I didn't expect this Royal Caribbean crew member to become the most popular person on the ship, but there's no question guests love their interactions.
On every ship, there is a crew member at the entrance to the ship's buffet reminding guests to wash their hands before entering. Their job is to welcome guests and direct them to use the hand washing station or use the hand sanitizer. But the manner in which they do it has changed a lot more recently.
Today, you can typically find an energetic crew member who is stationed here that sings, dances, and there's no mistaking what they want you to do.
Often their songs are parodies of pop songs, with the lyrics changed to encourage or remind people to wash their hands.
While the position isn't new, the fun take on it is a relatively new change that always seems to generate smiles and laughs from passengers.
Stacian's wild outfits have made her a selfie must-do
Perhaps the most well-known Windjammer greeter is a woman named Stacian, who has worked with Royal Caribbean for over 24 years.
She has over a dozen different outfits she wears while at her job, and they are over-the-top costumes that are designed to do one thing: catch your attention. It makes sense, because her job is ensure everyone that walks into the buffet stops to wash their hands first.
Photos of her have spread across social media, and she has costumes based on Rainbow Bright, Minnie Mouse, a nurse, and more.
It's her fun and welcoming approach to her job that makes her so beloved by other passengers.
"She was on Windjammer when I cruised absolutely loved her she was so much fun," Gianly Surie wrote.
"She is always fun, no matter what she does, we really enjoyed her," added Eileen Hilbert.
Currently, Stacian is sailing on Symphony of the Seas.
Every ship has a Mr/Mrs Washy Washy
It's not clear which crew member originated the role, or took it upon themselves to start singing as part of their job, however, it's practically part of the job description now.
Argel Symbol is one of the most well-known Mr. Washy Washy crew members, having been featured on Royal Caribbean's social media channels.
He is 38 years old and from the Philippines. He started doing the role on Navigator of the Seas in 2022, and has been a mainstay ever since.
In an interview on TikTok, he said his favorite memory in his role has been the reactions from kids.
His approach to his job is to find songs he likes, and then change the lyrics to incorporate a reminder to wash hands.
"We have some kids here, and he gave me some hugs and some autographs...my best memory in washy washy."
He is often spotted on Reels, Tiktoks, and on Youtube of him dancing and singing his heart out.
One of the top videos of Argel has 1.6 million views. It's a clip of him singing a parody of Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry" but the lyrics are, "no washy, no food".
It's silly, but it's an undeniable memory maker
The first time you spot a crew member in this role, you might scoff or be taken back by it. But quickly you realize how undeniably fun the role is.
The songs are catchy, and the costumes can be genuinely impressive. The washy washy greeter is hard to miss, and more often than not, guests want a photo of them and/or with them.
The genius of this role is Royal Caribbean clearly gives them creative leeway in how each one does their job. Some will use a Bluetooth speaker to play music they sing along to, some dance, some wave, but they all make an extra effort to stand out.
In the viral video of Argel, he's seen dressed in a fried egg costume alongside another crew member dressed as a donut. The video was taken while he was working on Icon of the Seas in 2024.
"I suddenly want to go on a royal cruise [because] of them," one person wrote.
Hailey Banks added, "All these washy washy guy videos I’ve been seeing lately has me wanting to go on another cruise."
"Mr. Washy Washy doing the lord’s work," another person wrote.
This crew member serves an important role
Believe it or not, being the washy washy guy or gal is actually helpful to the overall health of the ship.
Royal Caribbean promotes healthy hand hygiene as a way to stem the spread of sicknesses that spread by touch, such as norovirus.
Newer cruise ships now have hand washing stations near the entrance to restaurants, in addition to the traditional hand sanitizers. Guests are strongly encouraged to wash with soap and water for 20 seconds, as hand sanitizer is not effective against all germs.
Moreover, handwashing stations are a requirement of the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program for any new ship built after 2025, which requires one handwashing station per 100-person seating venue.
Providing the stations is one thing, but getting guests to stop and wash their hands is another. After all, people are on vacation and they could easily overlook a lot of things.
The washy washy crew member steps in a fun way to remind people to stop and wash their hands before entering.
Handwashing helps prevent the spread of disease, especially in a public, shared space like the Windjammer buffet.
