Cruise trips should be on everyone’s bucket list, as they offer a different kind of travel experience. One can explore multiple port cities and cruise through majestic water bodies in luxury. However, if not done right and planned well, one can miss out on many great experiences on their cruise vacation. They can also spoil one’s overall cruise experience. To avoid that, here are a few mistakes to avoid on a cruise trip:

1. Skipping shore excursions
Cruise vacations should not be limited to just spending time on the big ship. They should also include shore excursions, which means guided tours at every port of the ship’s call; otherwise, a cruise vacation can seem quite monotonous and may not have a lot to offer. On these tours, passengers can explore different locations, including new towns and, sometimes, even new countries. Such excursions also allow one to visit famous landmarks, explore the culture, and try the local cuisine of the place. A lot of times, these shore excursions can include adventure activities such as hiking. One may need to make reservations for guided excursions beforehand. Besides this, one can also explore the ports of call independently, but guided excursions have a few advantages. These include not having to worry about transportation in a new place and returning to the cruise on time.

2. Packing the wrong choice of outfits
Shopping and choosing what outfits to wear on vacation is quite exciting; however, one must decide their choice of outfits based on the places they are visiting, the kind of weather they will experience, and what kind of activities one would like to participate in. For instance, if one plans to hike on one of the shore excursions, it is important to pack hiking boots and hiking gear.

3. Sticking to the buffet for all meals
Buffets are among the most convenient and budget-friendly meal options on a cruise, but they are not the only meal option. While one can enjoy the unlimited buffet for their meals, one can also try other dining options on the cruise. Besides the buffet, the cruise may have lounges and dining areas where one can order from the menu. Some of these options may cost a little more than the buffet, but they might just be worth trying at least once. After all, it is not every day that one gets to enjoy a cruise vacation.

4. Not putting on sunscreen
One of the best things about cruise vacations is spending time on the ship’s deck. The views of the horizon that one can get from the deck are unmatched. There is also the experience of enjoying the ocean breeze while relaxing on the deck chair. However, each of these things is best explored during the day, which means the sun beats down on the skin. This can cause some severe sunburn, which can ruin all the fun. So, when traveling on a cruise, sunscreen is an absolute necessity. Without it, one won’t have a pleasant experience spending time on the deck.

5. Forgetting to keep tabs on one’s account
Many cruises allow tourists to keep an ongoing account for certain purchases, like beverages, spa treatments, WiFi packages, etc. Since vacation can last a few weeks, one may purchase quite a few of these things and put all the payments pending in their account, which are to be settled later. However, if one does not keep a tab on this account at the end of every day, they may be in for quite a shock at the end of their trip with a massive bill. To avoid that and prevent overspending, it is best to always keep a personal list of all the pending expenses that need to be settled later.

6. Not socializing with fellow tourists
On a cruise, one must not miss the chance to socialize with fellow travelers. Since everyone will be spending a few weeks together on the ship, initiating a conversation is a good idea. One may find good company for excursions and participating in other activities.

7. Skipping on entertainment
Cruises have a lot planned for their tourists to make every day spent on the ship memorable. Among these, the one thing tourists must not miss is the evening entertainment shows. Most cruises have a full theater, hosting live entertainment shows such as dance performances, stand-up comedy, and much more. If one skips these shows, they might just miss out on some of the best cruise entertainment experiences.

8. Hogging the deck chairs
Relaxing on the deck chairs while feeling the ocean’s cool breeze is a great experience. But one must remember that almost every tourist on the ship wishes to have this experience, and only a few deck chairs are available. So, one must avoid sitting on the deck chairs all day long or putting their towels, bags, or other belongings on there and disappearing from the deck for hours. This might ruin the experience for fellow tourists and make them seriously upset.