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This is the fourth installment of our new bimonthly column Crews on Cruise, spotlighting the people who work behind the scenes of the world’s most memorable voyages—from bartenders and entertainers to ship captains and expedition leaders.
Tattooing is an age-old seafaring tradition, but if any modern-day cruise line can pull off running a shipboard tattoo parlor, it’s Virgin Voyages.
Known for its edgy, adults-only sailings, Virgin teamed up with veterans from World Famous Tattoo Ink to open a Squid Ink studio on every ship in its fleet. It plans to unveil a fourth shop this fall with the launch of Brilliant Lady, the newest addition to its rock-and-roll flotilla.
“Working with so many world-renowned artists, it’s impossible not to want their art on your body,” says Sokie Macareno Gomez, shop manager of Squid Ink and the crew member charged with running day-to-day operations of the forthcoming studio.
Originally from Baja California, Mexico, Macareno Gomez earned her sea legs working in the food-and-beverage department for Celebrity Cruises. Now on her sixth contract for Virgin, she serves as a liaison between passengers and the tattoo studio’s rotating cast of guest artists. She’s also a professional piercer, fielding requests for everything from tragus studs to nipple rings.
The Squid Ink stable includes more than 150 tattooists whose specialties run the gamut. “Our artists can do a full sleeve in realism, fine line, or trash polka,” says Macareno Gomez. “But they’re not above doing an infinity sign with paw prints either.” Some sailors, as Virgin calls its guests, are such big fans of Sir Richard Branson, they’ve gotten tattoos with the company logo—including one couple aboard the Valiant Lady who asked for matching Virgin Red tatts on their bums.
Inking someone on a swaying vessel doesn’t impact the quality of the work, thankfully. “Artists are so used to people clenching, squirming, and talking [during a session], the movement of the sea doesn’t faze them,” says Macareno Gomez, whose own collection includes a comestibles-themed leg with pictures of tacos, churros, and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
We caught up with Macareno Gomez in Kavala, Greece last August to talk about crew karaoke nights, ship morgues, and the memorable passenger interaction that inspired her own ink.
Why did you decide to work on cruise ships?
“After graduating from university, where I studied culinary arts, I didn’t have anything tying me to home, so I was like—f*** it, I’m leaving, I want a twist in my life. I started as a yellow scarf [newbie cook] on Celebrity Cruises; it was back of house, the lowest position in the galley. But because I was fluent in English, I was able to move quickly to a guest-facing position. The hotel director, who is just below the captain on the hotel side, said, ‘Sokie, why are you hiding in the kitchen? I want you to cross-train for restaurant hostess.’ I got two promotions in 10 months on that first contract and had the time of my life.
Eventually I went to Virgin as a restaurant supervisor, then assistant restaurant manager, then restaurant manager. When I learned about Squid Ink, I thought ‘That’s so freaking cool, what an experience!’ I got acquainted with the manager after getting a mermaid tattoo there and sent him a DM on Instagram when I saw a post saying they were looking for a new shop manager. Turns out, you don’t need to know how to tattoo to be a tattoo shop manager; you just have to manage the artists.”
What does a typical day on the job look like?
“If it’s a sea day, lots of sailors will want to get tattooed because they don’t have anywhere else to be. The studio is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., so I wake up, have breakfast or work out, and open the shop. I might grab a quick lunch or coffee but we’re busy all day. Port days are much quieter, so I typically take our tattoo artists out exploring. I’ve been to these ports multiple times and know where to find local food and drink, the best beaches, and cool things to do. Showing the artists around is a sweet perk.”
What is your favorite part about this job?
“It's hard to decide between the sailors I get to meet and the places I get to see—I love them both. The crew is unbelievable too. I enjoy meeting people from around the world and learning about their culture and traditions. Virgin does a lot of crew-directed events—like on Indonesian Independence Day, they’ll make a bunch of Indonesian-themed foods. It’s great to see how people celebrate and what they do for fun. The Filipinos, for instance, are really good at karaoke and put all of us to shame on karaoke night.”
What is the most challenging part about working at sea?
“Missing out on birthdays, weddings, and other key moments back home. Sometimes it feels like I’m living this sped-up life: just working, going on vacation, working, going on vacation. I try to keep up with people but it’s hard. Food is my love language, so when I am home, I cook or take my friends and family out to eat. My 7-year-old niece is the owner of my paycheck. Dating is hard too. It’s easier to meet someone on the ship because they understand the lifestyle.”
What is the coolest or weirdest thing about living on a ship?
“I was shocked to find out that we had a freezer on board for dead people. [Laughs] That was crazy—like, what?! But also the ghost stories. I was working on an older ship once and heard some very sad stories about fellow crew members committing suicide. Sea life is so freaking hard sometimes—it can get really lonely. It helps to talk. Virgin has psychologists and spiritual coaches that crew members can go to with their mental health issues; it’s an amazing program.”
What is your favorite place you’ve traveled so far?
“Antarctica, for sure. Celebrity didn’t have ice breakers, so we were just cruising through in summer, but the views were mesmerizing. It was the coldest I've ever been in my whole life.”
What is your favorite place to hang out on board the ship?
“We have these big swings on the port side of the ship and I love reading there. I’ll just lay down with my Kindle when nobody is around and take in the fresh air from the middle of the sea.”
Tell us about a memorable passenger interaction that sticks out to you.
“I have a tattoo for that! When I was working on the pasta and pizza station [for Celebrity], I had a lot of scars on my arms from burning them on the pizza oven. And I remember this guest came up to me and said, ‘I love watching you work.’ At first I thought he was being creepy but then he goes, ‘In my country, Greece, there’s a word for what you’re doing: meraki. It’s when you put a piece of your soul into your work. I’ve seen you burn yourself repeatedly and yet you always turn around with a smile and give your best to the people who talk to you.’ He was just so sweet about it. So now I have the word meraki tattooed on my leg, along with an anchor, a map of the world, a ship in a bottle, and the compass rose.”
What’s your top tip for first-time cruisers?
“If sailors are traveling to a different time zone, they can avoid jet lag by changing their eating schedule two days before they depart. It’s as simple as eating at the times you’ll be eating wherever you’re going. So, for example, I’ll set an alarm at 3 a.m, wake up and have a granola bar, and then go back to sleep. Once your stomach gets used to that new schedule, the whole body adjusts. I survived a 19-hour time difference with zero jet lag this way. It’s the best.”
