I’m sure nobody goes out of their way to be a ‘bad’ cruise passenger, but there might be some of you reading this who are actually causing issues for the crew without realising it.
Especially the cabin stewards. These hard-working legends put a ton of effort into keeping your cabin at its best, and making sure you have everything you need (within reason), but some passengers don’t half make their job even more difficult.
Perhaps you’re one of them, and you don’t realise it? Here are the 11 things that cabin stewards hate that cruise passengers do without realising, so that you can adjust your behaviour onboard if you need to.
1. Hiding Room Service Trays Or Food
I understand that, once you’ve finished with your room service tray or that buffet plate you brought back to your cabin, you might want it out of sight.
I get it, dirty plates are one of the worst offenders for just making a room look cluttered and dirty.
The best advice is generally to put the plate outside your door so it can be collected, but some people don’t like to do that. And so instead they might try to hide the plates temporarily, maybe behind a curtain, under the bed, or in the wardrobe.
An utterly terrible idea, because your cabin steward is not doing a deep-clean every single time they enter your room, and so there’s a good chance they’ll miss the plates if they’re hidden.
This can lead to odours and also means that, if you keep ordering more room service or bringing more plates back, you’ll end up with quite the collection that becomes harder to tidy away properly.
If you don’t want to leave the plate outside your door, make sure it’s in plain sight so it can be removed.
2. Overusing Do Not Disturb Signs
Of course, everyone needs privacy at times, but keeping the “Do Not Disturb” sign up all day can cause issues.
Stewards work to very tight schedules, and if they miss their window to clean your cabin it disrupts their flow. It’s fine to use it for a little while but don’t leave it up there permanently!
In some cases, a cabin left on “Do Not Disturb” too long will even trigger a welfare check from security. That’ll be awkward if you’ve just left it there because you want a bit of peace…
If you want service later, flip the sign to “Make Up Room” when you head out, or simply let your steward know your preferred cleaning time.
3. Mixing Clean And Dirty Towels
Folding a damp towel neatly and leaving it on the floor may seem helpful, but it only creates confusion. Is it clean enough to reuse, or should it be replaced?
To keep things clear, always put used towels in the shower or bath, and hang up anything you plan to use again.
This saves your steward wasting precious time sorting through piles of linen.
4. Bringing Your Own Toilet Paper Or Flushing Wipes
Cruise ship plumbing is sensitive and designed only for the thin paper provided onboard.
And I know it might not be as luxurious as the kind you use at home, but there’s no way around that.
Some people who’ve cruised before might even bring their own to get around the problem but trust me, you shouldn’t!
Using thick, plush toilet paper from home – or worse, flushing wet wipes – can block the system, causing problems not just in your cabin but across the deck.
Always stick to the supplies provided and bin anything that isn’t toilet paper.
5. Rearranging Furniture
Cabin furniture is carefully positioned and often secured for safety.
Moving it around, even just to “make more space”, creates hazards and extra work, as everything needs to be put back before the next guests arrive.
In fact in some cases your steward will be under instruction to move it back immediately, and to keep moving it if you continue to shift it.
If you really want a different set-up, speak to your steward instead of dragging chairs or beds yourself.
6. Drying Wet Clothes On Furniture Or Sprinklers
It’s tempting to drape swimsuits or towels over chairs or lamps to dry, but this can cause damp smells, damage furniture, or even trigger the fire-safety system if hung on sprinklers (yes, some people apparently do this – crazy!)
Most cruise cabins I’ve sailed in have a retractable clothesline in the shower – use that instead. If you need more drying space, ask your steward for extra hangers.
Suggested read: 17 Extras You Can Get From Cruise Cabin Stewards (For Free!)
7. Turning The Cabin Into A Messy Dressing Room
Cabins aren’t huge, and when clothes and shoes are spread across the bed, floor, and chairs, it makes cleaning much more time-consuming.
Stewards end up carefully moving items just to make the bed or vacuum. Keeping your belongings in the wardrobe or drawers helps them do their job faster and more efficiently.
8. Complaining About Things Stewards Can’t Control
Problems with air conditioning, noisy neighbours, or technical faults aren’t within a steward’s power to fix.
While they can report issues, it’s quicker and more effective to contact guest services directly.
Save your steward for cabin-specific requests like extra pillows or replacing light bulbs – they’ll appreciate it and you won’t be burdening them with extra things to remember.
Oh, and if guest services are a little slow, don’t take it out on your cabin steward. It’s not their job to just sit and take your complaints!
Read more: 19 Cruise Freebies You Can Ask For At Guest Services
9. Expecting Laundry Service Without Preparation
Leaving a pile of clothes on the bed won’t magically result in clean laundry.
Cruise lines require guests to bag their items, complete the laundry form, and specify the service required.
Stewards are there to collect properly prepared laundry, not to sort through piles and guess your preferences.
Or you can always use the self-service laundry machines onboard, if you prefer. Most cruise lines have them!
Read more: How To Do Laundry on Cruise Ships: The Ultimate Guide
10. Leaving Valuables Out
Expensive jewellery, passports, and wads of cash left on display don’t just slow cleaning down – they put stewards in a difficult position.
Even though theft is rare, the presence of valuables creates stress for them and risk for you. They don’t want to be accused of something they didn’t do if anything goes missing!
For everyone’s peace of mind, always use the in-cabin safe for anything important.
11. Holding Stewards Up For Long Chats
A quick “hello” or “thank you” is always welcome, but long conversations can throw a steward’s schedule completely off track.
They’re often responsible for 15 to 20 cabins or perhaps more, and on some cruise lines those cabins are still serviced twice a day, so every minute counts.
If you’d like to chat, catch them at a quieter time rather than when they’re rushing with a trolley of supplies.
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Final Word
Cabin stewards work tirelessly to keep your cruise experience smooth and comfortable.
By avoiding these small but significant habits, you not only make their lives easier but also help ensure you receive the very best service in return.
A little consideration goes a long way – so next time you’re on board, be the kind of passenger your steward is secretly delighted to look after.
And if you really want to get in their good books, read my post about the ‘Things Your Cabin Steward Secretly LOVES You Doing‘ next.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
