Norwegian Cruise Line chief goes 'undercover' on ships

Norwegian Cruise Line chief goes 'undercover' on ships

Ever wonder what it's like to work on a cruise ship?

Norwegian Cruise Line's CEO Kevin Sheehan did, and he gained a deeper appreciation for NCL's 15,000 crewmembers after enduring "backbreaking" work to star in an episode of the CBS reality TV series, Undercover Boss.
Each week on Undercover Boss, an executive works alongside his or her employees to examine the inner workings of those companies.

During the NCL episode, Sheehan carries heavy trays through a packed dining room, cleans cabins and toilets, guides climbers on a rappelling wall, and works alongside a deck repairman.
The CEO was tight-lipped about what happens on the show, but said he donned a disguise making him unrecognizable over two weeks he spent on the Norwegian Epic and Pride of America in late September and early October.

He would say, "It was a lot of hard work."

"I was running around like a maniac and half the time I was bringing the wrong things," Sheehan said of waiting tables in the Norwegian Epic's Manhattan Room. "It was very, very hard work. My back was broken by the time I finished each and every job I did on the ship. It's much better being in the corner office."
Sheehan gave up his usual accommodations in the ship's top suites to stay in the crew quarters, where he shared an inside cabin and a small bathroom.

He recalled losing his patience at times, which surprised the other crewmembers.

"The amazing thing is given all the stuff they that they are doing, to always have the ability to smile and make the guests feel special," he said. "It's hard."

As good as Sheehan's disguise was, at one point, it was blown when a waitress recognized him, the first time an "undercover boss" was discovered during the show.

Sheehan said they beefed up his disguise after that. But he couldn't hide his lack of skill, and at one point was berated for his poor performance.

"I made a fool of myself the entire time," Sheehan said. "I would say that in every task I did, I would have given myself an F grade."

The episode airs Sunday, Jan. 2, at 9 p.m. EST, on the CBS Television Network.

Click here for the trailer.