27 Cruise Mistakes Experts Never Make (and Simple Ways to Avoid Them)

Looking back on our first cruises, it still pains us how many mistakes we made! To help you from making these same bloopers, we have compiled this list of 27 easily avoidable cruise mistakes. As you will see, a little planning can go a long way. Then, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your sailing.

27 Cruise Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Not Booking in Advance

The sad truth is that many individuals do overpay for their cruise. The number one cruise mistake we see is individuals booking their cruise too late. We often recommend you secure your cruise at least 8 months in advance.

While you hear lots of websites touting “last minute deals”, the reality is most of the in-demand cruise ships and destinations fill up fast. We always book early, and in 65+ cruises, there has only been one time we saw our cruise fare drop. Most times, the cruise fare creeps up by hundreds of dollars per passenger.

Not to mention, booking in advance gives you the best selection of cabins. Plus, it gives you more time to pay off the cruise.

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2. Picking the Wrong Cruise Ship

Each cruise line offers a slightly different style and approach to cruising. While most try to appeal to both families and couples, some cruise lines are better suited for certain travelers. Families with younger children may prefer Carnival Cruise Line or Disney Cruise Line (if you are fans of Disney entertainment).

For families with older kids, or multi-generational parties, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line might be a better fit. Still, couples also gravitate to these brands for the high quality entertainment and night life. 

Still, there are even adult-only cruise lines like Virgin Voyages. On these ships, no kids are allowed!

Doing some basic research will give you plenty of information on the line’s overall vibe. Though, even within cruise lines, there are several classes of ships that offer different amenities, restaurants, and entertainment options.

We like to think there is a cruise ship out there for everyone, so just do your homework before picking one.

3. Selecting the Wrong Cabin

Similarly, the same can be said about picking the wrong cabin. One of the biggest cruise mistakes is selecting a cabin and not realizing what the accommodations will be like once onboard.

Cruise ship staterooms are certainly different than hotel rooms. They tend to be smaller and designed for efficiency rather than style.

Again, cruise line websites’ provide details, including dimensions, for all stateroom categories. Many even include photos or virtual tours. A good travel advisor can also help you wade through the differences between the cabin types.

Your cabin type will be the number one driver of your total cruise cost. Certain locations, like upper decks or cabins in the middle of the ship, cost more money. Of course, larger cabins and those with more desirable views also cost more money.

For those new to cruising, we highly suggest you consider booking an ocean view stateroom or higher to allow for a view to the outdoors just in case you get claustrophobic.

4. Assuming Everything is Included in Your Cruise

Cruise vacations are an amazing value. For one set cruise fare, you have access to several dining venues, activities, onboard amenities, entertainment, and plenty of fun. Still, you do need to keep in mind that not everything is included in the price of a cruise.

For the most part, contemporary cruise lines include most dining and a small array of beverages. Many of these popular cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean and Carnival, do not include items such as soft drinks, lattes, or alcoholic beverages in their cruise fares.

Other amenities may or may not be included on the particular vessel. For instance, many cruise ships have sports courts, water slides and aqua parks, rope courses, mini-golf, and other outdoor activities that are free of charge.

However, other options like go-karts, 3D ride simulators, dinner theaters, and bowling are usually an additional charge. Just make sure you budget accordingly.

5. Failing to Book Shore Excursions Ahead of Time

While at your ports of call, you will want to have a plan which may include booking some shore excursions. These “shore excursions” often include city tours, adventure experiences, water based fun, beach breaks, food tours, and plenty of other exciting experiences.

Your cruise line will have a list of different activities at each port of call, but you don’t have to book with the cruise line. In fact, there are several other third party operators and local vendors that provide similar, if not better, offerings.

One of the most popular cruise mistakes new cruisers make is not booking these tours ahead of time. Popular tours fill up quickly, especially if you are sailing during peak times like the holidays or summer vacation. So, whether you decide to book with the cruise line or local operator, you should secure your spot pre-cruise.

Keep in mind, you don’t need to book a shore excursion in every port of call. You can simply take a taxi to the beach or walk around the downtown area. Just make sure you have a game plan for each stop before the ship even sets sail.

6. Neglecting to Make Onboard Reservations

Modern cruise ships boast Broadway-caliber production shows, one of a kind entertainment offerings, specialty dining restaurants, and a host of additional amenities. On some of the larger ships, cruisers are required to have reservations for certain entertainment and onboard activities.

On some cruise lines, you can book these reservations pre-cruise, while others require you to do so once onboard the ship. The popular showtimes do fill-up quickly. So, we highly suggest you reserve these either as soon as they become available on your cruise line’s online planner or as soon as you board the ship on embarkation day.

The same applies to specialty dining. If you plan to spend an evening or two in one of these up-charge venues, we would recommend you book that too before boarding the ship. 

Further, if you are considering buying a cruise line drink package, you can often save money when you purchase these packages before your cruise.

7. Opting Out of Travel Insurance

You have been saving, planning, and preparing for this trip for quite some time. Then, life happens. Something pops up that means you are not able to take the trip.

Perhaps, your flights are delayed or bags are lost. Or, you get sick while traveling. Not insuring your trip with travel insurance is one of the costly cruise mistakes any traveler can make.

Now, this doesn’t mean you have to purchase insurance through the cruise line. There are several companies offering various policies, with different coverage limits and premiums. So, do some homework after booking.

Most companies let you book insurance up to 14 days after your last payment of the trip. Therefore, you have some time to compare options, but don’t wait until the last minute.

8. Doing Cruise Check-in Late

Once you have your cruise booked, you should download the cruise line’s app. This is going to come in handy both before and during your cruise. Yes, you need the app even if you don’t plan on purchasing internet on the ship.

About 30 to 45 days before the cruise, you will need to complete the online check-in. Do this check-in as soon as possible. This will get you the earliest port arrival time. That way, you can be among the first cruisers on the ship.

This process usually requires you to complete some basic information about your travel party, as well as setup an account for onboard spending. You can even load a security photo of yourself and complete the required health questionnaire in the app.

Completely this check-in will help you bypass the lines on cruise boarding day and let you glide right through the terminal and on to the vessel.

9. Not Flying in a Day Early

Thinking about taking the first flight of the day on the morning of your cruise? Well, that could be a huge blunder.

One of the biggest cruise mistakes you can make is not appropriately arranging your transportation to and from the cruise ship, especially if you are flying from a region where weather could impact your plans. 

We strongly encourage you fly to your embarkation port the day before your cruise and book a pre-cruise hotel stay. There are several advantages to this approach. For starters, you won’t be rushing around the day of your cruise. Plus, it is a safer bet that you won’t miss the ship because of travel disruptions.

Likewise, when disembarking the ship at the end of your cruise, the cruise lines recommend not booking morning flights, and we agree. Most ships are cleared between 7 am and 9 am on disembarkation day. We suggest you bucket at least an hour for getting off the ship. Then, plan for travel time to the airport, as well as a buffer to navigate the airport security and so on.

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10. Arriving Too Early at Port (or Too Late)

With your online check-in, the cruise line will assign an embarkation arrival time. Please stick to that time. If you took our advice, then you should have one of the earlier time slots. Typically, the check-in process starts around 10 to 11 am. Most cruise lines start allowing guests on to the ship between 11 am and noon.

But, if you have a 1 pm arrival time, getting to the pier at 11 am will not help. At best, you will be asked to stand in a separate overflow line.

While getting there early won’t help, you don’t want to get to the port too late either. Most cruise lines stop processing guests between 3 pm and 4 pm. If you are delayed getting to the port, you could miss the ship entirely.

11. Forgetting Your Passport

The cruise lines have done a great job of going paperless. With the cruise line’s app, you can access your boarding pass, reservations, onboard activity schedule, and more. However, there is one essential item for your cruise that you still need a hardcopy of to board the vessel. That is your passport.

While there are several cruises you can take without a passport, forgetting this document, or other acceptable forms of ID, will result in a missed cruise. We are all human, so double and triple check your carry-on and personal belongings to ensue you have this required documentation before heading to the pier.

12. Passing on Seasickness Medication

The wife and I are lucky that the motion of the ship does not affect us at all. Whether it is a large ship, small ship, or a tender boat, the seas are never an issue for us. But, we know not everyone is as lucky. So, if you are prone to seasickness, there are several medications and remedies you can take in your carry-on.

One of the more effective (and less intrusive) remedies for seasickness is Sea Band. The bands work best if you place them on both wrists before getting on the cruise ship.

Additionally, there are medications that you can purchase at a local drug store to help reduce or prevent seasickness on a cruise. Two of the most popular are Dramamine and Bonine.

If you are prone to motion sickness, you might want to talk to your doctor ahead of the trip. They might be able to prescribe other meds to help you throughout the voyage.

13. Checking All Your Luggage

Even though we always check our larger items with the porters at the terminal, we also each bring a cruise carry-on bag with us when boarding the ship.

This carry-on includes necessary documentation, a refillable water bottle, our electronic devices and chargers, a bathing suit and some toiletries, sunglasses, sunscreen, and more. It’s important to remember that you won’t see the bags you leave with the porters for a few hours.

Once you board your ship, your cabin will most likely not be ready.  So, this bag shouldn’t be too big as you’ll be lugging it around with you until 1 or 2 pm.

14. Bringing Prohibited Items

It always fun to walk by the table of collected contraband. Among the collection are bottles of liquor, power strips, a random assortment of electronics, like tea kettles or irons and steamers. These, among others, are items most cruise lines do not allow you to bring on the ship. There are other banned items too, like illegal substances, firearms, candles, etc.

Thankfully, you can find a long list of things not allowed on your cruise ship on the cruise line’s website. Plus, just use a little commonsense when packing. Regardless of your state’s laws, all cruise lines abide by federal regulations.

Some cruise lines do let cruisers bring items, like approved power outlets or two bottles of 750 ml wine or champagne. These do need to be in your carry-on during check-in though. Trying to sneak something on, at best, it will be confiscated. At worst, it can be grounds for removal from the ship.

15. Not Bringing Cash

While many places across the globe do accept credit cards or even digital payments, you will still want to have cash on hand for several reasons. One of the cruise mistakes we have seen even our family make is not having enough small bills, or any cash, on a cruise.

You will want some cash to make small purchases while ashore at shops and local markets. Cash will also come in handy for things like taxis or to tip guides and shore excursion hosts during your time at ports of call.

While all purchases onboard are tied to your credit card, you might still want cash to tip bartenders and servers, waitstaff, or your stateroom attendant. Of course, this is above the daily service charge, which we often prepay, and is around $15 per person, per day.

For reference, we usually have around $200 (or more) reserved for tips for a typical 7-day cruise.

16. Skipping Muster Drill

Actually, there is no excuse for skipping muster drill in 2023. For the most part, many cruise lines have instituted a digital muster. So, cruisers have more flexibility to complete this required safety training.

Often, this involves watching a recorded safety briefing on the cruise line’s app or your stateroom television. Then, cruisers can check-in at their assigned assembly station.

Here, crew will review a few of the most important aspects of the drill and show you how to put on a life vest. This takes only a few minutes, and then you can enjoy the rest of your embarkation day.

So, we recommend doing your muster drill as soon as possible. If your cruise line has reverted back to the traditional in-person muster, make sure you know when and where you need to be for this drill.

17. Overpacking

Knowing exactly what to pack for a cruise is a bit experience, a bit luck. Still, odds are there are several items in your suitcase right now that will not be used. You don’t need three different outfits for each day or a new pair of shoes for every evening. Even if your wife thinks otherwise!

Try to find items that are multi-purpose or materials designed for travel. These often lightweight, water resistant garments can be repurposed a couple times on a trip. Thus, you can still look fashionable without packing your entire closet.

For cold water cruises, layers will be essential, but you can often leave large coats and boots at home. We have several packing lists here on the site to help you determine what you really need for your next trip.

Not to mention, several cruise lines have laundry services onboard. Whether it is free or a few dollars, this allows you to do a load of laundry midway through your cruise, saving you plenty of luggage space and baggage fees.

18. Only Eating at the Buffet

Modern cruise ships offer several dining options. One mistake cruisers often make is eating almost exclusively at the ship’s buffet.

In all honesty, we recommend you stay clear of this venue for most of the cruise. There will usually be other casual options to enjoy for lunch, so you can avoid the crowds at the buffet. These can include a café with sandwiches, pizza parlors, burrito shops, burger joints, etc.

At these venues, you can order as much as you care to enjoy. So, you can still indulge here too.

Of course, all cruise ships also feature at least one main dining room. We highly recommend you dine at this complimentary option nightly for dinner. In the main dining room, you will have a wide selection of food options, and the table service is part of the luxury of being on a cruise ship.

It sure beats the queues at the buffet. Not to mention, the food quality is usually better.

Most cruise ships also feature a variety of specialty dining. While these venues do have an added cover charge, we suggest splurging at least one night on a fancy dinner.

19. Getting Lost Onboard

We understand that mega-ships can feel a bit overwhelming. Luckily, there are often plenty of signs to point you in the right direction. Not to mention, there are interactive displays that can give you directions to get from point A to point B.

Plus, many cruise lines’ apps offer maps and deck plans giving you even more aides to prevent you from getting lost. Some cruise lines provide even more guidance. For instance, Norwegian Cruise Line has small fish on the carpet swimming forward on the stateroom decks.

Besides utilizing all of the additional supports around the ship, you should learn some basic terminology. Armed with these basic terms, like portside and starboard side, or forward and aft, you can navigate your ship like a pro.

So, when the captain announces that there are whales spotted on the portside of the vessel, you won’t be running around aimlessly trying to find them.

20. Not Signing Up the Kids at the Youth Center

If you are cruising with little ones, then you should take some time on cruise boarding day to check out the youth centers.

On Day 1, the kids areas offer open houses so you can tour the facilities, meet the staff, and introduce your children to the part of the ship exclusively reserved for them.

During this time, you can learn about planned events and activities, hours of operation, and other services like babysitting or nighttime programs. Many of the facilities and programs are part of the cruise fare, so why not take advantage of them.

While we don’t have children, we often hear kids rave about these programs. Plus, it will give you some adult time.

21. Missing Your Ship

Your ship will arrive and depart at a set time at each port of call. This time will vary for each destination. Luckily, your cruise line will make several announcements throughout the trip about these times.

Plus, your arrival and departure times will be printed at the front of the cruise ship’s daily magazine and listed in the app.

Thus, there is no excuse for not knowing when you need to be back onboard the ship. One of the most embarrassing cruise mistakes you can make is missing the ship at a port of call. Being a pier runner is not a good look. It will surely be captured and placed all over social media by your fellow cruisers!

Now, there are instances when the ship’s time is different than the local time. So, you should put your phone in manual mode and ensure it is set to the ship’s time so there is no confusion.

Further, always give yourself plenty of time to get back to the ship, especially if you are doing a private tour or self exploration. If you are worried about missing the ship, you should probably stick to the shore excursions offered by the cruise line. These tours guarantee the ship will not leave without you.

22. Getting Sunburned

Many cruisers will be traveling to somewhere warm and sunny. If that is the case, then make sure to pack plenty of suntan lotion and use it.

It never surprises us how many cruisers we see by day 3 or 4 sporting a bright red color. Even if you think you “tan”, still apply the SPF. For the Caribbean and Bahamas, we usually use a sunblock of 40 SPF.

You will want to apply the subblock several times throughout the day, especially if you are swimming or doing active excursions. Honestly, getting sunburned is an easy cruise mistake you can avoid.

23. Not Putting Your Phone in Airplane Mode

Those days when cruisers left their digital devices at home are a thing of the past. So, if you have a smartphone, tablet, or other device, make sure you have it properly set to ensure that you do not incur unnecessary roaming charges.

This means putting your devices into “airplane mode”. You will still be able to use the cruise line’s app in airplane mode. You can also purchase a cruise ship WiFi package to access the internet, which also works in airplane mode.

If your cell phone provider offers international coverage, you can take your phone out of airplane mode while in ports of call for cellular and data usage. Just make sure you put it back on before you set sail.

24. Not Knowing What’s Happening on the Ship

Each day of your cruise, there is a list of activities and events occurring. Along with trivia, game shows, and pool deck fun, there are often other events like sports competitions, enrichment lectures, cooking or mixology demonstrations, themed parties, and family-friendly activities happening throughout the ship.

Cruise lines have daily programs which detail all these events. These magazines are often left in your stateroom, or you can find it around the ship at the coffee shop or guest services. But, you don’t even need to go looking for it, as the daily schedule is also in the palm of your hand.

So, there is no reason to miss out on any of the activities or events you want to attend. Along with all of the activities and entertainment, you can also use the app to find other info like dining times, opening and closing hours of bars, shops, the fitness center, and more.

25. Arriving On Time for Onboard Entertainment

Modern cruise ships offer an array of night life and entertainment. Even on older ships, this usually means a nightly production show or headliner in the main theater. Plus, there will be a variety of musicians, dancing, and other options around the ship like comedy shows.

Certainly, you will want to enjoy this amazing entertainment on the ship. Of course, you are not alone. The other thousands of fellow passengers will not want to miss the show either. So, that is why you need to arrive early, especially for signature productions. Many cruise ships allow individuals into venues 30-45 minutes before a scheduled showtime.

Yes, this might mean that there will be a line forming at the theater doors even for entertainment that requires a reservation.

For most events, game shows, parties, and other activities, make sure to arrive at least 15 minutes early for seats. On larger ships, you will probably want to arrive 30 minutes before to secure the best seats.

26. Going Overboard on Food and Drinks

A cruise vacation is an ideal way to unwind. With a variety of bars, restaurants, and opportunities for relaxation, it is tempting to over-indulge. Of course, we are all about trying new foods and cocktails on a trip. Still, make sure to be smart about what you are consuming. Getting sick, either from over eating or drinking, is not how you want to spend your cruise.

Sadly, making one of these cruise mistakes could put you out of commission for several days of your cruise. Throughout the trip, make sure to drink plenty of water, try to pick some healthier options for meals, and get some exercise.

Each person’s tolerance for food and alcohol is different, so you need to know your limits.  Sure, you are on vacation to have fun and enjoy yourself.  This can mean nightly drinks at dinner and the show, as well as a few poolside libations on sea days. However, you don’t want to miss out on all the other events and activities either.

27. Forgetting About the Crew

Throughout your cruise, you will encounter crew members that go above and beyond to make your trip memorable. Whether it is your waitstaff at dinner or your stateroom attendant, the hard working staff often go the extra mile to ensure you are having the best vacation possible.

So, make sure to show them your appreciation. Of course, a simple thank you is always welcomed. Though, you should also consider providing additional tips to show your gratitude. 

Yes, we prepay the daily gratuities, but we always make sure to provide additional tips for exceptional service at the end of our cruise.

Perhaps the most unforgiveable cruise mistake one can make is being rude or disrespectful to the staff. Even if a crew member makes a mistake, there is no excuse for you to be mean or abusive. If an issue arises, you can bring it up politely or alert guest services who can look into the matter.

Comments

Have you made any of these cruise mistakes in the past? Do you have other tips for newbie cruisers? Drop us an anchor below with your suggestions on how to have a fun and efficient cruise vacation.