Whether you’re a first-time cruiser or a seasoned traveler, there are some important dos and don’ts to keep in mind when it comes to cruise cabin etiquette. These guidelines help ensure safety, comfort, and courtesy for everyone onboard the ship. So, to ensure you don’t make any of these mistakes, we share the 20 things you should never do in your cruise cabin.

These Are the 20 Things You Should Never Do in Your Cruise Cabin

Use Adhesive Tape or Hooks

While many cruisers enjoy adding personal touches to their cabins and cabin doors by hanging decorations and organizers, it’s important to avoid using adhesive tape or hooks on the walls, doors, or ceilings. These can damage surfaces, which may result in unwanted surcharges.

Instead, opt for magnetic hooks if you want to maximize storage space, as most cruise cabin walls are metal. Magnetic hooks are an easy, damage-free solution for hanging light items. You can also use magnets to secure items to your cabin door such as decorations, signs, or white boards.

Use Prohibited Items

If you are new to cruising, you may not know that there are several items not allowed on cruise ships. Bringing items like hot plates or coffee makers is strictly prohibited. These appliances pose a fire risk and are therefore not allowed.

While these items might seem obvious to some, guests can not bring irons or steamers onboard cruise ships either due to the same risk of fire. If you need wrinkle-free clothes, look into onboard laundry and pressing services, or pack wrinkle-release spray for a quick fix. Some ships offer communal ironing stations in laundry rooms as well.

Smoke Indoors

Smoking is strictly prohibited in most cruise ship cabins, including cigarettes, cigars, and even vaping. Cruise lines enforce this rule to prevent fire hazards and maintain the comfort of all passengers. The one exception is Costa Cruises, where guests can smoke on their private outdoor balconies. In all other cases, if you’re caught smoking in your cabin or on your balcony, you could face hefty fines, and in some cases, be asked to disembark at the next port.

Always use designated smoking areas on the ship to avoid issues. The smoking areas are usually on the outdoor decks, in the casino, or in a cigar lounge.

Try to Sneak Alcohol Onboard

While the idea of bringing your favorite bottle of liquor with you on vacation might sound appealing, most cruise lines have a strict policy about alcohol brought from outside. If you get caught sneaking alcohol into your cabin, it could be confiscated, and you may face penalties.

Instead, consider buying a drink package or checking the cruise line’s policy on bringing limited quantities of alcohol. Most cruise lines do allow guests to bring two bottles of wine onboard at embarkation in carry-on lugguage, but not beer or spirits.

Overpack or Bring Too Much Luggage

Space is limited in cruise cabins, and overpacking can make your room feel cramped and cluttered. Stick to essentials and clothing items that you can easily repurpose. If you are taking a longer cruise, remember that there are often laundry services available if you need them.

Luckily, we have some tried and true cruise cabin hacks to help you make the most of this space. For instance, you can utilize under-bed storage for suitcases, as you’ll want to make sure you never block exits with your luggage. Also, we always use a hanging organizer to store toiletries, charging cords, sunglasses, and various other small items. This helps to free up counter space in the cabin. Magnetic hooks are also valuable for hanging items like coats, hats, and bags.

Forget to Close the Curtains for Privacy

With cabin balconies and windows often overlooking public areas or even close to other ships in port, it’s easy for anyone outside to catch a glimpse inside your cabin if your curtains are open. So, before you get undressed, make sure to close the curtains.

This simple habit will prevent any accidental peep shows for other guests, crew, or port-side onlookers. Enjoy your space freely and comfortably by remembering to close the curtains when you want some privacy.

Leave the Balcony Door Open

Leaving your cruise balcony door open for fresh air might sound appealing, but doing so will often disrupt the air conditioning inside your cabin. Open balcony doors can cause humidity levels to rise, making your room uncomfortable. And the air conditioning will not turn back on until your door is fully shut.

Or even worse, strong winds can slam the door shut, causing potential damage or injury. This is especially true with the crosswind if someone tries to enter your cabin from the hallway door. So, just remember to shut the balcoy door when not actively using it.

Flush Prohibited Items

Cruise ship plumbing systems are different from those on land, and flushing inappropriate items can lead to clogs and serious problems. If you’ve ever cruised before, you’ve probably seen the signage indicating what not to flush with some pretty strange items like banana peels. While you’ve probably never thought of that, it’s important not to flush feminine products, diapers, and/or other hygeine products either.

You should only flush toilet paper, and dispose of other waste in the trash bin. A clogged toilet can quickly ruin your vacation, and the cleanup may not be quick or pleasant.

Be Excessively Loud

Cruise cabins share walls, floors, and ceilings with other guests, so sound carries easily. Playing loud music, watching TV at high volume, or yelling, especially late at night or early in the morning, can disturb neighboring cabins. To ensure a restful environment for everyone, be mindful of your noise level. This same rule applies to your cabin balcony.

If you’re celebrating, consider moving to a public area on the ship where noise won’t be an issue. You don’t want to be the noisy neighbor that people complain about at Guest Services. Think about how you would feel if the situation were reversed.

Leave Items on the Balcony

It might seem harmless to leave items like towels, shoes, or even a drink on your balcony. But these objects can easily get swept away by the wind. Not only can this litter the ocean, but falling objects can also land on lower decks, posing a danger to other passengers. In some instances, cruise lines may even fine passengers for causing accidents related to falling objects.

Yes, it is also tempting to hang wet bathing suits over your balcony rail or on the chairs to dry, but you should avoid doing this. Instead, use other drying methods like the provided clothesline in your cabin’s bathroom.

Ignore Your Room’s Electrical Limits

Cruise cabins often have limited outlets, but overloading them can lead to electrical issues or even fires. Many cruise lines prohibit certain types of extension cords and power strips with surge protectors for safety reasons. So, it’s important to review your cruise line’s policies before you set sail to avoid having your items confiscated.

If you need extra outlets to charge all your electronic devices, be sure it’s cruise-approved. Also, try to use USB charging outlets where possible.

Use Candles or Incense

Open flames, including candles and incense, are strictly prohibited in cruise ship cabins due to the serious fire hazard they present. While it might be tempting to light a scented candle for ambiance, it’s against safety regulations.

If you want to set the mood, consider bringing battery-operated tea lights. You could also bring air freshener or Poo-Pourri to reduce odors. If you are looking for a small light, consider bringing a nightlight. There are some great rechargable and even magnetic ones available on Amazon.

Leave a Mess

Your room attendant is there to keep your cabin clean and comfortable, but leaving an excessive mess can make their job challenging. Simple steps like placing trash in the bins, organizing personal items, and keeping dirty dishes in one spot (or in the hallway if allowed) go a long way.

A tidy cabin isn’t just courteous, it also helps ensure faster service and a consistently fresh space for you to enjoy throughout your cruise. A little effort goes a long way in showing appreciation for your attendant’s hardwork.

Remove Life Jackets from the Cabin

Life jackets are provided in most cruise cabins for safety reasons. Removing them from your room could cause confusion during emergencies, so always leave your life jacket where you find it. If there are no life jackets in your cabin, they might be stored at your actual muster station, but it doesn’t hurt to ask your stateroom attendant just in case.

When you attend the mandatory safety drill held at the beginning of the cruise (or watch it on your stateroom television), there will be instruction on how to don your life jacket in the event of an emergency. During the muster drill, you’ll also receive other important safety instructions, so be sure to attend.

Leave Children Unattended

Cruise ships offer plenty of kid-friendly activities, but cabins are not the place to leave children unsupervised. Small spaces, balconies, and unfamiliar surroundings can pose risks to children, and leaving them alone can lead to accidents.

If you want some alone time or time to enjoy all the adult activities onboard, consider using the ship’s kids’ club services, where trained staff can watch over your children. Even if they are not old enough for the free kids clubs, most cruise lines also offer for-fee babysitting services. This way you can enjoy a quiet specialty dinner, give the casino some action, or laugh it up at the comedy club without worrying about the little ones.

Forget to Use the “Do Not Disturb” Sign

If you’re planning to sleep in, enjoy a quiet afternoon, or just need some uninterrupted time, don’t forget to hang the “Do Not Disturb” sign on your cabin door (or use the button if your cabin has one). This simple step lets your stateroom attendant know you’d prefer no disruptions, ensuring your privacy and comfort. You certainly don’t want crew unexpectedly walking into your cabin just as you are getting out of the shower.

Just remember to remove it when you’re ready for your cabin to be serviced though, so you don’t miss out on fresh towels, tidy beds, and other amenities.

Take Items Home With You

While it might be tempting to bring home a memento from your cruise cabin—like towels, bathrobes, decorative items, or even the hair dryer—don’t make this cruise mistake! These items are the property of the cruise line and are meant for guest use during your voyage. Taking them could lead to unexpected charges on your final bill. This also applies to other items in the cabin such as binoculars, bottle openers, or umbrellas.

Similarly, you should avoid drinking items from the mini bar unless you are okay with paying for them. Even if you have a drink package, these items are usually excluded, including soda or bottled water. Some luxury cruise lines or suites on contemporary cruise lines do include mini bar items, so just ask before popping open that bottle.

Forget Items in Your Safe

Using the in-room safe is a smart way to keep your valuables secure while enjoying your cruise. However, it’s crucial to remember to take everything with you when you leave the cabin. Passports, jewelry, airpods, and other electronic devices are commonly forgotten items.

To avoid leaving behind essentials, create a checklist of items you stored in the safe and double-check it before you disembark. As a best practice, we always do a final sweep of our cabin, including the safe, to ensure we have all our belongings. While not impossible, it can be difficult to get these items back once you disembark the ship.

Throw Anything Overboard

Tossing anything overboard is not only disrespectful to the environment but also against cruise line policies. Throwing objects into the sea can harm wildlife and cause pollution, and offenders may face fines or even be disembarked from the cruise ship if caught.

Be mindful of your actions, and keep the ocean clean for everyone to enjoy. This includes being mindful of lightweight objects that might unitentionally blow away like napkins, straws, and empty water bottles.

Forget to Tip Your Cabin Attendant

Although gratuities are usually automatically added to your onboard account, tipping your cabin attendant is still a nice gesture, especially if they’ve provided excellent service. They work hard to keep your cabin clean, restocked, and comfortable throughout your vacation. A small tip at the end of your cruise can go a long way in showing appreciation for their efforts.

Even if you choose not to tip extra, a simple thank you or friendly conversation in the hallway can help to make their day more enjoyable. Even if things aren’t going your way, you should never be rude to the hardworking staff.

Comments

Do you have anything else to add to our list of the things you should never do in your cruise ship cabin? Are you guilty of any of these cruise cabin mistakes? Drop us an anchor below to share any other tips and tricks for your cruise cabin.