I throw parties at sea for a living. Here's what it's like sailing the world as a cruise director for Royal Caribbean.
Royal Caribbean
- Bonnie Bai is a cruise director for Royal Caribbean's Spectrum of the Seas.
- She works for four months at a time before a three-month break and has visited over 70 countries.
- Her favorite port is Barcelona, and she loves that she can build friendships with the guests.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Bonnie Bai, a 32-year-old cruise director for Royal Caribbean. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I was 10 years old when I saw the ocean for the first time. My parents took me to the coastal city of Dalian in China. The horizon looked to me to be a place of possibilities.
It made such an impression on me that a decade later, after getting my master's degree in hospitality, I made Dalian my home and joined Royal Caribbean's ship the Voyager of the Seas as a member of its crew. I've now worked for Royal Caribbean for nine years and sailed to 70 countries.
Royal Caribbean was my first job out of college
I applied to a job agency that helps people find positions on cruise ships. I also earned my safety and emergency certificates, which give me the right to work on a ship, through the agency.
I joined the cruise director's team on the Voyager of the Seas in the Caribbean in 2014. My job was to organize game shows for the guests. I loved it. Every night I would go to sleep with a big smile on my face.
I was then promoted to activities manager, and in 2020, I became Royal Caribbean's second-youngest cruise director on Spectrum of the Seas.
I'm in charge of all the entertainment onboard
Royal Caribbean
I plan activities like theater shows and pool parties, and I run the flight simulators, bumper cars, and kids' clubs. People may think of a cruise ship as a mode of transportation to a different country, but really, it's another destination.
We regularly throw big parties onboard, but one of the most memorable parties was when the Spectrum of the Seas was christened in 2019 by the actress Angelababy in Shanghai. We had bagpipers, aerialists, Champagne, and a zip line.
I work on the ship for 4 months at a time
Then I have a three-month vacation, which I use to go home to see my family. When we're at sea, my workday starts at 9 a.m. If we're arriving at a new port the next day, I'll meet with the hotel director, who will tell me what's special about the next cruise, what the demographics of our guests will be, and if there's anything we need to be aware of.
I'll also meet with the maintenance team and have a safety meeting with the captain and chief safety officer. In the afternoon, I might take members of our loyalty club on a backstage tour of the theater or oversee a belly-flop competition at the pool.
A few weeks ago, I spent my day helping to blow up 2,000 balloons for a giant balloon drop at a party.
If someone is on their honeymoon or celebrating a wedding anniversary, we try to make the trip extra special for them
We can't throw individual parties for celebrating couples because we usually have about 5,000 guests onboard, so we'll host a Love and Marriage game show and ask three couples at different stages in their married life to take part. This way the rest of the guests on the ship can enjoy the moment as well.
In the evening, I change from my uniform into an evening gown so I can host the twice-nightly shows in our two theaters, pool parties, and film nights. I wrap up my day by hosting a virtual fireworks party at 11:30 p.m., when the panoramic windows of our ship turn into a 270-degree projection screen.
When I'm not overseeing events, I may do some filming for our in-house TV show
Royal Caribbean
"Entertainment Today" is beamed onto our guests' TV screens each morning. I talk about what's happening at the spa, restaurants, and casino, and what they can find at their next destination. Hosting is something I learned on the job as a cruise director, but I've also taken media courses online.
We work hard to make sure everyone is having a good time onboard, but the weather can still throw us a curveball. On our first trip back to Japan post-pandemic, a typhoon stopped us from traveling to Osaka, which meant the guests had an extra day at sea.
When it's a port day, the activity schedules are usually light as everyone tends to go ashore, so we had to rejigger all the schedules that day to make sure there were plenty of activities to keep our guests occupied.
If there's an emergency onboard, I'll run up to the bridge to work alongside the captain in the communication center. Every single crew member onboard has safety duties.
My favorite port is Barcelona
The cruise port is at the bottom of Las Ramblas, a large boulevard that runs through the city. When you wake up in the morning and look out through the porthole, you can see the city stretching out before you. I love running off the ship to take photos.
My favorite itineraries go through Asia, be it Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Shanghai, or Singapore. My family can join me anytime on the ship, but when we sail through Asia, I can easily fly them out to join me.
Royal Caribbean
Some of my colleagues are very adventurous, and when we arrive at a destination they'll go and climb a mountain or visit a waterfall. But after hosting parties all night, I want relaxation.
When I go ashore, I may go for a bike ride, take a walk around the town, or get a massage. At the end of the day, there's nothing I like better than putting aromatic oils on my pillow and reading a book or falling asleep to a movie.
What's special about working at sea is the relationships you make
People may stay for one or two nights at a hotel, but with ships, guests will stay with you anywhere from three to 200 days. I've made lifelong friendships with some of the guests.
When I go on vacation now, there's always someone I know in each city.
Do you work on a cruise ship and want to share your story? Email Lauryn Haas at lhaas@insider.com.
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