Why you should think twice before complaining on your next cruise

I could name a dozen people who’ve had a significant influence on cruise-ship design, sustainability, technologies, onboard dining or operations. But I won’t, because the people I admire most in cruising aren’t CEOs, managers or visionaries.

They’re the butlers and housekeepers. The waiters and bartenders. The people you see swabbing the decks and dusting the potted plants. And the people you never see, who do the laundry, oil the engines and keep the sewage system running.

I can’t speak too highly of cruise-ship crews. They’re the real journey makers. A ship can have designer furniture and lobster dinners but is nothing without good staff. The tireless work and smiles of the crew make the magic happen.

You could say that of any travel business, but cruise staff have added challenges. Housekeepers and waiters interact far more with customers than they ever would on land – and over many more days.

If a staff member feels seasick, too bad. If a huge swell makes food preparation in cramped galleys difficult, guests still expect dinner. Waiters cover 25 seats a shift, while explaining unfamiliar food and taking orders in a foreign language.

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The hours are incredibly long. It isn’t uncommon for staff to spend 12-hour shifts entirely on their feet. They work every day for six or nine months. They rest between contracts, during which they get no pay or entitlements.

And the hardest part, unlike for most workers on land? They don’t see their parents, spouse or children for all that time. To support their families, they must sacrifice time with them.

And so yes, sometimes you may meet a cruise-ship worker who gives you half-hearted service or appears grumpy. They aren’t saints. But 99.9 per cent of the time you get smiles and efficiency, which on luxury ships can extend to the slightest detail.

Passengers complain anyway, of course. And yes, customers are entitled to get what they pay for, and to make legitimate complaints. But first, spare a thought for the person who has confused your dessert order, or forgotten to empty the rubbish bin in your cabin.

Have patience. Be kind. Would it kill you to leave your cabin reasonably tidy to make the housekeeper’s life easier? To carry a towel from pool to laundry basket? And believe it or not, you won’t damage your wrist by lifting a plate, or overload your brain by remembering the butler’s name.

Be friendly, but not excessively so. A long corridor conversation means the housekeeper has to work later to finish. Crew off the ship don’t want more than a hello: they only have a couple of hours with their friends, and you aren’t one of them.

Leave a tip. Fill in your customer review, because crew rely on commendations to get promotions or their next contract. Your travel life is blessed by the hard work of others.

Brian Johnston seemed destined to become a travel writer: he is an Irishman born in Nigeria and raised in Switzerland, who has lived in Britain and China and now calls Australia home.