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.
Those with years of cruising under their belt will recall a time when the price of admission went further than just covering one’s cabin, food and passage.
While not every ship has let go of such traditions, enough have been made into paid extras or optional rarities that an old hand is quick to spot it.
25. A Paper Daily Program Waiting in the Cabin
There was a certain simplicity to the evening routine: put in a pen and circle the port talk, some trivia and a show on the day’s program left for you on the bed.
Lately the schedule is to be found in an app for the most part, so one must make sure to have a charged phone at hand during a holiday meant as a respite from them.
It is a matter of degree. Carnival has put cabin delivery back in place after hearing from its passengers, but on other vessels you will find paper only if you ask at Guest Services. A good policy is to inquire before you set sail if a printed planner is going to be provided or if it has been done away with.
24. Reading a Real Menu Instead of Scanning a Code
Dinner had the air of an occasion with a hard copy menu. One could hand it over to compare appetizers without having to rouse a phone screen.
Digital versions are easy to update but can be a nuisance with poor eyesight or a battery running low. Some dining rooms still put out paper of their own accord; others make you ask for it, and some would have you make every choice via the app.
A question worth asking: does your line supply paper menus and schedules? Best to put in the request prior to embarkation rather than at the first meal.
23. A Chocolate on the Pillow at Night
The chocolate on the pillow was never anything special, which was the appeal of it. Coming back from dinner to see the curtains drawn and the bed turned down with a small confection there put a nice touch on an otherwise standard cabin.
You will not find it on many mainstream sailings anymore, though premium lines tend to keep up the custom. On some, even the evening service has thinned out. Do not make any assumptions. An old review is no guide; look at recent pictures of the very ship in question.
22. Complimentary Postcards and Ship Stationery
In the past the cabin desk would have postcards and stationery bearing the ship’s name for a note to be mailed or kept with the ticket stub. Now it is more often QR codes for the spa and cards to nudge you toward your next booking.
The branded paper is still around but no longer something to count on. It is a minor thing, but it speaks to a broader shift.
The room once held items that were meant to be remembered, as opposed to being a prompt for another sale. Make a call to Guest Services to see if they have any ship postcards and bring along a notebook.
21. An Onboard Library That Felt Like a Library
The library on an older vessel was a room in its own right, with deep chairs, a jigsaw puzzle making slow progress on the table and plenty of reading material.
Newer ships might have an unstaffed lounge with a single shelf in its place. E-readers have altered habits, but so has the value of the square footage.
While large, entertainment heavy ships may give you little more than a book exchange, the traditional lines and smaller ones will still have a quiet place to read. Have a look at the deck plan. A proper library is one thing, a bookcase in a cafe is another.
20. Cruise Staff Leading Games on the Open Deck
Quoits, shuffleboard and the like used to occupy the hours until tea and gave people who did not know each other something to say.
These days a water coaster or climbing wall makes for a better photograph than a wooden puck on a court and the attractions are more spectacular. It can turn into a case of queuing for entertainment instead of partaking in it.
Some classic ships do still put on deck games. Look past the hardware. What is important is whether the program has hosted sessions, not what the deck plan shows in the way of a lonely court.
19. Afternoon Tea Served as an Occasion
Proper afternoon tea was not simply a bag by the coffee machine at the buffet. There was a pianist and waiters with trays; the service itself was the point.
You will find a more casual arrangement on many of the mainstream ships these days, or perhaps the whole affair has been dropped in favour of a one off scheduling. There is a cost in staff, china and the use of a room for another function.
Then there is Cunard, the clear outlier with its white-gloved attendants and the daily tea they put on in the Queens Room. You will find other premium lines have their own way of doing things. Do not be taken in by the wording. “Afternoon tea available” is no substitute for a proper hosted service.
18. Sharing the Same Table With the Same Strangers
With traditional dining one was seated at the same table night after night. Come the last dinner, it was common knowledge who was ordering two starters and who was foregoing dessert. Flexible dining has its merits; port days can run long and some would rather not be stuck with the same tablemates for a week.
But you lose the chance of an unforced friendship. No app or shared interest was required to make an introduction, the dining room saw to that. One can still opt for fixed seating but it is wise to do so early.
17. A Dining Team That Learned Your Routine
A waiter and his assistant would shadow the table for the duration of the voyage. By the third night they knew who was in a hurry for food or shunned onions in favour of sparkling water.
Anytime dining offers more freedom, yet the service team may be different at each meal. The professionalism is there but the little shortcuts of personal hospitality are absent.
It is a trade-off passengers argue over as much as the cruise habits veteran passengers continue to disagree about. If you want to find it, go with fixed dining. On a flexible plan you can request the same section.
16. A Dedicated Wine Steward in the Dining Room
The wine steward would recall an open bottle from the previous evening and put it on your table while running through the list, all without having six dinner orders to balance.
Now the dining team is expected to cover food, cocktails and wine on many ships. A server with a full plate has less inclination to talk you through a bottle.
You will find sommeliers in the specialty rooms and the like, but that kind of service has often been put behind a higher price point. Be mindful of the package language: it covers your drinks but does not obligate them to provide dedicated wine service.
15. Shaking the Captain’s Hand at a Welcome Reception
In the past the captain’s welcome was a receiving line. One would come dressed for dinner, exchange handshakes and depart with a photo. Given the captain’s schedule and security concerns, thousands of guests do not fit into a cocktail hour these days.
He might put in an appearance on stage or for a loyalty gathering but do not count on a handshake. For a sense of how crew view the shift in what passengers expect, our cruise passenger habits crew members quietly hate is worth a look.
14. Receiving an Invitation to the Captain’s Table
An invitation to the captain’s table was something of a mystery and a social honour. A select few would be there, perhaps making sure they did not reach for the wrong fork. While some lines keep up officer tables on their smaller or luxury vessels, the captain on a large ship is more likely to eat in private.
The modern “Chef’s Table” is usually a paid affair, a culinary experience rather than an honour. Think of it as a premium reservation. Consider any such invite a bonus and not part of what the fare entitles you to.
13. Twice-Daily Cabin Service as the Standard
Once the morning reset the cabin and the turndown in the evening was when the bed was made and the curtains drawn while one dined. Some have reduced ordinary cabins to a single scheduled service, though suites get more of a look-in and others still tout nightly turndown.
A thorough clean is sufficient for most. What is frustrating is for a returning passenger to find out about it once on board, particularly if the price did not reflect the change.
Cabin check: find out if it is a once or twice daily affair. The practical details appear in our cruise cabin mistakes that can ruin a trip.
12. Passing Out Tip Envelopes on the Final Night
Small envelopes were de rigueur on the final night for the waiter, assistant and cabin steward. You would hand the cash over in person.
Automatic gratuities are easier and take care of the crew you do not see, but they also reduce a thank-you to an entry on the account. Some still put down extra for good work and the old ways endure, though you have to supply the envelope.
Before acting on old wisdom, check the policy. There are a few first-time cruise behaviors that give passengers away based on assumptions that no longer hold.
11. Letting Family and Friends Come Aboard to Say Goodbye
There was a time when “bon voyage” allowed the family to step into the cabin for a drink and say their piece before the ship put to sea. The parting was on deck, not at some terminal curb.
Most lines have put an end to that with today’s security standards. Carnival and Holland America are among those with strict no-visitor rules, save for a wedding or the like.
A vessel must have an exact headcount when thousands of passengers and all their gear are in transit. One loses the ceremony of it. The holiday should start with loved ones waving from the ship rather than a hasty exchange by the rideshare lane.
10. Sail-Away Streamers and Crowds on the Pier
You can see it in old photos: the band playing as relatives wave, a streamer between pier and ship until the paper gives way and the vessel is off. Practicality has won out over such things given modern terminals and environmental and security regulations.
The festivities have been relocated to the pool deck and giant screens with a souvenir cup in hand. It is a louder affair these days, but more inward looking; one is apt to be watching the entertainment rather than the city recede.
If you want a proper send off, get to an open rail when the music comes on. No production team could put together what the harbor offers.
9. A Formal Night That Actually Felt Formal
The whole ship would put on airs for formal night. Tuxedos and gowns were de rigueur on the staircase and even the unenthusiastic put up for a photo.
Now the language has been softened to “elegant” or “smart attire” by many operators for the sake of accessibility. You might find a table in sequins and the next in polo shirts.
Cunard and a few of the premium brands will still insist on black tie for a Gala Evening, but expectations on the mainstream ships are a matter of which dining room you are in. Put in your suitcase what the cruise you have booked calls for.
8. Dancing to a Live Orchestra After Dinner
After dessert, the dance band provided a destination for couples in the ballroom while the musicians read the floor. While the talent on board is fine, you will not find an orchestra on most modern ships unless you are with a traditional line.
Solo acts and DJs take up less room. Cunard is an exception, touting live orchestras in the Queens Room for its Gala Evenings. Then again, a recent program listing “Live music onboard” may well be a string trio or a lone guitarist by the bar.
7. Touring the Bridge Without Buying Another Ticket
It used to be easy enough to make a visit to the galley or bridge to see how the floating hotel was run. Security has put a stop to casual wandering. Some have reintroduced tours in a controlled fashion, though usually for a fee.
Royal Caribbean has its All Access Tour and Carnival puts out Behind the Fun. Satisfying your curiosity is going to cost you and likely require a booking. Make sure you can handle the steep crew stairs and being on your feet for hours before you fork over the money.
6. Desserts Finished With a Flame at the Table
A server would tip the pan for cherries jubilee or bananas Foster and you would see the blue flame as the room went dark. With insurance and fire codes to consider, along with the need for speed, the ritual is hard to defend. Dessert is served assembled.
You will only find the tableside preparation in the luxury venues or a specialty spot. Cunard still does flambé in its top restaurant. The food is every bit as good, if one is to miss the smell of caramel and the room pausing to watch a single plate.
5. The Baked Alaska Parade
There was a time when the final dinner would see waiters bringing out Baked Alaska to the sound of applause and the fluttering of napkins, with everyone in the room putting down their cutlery to photograph the meringue being torched over ice cream.
The parade endured on account of its good natured absurdity; dessert did not require a procession, after all. These days open flames and more flexible dining have put a damper on the spectacle. Some lines will put on a safer version of it, but do not count on it as a universal way to end the evening.
Cruise food offers greater variety at the expense of certain communal occasions. For an account of what goes on behind the dining room doors, see our cruise ship food facts passengers rarely hear.
4. A Midnight Buffet Built for Spectacle
A midnight buffet was never just about getting something to eat late. Passengers were there for the show: to put on camera the ice swans, chocolate fountains, carved fruit and the like. In the end much of it was left on the plate.
With passengers having put away a multi course dinner already, the waste was hard to justify and labor costs were no small matter. Late night pizza is a more sensible affair. It has a way of turning what was once a talked about event into a snack one does not recall.
Some ships will bring it back from time to time for a holiday or longer sailing, but do not assume the buffet is either a given or a thing of the past. Have a look at the recent programs.
3. Room Service That Came With the Fare
Coffee before an excursion or a sandwich after the show used to be among the finer inclusions of a cruise. One would leave a tip and be on one’s way.
Now it is common for lines to price items a la carte or make delivery an extra charge, with only continental breakfast left free of cost. Royal Caribbean, for instance, tacks on a gratuity and fee for most orders.
Room service can still be worth it if it means keeping a good night’s sleep or making the balcony the best table in the house. Compare the menu to the cruise purchases first-timers should check before paying prior to boarding.
2. A Main Dining Room Without a Sales Pitch
The main dining room was where you went for the heart of the fare. An unfamiliar appetizer could be ordered without any thought as to whether it came with a surcharge.
While included dining is still quite generous, the upgrades are another story: specialty restaurants, chef’s tables, premium steaks and pairings. It is a welcome choice until the option that is included seems made to be ordinary.
Those who have been around will spot when the meal that looks best is on a separate menu with a price tag. Do some homework on the current menus before committing to a package. The cruise drink-package mistakes that cost passengers is subject to the same break even arithmetic.
1. The Feeling That Most of the Cruise Was Already Paid For
The Tradition Passengers Miss More Than Any Single Buffet
In a way this ties the rest of it together. You could not miss the old advertising copy with its straightforward proposition: pay your way on and let the voyage handle the rest. There was a completeness to it. Modern fares have their value but the distinction is in how frequently one is invited to put money down for Wi-Fi, private space, faster boarding or a better table.
One might as well say the irritation is not the existence of extras so much as the feeling that the vacation you have paid for is merely the first rung on a very long price list. Whether it is to curb waste or for security, some changes are understandable. Others are simply moving amenities into a paid tier.
Our piece on cruise lines passengers say have gone downhill makes plain how that is received by different brands. The sensible approach is to know what the fare covers and pick a line with priorities in alignment, then pass on any upgrade that does not add to the experience. The midnight buffet may be gone for good, but the notion that a cruise ought to be a generous affair is a tradition that should be upheld.
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