These polite habits of well-intentioned cruise guests might not be getting the results you were hoping for. In fact, these seemingly courteous gestures may make the crew members feel uncomfortable and even jeopardize their jobs.
While most cruise passengers aren’t trying to be rude, these typically polite behaviors are best avoided.
Cruise Etiquette: Polite Habits Crew Members Actually Dislike
1. Clearing Your Plates
While cleaning your plate and disposing of your trash may be customary at a land-based self serve restaurant or food court, this is not the case on a cruise ship. The crew has specific procedures for waste separation, and by clearing your plates, you might inadvertently disrupt this process.
Once you’ve finished eating, the best thing you can do is leave your dishes where they are. This way, the crew can take your plate and follow their waste separation procedure.
2. Leaving Room Service Trays in the Cabin
Although it may seem courteous to keep room service trays inside your cabin, placing them in the hallway may be more efficient for the crew. While every cruise ship is different, some cruise lines will instruct guests to place plates and other room service items outside the cabin for collection.
This allows a designated crew member to collect them, reducing the workload on your room attendant. Typically, a crew member will pick up the tray within an hour, leaving your hallway nice and clean.
3. Bringing Homemade Food for the Crew
Although bringing homemade food for the crew may seem like a really nice thing to do, it’s actually against the cruise line’s rules. Cruise lines don’t allow their passengers to board the ship with homemade food.
Bringing homemade food can pose health risks to the crew members, and many cruise lines have strict policies against it. Consider bringing pre-packaged snacks like chocolates, cookies, or chips if you want a treat.
Bringing the crew members pre-packaged snacks from home is a nice gesture and will often be appreciated.
4. Giving Verbal Praise
Verbal praise is a great way to show appreciation to the crew members. Whether giving praise directly to the crew member, letting their manager know, or telling guest services, is meaningful – but don’t stop there.
Fill out a post-cruise survey and let the cruise line’s corporate office know about the excellent service you’ve received.
When you fill out the survey at the end of your cruise and mention a crew member by name, you’re not just providing feedback. You’re playing an important role in positively impacting their lives and ensuring they receive the recognition they deserve.
Throughout my cruise, I always took pictures of the crew members’ nametags, who offered great service and were extra helpful. This way, I can mention them by name in the post-cruise survey.
5. Keeping Complaints to Yourself
When you have a genuine concern or issue, it’s best to address it on the ship. Crew members are there to help and prefer when passengers express their concerns and issues, as it allows them to resolve the problem.
In my experience, crew members can resolve the issue promptly once they are made aware of it.
For instance, on my last cruise, we had an issue with the toilet in our cabin. Oftentimes, it would get clogged, and we’d have trouble flushing it. So, we told our room attendant, and within an hour, he sent a technician over who could fix the issue.
Rather than wait until the end of the cruise to mention the issue in your survey or post to social media, try to resolve your issue while you’re onboard the cruise ship.
6. Pre-Tipping in Cash (controversial)
To be clear, we aren’t talking about automatic daily or pre-paid gratuities. This refers to tipping on the first day of the cruise, in cash.
Some guests believe that tipping their cabin attendant at the beginning of the cruise ensures better service. However, this practice is controversial among the cruise community.
For some, it’s meant as a nice gesture. However, others say that it can be seen as a bribe and might make the crew uncomfortable.
As someone who has tipped at the beginning and end of my cruise, I prefer to tip at the end. Tipping at the beginning of the cruise doesn’t make much of a difference, and it didn’t sit right with me.
However, everyone feels differently about tipping on a cruise ship, so I would love your feedback in the comments below!
7. Cleaning Your Own Cabin
While tidying up is helpful, there’s no need to clean your cabin thoroughly. The crew is responsible for cleaning, and it’s part of their job. If guests do their job for them, they wouldn’t have a job in the long run.
Putting away your personal items, throwing out your trash, and tidying up your clothing is appreciated. However, the crew members will still clean your cabin thoroughly.
8. Chatting with Crew Members Too Long
While being friendly with a crew member is encouraged, it’s crucial to remember that they are working. Even if they don’t seem busy, it’s important to respect their time and the professional environment.
Furthermore, talking to a crew member for a long time can prevent them from getting their work done and cause issues with their supervisors.
Crew members may sometimes continue a conversation because they don’t want to be rude. However, it’s important not to waste their time or over extend the conversation.
9. Flirting or Being Overly Friendly
Using terms of endearment like “darling” or “sweetie” these days can be seen as being overly friendly or even flirtatious. Use your judgement, but remember that crew members can get in trouble for inappropriate romantic interactions with passengers.
Furthermore, it’s important not to be touchy with crew members. Even if you’ve become very friendly with staff, don’t cross a line.
Crew members can actually get fired. At the very least it puts them in an uncomfortable situation.
10. Helping with Safety Equipment or Tenders
Cruise ship safety procedures are strictly regulated, and the crew is trained to handle them. In fact, during port days, you may see crew practicing safety drills for emergencies.
Trying to help with tenders or other safety equipment during routine tender operations or an emergency can interfere with these procedures. It’s best to let the crew follow the safety procedures they are trained for.
11. Handing Crew Members Your Trash
While crew will remove and clear plated, don’t hand your garbage to a crew member. Whether it’s dirty tissues, used napkins, or diapers, it’s best to look for or ask for a garbage.
Garbage bins are often located on the lido deck and in bathrooms.
12. Monopolizing Crew Members in a Port of Call
It’s important to remember that most crew members don’t get a day off. When you see a crew member in port, it’s their well-deserved break time.
Of course, saying a nice “hello” is okay. However, stopping and engaging in full-blown conversations with the crew member is not a good idea. Let’s face it, they may not want to be impolite and say it, but this interferes with the few hours they have away from guests.
They have a limited break time in port. Instead, talk to them later when you see them on the cruise ship.
- 50 Must-have Cruise Essentials from Amazon
- 13 Things Cruise Crew Members Hate Passengers Doing
- 17 Worst Cruise Ship Cabins to Avoid
- 60 Cruise Packing Tips & Hacks All Cruisers Need to Know
- 40+ Must-Have Dollar Store Cruise Items & Hacks
- 30 Cruise Cabin Essentials Every Cruiser Needs
- Are Balcony Cabins Worth it on a Cruise? 10 Pros & 4 Cons
- 15 Best Inside Cruise Cabin Hacks & Tips
- 12 Smart Ways to Escape the Crowds on a Cruise Ship
- 17 Rookie Mistakes First Time Cruisers Should Avoid
Final Thoughts on “Polite” Things Crew Members Actually Dislike
While your intentions may be in the right place, ensuring they don’t have the opposite effect is important. Due to the unique enviroment, cruise etiquette can be different than land restaurants and other vacations.
Avoid these seemingly polite behaviors crew may not like, you can ensure that your actions are genuinely considerate and supportive of the crew.
What are some other polite things that cruise passengers do that crew members dislike? Please let me know in the comments below.
Happy Cruising!
Ethan
If you enjoy this post please don’t keep it to yourself ;-). Please feel free to share on Facebook or Pinterest (share buttons at the top). Thanks so much!
Author Bio: Ethan Schattauer has been cruising with his family since he was four years old and has been on more than 30 cruises. As a frequent traveler, Ethan shares his unique perspective on what cruising is like from a young person’s perspective. Ethan also writes about men’s fashion, travel and college advice on the website WhatToWearMen.com.