9 Things Cruise Ship Crews Notice About You As Soon As You Embark

Cruise ship crew members interact with hundreds, if not thousands, of passengers every week. Most people probably assume that TSA agents are watching them like a hawk at airport security, but you might be surprised to know that cruise staffers also have the ability to clock certain things about passengers very quickly. This ranges from personality traits like who is going to be entitled for the duration of the voyage to how much guests are likely to tip for exceptional service. 

To put together this guide, we've culled a mix of firsthand crew interviews published on news websites like the New York Post, Cruise Critic, and the blog Get Me On A Cruise. We also scoured Reddit threads, YouTube, and other social media discussions for first-hand accounts from cruise passengers to compile a list of nine things cruise ship crews notice about you as soon as you embark.

Understanding how cruise ship employees assess passengers at a glance or, at the very least, early in a voyage, can help you have a better experience next time you take a trip on the high seas. As you read this guide, you'll learn how to interact with staff, how to properly plan your vacation, and how the energy you bring onboard can impact the way you're viewed by the crew for the duration of your journey. And, if you're new to cruising, it's also wise to check out the unspoken cruise rules many first-time cruisers don't realize.

Unsurprisingly, one of the very first things cruise ship crew members notice about passengers is how they treat them. First impressions happen fast, often as people are boarding the ship or as soon as they walk into a ship store. One cruise ship employee named Lucy divulges insider information about her career on her Cruising As Crew YouTube account, sharing that she and her fellow workers loathe when they're trying to greet passengers only to get "completely ignored" in return. Lucy noted that a mere nod or a simple "hello" can go a long way toward ingratiating yourself to crew members. She said disregarding staff is "a little bit disrespectful and it's just not nice."

As Lucy suggested, seemingly small gestures like a simple greeting when you pass a crew member in the hallway or making eye contact at a buffet are sincerely appreciated by the crew. Longtime cruisers have also noticed that they have better journeys when they treat staff members with kindness right off the bat. One frequent cruise goer on the Get Me On A Cruise blog wrote that staff "are more likely to go the extra mile when guests communicate politely, follow onboard rules, and show understanding during busy periods." As with most situations in life, basic courtesy can go a long way toward improving your overall cruise experience. When you're kind to crew members, they're likely to be kind to you — which can possibly lead to some nice perks if you're lucky.

In certain cases, cruise crew members might know who you are even before you step onboard. "High rollers" or VIP guests — typically passengers who spend a lot of money, just like at the best casino hotels in Las Vegas — are sometimes part of loyalty or casino programs. Therefore, their names are often shared prior to embarkation. A former crew member posted on Reddit, "Casinos will be made aware of high rollers, stewards and waiters will learn the names of every passenger in their areas, etc." In the same thread, experienced cruisers discussed how ship technology, like headshots used for facial recognition, could help with identifying key passengers. Those who book high-end suites onboard are probably "flagged as someone the staff should personally greet," another Reddit user speculated.

On a Cruise Critic thread discussing a similar topic, another cruiser mused that lines may keep tabs on things like, "Passenger C spent a lot in the spa, Passenger D lost money in the casino and could not cover his onboard expenses ... Passenger G lives in a wealthy zip code." If you're a member of cruise casino rewards programs like Princess Cruises' Players Advantage, Royal Caribbean's Club Royale Rewards, Norwegian's Casinos at Sea Rewards, or Celebrity Cruises' Blue Chip Club, you could find yourself well on your way to becoming a high roller in your own right. Once you earn enough points by playing casino games or joining tournaments, you may be able to redeem them for perks ranging from free alcoholic beverages all the way up to comped cruises. And, once you get to a certain level of spending, you might find that cruise crew members start lavishing you with perks from the moment you arrive too.

Tipping is a huge part of cruise culture, whether you're paying your line's requisite per capita gratuities or tipping extra for exceptional service. Crew members get an early read on who is going to tip well based on both behavior and available information. For example, Gary Bembridge, the writer behind the Tips for Travellers blog, spoke to staff from multiple cruise lines who said that they sometimes "see the list of passengers that have taken off or reduced auto gratuities, so they know who has done it." If staff is aware that a passenger has reduced prepaid gratuities, it is likely to affect the level of service that person receives, even subconsciously. One person on Reddit pointed out that great service should be rewarded: "Your steward will know tips are included. That being said, if he/she is awesome, make sure you give an extra 20-100 at the end."

Actions also matter. Redditors discussed the bizarre items they've seen tipped in lieu of cash. "I watched a woman tip a cocktail server in the casino a couple of bite sized Kit Kat bars," one Reddit commenter lamented. Imagine the crew discussion about that particular "tip" after hours. The original poster of that thread, a crew member, confirmed that currency is king, saying that staff will judge you harshly for giving them anything other than cold, hard cash: "We do what we do because it's our job. Want to go the extra mile and show us your appreciation? Cash tips are welcome." To make your next vacation at sea easier, and even potentially ingratiate yourself to the crew, consider paying gratuities ahead of your cruise.

Americans tend to have certain unexpected traits and habits that Europeans notice right away, and these cultural differences extend to cruise ships. Crew members can easily tell when a passenger is American from the types of questions they ask, the effusiveness they expect staff to have, and how personalized they anticipate their onboard experience will be.

Details about this subject come primarily from Reddit threads regarding cruise passengers' experiences with crew members, particularly on European lines like MSC. One Redditor shared that they had a "weird" overall vibe on an MSC liner, stating the staff were "not rude exactly, just detached. Lots of finger-point 'hold on' gestures, very little eye contact." Other American travelers seconded this feeling on other European cruise brands as well. "On Norwegian, I've never heard 'no' so many times," said a different passenger on the thread.

Another Reddit user noted, "On Norwegian Viva ... I asked for a pomegranate martini. I was told they only make 'classic' martinis...even though all the ingredients for other 'flavored' martinis are there." In many cases, though, it seems that what Americans perceive as subpar service may simply be a more reserved demeanor that's common for many Europeans. One Redditor pointed out that the excessive happiness that is expected by customer service and hospitality employees is more common in the United States than it is in Europe. Another commenter on the same thread agreed, "I think some of this is cultural — it's how I generally expect service to be as a European. Feels more authentic than being overly friendly."

While there are tons of tips for planning your dream cruise vacation, not everyone properly preps ahead of time. It's not hard for cruise crew members to tell how prepared cruisers are almost as soon as they board. This information comes from crew members who were interviewed for the travel blog Tips for Travellers. According to cruise staff, one of the most common mistakes newer or unprepared passengers make is failing to pre-book their preferred reservations prior to boarding. More experienced cruisers generally pre-plan what they'd like to do for excursions, meals, onboard activities, and so on — long before embarkation.

Passengers who are unsure of what to do first when they board, rush to book activities, or express immediate frustration about availability end up looking clearly inexperienced to crew members. Of course, as long as these passengers are respectful and courteous, cruise staff are happy to help them. Should you ever find yourself in a situation where you're unprepared upon boarding a cruise ship, the best course of action is to nicely approach a guest services desk or use your cruise line's app to try to sort out your desired bookings. In some cases, like with Disney's Royal Gathering, Princess meet and greet aboard the ship, and Royal Caribbean's shore excursions, spots are held for people to reserve once the journey is underway.

Crew members acknowledge that it's usually easy to tell what type of vacationer a person is at first glance. On Reddit, one cruise line crew member said that many companies cater to particular types of passengers, whether they're young 20-somethings looking for a party, families with kids, or even working professionals and academics. If a rowdy bachelor party arrives on a Disney Cruise Line voyage, it might raise some eyebrows, but this group would be normal on a line like Carnival. Similarly, if a sophisticated retired couple decided to book with Royal Caribbean rather than a line like Viking, they would undoubtedly stand out to crew members. As the Redditor suggested, "Do your research and find out what line appeals to your particular interests."

Passengers share this opinion. In a different Reddit thread, the original poster was attempting to book a cruise without major partiers on board. One frequent passenger suggested on the thread, "Avoid cruises with any of this criteria if you don't want a party crowd: leaves from Florida, 5 days or less, smaller/cheaper ship, happens over Summer/Holidays/Spring Break." 

While it is, of course, impossible to generalize all of the passengers on any given cruise ship, it is typically easy to tell right away who is going to party for the entire journey and who is looking for relaxation. The more raucous a party is during embarkation, the more likely their antics are to continue, especially on shorter cruise itineraries.

While this topic is a bit morbid for some, it's still true that cruise crew members will key in on passengers who could be at risk of death during their upcoming journey. In a Reddit thread where users asked cruise ship employees questions, the subject of shipboard morgues came up. One Reddit poster, seemingly a frequent cruiser or crew member — they did not specify which, but the thread was aimed at workers — mentioned that the high percentage of elderly passengers on many cruises means "just about every cruise ship has some sort of morgue that acts as a temporary hold for the deceased." Another crew member on Reddit confirmed, "We've had 10-15 people die on our ship."

Some passengers have had firsthand experiences with crew check-ins. A Redditor on another thread shared a rather wild personal tale about how their now-ex partner continued to vacation while they were ill in the room: "I had the ship Dr along with our room steward come and check on me." Although this story is humorous in hindsight, it's important to be aware of the fact that crew are trained to be hyper-observant of certain passengers who haven't been seen on security footage for a while, or appear visibly unwell.

"After 2 days the ships management came to her room and forced her to let them inspect," another poster on Reddit shared about their cruise ship next door neighbors. A cruise line employee on the same thread confirmed that this was what crew members are trained to do if they were dealing with someone who is unresponsive. If you don't leave your cabin for a few days or are showcasing signs of illness, don't be surprised if you receive a check-in.

Although this might seem surprising, it is possible that crew members will know who you are when you board your cruise as a result of your social media presence. In a Reddit conversation discussing how crew members identify passengers, multiple commenters shared their experiences with staff and management going out of their way to give them extra attention if they had an active social media presence. One passenger on Reddit even shared a personal anecdote involving the former CEO and current chairman of Carnival Corp., saying, "I would tweet at Micky Arison that I would be going on a specific sailing, just for kicks ... This led to us receiving very special treatment like eating dinner at the Captain's table, champagne delivered to our room, and other special little things."

While this story has to do with contacting a cruise line's C-suite via social media, the onboard crew also knows who is a high-profile passenger. A former crew member on Reddit confirmed that the aforementioned passenger lists the crew receives could absolutely include social media profiles. Another commenter shared that one passenger's slightly negative live review on Cruise Critic led to some free meals. They wrote, "The ship had figured out who [the reviewers] were and came to offer a second dinner and discuss their concerns." Another passenger on the same thread shared that they've seen cruise bloggers and influencers get specifically called out onboard by staff.

While the idea of influencers and content creators receiving free cruises or other onboard perks is controversial in some cruising circles, the fact remains that crew members may instantly notice who these people are when they come aboard. What you do with that knowledge is up to you.

One of the easiest things for crew members to quickly deduce about cruise passengers is their level of entitlement. In a Reddit thread about how cruise culture has changed in recent years, frequent cruisers discussed the rise of entitlement. The original Reddit poster shared several experiences, including ordering "a drink from one of the open deck bars ... Was told off by an older lady that there was a queue to be respected and that I should stand and wait behind her." The Redditor also recounted another off-putting instance when a mom of two underage children decided to attend a comedy show meant for people over 18. When asked to leave, she apparently "raged towards other guest and comedian and made a huge scene," according to the poster.

Other commenters recalled similar experiences, with one Redditor noting a lady who aggressively disregarded others by claiming two deck chairs at once, even as another guest was about to sit down on one of them. This same sort of behavior has been a topic of conversation in news outlets as well. An article in the New York Post shared ongoing debates surrounding cruise ship behavior. While the article didn't specifically quote crew members, it did quote a TikTok user, who said, "This is what you call entitlement on a cruise ship; saving all these pool chairs."

Another Redditor described a shocking situation in which a man who was told he would be cut off after his next alcoholic beverage "got his drink and then threw it at the bartender glass and all ... He spent 48 hrs in cruise jail." Thanks to these types of behavior, it is not difficult for crew members to almost immediately figure out which guests are going to act difficult and entitled.