The 12 Things Pro Cruisers Never Do on a Cruise  

Many cruisers ask for tips for things they should do on a cruise. But, there are also several actions that travelers should avoid at all costs. So, we put together this post of the 12 things pro cruisers never do on a cruise.

YOU’LL NEVER SEE PRO CRUISERS DOING THIS ON A CRUISE

The 12 Things You’ll Never Catch Pro Cruisers Doing on a Cruise

Be Rude to the Staff

We heard everyone loud and clear. The number one thing pro cruisers would never do is be rude or disrespectful to the staff.

The staff throughout the ship, whether it is the stateroom attendants, dining room staff, bar servers, or those on the pool deck, all work extremely hard. Despite working 10 to12-hour days, the staff is always friendly and helpful. So, fellow cruisers need to share the love.

We admit that issues and problems may arise while on a cruise. So, you need to raise these issues with the appropriate individuals on the ship. There is no reason to yell, scream, and certainly to berate any crew member.

Sure, things have popped up on our cruises that made us upset. When this happens, we take a deep breath and work with crew members to rectify the issue so we can go back to enjoying our cruise vacation.

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Sail Without a Passport

All you need to do is go on social media or any of the message boards to see horror stories about travelers who went on a cruise only with a birth certificate and an ID. It doesn’t matter if the cruise is a two-day getaway, and the cruise line insists you only need a birth certificate. Pro cruisers never cruise without a passport.

Even though U.S. citizens do not need a passport on closed-loop cruises to certain destinations from a U.S. homeport, we think it’s a necessity for any form of international travel. 

If you miss the ship in a port of call or need to leave the ship unexpectedly, you will need a passport to re-enter the U.S. by air. In the event of illness or injury, travelers without a passport must visit the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate to apply for a temporary visa to re-enter the United States.  

Leave Items Unattended Outside

One of the top safety announcements you will hear on a cruise is having items go overboard. The cruise lines strictly enforce this regulation not only for safety but also for environmental reasons.

We know our readers would never do anything as blatant as throwing trash overboard. But pro cruisers are also extra careful with items like napkins, cups, plates, and silverware. Cruisers need to be careful of other light objects as well like magazines or daily schedules, your sea pass card, or shore excursion tickets. With the ship sailing at 20 knots, it doesn’t take much for lighter items on the lido deck to go flying away.

That is why throwing empty containers out in the trash or bringing them to the nearest stations on the outdoor decks is essential. Or, see if you can find a crew member who can dispose of these items for you.

Also, you should never leave clothes or other personal items unattended on your balcony. This goes for items like towels or bathing suits as well. Even if the ship is docked at a port of call, the wind can blow these items overboard. Most cruise ship bathroom showers have a clothesline if you need to dry clothes. Or, you can use magnetic hooks to hang items.

Be a Chair Hog (Sorta)

Frequent cruisers all know the term “chair hog“. We have all witnessed individuals wake up at dawn to place towels on prime loungers near the pool. These cruisers are securing their spots in the sun for the day.

While many cruisers tell us they hate when other cruisers do this, a good number of cruisers admit that they do indeed wake up early to “claim” chairs. The difference here is that the latter also claim that they do not abandon the chairs. These cruisers reserve chairs and actually stay in them for the majority of the time.

We have been known to wake up early on sea days to get a spot as well. But, when we no longer want the chairs, we remove our items and leave them for others to enjoy.

Chair hogs think nothing of leaving their chairs empty for hours while they are off doing other activities. Of course, this is not fair to the other passengers on the ship. It is incredibly frustrating to arrive at the pool deck by 8 AM to find all the deck chairs with towels but no cruisers.

To try and combat these chair hogs, some lines have systems in place where the crew will remove towels from vacant chairs after 30 minutes. While enforcement can be difficult, you can do your part by pointing out these situations to crew members.

Wear Inappropriate Attire

Heidi is a fan of formal nights. Yet myself and many other cruisers are not on team “evening chic”.  

While cruise attire is somewhat laid back, a dress code exists for specific venues onboard the ship.  

Whether or not cruisers agree with the trend in onboard fashion, those who cruise respect the rules and suggested attire. So, these cruisers do dress up to some degree on a formal night to eat at the MDR. Mind you, this doesn’t have to be a suit and cocktail dress. Wearing a pair of slacks and a collared shirt or a summer dress is acceptable on most cruise lines.

Pro cruisers who want to stay in their shorts and flip-flops simply eat at the buffet or another casual restaurant on those evenings.

During the rest of the cruise, most cruise ships’ main dining rooms have a “smart casual” dress code. So, it is never okay to show up for dinner in a bathing suit, white t-shirt/tank top, or baseball cap. Either change to the appropriate attire, or find somewhere else to eat.

Of course, some cruise lines enforce these rules more than others, but knowing the suggested dress and making sure your outfits align to those recommendations is the sign of a pro cruisers.

Further, certain activities onboard the cruise ship might have a dress code as well. So, review these restrictions prior to your cruise to be sure you pack the necessary items. Some activities may require closed-toe shoes like laser tag or ropes courses. Other activities might also require a sleeved-shirt for safety.

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Smoke in Non-Approved Areas of the Ship

On most cruise lines, smoking is only allowed in designated areas of the ship. These designated areas may be indoors, outdoors, or both. Some cruise lines are more restrictive than others. So, if you are a smoker, you should read up on the policies before your cruise. You can also ask staff to point out the designated areas once you are onboard the ship.

However, smoking is strictly prohibited in your stateroom and on your balcony on most cruise lines. This usually includes vaping as well. For safety reasons, cruise lines do take these rules seriously. Remember, cruise ships have cameras everywhere. If you are caught, you cruise line can fine you or even kick you off the ship!

Even if you don’t get caught, smoking in prohibited areas will just annoy the rest of your fellow passengers.

Pass on the Hand Sanitizer

While nothing is 100% effective in eliminating your risk of illness while cruising, there are some simple ways to avoid getting sick when traveling. The number one way is to practice proper hand hygiene!

That is why cruise ships have hand washing stations, or hand sanitizer, spread throughout the ship. It doesn’t take much to stop for a few seconds to sanitize your hands while walking to the next venue.

Even if you feel the staff’s “washy, washy” requests are a bit over the top, you can never be too cautious. This is especially true before eating. Nothing is worse than seeing someone bypass the handwashing station and grab the buffet utensils right before you. This is one of the main reasons we tend to avoid buffets on cruise ships.

Take Items from the Staterooms

Cruise ship cabin amenities and layouts have come a long way since we first cruised together in 2007. While the cruise lines have found ways to enhance the comforts of the cabins, be careful as not all of these upgrades are free.

So, if you find water bottles, soda, or alcohol in your room’s mini-fridge, pro cruisers know not to consume those beverages. Now, if you ordered a bottle of champagne or are sent a package as a gift from your travel advisor or the cruise line, then yes, this is yours to enjoy on the trip or bring home with you.

However, any additional snacks or beverages not ordered are most likely not part of your cruise fare. This is true even if you have the cruise line’s drink package. Only luxury cruise lines include mini-bar purchases in their drink packages and onboard inclusions.

Likewise, those robes and slippers in the closet make relaxing on the ship easy. But, if you pack them up, don’t be surprised when the cruise line sends you a bill.

Depending on the cruise line or your cruise ship cabin category, your accommodations might include items like binoculars, an umbrella, yoga mats, leather-bound portfolios, commemorative books, or other trinkets. These items are great to look at and enjoy while on your trip. But, don’t take them home unless you are willing to pay for them.

Actually, some cruise lines have begun adding price tags to these items in the cabin. For instance, Virgin Voyages makes it very clear that certain items in the cabin are meant to stay in your cabin or you can purchase them.

Packing Prohibited Items

Most cruise lines’ FAQs clearly state what you can and can’t bring onboard a cruise. We seasoned cruisers always have a laugh when exiting the ship and seeing the number of confiscated items like irons, steamers, and non-ship-approved power outlets.

This last one is tricky as several power adapters on Amazon claim to be cruise ship approved, and they are not. One good rule of thumb is to ensure the adapter does not have a cord or a surge protector.

Along with these items, there are many other pretty standard things you shouldn’t pack, like firearms, candles, or hot plates. Another big no-no is to pack any prohibited substances. So, regardless of your state’s laws, you should not pack any marijuana or marijuana-infused products. No cruise line allows those products.

Likewise, know your cruise line’s policy on bringing alcohol onboard. Yes, most cruise lines allow you to bring two bottles of wine in your carry-on bags. But check your cruise line’s corkage fees to see if you will really save any money bringing on those bottles of wine.

Remove Cruise Gratuities

Cruise gratuities are service charges not included in a standard cruise fare on most contemporary cruise lines. These additional fees are a per person, per day dollar amount charged to all guests, usually automatically, across all stateroom categories.

These service charges serve as a means to reward the hardworking crew for the excellent service provided during your cruise vacation. While it is possible to remove or modify cruise gratuities, we never recommend that cruisers do so. This is such a small and well-deserved token of appreciation to all the ship’s crew. In fact, many cruisers choose to tip above and beyond this rate.

Yes, we know that the trend in the industry is constantly increasing prices, including gratuities, but pro cruisers know not to remove them from the bill.

Neglect to Make Reservations Before Boarding the Ship

Even if your cruise line doesn’t require reservations for restaurants or shows, odds are you will want to reserve things like shore excursions ahead of time. For the most part, prebooking other items, like internet packages or drink packages, is cheaper before the cruise as well.

When we first started cruising, almost everyone booked add-ons once onboard the ship. We can remember flipping through the shore excursion booklets and filling out the forms in the atrium on those first cruises.

Now, we reserve everything months before the cruise. This includes dining reservations at specialty restaurants or My Time Dining if applicable. The popular restaurants and ideal dining times do book up quickly.

This also pertains to some entertainment reservations. On mega-ships from brands such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, some nightly shows require reservations. If you cannot make these reservations beforehand, please do so as soon as you board the ship on embarkation day.

Wait to Complete the Muster Drill

If you have been cruising for a while, you are familiar with the mandatory safety briefing, the muster drill. This used to be the worst part of the first day of your cruise. But, back then, seasoned cruisers knew that the quicker the muster drill was completed, the faster everyone could return to enjoying the rest of the cruise.

But now, completing this step is easier than ever. So, like many pro cruisers, one of the first things we do on embarkation day is complete the muster drill as many cruise lines now have an e-muster. So, this means that cruisers can now complete the drill at their convenience primarily on the cruise line’s app or on the stateroom television. After watching the required safety video, all you need to do is check in at your assigned assembly station. This in-person visit takes only a few moments.

Even though it is digital, it still needs to be completed before sail away. So, the same mantra applies. If you do the muster drill early in the day, you don’t have to worry about it later and can start enjoying the first day of your cruise!

Comments

Are there any other things you would never do on a cruise? What are some cruise mistakes you have made in the past? Drop us an anchor below to help others cruise like a pro too.