Senior staff are great, but almost everything else is a joke. - Guest Services Officer Princess Cruises Employee Review

1. Inadequate Safety Training Safety training is largely performative, designed to protect management rather than genuinely prepare staff. Critical procedures are communicated verbally with little structure or follow-through. During my first contract alone, I was assigned approximately seven different safety positions, often with less than 24 hours' notice before drills. This left crew consistently underprepared for real emergency scenarios. 2. Violent Guests Face No Real Consequences Across three ships, I witnessed multiple incidents of physical aggression toward both passengers and front desk staff. In every case, the response was a Future Cruise Credit and a formal apology, nothing more. Security intervention was minimal, incidents were routinely covered up, and no guest was ever disembarked regardless of severity. Staff are left entirely unprotected. 3. Aging Fleet and Deferred Maintenance Ships are not properly maintained. Cabin issues, particularly HVAC failures, are widespread and recurring. What makes this especially demoralizing is that guests are frequently misled by the customer service hotline before boarding, meaning staff must manage complaints rooted in promises the company itself made and broke. 4. Deceptive Ship Assignment Practices A common pattern reported by colleagues involves being initially assigned to a desirable vessel, only to be reassigned days before joining to a ship with a poor reputation, always justified under "operational needs." This tactic appears designed to prevent staff from seeking alternative employment by keeping expectations just high enough to delay a decision. It was ultimately the reason I did not renew my contract. 5. Declining Benefits for Guest Services Officers A recent restructuring has significantly reduced GSO quality of life. Senior hotel officers received upgraded accommodations at the direct expense of GSOs, who were relocated to inferior cabins. Supervisors are now sharing rooms, and the financial incentive for promotion has become negligible, roughly $200 additional per month for a disproportionate increase in responsibility and stress. 6. Credential and Finance Training Failures System access and credentials are routinely delayed, requiring staff to chase down basic account information that could be resolved with a single managerial email. Finance training is particularly inadequate, with staff asked to sign off on training that was never properly conducted. I personally took it upon myself to train incoming GSOs throughout my contract because the formal process had failed them. 7. HR Provides Little to No Support Human Resources functions more as an administrative formality than a genuine support system. Serious concerns are met with indifference. Experiences varied by ship, but the consensus among colleagues was consistent: HR is not an ally. 8. Guest Demographics Require Specific Patience The passenger base skews significantly older, which shapes the nature of guest interactions. A large portion of complaints are not operational issues but expressions of frustration directed at staff. There is limited opportunity for meaningful service recovery or genuine hospitality, as much of the role involves absorbing dissatisfaction rather than resolving it. This review is not written out of bitterness, but genuine disappointment. A GSO role on this line may be suitable if the primary goal is income. However, for those seeking a professional hospitality environment with proper training, staff support, and service standards, this is not the right fit.