Cruise etiquette: These 17 mistakes you should avoid on cruise ships

Missing the ship after going ashore, being laid up with a stomach bug, not being allowed to take part in leisure activities: these are just three things that can ruin a traveler's entire cruise .

To prevent this from happening to you, our cruise etiquette guide shows you 17 mistakes you should definitely avoid on a cruise.

Many cruise lines advertise all-inclusive packages – often allowing for unlimited alcoholic beverages. It's not unusual for some people to overindulge. But this can also backfire, as happened to a woman in Warnemünde.

She wanted to begin her cruise on the "Aidamar" in the Baltic Sea port in October 2024. But the shipping company's team refused to let her on board because the 53-year-old was too drunk, as the "Ostsee-Zeitung" reported at the time.

By the way: You should be careful not only with your consumption, but also with your purchases. Many vacationers buy exotic drinks during shore excursions to enjoy on board or to take home as souvenirs. However, as a general rule, alcoholic beverages are not allowed on board, or only in limited quantities. This always depends on the regulations of the respective cruise line.

In the event of a fire on land, the fire department can arrive within minutes. This isn't as easy or quick on the open sea. Fire is therefore one of the most dangerous situations on a cruise ship. Therefore, you should always adhere to the strict safety regulations.

Smoking in the cabin, as well as open flames such as candles, are prohibited. You are also not allowed to bring numerous electrical devices on board, such as irons, hair dryers, curlers, or immersion heaters. Failure to comply risks trouble and confiscation of items.

Multiple sockets are also a no-go on board, as plugging multiple devices into a single outlet can lead to overheating and smoldering fires. For example, a laptop, cell phone, and camera battery should not be charged at the same time from a single outlet.

Travelers should never plug multiple devices into one power outlet at the same time – this could cause a smoldering fire.

Source: IMAGO/Martin Wagner

On some ships, staff may confiscate prohibited devices or unplug electrical devices such as charging cables while cleaning cabins. Passengers can then retrieve the confiscated items at the end of the cruise.

Sayings like, "I'm about to jump overboard..." or "I have a bomb in my suitcase" are not a good idea on a cruise ship. Many cruise companies react very sensitively to such security-related topics – even if the sayings are meant only as a joke.

Anyone deemed by the captain to be a potential security risk will be dropped off at the next port along with their luggage.

You should also be careful with toilet paper on cruise ships, as the toilets are often fragile. While special, fast-dissolving paper is available in the toilets, you still shouldn't flush too much of it.

Since the toilet drains of numerous cabins are connected to the same pipe, there's a risk of clogging not only the toilet in your cabin, but in the worst case scenario, the drains on multiple floors. Until the problem is fixed, neither you nor many other travelers will be able to use their toilets. For this reason, you should also avoid throwing anything else down the toilet.

Cruise ships have special toilet paper to prevent the toilets from clogging.

Source: IMAGO/Bihlmayerfotografie

Remember the couple who missed the Symphony of the Seas and ended up stranded in the Bahamas? They made the fatal mistake of not checking the ship's departure time correctly. As a result, they returned from shore leave in Nassau 45 minutes late—and, whoosh, the ship was gone.

So, it's very important: Check the itinerary and the departure times before every shore excursion. We've written up what you can do if you miss the ship anyway in this article .

Those who arrive late will be punished by the cruise ship: the huge steamers cannot always wait for late tourists.

Source: imago images/Panthermedia

Going barefoot into a restaurant in a white bathrobe? That's taboo on a cruise. Cruise ships have strict hygiene regulations, which are also enforced in the buffet restaurant directly adjacent to the pool.

A dress, a T-shirt, and pants or a skirt are mandatory. Wearing a long T-shirt over your swimsuit is also frowned upon and will result in a polite but firm ejection on most ships.

Gastrointestinal alert! Diseases can spread quickly on cruise ships. To best protect yourself from viruses and germs, regular handwashing is essential. Do so for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap. And use the hand sanitizer stations outside the restaurants.

Very important: The cruise ship should be a good fit for you and your needs. If you don't want to travel with thousands of other people, you shouldn't necessarily book a cabin on one of the mega-ships. There are ships with room for around 10,000 passengers. You have to be able to handle that.

There are also cruises for fewer than 500 people – these include the "MS Bremen," the "MS Hamburg," the "Sea Dream I," and the "MS Hanseatic." Perhaps a yacht or sailing cruise is also something for you.

There is also less entertainment on these – important for people who don’t need giant slides, pool parties or even roller coasters.

Such a large cruise ship is not for every passenger.

Source: unsplash.com/Peter Hansen

If you're traveling with children, you should choose a ship that's designed for families. If you're traveling alone and want a child-free zone, you should avoid this at all costs. For example, there are adults-only cruise ships – where less emphasis is placed on children's entertainment and more on evening events.

To avoid ending up on the wrong ship, you should take enough time to research.

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Especially on cruise ships that focus on entertainment, packing the right things in your suitcase is important – there are activities on board, from ice skating to the Captain's Dinner. There are also shore excursions, and you should also pack the right things for those.

The Italian tourist region of Cinque Terre, for example, has the problem that cruise ship tourists constantly go hiking there in flip-flops. Definitely the wrong footwear! This repeatedly causes accidents. Therefore, the region declared a flip-flop ban in 2019.

Make a cruise packing list.

Source: pixabay.com/Hans

Several cruise lines even offer packing lists to ensure nothing goes wrong. According to Carnival Cruises, the essentials are: formal attire, an underwater camera, concealing clothing, and sturdy shoes.

Finally on a cruise, finally some relaxation and peace – right? This can be quite difficult in some cabins. While these are cheaper, you still shouldn't book them. They can be noisy, rock heavily, or even smelly.

If you have a problem with loud noises, you should avoid cabins located below bars, restaurants, kitchens, stairs, and elevators. If you get seasick easily, you should choose a cabin as low as possible and in the center of the ship. Balcony cabins can also sometimes ruin your cruise .

Anyone going on a cruise is spoiled for choice when it comes to sleeping accommodations. (Symbolic photo)

Source: imago images/Kickner

Even the food on board sometimes carries the risk of making you sick. Therefore, it's better to play it safe and follow the tips from the "This Insider" portal:

• Avoid sushi – it is difficult to keep the fish at the necessary low temperature, especially at an all-you-can-eat buffet.
• Oysters should also be taboo.
• Don't eat soft-boiled eggs.
• Consume only pasteurized dairy products.
• Be careful with raw vegetable salads.

Some things at the cruise buffet are taboo.

Source: imago/Panthermedia

This is a mistake that particularly affects people who are prone to seasickness, as there are times of the year when the sea is rougher.

For example, passengers with nervous stomachs should not book a cruise during hurricane season – in the Atlantic, this officially lasts from June to November.

According to the portal "Cruise Tricks," statistically, hurricanes occur most frequently during the season in September. The islands of the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the coasts of Florida are particularly affected. Bermuda and the Bahamas are also located within Hurricane Alley.

Storms are more common in the Mediterranean in autumn and winter, and the Drake Passage in Antarctica is generally known for its rough seas.

Snorkeling on coral reefs, hiking on glaciers, shopping at local markets, exploring ancient sites: the land-based activities on a cruise are varied. And sometimes quite expensive. So don't spend too much on your first shore excursion, or you might be left empty-handed on the next one.

Another important tip: Before the cruise, make a list of activities you'd like to do. Some tours are best booked in advance, for example, if there are very limited seats. These include sightseeing flights or snorkeling.

Too many activities during a cruise can put a strain on your travel budget.

Source: imago images / Westend61

It should be obvious, right? The safety briefing at the beginning of every cruise is mandatory (just as you should always pay close attention to the safety instructions on an airplane). By skipping, passengers are actually putting their lives at risk—and they could be denied boarding by the captain.

Aida writes: "The sea rescue exercise gives our passengers the security they need in an emergency. They learn where their rescue equipment is located and how to find their way to their assembly point. This exercise is mandatory, and everyone participates."

Rescue exercises are mandatory.

Source: IMAGO / Geisser

Is a nautical look always a good idea on a cruise? Travelers should avoid wearing white clothing, at least in the rear of the ship, advises Dreamlines.

Soot particles fly out of the chimney, which settle on clothes and leave unsightly stains.

Sending just a few photos or watching a few videos on YouTube on a cruise – and then the horrific cell phone bill for thousands of euros arrives. Unfortunately, this happens quite often to passengers.

On the high seas, neither the EU roaming regulations nor cost caps or any travel packages booked by mobile providers apply. Therefore, you should avoid making the mistake of activating automatic network selection on your smartphone, for example. Reisereporter also offers five tips on how to avoid horrific bills .

On a cruise, you should pay close attention to how expensive surfing the Internet can be.

Source: imago images/Cavan Images

If you're offered an upgrade on a cruise ship , don't immediately say "yes!" This doesn't necessarily mean you'll get a better cabin. "Instead, you could be rebooked from a standard balcony cabin to an identical cabin that the cruise line believes has a better location," reveals travel expert Sam Katterfield.

But some travelers deliberately book a specific location because, for example, they have a shorter route to the spa, it is particularly quiet there, or they prefer to sleep on one of the lower decks to avoid getting seasick.

So, here are three tips before you commit: Check the category of the new cabin. Then check the location of the new cabin, keeping your own preferences in mind: Do you want to get to the spa faster or to the nearest bar? Finally, check the amenities and other services.

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