Cruising is the greatest way to travel, but no cruise is without its minor annoyances. Here’s a list of my top 5 cruising pet peeves in no particular order. While I may notice these little things onboard, they will never stop me from cruising or ruin a cruise for me. Feel free to agree or disagree with mine with the rating system and please leave your personal cruising pet peeves in the comment section below.
1) Wasted Buffet/Room Service Food We’ve all seen it and we’ve all given that empty table “the look.” Even in the stateroom corridors I’ve seen uneaten room service dishes piled high against the wall. I’ve never understood why people take so much food and then end up not eating half of it. You would think that by halfway through the cruise, fellow cruisers would figure out how much food they are actually going to eat.
2) Elevator “Rudeness” The elevators. Possibly the easiest place to become quickly annoyed with your fellow cruisers. The main two crimes committed – riding the elevator for one deck and guests trying to enter the elevator before allowing others to step out. Honestly, the majority of people I’ve seen who ride the elevator one deck are in fair health and are just being downright lazy. Secondly, guests who try to enter the elevator before allowing others to exit are just rude. On my most recent cruise, I was riding in the elevator with a few other guests and when we all tried to exit, we were swarmed by other guests entering. They finally backed off after another guest yelled, “Let us through!”
3) Chair Hogs The early risers. You’ve seen the mysterious invisible people sitting on those chairs with the towels right? Thankfully, chair hogs are finally getting the crack down from the cruise lines. Many cruise lines have now implemented new policies to rid chair hogs and open chairs for fellow cruisers.
4) Dress Code Violators While prevalent in many dining rooms throughout the cruise lines, my main beef with the dress code seems to occur in the Lido restaurant. All cruise lines require you to somewhat cover your swimming attire before entering the Lido restaurant, because let’s face it – nobody wants to eat next to the guy who just won the hairy chest contest on the Lido deck. Also, a new trend seems to be wearing bathrobes into the Lido restaurant. To those who do, please don’t, we beg you.
5) Kid’s Club Gangs You may have seen them or most likely heard them in the corridors at night. It’s the kid’s club gangs. They stay out, roaming the ship through the nights breaking ice cream cones, running through the corridors, and just being annoying. All we can hope is that their parents eventually find them aboard the ship and pull them back into their stateroom – disassembling the kid’s club gangs one by one.
34 replies on “My 5 Cruising Pet Peeves”
People who think they are entitled to get everything first, we all paid to go we all want the same thing wait in line and don’t be so pushy
#1) I agree
#2) I don’t think I ever encounter rude people on an elevator…some may be a little aggravated but not rude, and I DETEST rudeness.
#3) We always have a balcony room, so chair hogs have never been an issue
#4) I agree
#5) we try to always plan a cruise mid to late April so there are fewer kids on board
I love cruising, so can’t really complain about anything……except the drunks
That’s one of the many reasons we only sail in a balcony stateroom as well. Even though my pet peeves may annoy me, it won’t stop me from cruising! -Mike
Wow! I have only sailed with Holland America and have never encountered any of your pet peeves.
I’ve sailed Holland America Line a few times as well and haven’t seen as many offenses. It all really depends on the crowd aboard that week though. -Mike
Excellent list, Mike! I agree with all of them. But, like Chris Bowman said, I rarely see any of this kind of behavior on my favorite, Holland America Line. Although, I HAVE seen the bathrobe-wearers in the Lido, the occasional chair-hog, the slob in the Main Dining Room on formal nights, and the self-absorbed elevator folk.
Interestingly, I see a whole lot more bad behavior on Cunard Line than aboard Holland America Line…..and they both are about the same quality cruise lines. It may be the make-up of the customers/passengers that makes the difference…..but I won’t go there as to WHO those more-rude folks might be. I don’t want to start any international incidents here!
I have problems with people who do not follow the rules (on Princess) about smoking. I am highly allergic to the smoke and some people feel it is still okay to do it on their ‘personal’ balconies.
My second pet peeve are camera hogs. They will line the railings and not allow you a chance to get a few shots of the view. Or you will be standing with camera up to your eye, waiting for the right shot and someone walks right in front of you, scares the subject matter, gets their shot and then walks away. I am short so have to work around the shortness. Bugs me every time!
1) Yes, it is a waste, but that food always looks SOOOOOO good, that it is hard to resist!
2) Unfortunately, elevator rudeness happens everywhere, not just onboard a ship.
3) If the pool deck attendant doesn’t take care of it, I have been known to take care of it myself.
4) Also, if the Main Dining Room dress code is FORMAL, then wear FORMAL. If you don’t want to do formal, then do a cruise line that doesn’t expect formal.
5) Where are the parents when these kids are running amok onboard the ship? This is why I avoid cruise lines that cater to families with young kids (Disney, Carnival, NCL). I also try to schedule my voyages during the school year, less children onboard, as well as usually lower fares.
we are fairly new to cruising, only 3 cruises so far and all on Carnival. having said that, we have had no problems with unruly children, except that they often find their way into the adults only pool and often no one says a thing about it
People who refer to a vessel capable of carrying thousands of passengers/crew as a “boat” .
Amen! 🙂
that makes my blood boil…
Any vessel which carries smaller vessels on board (lifeboats) is a ship regardless of tonnage
cruise company greed
Passengers should be made fully aware of all the added extras before they book
They’re a business, they have to make money too. If they don’t make a profit, then they can’t stay in business. If it bothers you, then don’t cruise, nobody is forcing you.
the point was, passengers should be made fully aware BEFORE booking. some extras come as a complete surprise to first time cruisers.
I have been on several cruises and I agree to a point and especially for new cruisers as many travel agents still lead you to believe it is an all inclusive vacation. However, a good agent will inform you of add-ons. Booking online you are les likely to get a true cost. One thing I have found is that the base price of the cruise has not gone up that much in the 30 years I have been cruising but there are now more add-ons and they are really so expensive. I can’t even imagine what some peoples bar bills must be as I am a light drinker and find drink prices outrageous. Those cruisers that get falling down drunk every night must pay a fortune.
my hubby and i are both handicapped – he uses a scooter and i use a walker. People are just plain down right rude. That will not move or make way on the very crowded ships. And give us looks that are just plain evil sometimes. One lady and use the term lightly which she was not…said why are you even here ? You should stay home. We were not the only handicapped folks on this cruise. Most were nice. The problem we had is the very long lines. I know its the norm,
that is just plain ignorant of the snooty guest to even say such a thing to you…you keep going as long as you can!
My reply to her would have been “to enjoy a peaceful vacation, Why the hell are you here?”
Parents who don’t send the kids to kids club, but allow them to run up and down corridors full of people (from the theater to the dining room after the first show for instance) bumping into folks along the way, running into guests with walkers, etc. no ‘excuse me’, or running around the pool area again running into other guests. And the parents are no better at the ‘excuse me’ than their kids!
People that have been on 2 or 3 cruises, maybe on different lines that think they’re now an expert. Try talking to me when they’ve had 30 or 40, then we’ll talk.
It’s the sheer waste of food I dislike most of all, and riudeness.
THE DRUNKETTES: Chicks that have had WAY too much to drink, sloppy drink in the hallways, embarrassing all us women!
People who ram their wheelchairs into the back of your leg to get you to move instead of asking you politely to move.
I have seen all of these and yes they can be annoying! The rudeness from the elevators are the same same everywhere! I did have to yell at some teenagers because they were riding the elevators, and when the doors would open, they would scream to the top of their lungs!!!! They did it to me, that’s when I jacked them up in the elevator! I held them in the elevator while my wife went to find someone to put a stop to them!!!!!!!
Some people have difficulty with stairs so have to use the elevators even for one deck!
I hate the fact that they put those stinky trays in the hall for the entire ship to smell. Leave in your room and they just disappear..
We have become a society filled with self importance.
Regarding number two, I have something called BHD Syndrome which required the lower lobe of my left lung to be removed. I, too, look healthy especially since I appear ‘young’ but I can’t do more than half a flight of stairs either without resembling a gasping sea lion. I wish people would get over themselves and quit judging people– really for taking the elevator?? — especially when one doesn’t have any idea what it’s like to struggle with something as basic as breathing.
I agree with you. I am healthy and usually take the stairs to make sure I don’t gain too much weight on a cruise. I don’t need to utilize the elevator, so I just don’t use it so people who need it can.
People who do not show respect for the cultures of the countries they are visiting. Before one excursion we were given a briefing that one of the stops would be at the first synagogue in the Western Hemisphere and to dress appropriately and there was a suggested dress for men and women. Several passengers dressed poorly, short shorts with their cheeks showing with flip flops. When another passenger said something they said I dress for comfort and if they don’t like it they should not let tourists in. On a cruise to Aruba, we went on a jeep tour, stopped at this tiny Catholic church that was so small that there were more pews outside in the courtyard than inside the church. One drunken lady in our group had to pee and just pulled down her shorts in the courtyard and went right there in front of everyone and we had our 9 and 13 year old sons with us. She was just laughing and thought it was funny. Our guide told us where the facilities were when we first arrived at the site. Americans can be so rude and uppity!
I usually cruise Holland America and have not had problems with lounge chair hogs – however, the elevator rudeness got me. I was yelled at by an elderly lady who said, “you people are sickening, you are rude to us elderly!” I was trying to enter the elevator, she was way in the back and DID NOT make a move to exit. She was the ONLY person in the elevator. Once I was in, then she let me have it. When she exited, I realized that she was slow of mind and body. I made a mental note to manage this better. I now ask, “are you exiting?” That saves the stress of having a fellow passenger unload on you.
I find bathrobes anywhere BUT your stateroom sickening.
I hate people who are rude and talk to an able bodied that’s pushing disabled there ignerant