I’m a cruise ship worker… these are 10 common mistakes first time cruisers make that drive crew mad

A cruise ship worker has revealed the 10 most common mistakes first-time passengers make on board.

Lucy Southerton, 28, from Birmingham, has been working on cruise ships for nine years and regularly shares advice on how passengers and fellow crew members can get the most out of their experience.

In a recent video uploaded to her YouTube channel, Cruising as Crew, where she has amassed more than 67,000 subscribers, she delved into the most common pitfalls that new ‘cruisers’ often encounter and how to prevent them.

Read on for the expert’s full list of do’s and don’ts – detailing everything from the importance of timely arrival at departure ports to preventing seasickness and packing efficiently.

1. Treating a cruise like an all-inclusive 

Lucy began by revealing that the first mistake she sees newbie cruisers make is ‘treating a cruise like an all-inclusive holiday’ and therefore not budgeting properly.

She explained: ‘If some people have solely done all-inclusive holidays, they make the mistake of thinking a cruise vacation is very similar to that.

‘So a lot of people do not budget for extra expenses while they are on board because they have the misconception that most things will be free.’

The cruise ship worker added: ‘While part of this is true, and most of your food is included in the buffet and the dining area,’ there will be activities and restaurants that cost extra cash. 

She admitted that it can ‘really ruin people’s vacation’ when they realise they need extra funds for everything they want to do.

Lucy also reminded viewers of the gratuity bill that first-time cruisers may not be aware of – it’s important to set aside a sum to cover this so you’re not scrambling for cash at the end of your holiday.

She said: ‘With a lot of cruises, you get hit with the gratuity bill at the end, which I have also seen a lot of people not budget for.’

2. Missing the ship’s departure time 

Secondly, a lot of holiday-makers who are new to the world of cruising do not manage their time efficiently enough and have even been left behind after missing the ship’s departure time. 

Lucy remarked: ‘When it does happen it is usually first-time cruisers because they get off at the port, go off and explore by themselves, which is part of the fun – but what they don’t allow for is time to get back.’

She gave the example of the Bahamas, which is ‘known for having horrendous traffic’ so you may not factor in enough time to get a taxi back to the port.

The YouTuber concluded: ‘It obviously makes things very difficult for the cruise line and it is just an all-around mess. So, when you’re on a cruise, it is very different from a hotel that is going to stay stationary.

‘You absolutely have to make it a priority to get back to the ship on time and ask crew members what the traffic is like at each port if you’re getting a taxi to a certain destination.’

3. Skipping travel insurance 

Lucy’s next warning is that ‘travel insurance should never be skipped whether you’re going on a land holiday or a cruise – but especially on a cruise ship’.

She continued: ‘The reason why is, your cruise could be cancelled because of weather changes. You or a family member could get ill, or the flights to the destination where you’re joining your cruise ship could be cancelled or delayed.

‘Unlike a land holiday, where if your flight is eight hours late and the hotel stays where it is, the cruise ship moves so if your flight is eight hours delayed that’s going to mean you’ll miss it.

‘You absolutely have to get travel insurance as soon as you book the cruise.’

4. Overbooking excursions

Next, the cruise pro warns against getting too ‘click happy’ when booking excursions.

She recommends booking just three for a one-week cruise, and a maximum of six for a two-week cruise. 

Lucy explained: ‘Most excursions start at like seven or eight o’clock in the morning, which is fine if you’re a morning person, but a lot of people on vacation like to have a bit of a lie in.

‘I’ve definitely seen it where people have booked an excursion for every single day and they’re like oh my God I’m knackered, I can’t do this, I can’t keep up. 

‘They are incredibly exciting but they drain your energy and everyone vacations differently.

She advised: ‘If you’re like most people and you want some exciting days but some relaxing days, keep this in mind when you’re booking your excursions and don’t book one for every single day.’

5. Ignoring safety briefings

Number five on the cruise ship worker’s list of common passenger mistakes is ignoring safety briefings. 

She confessed: ‘I think we can all have the attitude of, it’s never going to happen to me, I’m never going to be on a cruise ship that gets in an emergency. 

‘While I hope to God that is true for you, you just never know.

‘As crew members, what we don’t want in an emergency is everyone running around panicked because they didn’t pay attention in the initial safety briefing so they don’t know where their emergency station is.’

The YouTuber pleaded: ‘If you take nothing else from it, please just know where you have to go in the event of an emergency.’

6. Not researching the ports

Moving on to her next point, Lucy remarks: ‘A mistake I see first-time cruisers make is not researching the ports that their cruise ship is going to go to – and you really want to do this before you book your excursions.

‘For example, in Nassau in the Bahamas, there is a straw market right outside the ship. There was an excursion available onboard the cruise ship to take you to the straw market.

‘So naturally, people who’d booked this excursion were a little bit p***** off when they got there. You don’t want to book an excursion that you could do on your own.’

Instead, the travel fanatic suggested saving excursions for when you’re going ‘quite a significant distance from the cruise ship’.

Important factors to consider are the currency you’ll need, the language spoken, whether it’s easy to get around, and if it’s considered safe.

7. Not bringing medication

When booking a holiday, the last thing you tend to think about is getting ill and needing medication – but, it could happen and it’s better to be prepared. 

Lucy said: ‘It’s always good to just bring a little pharmacy with you. Bring a bandage, bring a plaster, bring some ibuprofen.

‘A few little bits and bobs so that  if you get a cold or if you feel seasick, you don’t have to traipse down to the medical centre and wait for ages to be seen. 

She adds that it also means you don’t have to buy medication while you’re on board, which can be quite costly compared to on land.

8. Not pre-booking activities

Number eight on the Birmingham native’s list is the mistake of not pre-booking activities and restaurants. 

She told viewers: ‘If you research the ship before you get on board and you see a restaurant that you really want to go to, most of these cruise lines now have apps and you can pre-book everything before you even get on the cruise.

‘Pre-book it. Even if you end up cancelling your booking, pre-book it, because once it’s fully booked that’s it.’

She warned: ‘Things get fully booked very quickly so you need to make sure you get in there and get what you want’.

9. Not packing essentials in carry-on luggage

Next, something that travellers on their first-ever cruise may not be aware of, is the fact you often don’t see your luggage until the evening of your first day.

Lucy recalled: ‘When you get on board a cruise ship, you will usually leave your large luggage with the crew members and this will arrive at your cabin later in the day.

‘But sometimes this can be much later in the day because the crew members can have between 3,000 and 10,000 pieces of luggage to sort through.

‘So, make sure you have your essentials or things you are going to want as soon as you get on board the cruise ship, in your backpack – just so you’ve got it right there and can get on with your day.’

Items like phone chargers, shower essentials, and clean clothing are common culprits of being left behind in the main luggage. 

10. Overlooking your cabin location 

Finally, newbie ‘cruisers’ might not realise the importance of booking the right cabin – and Lucy has offered her advice on getting the best ones with the least chances of seasickness.

She revealed: ‘If it’s your first cruise, I’m sure sea sickness has crossed your mind. Cabin location is going to play a huge part in this so you want to be in the centre of the ship.

‘You don’t want to be in the back, you definitely don’t want to be in the front because that’s where you’re going to feel the movement the most.

‘So when you book a cabin, you want to make sure it is in the center of the ship. Also, you want to make sure that the cabin you book is surrounded by other cabins.’

Adding: ‘The cheaper cabins will have a restaurant above them or a gym above them because it’s going to be noisy so cabin location is really important.’