How to Have the Best Time, and Make Sure Others Have the Best Time, on a Cruise (Cruise Etiquette)

On my last cruise, Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, I wrote down such a detailed evaluation that I was able to give RC Corporate my comments on each event and activity in which I participated. What I seem to have neglected, however, is to get everyone's name, and maybe country/state, which would help the company know about whom I was writing.

First things first. There are a LOT of people onboard. You just have to accept that there are crowds and masses of people all over the place at times. Some events are more popular than others, and some are actually less popular and less crowded. One of the first things you'll notice is when you go to your first evening meal in the main dining room. You will probably be sitting with some strangers. You might not be able to move to another table, so you will have to get used to that. And, most likely, you will develop a nice friendship with your table mates. You can talk about the events you did that day, and those that you are planning that night. You can talk about the food and certain places to see onboard and on land. It will help a lot of people if you were to be nice to your table mates and include them in many of your conversations.

Another point which I noticed on this last cruise was that many people took videos and flash photographs of performances. For safety(flashes can temporarily blind dancers) and copyright(infringement) reasons, you really aren't supposed to. And sometimes you would end up getting in people's way to photograph something, too. And, if you can't see the show, there isn't much point of going. Is there?

Since there are so many people in certain places at certain times, you really have to be aware of your surroundings. Don't block passageways or push people over to get by. And when you see someone, such as in the elevator, at least smile and say, "Hello," which is the the most basic, common, and internationally well-known form of normal, human courtesy.

There are so many events onboard, you really should take advantage of as many as you can. Granted, some do start at 7am, such as stretching class in the gym, but many of them are so fulfilling and rewarding. And you will get to meet even more of your fellow passengers and wonderful crew and staff members. But only if you go. And, if you do go to that stretching class, you might actually return for, besides the usual workouts, some wonderful, and highly educational seminars there too.

And don't forget that many cruise ships are sailing on Sundays, which means they just might offer a religious service or recorded video sermon. That will fulfill you too.

If you're going to a show, don't arrive late. Some of the shows are only 15-30 minutes long to begin with. And certainly don't stand around in the aisles or rows when you do go in, especially late because it’s impossible to see through people.

There are so many musical events, groups, and performances all over the ship, you will have to find at least one style or group that you prefer. And make sure to frequent them and report in your evaluations that you enjoyed them so much. In fact, make sure to report all the good that you can remember in your evaluation. There really DO get read, and taken VERY seriously.

The Captain's Reception is always well-attended. Sometimes too well-attended. But it's nice to get to see the captain and officers and to mingle with them, with the customary champagne in hand. Of course, you don't have to drink if you don't want to.

Note, despite news reports of violence and terrible natural events such as earthquakes and hurricanes, the ports are relatively safe and secure, and most likely not well-damaged. I wouldn't advise going off on your own, of course, but even a small group should be fine.

When the ship does stop in port, even if you've been there before, I still suggest getting off the boat and onto dry land, even if it's for only an hour or so. You can go to a nearby beach or browse the shops at port, and get a wonderful photograph of your ship there, too.

You can always come back onboard early, and there are events going on onboard even while in port. At one of my early returns in port, i opted for a line dance lesson, for example.

Even during events, especially many of the major performances onboard, you get the opportunity to observe things other than the actual performance. You can people-watch the audience before and after, which is often entertaining in itself. But during slow, or uninteresting, parts of the show itself, you can always focus on the very talents that created such amazing sets, scenery, props, and definitely the costumes. Many of them are absolutely amazing!

Of course, if you don't like something, you can always leave early and go to one event or group that you liked before. They do enjoy repeat customers! And you'll likely even end up making new friends with other regulars as well as the performers themselves.

Sometimes the port itself, of the nearby area, isn't all that great. You can always return back to the ship early, since they still have those events going on. And there is still lots of food, and this time lots of room and space, and almost no lines!

Have backup plans available, too. Sometimes events are cancelled for one reason or another, so you should always have some other event to go to, or you can just go back to your room. And order room service, why not?

As I continue to go through my comments, I always seemed to make suggestions on how something could have been made better. The cruise lines really do appreciate the extra help in making their cruises, and cruise events, even more successful. So, by all means, write down your constructive suggestions in your comments.

Despite cruise lines having the reputation of causing people to gain weight with all of that really good food, or usually really good food, there is no rule anywhere that you have to gain anything at all. In fact, this last time, I actually managed to lose a pound while onboard. There is probably a wonderful gym (which is incidentally quite full at the beginning, but quite empty at the end), a jogging track, dancing events, and other move-making activities onboard. If nothing more, with all of the motion of the ocean going on, you will at least be able to work on your balance as you walk from the bow all the way back to the stern.

Of course, you don't always have to stay active either. You can just sit down and watch some really good shows and performances as well. I stress the term "sit down" because, for some reason, some people like to arrive late to a 15-minute special performance and stand in the aisles and rows.

Another tip I learned from cruising is that you really do want to get involved. You can interact with your fellow passengers, of course, but have fun and interact with the staff and crew as well. They work incredibly long and hard, and a friendly smile will really help them.

While you are being spoiled, sometimes it's nice to take advantage of it all. Stay in your room for one of your meals, perhaps breakfast on the balcony. You can get room service any time of day or night, and before midnight it's free! And there are many other free options onboard, such as the traditional shuffleboard, which I believe should be played at least once per cruise to really keep the nostalgia going. Many ships even offer golfing, rock climbing, and some great pools and water slides. You can really take advantage of them all, plus have lots of time for ship photographs, if you return early from your port stay.

Keep working on your daily routine activities. The gym won't be open much longer! In fact, by the end of the cruise, it's almost empty, so there's really no reason to not go back there.

Another thing you might want to do is take photographs, videos (when allowed), and notes, especially for demonstrations and the like. There is an awful lot to remember sometimes! Incidentally, the notes are also great for remembering people and events which were either good or bad for when it comes time to comment.

And when it does come time to comment, please do it. Give as much detail, names and events, as possible for each comment. And don't be completely generic for everything. Surely everything wasn't excellent, nor was it all horrendous. You can even include suggestions for how to make things better. Or why you liked something or someone so much.

All in all, the most important point I can make about having a good time is just to do it. Enjoy yourself. Oh, and make sure to book it first, at the best cruise place online, www.kingarthur.myttn.com today!