Over the years, cruising the high seas has evolved from a mode of long distance travel to a popular holiday option, with a wide variety of ships and itineraries on offer designed to lure all types of travellers. Put many people together in a confined space, however, and problems can arise when it comes to the behaviour of your fellow cruise mates. What’s okay for one person can be annoying for another, so what are the key do’s and don’ts which ensure smooth sailing? Here’s our top 10 pet peeves to avoid.
Noise
Everyone wants to have fun on holiday, and finding quiet spots on a cruise ship can be challenging, but being excessively noisy will likely irk your fellow cruise mates. Be mindful of your noise in public places, particularly in restaurants, the spa or smaller bars, and if you need to use your mobile, do it on deck or in the privacy of your stateroom. The same goes for being in your stateroom; don’t have your TV or any music playing too loudly, and if you have a balcony and leave the door open be aware that noise you make might disturb your neighbours.
Smoking
There are strict regulations on cruise ships these days about where you can and cannot smoke. Few cruise lines allow you to smoke on your balcony these days, and if you’re travelling on a ship which does, try not to smoke your neighbours out, don’t allow old cigarette butts to accumulate in an ash tray and risk blowing elsewhere such as to the balconies beside and below yours. Also never, ever throw a lighted cigarette over the edge of your balcony.
The Jacuzzi
It can be fun to enjoy a wallow in a jacuzzi while watching the scenery slip by on a cruise ship, but there are rules for everyone to follow so that all users can enjoy it. If it’s busy, just wait to use it until it’s less busy, don’t allow kids to use the jacuzzi unsupervised or get unruly, and don’t take small kids into a jacuzzi in nappies. Other jacuzzi no-no's include not hogging it for your own pleasure, eating food in it or going topless.
Buffets
Buffet madness can break out on cruise ships with some of the most common complaints from users being people who cut in line to those who don’t practice good hygiene and use the proper utensils to serve their food. Other no-no's include not using the hand sanitisers before you use the buffet, and overfilling your plate as if the food might run out. There’s going to be enough for everyone.
Alcohol
Drinking is part of a great holiday experience for many people, but you’d be wise not to go overboard - if you’ll excuse the pun. Besides spending too much and risking a nasty hangover, being excessively intoxicated can lead to uninhibited or bad behaviour as well as being annoying for your fellow cruise mates.
Stateroom Decks
You might be happy stumbling to bed at 1am, then sleeping until noon, but there are others who follow the “early to bed, early to rise” doctrine. However you are, if you are moving through stateroom decks and corridors early in the morning and late at night, be mindful of how much noise you are making; don’t have loud conversations, or go shouting at your companions down the hall. Also be mindful of children’s antics in the early morning.
Latecomers
This applies to many situations on cruise ships, from gathering in a group to take a shore tour, or squeezing your way into a seat in the theatre 10 minutes into the show. Another major annoyance for captain and crew are people who arrive back late to the ship in port (unless you’re on a ship’s tour). You may end up delaying the departure of the ship, or worse for you, the ship may leave without you.
Saving Seats
Whether you are in the buffet, the theatre, on a bus or on deck, if you are saving one seat for your significant other that’s fine, but saving half a dozen is frowned upon and not very fair to everyone else. Hogging sun loungers all day while spending all your time in the pool or jacuzzi is also annoying to many cruisers, so don’t do it.
Launderettes
Self-service washers and dryers are available on many modern cruise ships, but there is some etiquette surrounding their use. Don’t use more than one machine at a time, and don’t leave your laundry in a machine for long after it’s stopped. And if you are keen to do some laundry, and a machine has only just finished, don’t handle someone else’s clothing.
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