Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work on a big cruise ship? While most passengers are perfectly pleasant, some requests make crew members do a double-take.
From the outrageous to the simply bizarre, cruise staff have seen it all and often share these oddities on social media.
Thanks to their stories, I’ve gathered seven of the most jaw-dropping demands that’ll make your last room service order seem completely reasonable.
Trust me, some requests will have you wondering if some people left their common sense at the dock.
500 White Roses
One particularly demanding passenger on a luxury cruise ship sent a request for five hundred pristine white roses to be delivered to their cabin before dinner.
The reason for the request wasn’t specified, but considering the gesture, it was probably a surprise for a loved one.
The crazy part isn’t even that. This happened on a ship that was cruising in the middle of the Caribbean! The crew tried it all to arrange a private helicopter from Miami that could make the delivery on time.
The price tag ended up being around $80,000.
Personal Gym
According to a crew member, before boarding a luxury cruise, a guest reportedly requested several pieces of gym equipment in their suite.
Specifically, a treadmill, weights, a barbell, and various aerobic accessories. It’s definitely not an easy task, considering the limited space on the ship.
The cabin stewards worked for hours to move everything and get the equipment into the suite, and yet the customer never lifted a single dumbbell during the entire cruise.
Instead, the guest spent their time lounging on deck with cigars and cocktails.
The unused equipment was donated to a local fitness center, making this perhaps the most expensive gym membership never used.
Also Read: 17 Things You Can Get Free on a Cruise – If You Ask!
When Friendly Turns Inappropriate
A crew member once shared a story about a solo passenger who became unusually friendly after a few days onboard.
At first, it was harmless. Compliments, small talk, and extra thank yous are pretty ordinary in hospitality.
Then the guest submitted a formal request to have the same crew member assigned exclusively to their table for every meal for the rest of the cruise.
After that, the guest left a handwritten note directly to the crew member saying that dinners would be “more comfortable” if they were longer, quieter, and “more personal.”
The answer for everything was a firm no, and the crew member was quietly reassigned.
According to the staff, this type of request happens more often than people think, and it is always handled the same way. Quickly, discreetly, and with zero exceptions.
Food That’s Measured to Perfection
Some guests take their dietary preferences to extraordinary lengths.
A waiter I know, who has worked on cruise ships for several years, told me that one passenger insisted that all his dishes be weighed to perfection.
From pasta to breakfast cereals. Yes, the crew should have used a scale every time.
As you can imagine, cruise ship kitchens are extremely busy, and doing something like that is really difficult. That’s why the request was declined.
There was no medical reason behind it either, which is usually the only time an exception like that might be considered.
Also read: 7 Tips to Eat the Best Food on a Cruise (without paying extra)
Equator Line
One of the more amusing questions cruise crew members have received is from a guest who asked, “What will it look like when we cross the equator?”
At first, the crew member thought the passenger was referring to a special onboard ceremony that some cruise lines hold when crossing this significant maritime boundary.
However, it quickly became clear that the guest was expecting a physical marker, like a line in the ocean or a visible sign, similar to how country borders are marked on land.
The customer service staff had to explain to him that there is no visible line and that even the ones visible at the equator sites in Ecuador or Kenya are just painted lines.
Only Female Crew Members
A man traveling once insisted that every visible crew member during his cruise be a woman.
He even submitted a detailed list of preferred physical attributes, including height, weight, and hair color.
When told this wasn’t possible, he offered to pay double their fare to have certain crew members replaced before departure.
The ship’s management declined the request, explaining that their staff were hired for their skills and experience and not their appearance.
A Whole Room For Storage
A couple booked two identical suites on a Mediterranean cruise, one for themselves and one exclusively for their designer wardrobe.
They asked the crew to remove all the furniture from the second cabin and replace it with clothing racks and custom storage.
The request was shut down immediately. Maritime safety rules do not allow cabins to be stripped or refitted like that.
However, they attempted to negotiate by offering to pay triple the cabin rate. The request was still denied, but the couple proceeded to fill their cabin with so many clothes that their bathroom door couldn’t fully open.
Also Read: 10 Weirdest Things People Have Tried to Smuggle on Cruise Ships
Captain For a Day
The most audacious request came from a tech executive who demanded to “park” the cruise ship in Dubrovnik’s harbor. He claimed his experience with his 40-foot yacht qualified him to handle the 900-foot cruise ship.
When declined, he offered to pay some money for the “experience” and suggested the captain could “supervise” from behind.
Obviously, this is impossible for security reasons, and the guest spent the rest of the cruise explaining to fellow passengers how he could’ve done a better job.
Also Read: 10 Things You Must Never Do in a Cruise Cabin (Can Get You Banned)
