Unspoken Cruise Ship Rules First-Timers May Not Know

No matter how long you've waited to get there, there's nothing quite like the anticipation and excitement of packing and planning for your first cruise. But if you want to do everything you can to make that adventure an A-plus experience from the moment you step on the ship, there are a few things you should know, says cruise expert Marquita Harley, CEO & Owner of Getaway Globe Travel.

As a travel industry guru who specializes in elite concierge travel services, particularly Caribbean cruises, Harley has the inside scoop on everything veteran cruisegoers wish they had known on their first ocean voyage. "Cruising is one of the most effortless ways to explore the world — you unpack once and wake up somewhere new every day," Harley tells Islands. "It's the perfect mix of adventure and ease. First-timers are often surprised at how quickly they fall in love with the experience."

But, Harley emphasizes, it's also important to consider your fellow cruisers throughout the journey, particularly since they're a big part of what makes that journey so memorable. "A little courtesy can make your vacation — and everyone else's — that much better," Harley says. To help you make the most of your first cruise, Harley gave us a breakdown of her best first-timers' travel advice.

The lido deck — that's the pool deck for cruise noobs — can get pretty packed pretty quickly and stay that way. Unfortunately, there are always a few folks who want to hang on to their primo deck chair while they dip out for lunch or a little shopping because they don't want to risk coming back and finding themselves seatless. Not only is this inconsiderate lido deck etiquette, but it's also part of the problem.

While the chair situation can turn into a free-for-all on some cruise lines, both Celebrity and Carnival cruises have been known to enforce a no-chair hog policy that will eventually result in your personal effects getting sent to the lost and found. According to past cruisegoers, absent guests are generally issued a written warning and given enough time to move their things. If the sticker or tag is still there after a prescribed time, the individual's belongings will get removed to make room for someone else.

But in a perfect world, we should all share chairs fairly without oversight. "Waking up at 6 a.m. to claim pool chairs with a towel — then disappearing for hours — is a big no," Marquita Harley advises. "If you're not actively using the chair, let someone else enjoy it."

While some cruise lines have a reputation for being a little more party-oriented than others, it's generally just a good idea to let your fellow cruisers get some sleep. Failure to do so could end up getting you permanently banned from a cruise line if your behavior is found to be too disruptive. But as Marquita Harley points out, you might be surprised at how easily sound carries through the stateroom walls, which is why it's so important to follow a ship's rules regarding quiet hours.

"Sound carries in the halls and cabins," Harley advised. "Avoid loud conversations, slamming doors, or playing music on your balcony — especially early in the morning or late at night."

It's also a good idea to make sure your balcony door is closed during quiet hours if you're up late talking or watching TV. If you're in the mood to keep the party going, most cruise lines will have events going all night from comedy shows and pubs to more high-energy scenes like DJs and dance clubs. Just be sure to dial down the volume before you head back to your stateroom for the night.

Packing the right clothes can be one of the trickiest parts of pre-cruise planning for first-time cruisers, especially since space tends to be pretty limited. But Marquita Harley says you should absolutely pack some nicer clothing for your evenings out on the cruise and take the time to find out about any dress codes if you've got special plans.

"Casual is fine during the day, but certain restaurants and events have specific dress requirements," she emphasizes. "Flip-flops at formal dinner? Not the move." Dressing appropriately for dinner is one of those unwritten rules of dining on cruise ships. Even when you're headed to the buffet, some cruise lines won't allow guests in tank tops or pajamas in the dining hall.

Carnival, the cruise line known for its party atmosphere, recommends packing for "cruise casual" on their blog Away We Go. For men, this means a collared polo shirt and jeans, pants, or dress shorts. For the ladies, capri pants, dress shorts, sundresses, or a skirt and blouse combo works fine. For both genders, gym shorts, tees, tanks, and cut-offs are a no-go. The next step up is "cruise elegant" — which Carnival describes as "fancier, more formal" attire — think dress shirt and slacks or a suit for the fellas and cocktail attire for the ladies. If you want to go all out, Carnival's blog says some guests even bring along formal wear like ball gowns and tuxes.

Since many cruise ships can be 15 decks tall or even higher in some cases, you'll probably end up using the elevator throughout your cruise. Maybe it's how crowded they tend to get, maybe it's the rise of mobile phone technology, or maybe it's just all those drink packages, but some cruise lines are notorious for having bad elevator etiquette issues.

"Keep elevator etiquette in mind," suggests Marquita Harley. "Let passengers exit before you enter. And if you're able-bodied, consider taking the stairs when it's crowded." Some regular cruisegoers say taking the Fred Flintstone route is a favorite way to burn off some of those buffet calories while avoiding the too-long wait to pile onto a crowded elevator.

If you do take the short route, try to maintain situational awareness, especially when it comes down to sharing space with passengers who have mobility issues. Step aside and let other passengers exit before hopping onto the elevator, move over to let others off at each stop, and try to keep your conversations to a minimum until you've arrived at your destination.

The cruise ship buffet is another area where cruisegoer etiquette has a tendency to lapse, particularly when it comes to one unspoken plate rule cruisers need to avoid breaking. While it might seem wasteful to get a fresh plate with every trip to the buffet, health laws mean cruise lines have to require a clean plate for each refill. This helps to reduce the chance that germs will spread from your plate or utensils, contributing to the spread of food poisoning, which is unfortunately all too common on cruise ships. What might have been a minor bug on dry land can become a serious outbreak — which is why norovirus tends to be a problem on cruise ships. "Be mindful at the buffet," Marquita Harley advises. "Use utensils, not your hands, and don't touch what you're not taking."

No matter how chaotic the buffet crowd might look, Harley says you can't just walk up to the food and help yourself. Recalling an experience on the MSC Meraviglia, one Reddit user recounted how they'd been standing in line waiting for a crew member to refill the pancakes when a woman just completely disregarded the line of passengers behind the Reddit user to pop in with an empty plate declaring that she just wanted to grab a couple of pancakes. "Yes — there is a line, even if it's not marked," Harley emphasizes. "Skipping health protocols, like hand washing, especially around buffets, can also affect everyone onboard."

Even when they make an hourly wage, hospitality industry workers depend on the tips they get as part of their wages. Plus, if they're ever going to go the extra mile for a guest, they tend to remember the guests who make a point of showing their gratitude. "Many cruise lines include gratuities, but a small extra tip for outstanding service goes a long way, especially for stewards and dining staff," Marquita Harley suggests.

Many regular cruisegoers recommend tipping your regular crew members a little extra at the beginning of your cruise to let them know you plan to show your gratitude with cold, hard cash. If you plan to use the porter at the embarkation pier, plan to give them at least $2 per bag. Anytime you're having drinks at the bar, casino, or the poolside, tip $1 to $2 per drink. If you've got the same wait staff all week, give them anywhere from $20 to $50 once. For one-time services, give 20 to 25% overall for good service including your auto gratuity. To easily calculate 20%, just divide the overall bill by 10 and double it. For 25%, divide the bill by four.

Tip your cabin attendant or steward $20 to $30 for the week, and give a few dollars each time you get room service. It's also common for cruisegoers to tip their excursion drivers or tour guides. One Reddit user recommends giving $5 to each and calling it a day.

No matter how busy you are, Marquita Harley suggests taking a little time out to tidy things up in your room each day. "Don't leave a mess for the crew," Harley advises. "Treat your cabin with the same respect you'd give a hotel room. Crew members work hard — show appreciation with courtesy."

If you find keeping your stateroom in order a little tricky given the small size, take advantage of little-known cruise packing tips like using compression cubes to organize your belongings and packing a handful of magnets to organize notes and other paper-based cruise information. "Bring magnetic hooks," Harley advises. "Cabin walls are metal! Use magnets for extra storage and to keep things organized in tight quarters." You can also pack a dollar store pop-up hamper to throw your dirty clothing in, which comes in handy if you need to pop down to the laundromat.

If you arrive in your stateroom to find it's not up to standard, don't be afraid to let your steward know. Most attendants will go out of their way to make sure your needs are met, and that includes making sure your room is clean and comfortable.

If you're planning to rock out to your yacht rock playlist, don't forget to pack accordingly. No matter how much you love your favorite musicians, it's highly unlikely that all of your cabin neighbors want to listen in with you. "Don't play your music out loud," Marquita Harley warns. "Use headphones if you want to enjoy your own soundtrack, whether you're on your balcony or by the pool."

Unfortunately, the unwanted sharing of music has become such a problem on some cruise lines that Carnival moved to completely ban Bluetooth speakers in 2024. Reddit is filled with stories from frustrated cruisegoers lamenting this insensitive trend. One cruiser who had paid for a cabana at Carnival's Loft 19 recalled going tête-à-tête with a group of party boys who thought everyone else would just love to share their country music vibes.

"Some tool and his buddies brought a bucket of beer and a Bluetooth speaker to the tiny pool at Loft 19 and proceeded to play the Tired and Lazy Redneck Playlist at top volume," they reported on Reddit. Although the Redditor had complained to their attendant, who in turn asked them to turn down the tunes, the volume eventually started to creep back up again. "Someone else must have also complained at that point, because the speaker soon disappeared entirely from the festivities."

Take a few minutes to Google search videos of "pier runners," and you'll get a tiny sense of why it's not a good idea to risk getting left behind after a port excursion. As Marquita Harley puts it, "Return on time from excursions. The ship runs on a strict schedule. If you're late getting back, it will leave without you."

No matter how careful you think you're being, it never hurts to factor in more buffer time. Recalling their unexpected and frightening experience as pier runners on an Alaska cruise, one Reddit user recalled using their spare post-excursion time in a port town to get in some shopping. This was all well and good until their wife realized she'd left her camera bag, camera and all, somewhere along the way. Although they managed to recover it, the pair was down to the wire by the time they hit the pier. "Terrible feeling," the user recalled, adding that they'd been lucky enough to snap up a ride down the pier from a shuttle driver or they might not have made it. "The ship was already moving by the time we got to our room," they concluded, adding, "Never again!"

The rules on a cruise ship aren't just arbitrary; they're there for everyone's safety. That's because small problems can get big fast in the confined space of a cruise ship. A few folks getting out of control can turn into an all-out brawl. A cigarette smoked in the wrong place can lead to a fire, which is objectively one of the worst things that could happen on a cruise ship.

"Overindulging in alcohol and becoming disruptive is a common issue that affects both passengers and crew," Marquita Harley explains. "Also, being dismissive or rude to crew members — who are often working long shifts away from their families — is incredibly disrespectful."

It's also important to follow the cruise line's safety guidelines, Harley advises. "Muster drills, safety briefings, and crew instructions are there for a reason — follow them." Some cruise lines have shifted to a self-mustering process that allows cruisegoers to check in through the cruise ship's app and review safety guidelines at their own leisure during the embarkation process. But it's important to take all of this seriously with the awareness that if you should ever need to know them, you might not have time for a crash course.

Marquita Harley says there are plenty of other things guests can do to make sure their cruise goes as smoothly as possible. To give yourself plenty of time and reduce the stress levels on embarkation day, particularly if traffic or flight delays could be a factor, Harley recommends arriving a day early for your cruise. In case you beat your luggage to your cabin, pack first-day essentials like a change of clothing, swimsuit, medications, and any other necessities in your carry-on bag.

Throughout your trip, Harley recommends paying attention to the daily newsletter or cruise app, where you'll find everything you need to stay in the loop on showtimes and activities. And don't be afraid to try something new. "Whether it's a cooking class, karaoke, water slide, or zip-lining — cruises offer a safe and fun environment to explore new interests," Harley suggests. If you plan to check out the ship's specialty dining options, Harley recommends booking on day one and checking in early since spots tend to fill up pretty fast on large ships.

Most importantly, be open to the experience of a lifetime. "Whether it's the crew who make your days brighter or fellow travelers you meet along the way, it's the connections that stick with you," Harley shares. "So be kind, stay present, and embrace the journey."