How to Behave on a Cruise – First Time Cruising Tips

Having paid good money to take a cruise, it is important to remember that your fellow passengers have also paid no small amount, and to treat them with the same courtesy and respect that you would hope to receive from them. The importance of cruise ship passenger etiquette goes beyond knowing your port from your starboard, and really it is all about good manners. But remember too that on a cruise ship you are sharing limited space. That you and the other people in the cruse are in no position to decide that you have had enough of people’s discourtesy and up sticks to another hotel. The ship IS the hotel, and you have to share it. So if you and others follow the basic rules of acceptable behavior, a better time will be had by all.One fact that seems to escape some of the more boisterous revelers is the fact that some people like to go to sleep at a reasonable hour even on holiday. Walking drunkenly back to one’s cabin, it may seem like a hilarious idea to sing a few bars of your favorite Sinatra classic. But people are trying to sleep, and disturbing their rest does not make you funny. It makes you a moron.A cruise should be fun for all the family, and this includes the children. But as we all know, what constitutes fun for children is often a good deal less amusing for the grown-ups, including often a number of elderly passengers. One of the most commonly reported problems for passengers aboard a cruise ship is the antagonistic behaviour of children. They may be a little bit high-spirited, and they may have a touch of cabin fever. But when it infringes upon another passenger’s holiday, it isn’t OK to let them go and smile ruefully. Make sure they are under control.Many ships have a dress code. The thing about a code is that it makes it your responsibility to adhere to it. But formal-dress dinners or other functions are often attended by a passenger with a t-shirt and shorts on who explains their choice thus: “I’ve paid for this vacation just like everyone else, I’ll wear what I want!”. Yes, but everyone else has also paid for the vacation, and they like the atmosphere of a formal dinner. Give some thought to them. It’s not like you need to go in black tie anymore – virtually every ship’s rules on formal dress are admirably met by a simple dark suit or cocktail dress.These are just a few of the ways in which a little bit of thought and consideration can make everyone’s cruise more enjoyable. You will know as well as anyone how one person’s behaviour can impact upon others. Don’t be the one person who other passengers speak about to their friends on getting home and say “well, there was this one idiot who…” It’s not really how a cruise ship passenger is supposed to behave.