Cruise etiquette

Why
cruise etiquette
is essential

Space is a a premium aboard a cruise ship. Many vacationers have to share limited public spaces, much more so than in a resort. Common courtesy for fellow passengers is paramount, as the following examples of discourtesy illustrate.

Late-evening
revelers

Some midnight imbibers think nothing of shouting loudly to their nearby buddies as they march boisterously by cabins.

Cell-phone
abusers

Just as on land in public places, some people on ships speak into their cell phones so loudly that it disturbs nearby strangers who paid good money to relax and unwind on a peaceful cruise.

Ill-behaved
children

All parents adore the impromptu antics of their young children, but fellow passengers may have a different perspective.

Seat
stakers

Some passengers spread objects over a series of empty seats or deck chairs to reserve them for a family or group who won't be arriving soon.

Dress-code
busters

Some blue jean or Bermuda short donning passengers saunter into a formal-attire dining night and rationalize, "It's my vacation and I can wear whatever I want." It's also the vacation of even more people who appreciate the ambiance of a formal cruise dinner.

Good news for many, a tuxedo and gown are no longer socially de rigueur for formal nights on nearly all cruises. Wear them if you love them, but don't go overboard acquiring them because a dark suit and cocktail dress are nowadays perfectly acceptable.

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