5 Cruise Mistakes to Avoid
I’ve been very fortunate to have had a blast on all the cruises I’ve been on so far. So, when I hear how many people don’t enjoy it as much as I do, I’m naturally curious as to why. Unfortunately, if it’s someone’s first cruise, they may choose to never cruise again. If that’s you - read on. I hope to give you some tips and a different perspective, so hopefully you’ll give cruising another chance. If cruising isn’t your thing (yet) also read on as some of these can transfer into other forms of traveling. Not only am I going to cover common mistakes I’ve learned, but also give you solutions on how to avoid them.
Starting with probably the most important mistake:
1. Choosing the wrong cruise line: this often happens when one books based on price, deals, or special amenities included. There are many different cruise lines, and they can be quite different from the activities on board, to the dress code, the vibe of the ship, food, etc.
Here’s a few examples. If you’re young and say on your honeymoon, you’ll likely want to be around similar people and not on a ship where the majority of guests are over the age of 55. Some people don’t like to cruise on ships with a strict dress code such as requiring a sport coat to dinner every night. Lastly, if you don’t like being around a lot of people, a large ocean ship may not be for you.
To avoid this mistake, figure out what really matters to you on your cruise and what you want and don’t want on your ship. As your Travel Advisor, I can explain your options, so you feel confident you’ll have a vacation to remember for a lifetime.
2. Only cruising with 1 line: I’m guilty of this myself. When I was a new cruiser, my first three cruises were with the same line. We were having a blast, so why switch right? Well, we were missing out on ships that are actually better suited for us. Stay curious my friends. Different lines are worth exploring and you too might find ones you like better.
Depending on where you go, different ships will have different itineraries, or different lines may be better at a certain part of the world compared to others. Let me explain. Princess has been in Alaska for a very long time. This means they have priority over other lines and therefore more to offer you. For instance, they have their own resorts for pre and post stays. If Alaska is on your bucket list, I’d suggest seeing if Princess is a good match for you.
On the other hand, the Caribbean is the #1 destination in the world, which means there are A LOT of different lines to choose from. Some prefer the mega ships with endless entertainment. Others would rather be on a small ship that can get into smaller ports. Small ships are more about the destination than the ship. This ties into the first mistake. Once you know what’s important to you, then decide which line fits your preferences.
3. Being too close when traveling with others: this can mean distance of cabin and/or spending too much time together. When you know the people in the cabin right next to you, it can be difficult to have privacy. Often people tend to have different expectations when traveling with others. Some want to spend every moment together while others would rather enjoy a meal together and explore on their own.
One person isn’t right while the other wrong – it’s just different preferences. While it may not be fun or easy it’s VERY important and critical to your trip enjoyment to talk about these things beforehand. Set boundaries and expectations of how much or little time you’ll spend together. This can be difficult to talk about; especially large family groups but trust me it’s worth it to avoid resentment and a miserable trip.
If you’re traveling with another couple or a group, what I have seen that works well is doing your own thing during the day and enjoying dinner together to catch up. Some people find breakfast works better for them. It can be, though often difficult, as tours start at various times so committing to the same time every day for breakfast can be challenging, which is why I suggest dinner. Whatever you decide is fine as long as you talk BEFORE your cruise date.
What works well for me personally, is what I’ve already suggested. We decide to have dinner together nightly at a set time. This time is the same every day, so there’s no confusion. If the others can’t make it - no problem. We’ll try to meet up with them later. If not - no hard feelings. We also do our own excursions. If we happen to be on the same one – great! But there’s no pressure to spend the days together. This way everyone gets to do what they want and by meeting up for dinner, we never run out of things to talk about.
4. Know what is and isn’t included in the cruise price: often things like gratuities, Wi-Fi and drinks are not included. Knowing this will help alleviate shock and disappointment in unexpected costs. It has happened that people spend their excursion money on these extras and then have a miserable cruise because they now can’t do the tours they were hoping to.
The opposite can also be true, and you may assume things like shuttles, food carts around the ship, or certain activities are not included when they very well may be. The daily ship schedule should show what’s included and what has an extra charge. Cruises will have this posted around the ship as well, but it can be missed if not looking for it.
It can be confusing as it varies among lines and even different itineraries but knowing this can allow you to prepare ahead of time. Another way to prepare is paying for extras and excursions soon after putting down your deposit. This way your entire trip is paid for well in advance and the only extra you’ll need is your spending money. Gratuities can’t always be paid for in advance, but the more you take care of ahead of time, the more relaxed you’ll feel on your cruise.
I personally do this, and I feel it has saved me a lot of disappointment; especially, if excursions sell out. I could expand on this a bit more; instead, here’s a link to another blog post I’ve written which covers this more in depth.
5. Sea days are not a waste of time: especially on longer cruises. Thankfully the itineraries I have done so far have saved me from myself, or I would fall into this trap. I’ve talked about this in other posts how I’m a busy body and didn’t like the idea of sea days, but I’ve learned how valuable they really are.
Sea days allow you to actually relax and recover from days at port and excursions. You’ll be able to take part in the activities on the ship. Whereas without sea days you might not get to try much. Due to maritime laws, while at port some activities will be closed - like casinos. Also, when at port, the daily ship schedule will be light as they expect most people to be out exploring.
How many sea days do you need? This can vary by person but in general a weeklong cruise you’ll want 1-2 with preferably 1 at the end to relax and prepare to return home. Sea days allow you to pace yourself and breathe a little.
There you have it, 5 cruise mistakes to avoid. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this post. I would love to hear from you. Drop a comment below to let us know you’re #1 cruising tip. OR if you’ve never been, tell us what you look forward to when you decide to try one.
Bianca Ramos - Travel Advisor
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