Sex with guests and acid trips on ships…. Really?

I have just read an article by Julia Buckley published in The Independent yesterday about crew and their life below decks. Now I know, when I worked on ships ‘what goes on below decks should stay below decks’ and just like some of the Hangover series of films, there are a lot of occasions where people would rather forget the night they just had…. Sometimes it is just a fuzzy head and nothing happened except a lot of drinking, dancing and flirting. Other times a colleague sleeps with your friend and everyone knows before the start of the next 10-hour shift.

It was always best to leave the bar separately and meet somewhere away from the gossips. That would at least reduce the chances of people talking about you and your private life. For those that leave the bar together in a ‘new ship relationship’ everyone shouts ‘taxi’ as a signal that people had hooked up and were off to a cabin or quiet place together. There was always great fun speculating who would end up with who and matchmaking goes on in every department. The gossip on ships is what keeps people going through their long contract, working for 6, 8 or 10 months at a time.

There is no such thing as a secret when you live, work, eat and sleep in very close proximity to everyone. The walls are paper thin and earplugs are necessary if you have nocturnal neighbours who sound like they are building something next door with all that banging going on until the wee small hours.

I do feel that the article in the independent goes into a little too much detail about drugs on ships and this is one area that I never experienced as we had the threat of random drugs and alcohol testing on board the ship. Which is instant dismissal if found to be using drugs, or over the alcohol limit. Life at sea is tough, even in pirate times rum was the tipple of choice. However, as every crew member knows from training, accidents at sea can happen at any time and being ready for duty if a real life threatening situation arises, is a requirement of every crew member. Rest assure on the ships I have worked on people were sent home for being over the limit or fighting on board. It is just not tolerated by any Captain of any vessel.

Ships are very safe places to be as there are strict rules and procedures in place. So do not read the article in The Independent and think every crew member is stoned or drunk all the time. The article can be found here  http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/cruise-ship-sex-drugs-life-on-board-account-a7561556.html

Owen and I on conference not working. Although we were room mates and crew on Queen Victoria.

If you have experienced any situation at sea where you were called to the lifeboats I would like to hear how you were treated and how well you thought the crew reacted if it was during the night. Hearing alarm bells and knowing something is happening will sober up most people very quickly.