Secrets The Cruise Lines Don’t Like Talking About

[@tamarapetrov4990]

I was on one cruise where someone just a few cabins up died and it was kind of interesting in a morbid way. We did hear "operation rising star", and everyone in our section of the deck was asked to stay in our cabins, or away from them, depending where we already were. I was in my cabin (and stayed there as told), so heard the commotion in the hall as the body was removed. But moments later there was so much noise I had to look out.... we had a mainly east Asian crew... they were doing a whole dragon dance through the halls like you'd see at Chinese New Year with the full on puppet dragon, lots of things to make noise. I just had to ask one about it when he stopped to ask how I knew to have a dragon dressing gown on (total coincidence)... I was told it was a ceremony to send the departed soul on their way. The interesting things you come across on ships!

[@isabelperez3967]

Zzz as A

[@bisho1p]

@@noname-JSHow is that horrifying? People die all the time. It’s not like you get to pick and choose where when it’s your time. I’d rather be at sea than in a hospital bed or in a nursing home.

[@mistybridges6612]

There are SO many undercover attendees onboard. I realized this when we (my husband, underage son, and myself) cruised in 2015. My son, went missing. Yes, we gave him the freedom to roam in certain areas. Well, we weren't able to locate him. We went and reported him to security. There were 100's of people searching for my child that you would believe were regular passengers. They carried his photo and found him within an hour. I was extremely thankful.

[@bh6246]

@Misty Bridges... I just randomly burst into tears over this. Thank you for sharing this. Was he okay? I'm cruising in July with my two older teenage sons. One is going to be almost 18 and he's a very large and tall young man, so I feel like he's finally aged out of predator territory. But my 14 yo, while also tall and big for his age, still has a baby face. I want to let them roam because they're on vacation too. If you wouldn't mind sharing some details about what happened to you I would really appreciate it. I don't want to make the wrong decision. Thank you.

[@mistybridges6612]

@@bh6246 he was perfectly fine. He made his way to the main deck and was watching a movie on the huge screen outside. Never had a problem. We were just scared because we couldn't locate him quickly enough. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. But, my son is over 18 now. I hope y'all have a great time!!

[@kaylarose9012]

@@bh6246 I went on a school excursion when I was 15. Went on a cruise to the south pacfic. We were allowed to roam the cruise ship wherever we wanted with no adult supervision... we were all also girls. No need to stress

[@Skorpychan]

Could well have been off-duty crew rather than dedicated detective types.

[@mistybridges6612]

@@Skorpychan it could have been, but, it wasn’t. They were dedicated security.

[@vickyburton2434]

On my daughter’s first RC cruise, she had a young man who would not leave her alone. After following her for 30 minutes, a security team took the man away and she was never bothered the rest of the cruise. I am glad they have people who are watching us.

[@cherifurr3935]

I agree!

[@silviaeastonborges5204]

A very hushed item is “how many rodents/animals caught while”. already In the ship! I have a very fine ear for such, so I go to the passenger services and report. On my last “find” I mentioned that I would only hear “the rattle” every 2 hrs or so. The gal at the desk insisted “to come back and report when I heard one next time. “. I insisted that it wasn’t “regular/oft. then for inspection.. So it was the day of disenbarjation when I remembered the issue and then realized what I had been instructed to do was “report if/when you heard it next time because we are going “to take of it and most likely there won’t be a next time” … didn’t hear it for the last 5 days of the sailing…

[@revneal]

Regarding crime aboard ship: While serving as a cruise chaplain many years ago, I was witness to a youth throwing some of the ship’s furniture overboard. The youth was incarcerated in the ship’s brig, and the entire family were disembarked at the next port. The Ship’s Hotel Manager told me that the family would be billed for the lost furniture. It happens … it’s rare, but it happens.

[@cherifurr3935]

Glad they caught them and they were punished.

[@nataliajimenez1870]

Not surprising given the number of passengers that become inebriated while on board. Some people just can't handle their alcohol

[@carolynlucca3269]

@@nataliajimenez1870If I had to guess which line it happened on, my guess would be Carnival.

[@gwillis01]

A cruise ship population can be as big as a small town on land. In any town, there are bound to be a few nasty people causing trouble.

[@rfindlay3908]

I have watched many, many of your cruise videos, I am subscribed, and may I just say “Thank you!” I have subscribed and then unsubscribed from several cruise blogs/blogs because I was sick of the ranting. I love how you state what the video will address, and then you proceed to cover the information in an organized, mostly objective manner, with personal opinions inserted in appropriate places. How refreshing!! Well done! 👍🏻😃

[@jenniferbaldini3527]

On our first cruise on Royal Caribbean, the captain was skirting a hurricane all through the night. Very rough seas. The next morning we were docked at a different island, but had a great time and basically were very happy with how the captain managed the bad weather and still docked us at another beautiful island in the morning. You gotta roll with some things.

[@cherylkoski7184]

It could have been a deadly disaster.

[@chuckoneill2023]

@@cherylkoski7184 In what way? Cruise captains are very, very cautious. If the storm had been bad enough to be dangerous, the ship would never have left port. Or gone a different direction entirely. When Jennifer says they were "skirting" the storm, I believe she meant at a very safe distance. I've never, ever, heard of a modern cruise ship going down due to rough seas.

[@cherylkoski7184]

Grow up.

[@chuckoneill2023]

@@cherylkoski7184 Thank you for your well reasoned response. I shall spend the next few days reassessing my life choices.

[@cherylkoski7184]

You're welcome.

[@druegillis1744]

Do you want to be informed about security? ALWAYS assume you are being filmed, with the exception of your cabin and rest rooms. Same on the streets. CCTV is utilized everywhere. Just watch a few crime shows like F.B.I. Most Wanted or Chicago P.D. If you have a cell phone, they can track it. A newer model car? G.P.S. can be followed. Facial recognition is everywhere. The safest way to protect your security is to assume you are on camera EVERYWHERE, Because you most likely are. I am not paranoid, just informed. Stay safe!

[@yvonnetomenga5726]

@Drue Gillis • While it's probably not a bad idea to assume you are on camera or being filmed, cameras are not yet everywhere, nor is facial recognition. Cameras and software cost so placement is a business decision. Just like when traffic cameras were first installed, not every intersection had one. The same is true for cameras today. They are installed first in crime prone areas whether that be streets or stores. As to GPS on phones, that's so old news I'm surprised you mentioned it. They used it on 9/11 to try to find victims and they're using it during the investigation and prosecution of the January 6th seditionists. Unfortunately, the USA mainland has no where near the number of cameras that countries like China, the UK, or cruise ships have. So if you think you're safe from sexual assault, robbery, or even getting lost, because someone will see you and save you, don't count on it.

[@rgruenhaus]

It is in the passengers interest to be able to trace those you came in contact with if you test positive to a deadly disease! I have no problem with tracking a super spreader!

[@absolutehonor141]

just on a cruise ship, I see the value in being able to go back and check what happened, if something were to happen, and I am fully aware that there are cameras everywhere. I'm more worried that there may be hidden cameras in hotel rooms, or the cabin, it's unfortunately becoming more and more common, and there I expect to be able to be private, for example with my partner, without anyone watching and in the worst case posting on the Internet

[@natshatofbeautytrick]

Chicago PD, Most Wanted are not representative. I am a violent crimes & homicide prosecutor. While surveillance is pervasive, it’s generally not nearly as extensive as your comment suggests. A lot of surveillance is bad quality and some of what you reference requires search warrants.

[@fostertennant1257]

Uu

[@lindaschultz8124]

Too much secrecy in the tips and their dispersal.

[@sarahann530]

Are hotels public with what they pay staff ?

[@nicholaslazzari8787]

I have an up coming sailing with carnival on the 4th of December and it was originally supposed to go to Jamaica as well as Grand Cayman and Cozumel. They changed the itinerary to a Bahamas itinerary and gave notice. I found an itinerary that was better as I have recently done the Bahamas and they gladly moved my money to the new booking with no penalty. They made it a fair situation for me.

[@lindsaywright730]

so sorry that you were not able to visit us in Grand Cayman , our port is still closed to cruise ships. Having worked on Ships for six years i understand that it can be quite disappointing , glad things got sorted out for you in the end, Hopefully we can be put back on the itinerary for 2022 . Happy New Year and safe travels

[@chuckoneill2023]

I was aware of the policies about itinerary changes before I ever boarded my first cruise. Back then, the line literally mailed us an actual copy of the contract. I appreciate that you emphasize the fact that people who go overboard do it voluntarily -- that is to say, suicide (or, occasionally, some really stupid stunt). It's even possible that, unfortunately, some disturbed folks book a cruise with the intent to do that. But --- it's practically never a complete accident. I think some folks who've not sailed much just don't appreciate the safety measures the ships have in place to prevent such things -- such as the surveillance systems. Even without the medallions (which use RFID) the system knows when you enter or leave your cabin. And what you buy or where or when you eat. And, of course a ship needs a mourge -- and a brig. On one of my behind-the-scenes tours, they were practically adjacent. Cruise passengers, in general, skew older than the general population, and sometimes people pass away while at sea. Bottom line -- comparing incidents aboard, to normal actuarial figures -- a cruise ship is at least as safe as anywhere else, and usually safer.

[@clement2780]

which is why passengers should stick to cruise line excursions in case they miss ports and cannot get their museum\art gallery\palace\attraction\concert\theatre ticket admissions refund. now europe is banning all tourism starting 2023(?) with etias visa procedures, a shame, massive disappointment, now covid hit.

[@chuckoneill2023]

@@clement2780 I don't believe your information is correct. Tourism is open again, in most areas, with certain restrictions as needed.

[@maddoglep2127]

Some years ago we sailed from Southampton on a 17 day cruise to the Med. First stop Porto. Before we sailed we became aware of a large extended family causing a lot of upset with their behaviour and foul language. A few days into the cruise we mentioned to another couple that we had not seen them since the first two days. It transpired all 17 of them were thrown off in Porto.

[@ninaelsbethgustavsen2131]

Good riddance. Obviously... 😘

[@druegillis1744]

As they should have been.

[@cherifurr3935]

As they should have been!

[@melissalawson4512]

Once I was on a Carnival cruise and I lost a diamond tennis bracelet. I reported it lost and was told to go to my cabin so security could speak with me. They were given permission to go through my purse, our safe, our room. They then watched me on video - I went into a restroom with it on and came out without it on. So after searching the restroom they determined it stolen. Only then was I able to file it with our insurance for a replacement. (I no longer bring expensive jewelry on cruises)- but YES they can see your every move.

[@elouise5593]

Too bad the person who stole it didn't have it on leaving the restroom! Then they could have caught her!

[@bernaclischurchill4463]

The issue about auto-tips came up 3 yrs ago, when I was on board a Norwegian cruise, which by the way, I will never do again. My steward was excellent, and I had a heated argument with management about having all of my tips given to her, and not to the other members of the staff because of her exceptional work. It was not well received, but I don't care, she deserved it, and even more. On my Carnival Cruise; there were 3 incidents that took place; 1: two woman who constantly fighting throughout the entire trip, so they were put off the ship when we reached Puerto Rico, the captain had had enough of them; 2:, a man had a heart attack, and since we were close to the US board, the captain radioed for a helicopter to take him to a US based hospital. We had to stop of course, while the helicopter was overhead, so that the man could be lifted on board for hospital transport. Seeing the helicopter crew do that kind of work, was something that I had only seen done in a movie, it was very interesting 3: Three guys drank so much that they thought that they could fly (frankly, I don't know what that bar tender but in their drinks), so they decided to go overboard. The crew fished them out, and the captain had them locked up while on board for the rest of the trip. All in all a great cruise, though. Ms. B. Churchill

[@cherifurr3935]

I will NEVER cruise Norwegian again either, nor would I cruise Carnival!

[@tckSR71A]

@@cherifurr3935 Pls tell us why. We had a great experience with Norwegian and were considering another.

[@Biker218]

Yes an explanation rather than a blanket statement would be most helpful. Hard to take seriously when no explanation.

[@seanjockel43]

Have you considered doing a segment on cruising for handicapped and wheelchair users?

[@kateaye3506]

A very good idea for a video or two. I'd also appreciate one on how to navigate food with dietary restrictions.

[@pretyblkgrl]

If folks are upset about Princess Medallions, wait till they find out about the mobile phones they used to complain.

[@Shaya87]

Just wait until they find out how much data google has on them. I advise everyone to download their Google history at least once. I don't think people understand how much the internet is always tracking you anyway.

[@visionist7]

@@Shaya87 and all for sale to the highest bidder

[@pretyblkgrl]

@@Shaya87 👏🏽 We'll save the conversation about what's captured through Alexa, their robot vacuum, their neighbor's Ring camera (or quiet as its kept, what THEIR Ring camera captures about their neighbors) for another day.

[@cvn6555]

One can always bring an RFID wallet and keep the medallion in there until they wish to open their door or get food.

[@dionline88]

As usual, this is an excellent video. I really hadn't thought about a number of these subjects so this is quite thought provoking!! Thank you Gary for opening my eyes - and making me question some practices. I always recommend people watch your videos and subscribe because you never waste people's time. Everything is relevant and concise - thank you sir!!

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks! Great to hear. Really appreciate you watching

[@randomlyentertaining8287]

Did...did people really think they weren't under constant surveillance, fancy cards or not? Like, those camera mounted to the walls and ceilings aren't just for show XD Yeah, about changes. If the Captain says "Yeah, we're not sailing through Hurricane Imma-Wreck-Yo-Shit just to make a stop in Port Kinda-Cool-But-Not-Worth-Your-Life." I'm just gonna be happy. If I REALLY want to see a particular place, I'll make later plans to take a trip there via plane. Now the not allowing cancellations after booking, after change in itinerary, but before the ship sails is scummy and shouldn't be allowed. That's pretty much false advertising. Yeah, I'm gonna try and avoid anything with auto-gratuities. I'm going to make sure Waiter Good-Old-Chap gets his tip and Hostess Spits-In-My-Food doesn't get any of it. I mean, releasing the poo and pee of cruise ships doesn't really affect the oceans that much. The world's oceans combined contain about 352,000,000,000,000,000,000 gallons of water, or about 1,311,420,700,000,000,000 imperial tons (the version of ton used to measure ships' weight). On average, a cruise ship weighs 200,000 imperial tons and as stated 300 of them are sailing at any given time. Even if the ships all released their own weight in sewage at the same time, it would only amount to 60,000,000 imperial tons, or 0.0000000045751909% of the water in the world's oceans. That's pretty much meaningless. Plus where do we think the waste of the sea's creature goes? Magically gets transported to the sun? XD The emissions thing is tied directly to the debate over cars and other vehicles and the answer is the same. Some day, we'll all drive and ride on vehicles that release no harmful toxins into the atmosphere but that day is still a long way off. Until then, all we can do is slowly introduce new tech while continuing to rely on what's propelled man to the place it is today, fossil fuels. To help that day come faster, we need to invest more into nuclear power. Yes, it is safe. Yes, it is more efficient than any other form of power. Yes, it is the way to this pollutant free future we want.

[@randomlyentertaining8287]

I got a heart! :D And yes, I did the calculations for the sewage bit.

[@lnk1124]

Well said!!

[@patriciag9063]

My first few cruises back in the 80s, we actually handed our gratuities directly to our waiters, bus boys, room attendants, etc on the last night of the cruise. The cruise line gave suggestions, such as $2.50 per person, per day. What was wrong with that? At least you knew the person getting the money was the person intended.

[@peterstudios961]

I had the same tipping procedure on a ‘95 cruise with Royal.

[@konichiwa3744]

Demographics that never tip. Cough cough

[@peterstudios961]

@@konichiwa3744 just that we know that they got it directly.

[@sct4040]

I tipped the cabin guy on top of the required gratuity, an sometimes the same for the waiters.

[@elouise5593]

@@sct4040 My last 2 cruises I left extra for my cabin steward. I decided to start doing that, after I heard how many hours they work. They always do a great job, and are always cheerful and friendly!

[@teams3345]

I don’t mind if they cancel ports. I could just be on the ship the entire cruise. I book cruises sometime that have the most sea days. My next trip in April has 7 days at sea out of 21. Not bad.

[@PatJ61]

I recently sailed on Eurodam. There were various talks done by senior officers. The talk by the security officer and the talk by the environmental officer were particularly interesting. For the most part, they were very open in their answers.

[@pamm3776]

We are on eurodam December 4th. Very excited to get back to cruising.

[@debbie9929]

On Eurodam Dec 10 to Panama. I can honestly say it was the MOST BORING CRUISE I EVER WAS ON. If you are under 80 yrs of age, avoid Holland America.

[@imobannon]

I think #1 advice to new cruisers should be: Be prepared for a super small stateroom. A room when on a cruise ship is not a room at a hotel. It is tiny. I've been on 14 cruises, and am still always wanting for space, regardless of the category or class of stateroom. (And also gratuities. Pay them, but the cruise lines need to make that price more obvious in the price.)

[@jpbpds]

Excellent video. Exactly the kind of “just the facts” information I come to your channel for. (Although I do value your opinion pieces too.)

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks! Great to hear. I try and do and bring a variety and great to hear the mix is liked! Appreciate you watching

[@bigyin2586]

How cute that cruisers would be concerned about their carbon footprints!😂

[@vincewhite5087]

If you read the early autobiography books of early cruise ship industry, the original reason a doctor was on board was because old passengers often died during cruises .

[@mikecarter2737]

Almost didn't make it on my first cruise ship because a contract? employee objected to the wording on my sweatshirt - "Bullship" - a traditional Bay Area sailboat race.

[@ericericson3535]

when I was a travel agent, I made sure I stressed the fact that the ship can cancel ports, and divert an entire cruise due to various reasons. There have been numerous Bermuda cruises that were redirected to Maritime Canada due an approaching hurricane. Passengers were not happy touring 40F degree Halifax in cargo shorts and tee shirts! Also, remember that the Captain of the ship is God. What he or she says is the law!

[@tipsfortravellers]

Great to hear as so many people I come across are not aware. A good reason for using a knowledgeable agent 👍🏻

[@cvn6555]

That would understandably make people very angry. Booking a cruise to get some sun and warmth then be taken north to Canada? Not cool at all. Guess don't cruise in hurricane season.

[@sct4040]

I now know to ALWAY pack a down jacket for every cruise. It also gets cold on the ship.

[@elouise5593]

@@cvn6555 At least not to Bermuda! Caribbean cruises during a hurricane they can divert from a planned port to another Caribbean port. I guess Bermuda must be too far North to divert to the Caribbean.

[@gingerella7934]

@@cvn6555It was very cool!😂🥶🥶🥶

[@FlamingJuneRuns]

This is the most informative cruise video I have seen in years! Well done!

[@kbintheuk4262]

Hi Gary - superb video (as always) you give such accurate and factual information. I`ve always thought that distribution of gratuities could be something the cruiselines would`nt want to tells us - we are sailing on Symphony of the Seas in February so I think we will opt out of auto grats and give the cash to the crew that service us directly. Keep up the great work and we hope you are enjoying your Antarctica cruise. Cheers Kev & Alison

[@tipsfortravellers]

Great point. I had a great time on the trip, thanks for following it along!!

[@chriswilliams6568]

prob is with that, the folk who work for you behind the scenes will get nothing.

[@amandareiche9083]

@@chriswilliams6568 Giving partial gratuity to the line and direct tips to closely involve service people seems to be a viable option. We do tipping early and late in the cruise--works really well.

[@grondhero]

People have to remember that most of these make sense. _You are on a vacation, not a fact-finding tour._ Companies don't go around stating what they pay their employees outside of the starting wage. Most companies don't advertise how they get rid of trash. If you go into a supermarket, why do you need to know how much crime takes place or how many people have died or been injured in the store that year? The cruise line is offering a vacation away from stress. Most everything can be discovered through research, though. I have been following cruise channels off and on since 2014, so I pretty much knew these now, although a refresher is always nice. I think the biggest concerns for passengers is really about gratuities. If cruise lines would be open with that information (especially informing the crew), most of the others would be a small concern. With technology advanced as it is, ships are able to filter a lot of the black water into gray water and filter most of their gray water into clean water. They can also recycle the gray water into less-essential areas, such as commodes and sinks. (And as an FYI: gray water isn't actually nasty.)

[@indiewest7200]

I don't mind if a port is cancelled for weather or other unforeseen circumstance. However when Royal Caribbean cancelled a port and emailed me that it was due to scheduling it was ridiculous. It seemed like human error. They should give some credit back because the total price I paid was to sightsee also. I wouldn't have bought the cruise if I thought we were going to be on the sea all day.

[@debbiehays3824]

Ships are scheduled for slots in each port. If a ship before yours had engine problems or a ship at sea had a medical emergency, it could easily screw up your schedule. They can't just park those ships anywhere.

[@kirk2767]

If a cruise line uses images of you in their marketing, doesn't that mean you're attractive? :-)

[@tipsfortravellers]

Nice point 😀😀😀

[@bluesteel48]

There have been many videos produced on KZbin regarding this subject. This one is the clearest and most concise that I’ve seen. Nice work. 😊

[@patricphillip8591]

Are you more likely to get an upgrade AFTER you board the ship... or before? Let's say you have balcony and like a larger balcony or junior suite, are you more likely to negotiate that for a limited fee (less than paying full upgrade) after boarding or before?

[@lisaspikes4291]

Even though it’s a bit of a hassle, I prefer giving cash gratuities to the crew in person. That way, the people who are doing a good job get compensated correctly.

[@brontewcat]

The problem is those who are behind the scenes are not then given tips if passengers just give tips in cash. Those who behind the scenes just as hard to give you a good cruise, but they would not get compensated accordingly if passengers just give cash tips to those they come into direct contact with.

[@Mike-up6go]

@@brontewcat Absolutely. Why compensate just the waiter who gave you great service and a wonderful meal ? What about the kitchen staff directly below you slaving away in the galley ? You never see them but they keep you fed during your entire cruise. I had the opportunity to take the behind the scenes tour on a Carnival cruise back in 2016 and there are an incredible amount of people that literally work behind the scenes that you will never see. My point is the ones you do see are supported by many you don't.

[@realcdcruze3558]

Hi Gary, great discussion as always. I was one of those that commented on the Princess tracker. I see your point about the facial recognition so we’re already tracked. Cruise passengers are any members of the public so it’s fair to say crime would be proportionate.

[@stephenlewis3620]

I would strongly advise to stay away from Viking. Last month they destroyed a cruise by canceling more than half the stops on a So American cruise; held passengers hostage for 10 plus days on a Flying Dutchman cruise in a ship lock down; dropped passengers off in the wrong port for disembarkation, destroying the travel home plans of every single passenger; and then has refused to apologize proper. The value of the cruise was less than zero and a boring, distressing waste of time - they stole weeks from our lives. After what can only be scribed as imprisonment on a cruise to nowhere, Viking offered a measly $1K VOUCHER toward another cruise. Who on that ship would ever use Viking is a mystery and its custom relations has abused passengers to a fare thee well.

[@kvd4345]

I am so glad that you brought up the cruise contract, passenger and cruise lines rights. Whenever I cruise in a group I always have a meeting the evening before the cruise and read the contract highlights outloud. I am always amazed by the shock and disbelief my fellow travelers have at what I read and I always have to remind them that they have already agreed to the terms. Even as a frequent cruiser I am always very careful to read the contract as terms change by line and over time.

[@debra333]

Oh man! You are so sneaky! You end your videos by inviting us to watch a related video "right now," which I have done. For three hours! New fan and subscriber! 🫂

[@hurst-cs2jh]

Hi Debra, how are you doing?

[@mistyfly2me]

I saw the cruse ship I was on dumping more than food. I heard cans, saw trash, paper and more being dumped

[@larry2436]

Good vlog Gaz. I don't have a problem at all to be monitored. If it makes for a safer and better cruise experience then great. Basically, if you have nothing to hide and don't engage in unruly or criminal behaviour, then you wouldn't even know you are being monitored. Really, its not as if they are going to blackmail you through taking pictures of you in the shower or something. I think people get too hung up about this issue.

[@JUAN75001]

Excellent work Gary ! Love watching your videos.

[@ysbel]

Some of these are self-evident. I mean the shops and the cruise lines have to have an agreement before the shops are allowed to set up shop on the cruise ship. Also regarding the shop talks, it’s pretty common for local shops to kick back to a cruise line for a mention. Why do people think the KZbin influencer exists? Because some company paid some KZbinr to mention their product. Some of these, like the crime, are bad but not that prevalent so I think the cruise lines would unnecessarily scare people off. And as far as surveillance, well that battle has been lost. Your face may as well be public property now as well as your DNA. The biggest risk I see for cruisers is not carrying cancel at all costs travel insurance.

[@kevingoodner5672]

Another thing they don't talk about is how much they pay the crew. Or how two employees working next to each other might be making vastly different wages, depending on where they are from.

[@denizalgazi]

Or that the Asian launderers make pennies an hour. Same with the dish washers.

[@jaybe959]

The issue is passengers want a cruise without paying a lot of money. So cruisers low ball or do budget cruises and yet expect crew for crew to make good pay off their budget cruise cost. Passengers expect maximum experiences but don’t want the burden of that equally maximum cost for the experience. Passengers “Don’t tell me about the pain, show me the baby!”

[@kevingoodner5672]

@@denizalgazi How much do they make? How do you know?

[@denizalgazi]

@@kevingoodner5672 Everything you stated is correct! There have been many reports and programmes over the years about the exploitation of foreign crew by the cruise lines. They are the hardest working people. I am always generous to the crew.

[@kevingoodner5672]

@@denizalgazi I'm not so sure it is exploitation though. They pay them relative to where they are from. By that I mean they don't pay them the same salary in currency, but the same in buying power depending on where they are from. They might pay person A $4/hr and person B $8/hr....but in person A's home country $4 might buy dinner whereas for person B it would cost $8. So Person B got paid twice as much, but they have the same buying power (one hour work for a dinner).

[@LMays-cu2hp]

Thank you for sharing your advice of cruising. You are really giving me more advice to cruise.

[@454k30]

What I’ve learned about security: you are always on video doing even the most embarrassing things, right up until the point that you get robbed or ripped off. Suddenly no one knows where you were or the cameras don’t work in that area.

[@dh2266]

Disney most definitely gives you a printout of where your auto-gratuities go. They even give you envelopes to give to your staff of how much they're getting.

[@X0awsome]

Crew member went overboard on my alaska cruise. I don't think he chose to be a newbie on rough seas that didn't know to stay away from the railing when the ship is lurching

[@DMRYeti]

Non-sequitur! Watching your b-roll of those ever-increasing-in-size ships just makes me more determined to save up for a more luxury cruise on a smaller boat. Different video! Love your channel and I appreciate all the inside info! 🚢🛥

[@texasboy5117]

We always go with smaller ships of about 1,000 people or less. The extra cost is well worth it.

[@breadyegg]

Hopefully as the profit margins come back as the effect of the C word diminishes, these smaller cruise ships will thrive.

[@swisstroll3]

We try to stay under 600 passengers. Favorite ship, the Wind Surf, holds 340.

[@chriswilliams6568]

I was interested in an Azamara cruise until I leant that even if one cancels outside of final payment date, they keep $75 p.person as a penalty, whereas with the major lines, one has no penalty usually if cancelling at that juncture. It put me off.

[@cherifurr3935]

I didn’t know they were required to have a morgue on board-good to know. My most Regent cruise had three medical emergencies, one evac by helicopter, 2 in ports, and they got him to a hospital so quickly the GM said it saved his life (major stroke), but if course he did not realize the passenger’s name.

[@carolynlucca3269]

On some of the more high end lines that tend to attract older and more monied guests, you have old people dropping dead from time to time.

[@andreasilk8201]

Even at my restaurant, the servers tip out 4% of their entire sales each day to "the house " it's supposed to be divided evenly between the kitchen and hostesses based on the hours worked...however no total amount is ever declared and the amounts given out do not make sense...I'm positive the managers and owners are taking something from that...based on how much I myself tip out each day and how much the cooks actually recieve....shady. shady. But it's as old as time unfortunately.

[@hurst-cs2jh]

Hi Andrea, how are you?

[@jacquelyns9709]

Every cruise brochure I've ever looked at has had a section on changes of itinerary and ports in the fine print. Most of them tell you to read the fine print. Every convenience store and fast food restaurant has cameras. Their ads and commercials don't mention them. I have seen shows from the UK where video cameras are running on the streets and sidewalks (pavement, pathway) in shopping districts. How widespread and publicized are those cameras? Cameras on cruise ships are not that different. I agree that other items are not mentioned much by cruise lines. However cruising guide books do mention them. Read books as well as watch videos.

[@airmanma]

When I was a cook in the Air Force, i found 2 dead pilots in my freezer one morning upon startup. They had crashed the night before. Scared the begeezus out of me, LOL!!!

[@westhavenor9513]

Wow, on the first cruise I took (Alaska, circa 2004) we had to stop TWICE because a passenger had died. I thought this was normal at the time, but only 200 a year and we had two? Must have been a very special cruise! That said, not a bad way to go, really.

[@sarahann530]

Where did they stop ?

[@yt_energy]

the same passenger died twice? was he clinically dead and they revived him and then he died again?

[@jenniferhonaker9445]

Questions: is it recommended to prepay gratuities? If so, should we tip on top of those gratuities? Lastly, if we do tip additionally,to whom should we tip?

[@shinichigojir12]

What do you think of cruiselines building their own and bringing guests to company owned private getaway islands, instead of bringing guests to the local communities in the Caribbeans, to let guests disperse spendings in locally owned shops and restaurants? There might be a day where they dont visit those communities anymore and basically confine the guests in a gilded cage in a way.

[@allisonlane1102]

I prefer it that way. In fact, it is the main reason my next cruise will be with Virgin. My first cruise ever (back when I was about 13) was great, except for when we were at port in Nassau. We got lost and it felt like everyone was out to scam my mom (who had little money, we were brought along by our grandparents) at every turn. It felt desperate and predatory and we felt obscenely uncomfortable. We had no money to give them and were terrified the ship would leave without us because no one would point us in the right direction without giving them money. Thankfully we saw other passengers and followed them back to the port, but it was a scary and scarring experience I don't wish to have again. So a private beach club that you're bussed off to by the cruise line sounds FAR more relaxing and enjoyable to me. At least I won't have people trying to scam me every time I blink.

[@elouise5593]

@@allisonlane1102 Most ports aren't like that, and I prefer being able to go out amongst the locals without it feeling so touristy. Why didn't you grab a taxi?

[@billmiller1445]

Another great informative report. You responsibly address important topics. Thank you.

[@markgiles313]

Great channel. Thank you so much. Im eager to know how you travel with your drone. I recently went to UK and Germany with all the licenses, legal paperwork and insurance, without issue. Then had it confiscated in East Africa. I expect you have to be part 107 compliant, and get licenses for each country you visit, plus special permission from the ships captain?

[@kentfrederick8929]

We went to a jewelry store in Juneau, because if you mentioned the ship name, you would get a free whale tail pendant. The high-pressure tactics they used would embarrass a car salesman. They were pushing very expensive merchandise, despite my dropping hints that we were replacing the siding on our house after getting back home. Our impatient 8-year-old son got us to move along to a shop that friends had recommended. They were no-pressure and even threw in the free whale tail that we forgot to get at the first shop. That's when we learned not to go to shops recommended on the ship.

[@karlahart_AK]

If you got a free whale tail at the second shop, it is likely owned by the same people as the first. One company, Milano Diamond, owns 45 stores in Alaska, Caribbean and Mexico. They own multiple shops in each of Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway.

[@kentfrederick8929]

@@karlahart_AK I doubt that. We had the list of shops from the shopping director, and the second store wasn't on the list. Plus, the sales person at the second store didn't ask for the ship's name. There were four ships docked that day. So, they weren't working on the kickback scheme.

[@l.faraday8767]

Great news Gary, thank you so much for this timely update! ❤️🇨🇦❤️

[@PortsladeBySea]

Excellent review Gary. Very informative. I usually read the cruise companies contract before signing, which can sometimes takes ages due it’s length, complexity and lack of clarity. Basically they are legally protecting themselves from almost everything they want to try and get away with. I totally agree that the cruise industry must clean up it’s environmental problem. Many of the bigger ships burn between 850,000-2,000 000 gallons of low grade fuel throughout their return trip, which is unsustainable, utterly appalling and unacceptable 😢 All cruise terminals should have the facilities to connect up the ships to mainland services whilst in port ie electricity, water and sewage, so that their massive engines can be either switched off, or at least greatly reduced. I suspect with cities facing large fines and prosecution for not cleaning up the air residents, workers and visitors breath, action will be taken to force these services to be provided wether the cruise companies and fissile fuel industry want it, or not 👍

[@patriciagrella1999]

Can biofuel be used.

[@Tigers529]

I think you are the only KZbin podcast that doesn’t get you to subscribe it ring that Bell great stuff

[@jlynnc9559]

Been on several cruises that had an ambulance meet the ship and also a few hearses at disembarkation

[@jackjones3722]

re disposal of rubbish, ive seen boats throwing black bags of rubbish over board, rules are only rules if they are followed.

[@primrosetx9571]

On one of my Carnival cruises in Jamaica, I saw the crew unloaded a bunch of mattresses of the ship and carried them to a big truck. I asked an employee and he said those were old mattresses Carnival donated to charity.

[@yt_energy]

why would a charity want them? theyre prob old and infested. maybe for dogs i suppose

[@rgruenhaus]

My 06Mar22 cruise on NCL was a cruise to Florida, Great Stirrup Cay, and Nassau Bahamas and then back to NYC and NCL decided to add Norfolk VA to the trip back to NYC when we were going to have a nice 2 days at sea! Who in their right mind thinks Norfolk VA in the middle of March "their winter" on a Bahamas cruise, is a good idea? There is NOTHING to do there in the wwinter! What are you thinking NCL?

[@joannbanks9963]

Mine is in February. Same issue. No idea why they are stopping in Norfolk! Dumb!

[@williamd9205]

Great episode Gary. Very interesting and informative. Thanks!

[@katherynedarrah4245]

So let me get this straight...passengers won't use a device that can track their whereabouts on the ship...yet carry one in their pocket/purse all the time? HYPOCRITES! Yes, your phone, even without service and connected to your private wifi, can track your location. With almost pinpoint accuracy if you have service. (+/- about 5-10 miles)

[@kimers12660]

I’ve never been on a cruise before, and have always wanted to go on one. I came to this channel to learn more about it. After watching many of these videos, I now have anxiety about booking myself a cruise. I’m newly widowed in my 60s and feel that I would be taken advantage of. I appreciate your information it’s opened my eyes about things I’ve never thought of. Thank you for teaching us what you have learned.

[@SevCaswell]

I'm somewhat younger than you, (not quite 40) and I recently went on my very first cruise with family (it was a 2 for 1 deal, xmas 2019) and I thoroughly enjoyed it but am not sure I would want to do it again. I wasn't involved much in the booking etc, so I naturally had no clue about such small print things as surveillance. (My parents are the regular cruisers) So I would say do your research and give it a try, maybe pick a short 3-4 day cruise to start and just see how it feels.

[@aliciarosem9689]

Some lines have singles cabins, and they come with a lounge that's just for singles. I'm going with my husband this trip, but I think these singles cabins and private lounge look lovely! I'd do it in a heartbeat. Also, I'm 52 and have always been afraid! Of flying, of sailing... after the past few years, working nonstop during the pandemic.... I am determined to live a little and will be flying AND sailing this week. Take a chance! You might be pleasantly surprised!

[@lesliemccormick6527]

I'm 57. You COULD be taken advantage of literally anywhere, but ARE you? Likely not. Cruises are loads of fun. You will be fine. Don't let fear or anxiety rob you of a good time. Choose a smaller ship- 2500 passengers or less- that goes to ports you are interested in and go on guided tours or shore excursions booked through the cruiseline. Stay with a group. Just use your common sense, and behave the way you would if you were alone in your home city. Some tour companies are designed specifically for singles over 45 and some of those arrange cruises, and some will "buddy you up" with another traveller if you so desire. I have a friend who is single, no kids, 68, and has been all over the world on solo trips, even to some places I would never think would be 100% safe, without anything more annoying than you'd expect. She has been pick-pocketed two times, both times over 10 yrs ago, once in Europe and once in the Caribbean. She laughs about it now. Now she has figured out how to pack and conceal necessary things and has had no further issues. Lots of help available for how to avoid problems. Go! You won't regret it! 😊🇨🇦

[@sew_gal7340]

Why would anyone take advantage of you in what way?

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

All too many cruise vlogs see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil, preferring to portray cruising as the brochures do, filled with sunshine and rainbows, only touching upon the “negative” when it becomes too big to ignore (the Concordia, the poop cruise). But not this channel. Gary presents cruising, warts and all.

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks! I think balance is important and not everything is perfect but try not to be too sensational

[@ceciliabrindis3089]

Wow.... thank you so much for the information. Love your Chanel!!!! Please keep up the great service.

[@mnguymnwater6348]

I loved the medallion on Princess Cruise on the Sky Princess. Such a great feature when ordering food anywhere on ship embarkation and demarkation. Who cares if they know where you are unless you can’t follow laws.

[@brendaelainewaddell1682]

You're so right -- if you're be having... you've got nothing to hide or worry about. 😉

[@bnk091182]

My only concern about the tracking is that you can be tracked by employees who may be up to no good and use that opportunity to rob your cabin. I guess I need to read more about WHO has access to the monitoring. How secure is that part is what I'd like to know since employees may not be subjected to background checks, etc.

[@ALL4SCUBA05]

Wow. Just posted the following info on another of your videos. Because of what you said here about tips, I will repost it here if you don't mind. (let me know if you prefer I delete it. ) As for the daily service fee(tip charge)... Norwegian Dawn has room for 2,340 passengers and 1,032 workers to support them. Let's say that week 2,000 passengers payed $16 each per day. ($224,000/week) Now lets make believe that all 1,032 workers received some of that equally (they don't) . That means that each employee got an extra $217 of pay in their earnings that week. I've asked workers and they say they earn no where near that in "extra" pay. (tips) Now a Server gets paid $1,544 per month. Add one month's worth of tips ($940). Total should about $2,484. They don't get paid anywhere near that much. The Cruise line has been pocketing the "service charge" and spreading only a small part of it to those working the hardest. (many work 12-14 hours a day for 9 months straight with NO days off until they go home at the end of that 9 month contract). (comes out to about $4.28 per hour) I am married to a filipina who converses with onboard filipinos a lot. We now remove that service charge and hand it in cash to whomever we please. I even tip the servers at time of service. Until I see a printout of exactly what the cruiselines do with that money, I will take the worker's word as being more accurate and truthful.

[@MyLife-hl4or]

Pre Paid gratuities are a big plus for the cruise lines, they bolster up wages meaning the line actually pays less as a basic salary and 2, pre paid gratuities are left in the bank until needed thus gaining interest to the cruise line. It's all about profit.

[@danwhite5339]

Being deluged with ads detracts from my cruising. I am never going shopping onboard for anything, never going to buy mass-produced inkjet posters posing as original art, and never doing specialty dining unless it's included with the suite.

[@gallic99]

Very interesting Gary, thanks for the info.

[@riverleigh3251]

Not all crew are employed by the cruise line, on most lines many are subcontractors to a company that leases space. Hair and beauty, dancers, casino, shops etc.

[@riverleigh3251]

That's correct with Marpol regs and then there is IMO for Ballast management although on cruise ships ballast tank function maybe by their fresh water, food stores and people

[@susie9893]

Re this paranoia ppl have about cctv 🙄 What makes them think they're THAT interesting??

[@dzunglu7184]

Camera and cctv everywhere. While shopping and using the self service to scan your grocery, the camera only caught half my forehead and top head. 😂. Shame there’s camera above filming my front and back poking out. 😂. Darn!

[@Seth_Arvila]

Those are some pretty bold claims saying every ship and line has cctv and facial recognition across all of those cameras. As someone who works in IT, I don’t find that too likely. I’m sure some ships, and specific cameras on a lot of ships use such technology. But that is a lot of square footage to do it everywhere. They likely do log every time you use your cruise card though, and tie that to a location

[@emdxemdx]

Charles de Gaulle was pretty tall, and when the France was being built, they were careful to size the morgue freezers big enough for him... But de Gaulle never set foot on the France, although his wife did...

[@denizalgazi]

Ever wonder why so many cruise vloggers mispronounce Coco Cay? A popular vlogger admitted that Royal Caribbean told him he had to pronounce it as KAY. They all comply so as not to lose their perks and status with RC. Cay is properly pronounced KEE. It always has been.

[@KINGjackJACKjack]

God i love watching these even though theres no way in hell i can afford to go on one right now

[@michaelottinger]

Cruises, advice AND an English person saying the word "brochures?!" This video has EVERYTHING!

[@jasongivens6749]

Some of your points are just basic maritime law that has always existed. On a ship in international waters the captain is the ultimate authority. If he wants you arrested, taken off the ship or tracked constantly he has that authority.

[@sashaqueenie]

I like the CCTV throughout the entire ship. I read that people go missing very often on cruise ships. The CCTV is a great tool to fight crimes and solve mysteries.

[@lananieves4595]

Do people understand that, if they have a fob or entry card at work or for their apartment, they're also being tracked? Do they not get that there are cameras in public places EVERYWHERE? Do they also not understand how just having a smart phone is like walking around with a tracking chip? Privacy is over. At least the technology can be used to be helpful. I'll be taking a cruise with my dad next year. He'll be 81. e doesn't have dementia, or anything, but he's not someone who is great when it comes ot his sense of direction. I actually LOVE the idea that the system on Princess Cruise Lines will make it so that I'll be able to find him on board the ship if he ever loses his way.

[@LCLand]

I took my mom on cruises years ago and she did have dementia. Princess is great. If she wanted to go somewhere and then never returned I just went back to our room to collect her. She just found someone told then her name and they escorted her to our cabin. They were always smiling happy to help. They said don’t worry just let her roam we will bring her back for you. She loved having her freedom. Happy sailing with your dad! 😃

[@njjeff201]

Carnival has passed up ports blaming weather as we watched another ship dock in bright sunshine. Crew said he does this constantly. Will never use them again!!

[@iandemontfort4276]

Ships are the precursor of Smart Cities. The Orwellian nightmare continues to unfold. I'll never cruise. Far better things to do with my life

[@LCLand]

True it’s a scary precursor. But cruises are pretty awesome.

[@TravelWithCeleste]

I sent a couple pictures when arriving at our port to family letting them know we arrived and got a notification from AT&T that my charges had exceeded $150 dollars and to call if I wanted to add a cruise package. I called and for $100 he added it and said it would cover the charges I had just made. Scary what could have happened. Go AT & T for advising me.

[@cruisecrazy7066]

On Princess, simply put your medallion in a Faraday cage. Wrap it in a piece of aluminum foil, and they can't track your location.

[@lyramidsummer5508]

Thanks for the tip. I do not consent to being tracked like a criminal.

[@gaoxiaen1]

I spent four years in the USN. You have to pay me to go on a cruise.

[@timothybelgard-wiley4823]

...in light of people vanishing at sea on cruise ships, I served on carriers and people don't just vanish, there are two ways to leave a ship at sea, you fall overboard or are pushed overboard, thats just common sense, a few may fall off, maybe even a few commit suicide, but I believe most of these are foul play, so I would be okay with them knowing where I am aboard once I leave my cabin...

[@ellenriddick2461]

Some thoughts, 1. Windstar is my very, very favorite cruise line. 2. I recently did a Nile cruise with Uniworld. Our guide was super clear on who to buy from and who to avoid. He and our security detail were vigilant at keeping certain sellers from harassing us.

[@lindasnow1497]

Interesting. I was on a Uniworld Nile cruise last October and I don't think we got any of that. I only recall them warning us against buying any kind of "historical artifact" whether real or counterfeit.

[@ellenriddick2461]

@@lindasnow1497 i wouldn't have noticed it. I was happily touring and snapping away. But once the husband pointed it out i realized what they were doing.

[@mjgorges1502]

A few years ago, I was on a Princess cruise. There was a singles group enjoying dancing in the Piazza, when one man collapsed. We later learned he died from a sudden heart attack. Life happens, even on cruise ships.

[@highping1786]

I feel sure the companies keep some of the auto gratuities and justify stealing it as a processing fee. It would not surprise me if they kept 50%.

[@cababyboomerq6012]

I can’t tell you enough how much I like your videos. I really don’t watch anyone else’s anymore. Some of things you mention in this video I certainly suspected, but not all of them.

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks so much! Great to hear 😀😀 Really appreciate you watching

[@deth2allbutmetal74]

I don't understand why people are getting so upset. Its obvious that people can not behave themselves by not jumping off a ship so something has to be done. I go to a teaching hospital and they give you a badge to track you as soon as you enter the building.

[@tacrewgirl]

I learned about the fees that shop keepers have to pay cruise companies to be recommended on their cruises during my Alaska cruise. It's wild to me that people won't shop at or visit places not recommended by the ship. Think about it. The cruise isn't getting paid for the publicity. Shop local. Dine local. Talk to locals to find the real tea. Avoid the cruise ship jewelry chain stores.

[@iakazul]

Thank you very much why I have no urge to book a cruise to anywhere but a fishing trip lol.