6 Sure-Fire Ways to Ruin a Perfectly Good Cruise

Even if you’ve chosen the perfect cruise and the forecast is showing nothing but sun and blue skies, you can still derail your vacation with these simple mistakes:

1. Booking The Wrong Cabin

Why It's a Problem: Most of us can get over an obstructed view, a non-working appliance, or a little less space than we were expecting. But if your cabin is by an elevator or crew quarters or below a nightclub or galley, you might find yourself getting woken up throughout the night, and too tired to enjoy anything during the day.

How to Avoid It: Consult deck plans to make sure your cabin isn’t directly under a bar or by places where people congregate (elevators and staircases), and don’t forget your travel advisor knows where the best staterooms are located.

2. Not Planning Your Onboard Entertainment

Why It's a Problem: On cruises where the entertainment is a focal point, tickets to shows and events can book up extremely fast. In some cases, there’s so much going on that you may not even realize you missed your favorite show or activity. And when it comes to taking advantage of the onboard activities, don’t expect that you’ll be able to cram in everything on your last sea day. Plenty of other people will have the same idea, and your best case scenario is you’ll spend most of your time waiting in line.

How to Avoid It: Many lines make it easy to book shows online before you sail, and don’t forget to read your daily planner every day to make sure you're not missing out. If you want to get in a round of mini-golf or a show off your skills (or your lack thereof) on the FloRider, stay onboard when you're in port and you’ll find the ship pleasantly empty. 

3. Not Packing Essentials in Your Carry-On Bag

Why It's a Problem: If you’re flying into the cruise port, there’s sadly always a small chance the airline will lose your luggage. This isn’t as much of a nightmare if you’re traveling to a resort since the airline can deliver it to you, but once you’re on a cruise, you can say goodbye to the contents of your suitcase for the rest of your vacation.

“The airline mislabeled our luggage and we arrived in Fort Lauderdale with only our carry on bags. Thankfully the cruise line went above and beyond to help in any way possible. The stress this added to our first days on board quickly faded by the warm reception and positive staff onboard Oasis of the Seas.”  -CruiserMissingBags

How to Avoid It: While the cruise lines will often work with you in whatever way they can if the airline loses your luggage,  it’s always good to make sure you have the bare essentials (change of clothes, several pairs of underwear, bathing suit, toiletries, medication, etc.) with you during your flight.

4. Eating Every Meal in The Buffet

Why It's a Problem: Ok, so maybe this won’t ruin your cruise, but it will certainly leave a (brace yourself) bad taste in your mouth. We found that complaints about food occurred at double the rate of any other inconvenience, and that includes smoking and extra expenses. While some buffets serve surprisingly good dishes, you’re never going to find the best cuisine a ship has to offer unless you branch out.

How to Avoid It:  Try spending the extra cash to try a few of the specialty restaurants on many ships.  Also have a few meals in the main dining room where you can try many different entrees in the course a week long cruise.

5. Overspending

Why It's a Problem: Research has shown that people spend more money when paying with credit cards than with cash, which is likely why cruise lines “conveniently” let you use your ID card for most purchases on board. It’s nice not having to carry cash around, but nothing can overshadow a week of fun like receiving a staggering bill out of the blue on the final day of your cruise.

How to Avoid It: Keeping spending to a minimum is a lot easier said than done, but if you know you’re going to be spending a lot on drinks, for example, buy a drink package at the beginning of your cruise so your bill doesn’t come as a shock. You can also request an onboard account statement every couple of days to monitor your spending. 

6. Letting One Problem Ruin Your Cruise

Why It's a Problem: Sometimes, everything that can go wrong on a cruise does go wrong, and only the most upbeat among us can maintain a positive attitude. Still, we can’t tell you how often we read reviews where a cruiser let a single problem (some big, some small) loom over their heads for the rest of their vacation.

How to Avoid It: Sure, no one likes dealing with isuues, delayed flights, bad weather, and other things that can go wrong on any vacation. Stay upbeat and remember a cruise is what you make it.

Dream Vacations - The Operach Team is a travel agency based in Overland Park, Kansas. We take pride in working with clients across the country who love to travel. We build vacation experiences that will create memories to last a lifetime.  Our team has specialties across a wide range of vacation options; custom Europe itineraries, Alaska, escorted tours, all-inclusive resorts, Disney, Caribbean, Hawaii, South Pacific, cruise holidays, and river cruises.   

We look forward to making your dream vacations come true!!