A former Royal Caribbean employee reveals the one question you should always ask cruise ship workers

• If you're ever on a cruise, you should ask the ship's employees where to go at ports, a former Royal Caribbean employee told Business Insider.
• Casino workers, retail workers, dancers, and guest services employees are among the best people to ask for recommendations since they get enough free time to explore ports.
• But there are some desirable spots employees won't reveal to you, like bars that are designed specifically for cruise-ship workers.
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If you're ever on a cruise, you should ask the ship's employees where to go once the ship docks at a port, a former Royal Caribbean employee told Business Insider.

The former employee, who left the company in February, said that, when he was asked for recommendations, he directed passengers to avoid crowded spots that are popular with tourists, like Sunset Beach Bar in St. Maarten, which is located on a beach that is next to the runway at Princess Juliana International Airport. (Planes fly low to the ground over the beach when they're landing at Princess Juliana.) The former Royal Caribbean employee would recommend that passengers see one plane land, then go to nearby Mullet Bay Beach, which is much less crowded.

Read more: Cruise ship workers reveal the 7 most annoying things passengers do

Casino workers, retail workers, dancers, and guest services employees are among the best people to ask for recommendations since they get enough free time to explore ports, the former Royal Caribbean employee said. But there are some desirable spots employees won't reveal to you, like bars that are designed specifically for cruise-ship workers. Telling a passenger about them would be a major faux paus.

"There are bars in certain islands that are designed and cater only to crew, and we would never, ever tell a guest to go to one of those places," the former Royal Caribbean employee said. "If you were ever caught telling a guest, 'Go into a crew bar,' I don't think you'd ever be allowed back."

Those bars appeal to cruise-ship workers because they can relax without the pressure of having to act as representatives of their employers.

"When a crew member's off the ship and they're not working, the last thing they want to do is deal with guests or see guests, because as soon as you see a guest, you have to be polite again," the former Royal Caribbean employee said. 

Editor's note: This post has been updated to reflect that the Royal Caribbean employee has left the company.

Have you worked on a cruise ship? Do you have a story to share? Email this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com.

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• Cruise-ship workers describe the tiny cabins they live in, where up to 4 people can share a tight space

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