Cruise Ship Etiquette?

[Castillo Mom]

Lots of great suggestions here, so I really don’t have anything to add. I just wanted to say the simple fact that you asked and also stated how etiquette is important to you speaks volumes. You’re going to be just fine!

 

[Travel60]

I think one post was confusing etiquette with atmosphere of the ship, where it really is more to do with personal actions.

Behave as you would anywhere else..common courtesy goes a long way!!! I have a book I got as a gift a long, long time ago called "The Essential Little Cruise Book". It is written by a cruise director and gives general cruising tips and does have a section on ship etiquette. I have listed them below...again these are general etiquette tips and I paraphrased some of them. Not everyone will agree with all of them and may feel they don't pertain to DCL but here they are.

Never go up to the Captain when you see him around the ship and ask "Who's driving the boat"?....he's heard it a thousand times and it gets old quick.

Don't leave your laundry in the machines and not come back for it.

Don't leave your personal belongings on deck chairs to save them for later. They are for everyone and unless you are ready to use them don't leave stuff on them.

Don't walk around the ship in your bathing suit without a cover up and don't walk the halls in your nightie and curlers.

Don't drape towels and clothing on the verandah railing (makes the ship look tacky).

Always be polite when asking for something from the staff. Always smile and make eye contact.

Be modest in your attire, not everyone needs to see every bump and bulge.

Respect crew only areas (the ship is also their home and how would you feel if strangers were pushing their way into your living room).

Don't sit in the first row at the show and doze off....people behind you can be distracted by your bobbing head and the performers won't appreciate people dozing during the show.

Be discreet with your money and personal wealth. Nobody really cares and being ostentatious is in bad taste.

When leaving your cabin don't let the doors slam.

To be asked to dine with the Captain is an honor don't ever turn it down.

There is a reason cruise ships don't sell gum....if you bring your own don't stick it where it does not belong (like on the floor or under furniture). Dispose of it properly.

If coming back from muddy excursion, take off your shoes and carry them to room so you don't track mud through the ship

Don't block the elevators, wait until passengers leave the elevator before boarding.

If you encounter a problem seek out a crew member and discreetly explain the problem. Don't bore your fellow passengers with it.

Keep a grip on yourself, don't over indulge in alcohol and be annoying to others.

If the evening calls for formal attire don't change into shorts and t-shirt mid way through.

Never use your hand to touch food on the buffets, always use the tongs provided (or don't put stuff back if you change your mind).

Take a moment to commend the staff if you feel they have done a great job. A pat on the back goes a long way.

And my favorite:

If the sun shines smile, it is rains...smile and look for the rainbow!

MJ

Great list. As you say, mostly common courtesy. I would add only a couple:

Keep your kids under control. No running in the halls/stairs or getting on elevator and pushing every button. If they "lose it" and start acting out, get them out of the situation, either to an open deck or back to room.

Cruise casual does not mean dumpster diving styles (ill-fitting, torn, ratty-looking). Come on...if you can afford a cruise, you can afford 2 pair of well-fitting pants/shorts/capris and 3-4 nice polos or better shirts.

No hats on men in MDR....actually saw several men wirh caps on during dinner on last cruise...who raised them?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

The family whose kids had on wet swimsuits at the muster drill? Who can blame then when every "first time cruise tips" blogs suggests bringing your kids in bathing suits to hit the pool early, and those same first time cruisers don't know that luggage is often not delivered to rooms until after muster drill.

Wait what?

 

[MomOTwins]

Wait what?

One of the earlier posts cited as an example of bad edits etiquette that a family showed up to an indoor muster drill station with kids in wet swimsuits rather than getting them changed beforehand. I was just saying I would cut that family some slack—new cruisers aren’t likely to know plan ahead for muster drill. Anyhow, all a thing of the past now that muster drill is no more.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

One of the earlier posts cited as an example of bad edits etiquette that a family showed up to an indoor muster drill station with kids in wet swimsuits rather than getting them changed beforehand. I was just saying I would cut that family some slack—new cruisers aren’t likely to know plan ahead for muster drill.

I mean, even new cruisers know that towels exist. Sounds to me like both people would be to blame in this situation. If all you have is your bathing suit, that's understandable. But at least towel off and wrap up first. But to be particularly annoyed by it is also obnoxious.

 

[mmouse37]

Lol, I started reading back through and I'm totally thinking this thread needs to be retitled "personal pet peeves" rather than "disney cruise etiquette."

The family whose kids had on wet swimsuits at the muster drill? Who can blame then when every "first time cruise tips" blogs suggests bringing your kids in bathing suits to hit the pool early, and those same first time cruisers don't know that luggage is often not delivered to rooms until after muster drill.

Rustling sounds from wrappers and popcorn bags in the theaters? Admittedly not a 2022 DCL problem, but for goodness sakes, if they sell the snacks, it can't be a violation of cruise etiquette to open the packaging to eat them.

Someone gets a little carried away with staging elaborate photo ops for their Duffy bear? So what--how does that affect you in the slightest?

I think as a general guiding rule--if it isn't something a majority of cruisers can all agree on, it likely is in the realm of personal preference rather than cruise etiquette. Things I think we pretty much would all agree on:

• Be nice to the phenomenal, hardworking CMs, including paying at least the standard gratuity
• Remember to use your "indoor voice"
• As Daniel Tiger says: "walk, don't run, if you wanna have fun".
• Don't save theater seats/deck loungers for substantially longer than it takes for an absent person in your party to use the restroom or get a drink/snack.

My golden rule is live and let live a little--remember you are not the only person on the ship who is on a vacation they have paid a lot of money for and have been dreaming about for a long time. While etiquette can be a good thing to the extent it makes us more considerate toward others, enforcing it without regard to others' feelings can be bad manners. I'm looking at you man who screamed at my kid because we got lost and wandered through the adults only pool area by mistake on our first cruise. Or lady who stood by my laundry machine and began dumping out my clothes the second the clock hit zero because "time was up and it's rude not to empty your machine right away"... even though I was actually in the laundry room but just standing back a bit because those rooms are tiny and even before Covid I tried to respect people's personal space.

100%

MJ

 

[Gigi22]

Worst thing I’ve ever seen on a cruise was a young (8 ?) boy who threw a major temper tantrum in a public area. He actually threw himself on the floor and kicked his heels. His poor mother was right there and did nothing except look embarrassed. My best friend is a retired teacher, so she went over to the boy and said very clearly that lying on the floor, he was a trip hazard, and it would be very unfortunate if an adult fell on top of him. He might get hurt.

 

[Jillpie]

My biggest pet peeve: don't let your kids go at it alone for the buffet. Teach them to not touch the food with their hands and to use the tongs. Don't let them run in the hallways, at any given hour of the day, someone on the ship is sleeping.

If you're a smoker, don't think you'll get away with smoking on the verandah. Use appropriate locations.

Thank every cast member, especially your room steward, they work so hard.

 

[MomOTwins]

I mean, even new cruisers know that towels exist. Sounds to me like both people would be to blame in this situation. If all you have is your bathing suit, that's understandable. But at least towel off and wrap up first. But to be particularly annoyed by it is also obnoxious.

Perhaps, I seem to recall it took me ages to figure out the towels were inside cabinets on our first cruise. I thought the cabines were trash ir crew supplies and was looking for a towel hut like they had on resorts. And in muster drill, they always herded everyone down to their station in a but if a rush.

In any case, they might well have toweled off. The pp was just offended that someone would wear let kids wear swimsuits instead of changing into clothes in advance of the muster drill.

 

[RedHead0186]

Perhaps, I seem to recall it took me ages to figure out the towels were inside cabinets on our first cruise. I thought the cabines were trash ir crew supplies and was looking for a towel hut like they had on resorts. And in muster drill, they always herded everyone down to their station in a but if a rush.

In any case, they might well have toweled off. The pp was just offended that someone would wear let kids wear swimsuits instead of changing into clothes in advance of the muster drill.

On the topic of muster drills, one of my pet peeves is people who were very, shall we say casual, about attending the drill. This probably won't be an issue anymore with the new way they do it, but I recall having to stand at my muster station, crammed in with other people, for quite a long time because we couldn't leave until everyone had checked in at their muster station. I get some people newer to cruising might not understand how to do a muster drill, but they make it pretty obvious. Plus, everything on the ship closes and there's announcements so I don't get how they wouldn't figure it out? The amount of time it took lollygaggers to stroll up and check in seemed well beyond what it might take for a first-time cruiser to find their spot or figure out what's going on.

Okay, rant about pet peeve over, lol. But that's one reason I'm really glad for the new muster drill procedure.

 

[JWelch62]

Totally agree about late arrivers. The new process is super easy. But it does require a cell phone.