Former cruise ship worker reveals 'secret codes' staff use in front of passengers

Choosing to sail between a number of sun-soaked destinations can be a more relaxing way to spend your time than a traditional flight-based vacation, but many who have been on a cruise will have no idea that ship workers have their own secret code to talk freely in front of customers.

There are no doubt a number of nautical terms that regular cruise ship passengers do not understand, whether it is simply knowing the difference between port and starboard, or figuring out the galley is indeed the kitchen.

But the many ship workers who make a cruise feel effortless by swabbing the decks before guests wake up, or by providing excellent service even if it is 3am, have developed their own informal language so they can tell a 'paisano' from a straight-up nightmare passenger.

A former cruise worker has detailed some of these terms so that people with an upcoming stay on one of these giant floating hotels can translate some of this ship-speak and get a sense of what is going on below deck.

You may have heard some odd phrases from workers on a cruise before (Getty Stock Image)

The ex employee shared six of the main terms used by people working on cruises in a revealing Reddit post, where they explained: "The ship's crew uses a whole bunch of slang words and phrases when talking to each other. A passenger would surely make a crew member's day using some of them."

So, don't be afraid to give some of these a try. Though, if someone says they are legege, maybe just leave them alone.

Or for that matter, if it seems like they might have just had a banana, but not the fruit. The worker explained: "When a crew member does something wrong and gets lectured by the supervisor, we say that he got a banana."

A worker might even get a 'banana' if they are 'mamagayo', a word that cruise employees use to describe someone who is shirking their duties. They added: "A crew member who spends time in the cabin or hiding somewhere while on duty is called mamagayo."

The workers use a code so you can enjoy your holiday and not hear them grumbling (Getty Stock Image)

You might even hear some of the more physically employed members of staff working hard and saying 'company rich', but they aren't talking about themselves.

"Company rich - When crew members break some equipment or a tool they work with, they don't stress too much. They would just say, 'No problem. Company rich,'" the worker said.

And if someone is muttering about how 'lagege' they are, just leave them alone. "Lagege - When crew members are very busy, they say, 'I'm lagege.'"

They also revealed how much of this secret code is about keeping their complaints from management, as it is about keeping passengers out of the loop.

The worker added: "Mucho Trabaho, Poco Denaro - The ones making less money for doing more physical jobs would say this. After some time, they realise that to make more money and work less, they need to apply for another job."

But most importantly, they wanted to tell the public to 'be kind' to the people working on the cruise ships, who are often working up to 15 hours a day for months at a time away from their loved ones.

So if you want to show some solidarity, you can always call a man your 'paisano' or a woman your 'paisana'. The former cruise ship worker said: "It means a fellow countryman (countrywoman). You can't go wrong using this word when talking with a crew member."