Cruising etiquette

[Kendhni]

Thought it might be useful to let newbies know about some of the common mistakes and things to avoid ... both fun and serious will be accepted.

[Kendhni]

Lift etiquette
Let people off the lift before charging onto it
If someone is disabled then let them have priority even if you have been waiting longer
Do not push all the buttons

On a lighter note
If you are going to **** it is probably best to do it just before leaving the lift
Nobody ever believes you when you say the smell was in the lift when you got into it

[Kendhni]

Balcony etiquette
Don't play loud music to disturb others
Turn your balcony light off at night to stop it annoying others
If you do smoke then be aware that smoke might drift onto other peoples balconies


On the lighter side
Remember walking onto the balcony starkers for a stretch is not advisable on port days when another ship may be alongside
If you are going to fish over the side try not to tangle your line with your neighbours
If you are going to light a barbecue on your balcony be aware that smoke may drift

[Kendhni]

Humour etiquette
The following jokes have been done to death and are probably best avoided
1. referring to the pointy end and blunt end
2. saying you did not pay all that money to eat with the crew when offered a seat at the captains table
3. asking if a lift goes to the front of the boat
4. asking if the crew sleeps in the life baots
etc.

[AngieT]

and when bumping into the Captain don't ask him 'Who's driving the boat?'

[Romig1]

When meeting people (for instance sharing a table in a bar)...don't start every sentence with...

"When we were on the Oceana/Azura/Queen Mary etc etc" or...
"When we were in Bali/Hong Kong/St Moritz etc etc"

[Romig1]

If you are on a shared table on Club Dining, it is polite to inform your waiter (and possibly table companions) if you are planning to dine elsewhere. That way, the waiter can get on with serving the table without wondering if you are simply late.

[kaymar]

Don't read anything about auto-tips or even think about them. Just pay them and enjoy yourself.

[kaymar]

Don't automatically join a P&O excursion at every port. There are often much less expensive DIY alternatives. Just ask on this forum - someone will undoubtedly have been there and will have some suggestions.

[HK phooey]

If you are sitting at a shared table for dinner and a couple with children join you , don't ask why they atren't at school cos it's none of your business

[jacksparrow]

Dont brag about the number of cruises you have done.... I know when I did my first cruise I found it a bit intimidation when people at the dinner table kept going on about how many cruises, which ships etc etc....

However, if there is someone you dont like and you got your cruise on a very very cheap late deal.... feel free to rub it in...

[Dark Knight]

is cruising something special that it has it's own etiquette?
it's called manners and nor being a kn*b, that's all and it is not exclusive to cruising

[jacksparrow]

I agree tinny and lets face it some of the passengers are far more in need of learning manners than the crew. Some of them can be downright rude and obnoxious.... whereas the crew are nearly always pleasant even when they havent got time to be....

[Romig1]

I think you are right to an extent DK. manners should be universal and not limited to a cruise. However there must be some specific examples of situations that are unique to cruising?

[Dark Knight]

Romig
I was thinking about exactly that point and could not come up with one example that does not apply to any other holiday, restauarant, hotel ,etc
Manners are the key which is universal ,in my umble opinion

[jacksparrow]

Manners do not cost anything.....

[Romig1]

How about "Never **** in a tender". A specific cruise related etiquette tip, and less generic than Ken's lift example!

[Dark Knight]

Jeez R
Talk about stretching a point
was that the only one you could find?

[Boris+]

Adding to the 'Balcony Etiquette' previously mentioned - on one cruise we did in 2012 the couple in the next suite to ours would delight in spending time out on their balcony in the afternoon, but this meant that they spent a very long time making calls on their mobile to people at home to tell them that they were on the ship and on a balcony and a weather report and on and on and on ...... . We got completely and utterly fed up with this, mainly because this couple talked so loudly on the mobile phone that they hardly needed it at all!

We worked out quite early on that it was their first cruise, and thought it would be rude of us to complain - and let them discover the error of their ways when they received their phone bill on returning home!

Em

[JohnTheDog]

I think manners are more important on a cruise as it's a closed environment with the same people for sometimes weeks or even months.
Sometimes people concentrate on people doing something wrong like not knowing what to do at dinner...they should remember perhaps that an awful lot of people have never been to a dinner like the MDR & may be overawed by it, they may have never eaten with strangers, may be shy of making conversation....or even appear dominating as they just like to talk.

[Kendhni]

When perusing the tat stalls it is very impolite to barge people with elbows and shove in front of them

[Boris+]

That was always a bother with Arcadia with stalls being actually inside the shop. However on QE and QV the stalls are outside the shops, and if there is a traffic jam the simplest thing is to use the perfume shop, bag shop and jewellers as a means of getting past the crush.

Em

[Manoverboard]

Unique to cruising ... having the manners to allow the men into the lifeboats first

[The Tinker]

Making sure you walk very slowly to get on the tour bus and just be amazed at how fast the over 65's walk to get there first - sure most of them can give Mo Farah a run for his money

[Kendhni]

Making sure you walk very slowly to get on the tour bus and just be amazed at how fast the over 65's walk to get there first - sure most of them can give Mo Farah a run for his money

On one cruise we did a tour that was clearly labelled as being 'not suitable for wheelchair users'. When we got to the bus one man, well known for telling people how ignorant they were for not making way for him, turned up in a wheelchair .. the bus driver was not pleased and they had to fold the wheel chair up and push it up the centre aisle of the bus (a definite risk to the other passengers). Then at the stops everybody would have to wait, for up to 10 minutes while they got the wheelchair off the bus and the chap got into it with great struggle and inability to move well.

Anyhows several of the places required the negotiation of flights of steps (hence why it was not suitable for wheelchair users). Everybody had a good laugh when at one point the good lord sent a miracle ... the chap, in disgust at possibly missing out another venue, got out of his wheelchair, folded it up , carried it up the steps and then got back into it ... it wasn't even that he could do it that caused the merriment, it was the fact of how mobile he was when doing it (in comparison with 'the act' he put on as he struggled to get off and on the bus).