There are some things you learn quickly on a cruise, like where the best coffee is and which elevator bank is fastest.
Then there are things that nobody officially tells you, the unspoken rules that experienced cruisers just seem to know. Even seasoned sailors keep making the same etiquette mistakes over and over again.
I recently asked members of our Life Well Cruised community about the poor cruise etiquette they dislike most onboard. The response was overwhelming, nearly 1,400 comments in just a few hours.
So clearly, this hits a nerve. Whether you’re a first-timer or have 20 cruises under your belt, this list is worth a read.
15 Cruise Etiquette Mistakes
1. Rushing the Gangway on Port Day
This one is surprisingly common. You know the ship is due to dock at 9:00am, so you head down to the gangway early, ready to be first off. The problem is that the ship may not yet be cleared to open the doors, and as more people arrive from the elevators, everyone ends up crowded into one small space.
Sometimes passengers can’t even get off the elevator because the area is so congested.
The fix is simple: wait until the captain or cruise director announces the ship has been cleared before making your way down. It saves everyone from a stressful, uncomfortable squeeze, and you’ll probably get off the ship just as quickly anyway.
2. Not Having Your Cruise Card Ready
Think of it like boarding a plane: you have your boarding pass in hand before you get to the front of the line. The same applies at the gangway. Digging through your bag or pockets while people wait behind you is one of those small things that creates a ripple effect of frustration.
Have your cruise card out and ready before you step into the security line. It takes two seconds and makes a real difference to everyone around you.
3. Blocking Hallways and Common Areas
Ships have narrow corridors, and stopping in the middle of one to figure out your plans for the day creates an instant bottleneck. If you’re traveling with a group, find a nook, a lounge area, or step to the side before you pause for a chat.
The same goes for stairwells and elevator foyers. These are high-traffic areas, and blocking them even briefly can cause a frustrating backup for other passengers.
Noise in the Hallways
Cabin doors on cruise ships are not particularly soundproof, and the hallways carry sound surprisingly well. Late at night or early in the morning, voices carry more than you might think.
Keep conversations hushed in corridors, and close your cabin door gently rather than letting it slam. It’s a simple courtesy that makes a big difference to your neighbors.
4. Leaving Glasses and Dishes in the Wrong Places
This was one of the biggest surprises to come up in our community discussion. Most people expect to see the occasional abandoned plate or glass near a pool chair. What’s less acceptable is finding glasses left inside elevators or, worse, on the stairs.
Glassware on a stairway is genuinely dangerous. If someone steps on it or knocks it over, the result could be a real injury. If you see this happening, let a crew member know as soon as possible. They’re typically equipped to handle it safely.
For room service trays, always follow your cruise line’s specific guidelines. Some cruise lines ask you to leave trays in the hallway, as they have crew monitoring these regularly. Others provide a card on the tray so you can call housekeeping for pickup, or your cabin attendant will collect it during their regular cleaning.
5. Speakerphone and Loud Media in Public Areas
This one drives people absolutely crazy, and it’s not unique to cruising, but it seems to bother people even more on vacation. Walking through a ship’s public areas or hallways with your phone blasting a video, podcast, or music on speakerphone is noise pollution for everyone nearby.
Earbuds or headphones are the easy solution. They let you enjoy your content without affecting the experience of anyone around you, and they work just as well whether you’re on the Lido deck or walking between venues.
6. Pool and Hot Tub Etiquette Mistakes
The pool deck is prime real estate on any cruise ship, and there are a few unspoken rules that get broken constantly.
Chair hogging is right at the top of the list. Most cruise lines have tips for dealing with chair hogs and clear policies against reserving loungers for extended periods. Leaving a towel on a chair for hours while you’re elsewhere on the ship is not a fair system, and it creates real resentment among fellow passengers.
Other hot tub rules that are worth keeping in mind:
- Never allow children to use pools or hot tubs in swim diapers. This is a rule, not a guideline, and crew members are put in the uncomfortable position of having to ask guests to leave when it happens.
- Don’t eat in the hot tub. Yes, this actually happens.
- Don’t blow your nose in the hot tub. Again, this actually needs to be said.
- Adults: don’t use the pool as a bathroom. You know why.
Children can absolutely enjoy hot tubs on most ships, unless it’s specifically an adult-only facility. Just supervise them and use common sense about appropriate behavior.
7. Buffet Behavior That Makes Everyone Uncomfortable
The cruise buffet is one of the best things about ship life, but there are a handful of etiquette rules that get ignored more often than they should.
When a section of the buffet is closed or roped off, do not go behind the barrier to serve yourself, even if the food looks ready. It’s closed for a reason. Always use the serving utensils provided for each dish rather than using your hands or touching shared food.
Never put food back into a serving tray once it’s on your plate, even if you change your mind. And obviously, do not cough or sneeze near the food area.
A few other things that came up in our community:
- Use a fresh plate every time you go back for more, rather than returning with the same one. It’s a hygiene issue, not a waste issue.
- Don’t cut in line.
- Don’t take your shoes off and put your feet up on a chair at the buffet. Other people are eating nearby.
8. Wearing a Bathrobe to the Restaurant
This one is still a bit debated in cruise circles, but here’s the honest take. The ship’s buffet and dining rooms are not extensions of your cabin. They’re restaurant-style dining venues shared with hundreds of other guests. If you wouldn’t get in your car in a bathrobe and drive to a restaurant at home, the same logic applies here.
The buffet tends to be more relaxed about dress standards than the main dining room, but a bathrobe really crosses the line in either venue. What you wear on a cruise matters more than many people realize, and a bit of consideration for the shared experience goes a long way.
9. Dining Room Etiquette Oversights
If you have a reservation or a set dining time, show up on time. Your waiter manages multiple tables on a coordinated schedule, and late arrivals create a chain reaction that affects everyone at your table and the tables around you.
When trying to get a waiter’s attention, please don’t snap your fingers. It’s dismissive and disrespectful to someone who is working very hard on your behalf. A simple wave or eye contact works perfectly.
10. Balcony Mistakes
Smoking on your balcony is against the rules on virtually every major cruise line. It’s not just a personal preference issue: it’s a genuine fire risk, and the smell carries into neighboring cabins in a way that’s impossible to ignore. Designated smoking areas exist onboard for a reason.
Shouting between balconies is another one to avoid. Even if you’re trying to have a fun exchange with friends in the next cabin, you’re broadcasting that conversation to everyone on that entire side of the ship.
And if you like to play music in your cabin, keep the volume in mind, especially with your balcony door open. What sounds perfectly reasonable to you inside your room can be quite loud for the cabins on either side.
11. Elevator Etiquette
This should not be a difficult concept, but cruise ships somehow bring out an elevator blind spot in otherwise reasonable people. Let passengers exit before you attempt to board. Every time, without exception.
It’s one of those small things that doesn’t slow anyone down when done correctly, but creates an awkward shuffle and genuine frustration when ignored.
12. Show and Theater Etiquette
If you sit in the front row of a show, there’s an unwritten understanding that you’re going to stay for the full performance. Getting up and leaving during the show is distracting for the people performing and for everyone seated behind you.
If you know you’ll need to leave early, sit on the aisle or toward the back so you can slip out without disrupting anyone.
Saving multiple chairs in the theater is also considered poor form, especially for longer than a few minutes. And phones should be off, not just silenced. Even the glow of a screen while you scroll can be genuinely distracting to the person sitting next to or behind you in a darkened venue.
13. Ignoring Hand Hygiene
One of the most effective ways illnesses spread on cruise ships is simply people not washing their hands. You’re in close quarters with thousands of people, sharing buffet utensils, elevator buttons, and public spaces constantly. The hand sanitizing stations throughout the ship aren’t just there for show.
Wash your hands thoroughly in the bathroom and before eating. If a sink isn’t immediately available, use the hand sanitizer. It’s one of the most genuinely impactful things you can do to protect yourself and the people around you on the ship.
14. Taking Things That Aren’t Yours
It sounds like an obvious one, but this comes up more than you’d think. Towel clips from lounge chairs, door magnets from cabin doors, items left unattended near pool areas. None of these things are worth taking, and they do get noticed.
If someone left their towel clips on a chair, they’re coming back for them. If someone decorated their cabin door with magnets, those belong to them. Just enjoy what’s yours and leave everyone else’s belongings alone.
15. Asking Crew Members About Their Pay
This one is worth including because it’s become a more common occurrence as discussions aboutcruise gratuities and crew compensation have grown online. Asking a crew member directly how much they earn puts them in an incredibly uncomfortable position.
They’re working, they depend on guest relationships, and no good can come from that conversation for them.
If you have genuine questions or concerns about gratuities, those conversations belong online or with guest services, not directed at the crew member themselves. The warmth and energy crew members bring to every sailing deserves the same respect in return.
Final Thoughts
Most of these come down to one idea: being aware of the shared nature of a cruise ship. You’re living alongside thousands of other people who are all there to have a great time.
A little consideration goes a long way, and the majority of cruisers genuinely do get this right. The mistakes on this list tend to be habitual rather than malicious, which means a gentle reminder can actually make a difference.
If you’re planning your next cruise, take a moment to think about the experience you’d want your fellow passengers to have. Chances are, it’s the same experience they’re hoping for too.