Q: Free condoms for cruise ship crew?

Q: Do cruise ships really give free condoms to the crew?

A: Yes, and for lots of reasons. There is a lot of buzz around this practice, garnering a hailstorm of criticism. Though compared often to the availability of condoms as schools, this completely different. All crew members are adults, after all, and the living arrangements are not unlike that of a college dorm where such play is common. A vast majority of the crew are young, attractive, and fit. These are prerequisite for most positions on a cruise ship. But far more so, these men and women are in an environment where many are exploring their personal freedom for the first time in ways they never would have dreamed possible back home.

Because most crew hail from second and third world nations, this means widely varying levels of equality for women and social accountability for men. In my four years working on cruise ships, I met hundreds of women who marveled at being able to 'play' in teh same manner that is, quite frankly, acceptable for men all over the world. This does not necessarily mean sexual promiscuity, but can include it. Men and women alike are literally thousands of miles from home and the judgments of their society, family, and peers. Relationships are very hard to keep on a ship where crew is exchanged weekly, and in such a cold environment any warmth is preferable to none. Certainly sex is easier to come by than true friendship.

Check back soon for Part 2: Squeaky Clean?