Travelore Tips: 10 Things You Should Never Do On A Cruise

1. Pick your ship based on price alone.

Sure, cruise ships may all look alike when you’re browsing the line websites. But they aren’t actually all alike; as with hotels, lines have their own personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, and you have to pick the best cruise line for you. Disney Cruise Line, for example, often offers fares that are very similar to those of Celebrity Cruises (pictured). But while Disney serves boisterous families with young children best, Celebrity is the better choice for empty nest and retiree couples looking for a quietly chic experience. The prices are comparable, but the experiences are very different, so it pays to do your homework before plunking down your deposit.

1. Consider your cruise cabin's location.

Picking a cabin category on some lines can be tough—the newest mega-ship builds can have more than 30 categories—but once you figure out which category is best for you, it’s important to look at the individual cabin location. Consider where you will spending your time on board, and be sure to avoid staterooms that are under the pool deck or the nightclub, as well as any highly trafficked areas.

Courtesy Disney Cruise Lines

1. Fly to your port of call the day of your cruise.

Unlike on a land vacation, your holiday actually has a firm departure time. Cruise ships don’t wait for delayed flights so—especially if you’re cruising in winter when snow can ground planes—you’ll want to fly into your embarkation port the day before your sailing. One exception: If you live in a major city and have a non-stop flight to Miami, and there are several more after yours that would get you in before the ship sails away, we might look the other way if you fly in that morning.

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1. Forget to plan ahead.

In cruises, as in life, some things require advance planning. While the allure of cruising for many is the ease with which you plan your trip—one purchase gets you most of your vacation—it’s important not to take that too literally. Spa treatments on sea-day afternoons, top shore excursions, and coveted tables for two at small specialty restaurants tend to fill up fast. Check out your line’s website and see how early they allow you to book, and then take advantage of the opportunity to get what you want.

1. Fail to check-in online beforehand.

Most lines allow you to check-in for your cruise on their website in advance. It may seem like an annoying extra step when you’re trying to get ready to go on vacation, but it will save you a lot of extra time when you get to the cruise ship terminal.

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1. Over-pack for your trip.

Cruise ship cabins are small—in some cases, very small. Check out the cruise ship dress codes, and pack exactly what you need. Then edit out anything you don’t really need, such as extra shoes and alternate outfits, or risk feeling like the things you brought make your cabin feel claustrophobic. Plus, if you pack light enough, you can use a carry-on bag and not risk that your stuff will miss the ship.

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1. Leave key items out of your carry-on.

If you are going to let the ship take your bags at the dock and deliver them to your cabin later (and most cruisers do), you’ll want to make sure anything you need for the afternoon is in the bag you carry up the gangway yourself. Some ships allow passengers to board as early as 11 a.m., but some give themselves until as late as 6 p.m. to deliver your suitcases. If you plan to spend the first day at the pool or the gym, you’ll want to make sure you have everything you need with you—or risk being way overdressed on the Lido deck.

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1. Forget to plan in advance for limited Internet access.

Most cruise ships still charge whopping rates for Wi-Fi, which can be spotty at best and, at worst, totally unavailable for large swaths of time. Be sure to take care of everything you need before you go, and turn on your out-of-office message on your work and home emails, so that you don’t waste your precious vacation time hunting down a hot spot in port.

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Packing for cruises,

1. Hog the best deck chairs.

On most ships, there aren’t enough perfectly placed lounge chairs to go around. The fastest way to make enemies onboard? Put your stuff down in the morning of a sea day, and then disappear for hours—to breakfast, the gym, the spa, for lunch. Return in the afternoon and, if the staff hasn’t taken your belongings off the chair, the scowls from fellow passengers will make you wish they had.

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1. Take yourself—or your vacation—too seriously.

Cruises are full of silly traditions: A parade of baked Alaska on formal night, goofy pool-side contests or activities on sea days, a song the staff sings in the main dining room on the last night. To some cruisers, these playful moments are their favorite part of the trip. So consider yourself warned: Make fun of them aloud at your own peril.

© Bill Bachmann / Alamy

Contributed by Sherri Eisenburg, Bonvoyage Magazine

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