Cruising Pain Points
When we think of going off on a cruise vacation, we often picture scenes like: lounging by the pool with a cocktail, eating delicious foods in the dining room and buffet, visiting multiple destinations in a single trip, sunsets on your seaside balcony… the list of perfect scenes goes on and on. Why wouldn’t you picture these? It’s your vacation after all! The one or two weeks out of the busy year that you get to rest, relax, and recharge for the next fifty or so weeks.
Unfortunately, vacations, even cruise vacations, don’t always rise up to the full expectation of the traveler. As a cruise traveler, one thing I’ve learned is that to fully enjoy your trip, sometimes you have to let things roll off your back, be able to laugh at inconveniences, and in the end, remember that it’s better than being at work, which in my case could mean standing at an icy collision scene, for three hours, in -20 degree weather.
In this article, I’m going to go over 5 things I often see people have issues with on cruises and also talk about what you can do to avoid letting them get in your way of having a good time.
1. lounge chair hogs
This is probably the one thing that I see complained about the most. You have a leisurely wake-up, you go enjoy breakfast at the buffet, take a little extra time to enjoy a slow cup of coffee, then you finally decide to hit the poolside for a little morning lounging. But the moment you arrive outside, you see it… rows and rows of empty lounge chairs covered with towels, jackets, purses, backpacks, but no one sitting in a single one of them. It’s been an issue on cruise ships for years; people wake up before dawn, rush out to the pool deck, leave their things on the lounge chairs all around the pool, then slink away for hours. There are even specialty items you can buy online specifically for “reserving” the chairs, such as towel clips and even signs that wrap around the back of the seat.
Most cruise lines have policies about reserving seats, though enforcement of the policies is often sparse at best. Generally, most cruise lines will allow a passenger to “hold” a seat for around thirty-minutes before they will supposedly remove any belongings to free up the chair. Again, this is often the policy, but it is not strictly enforced, and I can’t really blame the cruise staff too much… for as little as they are often paid, it is easier to avoid confrontation over people’s personal belongings until there’s an actual complaint.
Some people have been known to take matters into their own hands. They watch the spot they want for thirty-minutes, if the occupier hasn’t returned, they scoop up the belongings, set them to the side, or turn them into the staff. Of course, this can come with its own set of confrontations when the owners inevitably return to find their personal belongings moved.
So what can you do?
There are a few options here. First, I don’t recommend trying to be one of the “early birds” by getting up early to reserve your own lounge chair; this just perpetuates the problem. Even though staff don’t often proactively enforce the time limits, typically, if you notify them that you are wanting to sit somewhere that has been unoccupied for over thirty-minutes, they will remove the items and hold them for the guest.
If you’re not particularly tied to the pool area, there are often many other places on the ship with lounge chairs too. Many of these places even offer more peace and quiet than the pool will offer.
2. Cruise “Nickel and Dime” fees
Once upon a time, cruising used to feel a lot more “all-inclusive.” On many cruise lines, most of the restaurants were included, more activities were included, and even alcohol could be included in your basic cruise fare. Those days are mostly long behind us as most cruise lines have compartmentalized fees or made things à la carte. To some degree, it makes a lot of sense for not only the cruise line, but for many cruisers as well.
By “unbundling” the cruise fares, the entry point to cruising is more affordable than it has been in the past. Cruisers get access to basic cruise fare which includes the stateroom, meals, most entertainment, and access to every port, including some private beaches and islands. Realistically, you could go on a cruise and not spend an extra dollar on board. You’ll be more than well-fed with access to meals in the main dining room, buffet, and usually some light options; you won’t die of thirst as you can have water, tea, basic coffee, and usually some juices; you’ll have a clean room with daily cleaning, and you won’t be bored with access to shows and other entertainment options.
However, many cruisers want a little more than the basics. Want a cocktail by the pool? $13. Want a soda with lunch? $5. Want to try the escape room on Royal Caribbean? $30. Jump in the Sky Zone on Carnival? $12. And don’t get me started on the prices of meals in some of these specialty restaurants.
For many, the separation of all these items feels like the passenger is being taken for every cent they can have squeezed out of them. Cruise features that were once included, now shift into a fee-based item, whether it is by way of individual pricing, or purchasing a package up front.
So what can you do?
There are still a few all-inclusive cruises out there, but they often run at top dollar. Instead, you can determine what you truly need out of your cruise experience. Is it unlimited beverages? The best meals at specialty restaurants? Access to all the attractions? Most of this can be pre-booked before the sailing; choose the experiences that best fit your vacation style and build a package off of that. This way, the cruise feels more “all-inclusive” for the price you pay at the end of it all, and you don’t end up with a ton of charges to settle at the end of your trip. Alternatively, many cruisers who are simply looking for a relaxing vacation may find that a land-based all-inclusive resort may meet their needs much better.
3. Poor Guest Behavior
When you’re out at sea with 3,000+ other people, you are practically in a small city on a moving island. Realistically, 99% of the time that you’re out to sea, everyone is getting along, having a good time, just enjoying the vibe. Unfortunately, just as it is on land, some people can’t seem to behave themselves even on the water. Spend enough time cruising and you’ll see all sorts of poor behavior: people becoming obnoxious after drinking, people getting aggressive with staff, both kids and adults causing a ruckus in the hallways, the list goes on.
I often see complaints about children: running rampant around the ship, bumping into people, splashing around in hot tubs, yelling in hallways, etc., but in reality, bad behavior on-board is in no way limited to just kids. Honestly, the poor behavior I have seen out of adult guests bothers me more than anything I have personally seen with youth. Of course, when copious amounts of alcohol get involved, things can get hairy, but it is up to us to know our limits and know when it’s time to call it a day and go sleep it off.
Though I have this one sitting at number three, it doesn’t lessen how important I think this one is. One person’s sour attitude or just outright poor behavior can absolutely ruin a vacation for those around them. Imagine being shoved over or screamed at simply for sitting in a seat this person has mentally made claim to.
So what can you do?
While there is nothing you can do to completely avoid bad behavior on a cruise, here are a few things you can try: First, if you want to avoid children, consider adult-only cruises or plan your cruise vacation during times of the year that schools are still in session. If you want to avoid the “party vibe,” take longer (7+ nights) trips, and don’t travel during college breaks like spring break. You’ll often find that 3-4 night cruises can be filled with people looking for a short party, while longer cruises are filled with passengers looking for relaxation and destinations (this doesn’t mean they’re not fun cruises in any way!).
4. Missing ports of call
This one is a little different from the others, because there isn’t a whole lot the cruise line can do to prevent it. When most of us book our cruise vacations, we are excited for the destinations we are going to go to. Whether it is taking tours through Mayan ruins in Mexico, wine tasting in the Mediterranean, or the relaxing on the beaches in the Caribbean, we all have reasons that we book specific cruise itineraries: there are certain places that we want to see and we are paying the cruise line to get us there.
Unfortunately, we don’t always make it to the ports that we intended to go to. Things like weather, national civil issues, port/ship maintenance issues, etc., can get in the way.
Cruise lines work really hard to get you to where you want to go. Decisions to skip ports are hard ones, but it is also the duty of the cruise line to ensure yours, the ship’s, and the crew’s safety. If the risk isn’t worth the reward, the captain will divert the ship. Often, the ship will simply remain at sea and the port day becomes a sea day; however, the cruise line will also try to consider alternative ports if there is availability.
One thing to remember is that missed ports are written directly into your cruise contract. In some instances, the cruise line may choose to offer some “goodwill” compensation such as a little bit of on-board credit or some future cruise credit, but they are under no obligation to do so, and often will not. When you sign your cruise contract, you acknowledge that missing ports is a reality and it isn’t a breach of the contract if they can’t get you to even a single one.
So what can you do?
The most important thing you can do to avoid this is to cruise in the best weather. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), hurricane season lasts from June 1st to November 30th. At the height of hurricane season, cruise prices fall and offers are often very attractive. If you choose to take advantage of these offers, know that the weather may keep you from the ports you want to go to. A hurricane doesn’t even need to be overhead; if it is creating rough seas, it may make it to difficult to dock the ship.
The second most important thing is to simply try to be in the right mindset: you’re on vacation, missing a port is still better than being at work.
5. Poor Guest Hygiene
Now, I could have included this in #3, but I think it really needs to speak for itself. When you’re essentially locked on a ship with 3,000 other people, hygiene is paramount to keep everyone healthy. While showering and teeth brushing are beneficial for your own health and a kind thing to do for those around you, the real kicker is when people aren’t washing their hands. Handwashing is the number one way to combat spreading diseases on a ship, and they can spread fast when you consider how many people are living in such tight quarters for around a week.
Norovirus is a serious issue when it comes to cruises. Often called the “stomach flu,” Norovirus is highly contagious and causes nausea, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. When a case of Norovirus kicks off on a ship, it can spread like wildfire, sometimes infecting dozens to hundreds of passengers and crew. The crew works hard to combat the virus through sanitizing common spaces and quarantining sick passengers and crew-mates, but a few passengers refusing to wash their hands can undo all that hard work.
One of the biggest misconceptions many passengers have about Norovirus is that they can keep it at bay by frequently using hand sanitizer. Unfortunately, hand sanitizer has little to no effect on Norovirus and the only reliable way to clean yourself from it is by the good-ole-tried-and-true: Washing Your Hands.
One of the areas this is really important is the buffet. Many ships these days have handwashing stations right outside the buffet. As you walk in, there will be a line of sinks with soap and water… there will often even be a crew member reminding people to wash up. Yet, you still see people breeze by this sanitation station to go straight to the food lines. Most people will be at the buffet from twenty-minutes to an hour, adding twenty seconds to wash your hands shouldn’t be that difficult.
So what can you do?
Well first, don’t be one of the Filthy McNasties. Take showers, brush your teeth, and wash your hands. While hand sanitizer won’t fight Norovirus, it can fight plenty of other diseases, so use the hand sanitizer stations often as you move around the ship; you don’t need to stop and use every single one, but consider using them as you go into and out of venues like bars, shops, and theaters.
Conclusion
This list is by no means all-inclusive. There are a lot more things that people dislike about cruising, even to the point that some people won’t cruise at all because of them. However, all these aside, cruises are still a lot of fun. The crew works really, really, hard to make sure that everyone is safe, healthy, and having a good time. Some of these issues are more avoidable than others, and some of them you’re honestly not going to avoid regardless of where you choose to go on vacation. Find a cruise line that is right for you, enjoy the ride, and when something isn’t going your way, just remember all the suckers who are back at the job.
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