THE CREW BAR

The cruise industry is not only about breathtaking itineraries and delivering lifetime experiences to guests. It is also home to the crew world, an entirely different universe hidden behind the glitz and glamour of guest areas. Once you've dove into ship slang and routes to navigate behind the scenes lifestyle, it's inevitable to experience the crew bar. After a long day of work, the crew bar is your hideaway from work life and your place to connect with fellow crew. It is where the friendships start and where you build strong relationships with your colleagues.

In my 13 years of onboard tenure and working for multiple brands, the crew bar emerged as a crew life social touchstone. Regardless if you've signed with Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Holland, premium, mainstream, or a luxury liner, the crew bar is a common area. A place to blend in and get to know the people, whether you are a new hire or relocated from another company, a crew bar equalizes the ranks, hosts parties, and is a social life pillar at high seas. So, even if you are a non-smoker, a non-drinker or an early bird, you may still find common interests within the crew bar area.

A few of the Crew Bar go-to tips:

• What happens in a crew bar, stays in a crew bar.
• Don’t be rude to the bartender in a crew bar - they provide the best of the service for the crew.
• If your friend had one too many, don’t call the security but make sure to escort him/her to their cabin.
• Drink responsibly - you are on the ship and have to be ready for the case of an emergency of any kind.
• Mind the cleanliness - put your waste and cigarette buds away rather than leaving it for cleaners to do so.

Interesting enough is the crew bar social phenomenon in times of pandemic and how the crew still finds ways to nurture their community, this time on social networks. Even virtual, the vibe is identical to what we had in real life - the crew keeps on commenting on ship occurrences related to a daily routine, like no pandemic at all. Social media helped us keep going strong, even though our industry is in slow motion. I love seeing the new bonds being created among the crew, regardless of their background or the company they were working for. All for one and one for all mentality materialized in a heartbeat emitting unity around the globe, reminding us of tolerance and togetherness.

That said, I am to log in and have my daily dose of positiveness in the Crew Bar, and you are welcome to come along.

Missing those lovely days (and nights) in the Crew Bar? Or, are you a first timer wishing to get the feeling of it? Create your profile and check out our latest job postings HERE.

*This story was written by an experienced crew member working on a cruise ship*