Cruises are absolutely wonderful vacation opportunities. Large cruise ships are floating cities. Everything you can possibly need or want is available on board a cruise ship. But you need to pack your good manners as well as your camera.
The idea of a cruise is not to forget everything your mother ever taught you about behaving yourself and respecting the rights of others. The first thing to know is that every soul onboard a cruise ship is on vacation. You’re likely to see some truly atrocious behavior, but you don’t want to contribute to it.
Etiquette Rule #1: The magic words “please” and “thank you” still work. You aren’t going to find perfection on a cruise ship. The wait staff is only human, and they make mistakes. Be NICE. If something anything doesn’t measure up to your expectations, first examine your own expectations. And stuff happens on cruise ships just like they happen in hotels on land. Your toilet can clog, a handle might fall off, whatever it is just ask politely that the problem be repaired. Say please and thank you as often as possible.
Etiquette Rule #2: Take every opportunity to shut up. The walls between cabins onboard cruise ships are thin. When you slam a door, it can be heard in several cabins. When you raise your voice louder than a normal conversational tone, your neighbors can hear you.
Etiquette Rule #3: Know your limits. A sloppy drunk is only funny in the movies. Drink if you wish, but drink in moderation.
Etiquette Rule #4: Be discreet. Yes, your cabin is your home away from home, so to speak, but the hallways are the highways. When you wander up and down the hallways on a cruise ship, do so fully clothed.
Etiquette rule #5: Don’t try to intimidate. Don’t wear your Rolex or your 10-karat diamond. The only people who care are those who want to steal them. On board a cruise ship, all passengers are equal. You might be a big wheel on land, but on sea, you are simply another vacationer.
Cruise Travel Etiquette
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