When you go on your first cruise, it’s just as much a learning experience as it is a vacation. Cruising is unlike any other trip you’ll take and there’s a bit of a learning curve as you figure out exactly how life on the ship works.
But after nearly 30 cruises? That’s how many I’ve sailed and I can tell you there are things that you learn that maybe you don’t realize on your first… or fifth… or tenth sailing. So as someone that cruises a lot, what do I NEVER do on the ship?
Here’s what I always avoid…
Soaking With Strangers in the Hot Tub
Now I will admit that yes, I have soaked in a hot tub on a cruise ship and it was amazing. I sat there watching snow-capped mountains slowly move past as I took in the morning in Alaska. And then when a couple came to take a dip, I quickly decided my time was up.
I don’t mind being in the hot tub if it’s completely empty, but that’s rarely the case on a cruise ship unless you’re there very early in the morning. Much more common is for the tub to be completely full with people. If you want a spot to soak, then you have to do with with upwards of 10-12 people that you’ve never met before.
To me, it’s just not something I want to do and I’m not alone. I’ve seen discussion of this exact thing on social media, with many calling the hot tubs “human soup” and saying they avoid them as well.
Eating the Buffet All the Time
When you cruise, the buffet is definitely tempting. It’s always included, it’s open for every meal, and it’s by far the most convenient place to eat.
The only problem? It can get old, fast.
The food itself, well, the best way to describe it is that it’s buffet quality. It’s not bad, but it’s not the best. For a few meals it’s fine. But if you’re eating it multiple times a day, at least I get tired of it.
That’s why I always make sure to mix it up. Of course, the main dining room for meals but also the other included spots and despite having to pay more, I always try to work in at least one specialty dining option as well. I find if I don’t do this, I get tired of the food, especially on a 7-day cruise.
Refusing to Spend Money Onboard
Now, by my nature I’m a careful spender. You won’t see me staying in a suite. I also don’t spend lavishly on specialty dinners every single night or expensive spa treatments. I’ve even gone on many cruises where I haven’t spent an extra dime onboard, and yes, that is possible.
But as I sailed more and more, I realized that you can’t refuse to spend money. Yes, prices for many things are expensive on the ship. But if you’re someone that pinches pennies, I’m telling you to open up a little.
You don’t have to throw money away like you’re a sailor on leave. But those extras like a nice meal or an excursion, or drinks really do add to the overall fun and enjoyment of a cruise.
Standing in Front of Elevator Doors
Elevators really are the heartbeat of the ship. With things to do all over the ship, you’ll ride the elevators multiple times a day, even if you’re someone that doesn’t normally mind taking the stairs.
But there’s one thing you should never do and it’s something that happens all the time. Don’t stand in front of the elevator doors.
Elevators are almost always busy. So when you call for one, it’s likely that when it stops you won’t just be getting on, but someone else will be getting off. Many people, however, crowd the doors, creating a traffic jam.
Just stand to the side, let anyone off the elevator first and then get on.
Purchasing Artwork on the Ship
If someone has never cruise before, I think one of the biggest things that will catch them off guard has to be the fact that you can buy expensive artwork on the ship. Buying a souvenir t-shirt? Sure. Even duty-free shops make sense to me.
But artwork just seems like a weird thing to purchase while on a cruise. That’s not why I never buy it, however.
I find the pieces to be… not my style. Honestly, many to me are fairly tacky, such as Disney characters painted in Thomas Kinkade settings or anthropomorphic olives lounging in a martini glass.
If you like it, then have a ball. I’ll stick to spending my money elsewhere.
Avoiding Shore Excursions
Speaking of a place where I’ve learned never to skimp, one thing I never do is avoid taking excursions.
Excursions can run from fairly affordable like walking tours to pricey, such as helicopter tours in Alaska. But multiply the cost across a couple of people or a family traveling together and no matter how affordable it is, the price adds up.
What I’ve found is that these excursions still give you the most memorable experiences you’ll have on your cruise. They simply give you the chance to do things that you can’t do back home. From swimming in cenotes to panning for gold in Alaska, my best cruise memories have all come from shore excursions.
Forget That There Are Other People on the Ship
I mentioned never standing in front of elevator doors but that relates to something bigger that I try to never do on a cruise. I’m talking about not being conscientious of the people around you.
A cruise ship is perhaps most unique in that it’s taking upwards of 4-6,000 people and putting them all on a self-contained ship. It’s literally taking a small city and putting it at sea. And just like being in a busy city, you’ve got to be aware and conscientious of those around you.
That means you don’t want to walk three wide down the middle of the walkway on the ship. You don’t want to have vulgar conversations within earshot of others. You don’t want to be making a bunch of noise walking by cabins when you’re coming back from the bar late at night.
In short, you just want to be a little thoughtful of others as you’re going to share this relatively small space for the entire trip.
Forget to Pack the Whole Medicine Cabinet
I’m always in the camp that you can pack less than you think you’ll need for a cruise. I see people with two huge suitcases for a 7-day trip and wonder what all they are bringing. But one area I never skimp is to essentially pack the whole medicine cabinet.
Yes, cruise ships have a ship where you can buy anything you might need, but it’s expensive and the hours can be limited.
So if it’s the middle of the night and you need something for an upset stomach or a headache or a sunburn you’re going to hope that you have what you need already with you.
I essentially carry a quart-sized Ziploc filled with anything I could possibly need. Will I use it all? No way, but it’s nice to have exactly what I need, when I need it.
Freak Out if Things Aren’t Perfect
Finally, after dozens of cruises you learn one important rule of being on the ship. That’s the fact that sometimes things aren’t perfect. For most trips, they go off without a hitch. But sail enough and you’ll run into hurdles.
I’ve been on sailings where medical emergencies have led us to take a detour to drop off a passenger. Other trips have had ports completely cancelled due to weather or damaged docks. And then I’ve been on cruises where it rained nearly every day the ship was in port.
It happens.
You can’t control what might happen on your cruise, but you can control how you’ll react to it. You’ll see some folks that just get up in arms when a port is skipped or something similar. To me, it makes no sense. Sure it’s a drag on your vacation to not have it go as planned, but why let it continue to make your trip miserable? Let it go.
