My sole cruise ship tale will be in my next book..it involved a Carnival Cruise from LA to Ensenada called "The OJ Cruise" after the infamous "Trial of the Century". OJ Trial junkies paid to hear from some of the key characters and I was on board with a camera crew..and we wanted the chauffeur who had never given an interview even after a $100,000 offer.
I managed to sneak him ashore in Ensenada under the nose of a couple of other crews and,over a very large lobster lunch at a secret beach bar I knew ,and lots of drinks..we got the BIG interview..for the price of an amazing lunch.Keeping him away from everyone else on the trip back was the next challenge....Needless to say my shipboard bar bill was $$$..but we got the story..exclusively...
I do remember that the beach bar food was one heck of a lot better than Carnival's best!