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How Much Do You Know About Cruise Ship Etiquette?

Before you board, take our quiz — the answers may surprise you

Gwen Pratesi,

AARP

En español

Published October 27, 2022

7 Questions

8907de19-50f6-49c5-a5d5-a6fd045582ff

How Much Do You Know About Cruise Ship Etiquette?

[ {
 "question" : "True or False: If gratuities are included in the cruise fare, you’re not expected to tip extra.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Gratuities on most mainstream cruise lines are either charged daily, prepaid or complimentary with a special promotion or deal. You may also have an all-inclusive fare, especially on luxury cruise lines, that includes crew appreciation in the price (check the company’s website for tipping policies before you go; Carnival Cruise Line, for example, adds $14.50 per person, per day in service gratuity for the standard stateroom). These gratuities cover everyone from the servers on the buffet line to the housekeeping staff. That said, if you’d like to give a cash tip to a crew member — or members — for outstanding service (or anticipated outstanding service), tips are appreciated but not expected.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
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}, {
 "question" : "True or False: The cruise ship will sail away to the next port of call if you are late after an excursion.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "If you’re late to the ship after an independent tour — or just lost track of time wandering around — the ship will leave you. How late is too late? There’s a small cushion (about 30 minutes): Most major cruise ships will start by calling the passenger’s name over the PA system to make sure they didn’t get overlooked when checking back in via cruise card. Though a ship will wait as long as possible for the unaccounted passenger, due to tight schedules and other factors, it will sail on (guest services will retrieve any important documents — passports, etc. — from the passenger’s stateroom and leave them with a port agent at the passenger’s expense). To avoid the situation, set the alarm on your smartphone for at least an hour before the ship is scheduled to depart, so you know when to start heading back to the dock.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
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}, {
 "question" : "Yes or No: If the cruise has assigned seating for dinner, are you rude if you request to sit with other tablemates?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Yes",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "No",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Gone are the days of formality and stuffiness on most cruise ships, so if you’re not well-suited to your tablemates, ask the maître d’ to move your table. Many cruise lines are moving away from assigned seating and offer flexible dining options, especially in the specialty restaurants. You might even decide you’d prefer to dine alone and sit at a table for two until you meet compatible travelers. However, it’s best to make the request on the first evening if you don’t think your tablemates are a good match, so they can find other people to dine with for the rest of the cruise.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
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}, {
 "question" : "True or False: Jeans are acceptable as dinner attire on most cruise ships.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "For most cruise lines, dress jeans (no holes, nice fit) are acceptable to wear to dinner, but there are exceptions. Before the trip, refer to the cruise line’s website for specifics about the dress code and the number of formal nights you’ll have on your sailing, which will depend on the length of your cruise (formal attire may include anything from tuxedos to long dresses but may not include jeans). Some cruise lines don’t have specific formal nights, but they may have theme nights and other parties, so you’ll want to know what to pack for those evenings.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "Yes or No: Should I wash my hands or use hand sanitizer when entering the buffet restaurant?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Yes",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "No",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "No matter how clean you think your hands are, it’s highly recommended for passengers to proceed to a wash station at the buffet or use hand sanitizer before getting in line (most cruise ships will have hand sanitizer at the entrance to the buffet). Germs spread quickly on cruise ships (think norovirus, not just COVID-19), so it’s advisable to sanitize your hands before handling tongs, using the self-serve soft ice cream machine and encountering other high-touch areas around the ship. It also shows the crew and other passengers that you’re taking the preventive measures seriously.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "Yes or No: Is it OK to skip a planned excursion at the last minute?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Yes",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "No",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "If you’ve paid for the excursion and decide at the last minute not to go, does it really matter? Technically, there’s no penalty for skipping an excursion you paid for, but it could cause confusion among the staff or prohibit a waitlisted person from attending, so let someone in guest relations know that you’ve decided to skip the activity.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
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}, {
 "question" : "True or False: Drink packages can be shared with family and friends.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Drink or beverage packages are sold to individual passengers — they’re not for group consumption. If you have a package that includes alcohol, most lines don’t limit the cocktails, beer or wine you can order per day, but the package is not meant for sharing. Most cruise lines require that every adult in the stateroom purchase a beverage package if they’re going to be imbibing at sea. It’s possible that if you’re caught sharing a beverage plan, especially on some cruise lines, you may have your package canceled — and without a refund.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
} ]

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Gwen Pratesi is a James Beard Award finalist in journalism and an award-winning travel journalist based in Florida. Her work appears in many publications, including U.S. News & World Report, The Points Guy, Cruise Critic, Travel + Leisure, Garden & Gun, Frommer’s and others.