Editor’s note: This article is solely an opinion piece, based on publicly available passenger commentary, cruise line guidance, and industry reporting we found online.
Experienced cruisers do not agree on one perfect way to cruise.
This list shows both sides, then gives you a simple way to choose.
25. Flying In The Morning Of The Cruise
Some veteran passengers accept a same-day flight on a short, familiar route because it saves a hotel night.
Why people disagree: Others see one delay, cancellation, or missed connection as too much risk for a ship that will not wait.
Bottom line: The cautious default is arriving at least a day early, especially for international ports or winter weather. Same-day travel only makes sense when the traveler understands the ticket protections and can absorb a missed sailing.
24. Buying The Earliest Boarding Slot
Early boarding gives passengers more ship time and a head start on lunch, reservations, and orientation.
It can also mean terminal lines, crowded public rooms, and hours without cabin access.
Choose early when those extra hours matter and carry only what you can comfortably keep. A later arrival can be calmer when check-in is smooth and the first day is not treated as a race.
If you prefer buying the earliest boarding slot, still respect ship rules, crew workload, and other passengers.
23. Unpacking Every Single Item
Full unpackers say a cabin feels like home once drawers are used and suitcases disappear.
Minimal unpackers prefer cubes because drawers can be awkward, the trip is short, and repacking becomes faster.
Long sailings reward a thoughtful unpack, while a three-night cruise may not. Either way, store luggage safely, keep medications accessible, and do a final drawer and safe check before leaving.
The right answer on unpacking every single item can change with the cruise line and itinerary.
22. Carrying The Daily Planner On Paper
Paper loyalists like seeing the whole day without battery anxiety or notification menus.
App loyalists value live changes, reservations, maps, and reminders that a printed schedule cannot update.
Simple answer: Use the format that makes you look up from the phone and still notice changes. Many experienced passengers photograph the paper planner and keep the app available for time-sensitive information.
Treat carrying the daily planner on paper as a preference, not a rule every cruiser must follow.
21. Booking Every Show On Day One
Advance reservations protect must-see shows on ships with limited venues.
The downside is turning a vacation into a rigid chain of alarms before passengers understand their energy or dinner rhythm.
Reserve the one or two experiences you would regret missing, then leave gaps. Check cancellation rules and release unwanted seats early so flexibility does not become wasted capacity for someone else.
When considering booking every show on day one, keep the cost and inconvenience visible up front.
20. Choosing Traditional Dining
Fixed dining builds familiarity with the same table and service team, which many repeat cruisers love.
The other side: Flexible dining works better for changing port days, but popular times can create waits and inconsistent rhythm.
Pick fixed dining when routine and relationships matter more than spontaneity. Choose flexible dining when the itinerary drives the evening, then reserve busy time slots rather than assuming anytime means immediate.
For choosing traditional dining, choose the option that makes this sailing easier for you.
19. Paying For Specialty Dining
Some veterans consider specialty restaurants the best meals onboard and a worthy part of the vacation.
Others object to paying again when main dining and casual venues are already included in the fare.
Better approach: Study recent menus and choose a restaurant with a distinct experience, not merely a quieter room. One deliberate splurge often feels better than a package that forces extra meals into full days.
If you prefer paying for specialty dining, still respect ship rules, crew workload, and other passengers.
18. Buying A Drink Package
Package fans value a predictable bill and the freedom to try drinks without tracking each purchase.
Pay-as-you-go passengers dislike break-even pressure, mandatory cabin rules, exclusions, and paying for port hours ashore.
Calculate an ordinary day and a port day using current line pricing, taxes, and service charges. The right answer can change between two sailings for the same person, so loyalty to one rule is unnecessary.
17. Eating At The Buffet On Embarkation Day
The buffet is immediate and familiar, but it can become the first bottleneck as passengers board hungry with luggage.
Veterans who avoid it head to an included dining room or lesser-known casual venue.
Know two lunch options before boarding and choose based on actual crowds. The smartest habit is not avoiding buffets forever; it is refusing to join the first line simply because everyone else did. Also compare our first-time cruise habits that give passengers away.
16. Ordering Room Service For Breakfast
A cabin breakfast protects sleep, a balcony view, or an early excursion schedule.
It can arrive during a narrow window, offer a limited menu, carry fees, and create dishes in a small room.
Pick based on this: Use it when the morning has a purpose, not because it sounds luxurious online. Confirm charges and order modestly, then leave the cabin clear enough for safe delivery and collection.
When considering ordering room service for breakfast, keep the cost and inconvenience visible up front.
15. Tipping Extra In Cash
Some regulars tip extra at the beginning to recognize anticipated service or build rapport.
The trade-off: Others wait until the end because automatic gratuities already cover the team and service should not feel transactional.
Keep automatic gratuities in place unless there is a genuine service issue to resolve. Additional cash can be a kind thank-you, but courtesy, clear communication, and remembering crew members are working matter every day. Also compare our passenger habits that make life harder for cruise crews.
14. Adjusting Automatic Gratuities
Passengers debate whether service charges are transparent, fairly distributed, or a substitute for cruise lines paying more.
Removing them and tipping only visible staff can miss people working behind the scenes.
Ask guest services how the line distributes charges before changing anything. If there is a service failure, report it while it can be fixed rather than using the final bill as the first conversation.
If you prefer adjusting automatic gratuities, still respect ship rules, crew workload, and other passengers.
13. Saving Pool Chairs
Many veterans agree that abandoning loungers for hours is poor form.
Yet they disagree about breakfast runs, swims, and how long a chair can reasonably stay occupied.
Bottom line: Follow the posted policy and keep genuine breaks short. If the deck is full, ask crew for help instead of moving another passenger’s belongings and creating a confrontation. Also compare our cruise ship food facts that change the onboard math.
12. Dressing Up For Formal Night
Traditionalists enjoy a rare evening of jackets, gowns, and family portraits.
Other loyal cruisers see modern dress codes as optional guidance and prefer polished clothes they can pack lightly.
Respect the venue’s published standard without policing strangers. Wear something that makes the evening feel special to you, and choose a casual venue if formalwear would make dinner feel like work.
Treat dressing up for formal night as a preference, not a rule every cruiser must follow.
11. Staying Busy On Sea Days
Activity lovers schedule trivia, classes, tastings, games, and shows from breakfast onward.
Quiet cruisers believe the point of a sea day is finally reading, napping, and watching the horizon.
Choose one anchor activity, then let the rest of the day breathe. A full schedule is fun when it creates energy, but disappointing when passengers keep leaving one good moment to reach the next.
When considering staying busy on sea days, keep the cost and inconvenience visible up front.
10. Booking Only Ship Excursions
Ship tours reduce timing anxiety and simplify tendering, while independent tours can be smaller, more flexible, and better value.
What changes: Neither channel guarantees a thoughtful guide or an uncrowded route.
Simple answer: Use ship protection for long distances, tight port calls, or mobility needs. For simpler days, compare reputable local operators, return buffers, cancellation terms, and recent reviews before deciding.
For booking only ship excursions, choose the option that makes this sailing easier for you.
9. Staying Onboard In A Port
Destination-focused travelers consider skipping a port a wasted opportunity.
Ship-focused veterans enjoy quiet pools, spa discounts, and familiar surroundings while most passengers are ashore.
Stay onboard intentionally when the port repeats, mobility needs call for rest, or the ship itself is the attraction. On a first visit, at least a short local walk may add more memory than another empty-deck photo.
If you prefer staying onboard in a port, still respect ship rules, crew workload, and other passengers.
8. Chasing Casino Comps
Casino regulars can receive offers that make future cruises look unusually cheap.
The cost is gambling volume, time indoors, restrictions, and the risk of spending far more than the apparent fare discount.
Set an entertainment budget independent of any promised offer and stop when it is gone. A comp is only value when the play was already affordable and enjoyable without chasing a future reward.
The right answer on chasing casino comps can change with the cruise line and itinerary.
7. Sticking With One Cruise Line
Loyalty brings status perks, familiar layouts, and less research.
It can also make passengers overlook a better itinerary, newer ship, or different onboard style simply to protect points.
Better approach: Compare the entire trip before the loyalty benefit. Status is valuable when the lines are otherwise close, but a free bag of laundry rarely rescues an itinerary you did not want.
Treat sticking with one cruise line as a preference, not a rule every cruiser must follow.
6. Decorating The Cabin Door
Door decor helps groups find rooms and creates community on some sailings.
Other passengers see clutter, privacy concerns, or decorations that ignore safety and corridor rules.
Keep it flat, removable, and within the line’s policy if it adds joy. Avoid names, dates, cabin details, adhesives, and anything that extends into a route used during an emergency.
When considering decorating the cabin door, keep the cost and inconvenience visible up front.
5. Hiding Cruise Ducks
Fans see hidden toy ducks as harmless fun that gets families exploring the ship.
Why people disagree: Critics see plastic clutter, extra work for crew, and objects placed where they may become trip hazards.
Follow the cruise line’s policy, keep toys out of shops, pools, stairs, and safety equipment, and attach no personal data. It is optional play, not a tradition every passenger must appreciate.
For hiding cruise ducks, choose the option that makes this sailing easier for you.
4. Watching Every Sailaway From The Top Deck
The top deck offers music, views, and a shared moment as the ship departs.
It also brings wind, crowds, blocked railings, and the same ritual repeated after every port.
Pick based on this: Choose the important departures and vary the viewpoint. A lower promenade, quiet aft area, or cabin balcony can reveal more of the harbor than fighting for the loudest rail position.
If you prefer watching every sailaway from the top deck, still respect ship rules, crew workload, and other passengers.
3. Using Elevators For Every Deck
Stair users argue that short climbs are faster and leave elevators for people who need them.
Others point out that invisible disabilities, fatigue, balance, and long ships make judgment unfair.
Take the stairs when they suit your body and the ship is steady. Give elevators space, let riders exit first, and never assume you know why another passenger is waiting for one floor.
The right answer on using elevators for every deck can change with the cruise line and itinerary.
2. Leaving Bags Outside On The Final Night
Traditional luggage collection makes departure easier because crew move large bags overnight.
Self-assist passengers keep control, avoid searching the terminal, and can leave earlier if they handle everything safely.
Use collection when stairs, crowds, or heavy cases make self-assist unrealistic. Keep medication, documents, valuables, and morning clothes in a carry-on regardless of which method you choose.
Treat leaving bags outside on the final night as a preference, not a rule every cruiser must follow.
1. Choosing Self-Assist Departure
Walking off with every bag can beat terminal queues and suit early travel plans.
It can also mean crowded elevators, steep ramps, and passengers blocking corridors with luggage they cannot control.
Bottom line: Choose self-assist only when everyone can move every bag without help. Otherwise, use the normal system and book transport with enough margin so the last morning does not undo a relaxed vacation.
When considering choosing self-assist departure, keep the cost and inconvenience visible up front.
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