Sorry. It's our first cruise. We didn't know the etiquette...

[gal14]

"the last straw happens at the dinner table when the little darling decides to throw his peas at the next table."

 

Why are you taking them to the dining room on days like this???? Room service? Buffet? Kids need to eat, but I don't need peas thrown at my head because your kid is having a bad day! And yes, I have kids!!

[gal14]

When the first signs of a meltdown come on I immediatly take action. I am the mom who leaves a whole cart of groceries in the store and walk out when my kids act up. I get up from dinner and take the kids outside or away from the situation, it is called respect. and this is what parents should do.. the problem is, many don't!

Luckily the way she fell she was unharmed, but people didn't even stop to see if I was ok, they either laughed, rolled their eyes, or literally walked over me. I got myself up and went home with no help, nothing....so yes, I am a little sensitive when it comes to rude people who don't give a parent the benefit of the doubt.

and these are the people who were raised by the parents who expect everyone to think it's cute when their two year old throws peas at you in the dining room because they're having a "meltdown"... you can't have it both ways! If you want people to be kind and helpful and courteous and respectful, they have to learn it from somewhere... preferably their parents, the same kind of parents who have enough forethought to give them a nap during a long day on a cruise ship!!

[SimpleKnowledge]

Working in the service industry for a long time, you'll find out that people aren't being rude on purpose, they're just clueless. On our last cruise, we had the large gathering in the hall around dinner time. On the third night I told them politely that maybe they'd be more comfortable if they all waited near the elevators instead of being all claustrophobic in the hall. That idea never occurred to them.

 

And I'm going to stand up for all the kids and parents out there. I have never experienced a child acting uncontrollably in the dining room. In fact! On our last cruise Ben (an 8 year old) had better table manners than our friend (a 34 year old). And on a cruise before, the Dad (yes, the Dad) and young son wasn't at dinner once, and it's because the son was tired after being on shore and was taking a nap instead of dinner.

 

But two faux pas that haven't been mentioned (or at least I don't think so) is:

Turn down the TV in your room. The walls are not that thick and everything seems louder when the ship is quiet. Yes, I know that "Lord of the Rings" should be loud, but I've seen the movie, thanks.

 

If you don't know how to gamble, go to the, ah, newbie training, whatever that thing is called, ah, session. Because if you go on a busy night and dump your purse, drink, phone, etc, onto the blackjack table, you'll get glares!

[cajunchick]

I usually tell people that be loud, and having a temper tantrum to put their thumb in their mouth and suck on that or I ask them who pd in their cereal that morning

[uppitycats]

Although that is true of RCCL, other readers of this thread should be aware that not all cruise lines include gratuity in drink prices. Usually this is answered in the Frequently Asked Questions page on your specific cruise line's web site.

 

Norwegian Cruise Line does not automatically include tip for any bar drink and recommends the guest add a tip of 15%. This would usually be done when you pay for the drink or leave the area (similar to a bar at home).

 

"Also, certain staff positions provide service on an individual basis to only some guests. We encourage those guests to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities. For example, for guests purchasing bar drinks the recommended gratuity is 15 percent."

--- quoted from NCL FAQ: What About Tipping?

 

Hope this helps.

 

When I was on an NCL ship in October, 2008, the 15% gratuity was on the bar bill.

 

We did occasionally tip more, when we had a particularly attentive server, or ordered some special drinks..

[jennlynnmahan]

While there are a few comments I don't completely agree with on this thread, I think overall it includes some great information. We are just looking into our first cruise and we will have our twin 3 year olds with us. I am a little intimidated by the whole cruise since no one in my family has ever been on one. Love reading threads like this to get a better understanding of the "do's" and "don'ts."

[UKANGEL]

Um, how about observing 'posted' rules onboard such as remembering the Adult pool is meant for adults only (as are some hot tubs)?

 

On our recent NCL cruise a couple complained the (adult) pool was far too cold for their young baby....my husband politely pointed out that the family pool was kept much warmer and maybe the child would find it much nicer!;)

[jpf5911]

Ok, this thread is downright scary!

 

We're going on our first cruise (RCCL to MX) in 3 weeks and if I see much of the behavior described in this thread I'm afraid it will be our last cruise.

 

Do any of the lines offer a "No Riff-Raff" sailing?

 

jpf

[satxdiver]

Ok, this thread is downright scary!

 

We're going on our first cruise (RCCL to MX) in 3 weeks and if I see much of the behavior described in this thread I'm afraid it will be our last cruise.

 

Do any of the lines offer a "No Riff-Raff" sailing?

 

jpf

 

Unfortunately the lines do not ban "riff raff" from sailing - perhaps they should!

 

Take what you read here on CC with a grain of salt. There are a lot of "experts" that troll the boards sharing their misguided opinions.

 

You will find that the pax on your cruise are normal people on vacation and wanting to have a good time. Pay attention to the signs and the few rules. The crew generally tries not to interfere and the pax almost never unless you are violating some rule like smoking in a non-smoking area or your kid is in the adult only pool area.

 

Most of all have a great time and I think you will fall in love with cruising like the rest of us.

[squeaky_1974]

Hi,All these tips are extremely useful and I'm seeing two overall categories of rule.1) Extra things to be aware of that don't apply in everyday life, but that apply because of the shipboard environment or the way cruises are set up financially (tip protocol, ways to adjust for the fact the ship is moving, etc) and2) Things that would be rude if you weren't on a ship (yelling, talking during shows, etc)Are there any rules or traditions that go the other way: things that would be rude if you weren't on board a cruise ship, but that are considered normal or proper manners on-board?Squeaky

[Blondilu]

And one more: be patient. As has been mentioned people aren't usually rude on purpose. OK, some people aren't rude on purpose. Some were obviously raised by wolves.

 

I get easily disoriented in crowds. While I am normally a fairly intelligent person and try to be polite (really, I do) when in unfamiliar and crowded areas I can come across as an idiot, or maybe considering my hair color, a dizzy blonde. Elevators are the worst. I am always getting off on the wrong floor! And then going the wrong way. It's gotten to be a family joke.

 

In a line such as at the buffet I am sure some people might think that I'm being pushy, when actually I'm a little confused. So, please don't assume people are being rude. It's perfectly appropriate to mention it, but please, please don't yell. At least til after you've determined that someone was rude on purpose.

[aruvqan]

In addition to basic manners.....PLEASE wash your hands often. If you need to sneeze or cough, rather than doing so into your hands, use the crook of your elbow and wash your hands afterward.

 

Also, if you must blow your nose, please go to the restroom to do so. Nothing is worse than someone blowing their nose in the dining room.

I will apologize in advance, I am in a wheelchair and getting to the bathroom to *just* blow my nose is annoying, I have to disturb the people at the tables around me to get there, and get back. I prefer to simply blow as discreetly as possible. Look the other direction.:o

 

Look, if I could walk, I could leave and return unobtrusively. I would be disruptive to a lot of people your way *either way* but I do what I can.

[Nebr.cruiser]

As to the question asking if there are ways of doing things on a cruise ship that are fine there, but considered rude elsewhere, I really can't think of a thing. I think manners and consideration for others are and should be the same whether on land or sea, whether at home or about, with friends and family or with strangers.

 

If anything, because of close quarters and many people, better manners than normal would be great--mostly just thinking of how our actions affect others--non-selfishness. Being on vacation is not an excuse to abandon civilized behavior.

[kat2009]

We had some really wonderful people on my last cruise in September and I only remember seeing a couple of children. The only annoyance I had was one large group of silly, drunk people who monopolized the microphone during karaoke every night. Once they sat beside each other in chaise lounges on deck and "hollered" back and forth.:mad:

[cricket32000]

Right. Because it is never the mother in this scenario who is being insensitive and unaware of how her volume, tone and/or behavior are impacting those around them. It is never some self involved mommy who has decided that their child's 'meltdown' is an adequate reason to shriek at their child or barge through groups of others without regard for the activities of those around them.

 

Nor has a mother ignored the signs of an impending 'meltdown' (or even encouraged it by keeping the kiddos active till they are too tired to do anything BUT melt down) for her own selfish interests.

 

Because of course a mother under the stress of a 'melting down' child has never been known to focus on her small world or be overly sensitive to comments and glances of those around her.

 

 

 

 

 

Perhaps mommies need to consider that the commentary or looks aren't any more a personal attack than their own behavior is.

 

 

(And heaven forbid we mention the father in all of this)

 

AMEN! Working in retail I have seen my share of unruly children. One lady shopped so long that her DD ,about 5 yrs old wet her self and left puddles that grow adults would have been able to do. She looked at me and said we had a little accident isn't it funny? Then after taking the child to the bathroom she continued to shop for 30 more minutes, while the child was still in wet clothes. Horrible Parent!

[CruisenLexie]

Don't let your cabin door slam shut.

 

Don't leave your cabin looking like a pig-pen every day just because you have a room steward.

 

Don't grumble when someone cuts in line to grab something they forgot like butter. On some ships this is not a problem because of the layout but on some, where there is one long line, it can be.

 

If you are not going to make it to dinner (early/late seatings) let someone at your table know or your waiter.

[MrsPete]

Do you think some very innocent actions by new cruisers are sometimes interpreted as rudeness by experienced cruisers?

How about passing along a few etiquette guidelines? Or asking some etiquette questions?

 

such as....

 

- Sending one person to the theater to save 6 seats. Generally a no-no. The rule of thumb seems to be 1 person can save 1 seat, 2 can save 2, etc. But if 1 person is trying to save half a row, other passengers are quite entitled to ignore the person trying to save too many seats.

 

- The same thing for deck chairs. One person can't "reserve" many. In fact, the official policy is usually stated as "No reserving deck chairs."

 

- Thinking a book or a towel will save a deck chair for more than a few minutes. Some well meaning folks get up early to "reserve" a chair for the morning, then go off to breakfast. But they should not be surprised or angry if their towel is placed elsewhere and someone is sitting in the chair they tried to reserve. Violators are labeled chair-hogs.

 

- Bringing non-potty-trained kids into the pool or hot tub. Violations can cause the pool or spa to require draining and re-sanitizing it. Very likely you will be asked to leave. No "swimmies" either. It's a sanitation/CSC thing.

 

What other innocent acts should new cruisers know about to save embarrassment? Not looking for "I hate it when.." type stuff, just freindly info.

No, I don't think people do these things by accident.

 

I am sure that many first-time cruisers board without knowing the nuances of cruise ettiquette, BUT these rules are stated in the daily news paper, and signs (especially by the pool) explain the rules. Anyone who is even remotely aware of his surroundings KNOWS the expectations. People who break these rules KNOW they're doing wrong -- they just don't care, or they fall back upon the stupidest excuse of all: It's my vacation, and I'll do what I want (as if everyone else onboard isn't on vacation).

 

Also, in many cases, people KNOW because the rules aren't significantly different from similar land-based spots. Saving chairs is frowned upon everywhere. Lack of sanitation at the buffet is wrong everywhere. Diapers in the pool -- I'll give them that one; it isn't a rule everywhere on land.

[Martini Mom]

At the end of this month, we'll be taking the kids on their first cruise (ages 9 and 12). We've been discussing what a treat it is for them to be in the "fancy" main dining room and how cool it is that they get to see a Vegas-style show with us. We are spending time building up the experience so they see the importance of using their best manners as they participate in these adult environments. It may be "just a Carnival ship", but they are expected to behave like it's a luxury cruiseline.

[zstell]

Lots of good suggestions on this thread. PLEASE by on time for dinner, it's EXTREMELY inconsiderate to the staff and other passengers when you're late.

 

Okay, I might be a little old fashioned and might get slammed for this, but here goes. I have 3 sons and they are expected to open doors for ladies and if needed on a tender or excursion, give their seat to elderly passengers, those with disabilities or small children, etc.

 

And lastly...after sailing with my parents who have difficulty negotiating stairs, let those who need the elevators use them. And don't stand in the entrance of a half full elevator to avoid being crowded. It's far too often that I have seen passengers in wheel chairs unable to enter an elevator because others just jump right in front of them.

 

YES, COMMON COURTESY and HAVE FUN

[CruisenLexie]

Okay, I might be a little old fashioned and might get slammed for this, but here goes. I have 3 sons and they are expected to open doors for ladies and if needed on a tender or excursion, give their seat to elderly passengers, those with disabilities or small children, etc.

 

It's not old fashioned. It's called manners and being respectful of your elders. I cannot tell you how ticked I get when I see kids taking up a chair when there are older or elderly people standing. :mad: I still give up my seat and I am a woman and 51.

 

EXCELLENT job mom. :D

[cruisin'tex]

all good info for first timers

[UrAStar]

Thank you VERY much for this info. I would have tipped 20% on top of what I paid. yikes!

[beaumontbhoy]

manners cost nothing but a wise women told me once when i was getting worked up by others that you can't expect anyone else to have your beliefs or your opinions on what is right or wrong. the only person who will suffer is you and you need to ignore others if they do in your eyes something wrong

[GlendaleCruiser]

Wow. That is a totally new one to me! How is such a status obtained? I have seen priority given for embarking, but I didn't know there was any situation aboard ship when VIPs could go to the front of the line.

 

 

On Carnival cruise ships, there is a totally separate line at Guest Services (purser's office) for Platinum cruisers (10 cruises or more on CCL). You don't have to wait in the longer line. The next available purser always goes to the Platinum line. Platinum cruisers have a platinum sail and sign card.

[galamars]

People sun bake in public areas wearing g-string/thongs? I don't want to see their naked bum!

 

Thanks for the great tips everyone. Also I always thought photography and recordings were illegal in live theatre performances anyway.