The Most Shocking Tales of Rudeness on Cruise Ships

Cruising is often seen as a luxurious and relaxing way to travel, but unfortunately, not all passengers uphold the same standards of etiquette.

Most of the people I’ve encountered on a cruise have been absolutely lovely, but there are always a few who try to spoil it for the rest of us – either because they’re entitled, or just plain ignorant.

Two large cruise ships docked at a port under a clear blue sky. Passengers, visible as a group of diverse individuals including families and couples, are walking on the pier towards the ships. The scene captures a vibrant travel atmosphere, with the majestic cruise liners towering over the guests, symbolizing the start of a maritime adventure.

And I know it’s not just me who feels this way – so I asked my Facebook followers for stories of the worst manners they’d experienced on a cruise holiday.

This is what they came up with…

1. Unruly Children in the Dining Room

A group of children are in a cruise ship dining room. One boy stands on the table with his arms outstretched, while two other children watch with expressions of surprise and amusement. The dining room is filled with other diners in the background, enjoying their meals with a view of the ocean through the large windows.

Cruises are a lot more family-friendly than they used to be, and most people are fine with that, so long as the children are well-behaved.

People have told stories of children throwing food and cutlery around dining rooms, and even climbing on tables! It’s not so much the kids, but the parents that allow the behaviour, or don’t do enough to discourage it.

If you’re taking your kids on a cruise, absolutely let them have fun. But letting that fun doesn’t spoil the cruise for everyone else is not okay.

2. Disrespecting Staff

A woman holding a glass of white wine is having a heated discussion with a waiter in a cruise ship dining area. The waiter, carrying a plate of food, gestures emphatically as he responds. The background shows other diners and a modern, well-lit dining space.

The crew on cruise ships work really hard to make sure you have the best holiday possible, and while it’s possible for them to have an off day, I’m sure that 99.9% of the time, the staff on the ships are friendly and enthusiastic.

Despite that, there are plenty of stories of passengers showing bad manners by basically disrespecting crew, either in the way that they speak to them or the expectations they put on them.

What’s really worrying is the past guests who’ve said they’ve seen passengers be especially rude to people of colour onboard. Racism has no place in the modern world, and it’s so disrespectful especially where these people work.

I do hope that if you ever witness someone being rude to a member of the crew, especially if it’s racist in any way, you’ll report it to Guest Services so that the security staff onboard can have a word.

3. Styling Hair at the Dinner Table

woman brushing her hair at the dinner table on a cruise ship

A cruise passenger spoke about how they didn’t enjoy seeing another passenger styling their hair at the dining table.

To be fair, it could pose hygiene concerns but also, some people view dinner as an event and really you should be ready to eat when you enter the dining room, not getting ready halfway through.

Do you think this one is bad manners?

4. Inappropriate Buffet Etiquette

An elderly man with white hair and a mustache is returning a stack of used plates to the buffet area on a cruise ship. He appears focused as he carefully places the plates, while other passengers and staff can be seen in the background. The setting is a bustling dining area with a variety of food stations.

Cruise lines put a lot of effort into ensuring that the buffet restaurants in particular are hygienic. You don’t want to get a sickness bug on a cruise ship as it’ll spread like wildfire, and the buffet is a breeding ground for cross-contamination if you aren’t careful.

That’s why you get members of the crew whose job is to stand outside the buffet telling people (or singing to them) to wash their hands.

Despite that, people still show bad manners through a basic disregard for rules. This includes returning used plates to the buffet instead of stacking them on your table, and even worse, someone reported seeing someone pick up food, lick it, decide they didn’t want it and put it back on the buffet!

Of course, the passenger telling the story alerted the crew who removed it and cleaned up, but seriously…

5. Elevator Misbehaviour

kids messing about in the lift on a cruise

So many of the stories of bad manners on a cruise ship are related to the elevators. It’s such a basic part of life on a cruise ship – using an elevator to move between floors – but it causes problems for so many people!

Sometimes it’s kids, who are pressing all the buttons for fun and making other passengers wait for the elevator to visit every floor. Even if there isn’t anyone else in the elevator at the time, it slows things down for others waiting.

Then there are the people who force their way onto an elevator before others have had the chance to get off. It happens so frequently – just wait and make sure nobody is exiting!

6. Floral Theft

A woman in a white blouse is seen stealing yellow flowers on a table in a cruise ship's dining or lounge area. The setting has a warm, ambient lighting with other passengers visible in the background.

Cruise ships are often decorated, sometimes with fresh flowers but often with plastic ones too, just to add to the general ambience and make the ship seem more pleasant.

Some cruise passengers reported people stealing these flowers, either just as a souvenir or to use as an accessory in their hair.

That’s not what they’re there for – they are for everyone’s enjoyment, and it’s awful manners to assume that the ship exists purely for your own personal benefit.

7. Fighting and Drunkenness

Two men, appearing to be intoxicated, are engaged in a physical altercation in a cruise ship's bar or lounge area. One man is holding a drink while the other grabs his arm, and both have distressed expressions. The setting is dimly lit with other passengers visible in the background, some of whom seem to be observing the commotion.

We’re almost moving away from ‘bad manners’ with this one into more serious territory, but some people mentioned it and so I’ll include it here. People have often seen others having physical fights on a cruise or becoming so drunk that they’re acting inappropriately.

One passenger told of others who were pulling up the kilts of men on the ship, laughing at them for wearing ‘skirts’, because they were drunk. Imagine pulling down the top of a woman in the same way! Crazy.

Often it’s not just physical but verbal fighting too, having huge arguments over anything from sunbeds to places in the queues. Just relax, and if someone is misbehaving, speak to the crew rather than trying to resolve it yourself.

8. Ignoring Disabled Passengers

A man in a wheelchair, with a concerned expression, is at the forefront of an elevator on a cruise ship, surrounded by other passengers who appear to be ignoring him. The passengers include a woman carrying a bag, an older man in a suit, and several others in the background, all looking away or preoccupied. The scene conveys a sense of neglect and lack of awareness towards the needs of the disabled passenger.

Cruises are great for disabled passengers, since they’re relatively easy (in most cases) to navigate in wheelchairs or on motorised scooters.

But then there are those who just don’t care about helping disabled passengers out and who will often ignore them.

Really, you should give people with disabilities priority for elevators if you can, since it’s harder for them to find space if other elevators are busy. And just make sure to give people plenty of space, especially when they need to turn a scooter around.

Having said that, I’ve seen other Facebook posts in the past with people complaining about those using a scooter who have no regard for other passengers, running over their toes. So it does go both ways – be kind to anyone with mobility issues, but if you’re using a scooter, be aware of others onboard too.

9. Lack of Personal Hygiene

A cruise ship guest with dirty, mud-covered hands holds them up in front of a buffet, highlighting the unsanitary condition amidst a backdrop of other passengers enjoying their meals. The scene emphasizes the importance of cleanliness and hygiene in communal dining areas.

I was not surprised to see that people complained about lack of personal hygiene on cruises when it comes to hand-washing. I know that some people try to avoid washing before eating at the buffet because they’re lazy, and I’ve seen people not even know how to sneeze right (into your elbow – it isn’t hard, my kids know!)

One passenger even talked about the basic hygiene of people – specifically women – not flushing the public toilets. It’s not hard to follow simple standards, somebody else shouldn’t have to deal with that for you.

10. Inappropriate Dress Codes

A woman wearing a colorful bikini sits at a dining table on a cruise ship, with a plate of food in front of her. The dining room is filled with other passengers enjoying their meals, highlighting a casual and relaxed atmosphere on the cruise.

Formal dress codes are becoming less important on cruises – you don’t have to worry too much about packing suits and dresses if you don’t want to.

But there are also basic dress codes that you need to adhere to, including not wearing wet bathing suits (or indeed any bathing suit) in a restaurant, or showing up in thong bikinis and nothing else.

Be considerate. You’re fine to wear bikinis and bathing suits by the pool, but put some clothes on when you go to eat.

Suggested read: 9 Things You Should Never Wear On A Cruise

11. Line-Cutting and Aggressive Behaviour

A man with a furious expression is aggressively holding a large knife and a plate of food, appearing to cut the line at a crowded cruise ship buffet. Other passengers in the background look startled and concerned, highlighting the disruptive behavior in an otherwise orderly dining setting.

It’s important to show simple good manners by using the lines in the buffets or for other services around the ship properly.

Don’t cut in line, it’s rude and it’s not like you ever need to wait too long anyway. Plenty of people have mentioned seeing others try to sneak ahead and even get aggressive when challenged on it.

12. Misuse of Drinks Packages

A man with a mischievous look is standing behind a bar on a cruise ship, with multiple colorful drinks lined up in front of him, suggesting he is hoarding beverages. The background shows other passengers seated and engaged in conversation, unaware of his actions.

A drinks package can be a great way to save money on the beverages you buy, but you need to use it appropriately.

Don’t be greedy and don’t cheat the system. This means, don’t try to hoard drinks to enjoy later on, and don’t use your package to get drinks for someone else.

If you’re caught abusing the system, then you might have your package cancelled without a refund. And it’s not fair on others if you’re trying to cheat things.

13. Public Flossing

A woman dressed elegantly in a black dress is using dental floss while seated at a formally set dining table in a cruise ship's dining room, which features large windows showcasing the ocean view. Other diners can be seen in the background, adding to the upscale ambiance of the scene.

I’m not talking about the dance here, just to be clear. This is about dental flossing.

Look, I know that when you’re enjoying your dinner on a cruise, but you get a chunk of food stuck in your teeth, it might be a little frustrating.

Still, if you absolutely have to floss, excuse yourself to the bathroom or something. People have talked about seeing others floss at the table or even when in line for the buffet, and that’s gross – have some respect for others.

Final Word

These are some of the recurring issues with bad manners that people have seen on cruises, and I’m sure there are more – feel free to add your own story in the comments.

Basic manners should be easy, but there are some specific cruise ship etiquette rules you might want to brush up on before you sail.

They are basic and they do cover some of these manner faux pas, but there are some other tips too that you should make sure you know for your next cruise.

If you found this interesting, please share!

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.