If you've been on a cruise, you've likely run into a few folks who are rude, discourteous or downright obnoxious. That can throw a damper on the most gorgeous vacation day.
So please, when you cruise, follow a few rules of good behavior. Here are 10 suggestions on how to score cruise etiquette points in Patti's book:
Please hold the elevator doors for the elderly, people in wheelchairs or actually anyone trying to get in.
Don’t cut ahead in buffet lines, wait your turn like everyone else. And please make sure you observe sanitary rules: Use the tongs and don't touch the food directly.
Thank your waiters verbally when they serve you, ditto for cabin staff and barkeeps. And a smile goes a long way, too.
Watch your drinking -- don’t get out of hand. It can also prove dangerous to walk around a rocking ship if you are snookered.
Don’t save deck chairs. This is such a déclassé practice and often prohibited on cruise ships. Sure, if you are taking a dip in the pool, it’s OK to leave a towel and belongings on the chaise or chair. But it isn’t cool to get up early and put your book and towel on a chair, head for breakfast and go back later. Someone else could use that chair while you’re gone.
Don’t talk during shows or movies. And, just like movie theaters back home, please quiet your smartphones in advance.
If you must smoke, please do it only in designated areas. People who don’t puff and those who have kicked the habit don’t want to smell your second-hand smoke.
Don’t throw anything overboard, not even a small object like a piece of chewing gum. This pollutes the ocean and is forbidden.
While most cabin crews clean up after you, try not to be too messy. They have a tough enough job.
10If you use the fitness center, please wipe the equipment when you’re done. And try to be thoughtful in the spa. I’ve seen so many women throw towels or tissues on the floor when there are receptacles to keep the place clean.
And a final thought: Make sure you use hand sanitizer and wash your hands frequently. There's no worse form of cruise etiquette than catching and spreading norovirus on board. We're all in this together, folks.
