Cruise worker shares behind-the-scenes look at cruise ship
<p dir="ltr">A cruise employee has given the world a look at the areas strictly for crew members aboard the world’s biggest cruise ship.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Bryan James, who works as a musician on board the Royal Caribbean vessel Wonder of the Seas, has shared clips of spaces off-limits to passengers below deck, including shops, bedrooms and areas to socialise away from cruise goers, per <em>The Sun</em>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In one TikTok video, James shows viewers a “secret hang out” located inside the ship’s funnel, explaining that it is a perfect spot to watch sunsets.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“I just discovered a new place yesterday,” James said. “It’s like a secret hangout that’s by the funnel of the ship.</p>
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-59bdcf4e-7fff-3746-c8b2-393d05c0a4f2"></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">“And not even by the funnel. I mean, it’s in the funnel and it’s so pretty to be up here and to see the sunset.”</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/cruise-secrets1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>The cruise shop is off-limits to cruise passengers and was vital for workers stuck on ships during the pandemic according to Bryan James. Images: @bryanjames.music (TikTok)</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">Another area James gave a behind-the-scenes look at was the crew shop, which is located below deck and only staff members can visit.</p>
<p dir="ltr">He explained that the shop, which is where you can get “pretty much anything” you need, became crucial during the eight-month period during the pandemic where workers weren’t allowed to leave the ship to visit ports.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“There was a time when crew weren’t allowed off the ship for eight months,” he recalled.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“It was like Christmas morning every single time the store got restocked, there was such a long line.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">James also showed off his quarters, described as the “world’s smallest cruise ship cabin”.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-264d4d72-7fff-acfb-e263-42188f86e590"></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">He demonstrated how he could touch all four of his bedroom walls at the same time, despite a single bed, TV, sink and cupboards somehow being squeezed in.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/cruise-secrets2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Bryan James described his bedroom as the “world’s smallest cruise ship cabin”, complete with an equally small bathroom that he shares with another cabin. Images: @bryanjames.music (TikTok)</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">The musician has an equally tiny bathroom, including a shower that he has to duck under in order to use.</p>
<p dir="ltr">To make matters even more cramped, James revealed he shares his bathroom with another cabin.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9e4b3047-7fff-c9be-1b84-f9f7291a8df6"></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">As for what staff eat, James said it was pretty similar to the buffets passengers are treated to during their stays.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/cruise-secrets3.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>The tasty buffets passengers enjoyed are a shared experience for cruise employees, with a menu that often changes. Images: @bryanjames.music (TikTok)</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">He added that the food changes frequently for staff, but that there was always a salad bar.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In the clip, he also showed the vast array of desserts available, including a crepe station, as well as the meats and cheeses staff members have access to during meal times.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8895b789-7fff-fe87-a09b-cef6f4bbe9e6"></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images / @bryanjames.music (TikTok)</em></p>