A former cruise worker reveals 6 things she'd never do on ships

Travel

by Tracy Swartz

A knot on her watch!

reveals Tammy Barr, who says she has worked on cruises for three years In a new article from inside The 6 things you never do on a plane.

Barr's nauti menu includes cash-in for food or beverage package upgrades; touching certain surfaces with bare hands; Wearing the room key as a necklace; Use of improper sea rules; And the risk of not returning to the ship on time.

She doesn't mean to be cheesy, but she strongly advises against eating “complementary” dinner items.

“I know $12 may not seem like a lot for a steak or lobster for dinner, but the cost of the cruise should include your food,” Barr wrote to Insider. “So, even though I enjoy lobster, I stick to the no extra charge varieties.”

Data from late 2023 found that a five-night Caribbean cruise cost around $736 per person – a massive 43% rise compared to the same time in 2019, with demand for cruise holidays soaring in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bar keeps costs in mind while advising against unlimited drink offerings, especially for travelers who plan to leave the ship's bars to go ashore for the day.

Third, Barr suggests touching common surfaces like elevator buttons with your knuckles or elbows.

“This strategy has worked for me, as I have never had norovirus, even when it was circulating on a ship I was on,” Barr said. “It's quite contagious and can stay on your hand even after using hand sanitizer. I'd definitely rather be safe than sorry.

There were 13 outbreaks of norovirus — an easily spread contagious disease — reported on cruises in 2023, the most since 2012, when there were 16 confirmed outbreaks.

The first outbreak of norovirus in 2024 was recorded in January, on a Celebrity Cruises cruise ship.

Also to be safe, Barr recommends not wearing your room key around your neck, as it looks “pretentious” and “like an invitation to be robbed.”

When talking about con-sea-ted, Parr is particularly interested in how ships are identified.

“Ships have proper nouns, so they don't need a definite article. For example, 'Tomorrow I'm embarking on a Discovery Princess cruise,' or 'I enjoyed a scenic cruise on the MS Westerdam,'” conveys that to the Insider audience.

Finally, make sure you get back to the ship on time, so you don't ruin your vacation.

Just last month, Norwegian Cruise Line left eight passengers stranded on a small island in Africa after their private tour was delayed.