Experienced cruisers share common sense ‘Cruising 101’ list
Passengers say these are the things cruisers shouldn’t have to be told over and over.
Cruising offers a very different type of travel experience than any land-based vacation. So, naturally, planning your first cruise comes with a lot of questions.
Many first-time cruisers turn to social media and online forums to gather advice in advance of their first sailing. Others head to these forums to complain about issues they had with their cruises.
Related: Travel expert Samantha Brown shares tips for first-time cruisers
For seasoned cruisers who regularly discuss their cruise experiences in the Cruise community on Reddit, it’s easy to recognize a pattern among posts they see about common cruise problems.
To them, a number of things that fall under the category of common sense are repeatedly raised for discussion.
“Time and time again I see the same issues brought up,” Reddit user Routine_Day_1276 wrote in the forum.
The user then suggested that the cruise community come together to create a list that compiles continuously reiterated common sense cruise understandings in one thread.
“Let’s make a list of common sense cruising 101,” Routine_Day_1276 suggested.
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The principles of Cruising 101 begin with making sure you’re on time
The cruiser started the list with a couple of cruising common sense insights every passenger should know.
“Do not fly in the same day as your cruise, the ship will not wait for you, it’s not their fault if you miss the ship,” Routine_Day_1276 wrote.
Most people know that airplanes don’t wait for passengers who don’t make it to the gate on time, so why would anyone expect cruise ships to be more accommodating?
If you’re flying to your cruise departure port, it’s wise to allow yourself extra time to ensure you don’t miss your cruise. Flight delays and cancellations happen every day; don’t risk missing your cruise ship because of one.
Keep in mind that cruise ships won’t wait for you if you’re late getting back to the ship in a port of call either.
Related: Do ports of call matter on a Caribbean cruise?
When it comes to ports of call, cruisers should know that there’s always a chance that your cruise itinerary will change.
“Cruise ports can and will change, you can do nothing about it,” Routine_Day_1276 noted as the second item in the cruising common sense list.
Whether it’s due to weather conditions, schedule changes, or anything else, cruise lines can and often do skip planned ports or replace them with others. Although this can be disappointing for passengers, cruise lines are not obligated to compensate passengers for missed ports.
Cruising 101 also covers passports, prohibited items
Based on the top up-voted comments in the Reddit thread, the next item on the cruising common sense list involves another way cruise passengers should be prepared for the possibility that things could go wrong.
“Just get a passport,” Joatboy suggested.
“If you are a U.S. citizen on a closed loop cruise beginning and ending in the U.S. you can use a driver's license and a certified birth certificate,” pudge-thefish explained. “But you shouldn't. Get a passport.”
File this one under “just because you can doesn’t mean you should.”
Related: Carnival, Royal Caribbean crackdown leaves cruisers surprised
If you miss your cruise ship in a foreign port of call or cannot return on the ship for any reason, you will need a passport book to fly back to the U.S. It’s always best to play it safe and sail with a passport.
For cruisers, playing it safe also means using common sense to avoid breaking crucial cruise rules that could get you tossed back on dry land.
“Don’t try to sneak on prohibited items that will get you kicked off the ship and no refund,” peterotoolesliver suggested as another key item on the cruising 101 list.
That means just leave the illegal substances, medical marijuana, and CBD gummies at home.
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