17 Shocking Cruise Ship Secrets I Learned After Going On Six Cruises

This is kind of creepy, but it totally makes sense. People die every day, and the majority of people who take cruises are much older, so cruise ships need to be prepared (since they won't venture off course and head to land). Death doesn't wait for you to finish your vacation.

Side note: Someone on my most recent cruise had a heart attack on board in the middle of the night, and a helicopter had to do an emergency landing ~on the ship~ to take the passenger to a hospital (they're fine – don't worry).

Most cruise ships offer tours to their passengers, and if you ever take one you'll probably come across the "brigs" (i.e. jail cells) that are basically just small, empty rooms in one of the bottom decks of the ship.

There are literally thousands of guests and workers on each cruise. On the world's largest cruise ship, a seven-day cruise uses 3.5 tons of rice, 5.5 tons of flour, 31 tons of vegetables, 8 tons of chicken, and 15.8 tons of oil. Holy ravioli.

If you've never been on a cruise before then you might not believe me, but I promise that the sit-down dining meals are incredible.

You can pick your poison at the buffets for any meal, but cruises also offer sit-down dining for breakfasts, most lunches, and dinners, which are all included in your ticket price. They also have specialty restaurants on board if you ever want to venture from the pack, but those cost extra.

The dinners on board are how most people think they're going to get their money's worth, and I'm no exception. It's totally acceptable to order multiple starters, entrées, and desserts with each meal, so take advantage. This is especially great because there are nights when you won't be able to choose what to order. Braised lamb shank, New York strip loin, or lobster tail? I'll take all three, please.

This is known as maritime law. So, if you're in the US and between the ages of 18 and 20 and you realllllly want to gamble at a casino, you should probably book a cruise.

Casinos on cruise ships are really interesting. They're just like the ones in Vegas: security cameras are all around, pit bosses are always keeping a watchful eye, and most of the popular card table games (as well as slots, craps, and roulette) are available.

However, because ship casinos are so much smaller, you probably won't find every game you're looking for. For example, I unfortunately have yet to find a ship with a pai gow table.

Compared to most vacations, cruises are relatively cheap. Think about it: your hotel, food, and travel are all included in the ticket price. As a result, most cruises only turn a profit because of alcohol, casino, and spa spendings.

Depending on the cruise line, drink packages are usually about $50 per day. They include beer, wine, cocktails, specialty drinks, and even things like espresso. I personally don't drink alcohol or coffee, so the package wouldn't be worth it for me, but I feel like I saw 90% of the guests taking advantage of the perk.

Cruises have cabin stewards who, just like the cleaning staff in hotels, tidy up your room and change your sheets every day (sometimes twice a day!). Depending on the cruise line, these cabin stewards are trained in towel folding and will leave different towel animals in your cabin for you. Don't be surprised if you randomly see your sunglasses on a towel monkey or elephant.

I'm not gonna lie, the shower on my last cruise (and most other cruises) was pretty small. While there was enough space for me to lather, rinse, and repeat, it still felt a little cramped.

Working out on a ship is an unusual but cool experience. The ever-changing view is absolutely ridiculous. Also, every ship I've been on has offered free group fitness classes with certified trainers, so if you want to start your day with a tough abs class before breakfast, you can.

I've only ever walked through the spa on the cruises I've been on, but one thing has remained the same: they're expensive (for example, a couples massage can cost close to $400 for just over an hour). This is a classic case of supply and demand. Cruise lines know that people are hoping to relax and pamper themselves, and since there's no other spa that guests can go to in the middle of the ocean, the ship can charge whatever it wants.

The ship's movement honestly isn't that noticeable. In fact, most ships have stabilizers that extend from their sides, sort of like wings on a plane. The only time you really feel any movement is when you're still, like, in the shower or in bed.

If you're on vacation, your goal should be to lose track of what day it is. Because of that, the ship's workers change the tiles in the elevators every morning to let you know what day it is. They're the heroes we don't deserve.