Cruise ship worker says there are six things you should never do while on one
A cruise ship worker has explained exactly what you should never do when setting sail - and some of the pointers might shock you.
The summer season is almost upon us and with that, a boom in travel as millions head on their annual breaks abroad.
And for many Brits, Spain is the go to destination with recent guidance giving the 16 million UK residents heading there a sigh of relief.
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But some fancy something a little different, with the likes of cruise ship excursions extremely popular if you can afford them.
With one cruise ship staff member recently explaining why you should 'get ready to spend a lot of cash' on one thing in particular, another in the industry is here with six things she says you should never do if you're getting ready to set sail on any boat.
Tammy Barr has been sailing around the world, working on cruise ships, for years on end before now doing it as a customer.
Originally shared with Business Insider, here are six things she says she would never do following her experience as a cruise ship worker and now customer.
A big no-no to the drinks package
For many, this is the big question before setting sail across the world. But for Tammy, you shouldn't pay if your drinking habits aren't on the overindulgent side of things.
"I enjoy a pina colada by the pool or a Manhattan while listening to a jazz set after dinner," she says.
"Even so, it doesn't make sense for me to pay in advance for 12 to 15 cocktails a day."
For Tammy, the math doesn't add up especially if the trip you're on will see you leaving the ship for multiple port-heavy trips. Going ashore means less time on the ship to drink its booze.
"I prefer to buy as I go and take advantage of happy hour and other drink specials that are available on certain cruise lines. I also check the beverage policy in advance and bring on my own wine, if allowed," she says.
Touching surfaces
It's time to utilise those elbows and knuckles with Tammy never using her fingers to touch stuff in the public areas such as elevator buttons.
"Some cruise lines are better than others at wiping down commonly touched surfaces, but I don't take any chances," she says.
"I avoid touching things others frequently touch, and I wash my hands frequently."
Illnesses such as norovirus can quickly spread on cruise ships, given there are thousands of people in a confined space, so taking this little measure could be the different between holiday bliss and holiday bliss.
Upgrading your food
Most cruise liners will include the main dining room meals in your package, which is one part of why the price is so much, given you're essentially paying for perks like this in advance.
But if you want something fancy, expect to pay more on top.
Tammy says that, while '$12 may not seem like much for a steak of lobster tail', it defeats the point. She will stick to what she's got.
Calling the ship by the wrong name
A quirky one from Tammy, but one that comes down to looking the part when you're on board.
She says: "Ships have proper names, and so do not require a definite article. For example - 'Tomorrow I am embarking on Discovery Princess' or 'I enjoyed scenic cruising on MS Westerdam'."
Basically if you want to look savvy and knowledge, drop the 'the' before the ship name. It's just not correct.
Room key does not go around your neck
Tammy thinks this is a bit naff for a few reasons. For one, it can be seen as flaunting your status by showing off how often you cruise.
No one likes a show off really and the longer you are at sea, the fancier your room key.
It's also an invitation to those who have sinister means. She says: "In port, that room key bouncing off your chest looks like an invitation to be robbed. It screams 'I have money! Come and take it from me'."
There's no need for super busy port day
The idea of missing your cruise ship's departure and being stranded somewhere on the other side of the world is mortifying.
For Tammy, the best way to avoid this is to have pretty chilled port days so you're never at serious risk of missing your cruise ship before it leaves port.
"I've never missed a sail away, but I have cut it too close at times and have had to run down a pier or two. Just recently, as a passenger, my taxi driver got lost returning our group to the port at night," she says.
"When I realised how late we were going to be, I forked over $8 per minute to be connected with the ship. I pleaded with them to wait for us. It was a sprint through the port to get back on and we received quite a scolding from the first officer."
Topics: Cruise Ship, Hacks, Holiday, Travel, World News, Money, Health, Alcohol
Tom Earnshaw