- Overindulgent Guests
- Walking Noise Complaints
- Know-It-Alls
- Rule-Breaking Smokers
- Entitled and Rude Passengers
- Checked-Out Parents and Their Out-of-Control Kids
- Chair Hogs and Seat Savers
- Latecomers
- Line Cutters
- Impatient Elevator Users
- Anti-germaphobes
- Social Media Obsessors & Amateur Documentarians
- Overly Romantic Couples
Entitled and Rude Passengers
These individuals act as if they are superior to everyone else. They are often rude to the crew, constantly complaining, and demanding compensation. They may insult staff members and skimp on gratuities, believing the service was never good enough. They will also vent their frustrations to any other passenger who will listen.
How to Deal With It: The best course of action is to not engage. Remove yourself from the situation to avoid getting drawn into their negativity. If their behavior towards the crew becomes verbally abusive, you can discreetly mention it to a head waiter, hotel director, or Guest Services.
Checked-Out Parents and Their Out-of-Control Kids
Some parents treat a cruise as a vacation from their parenting duties. This can lead to unsupervised children who are, at best, annoying (e.g., pushing all the elevator buttons) and, at worst, a danger to themselves by performing stunts like climbing on railings.
How to Deal With It: Avoid disciplining someone else's child. If the behavior is simply annoying, try moving to a different area. If you witness a child in a genuinely dangerous situation, immediately find the nearest crew member or security officer to intervene.
Chair Hogs and Seat Savers
Perhaps the most notorious cruisers, these are the people who claim prime lounge chairs by the pool early in the morning with a towel or book and then leave them empty for hours. This behavior also happens in theaters, where one person saves multiple prime seats for people who may arrive late or not at all.
How to Deal With It: Do not move their belongings yourself, as this can cause conflict. Many cruise lines, like Carnival, now have policies where staff will remove items from chairs left unattended for more than 40 minutes. If you see this happening, you can politely ask a pool attendant about the ship's policy. In the theater, simply find another seat.
Latecomers
These guests consistently operate on their own schedule, delaying dining service at shared tables, causing disturbances when arriving late to theater shows, and even holding up shore excursion buses.
How to Deal With It: You can ask your dining room waiter not to wait for perpetually late tablemates. For shore excursions, politely remind the tour guide of the scheduled departure time. In a theater, there is little to do but ignore the disturbance.
Line Cutters
Whether at the buffet, a tender port, or a rental stand on a private island, these people will try to bypass the queue, often by sending one person ahead to hold a spot for a large group.
How to Deal With It: Directly confronting a line cutter can lead to an unpleasant argument. The best strategy is to ignore them. While frustrating, engaging is rarely worth the potential conflict.
Impatient Elevator Users
These are the people who will shove their way into an already full elevator rather than wait for the next one. They often refuse to move to let others off and can be particularly inconsiderate to disabled guests who cannot take the stairs.
How to Deal With It: Hold your ground politely but firmly. A simple "There's no more room" can be effective. If you are trying to exit, say "Excuse me" clearly. Avoid getting into a physical pushing match.
Overindulgent Guests
This category includes two types: those who drink too much and become loud, aggressive, or belligerent, and "buffet gluttons" who pile their plates with more food than they can eat, creating waste.
How to Deal With It: If you encounter a dangerously intoxicated guest who is becoming aggressive or violent, do not engage. Find a bar manager or a security officer immediately and report the behavior. With buffet gluttons, the only course of action is to ignore them.
Walking Noise Complaints
These guests forget they are in a shared space. They talk loudly through theater performances, shout across the dining room, and stomp back to their cabins late at night. This also includes people who blast music or videos from their phones in public areas.
How to Deal With It: If the noise is coming from a neighboring cabin, you can call security to file a noise complaint. In a public area, moving away from the source of the noise is the easiest solution.
Know-It-Alls
These are often veteran cruisers who feel the need to give everyone unsolicited advice on how they should be enjoying their vacation. They may brag about their loyalty status and can make others feel like they are cruising "the wrong way."
How to Deal With It: A polite smile and a simple, "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," is a good way to end the conversation before walking away. There is no need to argue or defend your vacation choices.
Rule-Breaking Smokers
Cruise ships have designated smoking areas for safety reasons. However, some guests will ignore the rules and smoke on their private balconies. This is an extreme fire hazard and the smoke can bother neighboring guests.
How to Deal With It: This is a serious safety violation. Report it to Guest Services immediately. They will handle the situation directly with the offending passenger.
Anti-Germaphobes
These are passengers with poor hygiene habits, such as coughing without covering their mouths, using the serving spoon in the buffet to taste food, or leaving the restroom without washing their hands. These actions can contribute to illness outbreaks on the ship.
How to Deal With It: If you witness a serious hygiene breach like the buffet spoon incident, discreetly and immediately alert a crew member so they can replace the contaminated food. Otherwise, protect yourself by washing your own hands frequently.
Social Media Obsessors & Amateur Documentarians
These guests experience their entire vacation through a phone screen. They may walk slowly while scrolling, block walkways to take the perfect photo, or film other passengers without their consent.
How to Deal With It: Be patient and simply walk around them. If you are accidentally hit with a selfie stick or find yourself uncomfortably in their shot, a polite "Excuse me" is usually enough to make them aware of their surroundings.
Overly Romantic Couples
While a cruise is a romantic setting, some couples engage in excessive public displays of affection (PDA) that can make others uncomfortable, particularly in shared spaces like a hot tub or pool.
How to Deal With It: The simplest solution is to move to another area. If their behavior is making you and others uncomfortable, you can leave the hot tub or pool and give them their privacy.
Now we want to hear from you! Have you encountered any of these characters on your travels, or is there a type we missed from our list? Drop your best story in the comments below!
When you’re ready to plan an amazing getaway of your own, contact Infinity Fun and Travel for personalized, expert assistance in planning your next trip. And don't forget to share this guide with your favorite cruise buddy before you both set sail!
Comments
Post a Comment