Most cruisers are lovely people who genuinely want to be kind to the crew. Some of the nicest things we do, though, can quietly make a crew member’s day harder.
This post is for the guests who mean well. A few of these habits create extra work for crew and can even get them in trouble with their supervisors.
Here are 15 cruise crew etiquette mistakes that even nice passengers make. If you enjoy this kind of list, you might also like my post on cruise etiquette mistakes even experienced cruisers still make.
Mistakes in the Dining Room and at the Bar
1. Bringing Crew Members Homemade Food
Baking something for your cabin steward or waiter comes from a lovely place. On all the cruise lines I know about, though, crew members are not allowed to accept homemade food from guests.
A few years ago I heard about crew members who became sick after eating food guests had brought on board. When that happens they can’t work, which affects their livelihood, and they also have to report it.
If you want to bring a little gift from your hometown, make sure it is prepackaged and sealed.
2. Stacking Your Dishes and Clearing Your Own Table
A lot of us think the waiters are so busy that we’ll make life easier by tidying up. Your intentions are great, and I’ve heard waiters on land feel the same way about this.
Crew members have shared (I’ve seen it on TikTok too) that if they’re already on their way to serve someone, they feel they have to stop everything and rush over to clear your table. Their supervisors may then think they aren’t doing their job well enough or quickly enough.
So even when you’re trying to help, you can put them in a tough spot. Leave the dishes where they are.
3. Handing Over Garbage or a Finished Drink While Crew Are Serving
If a crew member is in the middle of serving drinks or food, that is not the moment to hand them your empty glass or garbage. It’s a bit like a flight attendant pouring drinks on a plane.
They’ll come around for it later. Wait until they’ve finished serving and then ask if they can take it, and sometimes they’ll come back in a couple of minutes.
Mistakes in Your Cabin
4. Hanging Up Wet Towels to Neaten the Bathroom
Hanging your towels up is perfectly fine if you want to reuse them. Some cruisers do it just to make the bathroom look tidy, though, without realizing what it signals.
Your cabin attendant will assume you want to keep those towels and won’t swap them for fresh ones. If you then call down for new towels or tell a supervisor or guest services, it creates extra work and could get your attendant in trouble.
5. Skipping Cabin Service, Then Making Lots of Separate Requests
Another thing crew don’t appreciate is when you say you don’t need your cabin cleaned today, then ask for several separate things throughout the day. It’s usually much easier for them to come in once.
They can clean the room, replace the towels, fill your ice bucket and take care of any other small jobs all at the same time. My post on how to help your cabin steward on a cruise has more ideas for making their day smoother.
6. Ignoring Your Cruise Line’s Room Service Tray Policy
It’s hard to know the right thing to do with your room service dishes, glasses and trays. That’s because every cruise line has a different policy.
Here are a few examples of how it can work:
- Carnival asks guests to put trays out in the hallway, and crew members regularly walk the corridors to collect them as part of their job.
- Some lines leave a note on the tray with a number to call so a room service crew member can pick it up.
- Other lines prefer you leave the tray in the cabin, and your cabin attendant removes it when they clean or turn down your room.
If you’re not sure, ask your steward. My list of things cabin stewards appreciate covers this too.
7. Stripping the Bed Yourself
Cabin attendants have set days for stripping beds, and most cruise lines don’t do it daily. If you start stripping your bed, it can mess up their rotation.
The same goes for the end of the cruise, even if you’re offering to help. Crew members have their own method, and they may need to take an inventory of the bedding, towels and robes, so it’s best to leave it to them.
8. Leaving the Cabin Messy Because “They Clean It Anyway”
Someone once left a comment asking why they should tidy up when the attendant is going to clean anyway. It’s a fair question.
Your steward will clean your cabin, but you can’t expect them to pick up piles of clothing or deal with a dresser covered in makeup.
They’re there to dust, clean the bathroom, vacuum and make the bed, because they are housekeeping and not a maid. Our guide to cruise passenger behaviors stewards secretly appreciate explains how a quick tidy helps.
9. Saying Towel Animals Are a Waste of Time
This one might be a little controversial, and I know people will have different opinions. In my opinion, there’s nothing wrong with politely saying “no thank you” if you don’t want a towel animal on a line where they’re usually made.
What I wouldn’t say is that it’s a waste of time and the crew should be cleaning instead. I’ve spoken with crew members who are really proud of their towel animals, including some who have the process down to about 40 seconds.
They also told me how much they love seeing the smile on a guest’s face. Those little moments are meaningful to their work and their day, so keep in mind that some guests really love them.
Mistakes With Conversation, Tipping and Personal Space
10. Asking Very Personal Questions
Being friendly is lovely, and you should absolutely do it. Passengers can cross the line, though, when they ask about a crew member’s salary, relationship status or who their work husband or work wife is on the ship.
Something that has come up in the last year or two is asking crew members what they think about tipping. They’re at their place of work, so it puts them in an awkward position at the very least.
I cover a similar one in my post on things cruise crew wish passengers would stop doing.
11. Tipping the Wrong People
There is a bit of tipping etiquette on a ship. You tip people who work in service, but you don’t tip officers.
Trying to tip the captain or another officer is definitely something to avoid. If you want a refresher, here are the tipping mistakes not to make on a cruise.
12. Taking Photos or Videos Without Asking
I work in social media and make cruise YouTube videos, so I run into this all the time. Especially if you’re getting close to a crew member, ask first.
Plenty of crew members like it, particularly if you’re taking a photo with their name tag, because they know you’ll use it to fill out the survey at the end of the cruise. Others prefer not to be photographed or filmed, whether it’s for personal use, TikTok or YouTube, so please respect that.
It’s also on my list of things passengers do that crew members secretly hate.
13. Trying to Help Crew Members Carry Things
Offering a hand is a nice gesture. There can be liability or safety reasons, though, that mean crew members would rather handle it themselves.
14. Chatting With Crew You See in Port
When crew members are in a port of call, that is their own personal time off. A quick hello is a lovely thing to do.
It’s still their leisure time, and they probably won’t tell you they don’t want to stop and talk. That puts them in an awkward situation, which is also covered in this post on things cruise crew members hate passengers doing.
15. Being Overly Physically Friendly
In some cultures people are very huggy, and you may have a warm relationship with a crew member by the end of the cruise. If a hug is completely mutual, that’s totally fine.
Crew members are not allowed to fraternize with guests in a way that is overly friendly. They can get into a lot of trouble and may even be fired.
So avoid any flirtation or anything that could be read as crossing the line. You can read more about the rules in secrets only cruise crew members know.
Final Thoughts on Cruise Crew Etiquette
Almost every item here comes from a kind place, which is exactly why they’re so easy to do without noticing. A little awareness goes a long way toward making the cruise better for the crew and for you.
If you’d like more tips like these, take a look at these unwritten cruise rules you’re probably breaking.
I’d love to hear from you. Tell me about any situations you’ve seen on a cruise involving crew members, or things you’ve done that crew seemed especially thankful for, in the comments below.
Happy cruising!
Ilana