6 Heartwarming Ways Crew Members Go Above and Beyond

One of the best parts of cruising is meeting all types of new people, but those people aren’t always guests or inhabitants of the ports you visit. We constantly see reviews where the author spends paragraphs raving the amazing service they received from certain crew members, and it’s easy to tell that these crew members made sure their guests had the vacation of their lives, even when it involved going above and beyond their job description.

To show our appreciation for the cruise ship staff who go the extra mile and always put a smile on our face, we decided to pull together some great stories of crew members who turned good vacations into amazing ones--and honestly, we didn’t have to look very hard. Here are the kinds of stories that we absolutely love to hear:

1. When the person from your cruise you hope to see again wasn’t another passenger:

"enjoyed my cruise alot. What made it [memorable] was the level of hospitality from our cabin attendant and dining room servers. They all went above and beyond to make sure our needs were met. Once our dining room servers Randy, Sezir and Paul got to know us, they remember that we like lemons in our water and made sure it was there every night before we came for dinner....so we would not have to wait. Our cabin attendant was the BOMB.....thanks Carlos for make sure we never needed anything. Thank you all for making us feel at home away from home on our first cruise ever....hope to see you all again :)" - tonjajackson, Serenade of the Seas

"This was our first cruise and we had a great time. Our guest service people were great. Mike, Orlando, and Elmer were wonderful at dinner time. They always had a smile on their face and seemed like they genuinely cared. Nyoman was our room guy. Man o man. He knew our names the first day and greeted us with a smile anytime we saw him. Great job guys and I hope we run into each other again some day!! Amazing service!!" - Nashkoetting, Carnival Elation

2. When the staff show they really care:

"We had our 2 year old grandson with us which we put in my stateroom so he could nap. I hung out in the room across the hall, frequently checking outside the door to make sure he was still sleeping. Evidently he had woken up and was calling for me, which I didn't know. Our wonderful stateroom attendant knocked on the door, but I was out on the balcony and didn't hear him. He entered the room to let me know our little guy was calling for me. He was so wonderful to be aware of our grandson's presence. We loved him and the service he provided." - KarinT., Splendour of the Seas

"Entire crew was fantastic. Most accommodating, especially given that the airlines lost our luggage for 7 days. Staff of the RC went out of their way to make things as pleasant for us as they possibly could. Could not have asked for more." - donnahooper, Serenade of the Seas

3. When crew members put the special touch on a celebration:

"our cabin attendent was so nice and professional. but the best part of our cruise was the extra effort the dinning room staff put into making our grandpa feel special on his 80th birthday! every one in the dinning room really went above and beyond the call of duty!" - JessicaM11, Carnival Paradise

"This Cruise made my 73rd birthday the most wonderful, exciting and most unforgettable birthday ever !. A big thank you to Cemon, Shirley and Phoebe, in the Paris dinning room. You made our day, everyday! I have never experienced such friendly service, with a genuine smile and hugs." - charlynantx, Carnival Triumph

"We had our wedding on the ship and the staff was so supportive to any and all our needs. Our cabin attendant even got a wedding cake made for us." - mrmountains, Serenade of the Seas

4. When the crew is the reason you want to sail on a particular line again:

"Our table attendant (Mansur) and assistant (Hariardi) were excellent in providing our service and making their recommendations for our superb dinner choices. As well, our cabin attendant, Marlon, was also professional and helpful in all respects and the above named are a credit to the entire Celebrity corporation as a whole. We have already booked our next cruises for 2016, and looking forward to joining the Celebrity staff on board once again.” - tmpettigrass, Celebritiy Equinox

"The Norwegian Cruise Line staff are excellent. Everyone had a smile and upbeat personality. Our cabin attendant memorized our name by the first night! The officers were constantly walking around and ensuring our comfort. I am planning my next cruise already!” - NicoleA, Norwegian Jewel

"We met a lot of staff and crew during our visit and never met anyone who wasn't quick with a smile and happy to help. It was great watching the kids interact with the Camp Carnival staff. They were all having a great time. The staff from our room steward, bartenders, camp councilors, waiters, etc. all treated us so well we would definitely cruise on Carnival again." - mkgg1, Carnival Triumph

5. When everyone makes you feel like family:

"The service on this cruise was outstanding. All of the people who worked on it were very kind and helpful. I have sailed on many cruises before and I have never seen such amazing service. Specifically I think that the dining room waiters were the best. We had to exceptional waiters, Romeo Mabogoane and Anak Agung Putra. They were outstanding. They would always give us recommendations on what to order and treated us very kindly. They always were engaged in their jobs and talked with us about our day and seemed interested which was very nice of them. They both knew how to make their guests feel comfortable. We also met other very nice people who worked on our cruise, like our cleaning lady Arlene. She was always so sweet to us and nice. She would greet us everytime we saw her and in general was very kind. Everyone who worked on the cruise tried to make our experience as amazing and special as possible. They were very professional and clearly cared about the guests." dgorniak, Independence of the Seas

""The crew was espcecially kind to my mother in a wheel chair and tried to keep her upbeat. They even called her "Grandma" which put a smile on her face." - Lindaj7, Carnival Paradise

6. When they remind you to be generous:

"For people who are going on a cruise, any cruise -- PLEASE give credit where credit is due. If you see service that you find excellent, reward them. Many people working on board earn a fraction of what we call "minimum wage" in the United States. They work hard to treat you like "majesty" and they deserve a little reward. We tipped everyone we found exceptional(which was most of them). We also took our time to write 15 or more thoughtful "style cards" and "comment cards" about deserving crew members. Please keep in mind that this is an important factor in their promotion." - JenniferM9, Norwegian Majesty

Caribbean cruise deals from $