A cruise ship worker has revealed the five things you should take on board a lifeboat that cruise ships fail to tell their passengers.
Lucy Southerton, 28, from Birmingham, has been working on cruise ships for nine years and regularly shares tips with passengers to help them make the most of their trip.
In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cruising as Crew, where he has amassed over 69,000 subscribers, he shared some key tips that could prove very useful.
She has advised passengers on the best items to carry on a lifeboat, all of which could prove crucial in an emergency.
Continue reading below for Lucy’s checklist of the most important items to take with you on a lifeboat.
Lucy Southerton (pictured), 28, from Birmingham, has been working on cruise ships for nine years and regularly shares tips with passengers to help them make the most of their trip.
Lipstick
Sharing her first tip, Ms Southerton said that, to the surprise of many, lip balm is a must-have item.
The cruise ship worker said: ‘(In a life-threatening situation) the body prioritises distributing water to essential organs such as the liver and brain.
‘This means that your lips don’t get enough water, so they dehydrate faster and can become chapped. If you’re on a lifeboat for a long time, your lips will be one of the first things to suffer, so you need to protect them at all costs.’
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Moving on to the second point she recommended carrying on a life raft if possible, Lucy said cruise passengers should always carry some form of identification.
He noted that having some form of identification, such as a passport, driver’s license or even a visa, can help rescue teams identify you in the event of an emergency.
In a recent video uploaded to her YouTube channel, Cruising as Crew, where she has amassed over 69,000 subscribers, Lucy (pictured) shared some key tips that could come in handy in an emergency.
Sunscreen
Thirdly, the 28-year-old advised cruise ship tourists to bring sunscreen on the lifeboat, noting that you never know how much or how long you might be exposed to the elements.
Lucy said: ‘If you’re sitting directly under the hatch or where they remove the roof to let in the breeze, you’ll need a hat or sunscreen to protect you from the scorching sun.’
“This isn’t as big a priority as lip balm, but if you can get some sunscreen before you get on a lifeboat, then you should do so.”
Layers
The veteran cruise ship worker then said that cruise ship operating companies should always recommend bringing warm clothing on board because of how cold the weather can get once the sun goes down.
However, she said you should always try to wear several different layers that can be easily put on or taken off depending on the time of day.
In fact, during the day, while you might not think about bundling up at night if the sun is hot and you’re crammed into a lifeboat with a lot of passengers, having those extra layers for cold, windy nights could make a big difference in how you cope with adverse conditions.
Lucy (pictured) pointed out the six items you need to carry on a lifeboat that cruise ships don’t tell you about
Medicine
Lucy’s penultimate point that passengers should always carry on a lifeboat may seem obvious, but she warned that it is essential for those taking medication regularly to carry it with them.
However, she added: ‘What they don’t tell you to take is things like paracetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin, Sudocrem and ointments.
“While you may not need these types of medications, someone else in your lifeboat may. It’s better to have them and not need them than not need them. Keep them in your pocket just in case.”
Water
Last but not least, Lucy said that as obvious and essential as it may seem, we should never forget to carry water on board the lifeboat.
He stressed that “only a certain amount of water can be taken into a lifeboat, so water will be rationed.”
Lucy continued: ‘If you can bring extra water on board, please do so, even if it’s just in the form of an extra water bottle. (Humans) can’t survive for long without water, so make sure you bring some with you if you can.’
To summarise the video, he assured passengers that “getting into a lifeboat is a last resort,” adding that anyone on board the ship is more likely to be taken to a muster station while emergency services on board try to deal with any problems that may arise.
