15 Common Cruise Mistakes You Make on Your First Cruise

Planning your first cruise? Or maybe you’ve already booked one and want to make sure you don’t fall into any rookie traps. I’ve been on quite a few cruises and trust me—these tips will save you time and some stress, so you can enjoy your cruise.

Whether you’re days away from departure or just starting your research, I will share with you the most common cruise mistakes you’ll want to avoid before, during, and after your cruise.

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Common Cruise Mistakes to Avoid

• What Not to Do Before Cruising

• What Not to Do During Your Cruise

• What Not to Do After Your Cruise

What NOT to do

Before You Cruise

Not all cruise ships are the same! Some cruise ships are more party central, and others are more family-friendly. If you have ever heard someone say after their first cruise that they would never cruise again, it's probably because they booked the wrong ship.

Watch ship tours on YouTube, check reviews, and make sure the ship matches your travel style.

Cruise Ship Ideas

1. Family-Friendly Cruises

These cruises are ideal for multigenerational families, taking the kids, or if you just enjoy a lot of extra added activities.

• Disney Wish / Disney Dream (Disney Cruise Line) – Top-tier family entertainment, character experiences, kids' clubs.

• Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas / Icon of the Seas – Water parks, zip lines, kids’ zones, and family staterooms.

• Carnival Mardi Gras / Carnival Celebration – Affordable fun with Dr. Seuss characters, waterslides, and family dining.

• Norwegian Encore – Go-karts, laser tag, VR arcades—great for older kids and teens.

2. Party Vibe

These cruise ships are perfect for birthday trips; friend groups or adults looking for late-night fun.
Side note: A lot of weekend cruises will fall into this category, especially during school break times.

• Carnival Vista / Carnival Panorama – Lively cruise director events, fun bars, deck parties, and themed nights.

• Norwegian Bliss / Norwegian Breakaway – Tons of nightlife, themed bars, casino action, and dance parties.

• Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady – All adults, trendy nightclub feels, drag brunches, tattoo parlor, and late-night eats.

• Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas / Utopia of the Seas – Short cruises with a more energetic party crowd.

3. Relaxed and Chill Vibe

Great for those looking for more slow travel, wanting to unwind, relax, and get away from the crowds.

• Celebrity Edge / Celebrity Ascent (Celebrity Cruises) – Upscale, calm atmosphere with great service and adult-focused activities.

• Holland America’s Eurodam / Nieuw Statendam – More refined, slower pace, excellent food and enrichment.

• Princess Cruises’ Discovery Princess / Enchanted Princess – Scenic cruising and traditional relaxation-focused entertainment.

• Norwegian Jade (smaller ship) – Slower pace with a classic cruise feel.

4. Adults Only Vibe

Great for honeymoons, romantic getaways, or traveling without the kids.

• Virgin Voyages (Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady) – 18+, modern luxury, nightlife, and adult-focused entertainment.

• Viking Ocean Cruises (e.g., Viking Venus) – 18+, ultra-relaxing with no casino or kids, cultural and culinary focus.

• Celebrity Apex (The Retreat Suites) – While not adults-only, the suite experience offers a peaceful, upscale vibe with private areas.

2. Assuming Everything is Included

Cruises can feel all-inclusive, but many things aren’t. Things that are not included:

• Drinks even soda

• Wi-Fi

• Some specialty dining options

• Some onboard entertainment and activities

Check with your cruise line to see what is included so you won't be surprised by the extra onboard costs.

3. Skipping Travel Insurance

Don't be like me and forget your travel insurance, even if you think you won't need it. Travel insurance can not only cover medical expenses on the cruise ship, but also if you are at a port in another country, lost luggage, flight cancellations, and other unexpected events.

Click the link below to get a free travel insurance comparison rate:

4. Forgetting to Download the Cruise Line's App

Many cruise lines have an app you can download now, and this makes things so much easier. With the cruise app you can:

• Check into your cruise (typically 30 - 45 days before you cruise)

• Purchase Shore Excursions

• Dining Reservations

• Check Daily Schedule

• Communicate with other passengers onboard

5. Over Packing and Under Packing

You don't need 5 pairs of shoes. Believe me, I much prefer to over pack than under pack and forget an essential. But, you want to make sure you are packing the right essentials.

And don't forget to pack a cruise carry-on bag. Essentials you need in your carry-on:

• Important documents (passport)

• Medications

• Valuables

• Chargers

If you need some packing ideas, download my Free Ultimate Cruise Packing Lists.

What Not to Do During Your Cruise

1. Skipping the Muster Drill

The muster drill is a mandatory safety briefing where you will go to your muster station and watch a brief demonstration of how to put on a life vest. The muster station is where your assigned group will meet in case of an emergency to evacuate the cruise ship.

Some cruise lines offer the safety briefing on the cruise line's app now. This makes it easy and convenient to watch the briefing on your phone before you even board the ship.

A lot of times, you will still need to go to your muster station once you board the ship to scan your card, saying you have completed the drill. All passengers must complete this before sailing away.

2. Buffet on Embarkation Day

Everyone heads to the buffet first on embarkation day! Now, I'm not saying don't go to the buffet, but rather don't let that be your first stop.

Many cruise lines have you wait between 1:00 and 2:00 to enter your cruise cabin. If you wait till passengers are allowed in their cabins, you might notice the buffet lines are a little shorter.

I suggest taking a walk around the ship first and get to know where things are before heading to the buffet.

3. Waiting too Long to Book Excursions

I suggest booking excursions before you board the ship, but you can book your excursions once you have boarded the ship. However, you don't want to wait too long to book excursions as some, if not all of them, could be booked up by the time you do.

I have seen people wait till the morning of port day to book an excursion on the ship, and this is usually when they are all sold out.

Popular Nassau Excursions

4. Going to Guest Services on Embarkation Day

The lines for guest services is almost always packed on embarkation day! Try to avoid visiting guest services this day or at least right away.

To help with avoiding guest services:

• Download the cruise line's app to see any updates or notices

• Attach a credit card to your account before boarding day

5. Being a Pool Chair Hog

Don't be that person who puts their stuff down on the chair and leaves for several hours or even goes out to the port just to have a chair upon returning.

Some cruise lines, such as Carnival, have strict rules against this, and if they catch you doing this, your stuff will be removed and taken to guest services.

What Not to do After Your Cruise

1. Booking a Flight too Early on Debarkation Day

Debarkation day can be unpredictable at times. I once was on a cruise that came back late, and we debarked three hours after we were supposed to, causing several passengers to miss their flights out that day.

To avoid rushing to the airport or even missing your flight, book a flight later in the day, or better yet, get a hotel nearby and fly out the next day.

2. Ignoring your Onboard Bill

Mistakes can happen, so make sure you are reviewing your onboard bill before you get off the ship. You can do this by reviewing your charges on your cruise line's app or visiting guest services for a printout.

3. Visiting Guest Services on Debarkation Day

I know I said try and avoid visiting guest services on embarkation day, but you also want to avoid this on debarkation day as well. Many cruise passengers are checking their onboard bill before leaving the ship, and lines get really long.

If you have a flight to catch, you might not want to get caught up in these lines. Try visiting guest services the day before debarkation day.

4. Skipping the Feedback

Passengers are always quick to give their feedback in the post-cruise survey if they have negative feedback to give, but if you had a positive experience, don't forget to tell them.

The crew members work really hard, and they and the cruise line appreciate your positive feedback you have for any crew member.

One thing I like to do is take a picture of the crew member's name tag so I will remember their name when filling out my survey.

5. Don't Wait to Book Your Next Cruise

You can book your next cruise before you even get off the ship. All cruise lines offer this service, and a lot of times, you can save money with discounts not offered online if you book while still sailing.

I did this once on a Carnival cruise and saved $800 on my next cruise. You don't have to pay the entire cruise fare upfront at the time of booking.

And just the joy of knowing you have another cruise booked when you debark is so worth it!

I hope these tips were helpful for you in what not to do on your next cruise. If you need any help with packing and planning your cruise, please check out my Free Ultimate Cruise Checklists.

Happy Cruising!

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