The hotel staff, of which you'll be a member, doesn't associate with the ship's passengers. Instead, the hotel staff and crew members have their own dining and recreation areas aboard. These are the people you'll associate with daily. Cruise ships are like floating international hotels, and the staff is routinely multinational, although few members are European. There are typically 25 to 30 in the ship’s crew, but the hotel staff will number between 800 and 1,000, so you’ll have the opportunity not only to meet new people, but to encounter new cultures.