The Unique Human Connection Elements Of The Cruise Experience .
• THE UNITED NATIONS A cruise ship ’ s complement 2 can be comprised of people from 60 or more countries . Normally , the majority of the crew will be from Pan-Asia countries such as the Philippines , India , Thailand and Indonesia , with the remainder of the crew from countries large and small , near and far . The result is a virtual United Nations sailing onboard .
Accordingly , when onboard a cruise ship , a strong multi-cultural atmosphere prevails . Guests enjoy being in an environment comprised of people from different countries . The crew ’ s diversity immediately transports a guest from being at home to being somewhere different , like , well . . . on vacation . A cruise ship ’ s unique physical environment and international flavor further confirms in the guest ’ s mind the exotic and adventurous nature of being on a holiday at sea .
• MAKING DEEP CONNECTIONS The nature of the cruise product creates significant opportunities for the guests and crew to meet and interact in meaningful ways . A stateroom steward will be assigned to take care of the accommodations of a guest , and will often ask for their food , beverage and cabin set-up preferences , becoming a de facto concierge and going far beyond just keeping the cabin clean and tidy . Stewards often create “ surprise and delight ” moments by making animal shapes fashioned out of towels or creating other conversationmaking memories . Interactions with stateroom stewards can be frequent and fun .
The favorite pastime of cruise guests – eating and drinking – provides a significant opportunity to engage with the food and beverage staff . While going to the same table for dinner each night is no longer the prevailing norm , it is still very common for guests to exchange stories , celebrate special events and tell a few jokes with the same bar and waitstaff on many different occasions throughout a voyage .
Finally , whether browsing in the ship ’ s duty-free shops , going to the spa or casino , or just roaming around , a ship ’ s crew is omnipresent , interesting and engaging . Over the course of a 5 , 7 or 10-day voyage , faces and routines become familiar , and interpersonal engagements inevitably result .
All of these chances to connect increase significantly on “ sea days ” when the ship is moving from one port to another . The passengers , of course , cannot leave the ship , and engage in a multitude of crew-led activities onboard 3 .
Working at sea is not at all easy . The hours can be long , work tiring , opportunities for relaxation limited and , of course , each crew member spends extended periods of time away from family and friends . ( Depending on the position , this can range from 3 to 9 months , sometimes longer ). Guests will often ask crew members about their home country , life onboard , and what it is like to be away from their families for so long . Crew members love to get their family “ fix ” by engaging with the children of the guests . Feelings of compassion and empathy often arise which lead to forming more meaningful bonds between them . It is not uncommon for guests to book a specific voyage solely
2 . “ Complement ” is a reference to the number and type of crew members needed to fully staff a vessel . 3 . I would say that the Disney theme parks also lend themselves to significant interaction between cast members and guests .
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