As fun as cruises are, there are a few things you will probably want to avoid. Cruise ships try to cater to everyone, but there are some things that are just a bad idea, so hopefully these tips will help you to avoid making the same mistakes as many other people. Even if you are not a first time cruiser it’s easy to make the same mistakes.
The ever-growing list of things to avoid on a cruise:
1. Avoid Shopping Talks
Almost every cruise ship has these, especially if it is going to the Caribbean. It’s a little seminar that involves giving you tips about shopping on the islands. They lure you in by promising a free jewelry gift if you attend, but we found out that we could have gotten the gift without ever wasting our time at the seminar. They also want you to buy a coupon book that allows you to get free jewelry and gifts on the islands. But every store you go into tries to “guilt-trip” you into buying more and makes you feel bad if you don’t. This talk can last for over an hour so spend that time soaking in a hot tub instead.
2. Avoid the Buffet
There is nothing wrong with eating at the buffet, but the quality of the food in the main dining room is much better and you don’t have to fight the lines and crowds of the buffet dining rooms. I just talked to a guy who didn’t even know that they could eat in the main dining room and he ate at the buffet every night. No wonder he didn’t see any lobster tail, filet mignon, and crab meat. If you want to eat like a king and be treated like one too, avoid that buffet and only eat there when you want a little snack.
3. Avoid Bingo
You might love your Bingo, but from what I have heard, it’s just not worth it on these cruise ships. You pay $25 or more and it’s not a great experience. You don’t have to browse the forums very long before you find many people complaining about their Bingo experience, so just avoid it.
4. Avoid Over-crowded Pools
Pools can be the busiest part of the ship during the hottest part of the day. If you want to avoid these crowds you should book a cruise on a bigger ship. Some of these ships have 3-5 pools which means it’s easier to find a pool that is not so crowded. You can also choose to swim while everyone is dining at dinner time. The best part of the day to swim is when everyone else is on an island or port, but then you will miss out on all the fun on land, so you have to pick your poison here.
5. Avoid Interior Rooms
There is nothing wrong with interior rooms if you just want to save money and get the cheapest room possible. But the cruising experience is MUCH different in a windowless room that is tiny and cramped. You never know what time of day it is and you don’t have beautiful views to wake up to every morning. Spend the extra money for at least a window and a balcony if you can get one. You will have a little more room in these other rooms as well, and on a cruise ship, an extra 5 square feet makes a big difference.
6. Avoid Parking at the dock
At Port Canaveral I spent over $100 to leave my car there for a week. This is a huge waste of money. You are better off finding a friend who can take you to the port who lives nearby, or you can take a shuttle service. Even if the shuttle costs $50 you will be saving money and not having to worry about your car getting broken into. So if you are flying to a port, don’t rent a car that will simply sit there, and if you are driving to a port, leave your car at a friend’s house and have them drop you off.
7. Avoid Using Your Cell Phone
Cell phones can be used on cruise ships and some of them have deals with big cell companies like Verizon and AT&T. But it’s going to cost you. Rates can be as high as $5 a minute, but there are certain ports in the US Virgin Islands where you can make calls for free, so have a little patience and then check your voicemails. For a more detailed post on cell phone rates, click here. You can check the rates of a few cell providers below:
Verizon’s rates
T-Mobile’s rates
AT&T’s rates
Sprint’s rates
Also, turn off your data roaming as it can cost you $15 a megabyte.
8. Avoid Buying Bottled Water on Board
Bottled water on a cruise ship can cost you as much as $4 per bottle. You might be a big fan of bottled water and refuse to drink tap water, but a cruise ship’s water is MUCH better than tap water. They have high-tech filtration systems that allow the water coming out of your bathroom sink to be clean and more than pure enough to drink.
9. Avoid Eating Before You Get on Board
As soon as you get on the boat the first thing you should do is get some food to eat. After all, you already paid for it, and since you can’t go to your room right away it’s a great time to stuff your face with some of the best food on the planet. Don’t make the mistake of eating before you get on the cruise ship because you will just be wasting your money. If you are getting thirsty while waiting in line they usually have some water and lemonade before you even get on the boat.
10. Avoid the Rush Hour for Tendering
When ship’s tender to an island there is usually a mad rush during the late morning hours. A tender is simply a boat that takes you from the ship to the island because the ports are not able to accommodate such large ships. If you want to beat the rush go during the very first tendering which can be as early as 7am or 8am. The lines will be MUCH shorter so you can spend more time having fun on the island. If you wait until 9am or 10am you will be waiting instead of enjoying your vacation.
11. Avoid Buying Excursions from Island Vendors
Sometimes you can get better deals when you buy an excursion on the island through one of the locals. But there are a few caveats that go along with that. You will not be able to get a refund should something go wrong. When you buy through the ship you are able to get a full refund, no questions asked. My wife and I needed a refund one day when we signed up to go snorkeling. But the jelly fish were so bad that we could not even get in the water and the ship gave us a full refund with no problem. Also, if you are on an excursion that you booked through the ship and are late coming back, the ship will wait for you.
Do NOT assume that the only shore excursions are the ones offered by the cruise company. If you book on board these trips are controlled by the cruise company. You may find more interesting and cheaper attractions onshore if you get off ship and look for yourself. I have seen many interesting FREE activities on shore that are not advertised by the cruise company as they will not get any money from these freebies. So be adventurous and look for other options as well as those offered on board.
“Also, if you are on an excursion that you booked through the ship and are late coming back, the ship will wait for you.”
The Shore Excursions sold aboard have the following advantages:
Insurance- They have it and the cruise lines constatntly monitor the Operators.
Refunds- Cruise Lines Offer it, the locals do not.
Fun- Don’t get stuck getting scammed onshore. I booked a driver and car in Ocho Rios for 80 dollars for the day. When we were done, he fleeced me for 500, and was going to drop me on the other side of the island, and I would have missed the boat.
ABSOLUTELY DO attend the shopping seminar. You can soak in the pool anytime. and they offer some very valuable information. DO NOT MISS THIS– BAD Advice not to do so…..
Thanks for weighing in. You are right that some people may enjoy the shopping seminar, but I would still highly advise against it unless you want to spend your whole vacation shopping (which some people love to do). The information offered in these seminars is more like an infomercial for the businesses at the ports and the “expert” speaking doesn’t usually give any information that you can’t find out for yourself in 5 minutes of research. The main thing you can learn from these seminars is how to get around the town or island at port, and if you are in the market for a new diamond bracelet or new tech device you might actually benefit from this meeting.
Jon, I have to disagree with you on booking excursions with local vendors. I have done both, and the locals are definitely preferable. If you do your research (cruisecritic.com, cruisemates.com, etc.), you lear about vendors whom many cruisers have used successfully. We have two favorites, one in Grand Cayman and one in Freeport, Bahamas. The cost of each is at least 50% less than the cruise lines, and they don’t cram their boats or their beaches with passengers, like the cruise lines do. And if weather is adverse, or the ship is unable to use the port, you WILL get your money refunded – one of the vendors doesn’t even charge until you arrive. Everyone who cruises should get online and do research… you’d be amazed what is out there!!
Here are a couple more to avoid:
1) Do NOT order your cocktails in those “fancy glasses” each day… there is an extra charge for a drink in those. If you want one, you’ll find plenty of those littering the deck from people who opted not to take it with them as a souvenir. Pick up one of those discarded ones (take it home and wash it well)
2) do NOT tip the bartender…. Tips are ALREADY ADDED to the drink fee.. no need to spend more money. Unless the bartender or server is so wonderful, you feel the need.
Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the dining room.
It is much “safer” than the buffets (if you know what i mean).
I would recommend (actually urge) that you should take some imodium or pepto bismol with you…you can’t find this in the shops. They have it in the infirmary – for a reason. They can’t risk the spread of a norovirus, and would most likely quarantine you, if you show symtoms, such as nausea or diarrhea…
I apologize for the unpleasentness of this topic, but it ruined my most recent cruise…
Sher, I agree with you on number 1…but number 2 I disagree…we always take 50 to 100 for extra tipping…this is for tipping the people that our prepaid tips do not go too…yes bartenders do get a gratuity when they sell you a drink….around 30 cents per drink…the bartenders serve ALOT of people…we find the difference in tipping or not tipping is the service that we receive. Just giving them a dollar they will remember your name and what you drink the whole cruise….also, people forget to tip the photographers….yes I know, you pay for photos, but tipping the photographer a dollar, they will make sure to get that prefect pose, crop out undersirable glares,etc….and last but not least, tipping the waitress in the casino…even if you are getting free drinks…you will get top of the line treatment, and you glass will always be full….