Revised on 02/07/26
Miscellaneous Items - Potential Gotchas.
Most people do not know of the tricks up the sleeves of the cruise lines to watch out for, nor do they understand why the cruise lines do things in what seems to be in an illogical way. This entry is an attempt to warn the reader of potential "gotchas" as well as explain what seems to be illogical to a casual observer.
- Paying for the cruise.
Most cruise lines will let you book a cruise months (or even years) in advance, and allow the cruisers to pay for the cruise over time. Cruisers are required to complete paying for the cruise at a point in time of 3-to-4 months before the cruise sets sail. Cruisers not having paid for their cruises in full at this point will often have their bookings cancelled, and will forfeit any monies paid for their cruises. This 3-to-4 month point before a cruise also affects refunds. Often, one can get a complete refund of all monies spent on a cruise before this point. After this point, only partial refunds are made. The 3-to-4-month complete payment date does not prevent people from making last minute choices to take their cruises. It only means that complete payment for their cruises must be made at the time of booking.
Cruisers must take care when booking add-ons to their cruises after the 3-to-4-month payment date. In one widely reported case, a cruiser went to the cruise line site, started the process to find out what an airport transfer would cost, and accidentally triggered a situation where the cruise line cancelled a $5,000 booking over a non-payment of $135. I would advise making all arrangements before the final payment date, and not changing any arrangements with the cruise line after that date. - Cabin Selection
Most cruisers will need to make a cabin selection before booking a cruise. Do they want an inside cabin, an ocean view cabin, a balcony cabin, or a mini suite? If an ocean view cabin, balcony cabin, or mini suite is selected, are they willing to accept an obstructed view cabin for a lower cost?
Assuming the cruiser knows what type of cabin is desired, then other decisions must now be made. For example, does the cruiser need an “Accessible Cabin?” If so, then this is a requirement that must be stated during the booking process, as there are a limited number of these cabins on the typical cruise ship. And then, does the cruiser have a requirement for where a cabin is located? For example, I want a cabin that is surrounded by other cabins (left, right, floor below, floor above, and across the hall). This way, I am less likely to be bothered by noises coming from places such as the ship’s theater, the ship’s restaurants, the ship’s pool, and other public amenities. If a specific cabin is required, the cruiser will need to pay extra to get the desired cabin. However, one can often save money by buying a “guaranteed cabin”. This means that the cruiser will get a cabin in the category selected, and possibly get upgraded if others buy all the cabins in the selected category.
Be careful of cabin upgrades. Many lines will offer cruisers the chance to bid for a cabin upgrade, or to allow for automatic upgrades to a more expensive cabin class. If one has selected a specific cabin which fits one’s needs, then one should not bid on a cabin upgrade or allow for an automatic upgrade. If one is not careful, one can get “upgraded” to a higher cabin class, but one that does not meet one’s needs – such as a wheelchair bound person getting upgraded to a non-accessible cabin. - Bedroom Setup
Most cruise lines have cabins that can accommodate 2-4 people. Typically, most cabins have a pair of twin beds that can be put together to make a single large bed if desired. (From what I understand, this is not the case on Disney ships, as their large beds cannot be split into separate beds.)
Additionally, some family cabins have “pullman” beds that drop down from the ceiling, and others have sofas that can be converted into beds. This is something easily managed by one's room steward.
Sometimes, the bed may feel a little too firm, or that you may need an extra pillow to sleep. In these cases, the room steward can often supply a mattress topper if needed, as well as the extra pillows the cruiser may need for a restful sleep.
- Phone service (Voice and/or Data).
Marine voice and data charges incurred on a ship are very expensive. To avoid them, I always place my phone in Airplane Mode. This way, my phone cannot connect to the outside world unless I am using the ship’s onboard wi-fi.
Given that I often buy wi-fi data service for my time spent on a cruise ship, not having voice service is not much of an issue. However, one must be careful on how one’s wi-fi connection is used. On one of my cruises, I purchased 300 minutes of wi-fi data. To use this data, I had to log on to the ship’s wi-fi and log off when I was done. One person I met on a cruise forgot to log off, and burned off all of his expensive minutes needlessly.
Wi-fi service on ships tends to be much slower than on land due to the need to transmit/receive data via satellites. In regions with poor “line of sight” to these satellites, the quality of the ship’s internet can be less than impressive. Therefore, unless I had a need to stream video, I would not pay for premium wi-fi unless I absolutely needed it. Starlink™ internet is being installed on many cruise ships to improve data connectivity while at sea. This promises to be a boon for many internet users at sea, as it can handle higher volumes of data at a faster speed than in the past.
- CPAP Machines (and other durable medical equipment).
Many cruisers need CPAP machines in order to have a healthy sleep. Not all rooms are configured with electric sockets near the bed. For these rooms, the room steward can supply an extension cord (and tape it safely to the floor), as well as the distilled water needed for the unit.
Once one has set up his/her CPAP machine, the room steward will usually be able to supply distilled water upon request. However, not all room stewards are at ease using the English language (or other on-board languages), and one may need to go to Guest Services for help with a translation issue.
- Smoking
Virtually all US Based (and many foreign) cruise lines impose limits on where passengers can smoke on a ship. Often, smoking is allowed in a ship’s casino, or some other area designated by the cruise line. With one or two exceptions (which I will not note here), virtually all major cruise lines prohibit smoking in a ship’s cabins or the ship’s balconies. This is not without reason, as a fire in 2006 on the Star Princess left one passenger dead, 11 people injured, and another 100+ rooms scorched.
- Gambling.
Many people like to gamble onboard the ship. If one enjoys playing these games of luck, remember to have your gambling recorded by the cruise line. This way, if you gamble long enough over the length of a cruise, you may qualify for some bonuses provided to cruisers such as free drinks while gambling on future cruises. I know a person who, because of her gambling, was able to go on a cruise paid for by the cruise line. (All she had to do is pay the taxes and port fees for the cruise.)
Most ocean cruise ships have casinos. A notable exception is the Pride of America which does 7-day Hawaiian Island cruises. This ship does not have a casino because it is an American flagged ship sailing in a state that officially prohibits gambling. On those ships which have casinos, all casino related activity will be closed when the ship is in port, and will stay closed until the ship reaches international waters. One drawback to onboard gambling is the odds for each game. They are not as generous as that in land-based casinos, as there is no competition for games of chance while on the ship. As I always say: Bet with your head, and not over it.
Medical Issues.
Do not expect too much from a ship’s medical department. Although I had to use its services on my first cruise to Alaska, it is something to be avoided for its cost alone. Yet, for simple conditions such as a broken bone or a sprained ankle, it can supply an essential service when needed. For things that are more complex, or out of its league, it will make the decision whether the passenger needs services it cannot provide and act accordingly.
Insurance.
A smart person does not travel without travel insurance. Ideally, money spent on insurance is for insurance that is not needed. However, it will be needed one day, and then the money spent for it will have been a wise investment in the future. Recently, several cruise bloggers reported that one cruiser (and wife) were both being careful when they bought travel insurance for their 5-day cruise. The man had a heart attack and was evacuated to a hospital, then later Med-Evac’ed back home after a 2-week hospital stay. For what this insurance cost the couple (probably under $250 total), they received $74,000 in benefits. Getting insurance is relatively cheap. Needing medical care in a foreign land is not.
Often, when cruises are sold, the cruise line (or a travel agent) will ask if you want to buy insurance. It will often be priced based on one’s age, the length of the cruise and the price of the cruise. These policies will only cover events related to the cruise, and may not be what is needed by a cruiser. Please note that each state regulates the type of travel insurance that a cruise line or travel agency can sell. Prior to 2023, both cruise lines and travel agencies would try to sell me travel insurance for my cruises. However, since I live in New York State, all they can do is sell me basic trip insurance. They are no longer able to sell me “Platinum” or “Premium” insurance policies. Therefore, I have relied on sites such as TravelInsurance.com to find and purchase an insurance policy appropriate for my needs. So, be sure to know what insurance you have, and buy more if you think you need it.
Back-to-Back Cruises.
Sometimes, one might want to book two cruises as one long trip. I have considered doing this for a Northbound Alaska Cruise from Seattle (or Vancouver) through the Inside Passage, and onward to Seward (or Whittier), coupled with a Southbound cruise with a similar itinerary. This makes it possible to avoid an “Open-Jaw” airplane trip, which might result in more convenient flights.
LGBT Issues.
Most cruise lines are LGBT friendly. However, the conditions at some ports may be hostile to the LGBT traveler. On some Caribbean islands, same sex couples that show any public displays of affection are looked at as if they committed acts of bestiality. On others, obviously transgender people are considered criminals. Therefore, it is best to research each port carefully before taking any shore excursions on these islands.
Note: Some countries (e.g. Qatar and the U.A.E.) do not accept passports with "X" for a gender id, and deny these people the ability to enter or transit through these countries.- Clothing Issues not related to cruise line dress codes.
Some ports have laws regarding the clothing that can be worn on land. For example, several Caribbean islands ban Camouflage clothing and will arrest visitors that do not obey their laws in this area. When in doubt about what clothes to wear in any port, one should contact their travel agent to double check whether one’s desired clothing is allowed in port.
Even if the laws in a port may allow for selected garments, many tourist attractions do impose dress codes. For example, many churches require that all women dress “modestly”, and require that women wear a head covering, as well as a garment that keeps the legs above the knees covered. When in doubt, one should research dress requirements for each attraction to be visited before packing for a cruise.
Laundry.
Virtually all cruise provide laundry services. One can stuff a bag with clothes to be laundered, and have it come back the next day cleaned and folded. But there is a problem with this: Most cruise lines charge several times more than the same laundry service would cost on land.
However, there are ways to avoid these excessive charges. The first is to sail on a ship which has self-serve laundry service. (That is, cruisers load their clothing into washers and dryers, then fold their own garments.) We have used this on ships in both Princess and Cunard lines. Unfortunately, most cruise lines do not make self-service laundry facilities available to their cruisers. Some lines, such as NCL, provide their cruisers with higher loyalty status a free bag of laundry during their cruises. We have taken advantage of this service as well. Yet, we have often had to resort to laundering small items (i.e. Underwear and Socks) in the sink to avoid laundry service charges.
Laundry service is something to be considered for longer trips (8 days or longer), as it is often impossible to go for more than a week without having to get some of one's clothes cleaned at one point or another.United States Passenger Vessel Services Act.
Simply put, American law prohibits foreign flagged vessels from transporting people between American ports unless the vessel docks at a foreign port. In theory, this protects Americans from competing against low wage foreign labor and preserve an American ship building industry. Sadly, for the most part, this has been a failure for the American cruise industry. There is only one large American cruise ship left in the world, and cruises on this ship cost more than twice as much as cruises of the same length on foreign flagged ships.
Why is this important? There are small boutique cruise lines sailing with small ships built in the United States. They sail routes not served by mass market cruise ships, but charge a hefty price for their product. If one has the money, their small ships can take the cruiser places where the mainstream cruise lines cannot go.
