Cruise Confidential

Cruise Confidential is the first book in the eponymous series by author Brian David Bruns, published in 2008 by Traveler’s Tales (a division of Solas House). Its full title is Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline: Where the Crew Lives, Eats, Wars, and Parties.

Cruise Confidential provoked a discussion about the merits of cruise lines’ exploitation of workers. The book has received much criticism for its revealing of cruise ship employees’ excesses, from both inside and out of the cruise industry. This debate was featured by ABC's 20/20 on two separate occasions in a special called Cruise Ship Confidential,[1] where Bruns was interviewed on the subject of labor law violations and reckless crew behavior.

Plot summary

Cruise Confidential narrates the experiences of the author working in the cruise industry. As one of the few Americans in Carnival Cruise Lines’ restaurants, he is unprepared for the realities of working in the cruise industry, with long hours and little pay. He is also subjected to a range of challenges from his international colleagues, many of whom deride his decision to work at sea to be with his girlfriend who is a waitress on the ship Carnival Conquest. He was the first American waiter in 30 years to complete a full contract without quitting.

Brian begins with his entry into ship life on Carnival Fantasy as a restaurant trainee, then moves up through the ranks to lower level restaurant manager on Carnival Conquest. Far from being the result of hard work, he finds he is an unknowing pawn in a game of international politics on board. Several factions attempt to drive him out of his chosen career, feeling an American is disruptive to the foreign-run hierarchy. Others champion him but invariably only in regards to their own careers. His promotion is ultimately denied and he is sent to Carnival Legend as a waiter, embittered but not beaten. The climax of the book is his effort at finding a different path to remaining at sea when his restaurant career implodes. His experiences as an art auctioneer and his continued quest for his girlfriend are narrated in the sequels.

Sequels

The Cruise Confidential series is composed of four books.

  • Cruise Confidential (2008, Traveler’s Tales ISBN 978-1932361605)
  • Ship for Brains (2011, World Waters ISBN 9780974521770)
  • Unsinkable Mister Brown (2012, World Waters ISBN 9780974521763)
  • High Seas Drifter (2013, World Waters ISBN 9780985663568)

Awards
  • Book of the Year, Benjamin Franklin Awards (2009)
  • Book of the Year, ForeWord Awards (2009)
  • New England Book Festival, finalist (2008)
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References
  1. Cruise Ship Confidential
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