CNN –
You are on a cruise at the buffet. They politely wait for your turn and receive a sumptuous bowl of fresh fruit. In front of you, a fellow traveler picks out certain berries – with his fingers!
The highly selective and handy fruit scavenger who committed this cruise faux paus did it in front of none other than Nick Leighton, a frequent traveler and host of the weekly etiquette podcast “Were You Raised By Wolves?”
Things can get worse. Angel Wilson, travel consultant and owner of Dream Journeys, LLC, witnessed an incident on a cruise that makes the fruit bowl break seem harmless. She recently told CNN Travel via email about a disturbing incident:
“A group of us were sitting at a long table in one of the bars on a ship and a drunken Scotsman came up to us and asked if we wanted to see what ‘real Scotsmen wear under their kilts.'” Then he told us off flashed in front,” said Wilson, a cruise specialist.
When it comes to rude, uncultured, and downright unacceptable behavior on ships, travel etiquette and cruise experts have seen it all. Below, we’ll introduce you to many bad behaviors passengers should avoid (and good behaviors they should emulate).
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Passengers queue to board the MSC Virtuosa as it prepares to depart the port of Southampton, England. Don’t expect the ship to wait for you if you’re late.
Poor etiquette can begin before the ship leaves port. Being late, disorganized, and impatient when boarding sets the wrong tone for the entire trip.
Maryanne Parker of the Manor of Manners website reminds passengers that “it is very important to be on time for our own departure.”…We need to make sure we have all our documents ready to present. Patience is a key component.”
Punctuality also applies to the rest of the cruise, for example during shore excursions. “If we are traveling with a group, we should make sure we are not late and do not forget any documents,” Parker said in an email interview.
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That’s a true price on a cruise ship – empty lounge chairs! If you’re ready to soak up some sun, do it. But don’t put your things on a chair, walk away for five hours and expect your shipmates to respect your chair.
It’s a typical cruise experience – enjoying the sun and the sea on the deck. And it is the best terrain for moral misconduct.
“Don’t be a chair eater. … It’s the No. 1 complaint on cruises,” Leighton said. “It’s when someone gets up at any time of the day, runs to the pool deck, takes off blankets and all their stuff and then disappears for hours, goes back to bed, maybe goes for breakfast, maybe does something else and that chair is now sitting empty for hours.”
But wait – don’t cruise ships have rules against reserved seats?
They do, said Leighton. For example, Carnival has a policy of removing your items if you are leaving for more than 40 minutes. But “cruise lines, in my opinion, also don’t do a good job of policing their own rules.”
Leighton said this was a recipe for naval conflict.
“It’s really difficult to put the burden on the passenger to enforce this because I don’t recommend taking someone’s stuff off their chair. … That’s going to be really embarrassing when they come back – if they ever come back,” Leighton said. Instead, report it to cruise staff.
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Parents, it’s your job to make sure your energetic kids don’t get so wild at the pool that they disturb other passengers.
Poor deck energy also extends to the pool area and other zones.
Of course, children can have a lot of fun at the pool (and actually anywhere on the ship). But that doesn’t mean parents should give up all control.
Cruise Critic, the online cruise advice and news website, advises parents to warn them when sitting by the pool with their children “so they don’t play with the cannonball and people sunbathing nearby.” , don’t splash.”
Wilson has another piece of advice: “As long as the children are not in the ship’s kids’ club, parents should keep an eye on them. Remind children that it is rude to run down the hall screaming. Try using voices inside or whispering in the hallways.”
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Elevators can cause traffic jams on ships. Do not crowd into an elevator while other users are trying to exit the elevator.
Vertical travel within a cruise ship is another place where things can go wrong.
What a nuisance Wilson? “People are trying to get into an elevator while others are still trying to get out of the elevator. “Everyone should be allowed to exit the elevator before anyone tries to enter,” she said.
Wilson noticed a brief relaxation of his poor elevator manners. Emphasis on short.
“It was already clear after the pandemic that people expected a lot more personal space in the elevators. “Unfortunately, people are going back to the pre-corona situation, which is leading to a lot of very angry passengers who are very uncomfortable with this break in new etiquette,” she said.
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Nobody will begrudge you a few relaxing drinks at sea. But a drunk passenger is often an obnoxious passenger.
So you like piña coladas? That’s fine. Just don’t be pushy.
“Know your personal drinking limits!! No, it’s not cute that you’re so drunk you can’t even walk, or that you show your penis to people, or that you vomit in pools,” Wilson said. “Don’t yell at the bartenders because it’s taking too long to get you a drink. They work hard and do it as quickly as possible.”
Parker had a few sobering reminders of the consequences – from embarrassing to fatal – of overindulging.
Before you put yourself to the test, remember: “We will be seeing the same people for at least another week or two.” “Besides, being drunk on a cruise is very dangerous – every day we read about frightening reports,” said she.
And Leighton reminds people to know and follow your cruise line’s rules about bringing your own alcohol on a ship. (Find Royal Caribbean and Disney policies here).
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Many hungry passengers dine on the Costa Fortuna cruise ship. Dining rooms and buffets are important places to demonstrate your etiquette. A few loud, rude guests could disrupt the rest of the room.
Don’t be a buffoon at the ship’s buffets, our experts warned.
Looking “presentable and clean” is a must, Parker said. “We don’t have to go the extra mile, but looking sloppy, unkempt and dirty is extremely uncomfortable for all of us.”
Leighton reminds cruise guests to be kind to staff – especially during meals.
“Things go wrong. You might get the wrong meal. Your steak might be overcooked. … No one is intentionally trying to sabotage your vacation. If we ever have a problem, I think we just want to deal with it politely.”
And Wilson has a fond memory, whether at sea or on land: “If you touch it, you take it.” period. Don’t put it back. If you want, throw it in the trash, but DO NOT throw it back. Please wash those hands and/or use sanitizer when entering a dining room.”
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Guests enjoy evening entertainment on the MSC Euribia. Show the entertainers and your fellow travelers some courtesy – don’t walk out in the middle of a performance and put your phone on vibrate.
Wilson had a few etiquette reminders for you when enjoying evening entertainment.
“If there is a chance you will go out, DO NOT sit in the front. It’s so disrespectful to the artists to see people leaving the show while they’re performing. At least wait until they’re between songs or scenes,” she said.
“If you must use your phone during a performance, please turn the screen brightness all the way down. Please mute all notifications and calls.”
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A beautiful view of Opunohu Bay in Moorea, French Polynesia. You know what’s not so nice? X-rated escapades on such balconies that aren’t so private to prying eyes. If views like these inspire your love, take these celebrations to the truly private cabin.
It’s a fact – a sea voyage can be a time of romance and powerful expressions of love. But this is not the time for X-rated public appearances on your cabin balcony that can be seen by people on land and other ships.
“If you don’t want security to see it or potentially have it seen on the Internet or used as an example on a cruise game show, don’t do it on the balcony,” Wilson said.
“Also, each balcony has an adjoining room, please keep the music at an appropriate level. Not everyone has the same taste in music.”
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If you need a smoke break, give your fellow travelers a break and light up in a designated area. Remember that not all outdoor areas are smoking areas.
According to Cruise Critic, smoking is also prohibited on the cabin balconies of many ships. The smoke can also blow onto your neighbors’ balconies.
If you would like to take a smoke break during your trip, check your cruise line’s current rules, which are subject to change.
According to Royal Caribbean, “Smoking is permitted in designated outdoor areas.”, must be disposed of properly and must never be thrown overboard.” Cunard only allows smoking in designated areas on open decks and in a cigar lounge where only cigars and pipes are permitted.
Standards may vary
Another reminder from etiquette and cruise experts: Etiquette expectations can vary depending on the cruise line and the ship’s sailing area.
“There is a difference between the Caribbean atmosphere on a cruise and the European atmosphere,” Parker said. “The dress code will definitely be different. When we travel to the Caribbean, the weather is warm and humid all year round. People expect us to look very relaxed and revealing. When visiting Europe, the dress code is definitely more formal and the people are more traditional. We also need to consider the seasons and prepare for them.”
Wilson just took an 18-day cruise in Japan in April and noticed cultural differences.
“People held more doors for others and just seemed more aware of the people around them. On Asian cruises, pushing on the elevator is certainly much more frowned upon.”
And “on luxury cruises compared to mass-market cruises, the dress code is definitely stricter, regardless of the destination,” Wilson said.
Finally, Leighton said basic good manners that apply to life in general will come in handy on a cruise ship.
“As long as you practice the kind of core behavior of just wanting to be respectful and mindful and making an effort to just acknowledge that other people exist, that’s what’s important here,” Leighton said. “And yes, if you can also take into account the local etiquette of your location… that’s a nice bonus. But I just take good manners as a basic requirement.”