Unwritten Rules of Cruising

There are plenty of rules you need to follow as a cruiser, but not all those rules are written down.

The unwritten rules of society help people get along in most situations. These rules are often either observable, or passed down from someone familiar with a specific society or group. The cruising community is not exempt from these rules, and those who have never been cruising before need to be made aware of these rules prior to boarding their first ship.

Elevators – wait for people to get out before jumping into an elevator. Like most unwritten rules of society, for most people, this is common sense. However, anyone who has cruised before will know that there will always be those selfish people out there who rush an elevator the minute the doors open. This is especially unhelpful when you are trying to get out of the elevator and are stuck in the back. Doesn’t it always seem to be the case that the people who need out first get stuck in the back of the elevator?

It is also important to let people with mobility issues go first. Wether you are getting out of the elevator or in, please let those with mobility issues go first. Yes they will be slower, but you are going to need to wait for them to get into or out of the elevator anyway. I have seen people push into an elevator while someone in a wheelchair is trying to get out of the elevator. It is not going to speed up the process at all, and it just very disrespectful. Personally, it is just sad to see behavior like this.

Buffet – Be sure to wash or sanitize your hands prior to going into the buffet. Since covid, many ships now have hand washing stations and may even have a crew member there to make sure everyone is washing their hands. To me, this is one of the good things to come out of the covid protocols, and is especially important when you have people not following the other unwritten rules of buffet dining like not touching food with your hands! Sure you could just reach in and grab that apple or roll easily, but DO NOT do so. Use the tongs. No matter what, use the utensils provided to get food from the buffet. Another major rule is to get a new dish every time you go to the buffet. Sometimes this rule will actually be written down it is so important. Nobody wants someone bringing their dirty plate back up to the buffet. Please, just get a new plate. And of course, don’t cut the line. Maybe you forgot to grab something or just need to “grab one thing.” It doesn’t matter. Jumping in front of people who are patiently waiting in line only causes tempers to flare.

Be Kind to the Crew – It is important to remember that the crew may be there to make your cruise an amazing vacation, but that doesn’t make them your slave. I’ve had some great experiences with crew members over the years and those who you have repeated interactions with are definitely going to go the extra mile for guests who are kind to them and treat them like people and not indentured servants.

If you have any crew members that do go above and beyond to make your cruise special, be sure to get their names so you can mention them in the survey the cruise line will send you after your cruise. This is part of how crew get raises and move up in the ranks and is often more beneficial to them than a tip.

Laundry – Just like any laundry facility on land, don’t leave your clothes longer than the current cycle will take. You may be tempted to walk away because you don’t want to waste time during your vacation, but just remember… If you do, you may find your clean, wet clothes removed from the washer and dumped unceremoniously onto the floor.

Dirty dishes – If it is your first time on a cruise, you may be confused as to what to do with your dirty dishes. The basic thing to know is that there are crew who will remove dirty dishes as part of their job. There are almost always bar waiters who come around and remove your empty glasses in the public spaces around bars. If you grab a plate of food from the buffet or a quick eats restaurant (like Guy’s Burgers on a Carnival ship) and take it to another area of the ship, you may wonder what to do with it once your finished. The best course of action is to leave it somewhere out of the way where a crew member will be able to see it but it isn’t going to bother guests because someone will eventually come around and gather up any empty plates or used cups and glasses. It is always considered polite to cover any remaining food with a napkin if possible.

Did you order room service? If so, go ahead and ask the server or your room steward what should be done with your tray when you are finished. They may want you to leave it in your room, but many lines prefer that any dishes be placed outside your cabin door. This is because it isn’t the room steward who removes the dishes, but specific crew members who go around several times a day and remove room service dishes from outside the cabins and deliver it back to the galley area. You will want to make sure that any trays or dishes are kept out of the way of all traffic and plates are covered with a napkin so people walking by don’t have to look at half eaten food.  

Be respectful – It should go without saying that being respectful would easily cover all unwritten rules. The old adage to “do unto others as you would have them do to you” rings very true when aboard a ship with thousands of other people. Most problems you will have that involve other passengers will be a result of selfishness. Some people have the mentality that this is their vacation and they will do as they please. That may be fine if you are vacationing in a remote mountain cabin, but it’s not an acceptable attitude when vacationing on what is essentially a floating resort. 

A good thing to always remember is that our reactions to any given situation are a choice. You can choose to get upset and angry when someone accidentally bumps into you or even if they intentionally cut the line at the buffet. This is YOUR vacation. Try not to let the actions of others ruin it. You will be happier and enjoy your cruise more if you make a conscious choice to not let things bother you. I say this as much for myself as for anyone else. If I’m in a public space, and someone nearby does something that I think is rude or impolite to do in public, I often find myself unable to focus on anything else. An example of this would be someone talking loudly while surrounded by others who are either not talking at all or doing so quietly. Focusing on that behavior is an impulse that I really try to curb when on vacation because I don’t want to spend any of my time while on vacation focussing on someone else’s rude behavior. It’s not easy, so sometimes I end up leaving the area and finding somewhere else to hang out. Either way, while we may not be able to control the actions of others, we can control our own reactions.

Can you think of any unwritten rules that I forgot? If so, please drop them in the comments below to help out any future cruisers and have a blessed day!