A veteran cruise ship crew member has lifted the lid on the behaviours that annoy staff the most, urging passengers to be more considerate. Lucy Southerton, who has worked on cruise ships for nine years, shared the insights on her YouTube channel Cruising as Crew, which has over 65,000 subscribers.
According to Southerton, leaving cabins in a state of chaos is a major frustration for housekeeping and stewarding staff. She emphasised that their job is to clean and sanitise, not to tidy up after guests. 'It's crazy to think they're only on board for five days because of the amount of stuff that's everywhere,' she said, appealing for passengers to show respect.
Another grievance is unwanted romantic or flirtatious advances towards crew members, which Southerton described as a form of sexual harassment. She recounted instances where male cabin crew felt uncomfortable when passengers overstepped boundaries. 'It's hard when they take it another way and they think that they have a chance with you just because you're a sexy crew member,' she explained.
Lack of basic courtesy, such as failing to say 'please' and 'thank you', also irks staff. Southerton recalled passengers barking orders without politeness, stressing the need for respectful conduct, especially on holiday. Finally, she criticised passengers who flaunt their wealth, particularly in front of crew members working hard to support their families. 'Brag to people who are on a similar level to you,' she advised, urging consideration and compassion.
