Sex, Drugs, and Scandal on Cruise Ships: Cruising as Crew Exposed 

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As an American I can tell you that we hate the tip culture also. If companies would pay their employees a living wage it might go away. On the other hand, it has become so ingrained in us that it takes us aback to not tip.

Tipping back in the 90s was because servers made $2.50 per hour. Now they expect a tip for coffee & everything else. I agree it's ridiculous as an American. Great video lots of good info thanks!!

I loved my time as a traveling Registered Nurse. My traveling career lasted for twenty-one years total, two of those years were on Cruise Ships. Those assignments were a high point in my life with great memories.

Fantastic interview with Lucy. Very entertaining, she is such a lovely person. Well done guys.

I've been a customer on three cruises with three different lines. Disney is on another level in terms of customer service and overall experience. The staff was simply amazing.

I feel sorry for crew members who have to work long hours, away from home, for many months at a time, serving a contract and having to deal with quite a few, snobbish, bossy, sexist, racist and drunk passengers who expect everything at a click of a finger. Plus having to live in shared, cramp, accommodation with little privacy. I feel that many of the super rich cruise corporations, their directors and shareholders are financially abusing people from across the world, especially those from poor countries, but I know that everybody will immediately reply by saying it is their choice. I feel that working conditions and basic salaries should be much better, especially for those working behind the scenes in the laundry, kitchen etc. It’s good to know that not all cruise companies treat there staff badly, but the majority sadly do 😢

Great interview! Another thing to think about in regard to uniforms is to not worry about the polo, your increased pay is what really matters and why you go through the training.

A really interesting segment, made all the better by Lucy. Her personality, knowledge and presentation are exceptional.

Fantastic interview! Thank you for having Lucy as your guest! You guys demystified some of the 'myths' onboard a ship. Listening from the Philippines! 😊

I had the pleasure of sailing on a cruise while Lucy was with DCL for a short time. She is just as charming in person as she is on vlog posts.

More than once I’ve seen an older man travelling with two much younger glamorous women, all in the same cabin. I’ve also seen these ladies travelling solo or in pairs hanging out in the bars every evening dressed up to the nines and on the prowl.

I am an extrovert, but more than 20 years ago I was a reserved introvert. I changed when I became a solo traveller in foreign countries. I had to converse with unknown people to survive. Now I will just talk to anyone and think nothing of it.

I have followed Lucy for years and really miss her working on the ships.

Loved this lucy is very engaging! So many good stories. I agree the drinking is difficult one, she is right it’s very targeted! Wow those stories of people she shared with from god to handcuffs! Thanks for sharing and all I can say is so glad I have 3 massages booked for next cruise 😀

Compelling passengers to pay for simple drinking water on a cruise is practically criminal. It's one reason why I love cruising on VV.

Interesting conversation regarding the “stripe system”. I, myself, have rarely had an enjoyable experience in dealing with officers on cruise ships. Having not sailed on Virgin (yet), I can’t speak to them but on other lines there is a definite class system in place and I largely find officers insufferable. And lower class workers are definitely afraid of officers. I’ll certainly respect the position of the officer’s role but I’ve witnessed officers look down upon passengers as if the passenger was something to be scraped off the bottom of their shoe. I don’t care how long you’ve trained for your stripes, you put on your pants the same way I do, and to act like you’re better than anyone else is off-putting. And to feel the need to wear your stripes to remind people of just who you are shows a level of insecurity that is off the charts.

If I have to stand to order and get my food I do not tip. Period.

As an American I'll says tipping culture is confusing. At the grocer I gather, self scan and bag my groceries, run my card and get a popup on the register asking for a tip of like 25%.

I always like hearing what Lucy has to say. That was a great interview. I am interested in hearing what it’s like working on a ship, any ship from a crew perspective. I enjoy cruising from time to time and always treat crew with respect as their jobs are difficult enough without a passenger being an arsehole. All the best from Sydney Australia 🇦🇺

As an older gay man myself, this is one reason why I would not be inclined to go on an all-gay cruise, because of the increased possibility of male rape and male sexual assault at sea - apps like Grindr might not be available on a cruise ship (even though I don’t use any such apps) but I’d be even more worried about my personal safety on a cruise ship then I would be on land

I’m about to go on my first cruise as a passenger next week. I’ve been watching a lot of videos, so I think that is why I got this video in my recommendations on RU-vid. I was a U.S. Navy sailor for 9 years. This was very interesting to me. I’d like to see a video that explains more about the differences between I guess what would be ship staff and hotel staff. I also found it interesting how all of you talked about needing time to wind down- crew bar was mentioned. US Navy ships are dry, but we would be in port with UK, AUS and other country’s warships and they would have bars onboard. I got to visit a couple of them and it was quite the culture shock. I also agree with what you guys were talking about with American tipping culture. I hate it. Like she said, I paid you to do your job, I shouldn’t have to pay more for that. Great video, glad I found this!

lol the story of the handncuffs cracked me up that he left her there BUT on a serious note ...what the hell would have happened if Lucy handnt come back and therewas some sort of shipwide emergency in betwee the 3 hrs? such as going to muster staitions? her poor cabin mate would have been stuck there like Jack dawson in titanic as the ship sank!

Some Male Workers , sell their Ship Worker GF to other Shipworker guys on the ship. I know because I got to sleep with one of these crew members. The husband was charging , offering

Hi. Very enjoyable interview, thanks. Even though I've never wanted to take a cruise! Lucy comes across as a very good people person.

0.05 is like nothing. Same with 0.08 which is DUI level in FL. This policy just says that if youre not teetotaling the can get rid of you if they like.

Great choice of guest! I have no interest in being a crew member and I still watch her weekly vlogs. She has a way of making the topic somehow interesting to me.

As an American, I tip true service individuals like waitstaff, a hair stylist if she doesn't own the shop, and the like. I will not tip at Starbucks, fast-food places, and the like. Also, if the waiter gives crap service, then I will not tip, and if they were rude, then I will leave a penny. If they are awesome I like to tip higher than normal. I don't think that just because someone works in a job like that they deserve a tip if they didn't do their job fully. I have worked a lot of commission jobs, and if you don't do a good job you don't get paid for it. Tips are exactly that a commission that has to be earned. As far as crew on cruise ships, I don't have a problem paying the 18% gratuity, as I see it as just the cost of the cruise, and that tips even people that I can't see to tip. That said, I will also give the tips above for exceptional service. The first one is just part of their pay, and to remove that part of their pay is rude. If we didn't have a tip culture on the cruise ships the cruise lines would raise the cost of the cruise by that much or more. That is why I feel I should tip the service staff for good service on top of that, because the reality is that isn't a tip, it is part of their pay just separated out as gratuity which is kind of stupid. But you would still need to tip the service people for good service even if they were paid more by the cruise lines.

Gentlemen, thank you for a fun, insightful, and brilliant interview. As an American who doesn't sail on cruiseships, I was not aware of you all / your channel, but my late Mom and I have been big fans of Lucy for years now, so youtube pointed me here! (so thanks to youtube as well?) It's always nice to hear Lucy's insights and I love this long-format style, as well as your superb questions. Thanks again guys....Fair winds!

Even St. Peter’s Basilica has a ‘tip’ box! 😊

Really great interview! We really enjoyed hearing stories from Lucy

That's was a great interview, I've been a big fan of Lucy for a while now, It was nice to see her in a long format interview.

That was good guys , well done and thanks

Came across this video purely by accident. Once I started watching, I couldn't stop. Great hosts and great guest. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the goings on on a cruise ship. PS American tipping is a joke. You get tips for delivering exceptional service not because your bosses are too stingy to you crews a proper wage.

I'm an American and I agree with the British tipping idea. Only Exemplary service deserves a tip! The tipping in America has gotten out of hand! Looking back ; I'm thinking the tipping for everything had gotten worse when COVID hit and people did not go out for their meals and businesses like UBER eats and Door Dash came into being,

Wooooo go Lucy!! ❤

As an American, we hate tipping as well.

Who knew massage was a degree level vocation?

Thank you very much for interesting insights into cruise ship life. I was offered the chance to work on a cruise ship doing theater tech several decades ago but passed; I'm sure the industry is radically different today. The prostitution discussion left out a 3rd aspect, cruise passengers plying their services to other passengers. I'm sure if caught doing this, the passenger would be set adrift in a lifeboat & banned for life...

What do you mean you can’t drink the tap water? Every cruise I have been on states it’s safe to drink. Do you mean the crew gets different water? Of course introverts can succeed there. I am one and was a performing musician when I was young, and now give training and presentations to peers and customers. I get my down time to recharge and so would they.

Long trips, away from home family and friends, shxx pay, shxx accomodations, special bar, cheap drinks , but ridiculously low BAL expectations. What a great job.

Super interesting interview. I wish I was 40 years younger

Great crossover with Lucy. Thanks for this guys.

I think you don’t understand tipping if you’re giving Starbucks baristas tips.

You don't need to tip at a take-out (take-away), they are paid minimum wage at least. Its the wait-staff in a sit-down restaurant, sky-caps (if they still existed) thats paid well below minimums as it is classed legally as a tipped job.

Fantastic video love you guys and Lucy too😊quick question went on Ventura this year and going on Discovery 2 next will I find this ship quite different? Thanks x

The problem with the USAian tipping culture is that the CEO's and what not can hide behind underpaying their workers salary instead of paying a proper and decent salary. The workers should have a proper wage so you only tip when it's deserved.

Two fingers or hand…hilarious!

*signs up for spa package* 😂

when my massage school had a speaker come in about working on a cruise ship...I was like, no way in hell

Cruising sounds like hell.

I don't understand having drinks being so cheap for the crew and then getting upset and firing them when they drink too much. Any alcohol impairs thus all crew should never drink. All crew will then be ready for any emergency. You state that if the crew drinks and have a good time then the experience for everyone will be better. I say if you need alcohol to have a good time and can not do it with out then something is terribly wrong with that person.

Vomit?! At the spa?! 😮😅

Drinking: drink at beginning of off time. Sleep 8 hours after drink before duty

Sh😂 has definitely been there done that!

Do you or did you make more money in the spa 18% gratuity added?!?

We just did virgin and if it was our first ever cruise I would never cruise again it was garbage and that’s being nice.

Hi, fascinating video, I worked on P&O Arcadia in the 70ies, loved every minute of it. I was a 3rd Baker in the dessert section. I worked in several different areas of that department. For me in my twenties to see the world and get paid it was a dream job. I managed to save enough money to put a deposit on a house

Ever worked on a nudist cruise???

The girl is a waste of space done it all know it all them gets caught out

Sadly never found any extra mural activities available on any of the cruises I have been on. Even tanning topless was not allowed, except for the guys?

Damn, always knew the pay was awful, hence the reliance on cheap labour from abroad. But, would've thought they paid the brits/other countries the minimum wage equiv? Then again, I imagine there's no shortage of folks lining up to be paid even less to travel. Even still...£1k-£1.2k is criminal. Not like this is some charitable endeavour either...these are highly profitable multi billion £ industries. Anyhow, a good interview. Never been on a cruise, always give off the vibe of old folk dogging/fat yanks/annoying families, but it's an interesting industry nonetheless. I do like the idea of long term cabin with balcony rental sailing across the world. Perfect for wfh/remote workers like me who hop around Europe/the world in airbnbs...or the niche world of living out of all inclusive hotel resorts in off season for like £1k a month. I'd take a month long cheap cruise.

A great interview with Lucy Southerton ( i would even though she prob cat say) Ask what cruise lines she has worked for out of interest? TBH i have only ever done thompson / marella in all my cruising days ( pre pandemic) My partner allways called them butlins on sea (tbh i thought that was a bit unfair as the staff , food entertainment was and is allways top notch ) so they were older and smaller ships ..as you mentioned marella in the vid... Not done carnival, RCL, cunard etc as thompson / marella allways offered the all inclusive drinks as a pax as in drink alcohol from 10 am till 2 am (no limit) and NEVER once did i see a pax totaly pissed to the point of falling over / abusive through being drunk or crew either ! ( i suppose it just the way us crusing brits are we know when enough is enough!) where as the amenrican lines you get a drink package and liimted to so many drinks a day or up to a certain ammount! (back when they were thompson..marella as they are now branded ) if you booked early enough you got the AI free or had to pay for it ...these days marella are AI across the fleet .... .going back to what Lucy says about crew alcohol intake ...in the past on thompson / marella ship a LOT of the entertinments crew ..mailny those ( including the cruise director ) could be found in a lot of the public bars and would accept drinks purchaes by passengers (even though the had a crew bar) so they would have def been over that limit she mentioned! BUT also as A pax made some great friends on marella / thomson with the entertianments crew too ..and IF you cruised with them again on the various ships they had / have ( i know they crew change round even the resturant bar staff too from ship to ship IF you were a reg cruiser with them evein if it was over a year ago ALL the crew remembered you from the last time be they bar staff , resturant staff or entertainment staff! that is something you Dont get all the time! ) BUT i suppose they have tightend up those restrictions now ( last cruise i went on was 2013 ) BUT sometimes that out of hrs (as in not working) interaction with the pax made the cruise for myself as it showed they were not aloof and out of the way ( even though i know sometimes it was a total ball ache for them to do that interaction outside of working hrs if you get my drift?)"all part of the customer smiely smiley interaction the crew have to do and put on a good face of the cruise line ..i get it ....I used to work in pubs and clubs and part of an entertianments crew when i was in my 20s so had to do the same sort of thing so totaly get that! As for the sex thing lol .....OBV i dont know what went on crew wise BUT on a Thomson cruise round the med on board Destiny as a PAX (and i know crew /Pax sexual interaction can get you fired!) ONE of the entertainments crew sent a guy over (part of the entertinments crew BUT not shows) to sit with myself and my BF as they knew he was gay ..and he was flirting etc BUT I was cool about it and friendly BUT also said a firm NO to that as No 1 because i didnt want him to lose his job (and maybe was set up by the other crew memberber who sent him over ..you never know some crew are like that sadly!) NO 2 i was on the crusie with my partner even though we had open relationship and 3 we didnt want to get chucked off mid cruise ! ...he was a realy nice guy not my type BUT i didnt want o end his cruise career ..we sat had some drinks and a good old chat! thats were i left it so i CAN understand LUCY'S point of view on that topic ...as i know crew and pax interactions only go so far and crew aint allowed to have hook ups with pax! ( im sure it does happen but if found out it will cost the crew thier job! ) 😘 i did say to him though OUTSDE of work then we would be friends as thats different and your outside personal life! the cruise lines cant stop that as its personal and outside of work if you get my dift? met a few gay crew on thomson over the years ....sadly not trveled with them since the rebranding ...BUt still one of my fave lines to cruise with! even though tips are included with marella / thomson as they allways have been ... we ALWAYS tip our cabin steward, restuarnt staff who served us and the bar staff to the bars we went to all the time because they got to know you and gave outstanding service and got to know you! so we ALLWAYS left a tip on top to them even though we techinical did not have to as all tips were included in the price of the cruise! Sorry guys for my long comment by the way! 😉

Who cares what these people think? Not me. May they evolve

Come on the guy got thirsty and went to get a drink 🥃 he had worked up a big thirst And the reason you trained so long is to have a higher paying position not to walk around and think your better than the other people on the ship , I can’t stand people with egos like that I would treat a janitor the same way if not better than the CEO of the company

Lift duty…Huh, he he…

Hard to bring drugs onboard a cruise ship? 🤔😂 please.🌨️🌨️🌨️🥦🥦🥦💊💊💊

oooo sailer

Americans dont like it either 😏

Poor interview, poor interviewers

Massage degree?

You trained x years but the other functions work decades to get where they are - whats the difference?

The main difference with cruise gratuities is that European countries add them to the fare you pay upfront, so the initial fare is higher. Americans pay them separately. No one way is better than the other.

What utter bloody nonsense

I am always Always wondering why these things are even offered Come on now, 99.9 percent of women have a hair stylist and nail stylist and whatever. I'm not gonna take a chance not one goddamn chance, even for free....... for some random

What a LOUSY softball interview with a CLUELESS crew member acting like Kamala Harris.

My spa therapist used to let me play with her Kotex. Or if it was full she would let me change it.

I would imagine