10 “Hush Hush” Cruise Tips No One Else Will Tell You

There are cruise tips that anyone will tell you… and then there are those that are much more “hush-hush.”

They go against the grain, may not be bright and cheery, or they are just different from what you normally hear. I’m talking about snagging a table when reservations are full… why cruise lines really offer discounts before the cruise… why most people should care less about loyalty programs… and much more.

These are things you’ll definitely want to know, but most people don’t talk about them.

Canceling Not as Bad as You Think Due to Money Back

A few months ago, after dozens of cruises over more than a decade, I missed the ship for the first time ever. Long story short, I flew in the morning of the cruise, but a perfectly timed storm meant my morning flight was delayed, I missed a connection, and then couldn’t reach the port before the ship left.

The cruise line treats no-shows as cancellations, and in this case that meant a 100% penalty of the fare. Now this was a short and relatively cheap last-minute cruise, so I didn’t get trip insurance. The reason being that when you have to cancel a cruise — even if there is a 100% penalty — you still actually get a good chunk of money spent back.

That’s because the 100% penalty applies only to cruise fare. You are refunded the port fees, taxes, and anything you pre-purchased like gratuities, excursions, or packages. Since my trip was so short, port fees were a big part of the cost. So I actually got back about half of what I paid in total.

Don’t get me wrong, it still stings, but not near what you might be thinking.

The REAL Reason Cruise Lines Discount Packages Ahead of Time

One common tip you will hear from anyone — and something I always do — is to book packages ahead of time for a discount. Cruise lines offer some decent discounts on things like drink packages, wi-fi, and more. So if you know you want them, take advantage and save money.

But do you ever wonder why they discount the packages? That’s what’s hush-hush.

Cruise lines want to make money and one way to do that is to make sure a passengers has what’s called a “fresh wallet” when you board. Essentially, if you wait until you board the ship and then drop hundreds on a drink package, you aren’t going to be as willing to spend as much during the rest of the cruise.

But if you buy that package months before, you have time to digest the cost and let your bank account recover. The result? You’re more likely to spend more overall during the cruise.

So definitely take advantage of the discount, but also know why you get that deal in the first place.

How to Score a Seat Without a Reservation

It seems like no matter what I do, I always have trouble getting a reservation in restaurants onboard. By the time I try to get a time, it’s all booked up. So if you have the same issue, just know you aren’t alone. Thankfully, I’ve figured a way around it.

Typically you reserve a spot if you want to eat in these spots. What I’ve learned that’s not so well-known, is a trick for getting in even if the reservations are full. Not always, but it’s worth a shot to head down to the restaurant you want to eat and try getting a seat, even without a reservation. I’ve found that often the staff can still seat you.

On a recent Virgin Voyages cruise, for example, reservations were completely full when I tried to eat in the Mexican restaurant. I get dressed anyway, headed down, and found there was almost no one there. I was seated immediately, without any question. It seems to help if you eat very early or very late, but it’s always worth a shot to see if you can snag a table.

Loyalty Programs Actually Aren’t a Big Deal

Over the decade-plus, I’ve cruised, I’ve sailed just about every major line. Some of the larger lines I’ve earned higher loyalty status — though certainly not as high as if I stuck with just one cruise line for all my cruises.

But one tip that most people won’t tell you is that loyalty status is overrated in my opinion. There are some ok perks, but until you get into the upper tiers, you don’t really get much.

For instance, with my “Gold” status on Carnival, I’m entitled to one free drink on the cruise. Not bad, but nothing to get too excited about. You start to get some nice perks starting at Platinum status, but that comes after sailing 75 nights.

Royal Caribbean offers four free drinks a day — a pretty good value — if you are Diamond status. But that takes 80 points, which at a point a day, translates to about 11 and a half weeks of sailing. For most people, that’s going to be well out of reach. I will say that you can get a free cruise, but only after 700 points.

Don’t get me wrong, there are other perks with these programs, but unless you’re someone that cruises multiple times a year and with only one line, then you aren’t likely to really reap the rewards.

Benefits of Older Ships That Are Rarely Discussed

Cruise lines love to tout their newest and biggest ships that have all the latest features. But one hush-hush tip is that those older ships have a completely different experience that you may actually like more depending on your style.

Older ships are smaller, easier to get around, and generally calmer. I find that older passengers tend to like this style, seemingly more than the new megaships. As well, the older ships are cheaper to sail than the newest ships in the fleet.

So if you’re in the market for a cruise that’s more chilled-out, then those older ships may not get as much publicity, but they could be just the thing you want. Just don’t expect roller coasters or waterslides.

How to Avoid Kids on Your Cruise

Do you want to avoid kids on your cruise? That’s not something most people will tell you about, but there are some solid ways to sail with fewer children onboard.

First, start with the cruise line. Most people know that Virgin Voyages is adults only. If that’s not the line for you, then consider that the more expensive the cruise line, the fewer kids you’ll see. So if you sail something high-end, you’ll avoid children.

As well, with the newest mega ships offering all sorts of things like waterparks and roller coasters and go-karts, they attract more families and kids. Older ships will still have children, but the older ships aren’t near the kid magnet as the newer ones.

If you sail when school is in session you’ll obviously see fewer children onboard as it’s not as easy for families to take a vacation. And finally, the longer your cruise, the fewer kids you’ll see.

Combine all those factors, and you shouldn’t have to worry about kids on the ship at all.

The More You Spend, the Better the Trip

Generally, I’m the sort of cruiser that spends conservatively on the ship. It may be because I cruise often, but it’s also just the way I’m wired in day-to-day life. Don’t get me wrong, I have a good time, but there are only so many $15 cocktails I can buy before I start to question the value.

That said, one tip to know is that in general the more you spend onboard, the more you’re going to enjoy the trip. This isn’t just anecdotal, though I’ve found the same thing personally. That’s why I always tell people to purchase at least one excursion on their cruise as they tend to be some of the most memorable times of the trip.

But I sat in on a Q&A with the CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings a couple of years ago where he mentioned that there was a correlation between the scores on after-cruise surveys and how little a passenger spent while on the cruise. Basically, the data showed those that didn’t spend extra onboard tended to have a worse time.

This doesn’t mean you have to go all out, but spending on the ship has a direct impact on how much fun you have.

Public Info About Crime, Cleanliness, and Illness Outbreaks

One thing that cruise lines would definitely like to keep low-key is actually public information that you can readily find online. As part of the industry’s oversight, cruise lines sailing to or from the United States are required to report health and safety information to the government. This is then uploaded online for passengers to view.

First, there are health inspections of cruise ships. Ships sailing the U.S. are inspected regularly and the scores and reports are publicly available with any infractions explained. Generally ships score very well on these inspections, but occasionally there is a failing grade.

Ships are also required to report outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness onboard. Should they reach a threshold of 3% of passengers or crew, they are then reported publicly on the CDC’s website. So you can go and see which ships have had outbreaks recently.

Finally, cruise lines are required to report major crimes that occur on ships sailing in the U.S. This includes things like assaults, missing persons, major theft, and more. This data is then compiled quarterly and published to the public. It’s not broken down by ship, but it is available by cruise line so you can see what’s gone down.

I’ve put links to each of these reports above if you’re interested in seeing more. Overall, I think the data isn’t that bad, but yes, people do get sick on ships and crime does occur.

Keep Your Carry-Ons Small (Here’s Why…)

Most people will tell you that one nice thing about cruises is that you can pack however much you want and there’s no charge for bags like if you fly somewhere. For large bags, you can check them at the terminal and they are brought to your room that evening. You can also carry bags on with you if you prefer.

One piece of advice is whatever you do carry on, try to keep it small — especially if you’re boarding early. When you board early in the day, it may be several hours before you have access to your room. Meanwhile, not every cruise line has a spot where you can check your carry-on bag when you board. As a result, you may have to drag the bags around with you until your room is ready and it really puts a damper on getting the cruise started.

If you board later, there’s no issue as you can drop the bag off in the room. But if you want to get on the ship early, I’d suggest keeping the carry-on small so it doesn’t weigh you down.

What to Know About Cruise Rescheduling

This one isn’t so much a tip you haven’t heard as much as something that’s helpful to know — especially during hurricane season.

Having tracked the impact of storms over years, I can tell you that cruise lines usually always wait for any rescheduling of a cruise until it’s absolutely required, often to the chagrin of passengers who would like to know as early as possible.

Ports of call during the cruise? Those can get shuffled around more easily, but when you have to change an arrival or departure from a homeport, that creates an enormous chain of events for everything from passengers boarding the ship to supplies for the cruise to crew members scheduled to arrive and depart. So if it is possible, keeping the schedule in place is ideal.

For instance, I once flew into port during a tropical storm and the sailing wasn’t canceled. When Hurricane Beryl hit Texas in July, two ships sailed out from Galveston as scheduled roughly 12 hours before landfall. It was still safe to do so, but for anxious passengers, it can be hard waiting until the last minute to know if your cruise will sail or not.

That said, the cruise line will always be in touch if there is an update to your itinerary.

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