Cruisers’ Biggest Pet Peeves Revealed! Which Behaviours Bother You The Most?

Cruises are sold as the ultimate stress-free holiday, so why do so many people come home quietly seething about towels, elevators and hot tubs?

I started noticing the same complaints popping up again and again on my Facebook page, so I did what any curious cruiser would do and dug deeper. After reading through thousands of comments from real passengers, some clear patterns emerged and a few of them genuinely surprised me.

From the obvious annoyances everyone expects to the ones nobody warns you about, these are the cruise pet peeves people feel most strongly about.

And yes, there’s one that causes far more arguments than you’d ever imagine.

1. Pool chair hogging and towel reserving

If cruising had an unofficial sport, pool chair hogging would win gold every time.

Towels appear at dawn like clockwork, sometimes draped across multiple loungers, yet the owners are nowhere to be seen for hours. People talk about families reserving prime spots then vanishing off to breakfast, the spa or even back to bed.

It’s not just about the chairs, it’s the entitlement that comes with them. Nobody wants to play towel police on holiday. It’s consistently the top pet peeve because it feels selfish, unnecessary and easily solved with a bit of basic consideration.

Cruise lines are trying to crack down on it – but I don’t think it’ll ever completely stop.

Suggested read: My Tried & Tested Tactics For Beating Chair Hogs On Cruises

2. Kids in hot tubs

Hot tubs are meant for soaking and relaxing, not turning into splash zones.

A huge number of cruisers complain about kids using them like swimming pools, jumping, splashing and dominating the space while parents look the other way. Most people aren’t anti kids, they’re anti chaos.

Health and safety concerns come up a lot too, especially when rules are clearly posted and ignored. When a small hot tub gets taken over, it stops being enjoyable for anyone else. This one always sparks debate, but it’s easily one of the most passionately mentioned cruise annoyances.

I don’t mind kids in the hot tubs – I let mine use them but I know they’ll behave. What do you think?

Read more: Should Kids Be Allowed in Cruise Hot Tubs? Here’s What Passengers Think

3. Bad elevator etiquette

Elevators seem to make otherwise polite people forget all social rules.

Common grumbles include people barging in before others can get out, queue jumpers, cramming in when it’s clearly full and repeatedly hammering the close door button before people have the chance to get in.

Personally, I also can’t stand it when people say “let’s go up to go down, it will be faster” during busy periods. While it may be faster for them, it makes it slower for everyone else. That’s just selfish.

Those using wheelchairs or scooters often feel completely ignored, watching lift after lift fill up in front of them. The confined space only makes tempers flare faster, especially at busy times.

For many cruisers, poor lift manners aren’t just annoying, they feel like a basic lack of courtesy that shouldn’t be hard to fix.

4. Unsupervised or unruly kids around the ship

Kids racing down corridors at midnight, shouting outside cabins and roaming the ship late at night without parents nearby comes up again and again.

Most passengers make it clear they don’t hate kids, they just want some peace. Late night noise is especially unpopular, particularly with people who’ve paid good money to relax.

Several stories mention kids doing genuinely unsafe things while parents are nowhere to be seen. Cruise ships aren’t lawless playgrounds, yet some adults treat them that way. A bit of supervision would solve a lot of this frustration.

Read more: The Children’s Cruise Curfews You Need To Know About

5. Slamming cabin and balcony doors

There are few sounds more jarring on a ship than a cabin door being slammed shut.

Because the doors are heavy, the noise echoes and can shake nearby cabins. Balcony doors are even worse, especially early in the morning or late at night.

Many cruisers point out how easy it is to hold the door and let it close gently.

When it happens repeatedly, it feels careless rather than accidental. For light sleepers, this can genuinely ruin nights of rest, making it one of the most commonly mentioned noise-related complaints.

6. Blocking walkways and entrances

Stopping dead in the middle of a busy walkway seems to be a universal cruise habit. Groups gather for chats, families block corridors and people step out of elevators only to freeze while deciding where to go. The result is congestion, near collisions and rising irritation.

On ships where space is already tight, poor awareness stands out even more.

Most people don’t mind slow walkers or those needing breaks, but stopping without stepping aside drives others mad. It’s less about impatience and more about keeping things moving for everyone.

7. Buffet chaos and lack of flow

The buffet brings out strong feelings, especially at peak times. Complaints include line cutting, people walking the wrong way, hovering indecisively and general crowding that feels unnecessary.

Some describe it as more of a stampede than a dining area. Ignoring signs or basic flow rules only adds to the stress.

For somewhere meant to be convenient and relaxed, it can quickly become one of the most stressful spots on the ship.

Part of this is down to the design of the buffet. For example, if you just want to grab a boiled egg, you may be expected to join long queue past the bacon and sausages. Should you be able to just nip in for the egg? Nobody is sure.

8. Poor hygiene around food and bathrooms

Nothing puts people off quicker than watching someone skip handwashing and head straight to the buffet.

Many ships have ‘washy washy people’ who enforce handwashing. But on those ships that don’t, walking straight past the sinks is sadly becoming more common as people forget what it was like in stricter, more hygenic times.

Lack of hygiene is a huge concern, with repeated mentions of people coughing, sneezing or touching food before putting it back.

On a ship where illnesses can spread fast, this feels especially risky. Some cruisers say they actively avoid buffets after seeing questionable behaviour.

The frustration isn’t just about squeamishness, it’s about shared responsibility. Better habits and a bit of enforcement would make dining areas feel safer and far more pleasant.

Read more: Norovirus On Cruise Ships – Shocking Stats And How to Stay Healthy!

9. Smoking, vaping and lingering smells

Smoke has a way of travelling, especially at sea. Complaints include cigarette smoke drifting onto balconies, people vaping around pools and being forced to walk through smoky casino areas.

Even non smokers who accept designated areas get annoyed when rules aren’t followed. Lingering smells in corridors or cabins can ruin otherwise lovely spaces.

Many feel the issue is poor enforcement or bad ship design. People simply want to enjoy fresh air and shared spaces without inhaling someone else’s habit.

Read more: 5 Shocking Things I Overheard in the Cruise Ship Smoking Area

10. Loud phone use and speaker audio

Few things irritate cruisers faster than someone using speakerphone in a shared space.

FaceTime calls in dining areas, loud personal conversations by the pool and kids blasting videos without headphones all come up repeatedly. It feels intrusive, especially when you’re trying to relax.

People often mention feeling trapped, forced to move rather than confront it.

The annoyance comes from the assumption that everyone else wants to hear it. Headphones exist for a reason, and many cruisers feel using them should be the norm, not the exception.

11. Dirty dishes left around the ship

Plates, glasses and trays left in hallways, lifts and stairwells are another surprisingly common gripe.

Aside from looking messy, they can smell and create obstacles, particularly for anyone with mobility issues.

Some passengers aren’t sure what they’re meant to do, while others just assume staff will handle it. Fellow cruisers see it as disrespectful to both crew and other guests.

While rules vary by cruise line, the frustration comes from seeing mess pile up in shared spaces when it really doesn’t need to.

12. Scooters and mobility tensions

Mobility aids themselves aren’t the issue, behaviour is. Some cruisers feel cut off by scooters pushing ahead in queues or charging out of elevators.

Others who actually need wheelchairs describe being completely ignored or blocked by standing passengers. There’s also debate around perceived misuse, which quickly gets heated.

At heart, this is about patience and empathy on all sides. On crowded ships, small moments of courtesy make a big difference. When space is limited, awareness and kindness matter more than ever.

13. Seat and table saving beyond the pool

It’s not just sun loungers. Theatre seats blocked hours in advance, buffet tables held during peak times and one person reserving space for a whole group all annoy fellow passengers.

This often leaves others wandering with trays or missing out on shows altogether. Planning ahead is one thing, but excessive reserving feels unfair.

When space is limited, first come, first served feels like the fairest system. Many cruisers would happily wait their turn if they knew everyone else was playing by the same rules.

14. Overcrowded pools and hot tubs

Even without bad behaviour, pools and hot tubs can feel uncomfortably busy.

Sea days in particular see every splash of water filled to capacity. People mention feeling squeezed, overheated and unable to relax. Hot tubs packed shoulder to shoulder lose their appeal fast, especially when the same people stay in them all afternoon.

Some cruisers simply stop trying and avoid these areas altogether. The frustration is less about people and more about poor capacity management in spaces designed for relaxation.

15. Late night noise in corridors and cabins

Ships never fully sleep, but passengers do. Loud conversations, shouting, arguments and door slamming after nights out are a frequent complaint.

Noise travels easily through corridors and thin walls don’t help. Several people mention having to call guest services just to get some peace.

Most understand others are on holiday too, but there’s an expectation of quieter behaviour late at night. Broken sleep is one of the quickest ways to sour a cruise, especially when it feels avoidable.

16. Dress code frustrations

Dress codes divide opinion, but many cruisers feel standards have slipped too far.

Common complaints focus on beachwear, swimwear or ultra casual outfits in main dining rooms. Others miss the sense of occasion that evening meals used to have.

It’s rarely about wanting formality, more about atmosphere. Dining is a shared experience, and some feel dressing appropriately shows respect for the space and other guests.

For those who enjoy making an effort, seeing guidelines ignored can be disappointing rather than inclusive.

17. Food waste and unpleasant dining habits

Food waste at the buffet bothers a lot of people, especially when plates are piled high and left half eaten. Others mention habits like blowing noses at tables or touching food directly.

These behaviours feel unnecessary and inconsiderate in shared dining spaces.

Sampling is part of buffet life, but excess feels wasteful. For some, watching it happen repeatedly takes the enjoyment out of meals. Dining should be relaxed and pleasant, not an exercise in tolerance.

18. Cabin announcements at awkward times

Being woken up by loud announcements while enjoying a lie in is a surprisingly common irritation.

Night owls and late sleepers often mention early morning messages broadcast straight into cabins. While announcements are sometimes necessary, many feel the timing could be better handled.

Being jolted awake on holiday feels especially unwelcome. It’s not the information that annoys people, it’s when and how it’s delivered.

19. Embarkation and debarkation stress

Getting on and off the ship is rarely anyone’s favourite part of cruising.

Complaints focus on long waits, ignored time slots, crowding and lift chaos. Debarkation day in particular brings out impatience as everyone wants to leave quickly. When passengers ignore instructions, it creates delays for everyone else.

While logistics play a big role, many cruisers feel a bit more cooperation would make the whole process far smoother and far less stressful.

20. Nickel and diming onboard

Extra charges frustrate many cruisers, from drink limits to paid add-ons that appear everywhere onboard. Some feel constantly sold to once they’ve embarked.

Others argue over what all inclusive really means. The irritation usually comes from mismatched expectations rather than the prices themselves.

When costs feel unclear or sneaky, enjoyment suffers. Most people accept cruising is a business, they just don’t want to feel like their holiday is being itemised at every turn.

21. Bar service issues

Slow bar service can test even the calmest cruiser. Long queues, being overlooked and not enough staff in busy areas come up repeatedly.

When drink packages are involved, frustration builds quickly if access feels restricted. Some mention staff chatting while guests wait, which never helps.

On a holiday where drinks are part of the fun, delays feel magnified. A smooth bar experience can make or break the vibe of a sea day.

22. Cruise bragging and social one-upmanship

Cruise conversations sometimes turn competitive. Constant mentions of how many cruises someone’s done, how much they spent or what they’ve booked next can wear thin fast.

Many people just want to enjoy the moment, not compare statistics. The irritation comes from feeling trapped in boastful conversations rather than friendly ones.

Sharing experiences is great, but constant one-upmanship quickly becomes exhausting, especially when nobody asked.

23. Complaining as a pet peeve itself

One of the more amusing themes is people saying their biggest pet peeve is… other people’s pet peeves. Some cruisers believe you can always find something wrong if you look hard enough.

Their view is that you can usually walk away and enjoy your holiday anyway. Others push back, pointing out that basic courtesy still matters.

It adds an interesting layer to the discussion and highlights the balance between reasonable expectations and choosing what’s worth letting go.

24. Smaller recurring annoyances

Beyond the big issues, there’s a long list of smaller but familiar grumbles. Kids pressing every elevator button, strollers blocking hallways, balcony lights left on all night, photographers interrupting dinner and missing amenities all pop up repeatedly.

On their own, they’re minor. Together, they paint a realistic picture of life on a busy ship. They’re the kind of annoyances that make people roll their eyes, laugh and say “classic cruise” rather than completely lose their patience.

Final Word

Wow. If you’d never cruised before, it would sound like a nightmare based on all of that, wouldn’t it?

The good thing is we know that these are, in the most part, minor gripes.

Reading through the comments, one thing is clear. Most cruise pet peeves come down to the same simple issue: courtesy. A little awareness, patience and consideration would wipe out a surprising number of these frustrations.

That said, part of cruising is sharing space with lots of other people, quirks and all. You can either let the small stuff ruin your holiday or laugh, move on and order another drink.

After all, you’re on a cruise.

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