Have you ever considered life at sea? There are quite a lot of us that look at the romanticism of a life aboard a ship, but is it something that we can achieve?
Well, we wanted to get some insight into this and understand the inner workings of life at sea, so we jumped at the chance to speak to Bonnie Bai, Cruise Director, Entertainment and Guest Activities, Spectrum of the Seas (a Royal Caribbean cruise).
She is the most visible crew member aboard the ship and has spent over 8 years with the cruise line. What better person to give us some insight into life on the high seas?
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Bonnie’s interview has been slightly edited for clarity and length, but we wanted to give her our platform as an outlet to share more about her experiences with the Royal Caribbean cruise.
Could you give us a bit of background about yourself?
I’m Bonnie, currently the Cruise Director for Entertainment and Guest Activities onboard Spectrum of the Seas. I’ve been working with Royal Caribbean for 8 years now and fun fact, this is my first full-time job since I graduated from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University with a master’s degree in hospitality.
My time in university, as well as the various internship experiences I had working in The St. Regis Hong Kong and Shenzhen Tourism Bureau piqued my interest in the tourism industry as I wanted opportunities to travel the world and also meet new people with different backgrounds and experiences.
Upon graduation, I decided to do exactly what I envisioned for myself and embarked onto a rather eccentric work life with cruising. The idea of waking up to a new city, new country or even just a new ocean was very exciting – and still excites me till date.
I also appreciate meeting new people, understanding different cultures, values and choices, trying out various cuisines, and just immersing into the sheer beauty of life – this has given me so much of perspective and knowledge along the way.
Could you explain what your role really entails?
I began my journey in Royal Caribbean as a staff in the Cruise Director’s team, whereby I oversaw the smaller aspects of the guest experience, including conceptualizing and hosting events/ gameshows on the ship.
I was then promoted to become an Activities Manager, which involved heavy coordination with various teams onboard to harmonise and streamline the overall guest experience. Presently as the second youngest Cruise Director in the Royal Caribbean fleet globally, my responsibilities can be categorised into front-of-house and back-of-house management.
Front-of-house, which involves greeting and interacting with guests is a crucial (and my personal favourite) part of my job as it helps me better understand my audience in the particular market. Guests see me on their stateroom TVs for the morning programme, and I also host all the various entertainment shows and parties on the ship.
Back-of-house duties, in which I’m also responsible for designing the entire guest experience – from the selection of entertainment shows to the conceptualisation of gameshow activities on the ship.
Guests from different cultures and backgrounds have different tastes and preferences, and in fact, even the weather plays a part, which is why we have the crowd-favourite Belly Flop Competition on Spectrum as it presents the perfect opportunity for guests to soak into the pool and be entertained in the hot weather.
Another fun fact, I also watch every single entertainment show on the ship, approximately 28 per week, to see how guests respond to the shows and identify areas of success and improvement.
Why did you choose to become a cruise director?
My mother was a tailor, so growing up, I wanted to be a fashion designer or model. Another option was being an archaeologist, as the idea of finding new things and exploring treasures intrigued me.
Both professions involved going to new places, meeting new people, and embarking on new adventures, which is exactly what being a Cruise Director entails. Working on a cruise is also ultra-special because it’s not just a means of transportation, it’s a destination in itself, with so much to do and experience onboard.
In fact, my role as a Cruise Director has presented me with various precious moments and milestones. Work-wise, I’m extremely proud to have taken out the three newest and largest cruise ships sailing out of Asia – Quantum of the Seas in 2015, Ovation of the Seas in 2016 and Spectrum of the Seas in 2019. It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m looking forward to new opportunities and challenges ahead of me!
Outside of work, living and cruising at sea has made the crew onboard my second family, and it’s wonderful how we all come from different walks of life with so much to learn from one another, all while bringing unique value to the overall guest experience.
One of my most memorable encounters has been meeting Jim, one of the senior pianists onboard who was then 72-year-old. Naturally, I was curious why choose to continue working, despite having the means to retire early and spend more time with his family. He shared that he and his wife visit their local Children Welfare Centre regularly to spend time with the kids there and after multiple visits, it dawned upon them that these kids deserved to be raised in a nurturing and homely environment and that there was so much more that he could do for them.
The first baby they adopted was one with physical disabilities, whose parents were struggling to support him, and they’re now proud parents of 6 adopted children, alongside their 3 biological children. Early retirement isn’t on the cards, but he enjoys doing what he loves and seeing his 9 children grow up. These life choices truly made me understand what it’s like to love unconditionally.
The cherry on top is that I published my very first book about working, living and cruising at sea in China – see here (registration required). The book title loosely translates to “Chasing dreams 100,000 miles around the world”, because that is exactly how I’d describe my incredible journey with Royal Caribbean thus far.
In it, I share my unique experiences as a Chinese working in a transnational, multicultural environment, and my personal advice for other young people looking to establish themselves in the workplace, and the process of discovering what one values as an individual in work and life to truly become our best selves.
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What was the most surprising thing you discovered about cruises after joining Royal Caribbean?
The first Royal Caribbean ship I stepped foot on was Voyager of the Seas, and I can confirm that I was mind-blown. She’s beautiful and decked with loads of adventure including an ice-skating rink, a surf simulator, a rock-climbing wall, and so much more. You name it, and it’s there! I also realized that a cruise ship truly has everything one would possibly need during a vacation – shopping, spa, food, even a chapel – and truly understood why it’s considered a destination in itself.
Over time, I also learned the importance (and skill) of being in control of my emotions and energy. While at work, regardless of what I’m feeling, I have to execute heartening and positive energy to our guests, which is also a key element of the signature Royal Caribbean experience guests look forward to.
In order to overcome this, I choose to focus on the current moment so I can do and be my best. A mindset I live by is carpe diem, which means to live in the moment, and it applies to both work and life. When I’m onboard, I embrace the rhythm of the ship life and when I’m on vacation, you’ll find me enjoying, winding down, and spending as much time as possible with my family.
What do you find that most people get wrong about cruises?
That cruising is unsafe! Truth to be told – cruising is one of the safest ways to travel – and here’s why. Cruise ships are among the most scrutinized vessels at sea with oversight beginning at design and construction, ensuring strict safety standards and protocols are in place. We’re also constantly improving day-to-day procedures, equipped with things like access control, closed circuit TV, medical preparedness, crime allegation reporting and crew training.
Recent technological advancements which also serve to elevate operational efficiency include accessing several compulsory safety drill elements virtually and at ones’ own convenience with Muster 2.0, upgraded Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, as well as enhanced sanitisation and disinfection protocols onboard.
Tell us some great stories that you have from your time as a cruise director.
During the Global Odyssey (an epic 46-day adventure from Barcelona, Spain to Shanghai, China), we had the opportunity to cruise through the Suez Canal in Egypt. It was truly fascinating to see how narrow the canal is up close, and how close by the ship was to the sides of the canal.
On one side of the canal, you can see the desert, and on the other side, small villages. We were standing on the top deck, where we could see and hear the locals who were waving and saying hello to us in excitement. And of course, we shared the same enthusiasm and waved back. The moment was short, but extremely touching. Whenever I see the Suez Canal now, I’m always reminded of those smiling faces.
Name your top 5 travel recommendations.
Cuba is number one on my personal bucket list. The moment I heard Cuban music for the first time, I was hooked, and I absolutely adore the jazz and salsa nuances. I would love to go there and indulge in the exotic land as soon as I can!
Tibet, China is unlike any other place I’ve been to. The unique combination of the mountains, the snow, the heartwarming locals, and the local religion, makes it a perfect place to explore, and also take a step back to think about the meaning of life from a different perspective.
If you’re looking for peace and tranquillity, Alaska it is. Its incredible scenery and wildlife make it an appealing getaway spot for intrepid travellers and nature lovers. I’d recommend kicking back, grabbing a cup of hot chocolate and enjoying the scenic icebergs all around you.
I’m always amazed by the surreal beauty of forests, rivers, and waterfalls in Zhangjiajie, China. It’s where the movie Avatar was filmed and being there truly makes you feel like you’re on a different planet sometimes!
A cruise around the Mediterranean is truly a wonderful experience as you essentially wake up in a completely different city or country every day. And of course, the possibilities are endless – take a slice of pizza in Naples, purchase a handmade leather bag in Barcelona, have cheers toast on the streets of Rome… you will never get bored!
