After more than 40 cruises, I’ve learned that not every experience on a cruise is all rainbows and sunshine. Sometimes you make mistakes, waste money, or simply realize there’s a better way to do things. Through trial and error (and a few embarrassing moments), I’ve discovered what works and what definitely doesn’t.
I recently asked our Life Well Cruised community what they would never do again on a cruise. The response was overwhelming, with over 1,500 comments flooding in. Many experiences were repeated again and again, showing that we cruisers tend to learn the same lessons the hard way.
Whether you’re a seasoned cruiser or planning your first voyage, learning from these mistakes can save you time, money, and frustration. Here’s my honest look at the things I’ll never do again on a cruise, along with what thousands of other cruisers have learned to avoid.
Late Embarkation Is Not for Me
I’ve always been an advocate for getting on the ship early on embarkation day. After all, it’s day one of your vacation, and every hour counts. There’s a common belief that if you arrive later in the afternoon, you’ll skip the lines and boarding day chaos. I decided to test this theory, and the results were not what I expected.
I arrived around 2:00 PM, thinking I’d breeze right onto the ship. While there was indeed a shorter line than the morning rush, it wasn’t the seamless experience I’d hoped for. Once aboard, I still needed to grab lunch, and many dining options were already closed or picked over. I felt rushed trying to complete my muster drill check-in and explore the ship before sailing away.
Those little rituals I love about embarkation day, like having a mimosa and watching the ship leave port, felt hurried and stressful. For me, arriving early means I can settle in, enjoy a proper lunch, explore at my leisure, and soak in every moment of that first day. Late boarding might work for some people, but I’ve learned it’s definitely not my style.
No More Spa Product Purchases
Let me be clear: I’m not saying I’ll never get another massage on a cruise. In fact, I had one of the best spa treatments of my life on a Princess Cruise. The massage was incredible, the therapist was skilled, and I left feeling completely relaxed. The problem came at the end when she offered me the products she’d used during the treatment.
In that post-massage bliss, everything seemed like a great idea. I purchased some Elemis products, thinking I’d recreate that spa experience at home. Those products are still sitting in their box, unopened. The reality is that what feels essential in the tranquil spa environment rarely translates to your daily routine at home.
The spa experience on a cruise is wonderful, but I’ve learned that the memories are worth more than the products. Next time, I’ll enjoy the treatment and leave the shopping behind.
Related: Is a Thermal Spa Pass Worth it on a Cruise Ship?
The Sunscreen Incident (Frank’s Story)
My husband Frank learned this lesson the hard way, and I have to share his experience because it’s one many cruisers can relate to. On embarkation day of one cruise, he decided to skip the sunscreen. We were walking around the ship, sitting by the pool for a couple of hours, and soaking up the sun.
By dinner time, Frank was noticeably red. Getting dressed for the evening was painful, with every movement causing him to wince. The sunburn affected him for days. The next day, he had to keep his shirt on at the pool. When we had a shore excursion the following day, he was still feeling the effects.
The sun on a cruise ship really does seem hotter. Whether it’s the reflection off the water or simply being outside longer than you realize, sunburn on embarkation day can ruin several days of your vacation. Frank will never skip sunscreen again, especially on that first day.
Learning My Limits with Rum Punch
This is a bit embarrassing to admit, but it’s an important lesson about knowing your limits on excursions. We were on a catamaran excursion in St. Thomas, snorkeling and enjoying the beautiful Caribbean waters. After we finished snorkeling, the crew started serving rum punch.
I happen to like rum punch, and here’s the thing about it: it’s fruity and delicious, which makes it easy to forget how much alcohol you’re actually consuming. The crew kept pouring, and I kept drinking without really paying attention. By the time we got back to the cruise ship, my head was spinning.
I had to lie down immediately and nearly missed dinner that evening. Frank convinced me to take a shower, which did help, but it still wasn’t a great night. Since that experience, I’m much more careful about monitoring my alcohol consumption during excursions. The goal is to enjoy yourself, not to spend the rest of the day recovering.
Always Get Tender Tickets Early
Tender ports have become less common in recent years, which means I don’t always think about planning for them. This oversight cost me valuable port time when I waited to get tender tickets until we were ready to disembark. We ended up waiting 45 minutes to an hour just because we didn’t have our tickets in advance.
Port days are precious, with limited hours to explore each destination. When you’re tendering to shore, those port days tend to be even shorter. Now, I’m willing to get up early and “take one for the team” to grab those tender tickets first thing. The extra sleep isn’t worth missing an hour of exploration time.
Certain Ship Activities Aren’t for Me
Modern cruise ships offer incredible activities, and I appreciate that there’s something for everyone. I’ve tried many of them, and while I’m glad I had the experiences, some are definitely once-and-done for me.
The Robbitron on MSC Seascape looked fun from below. Once I was up there, with the arm moving up and down, all I could think about was being 30 feet off the ground. I don’t particularly enjoy thrill rides, so while I’m happy I tried it, I won’t be doing it again.
The cliffhanger was even more intense. The view was absolutely incredible, truly one of the best vantage points on the ship. However, for the entire time I was suspended over the side of the ship, I was praying I’d make it back safely. It was practically death-defying for someone like me who isn’t a thrill-seeker.
That said, not all ship activities were too scary. The Bolt roller coaster on Carnival was actually less frightening than I expected. The dry slide on MSC World America made me scream, but in a fun way, and I’d probably do it again. The key is knowing yourself and your comfort level with thrill activities.
Avoiding Older, Unrefurbished Ships
This might be controversial, but I’ve learned something about myself: the decor and overall feel of a cruise ship actually impacts my vacation enjoyment. I don’t love being on older cruise ships that haven’t been refurbished. The dated interiors and worn finishes affect my experience more than I realized they would.
We sailed on Freedom of the Seas and had a great time. It was a short cruise, fun itinerary, and enjoyable overall. However, that cabin was so dated. It didn’t have the modern feel that today’s cruise ships offer, and I found myself wishing for updated surroundings.
I want to emphasize that it was still a good cruise. If there’s an itinerary I really want to sail, I’ll consider an older ship. However, given the choice, I’ll now opt for newer or recently refurbished vessels. The investment in accommodations that feel fresh and current is worth it to me.
Finding My Packing Balance
I’ve gone through phases with packing. There was a time when I tried to pack extremely light, being very intentional about every item I brought. While I believe in packing efficiently, I learned that I went too far in limiting my options on one particular cruise.
I packed so light that I wore almost everything I brought, including outfits I didn’t feel particularly comfortable in. After a few days on a cruise, you might feel bloated or find that something doesn’t fit quite right. When you’ve brought nothing else to wear, you’re stuck with uncomfortable choices.
Now I’ve found my balance. I’m much more comfortable bringing more options, even if I don’t wear 20% of what I pack. Having choices means I can dress in a way that makes me feel confident every day. Some people might prefer packing light and maximizing space, and that’s wonderful if it works for them. For me, having wardrobe flexibility is essential to enjoying my cruise.
What Other Cruisers Will Never Do Again
The Life Well Cruised community shared countless experiences that resonated with other travelers. Many of these lessons came up repeatedly, showing common pitfalls that cruisers encounter.
Spa Upsells Are Widely Avoided
I’m not the only one who regrets buying spa products. Many community members mentioned this as a waste of money, purchasing items in the moment that they never used again at home. The spa environment creates a sense that these products are essential, but most people realized they weren’t practical purchases.
Inch of Gold Has Mixed Reviews
The inch of gold and inch of silver kiosks on cruise ships are popular, selling jewelry by the inch starting around $3 per inch. A necklace with charms can easily run $100 or more. While some people treasure their purchases, many community members said they regretted buying these items.
The common complaint was that the jewelry tarnished over time, making people feel they’d wasted their money. The cruise lines typically offer guarantees, and years ago when I purchased inch of gold, they did honor their warranty. Still, enough cruisers have had disappointing experiences that it’s worth considering carefully before buying.
The Flow Rider Creates Two Camps
Royal Caribbean’s Flow Rider surf simulator has passionate fans and people who tried it once and never want to repeat the experience. Many cruisers reported having a great time on the Flow Rider but being sore for several days afterward. The physical impact was more than they expected, leading them to decide it wasn’t worth the aftermath.
Main Dining Room Seating Preferences
Sitting with strangers in the main dining room is a polarizing topic. Some cruisers love meeting new people and making friends over dinner. Others find it anxiety-inducing and prefer dining with just their travel companions. Many community members specifically mentioned that they’ll never request shared seating again.
Bingo Isn’t Worth It for Most
Multiple cruisers mentioned that they will skip cruise ship bingo in the future. The consensus was that it’s too expensive for the typically small payouts. While some people enjoy the social aspect of bingo, many felt it wasn’t a good value for their entertainment budget.
Guarantee Cabins Can Be Risky
Several people shared unfortunate experiences with guaranteed cabin bookings. One person was assigned a cabin directly below the thrusters, dealing with constant noise. Another ended up below the kids’ club, hearing children running, laughing, and screaming at all hours.
Guarantee cabins can offer savings, but you’re taking a chance on location. If cabin location is important to your cruise experience, the potential savings might not be worth the risk of an undesirable assignment.
Embarkation Day Overdrinking
Many first-time cruisers, especially those with drink packages, make the mistake of overindulging on embarkation day. The excitement of vacation, combined with unlimited drinks, leads to consuming too much too quickly. They end up paying for it that evening and often into the next day or beyond.
The enthusiasm is understandable, but pacing yourself from the start ensures you’ll actually enjoy your entire vacation rather than spending time recovering.
Art Auctions Aren’t for Everyone
I want to be careful with this one because many people genuinely love cruise ship art auctions. They’ve purchased pieces they treasure and feel they got good value. However, an equal number of cruisers said they regret attending the art auction.
Some felt pressured into purchases they later questioned. Others went just for the free champagne (which is admittedly cheap champagne) and felt they wasted their time. If art collecting isn’t something you’re seriously interested in, the art auction might not be the best use of your cruise time.
Related & Popular Posts:
- 50+ Must-have Cruise Essentials from Amazon
- What to Pack for Your First Cruise
- What To Wear on a Cruise Vacation
- 10 Things That (Almost) Always Surprise New Cruisers
- 15 Things to Bring on a Cruise from Home (to save money)
- 75 Genius Cruise Hacks and Tips
- 20+ Best Cruise Dresses: Amazon Ladies Resort Wear
- 10 Things to Never Do on a Cruise Ship Balcony
- 25 Cruise Embarkation Day Tips You Need to Know
- 12 Things to Do as Soon as You Get Into Your Cruise Cabin
- 17 Cruise Cabin Essentials Every Cruiser Needs
Avoiding Over-Planning
I’m adding one more thing I’ve learned about myself: I need to avoid over-planning my cruises. As someone who loves to research and plan, I naturally want to map out every detail of my cruise experience. I’ll note activities, dining reservations, shore excursions, and everything happening on board.
The problem comes when I plan too much. I end up exhausted, rushing from one thing to another, and not actually enjoying my vacation as much as I could have. Instead of feeling relaxed and refreshed, I’m worn out from trying to do everything.
I still use my Life Well Cruised Ultimate Cruise Planner to organize the important details. I research the ship, note the activities I’m most interested in, and plan shore excursions. The difference now is that I build in downtime and flexibility. Not every hour needs to be scheduled. Sometimes the best cruise experiences are the spontaneous ones you didn’t plan for.
Learning and Growing as a Cruiser
Every cruise teaches you something new about your preferences and what makes a vacation enjoyable for you. What works perfectly for one person might not work for another, and that’s completely fine. The key is paying attention to your experiences and being willing to adjust your approach.
These lessons have made me a smarter cruiser. I’m more selective about where I spend my money, how I use my time, and what experiences I prioritize. I know my limits and my preferences, which means I can plan cruises that I’ll truly enjoy rather than just checking boxes or following what others do.
Your cruise preferences will evolve as you sail more. What seemed essential on your first cruise might not matter on your tenth. Activities that looked exciting might not match your personality.
Destinations that sounded amazing might not resonate the way you expected. All of this is part of developing your own cruising style.
The beauty of cruising is that there’s always another voyage to get it right. Each cruise is a chance to refine your approach, try something new, or return to what you know you love.
The mistakes and lessons learned aren’t failures; they’re valuable information that helps you plan better vacations in the future.
Happy cruising!
Ilana