Cruise vacations are supposed to be relaxing, but sometimes, not everything goes according to plan! Unexpected issues can come up during your cruise that will ruin your vacation.
Missed Ports
One of the things that can go wrong on a cruise is when your cruise ship misses a port. This often happens due to poor weather conditions that make it unsafe for the ship to dock—unexpected storms or strong winds. When your ship skips a port, you’ll typically get an extra day at sea or be rerouted to a different port. The problem amplifies if you’ve booked a non-refundable shore excursion with an outside tour operator since you’d lose that payment if you miss the port.
Lost or Late Luggage
One of the unexpected issues that can come up while you’re on a cruise is lost or delayed luggage. Sometimes, your luggage will not arrive at your cabin in time and get misplaced or delayed. This delay might also happen if the airline misplaces your luggage and can’t return it to you before your cruise ship departs from the port.
It’s quite a hassle, leaving you without your clothes and personal belongings while on your cruise. That’s why it’s always smart to pack extra clothes, your prescription medication, and a toiletry bag in your carry-on bag in case of luggage delay!
Spotty WiFi
The cruise ship’s WiFi can be unreliable, especially if you are sailing far from shore. You might end up with very weak or no WiFi on your cruise. This can be a problem if you plan to stay on top of work by checking emails or taking calls from the ship!
Noisy Cabin
Another unexpected thing that can go wrong on a cruise is that you might get a cabin in a noisy location. Your cabin might be near the nightclub, theater, sports court, or pool deck, where it can get noisy. If you are sensitive to noise, this can affect your sleep, leaving you miserable the entire cruise.
Overcrowded Buffet
One unexpected challenge you might face during your cruise vacation is an overcrowded buffet. It can be very frustrating not to be able to find a table, and the long lines can get infuriating. An overcrowded buffet is a common issue on some cruise ships, often due to poor layout and insufficient tables to accommodate all the passengers.
Health Emergency
One major thing that can go wrong during your cruise vacation is an unexpected health emergency. You or a family member might have a sudden health emergency resulting in visits to the onboard medical clinic. Or, in severe cases, such as appendicitis, you might need to be airlifted to the nearest hospital on land.
You could get hit with thousands of dollars in medical bills. That’s why it’s always smart to have travel insurance in case these things happen while you’re on your cruise.
Overcrowded Pool Deck
One thing that can get frustrating while you are on your cruise vacation is that you are on a full, overcrowded ship. With so many passengers on board, finding a vacant lounge chair by the pool deck will be impossible. The struggle to find a lounge chair will quickly turn your relaxing vacation into a stressful one!
Time Change
One potential issue to remember when going on a cruise vacation is the possibility of time changes. Many cruises pass through different time zones, but passengers are unaware of time changes. As a result, it can leave you confused and cause you to miss out on onboard activities and dining times.
In the worst case scenario, you could even miss the ship’s all-aboard time! To avoid any surprises, make it a habit to check the cruise planner for any updates regarding time changes.
Too Late to Buy Photos
Many cruise passengers regret not buying their cruise photos. If you plan to buy yours, make sure you buy them by the last night of your cruise. Because the cruise photo gallery is often closed on the morning of disembarkation day.
It’s important not to wait until then or until you’re back home because once you leave the ship, the photos are usually deleted or discarded, making it impossible to buy them. So make sure to plan ahead and buy your photos by the last night of your cruise. Otherwise, you’ll regret it!
Buffet Closures
Many cruise passengers don’t realize that the buffet closes between breakfast and lunch, typically from 11 AM to 11:45 AM. This break allows the cruise staff enough time to prepare for the lunch setup. The problem is that late risers often want breakfast or brunch around 11 AM, only to discover the buffet is closed.
Unfortunately, the main dining room is also closed, leaving you with nothing to eat while you wait 30 to 45 minutes for the buffet to reopen. This can be incredibly frustrating, especially if it keeps happening throughout your cruise. Check out 10 Food I’ll Never Eat at a Cruise Buffet
Stranded at the Cruise Port
One of the biggest problems that can arise during your cruise vacation is missing the ship and getting stranded at the port. This can create a major headache since you’ll need to figure out how to reach the next port of call, which can be expensive and challenging, especially if you’re in a remote cruise port. Missing the cruise ship can become a nightmare, potentially ruining your entire vacation. Check out 7 Cruise Mistakes That Will Leave You Stranded at the Cruise Port
No Clothes on Disembarkation Day
One common mistake that first time cruisers often make is not setting aside clothes for disembarkation day. They pack all their clothes into their luggage and check them in the night before, only to realize too late that they forgot to set aside a change of clothes for the next day. As a result, they will end up walking off the cruise ship in their pajamas or even a bathrobe! Check out 12 Disembarkation Day Mistakes People Make When They Get Off the Cruise Ship
Surprise Kids Charges
If you are cruising with kids, one thing that can go wrong is if your kids make a lot of charges on your account without you realizing it. Your kids’ keycards function like a credit card on the cruise ship, allowing them to buy whatever they want. They might happily buy souvenirs from the gift shop, play arcade games, or pay for rides—before you know it, the bills can add up and throw your cruise budget out of whack.
To avoid any surprises, you should always call guest services and set a daily spending limit on your kids’ keycards so they can’t overspend! Check out 15 Random but Useful Things to Pack to Survive Cruising with Kids
Seasick
One of the biggest things that can go wrong on a cruise is being seasick. Experiencing seasickness while on a cruise can quickly escalate to the point where you feel so unwell that you struggle to function normally. It may become difficult even to do simple tasks, like walking from your cabin to the main dining room for dinner. You’re just too sick to get out of bed!
Even for seasoned cruisers who are not prone to seasickness, sometimes, if the waters are rougher than expected, they can easily start to feel seasick. Check out Cruise without Seasickness: Genius Tricks You Need to Know
Late or Lost Laundry
One potential issue on your cruise vacation is that if you use the cruise laundry service and you don’t get your clothes back in time. That can be a problem if you were relying on getting your clothes back in time and now run out of clothes. Or worse, sometimes, the cruise’s laundry service is unreliable, and can lose items that you send out in the wash and fold bag. Check out 14 Cruise Laundry Tips You Need to Know About
Long Wait to Get a Table
One thing that can get frustrating on your cruise is having to wait for a very long time to get seated in the main dining room for dinner. This is especially hard if you’re traveling with kids.
That’s why it’s best to choose traditional dining times so that you can have a set table and a consistent dinner time, and there is never a wait to get a table, and you can just walk right in. This is beneficial if you’re a big party, since its hard to get a table for a big group, you will have to endure longer wait times. Check out 9 Cruise Main Dining Room Mistakes You’ll Regret Making
Unexpected Beverage Charges
One thing that can ruin your cruise vacation is getting hit with unexpected beverage charges. You might have purchased the cruise beverage package, thinking all drinks would be included. However, you might be surprised to find out that your favorite premium liquor isn’t part of the package, leading to unexpected charges at the end of your cruise.
Or else, some cruise lines don’t cover drinks ordered on the private island, which means you could end up paying extra for every drink you order there. To avoid any surprises, it’s a good idea to read the fine print of your cruise beverage package carefully. You should also ask the bartender to confirm that what you’re ordering is included in your package so you don’t get hit with any unwelcome charges. Check out 8 Reasons Why Cruise Ship Beverage Packages are a Waste of Money