Cruise ship crew members have seen it all – from hilarious behind-the-scenes antics to downright terrifying situations. While some stories will make you laugh, others reveal a darker side of life at sea that passengers rarely notice.
I’ve rounded up 11 of the most shocking and unforgettable nightmare stories from cruise ship workers. Buckle up, these tales might just change how you see cruising.
A Silent Tragedy
A passenger tragically passed away in a hot tub during the first night out of port. A crew member recounted that for hours, the man’s demise went unnoticed as he remained propped up, with his sunglasses concealing the situation. During this time, other passengers joined the hot tub, mistaking his lack of interaction for antisocial behaviour.
The grim reality was only discovered by the crew when they came to close the pool area for the night. The body was discreetly moved to the ship’s morgue.
Remarkably, aside from the deceased’s family, none of the other passengers were made aware of the incident, preserving the tranquillity of the voyage for the rest.
From Redditor Wolfgang7990
Bullet Scare
During a routine voyage, an unexpected and alarming incident occurred when a bullet was fired from the shore at the ship’s navigation bridge. The bullet ricocheted off the bridge and struck a crew worker’s hand, causing no serious injury but leaving her understandably shaken. She subsequently took a few weeks off to recover from the traumatic experience.
While the ship awaited the arrival of local police to investigate and record statements, the guests were informed of a delay in departure under the pretence of taking on fresh water. Remarkably, this harrowing event remained a well-kept secret, never reaching the ears of the guests or the public.
From Redditor ElGofre
The Unplanned Swim Home
On a cruise near Australia, a crew member hailing from a nearby Pacific island made a dramatic exit. As the ship sailed away from his homeland, he chose that moment to resign, leaping overboard in an attempt to swim home.
However, the ship was already about a mile away from the island, turning his bold endeavour into a risky situation. The crew member was eventually rescued.
Blaming a Rogue Wave
A bizarre rescue unfolded off the coast of Cozumel, Mexico, when a passenger from one cruise line was found floating in the open ocean by a ship from another line. Astonishingly, the man was discovered alive and unharmed.
Upon reviewing security footage, it was revealed that the man, intoxicated and dancing alone on Deck 5 in the middle of the night, performed a running jump off a lifeboat into the sea, leaving his phone behind.
His drunken state seemingly protected him from injury upon hitting the water. He was subsequently rescued by the passing cruise ship.
Adding to the oddity, his family, travelling on the same ship but in a different room, was unaware of his absence. The man later claimed to the news that he was pushed off the ship by a rogue wave, a statement met with scepticism given that such a wave would need to be over 40 feet tall to reach Deck 5. Possible, but the security footage undermined his story.
From Redditor too-tsunami
Fake Terror Threats at Sea
Aboard the Legend of the Seas, a bizarre incident occurred one morning. The staff, accustomed to typical onboard dramas like brawls or passenger liaisons, were summoned unexpectedly by their manager while they were enjoying some ‘relaxing’ time after their shift.
They learned of a terrorist threat specifically targeting Americans on the ship, originating from a note found in the toilets. The situation escalated with the FBI and their dogs boarding, receiving an unusual welcome with applause from the crew and passengers.
The plot took a surreal turn when the perpetrator was revealed to be a 23-year-old pregnant woman, desperate to reunite with her boyfriend, who had recently been released from jail. Her identity was uncovered through a matching note found in her room.
In a strange twist, her family chose to remain onboard for the remainder of the cruise. Meanwhile, her boyfriend, interviewed on CNN, disassociated from her.
Amidst this chaos, the crew was instructed to open the shops to distract passengers. This led to complaints from guests eager to disembark in Hawaii to visit a volcano, adding to the surreal atmosphere of the ordeal.
From Redditor Lazeniabeach
Stormy Debut
In his first weekend on his maiden voyage, a crew member faced the wrath of Storm Katie off the British coast in 2016, enduring winds over 90mph/145 kmph.
Working in the onboard stores, he witnessed significant stock loss, including shattered Swarovski crystal sculptures, as the ship rolled violently. Navigation was challenging due to the ship’s constant list, and routine activities were upended.
Adding to the turmoil, a recent norovirus outbreak had escalated to a “red level” hygiene alert, necessitating strict sanitisation protocols and disrupting normal operations. Despite the chaos and discomfort, there were no serious injuries or damage to the ship.
After enduring this ordeal for several days, the weather cleared, and the alert was lifted. The crew celebrated their resilience with an exceptionally memorable party.
From Redditor ElGofre
From Redditor Puzzleheaded_Job835
Inebriated Leap
During a crew member’s tenure on a cruise ship, a memorable incident unfolded when a guest, cut off from the bar for excessive drinking, caused a scene.
Escorted by security to his cabin, he redirected his anger towards his wife, who promptly locked him out on the balcony. In a rash decision, the man jumped off the balcony but fortuitously landed on a lifeboat decks below.
Miraculously unharmed, likely due to his intoxicated state, he was disembarked at the next port. His wife chose to continue her cruise solo, a decision that seemed quite reasonable under the circumstances.
From Redditor bestbet33
Shortcut Gone Wrong
Once, a drunk passenger thought that using the gangway between the ship and the dock was going to be too slow a process, so he thought it would be easier just to jump from the ship.
He didn’t make it, falling between the ship and the dock. Thankfully, he escaped without injury.
From Redditor Puzzleheaded_Job835
The Great Toilet Paper Shuffle
On the second day of a 14-day voyage to Antarctica, disaster struck in the form of a burst water pipe in a storeroom, drenching the entire supply of spare toilet paper.
Faced with a potential crisis, the cabin stewards embarked on a stealthy mission. They meticulously rotated toilet paper rolls between cabins with lower and higher usage, carefully managing the limited resource.
Remarkably, this operation was so discreet that none of the guests noticed the shortage. As a result of this close call, toilet paper storage was reorganised, with supplies now strategically hidden in each cabin, rather than in a central location.
From Redditor myjobisawesome
Secret Fires
Over a span of 2.5 years on a cruise ship, the crew confronted three major fires, all of which broke out in areas designated for the crew. Each time, these emergencies were swiftly and effectively handled by the ship’s highly trained fire team. The passengers remained oblivious to the true nature of these incidents, only noticing the absence of their waiters during dinner service.
This scenario underscores the extensive training that cruise ship crew members undergo to manage such critical situations. Unbeknownst to the passengers, their waiter wasn’t just serving meals but was also part of the team that played a crucial role in safeguarding the entire ship.
From Redditor wanderinggal
DJ Gone Rogue
An incident aboard a Carnival cruise ship, narrated by cruise director Big Sexy Josh, now a Carnival travel agent, involved a DJ who, under the influence of alcohol, made a reckless decision.
At around 3 am, the DJ accessed the ship’s intercom system and announced an abandon ship order. This ill-advised action resulted in utter chaos and panic among the passengers and crew.
The aftermath of this pandemonium led to a significant change in the ship’s protocol, with stricter limitations being placed on who could access the intercom system.
From Redditor tortuga_tortuga
Final Word
It’s a good thing that most cruises go smoothly, right? Because these stories sound horrendous – I’m glad they are rare.
I’ve stuck to cruise ship stories from workers, but there were loads from cruise guests as well. Have you ever experienced a nightmare cruise or had something shocking happen during your sailing? Leave your tale in the comments!
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Our extended family planned a summer cruise (many of us teachers) and learned quickly that there was a children’s dance competition on board. There were no shows in the theater at night because of the competition and the pool was completely not accessible because of all of the teens. If this was disclosed to us before the cruise it would be understandable, but it was not.
On the first day of our very first cruise, departing Brisbane Australia for 7 night Pacific Island tour, a rather large man had a heart attack and sadly passed away just before we left the wharf. We were only told a passenger had suffered a medical event, but my neice had walked into the area just as it all happened, so police, coroner etc had to be called and his family and their luggage all removed from the ship. Very sad for them and everyone on board was sympathetic once the real story came out. As a result our departure was delayed 8 hours which meant we missed our first shore excursion to New Caledonia. The one place I really wanted to see and had been the most particular about covid rules etc.
The rest of the cruise (Pand O) was great. Think it made us appreciate it all the more.
You never know what life is going to throw at you.