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Cruise Ship Crew Accommodations

One of the most common questions cruise ship job applicants have is what the crew cabins and facilities like onboard a cruise ship. Find out where the cabins are located and what to expect from your home away from home. Learn where the crew eat and where they can spend their free time onboard.

Location of Crew and Officer Cabins

There is a misconception that all crew and officers live below the water line. The fact is that there are crew accommodations throughout almost all the decks of the ship. It is true that the lowest ranking crew have their cabins on deck two and three below the water line, here is where else they live.

Some departments have their officers on decks that are close to where they work. For example, most engineer officers will have their cabins on the same deck as the engine control room which is located around deck four. This deck is just above the water line and many junior engine officers will typically have a porthole.

There are many cabins located on that particular deck because the whole deck is a crew only area. Typically that deck (usually deck 4) houses all provisions, food prep areas, the crew mess, crew office, and a corridor that goes from one end of the ship to the other.

Comparatively, most deck officers will have their cabins close to the bridge at the forward part of the ship. On many cruise ships, the forward part of deck 5 and deck 6 are also officer cabin areas with the outside cabins occupied by senior officers.

Layout of Crew and Officer Cabins

With every new ship built, cruise lines are taking the comfort of their crew into consideration. For example on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas there are more single cabins for crew compared to other cruise ships (see video of at single cabin on Oasis of the Seas, last video on this page.)  Note that this type of single cabin shares a bathroom with their next door neighbour. Here are the other types of crew and officer cabins that you can expect on a cruise ship:

Captain’s Cabin – This cabin is the biggest and best cabin out of all the officer’s cabins, obviously. But, the size and amenities of the Captain’s cabin varies from cruise line to cruise line and from ship to ship. Some of the largest Captain’s cabins feature a separate bedroom, a living room, dining room, bathroom with bathtub, and an office. He also has access to his own pantry and his own conference room.

Senior Officer Cabin – This type of cabin also varies from ship to ship, but is considered the best after the Captain’s cabin. They usually have a separate bedroom, a living room and a bathroom with a bathtub. Their office is typically located within their department rather than close to their cabin.

Junior Officer Cabin – Depending on the cruise line will determine if you are considered a junior officer and thereby get a better cabin than other crew. These types of cabins may also be given to staff holding a managerial position. A junior officer cabin is a single cabin where you don’t have to share your room or your bathroom. It may or may not have a porthole or window, depending on rank.

Deluxe Crew Cabin – This type of cabin is where two crew members share a cabin, typically with bunk beds. They also share a bathroom with each other. These types of cabins are small and don’t have a porthole or a window.

Amenities in the Crew Accommodation

Depending on how new the cruise ship is will determine how well the cabin is set up and how new the amenities are inside the cabin. Typically each cabin has one TV. Sometimes, you may get lucky that a previous crew member has left behind a DVD player or a stereo. There is always a mini fridge to be shared with your cabin mates.

The bathrooms are small in even the largest of cabins. There isn’t a lot of space to put toiletries especially if you have to share the space. There is a single wardrobe for each crew member and the space to keep your empty luggage comes down to creativity. There may be space under a bed or above a wardrobe.

Where Crew Eat On Board Cruise Ships

Where you will eat will also depend on your cruise job which is categorized by rank. Lowest ranking crew have only one option, the crew mess. The crew mess is a cafeteria style setting. There are TVs and some crew like to bring their laptops there because there is typically a WiFi signal there.

On large ships there is a Staff Mess which is offered for people that work for one of the onboard concessions such as spa, the gift shops and the photographers. The Staff Mess is typically a mini-crew mess.

There is also an Officer’s Mess onboard each cruise ship. Depending on what the cruise line considers an officer will determine who is allowed to eat there. This is a sit down service where officers are given a menu that they me choose their meal off of.

Officers and some crew members are also allowed to eat in the passengers’ buffet restaurant. Most crew are also permitted to eat in the specialty restaurants on the ship. Generally, they must pay the price that the passengers pay and they may need approval from their head of department for this occasion.

Crew Facilities on a Cruise Ship

Depending on the cruise ship, there are also a range of crew facilities (usually the bigger and newer the ship, the better the facilities). Most cruise ships have at least a crew recreation area that can be used as a crew internet area and a disco in the evening hours. On bigger ships, these facilities are separated into three separate areas. These spaces are equipped with table games, board games, library of books and DVDs and comfortable sitting areas.

Other facilities for crew include a number of crew and officer launderettes, a crew gym, and a crew store. Officers and some crew members are also permitted to use the passenger gym facilities. More and more cruise ships are making all crew cabins wireless (need to purchase prepaid internet card).

Videos of Cruise Ship Crew Accommodations

Princess Cruises:  Crew cabin on board Golden Princess

Carnival Cruise Lines: Crew Cabin on Carnival Dream

Norwegian Cruise Lines: Officer Cabin on Norwegian Jewel

Royal Caribbean: Crew Areas on Voyager of the Seas

Royal Caribbean: Crew Cabin on Oasis of the Seas

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Inside Cruise Ship Crew Cabins – Full Review (2021)

Crew cabins on cruise ships vary by size and mainly depend on the job position, rank or title you have as a crew member. Crew cabins’ appearance also varies from ship to ship. Older cruise ships’ crew cabins are usually old and used, while newly built ships feature prettier and more comfortable cabins for their employees.

In this article, I want to give you an overview of crew cabins so you can get familiarized with life at sea.

Crew Cabins’ Size

As mentioned above, cruise ship crew cabins vary by size which is mainly determined by your rank or title onboard.

Most of the crew members have double-shared cabins , meaning that they need to share a cabin with someone else. It is normally the person of the same sex and from the same or similar department. For instance, I’ve worked as a Shore excursion staff , and almost always I shared my cabin with my coworker from the same department. Crew members from the same departments normally have cabins close to each other, and close to their workplace (in my case, crew cabins were near our Shore excursions office).

If you are friends with someone or you want to live with a particular person, you can request to live together. The crew HR department will then consider your request and accommodate you based on the vacancy.

If you have a partner onboard, you can also request to live together which is approved in most cases (again, based on the vacancy and your status/job positions).

Double-shared cabins are in most cases very tiny and they don’t have portholes (windows). Each crew cabin is equipped with its own bathroom, which is also very small. Crew members living in these cabins are responsible for cleaning their cabins regularly by themselves.

There is a cabin inspection on a regular basis led by designated officers from higher positions and different departments, so they can check if your cabin is maintained and regularly cleaned. You can borrow the cleaning products from the Housekeeping department or Laundry, but I always preferred to have my own products that I would buy in a crew shop (yes, we do have one!) or outside in the port.

Officers, managers and supervisors in higher positions normally have single cabins , which means they don’t have to share with another crew member. These cabins are slightly bigger (but not necessarily more luxurious), they have a porthole (window) and a larger, full-size bed. Some single cabins also have an additional fold-down bed. They have their own bathroom (equally small) and daily housekeeping service, which is one of the best perks.

Single cabins are usually given to the officers with 2.5 stripes and above (stripes worn on officers’ shoulders denote their rank on the ship). The higher your position is, the better your living space is. For example, Captain, Staff Captain, Chief Engineer have 4 stripes and their cabins are on deck 10 near the Bridge, so their cabins are of the same size as guest cabins on that floor. Some of these cabins even consist of two rooms. However, this widely varies by company and depends on the ship itself.

What’s Inside Crew Cabins?

Crew Cabins are equipped with the following:

• Bunk beds/full-size beds – Standard double-shared cabins have bunk beds with privacy curtains and a ladder. If you came to the cabin first, you are most likely to claim the bottom bed (crew members’ preference), while newcomers don’t have other choices but to take the top bunk.

Once you move in, you will be provided with clean sheets and a pillowcase (clean, but not necessarily new). However, I always used to bring my own sheets because I wanted to have a little piece of home with me. I always used to bring old sheets, so I could toss them away after I finish my contract and not overload my luggage with it. Underneath the bed, there is enough space to store two suitcases of large/medium size, and this is where the crew keeps their luggage.

Each bunk has a lamp so you can read if you want, and some even have their own flat-screen TV installed (this varies by company and only applies to newer or refurbished ships).

As I said before, officers with 2.5 stripes and above have single cabins with one larger bed (two people can easily fit) and an extra foldable bed.

• The bathrooms are really tiny and they consist of a shower cubicle, a toilet, a small sink, and a few shelves where you can put your products. Make sure you organize your space smartly, or otherwise you won’t have enough space to fit your stuff. For the bathroom, I definitely recommend you get a foldable toiletry bag , it’s extremely useful and you can hang it over the door.

I share some useful tips in my article 18 Crew Cabins Must-Haves , so I hope they make your onboard life easier!

You can take the toilet paper and ship approved cleaning chemicals from the Laundry for free, however, you can also purchase your own products as well. Crew members have their own laundry where they can wash their stuff for free, but they need to use their own detergent and softener. You can buy all of this in a slop chest (a crew shop) that every ship has for their crew.

• A closet – Every crew cabin is equipped with a medium-sized closet with shelves and drawers that you share with your roommate (for double-shared cabins). The space is extremely limited, so if you are planning to keep it tidy, make sure you bring only the essentials.

A hanging shoe organizer is an amazing item that I highly recommend, as well as a mesh pop-up laundry basket where you can dispose of your dirty laundry.

On top of the closet, there’s space for two life jackets. It’s mandatory for every crew member to keep their life jackets in their cabins and use them during the drills or in case of an emergency.

• A small desk with a chair – Due to the size of a standard crew cabin, only one chair can fit but you can always get an extra one if you need it.
• A mini-fridge – You’ll find a mini-fridge in every crew cabin. Here, you can keep your drinks or snacks. Keeping fruits and vegetables in the fridge is normally not allowed on most ships.
• TV and Phone
• A large mirror
• A trash can – Crew members are required to sort their own trash. We are required to bring our garbage to the incinerator room where we separate glass, paper, metal into the designated bins.

Crew Cabins Location

Crew cabins are located on several decks, from deck zero (below sea level) to deck 2 or 3, with the exception of bridge officers who live higher up closer to the Bridge and their workplace.

The location depends on your job position and the workplace. For example, the majority of restaurant and bar staff normally live on deck zero close to the crew elevators that can bring them fast to their workplace (bars, galleys, a dining room, restaurants). Officers and managers who have single cabins are usually situated on decks 1 or 2 on the port side and starboard side, as they have portholes and windows.

Life inside the Crew Cabins

• A tiny crew cabin is your new home for the next several months, so always keep it clean and tidy.
• Get along with your roommate! After all, that’s the person you share your life with, so always be considerate regarding his/her working hours, shifts, needs, and habits (don’t slam the doors, don’t be noisy, don’t turn on the light in the middle of the night, etc.)
• I recommend you only bring the essentials, as the space is extremely limited and you will be buying new stuff onboard a ship and outside in ports (trust me!). Here is my list of 18 Crew Cabins Must-Haves !
• It’s forbidden to smoke inside the crew cabins. There are designated areas onboard the cruise ship where smoking is allowed (such as crew open decks).
• You can’t keep electrical appliances in your cabin (kettles, irons, etc.). Fruits, vegetables, fresh food are normally not allowed to be kept in the fridge.
• You are responsible for changing your bedsheets and linen. You can discharge the dirty/get clean ones in the laundry. You can use the ship towels for free during the entire duration of your contract.
• Cabin inspections are mandatory, so make sure you keep your cabin clean and according to the ship’s standards.
• Respect your roommate’s privacy and don’t invite other crew members inside your cabin if your roommate disapproves of it.
• You are responsible for any valuable items/credit cards/money you may have. Always keep an eye on your belongings. Some ships have safety lockers available.
• If you don’t get along with your roommate, you can always report it to the HR department and they will do their best to accommodate your request and move you to another cabin.

Wrapping Up

Life inside cruise ship crew cabins is unique, extraordinary, unconventional experience! Your life suddenly needs to fit in a few square meters for over half a year, not to mention that you need to share that space with a person you (most often) don’t know! It’s fun, challenging and tough at the same time, but definitely an experience that you will remember for a lifetime!

Read more about crew ship life:

Working on Cruise Ships: How to Apply for a Cruise Ship Job?

Food and Beverage Department – Working as a Cruise Ship Waiter?

10 Things to Know before Applying for Cruise Ship Job

Security Jobs onboard Cruise Ships – What You Need to Know

11 Things You Would Never Expect to Be Part of Your Cruise Ship Job

New Hire? This is How Your First Day on a Cruise Ship Looks Like

Life Onboard a Cruise Ship: 18 Crew Cabins Must-Haves

Life of a Cruise Ship Photographer – Crew Member’s Story

Working as a Guest Services Representative on a Cruise Ship

This article may contain Amazon affiliate / compensated links. For full information, please see my disclaimer here.

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Inside Crew Cabins on Cruise Ship

Standard crew cabins have: - Beds (usually bunk beds). - Toilet/shower cubicle (some of the ships share one bathroom between two cabins, or the older ships have common shower areas for female or male crew). - Small to medium wardrobe cabinet. - Writing desk with drawers. - Phone. - TV and DVD/VCR player. - Small refrigerators (rarely, but some crew cabins have them). - Chairs (usually one or two). - Safe boxes. - Mirror.

You need to keep the cabin clean and tidy because you share it with different people from different cultures. Also, there are cabin inspections from time to time in order to make sure that you are living within the rules laid down by the cruise company.

See Crew cabin Gallery

There is a range of crew facilities including bars, open deck area, gym, laundry, crew mess, staff mess, officers mess, disco, accommodation, recreation area, pool, and some even sauna, especially for the crew.

Press here to take a look inside other cruise ship crew areas.

Take a look at MSC Meraviglia Crew Cabins

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UNIFORMS & LAUNDRY

• Crew uniforms will be issued to you onboard.
• Crew uniforms and work clothes are cleaned free of charge.
• Laundry machines and dryers are provided free of charge for the crewmembers personal use.
• You will be required to use non-slip safety shoes while on duty. Shoes are not provided, you can purchase the approved brand/style before joining or onboard the vessel.
• Please note: Open toe shoes/flipflops/etc. are not permitted onboard in crew areas.
• The Crew Gym is for all crewmembers available at posted hours.
• You can purchase toiletries, cigarettes, chocolates, and other necessities needed onboard at the Crew Shop.
• The Crew Bar operating hours and rules are to be adhered to at all times.
• You are not permitted to become inebriated or intoxicated while on your assignment contract. You are not allowed to drink alcohol while on duty. Violation of either of these rules is grounds for dismissal.
• Crew Enrichment/Welfare will provide crew activities and events for all the crewmembers.
• Only employed crew members are provided living accommodations onboard.

COMMUNICATION

• The Internet Café is available for all crewmembers at posted hours. Internet access is available at reasonable prices.
• Phone cards will be available onboard. Also, keep in mind that your phone might work at the different ports. Be careful at sea because international roaming will apply and can be very expensive.
• Wifi is readily available throughout the vessel. You can bring your own electronic devices to use. You will need to purchase internet access/minutes and configure accordingly.
• Mail arrives once a week to the ship. The mail will be sorted by department and distributed. Please remember, mail is processed through a central location, therefore, you will experience a small delay. Also, the ship's itinerary may determine the regularity of the delivery.

GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITIES

• Your boss will be the head or supervisor of the department. The Captain of the ship is the commander of all and the final decision maker.
• Career growth is offered through internal promotions. You can apply to the positions onboard as they become available.
• Numerous trainings will be available onboard to enrich your knowledge in different aspects of the business.
• You will be paid monthly (or bi-weekly if on the Pride of America). You have several options to receive your wages: recurring deposit of wages to the bank account you choose and/or the Brightwell Card.

DATING ONBOARD

• Dating fellow crewmembers is allowed.
• You will have the opportunity to work and make lifelong friends with crewmembers from around the world.
• Dating guests is not permitted. It will result in termination / dismissal.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

• You will have curfew onboard.
• We have a Zero tolerance drug policy with random testing. Drug possession, transportation and usage are causes for immediate termination.
• We also have a zero tolerance for harassment of any nature. Every crew member is responsible for keeping a safe, harmonious environment onboard.

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Crew Living Conditions on a Cruise Ship

If someone came up to you on the street and asked if you would like to live in a twelve-by-twelve box with a total stranger for six months, you’d undoubtedly say, “No thanks.” Yet, at sea, this is done willingly.

It’s true that accommodations are sometimes cramped, especially on smaller vessels, but the ship’s company is generally interesting and friendly. Many people compare it to their first year in a college dorm, without the homework.

On the larger cruise ships, most employees share cabins on one of the crew decks, and some people, especially the cruise staff, actually have living quarters in the plush passenger areas. Although some employees get single cabins, these are usually reserved for cruise staff with more seniority. Employees are usually separated by department, at least on the larger cruise ships. Cruise staff live on the same floor, kitchen and maintenance staff on another, and often the crew is further divided by nationality. Generally, the higher the quarters the better, since on some ships cabins below the water are somewhat noisy from the splash of water and hum of the engines.

Food for the crew gets mixed reviews from most employees. Some crews on smaller ships actually eat the same food as the passengers, but on the large ships, the crew almost always has their own mess hall. According to one recent cruise worker:

“We had several different messes on the ship: one for the Koreans, one for the American and European crew, and a couple of others. The food wasn’t very good and was always smothered in some sauce or another that I didn’t recognize, but it was certainly bearable. The bright spot was that we got lots of leftover dessert from the regular passenger meals, and once a week we were allowed to eat dinner in the restaurant free of charge, though we did have to tip and buy a drink. I guess it couldn’t have been too bad, because I still managed to gain some weight.”

Another cruise worker explains the entertainment that was provided for employees:

“There were movies for the staff, crew bingo games, and live shows to see. After you’ve seen the same shows a few times, though, it’s not so much fun anymore.”

Some ships provide extra amenities for employees, such as televisions for each room and special recreation lounges near the crew quarters. One employee even reported that her ship provided twelve new movies per week, all available on closed-circuit TV in the employee cabins.

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Okay, okay, the pay is great and so are the travel opportunities but what is it really like living onboard a cruise ship?

Life on a Cruise Ship

Perhaps the biggest and most obvious difference is that you are living at sea, instead of on land. This lends to a myriad of lifestyle differences, including differences in weather. Even in calm environments, the ocean can be unpredictable. Storms at sea are somewhat legendary and high winds and rough waters come with the territory. Passengers onboard (staff included) are always safe onboard the ship, but for some people, storms at sea and other oceanic factors go unconsidered. For others, salty air in their face, open seas, even in rough weather, sounds like an adventurer’s dream come true and are part of the positives they look forward to when considering life on a cruise ship. Needless to say, it can be an exciting and exhilarating way of life.

Cruise Staff Living Conditions and Quarters

It’s true, the living conditions for employees on a cruise ship, especially smaller ships, can be cramped. Most often employees share a small room with one or two other people. On large cruise ships these living spaces are similar to a standard passenger cabin but again, these spaces are shared and particularly small. Some higher-ranking officers have single cabins and married couples can apply to live together, however these circumstances are few and far between. Potential employees must also consider the length of time they will be living in a room such as this, which can often be for several months at a time. Cruise line employees usually room in areas away from the passenger cabins. They are typically grouped together, by department and in some cases, even nationality. This creates friendships and tight nit relationships among employees of the same department and ‘team’ atmospheres are often used to describe the social nature among employees.

Perhaps the largest factor when it comes to being comfortable with the living environment on a cruise ship is simply adjusting. As is anything new, it can be difficult at first, but most people are able to acclimate to these living environments fairly quickly and don’t consider them an area of stress or discontent.

Work Schedules and Personal Space

The schedule of a cruise ship employee is another area that requires some adjusting. Because you live at your place of work and because of the nature of the work, most employees are required to perform some work responsibilities each day. Some days require more work than others and each schedule varies depending on the position. For Cruise Staff employees, and other positions that interact with guests, it can begin to feel like they are on staff 24-hours a day. This is because most companies require their staff to wear company shirts or uniforms and name tags even when they are off duty. This means being stopped to answer questions, give directions and most certainly means having an approachable and sunny disposition at all times whether it be on or off shift.

People who want to avoid the feeling of always being “on”, usually find themselves avoiding public places during their hours off and can typically find a niche onboard where they can escape the demands of work for a few hours and enjoy some time alone. All of this usually just takes the time to adjust to the difference. Because the ship provides all the laundry, cooking and cleaning, employees don’t have to worry about mundane daily tasks during their time off, and can use those hours for personal or social time. Most ships have employee-only dining halls, lounges and bars, so there are venues specifically designed for employees where they can enjoy being around their peers. Also, while a ship is at port there are usually lots of fun activities to take part in, off the ship. All of these factors help with the feeling of cabin fever, demanding work schedules and other difficult aspects of life onboard.

For the most part, cruise ship employees are happy to have a job which affords them such great benefits, travel and earning potential. While the living quarters and schedules are typically seen as draw backs to the job, they are simply adjustments that need to be made. Most employees will tell you these small drawbacks are worth the positives of working onboard a cruise ship.

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Crew Members Talk Ship Amenities Available To Them

• June 26, 2021

On most cruise ships, there is no shortage of facilities for guests. Waterparks, gyms, numerous bars and theaters are there to satisfy any possible needs of the passenger.

But the options for crew members to unwind and relax are usually much scarcer.

Cruise Industry News spoke with employees from a number of major and niche brands to see what crew members do after they change into casual clothes.

They agreed to share their impressions on the grounds of anonymity.

A Bar and a Gym

Employees of most of the cruise lines Cruise Industry News spoke with said that they had at least a crew bar and a gym.

A crew member with a key luxury brand said his ship had a “very-very small crew bar and no library.”

“The gym is actually very nice,” he added. “We have a jacuzzi on deck 11, but they never put water inside, so I don’t know the point of having one!”

He also said that his ship had a broken ping pong table and a foosball table in need of repair.

“We don’t have a basketball court like others, game room or anything fun for us,” he said.

Who’s Got It Better  

A crew member with Disney Cruise Line said that his ship had a gym, indoor bar, outdoor bar, pools, play courts and a library. All of these can be used by crew members but with some restrictions.

“Mostly I go to the bar for a drink after finishing work, and I do go to the gym three times per week. There is actually everything that a crew member needs (on the ship),” he said.

A crew member who’s worked for all major cruise lines said that the best cruise lines for crew facilities, in his opinion, were Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International.

“They have numerous crew bars, game rooms, big nightclubs, big smoking areas, crew stores (which most ships are doing right now). Royal Caribbean’s Oasis, Allure, Harmony and other ships have different options of crew bar activities, as well as numerous table tennis tables, pool tables, dartboards, PS rooms and massage chairs,” he said.

In general, he added, “the higher the ladder you are onboard, the more facilities you have to enjoy.”

Another crew member who’s worked for Crystal Cruises, as well as other cruise lines in the past, said that Crystal had the best facilities for crew members.

“They really care about the crew: a lot of activities, parties, they do a lot … We could sometimes use the guest pool, and we also had a mini pool always available for us,” he said.

What Crew Members Want

A crew member working for a “major European cruise line” said that his ship had no crew facilities at all. When asked about what he would like to have on his ship, he said:

“I would like to have a proper non-smoking crew lounge with guest-level furniture and live music with direct access to a crew swimming pool.”

A crew member who’s worked for all the major cruise lines said that steam rooms in crew gyms could be added to cruise ships as “most crew members don’t have guest privileges.”

“But for everything you implement onboard for the crew, you need more crew to maintain,” he said. “In all honesty, you don’t get much time for use of any facilities … If you are working like most crew, which is minimum 12-hour days, the best facility tends to be your cabin.”

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Privacy Overview

Royal Caribbean cruise employee arrested after hidden camera found in guest bathroom on Symphony of the Seas

A Royal Caribbean cruise employee has been arrested after allegedly setting up hidden cameras inside passenger bathrooms to spy on young girls.

Arvin Joseph Mirasol, 34, a citizen of the Philippines, was arrested Sunday after a guest aboard the Symphony of the Seas cruise ship found a camera in her bathroom on Feb. 25.

The guest, who was staying in a room with her sister and mother, found the hidden camera when she reached under the sink to grab a roll of toilet paper and found the camera "affixed to the counter underneath the sink," the probable cause affidavit said.

She reported the camera to customer services, and ship security responded to the room.

Mirasol, an attendant who services the cabin by cleaning, replacing towels and making the bed, was detained on the ship until it docked at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on March 3.

Once the ship docked, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office were alerted and spoke with security and Mirasol.

His electronics, including his phone, an SD card, camera, and USB stick, were investigated that same day. On the USB stick, law enforcement discovered "numerous videos of naked females undressing" as well as child pornography, the criminal complaint affidavit said. One video showed Mirasol himself installing a camera into a guest room's bathroom. 

Mirasol admitted in a post-Miranda interview to taping a video camera in guests’ bathrooms when he worked as an attendant and said he'd pleasure himself after retrieving the camera and viewing its footage, the affidavit said.

“Mirasol revealed that he has been placing these cameras in the bathroom since he started working on Symphony of the Seas around December 2023,” the filing said.

He told officers, “I want to control it, but I can’t,” the affidavit said. He said he'd place the cameras in the rooms where there were females 16 years old and older, despite knowing it is illegal to film underage girls.

Mirasol also admitted that while guests were taking a shower, he’d enter the rooms and hide under the bed while recording them naked with his phone, the affidavit said.

Mirasol has been charged with six state charges of voyeurism in Broward County. In the U.S. District Court of Florida, he was further charged with production and possession of child pornography.

NBC News has reached out to the public defender who was appointed to his case.

Royal Caribbean said in a statement: “We have zero tolerance for this unacceptable behavior. We immediately reported this to law enforcement and terminated the crew member, and we will continue to fully cooperate with authorities.”

Breaking News Reporter

Carnival Cruise Line shares details on its 'naughty room'

Cruise-ship passengers have a lot of lingo that's unique to ships. 

Some of it explains itself. If you get invited to a "sailaway party," you can intuitively figure out what that means, but other terms are a little harder to understand.

Regular Royal Caribbean passengers, for example, might suggest you meet at "Schooner," while Celebrity Cruises passengers might opt for a drink at "Sunset." In both cases, the references are to bars that are staples for each cruise line. 

Related: Royal Caribbean's Captain Kate shares harrowing bad weather story

Every cruise line has touchpoints like those, where regulars know names, places and venues that can be used as shorthand. Regular passengers know that Royal Caribbean's buffet is the Windjammer, while Carnival's buffet is technically the Lido Marketplace, although most people simply call it the Lido.

Cruise ships also have unofficial lingo like Royal Caribbean's "washy washy" people. That's a reference to the people who stand in front of the WIndjammer buffet asking (or sometimes singing) people to wash their hands.

It's part of the cruising experience, but it can sometimes be hard to know when the wider cruise community has embraced a particular term. Carnival's brand ambassador, John Heald, recently used a cruise-lingo term and offered passengers clarity as to what it means.

Carnival explains its 'naughty room'

It's hard to know when cruise ship lingo has crossed from insider knowledge to the mainstream. Having Heald, who speaks to hundreds of thousands of Carnival Cruise Line ( CCL ) passengers, use a term, however, essentially makes it mainstream.

Heald recently discussed a note sent to him by an angry passenger.

"Mom and me were on the Valor back in March. We were called to the naughty room because we had a Kuppet portable washing machine in our big bag. We were treated like criminals and degraded. I hope Carnival will be more sympathetic to people and do away with this humiliating experience," the person, identified as "L," wrote.

Heald, first responded by trying to deescalate the situation and using a little of his trademark humor.

"Thank you and I am so sorry 'L' that this happened to you but, the team were doing their jobs and I promise the intention was not to 'humiliate you.' And who knew you could get portable washing machines? Not me," he wrote.

The brand ambassador then acknowledged what the "naughty room" refers to,

"I do have to say I always smile when I hear the place on deck 0 where these inspections are carried out referred to as 'the naughty room.' Where did this ever start? Was it my late Mum who came up with this?" he added.

Here's what's not allowed on Carnival ships

Carnival has a long list of banned items. Some, like weapons and firearms, are obvious, but others are less intuitive because you could use them at a land-based hotel. Heald made clear that the banned list evolves.

"Portable washing machines will be added to the prohibited list," he wrote.

Carnival outlined some details about its policies on its website, which includes many items that passengers may not expect.

"Electrical and household appliances containing any kind of heating element, such as irons, clothes steamers, immersion heaters, heating blankets, water heaters, coffee machines, hot plates, toasters, heating pads, humidifier, etc.," are banned by the cruise line.

Carnival also bans any power strips or plugs that include surge protector. Candles, or any open flame are also prohibited.

Some banned products, including dive knifes, are allowed as long as they are declared. Donna Contenta shared a post on Heald's page where she detailed getting sent to the naughty room.

"I went for a dive knife. It wasn’t that bad. We just had to follow the rules. we were able to take it when we got off the ship to go for a dive and turn it back in when we got back. It really wasn’t that big a deal," she wrote.

Many of the 1,500-plus comments shared positive stories about being sent to the naughty room.

ALSO READ: Royal Caribbean's Captain Kate shares harrowing bad weather story

"Yes, one time I had to go to the naughty room. It was due to having a small sewing kit that included a small pair of scissors in my suitcase. They couldn’t tell the size of the scissors and wanted to see them. I was able to leave with my bag intact," posted Susan Hartley.

I worked on cruises for 3 years. Here are 6 things I'd never do on board.

• I used to work on cruises. After many days at sea, there are things I'd never do on a cruise .
• I never wear my room key around my neck and try to avoid misnaming the ship.
• I never buy the drink package or pay for meal upgrades in the main dining room.

I've sailed around the world as a cruise-ship employee , and now I enjoy cruising as a passenger.

I love the salty sea air, waking up in a new country, and lazy days by the pool, but a week at sea could get more complicated this year with cruises predicted to be in high demand .

While fighting a little harder to secure a prime seat on the pool deck, you may as well also avoid some rookie mistakes.

Here are six things I'd never do on a cruise after working on them for three years.

Pay for upgrades in the main dining room

Typically, main dining room meals are included in the cost of a cruise. But in recent years, it's become common for cruise lines to charge guests extra if they want to upgrade to "supplementary" items like lobster or certain steaks.

I know $12 may not seem like much for a steak or lobster tail at dinner, but the cost of the cruise is supposed to include your food.

So, even though I enjoy lobster, I stick with the items without the upcharges.

Buy the drink package

I enjoy a piña colada by the pool or a Manhattan while listening to a jazz set after dinner. Even so, it doesn't make sense for me to pay in advance for 12 to 15 cocktails a day.

I've done the math on typical unlimited drink packages , and the cost simply isn't worth it for me.

This is especially true with a port-heavy itinerary. If I've gone ashore to explore all day, that means I'm not sidled up to the bar slurping down alcoholic slushies.

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I prefer to buy as I go and take advantage of happy hour and other drink specials that are available on certain cruise lines. I also check the beverage policy in advance and bring on my own wine, if allowed.

Touch shared contact surfaces with my fingers

Fellow guests will never see me touching the elevator buttons with my fingertips. Knuckles and elbows do the trick.

Some cruise lines are better than others at wiping down commonly touched surfaces, but I don't take any chances. I avoid touching things others frequently touch, and I wash my hands frequently.

This strategy has worked for me, as I have never contracted norovirus, even when it was running rampant on a ship I was on. It's quite contagious and can linger on your fingertips even after using hand sanitizer . I'd definitely rather be safe than sorry.

Wear my room key around my neck

I never walk around the ship with my room key around my neck, and I especially never do this when on land.

There are two reasons for this. First, I see many passengers using the room keys dangling from their necks to flaunt their cruise loyalty status . It just looks pretentious.

The sophisticated cruisers with the highest status, with the most days at sea, never show off their fancy room keys.

That's because they know the more important reason — safety. In port, that room key bouncing off your chest looks like an invitation to be robbed. It screams, "I have money! Come and take it from me."

Misname the ship

English is a funny language that has its quirks. Naming conventions make that even more complicated.

Ships have proper names, and so do not require a definite article. For example, "Tomorrow I am embarking on Discovery Princess," or "I enjoyed scenic cruising on MS Westerdam."

If you want to look like a savvy sailor, learn to drop the "the!"

Plan my port-day itinerary so tight that I may not make it back to the ship on time

Oh, the recurring nightmares I've had about not making it back to the ship on time during a port day.

I've never missed a sail away, but I have cut it too close at times and have had to run down a pier or two. Just recently, as a passenger, my taxi driver got lost returning our group to the port at night.

When I realized how late we were going to be, I forked over $8 per minute to be connected with the ship. I pleaded with them to wait for us. It was a sprint through the port to get back on and we received quite a scolding from the first officer.

That time, we got lucky. In the future, I'll be giving myself more time than I think I need to make it back.

Watch: Why it costs $1 million a day to run one of the world's biggest cruise ships

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