Crew members live and work onboard cruise ships, and while many of their cabins are quite small, there are a few bigger ones.
A video shared on TikTok shows what the largest crew cabins are like on Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas.
Bryan James, an entertainer for Royal Caribbean, has worked on numerous ships in the fleet, including Wonder of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, and Quantum of the Seas. He also shares glimpses of his life as a crew member onboard Royal Caribbean vessels on various social media channels, from TikTok (819k followers) to Instagram (273k followers).
Though he's currently on Utopia of the Seas, a video shared on his social media in May shows his cabin while working onboard Quantum during the ship's seasonal stint in Alaska.
Unlike his living quarters while on Utopia, he shares five reasons he loves this massive cabin, from the private, full-sized bathroom to the porthole window.
#5: Storage space
Cruise ship cabins aren't known for being the most spacious. Crew staterooms are even smaller than standard passenger cabins, meaning they have even less storage space despite living on the ship for months at a time.
James has been working on Royal Caribbean ships for years and is used to small closets. While he admits it isn't an issue, he appreciated having more space on Quantum.
"...[small closets are] fine because I don't have a lot of clothes, but just to know I've got the extra space...or [if] I have people come [to] visit me on the ship like my mom just did, it's great to have a place for them to put their clothes, too," he says.
Read more: Ultimate Cruise Packing List
#4: Full-size bathroom
Sometimes, crew members have to share bathrooms during their contracts. While on Quantum, however, James had his own bathroom. Not only that but it was larger than others he's had in the past!
"You don't have to be in the shower and on the toilet at the same time," he remarks, "They are two separate entities."
Above the sink, which is also in the bathroom unlike on Utopia of the Seas, there's a huge medicine cabinet with space for toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other toiletries.
Noticeably missing from the bathroom is the standard glass shower door in passenger staterooms. Instead, crew members are given a shower curtain.
#3: Full-size desk
James compares his desk onboard Quantum to one on a previous contract. "...clearly a massive upgrade," he says.
In his cabin, the desk takes up nearly one wall, giving him plenty of space to edit videos for his social media channels and unwind by playing video games.
The desk in his old cruise ship cabin pulled out from the closet, and there wasn't enough floor space to keep the stool out full-time. Instead, he stored it when it wasn't in use to free up floor space.
#2: Full-size bed
Could you imagine sleeping on a twin-sized bed for months at a time? Typically, that's how cruise ship crew members experience life at sea. In this case, James was surprised that he had a full-sized bed.
Even better, it wasn't two twin-sized beds pushed together, which is the case in passenger cabins. Guests can elect to have them separated or keep them pushed together, depending on their preferences.
"Normally, they take two mattresses [and] they squish them together...this is an actual real mattress," he explains.
His cabin also had a pullman bed, ideal when guests stayed with him while onboard.
#1: Porthole
Some cruisers refuse to pay extra for balcony cabins, whereas others can't imagine stepping foot on a ship without having access to a private verandah. Crew members don't get to decide whether they have an inside or ocean-view room. Most, however, stay in tiny cabins without any natural light for the duration of their contact.
On Quantum, James was most pleased with his porthole, allowing him to catch glimpses of Alaska's natural beauty inside his stateroom.
"Not only do I get sunshine during the day," he says, "but I can stick my phone up to the window and get cell service so I don't have to use the internet....This is the dream, guys."
Read more: I always stay in an inside cabin on a cruise ship
Quantum of the Seas will return to Alaska in May 2025
Following her season in Australia and the South Pacific, Quantum of the Seas will return to Alaska in May, offering 7-night roundtrip cruises from Seattle, along with one 5-night sailing to Sitka and Victoria, British Columbia.
The 168,666 gross registered ton vessel is the namesake ship of the Quantum Class, the first to feature innovations like a skydiving simulator, indoor SeaPlex used for roller skating and bumper cars, and the North Star Observation Capsule.
During Quantum's Alaskan itineraries, guests can lounge on the top decks to take in the stunning views of glaciers and fjords and take advantage of numerous outdoor activities in port, including hiking, kayaking, and whale watching.
Read more: I went on a 7-night cruise to Alaska
