid the sapo and when he’s around they don’t talk to much in his presence. 

4. The Lovers - Sharks

Spending late nights at the crew bar, the Lovers are always on the hunt for romantic relationship – or so it seems. They are also known as Sharks because their style is fast and lethal to the targeted person and the crew bar is their hunting place. Their favorite pray are the newcomers aka fresh meat. Aldo the cruise ship is a small living environment, usually they are involved in at least two relationships at the same time.

5. Mamagayo 

Every Crew member knows Mamagaio (using work time for activities that have nothing to do with work.) It's killing time, all this of course, without your supervisor finding out. This are the lazy crew members trying to do all kinds of thing just not their duties. On the cruise ship there are plenty mamagaios who play smart by not killing them self’s from lots of work.