I’m a cruise ship expert – these are the 10 mistakes tourists always make | Travel News | Travel

A cruise ship expert, who has been working on the ships for over nine years, has shared 10 common mistakes made by first-time passengers on board. 

Lucy Southerton, 28, from Birmingham, shares advice on how passengers and fellow crew members can get the most out of their experience, reports Mail Online. 

She recently uploaded a video on her YouTube channel, Cruising as Crew, she delved into the most common pitfalls that new “cruisers” often encounter and how to prevent them.

Lucy explained that most newbie cruisers make the first mistake of “treating a cruise like an all-inclusive holiday” and therefore not budgeting properly.

She explained: “If some people have solely done all-inclusive holidays, they make the mistake of thinking a cruise vacation is very similar to that. So a lot of people do not budget for extra expenses while they are on board because they have the misconception that most things will be free.”

The cruise ship worker added: “While part of this is true, and most of your food is included in the buffet and the dining area,” there will be activities and restaurants that cost extra cash. 

Lucy also emphasised the importance of budgeting for the gratuity bill, which might catch first-time cruisers off guard.

It’s crucial to allocate funds for this beforehand to avoid any last-minute scrambling for cash at the end of your vacation.

She said: “With a lot of cruises, you get hit with the gratuity bill at the end, which I have also seen a lot of people not budget for.”

Many holidaymakers who are new to the world of cruising do not manage their time efficiently enough and have even been left behind after missing the ship’s departure time. 

Lucy added: “When it does happen it is usually first-time cruisers because they get off at the port, go off and explore by themselves, which is part of the fun – but what they don’t allow for is time to get back.”

Citing an example of the Bahamas, which is “known for having horrendous traffic”, she concluded: “It obviously makes things very difficult for the cruise line and it is just an all-around mess. So, when you’re on a cruise, it is very different from a hotel that is going to stay stationary.

“You absolutely have to make it a priority to get back to the ship on time and ask crew members what the traffic is like at each port if you’re getting a taxi to a certain destination.”

She suggested that “travel insurance should never be skipped whether you’re going on a land holiday or a cruise – but especially on a cruise ship”.

She continued: “The reason why is, your cruise could be cancelled because of weather changes. You or a family member could get ill, or the flights to the destination where you’re joining your cruise ship could be cancelled or delayed.

“Unlike a land holiday, where if your flight is eight hours late and the hotel stays where it is, the cruise ship moves so if your flight is eight hours delayed that’s going to mean you’ll miss it. You absolutely have to get travel insurance as soon as you book the cruise.”

The cruise expert has warned against getting too “click happy” when booking excursions. She suggested booking just three for a one-week cruise, and a maximum of six for a two-week cruise. 

She explained: “Most excursions start at like seven or eight o’clock in the morning, which is fine if you’re a morning person, but a lot of people on vacation like to have a bit of a lie in. 

“I have definitely seen it where people have booked an excursion for every single day and they’re like oh my God I’m knackered, I can’t do this, I can’t keep up. They are incredibly exciting but they drain your energy and everyone vacations differently.

“If you’re like most people and you want some exciting days but some relaxing days, keep this in mind when you’re booking your excursions and don’t book one for every single day.”

Passengers must not miss the safety briefings, Lucy warned.

She said: ‘I think we can all have the attitude of, it’s never going to happen to me, I’m never going to be on a cruise ship that gets in an emergency. 

“While I hope to God that is true for you, you just never know. As crew members, what we don’t want in an emergency is everyone running around panicked because they didn’t pay attention in the initial safety briefing so they don’t know where their emergency station is.

“If you take nothing else from it, please just know where you have to go in the event of an emergency.”

The expert has suggested people make sure they are researching the ports that their cruise ship is going to go to

She said: “A mistake I see first-time cruisers make is not researching the ports that their cruise ship is going to go to – and you really want to do this before you book your excursions. For example, in Nassau in the Bahamas, there is a straw market right outside the ship. There was an excursion available onboard the cruise ship to take you to the straw market.

“So naturally, people who’d booked this excursion were a little bit p***** off when they got there. You don’t want to book an excursion that you could do on your own.”

When planning a vacation, the prospect of falling ill and requiring medication is often overlooked. However, it’s wise to anticipate such possibilities and ensure you are prepared for them.

Lucy said: “It’s always good to just bring a little pharmacy with you. Bring a bandage, bring a plaster, bring some ibuprofen. A few little bits and bobs so that if you get a cold or if you feel seasick, you don’t have to traipse down to the medical centre and wait for ages to be seen.”

Make a list of activities you want to explore and book them in advance, Lucy suggested. Number eight on the Birmingham native’s list is the mistake of not pre-booking activities and restaurants. 

She told viewers: “If you research the ship before you get on board and you see a restaurant that you really want to go to, most of these cruise lines now have apps and you can pre-book everything before you even get on the cruise.

“Pre-book it. Even if you end up cancelling your booking, pre-book it, because once it’s fully booked that’s it. Things get fully booked very quickly so you need to make sure you get in there and get what you want”.

Next, here’s something first-time cruise travellers might not know: It’s common not to receive your luggage until the evening of your first day onboard. Items like phone chargers, shower essentials, and clean clothing are common culprits of being left behind in the main luggage. 

Lucy recalled: “When you get on board a cruise ship, you will usually leave your large luggage with the crew members and this will arrive at your cabin later in the day.

“But sometimes this can be much later in the day because the crew members can have between 3,000 and 10,000 pieces of luggage to sort through. So, make sure you have your essentials or things you are going to want as soon as you get on board the cruise ship, in your backpack – just so you’ve got it right there and can get on with your day.”

Lastly, inexperienced cruisers may overlook the significance of selecting the appropriate cabin. Lucy advised securing cabins with optimal conditions to minimise the risk of seasickness.

She said: “If it’s your first cruise, I’m sure sea sickness has crossed your mind. Cabin location is going to play a huge part in this so you want to be in the centre of the ship. You don’t want to be in the back, you definitely don’t want to be in the front because that’s where you’re going to feel the movement the most.

“So when you book a cabin, you want to make sure it is in the center of the ship. Also, you want to make sure that the cabin you book is surrounded by other cabins. The cheaper cabins will have a restaurant above them or a gym above them because it’s going to be noisy so cabin location is really important.”