First time cruisers

Have you ever found yourself wondering: “Are we allowed to take these?”

Me too. When you’re on a cruise, there can be a fine line between what’s okay to pop in your beach bag and what’s not.

Be careful though! If you steal something that’s not okay to take, you could face being evicted from your cruise… like these guests who tried to steal the tableware on P&O Cruises Arvia in the Caribbean…

So, to avoid any embarrassment (or jail time) here’s a list of the things that you’re allowed to take on your cruise…

1. Miniature toiletries

If your cabin comes with little bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash or a bar of soap, then yes, you can take it home with you at the end of the cruise.

After you leave, that part-used bottle is going straight in the bin, so by taking it home to finish it, you’re actually doing the planet a favour.

What’s not okay, however, is if you take the big refillable bottle from the shower. Yes, some people do this! But it’s in no way allowed.

It will be pretty obvious who stole it so you can expect to receive a bill at the end of your cruise.

2. Notepads and pens

I love cruise ship pens and I have quite a collection!

In most cabins, you’ll find a little notepad and a pen on the desk. It’s perfectly okay to take these, the cabin steward will simply replace them for the next guests.

3. Postcards

Some ships also give you a postcard with a picture of the ship on it. The idea is that you can write on it and post it to a friend at home while you’re in port.

I never do that though, I just put it in my suitcase and bring it home. Maybe I’ll frame them all one day.

4. Puzzle sheets

Many cruise ships offer free puzzle sheets with crosswords or sudoku. While you shouldn’t take more than you need, it’s okay to take some of these to fill in while you relax with a coffee.

5. Your cruise card

Your cruise card is yours to keep at the end of the cruise. Some people throw them away, but I’ve kept every single one of mine as a souvenir, which is quite the stack these days!

6. Pool towels

Cruise lines have no problem with you taking their towels ashore to use as beach towels. All they ask is that you bring them back!

Some cruise ships have a check-out system for the towels and if you lose yours they will charge you $20-$30. Others just have stacks of towels by the pool so you can help yourself to as many as you like. 

That doesn’t mean that you should take advantage of that though.

Someone did once tell me how they couldn’t be bothered carrying their heavy cruise ship towel around town so they gave it to a homeless person. I suppose that’s better than ditching it, but its still not ideal.

7. Cable tidies

On luxury cruise ships like Windstar and Disney, your cabin attendant will tidy the wires from your devices with a little velcro attachment.

I’m pretty sure you can take this home with you. I did. Unfortunately, I’m still not tidy enough to ever use it.

8. Souvenir glasses

Most cruise ships give you the option to purchase drinks that come in souvenir glasses. These cost a little more than regular drinks and they’re not included in your drinks package. But you are allowed to take the glass home with you.

Just make sure you do a better job of wrapping it up than I did! I almost cried when I got home to find it had broken in my bag.

9. Refill cups

On Royal Caribbean ships, when you buy the drink package you’ll be given a cup that you can use for unlimited refills of soda from the machines. These cups are yours to keep.

They won’t work on your next cruise though, as there is something in the bottom that tells the machine which dates it is to work on.

10. Pajamas and robes

Bathrobes are usually provided for guests staying in suites and some luxury cruise lines like SeaDream Yacht Club even provide guests with their own personalised pyjamas that are embroidered with their initials!

While personalised pyjamas are obviously yours to keep, in most cases, you have to give the robe back. Packing it in your suitcase won’t be seen as stealing, instead, the cruise line will assume you have purchased it and will charge it to your onboard account.

If you really do want a branded cruise ship dressing gown that’s fine. Just ask your stateroom attendant for a brand new one and buy that. It will be the same price, the only difference is that you’ll have been the only one to wear it.

11. Slippers

Luxury cruise ships often provide you with a pair of slippers to wear in your cabin. It’s fine to take these home with you at the end of your cruise.

If you don’t, they won’t be used for the next person, they’ll be thrown in the trash, so you might as well wear them for a while longer at home! I usually get a good couple of months out of my cruise ship slippers before they get tatty.

12. Earphones

When you take an excursion with your cruise line they may give you a device with earphones so that you can hear the guide on your walking tour. You do have to give this back at the end, but the headphones that come with it are single-use only. So you’re free to keep these if you like.

13. Snacks

If you’ve ever cruised with young kids, you’ll know that they can’t go more than an hour without asking for a snack. And sometimes, even adults can feel that way too!

If you need to keep your hungry family happy on a long day shore, then it is okay to take some items from the buffet. 

Apples, bananas and oranges can be handy, but be careful – some countries like Mexico have laws that prohibit that to avoid spreading pests or diseases. 

Your safest bet is pre-packaged snacks such as little boxes of cereal, cookies or cakes. Not all ships have these, but you could bring a zip lock bag or a bit of tin foil and make yourself a sandwich if needed.

14. Casino chips

I once met a lady who took a $1 casino chip from every cruise. She said it was cheaper than any souvenir you can buy, and I suppose she has a point!

If you haven’t cashed in your casino chips when the casino closes on the last night of your cruise you’ll be stuck with them. The casino isn’t legally allowed to operate unless the ship is in international waters.

So if you end up with a $1 chip in your pocket, nobody will care. The cruise line will probably just be happy that you’re spending money in the casino at all.

15. Spa flip flops

If you go to get a pedicure at the onboard spa and turn up wearing closed-toe shoes, this poses the conundrum of what to do with your freshly painted toenails. In my experience, this usually results in being given a pair of flip-flips to take home with you!

Sometimes, these are disposable, polystyrene or cardboard ones, but quite often, they’re decent white flip-flops that you can wear around the pool.

Don’t steal anything else!

I’m pretty sure I’ve covered everything that you’re allowed to take from a cruise ship, but do let me know if I missed anything.

Most cruise ships have a library that’s well-stocked with books and board games for you to borrow. It’s really important that you return these at the end of your holiday, so that others can enjoy them too.

P&O Cruises used to have branded cutlery with the cruise line logo on. In recent years, this has been replaced with plain cutlery. My guess is that the branded logo disappeared much faster than the plain versions when people were looking for free souvenirs. Which is a shame.

Your room may come with extras like binoculars, an atlas or an umbrella, but use your common sense. If in doubt, ask your cabin steward or the staff at guest services and they’ll confirm what you’re allowed to take with you.

Related Topics

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.

Read more about me

Whether you’re a smoker or you’re looking to hopefully pick up some cigarettes for a friend or family member, it’s important to know what the rules are about bringing cigarettes onto a cruise ship and whether you can buy them on board.

How many cigarettes are you allowed to bring onto a cruise ship? And how many can you buy to take home? Let’s take a look…

You can bring as many cigs as you want on your cruise

Unlike alcohol, there are no limits on the number of cigarettes you pack into your luggage. The only rules are related to the type of lighters you can bring onto a cruise ship, and where you smoke.

So feel free to bring your own cigarettes on a cruise ship if you have a particular brand that you prefer, or if you just don’t want to be buying when you’re on the cruise ship.

As long as they are regular cigarettes, there won’t be an issue. Any kind of cannabis cigarette would be banned though, so don’t try sneaking any of those on – you’ll likely be told you can’t cruise.

In terms of the lighters, a regular lighter is also fine. Novelty lighters, especially those that look like guns, are typically prohibited, while torch lights that have a powerful flame are also banned. 

Most cruise ships sell cigarettes on board

Cruise ships will have a store that sells cigarettes and other goods, including alcoholic drinks. Some cruise lines will only sell cartons but others may sell individual packets that you can buy.

If you’re on a cruise ship that only sells cartons, but you prefer to buy single packets, you might have better luck trying when you’re in port, depending on where you’re cruising to. Sometimes you’ll get better prices even than the duty-free costs you would pay on the ship.

You can also sometimes buy individual packets of cigarettes at some of the bars on the ship – typically, the casino bar will be stocked with them and some other bars may be too. You may not see them displayed, but just ask your server and they’ll let you know.

Cruise ship cigarettes are duty-free

Cruise ships usually sell duty-free cigarettes, meaning you can get cartons cheaper than you would on land because you don’t have to pay the duty tax on top of the regular price. 

However, on some cruises in Europe, duty-free shops are not permitted to open, because of EU regulations. Cruises from the UK are fine, but if your cruise embarks from an EU port and only sails to other EU ports, you might not be able to buy cigarettes free of tax.

As to whether you can smoke them on the cruise, or if you need to wait until the last day and collect them to take off the ship, it varies. If you’re buying individual packets from the bars, these are taxed and so you can smoke them whenever you want.

Most cruise lines don’t publish this information, unfortunately, but here’s what I’ve found from a mix of cruise line policies and cruise forum posts:

However, if you’re buying cartons, it’ll depend on the cruise line and sometimes on where you’re sailing.

You may be able to take them back to your room, or you may need to collect them on the final day of your cruise before you disembark.

There are limits to how many cigarettes you can bring home

While some cruise passengers have reported being limited to two cartons of cigarettes on their cruise, you can usually buy as many as you want.

However, there will be limits on how many you can bring back into your home country duty-free, and you should declare any extras when you disembark the ship.

It’s important you’re aware of the customs rules for your country. For both the UK and the US, the rules are the same – you can bring back a maximum of 200 cigarettes (so one carton, typically) from duty-free, but anything over that you will need to declare at customs and pay tax on.

Make sure you check the size of cartons you’re buying. While typically a carton refers to a full 200 cigarettes, some of those sold on cruise ships are smaller and hold 100.

A lot of cruise passengers have said that they’ve bought lots of cartons and just been waved through at customs, without being checked, or they’ve just lied and said they have nothing to declare and they haven’t been searched.

In my experience, if your cruise arrives home at the weekend you’re much less likely to find customs staff present in the port, but don’t bank on that.

If you want to take this risk, then it’s on you, but be aware that technically, it’s smuggling and you could land a hefty fine. If you’re bringing back enough cartons that it looks like you’re planning on selling them on for profit, then you could even risk a prison sentence – it’s that serious.

The Cost of Cigarettes on a Cruise vs. On Land?

Cigarettes on a cruise ship are usually cheaper than they are on land – sometimes a third of the price you would pay ashore, depending on your chosen brand and if the cruise line has any special offers available. But it also depends on where you would buy them on land.

Cruise lines don’t publish the prices of cigarettes on their websites so it’s hard to get an accurate price at any one time – they may fluctuate. However, I’ve found some example prices from some of the biggest cruise lines that will serve as an example.

On most cruise ships, you can expect to pay between $55 and $75 for a carton of 200 cigarettes. A packet of 20 cigarettes will cost you between $6.50 and $9.

But the really big savings come when you get multi-buy offers – a common one is to buy three cartons and get a fourth free. So you can bring down the average cost of a carton of cigarettes to under $40.

In the US, a packet of cigarettes costs an average of $8, but it varies by state. The cheapest cigarettes are in Missouri, where they cost $6.11 per pack. The most expensive are in New York, with an average price of $11.96.

Cartons cost anything from $70 to $120 or even more – a lot of people have reported paying much higher prices!

In the UK, cigarette packets are a lot more expensive – after checking all the big supermarkets in the UK, the cheapest packet of 20 cigarettes is £11.20 while the average is around £13.50. That works out at around $17 per packet.

UK cartons of cigarettes cost around £120 to £150 to buy.

Should you bring your own or buy them on board?

Typically, it’s better to buy your cigarettes onboard your cruise, but it depends.

The pros of buying the cigarettes on the cruise ship:

• You’ll save money since they’re usually significantly cheaper
• If you’re planning on smoking them on the ship, you’ll save packing space
• You can get a great deal if there’s a multibuy offer running

But the downsides are:

• They might not stock your preferred brands
• Some cruise lines hold duty-free cigarettes until the end of your cruise, so you can’t enjoy them onboard

Final Word

If you’re planning on buying cigarettes to take home with you, then buying onboard does make sense since you can often get a great deal.

Check the prices in port, too though, since you are allowed to buy cigarettes on land and bring them back onto the ship – they may just be taken from you until the last day of your cruise, just as alcohol would be.

For smoking on the ship though, it may be better to buy before you travel, rather than relying on picking up the occasional packet from the bars onboard since not all will sell them, and you’re guaranteed to get your preferred brand.

Check your cruise line, too, since duty-free cigarettes may be held for you, so you might not be able to enjoy them until you’re off the ship.

Related Topics

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.

Read more about me

When you put thousands of people together in a relatively confined space for a week or two, they’re bound to annoy each other.

And let’s be honest, some cruisers are far more annoying than others!

So, if you’d rather not be the person that everyone tuts and rolls their eyes at, here’s a list of behaviours you might want to avoid.

Note: These aren’t just my personal pet peeves! I polled 50,000+ cruisers on the Cruise Mummy Facebook page and this list is based on the comments that came up most often.

1. Sunbed Hogging

According to cruisers on Facebook, the most annoying thing you can do on a cruise is to claim sun loungers early in the morning by placing towels on them, then disappear for hours.

This prevents others from sitting down, which is especially frustrating on sunny sea days when people really do want to be outdoors.

I’m not sure why anyone does this. Perhaps they’re used to all-inclusive resorts where there are enough beds for everyone? In hotels, maybe the early risers are fairly entitled to the spots closest to the pool?

On a cruise ship, there are definitely more people than sunbeds and so there are times when you can’t find a single one without a towel on it.

Some cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Marella have started introducing systems where the crew members will put a card on any unattended beds and then remove belongings after 30 minutes.

We can only hope that more follow suit to put an end to the sunbed-hogging behaviour once and for all.

2. Being Rude to the Crew

Several comments highlight how upsetting it is to witness other passengers being rude or dismissive to cruise staff.

Crew members often work long hours to ensure passengers have a pleasant experience, and disrespect towards them can sour the atmosphere for everyone.

Manners cost nothing, and there really is no excuse for clicking your fingers at people or speaking down to them.

3. Poor Elevator Etiquette

When it comes to sharing elevators, there are a lot of ways that cruisers annoy each other…

The most irritating things people do include rushing into lifts before letting people exit, or pushing in front of others who have been waiting longer.

People who aren’t able to move as quickly and anyone with a pushchair or mobility aid should really be given priority when the lift arrives, but not everyone thinks about that.

Another point of debate is how many people you should have in each lift. There is a sign inside that tells you. It’s often 16 or 20.

I’ve often seen cruisers get annoyed when they feel that too many people are in the lift, even if it’s well below the recommended limit.

Another pet peeve mentioned is when people “hit the close doors button 3 nanoseconds after getting into the lift and you’re waiting to get in and the door closes before you even react to the lift arrival.”

The people guilty of that are probably the same ones who think the lift is ‘full’, because there are already six people in it and they like their space.

4. Misbehaving in the Buffet

The buffet is another place where cruisers act in all sorts of ways that are likely to irk their fellow passengers.

Cutting in line at the buffet is a common complaint, although, if I’m honest, I can see why people do it…

If you just need to grab some extra baked beans for your kid, having to join a long line that snakes past the sausages and eggs you don’t want isn’t always practical. Sometimes, I think British people can be too keen to form a queue and it actually makes everything take longer

Piling plates high only to waste food is also something that annoys cruisers.

On some cruise ships, the crew members serve the food for you in the buffet, and in my experience, you really have to be insistent so that you don’t end up with too much of one item on your plate. They don’t know you only want one slice of watermelon and you may end up with a plate full of it!

Many people agreed that people who walk into the buffet without washing their hands are among the most annoying on the ship. They’re putting everyone’s health at risk and that’s not okay.

It’s even worse to see people sneezing into their hands or using their fingers to grab food instead of the provided utensils.

5. Smoking in Non-Smoking Areas

Smoking on balconies and other non-designated areas not only breaks ship rules but can ruin the experience for passengers who are sensitive to smoke or have health concerns like asthma.

Suggested read: What Smokers Need To Know Before Taking A Cruise

Vaping was also mentioned. Some cruisers seem to think they can have a quick puff wherever they like, but it doesn’t go unnoticed by the other guests.

6. Unsupervised Children

Several cruisers commented that they found ‘noisy kids running amok’ to be the most annoying things they’ve witnessed at sea.

Kids of all ages were mentioned, from crying babies to mischievous teenagers who were seen throwing food around or knocking on doors and running away.

A few cruisers also mentioned being annoyed by ‘people that book onto a family ship during holidays then complain about noisy kids’.

Don’t forget – there is a simple solution for anyone who gets annoyed by the presence of children – book an adults-only cruise!

Suggested read: The 12 Best Adult-Only Cruises

7. Loud and Disruptive Behaviour

Whether it’s talking loudly in hallways late at night, drunken behaviour, or loud conversations in dining areas, excessive noise is a common gripe among passengers seeking relaxation.

One person mentioned: “People who scrape the sunbeds along the floor when some are snoozing whilst sunbathing”.

So it seems that you don’t need to be that loud to annoy someone.

8. Spending Too Long in Hot Tubs

Dominating the hot tubs for extended periods, especially when they’re crowded, frustrates passengers who would like a turn to relax.

Sometimes, you’ll even see people standing next to the hot tub waiting for a space, and yet people who have been soaking for an hour or more simply ignore them.

The rules on whether children are allowed in hot tubs varies depending on the cruise. But the presence of kids in jacuzzis is something that many people find annoying, especially if they’re splashing or kicking people.

The Bottom Line

With so many people sharing a ship, it’s only natural that some will get annoyed by the behaviours of others.

Whatever you do, whether it’s sitting in a chair with a nice view and falling asleep or kissing your partner in the pub, someone will be probably be annoyed by it.

There’s no need to tread on eggshells though, just do your best to be polite and considerate.

Now you’re aware of the most annoying cruise habits, if you can try your best to avoid those, the ocean will be a slightly happier place.

Related posts:

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.

Read more about me

Ever taken a cruise and been bewildered by the occasional guest who just doesn’t seem to understand basic etiquette?

Or maybe you’ve accidentally broken a cruise ship rule, and had a guest tut as they walk past?

It doesn’t take much beyond common sense to be a good cruise passenger, but to help, I’ve compiled a list of the etiquette rules everyone should follow when on a cruise ship.

1. Use Good Elevator Manners

Cruise ships have a lot of decks, and not everyone wants to take the stairs, which means the elevators can get busy. Don’t be that person who barges into an elevator the second the doors open – let people out before you get in!

It’s such a basic thing but you’d be surprised at how entitled some people can be.

It’s also nice to let anyone with a wheelchair, scooter, walking aid or pushchair into the elevator before you. They don’t have the option of moving over to the next one that arrives quite so quickly.

And please, please… If you want to go up, press up. If you want to go down press down!

Some people think that they can beat the system by ‘pressing up to go down’, but all that means is that the lifts become even more crowded and when the door open nobody can get in.

Some newer cruise ships have those fancy elevators where you program which floor you want, and then you’re directed to an elevator.

This system works really well, if you stick to it. Don’t just take the first one that shows up if it’s not yours, or if won’t take you to your floor at all.

2. Dress Appropriately

I get that it’s your cruise and you want to enjoy it in comfort, but you have to be respectful of other people, including in how you dress.

Follow the dress code. That means don’t show up for breakfast in your PJs, as tempting as it might be, and don’t walk into the buffet in swimwear.

You don’t have to follow the formal night dress code, if you’d rather dine in the casual areas of the ship, but that doesn’t mean you can disregard the entire dress code!

Suggested read: What not to wear on a cruise

3. No Reserving Sun Loungers!

Cruise ship pool decks do get crowded on sea days when the weather’s nice, and it can be hard to find a pool lounger in a good spot sometimes. But that doesn’t entitle you to reserve one with a towel and then disappear for lunch for a couple of hours.

Cruise lines do try to cut this behaviour out, and some will attach a tag to a sun lounger showing how long it’s been vacant – and then eventually remove the items from it and open it up to other guests.

But the crew can’t constantly watch all loungers. If you want a good one, go and sit on it.

4. Don’t Cut In Line

Queuing can be boring, but don’t be impatient. Whether you’re in the line at the buffet, or waiting to speak to someone at the Guest Services desk, you can’t assume that you are more important than everyone else.

It’s ok in a buffet to move out of line if you only want one or two things and there’s an opening. Weaving in and out of the different stations is OK, as long as you are respectful and don’t barge anyone else out of the way.

5. Wash Your Hands

Cruise lines will have handwashing stations available as you enter the buffet area, and some will have crew members there to remind you to wash your hands. Royal Caribbean even has the special Washy Washy crew to make it more fun.

And the new Costa Cruises ships have these incredible machines that even wash your hands for you!

So please, just wash your hands. It doesn’t take long, and it helps to keep everyone safer in the buffet areas, stopping the spread of germs and making sure everyone can enjoy their full cruise without getting sick.

6. Learn To Sneeze

I don’t want to sound patronising, but most young kids know how to sneeze, and yet it seems like so many people on cruise ships don’t have a clue.

Sneeze into a tissue and get rid of it, or sneeze into your elbow. It doesn’t matter if you look like you’re dabbing, it’s a much better way of controlling those germs than sneezing into your hands and then getting your mucus on all the handrails or the buffet utensils. Ugh.

7. Be Considerate In The Theatre

You need to treat the cruise ship theatre just as you would a theatre on land. Sit down, and stay quiet – it’s not fair on the other guests if they want to hear the performances and you’re loudly talking over everything. It’s also not fair on the performers, who are trying to do their job.

Also, don’t sing along unless it’s a special event where you’re supposed to. It doesn’t matter if you know all the words, your neighbours in the seats nearby want to hear the professional on stage, not your warbling.

8. Don’t Reserve Seats

Just like with sun loungers, you can’t be reserving seats in the theatre for long periods of time. 

It’s absolutely fine to hold onto a seat for someone in your party if they’ve nipped to the toilet, but you can’t do what some people do and send one person to the theatre half an hour before the show starts to mind several seats until the rest of the party appear at the last minute.

9. Make Sure You Tip

A lot of people take issue with tipping on a cruise, either because they aren’t used to tipping at home or they just don’t like the idea of gratuities, and would rather tip crew members individually who they feel have earned it.

The problem with that is that a lot of the behind-the-scenes crew are working hard for you but would never get tipped that way.

It’s better to stick to the daily gratuities, and then tip a little extra on top if you want to reward someone. Don’t forget to tip people like the luggage porters either.

Read more: Can You Refuse To Pay Gratuities On A Cruise?

10. Let Kids Have Fun, Within Reason

This one’s a double-edged rule. The first part is obvious – if you’re a parent on a cruise ship, encourage your kids to have fun but don’t let them run amok around restaurants or the pool deck. They need some semblance of manners too, and it’s not fair if they’re causing chaos for other passengers and crew members.

But on the flip side, don’t be that person who books a cruise on a family-friendly ship and then wants kids to sit silently, just because you like peace and quiet.

Go find an adults-only part of the ship if that’s how you feel – otherwise, let kids make memories and have fun, as long as they aren’t being rude.

11. Respect Adults-Only Areas

A lot of cruise ships aim to serve a wide range of guests, and so they’ll have family-friendly pool decks and loads of facilities for kids, but then an adults-only area away from all the noise for those who want something a little quieter.

Now, just because the daybeds there are a little nicer, or the pool is a little quieter, that doesn’t mean your little prince or princess can be the exception to the rule and you can take your little ones with you to these adult-only areas.

If you’re travelling with children but want to head to the adults-only areas of the ship, go drop them off at the kids’ club for a bit.

12. Use Earphones For Music

It’s understandable to want to enjoy your favourite music when you’re lounging by the pool, but guess what? Not everyone has the same tastes in music.

So, it’s not reasonable to blast your music out from your phone or a speaker in a public space on the deck.

Whether you’re into Abba or ZZ Top, or anything in between, keep the tunes to yourself and have your own little silent disco, so that you don’t annoy others with your playlists.

Suggested read: The Best Songs For Your Cruise Playlist

13. Be Polite!

It’s crazy how entitled some people can be on a ship, so always remember this golden rule – be polite to everyone. It doesn’t matter whether they are crew or other passengers, use manners, ask nicely, be kind, and everyone will get along so much better.

If another passenger is being rude to you, don’t lower yourself. Be polite, walk away, and report them if it’s an issue.

And don’t treat the crew like they’re your slaves for the holiday. Politeness will often lead to even better service, anyway!

14. It’s OK To Be Firm

That being said, don’t be afraid of being firm with crew members when you’re on a cruise if they get a little bit pushy with you.

This only applies in certain scenarios, typically the spa and, on rare occasions, the stores. They might try to convince you to pay for extra products or additional treatments. It’s fine to say no – that isn’t bad etiquette.

If they become very pushy, you can be stern (without shouting) and then go report them to Guest Services.

15. Smoke And Vape In Designated Areas

It’s ok to smoke or vape on a cruise ship, but only in the designated smoking areas. It’s not fair on other passengers to have to smell your smoke around the rest of the ship.

The most common offence is people who try to sneakily smoke or vape on their balcony. It’s not allowed, and the smell will bother other passengers around you. It might be inconvenient but stick to the rules and go smoke in the proper areas. Otherwise, your neighbours will report you, and you will get in trouble

16. No Loitering On The Running Track

Around 99% of the open deck spaces on a cruise ship are designed for people to relax and take it easy. The other 1% is the running track.

And yet you wouldn’t believe how many people decide to hang around on the running track for a conversation, or to snap a selfie with the horizon in the background, completely oblivious to the sweaty person pushing for a good 5k time who is rapidly approaching and has to dodge around them.

When you’re taking in the view from a cruise ship’s open deck, stop for a second and look down. If you see a track under your feet, move!

17. Only Take What You’ll Eat

In the buffet restaurant, there are two etiquette rules that you should be following.

The first is to make sure you are always getting a new plate every time you return to the buffet. Leave the dirty ones on your table and they’ll be cleared away. While you might think you’re helping to reduce the work by reusing a plate, you’re actually risking spreading germs.

Also, don’t let your eyes be bigger than your belly. Take only what you’ll eat, don’t load up just to leave a pile of uneaten food. It’s better to make multiple small trips, especially as cruise lines are working so hard to reduce food waste.

18. Share The Hot Tubs

There are often thousands of people on a cruise ship at any one time, and yet only a handful of hot tubs.

It’s simple enough to do the sums – if one or two people hog the hot tubs, then hundreds of people won’t get a chance to use them. You’re going to have to share, and you should ideally avoid spending all day in them and get out to let others take a turn every once in a while.

Plus it’ll stop you looking like a shrivelled prune when it’s time to go grab lunch.

19. Hush Up For Announcements

Every now and then during your cruise, you’ll hear announcements over the tannoy system from the captain, or the cruise director, or another senior officer.

Sometimes these are really important, and other times they might be interesting to hear, even if you don’t think so.

Just because you’re not bothered about a particular announcement doesn’t mean everyone else nearby doesn’t care. If someone’s making an announcement, zip your lips (or at least keep your voice down) just until they’re finished, so that others can hear what’s going on.

20. No Sharing Of Drinks Packages

Most cruise lines enforce the rule that, if one passenger in a stateroom has a drinks package, then everyone in that room has to have one too.

However, there are ways around this, and also not everyone in the same travelling group will be sharing one cabin, particularly if you’re part of a larger family or friend circle.

Don’t be tempted to cheat the system and share drinks packages. Not only are you robbing the cruise line, but it’s this that will cause cruise lines to raise prices for everyone in order to make their money.

Plus, you can get your package cancelled if you’re caught, so it’s not worth the risk.

21. Be Punctual

Booked an excursion or an activity on the cruise ship? Be on time. Being on holiday is no excuse, because other people will be waiting for you. Group activities can’t begin until everyone has turned up.

Also, don’t be late back to the ship when you’re due to leave. The cruise ship will leave without you if you’re really late, but it’ll hang around if you’re en route – even though it’s holding up the ship for those who made it back in good time.

22. Know Your Limits

On the subject of drinks packages, it’s fine to enjoy yourself on a cruise, but don’t be a drunken idiot. If you’re not the nicest tipsy person, maybe alternate between alcoholic and soft drinks. And certainly, don’t let yourself get so wasted that you’re vomiting somewhere you shouldn’t be.

Know what your limits are, have a great time, but stay in control.

23. Trash Goes In The Bin, Not The Sea

I hardly feel like this one needs explaining, and yet people do sometimes throw things overboard.

That’s a real dick move, because you’re actively polluting the oceans and potentially harming the wildlife. There are plenty of bins/trash cans around the ship, so just find one for your rubbish.

24. Don’t Be A Slob

Your cruise cabin will be cleaned and tidied by the stateroom attendants throughout your cruise, but you should still put some effort in yourself. They have a lot of rooms to get round, so don’t leave your room an absolute state for them.

You don’t have to leave it spotless, but tidy up after yourself a little, and make their lives a little easier.

25. Potty-Trained Kids In Pools Only

If you’re sailing with young children, you have to make sure that they are toilet-trained before letting them use the pools. Some cruise lines will have kiddy pools where swim nappies are OK, but most of the time, in the regular pools, those are banned too.

The only cruise ships pools I know of that allow kids in swim nappies is are the older P&O Cruises ships (before Iona and Arvia). That’s because the pools are larger, much deeper and being a British cruise line, the ships aren’t subject to the CDC rules as American ships are.

But still, any ‘incidents’ in a pool will cause it to be shut down and deep cleaned.

Do you want to be the person responsible for everyone else missing out on the pool for a day just because you decided your child was special and the rules didn’t apply to them?

26. Stay Quiet In Corridors

You would hate it if you were exhausted after a full day of cruising adventures, but then someone kept waking you up by walking down the corridor outside your stateroom talking loudly. 

Regardless of whether you’re an early riser or a night owl, you have to keep the noise in the corridors to a minimum, just like you would in a hotel (I hope).

The stateroom walls and doors aren’t the thickest, sound will get through, and it’s not fair on other guests.

27. Close Doors Gently

Just as you should be quiet when in the corridors around the ship, also try to be quiet when entering or leaving your cabin. Those doors are often heavy, and can slam even if they’re on a soft-close mechanism.

Wardrobe and drawer doors can be loud too sometimes, if you’re careless with them. Just be considerate of your cabin neighbours, and they’ll hopefully be respectful of your own peace and quiet too.

28. No Smuggling Of Anything Prohibited

Cruise lines have a long list of banned items, and while most of them make sense, there might be some where you’re tempted to break the rules, either to make your cruise more comfortable or to save money instead of paying for things onboard.

However, if you get caught while boarding, you can cause some serious hold-ups for others trying to board their cruise, which isn’t fair. You could also get into real trouble, like this passenger who was banned for life.

Cruise ships sometimes have sniffer dogs on board to search for illegal items. So be cool, stick to the rules on what you can bring onboard, and there’ll be no problems.

29. Cancel Anything You Won’t Attend

A lot of cruise excursions or activities onboard will sell out far in advance because they’re so popular. And then some people just won’t show up – they decide they’ll just be lazy by the pool instead.

That’s harsh because, if you cancel, you open up the spot, and someone else could book onto the activity instead, and they might be frantically checking in the hope that there are cancellations. Make sure that, if your plans do change, you cancel anything you’re going to miss.

Final Word

I’m sure none of these are particularly shocking to most of you, but I’ve witnessed so many people who don’t seem to follow these basic rules!

Demonstrating good cruise etiquette is easy, and while I know this is a long list, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble just being polite, respecting everyone else on the ship, and making sure those sneezes go into your elbows!

Related Posts:

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.

Read more about me

Smoking on cruise ships is a contentious topic and one that’s often debated in Facebook groups and forums. But, the fact is that smokers are always welcome on board. That said, there are a few things you’ll need to know to make sure you don’t break any rules or upset anyone.

1. You Can Smoke On Every Cruise Ship

All cruise ships allow smoking on board. While many people would relish the idea of a non-smoking cruise ship, in reality, every cruise ship has at least one smoking area.

With 13% of US adults regularly smoking cigarettes and 5% vaping electronic cigarettes, banning smoking from cruise ships altogether wouldn’t be practical or profitable for cruise lines in the modern day.

2. You Can Only Smoke in Certain Places Onboard

Smoking on cruise ships is only permitted in designated areas. Cruise ship smoking areas are usually tucked out of the way and are pretty easy for non-smokers to avoid.

When you board your cruise ship, you’ll receive a copy of the deck plan which highlights useful areas such as smoking areas, toilets and lifts.

Most smoking areas are outdoors, but there’s usually a covered area to shelter from the rain. Some cruise lines also allow smoking indoors in smoking rooms, cigar bars or in the casino.

3. Some Cruise Lines Allow Smoking on Your Balcony

The question ‘Can you smoke on a cruise ship balcony?’ is often asked by smokers and non-smokers alike.

Some smokers dislike the idea of having to walk to the smoking area first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Whereas non-smokers worry about the possibility of second-hand smoke drifting onto their balcony from the one next door or below.

Of course, there’s also the issue of safety as on balconies there are no staff members around to ensure that cigarettes are properly extinguished. There are also fears that some inconsiderate smokers may throw cigarette ends overboard and pollute the ocean.

For these reasons, smoking is banned on most cruise ship balconies. The only cruise line allowing smoking for the foreseeable future on private balconies is Costa Cruises. You can smoke on a balcony on a Fred. Olsen cruise ship but only until 1st April 2025 when the policy will change.

4. Some Cruise Lines Allow Smoking in the Casino

Smoking in cruise ship casinos varies by cruise line, by ship and even by the day of the week. Some ships have smoking areas or smoking rooms within the casino, some allow smoking throughout the casino and some ban it altogether.

Scroll down to see a table showing which cruise lines allow smoking in casinos. Please note though, that if mask mandates are in place, there may be a temporary ban on indoor smoking.

When I cruised on MSC Preziosa, I noticed that most people
in the casino seemed to be smoking and it did put me off staying in there too
long. At the roulette table, the etiquette seemed to be that players would
offer a cigarette to each person at the table before lighting up themselves.

Here’s Where Can You Smoke on a Cruise Ship

This table shows where smoking is allowed with each cruise line. Most information is given about each cruise line smoking policy below the table.

Prefer to Vape?

The general rule regarding electronic cigarettes on cruise ships is that they are treated in the same way as cigarettes and so vaping is only permitted in designated smoking areas. There are three cruise lines – Costa Cruises, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises, which allow e-cigs to be vaped in cabins.

Read more: Vaping On A Cruise Ship? What You Must Know!

It’s important to note that electronic cigarettes are illegal in many countries including the United Arab Emirates, India and much of South America and Southeast Asia. You should check before you travel as you may have to leave your e-cigarette on the ship. Punishment for possession ranges from confiscation to a fine or even up to ten years in prison.

Be Careful To Bring The Right Lighter!

Cigarette lighters are allowed on cruise ships. However, torch lighters that emit a powerful, concentrated flame are not allowed on most ships. Similarly, novelty lighters that look like guns are also not allowed.

What Happens if You Get Caught Smoking Somewhere You Shouldn’t…

If you get caught smoking on a cruise outside of the designated areas then you will first receive a warning. If you repeat the offence then you may be kicked off the ship. If you’re caught smoking in your stateroom you may have to pay a cleaning fee.

Fire is one of the biggest threats to a cruise ship, so you should only ever smoke in the designated smoking areas.

Suggested read: How To Get Away With Smoking On A Cruise Ship

What Should You Do if You See Someone Smoking on a Cruise?

If you see someone smoking on a cruise ship outside of the smoking area then you can either ask them not to do it, or tell a crew member.

It may be that the person is unaware that they should not be smoking, so they may be grateful for your tip-off. However, they may have chosen to break the rules and may not relish being reprimanded.

If you’d prefer to avoid confrontation, then you can tell a nearby crew member or telephone guest services. That way, the smoker needn’t ever know that it was you who reported them.

No Smoking Cruise Ships

At the moment, there is no such thing as a no-smoking cruise ship. However, if you are determined to avoid smoke, you most certainly can. All you have to do is look up where the smoking areas are and avoid them.

Cruise Line Smoking Policies 2024

Here are links to the latest smoking and vaping policies for each cruise line…

Celebrity Cruises Smoking Policy

Celebrity Cruises only allows smoking in designated outdoor smoking areas. This policy includes smoking-like products such as electronic cigarettes, pipes and cigars.

Carnival Cruise Smoking Policy

Carnival Cruise Line limits smoking to specific exterior deck
areas and designated casino and nightclub spaces that can be monitored. Cigars
and pipes may only be smoked in outdoor smoking areas.

Costa Cruises Smoking Policy

Costa Cruises allow smoking only in designated indoor areas which are marked as ‘cigar lounges’ and designated outdoor smoking points. Smoking cigarettes and tobacco are not permitted in cabins but electronic cigarettes are allowed in cabins. Smoking is allowed on private balconies.

Cunard Smoking Policy

The smoking of cigarettes and electronic cigarettes is
permitted only in designated outdoor smoking areas. Pipes and cigars are also
allowed at any time of day in Churchill’s lounge, but cigarettes are prohibited
here.

Disney Cruise Line Smoking Policy

Disney Cruise Line allows smoking and vaping only in
designated outdoor smoking areas.

Holland America Smoking Policy

Holland America Line allows smoking only in designated
outdoor smoking areas. Some ships (Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, Amsterdam,
Maasdam, Volendam, Zaandam, Rotterdam and Veendam) also allow smoking in the
casino, but only on certain nights and only whilst playing. Electronic
cigarettes may be vaped in staterooms.

Marella Smoking Policy

Marella cruise ships only allow smoking in designated areas
of the open deck. The same rule applies to e-cigarettes.

MSC Cruises Smoking Policy

Smoking is permitted only in designated indoor and outdoor
smoking areas and in the casino.

Norwegian Cruise Line Smoking Policy

Smoking is permitted in designated outdoor smoking areas. Most ships (all except Norwegian Sky, Sun, Star and Pride of America), have a cigar lounge where cigars are welcome. Nothing but cigars and pipes may be smoked in these areas.

Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Encore have a designated smoking room within the casino where people can smoke whilst playing.

On other ships, smoking is allowed throughout the casino. Cigar and pipe smoking is not allowed in the casino.

Whilst smoking is not generally allowed in cabins or on balconies, guests staying in Garden Villas are allowed to smoke in their private garden and on their private sun decks.

P&O Cruises Smoking Policy

Smoking is only permitted in designated outdoor smoking
areas. These locations are not published as they change depending on the
weather or cleaning processes.

Princess Cruises Smoking Policy

Princess Cruises allow smoking in designated areas which
include outdoor smoking areas, cigar lounges and a section of the nightclub. In
the casino, smoking is allowed only whilst playing designated machines and not
at table games. The casino will have one or more non-smoking nights on each
cruise. Electronic cigarettes are permitted in cabins (but not on balconies)
and within the smoking areas.

Royal Caribbean Smoking Policy

On Royal Caribbean cruises, smoking is permitted in designated outdoor smoking areas. The rules about smoking in the casino varies for different regions of the world. On cruises departing from China and Hong Kong, smoking is allowed throughout the casino. On cruises departing from the UK and Australia, smoking is not allowed in the casino. On all other cruises, the casino will have a designated smoking area. 

Cigars are not allowed in the casino, only in designated outdoor smoking areas. Freedom-class and Voyager-class ships feature cigar bars where cigars and pipes are allowed, but no other types of smoking.

Final Word

So, can you smoke on cruise ships? Yes, but only in very specific places. Usually, you can’t smoke on your balcony or in any of the restaurants, but there are very limited places indoors and outdoors where you can use cigarettes or vapes.

It’s important that you follow the rules because you can get in a lot of trouble if you keep flaunting them. One strike will probably just get you told to extinguish your cigarette but keep pushing your luck and you might be more severely punished.

Related posts:

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.

Read more about me