The 7 Simple Safety Tips You Have to Know on a Cruise

The good news first — cruises are overall a safe vacation. For the vast majority of passengers, the chance of any sort of incident happening to you are slim to none. But when you deal with tens of millions of passengers each year, it’s inevitable that some bad things do happen here or there.

From crimes committed on the ship, to getting sick, to even injuries that can occur onboard, there are a number of things that can affect your health and safety while on vacation.

But not to worry, as mentioned the risks are small, and with a few common sense safety tips, you’ll have nothing to worry about.

Use Your Cabin Door Lock

The biggest risk of someone entering your cabin is likely to be a mistake more than anything else. Cabin hallways on cruise ships can go on seemingly forever with walls and doors that all look the same. It’s relatively easy to be at the wrong cabin if you aren’t paying close attention to the room number.

Even so, to prevent someone coming into your room — whether by mistake or something more nefarious — it’s smart to take a simple step. Your cabin will have a deadbolt lock that you can engage to ensure that no one can come in.

Normally the door will latch anyway and no one can use the outside handle without first having a correct keycard. However, we have been in rooms where the door doesn’t automatically latch when closed (sometimes the door frame can be slightly off and it takes and extra push to fully close the door). Ensuring the deadbolt is locked when in the cabin makes sure everything is closed up tight.

Use Handrails Around the Ship

With upwards of 20 decks on a modern cruise ship, there are plenty of stairs to go up and down. And while you don’t think about it, arguably one of the easiest ways to get injured on a cruise is to take a wrong step on a staircase.

With the ship moving, potentially wet or slippery surfaces if outside, wind, and stairways that may curve, most staircases are a little tricker to navigate than you may be used to. That’s why you always want to use the handrail, even if you don’t think you need it.

Every staircase will have a rail to help steady yourself. The last thing you want is a rolled ankle nagging you during your cruise.

Take Handwashing Seriously

Take 4,000 cruise passengers, put them all in a relatively small area where they eat, drink, and share common spaces… it doesn’t take much imagination to see how it could be easy for illness to spread.

In fact, issues around gastrointestinal illness are tracked by the CDC and reported when meeting a 3% threshold of passengers or crew.

Now think of the surfaces that you may touch around the ship that others have also shared. Handrails are a big one. Serving utensils in the buffet are another. Door handles… bar tops… casino machines… the list goes on.

Cruise ships do a great job of constantly disinfecting (you’ll see crew constantly cleaning), but you’ll want to take the issue into your own hands.

All around the ship you’ll see handwashing stations and spots to sanitize your hands. Take advantage as you don’t want some bug to ruin your trip. We especially suggest cleaning hands after getting your food in the buffet but before starting to eat.

Sexual Assault Awareness When Cruising

In 2023, there were 131 incidents of sexual assault or rape reported on cruise ships sailing from the United States. That’s not meant to scare you. With millions and millions of passengers sailing, the overall chances of being a victim are relatively low.

But it is supposed to make you aware that these crimes do happen and not to let your guard down completely just because you’re on vacation.

That means being smart about about risky behavior, such as going back to a cabin with someone you met on the ship, avoiding situations where you are alone with a stranger, and drinking too much alcohol.

Again, the chances of being a victim are low but there’s no point to increasing the risk.

Use Common Sense in Ports of Call

When you’re on the ship, it can lull you into a sense of security for the entire cruise. Off the ship, remember that ports of call aren’t managed by the cruise line (unless it’s a private destination). Just like places back home, there are good parts and bad parts. In general you’ll be just fine in port, but you’ll want to use your common sense to stay safe.

For instance, if you get a weird vibe about an area, trust your gut. Sticking to tourist areas should be considerably more safe. Don’t be showy or flashy with cash or jewelry. If a vendor seems shady, then move on to someone you’re more comfortable with.

Overall, just using a little common sense can go a long way to ensuring that you have a fun time in port.

Muster Is an Important Drill

What do you do if there’s an actual emergency on the ship while sailing? Keep in mind the chances of having to abandon ship and get into a lifeboat are tiny. But to keep passengers safe, every cruise is required to perform a muster drill before the trip departs. This drill has transformed following the pandemic, but the end goal is to give you an idea of what to do if there is a major emergency that means having to leave the vessel. That’s why it’s a good idea to pay attention.

First, you’ll watch a video on your phone or cabin TV that explains how to wear a lifejacket. Another video will tell you about the ship’s emergency signal so that you’re familiar.

Then you will head to check in at your muster station. This is the designated area on the ship where you will go in case of emergency. (Don’t worry if you forget, it’s written on your room keycard.)

You’ll be required to complete the muster drill and check in at your station before the ship departs.

Avoid Drinking Too Much… Or at Least Keep Your Wits

It’s no secret that alcohol flows freely on a cruise. It’s heavily marketed with drink packages, special deals, and bars seemingly everywhere you turn. And there’s nothing wrong with having drinks on a cruise. There’s not much that beats having a cold umbrella drink by the pool.

But let’s be honest, there’s a bit of risk that comes with having too much to drink. We can’t think of anywhere safer to enjoy your adult beverages than a cruise ship, unless you simply drink at home. On a cruise, you don’t have to worry about how you’re going to get back after a night at the bar. You can simply walk back to your room.

However, just as on land, drinking too much can cause issues. From falls to fights, there are a lot of bad circumstances that can come from drinking too much.

We’d suggest enjoying yourself, but not to the point that you’re completely out of sorts. You want to be able to enjoy your cruise… and actually remember it.

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