A number of cruise ship passengers have reported the rudest passenger behaviour they have ever witnessed on a ship, from people defecating in public areas to farting on the buffet table.
Cruise expert Ilana Schattauer posted a video on her Youtube ChannelLife Well Cruised, which details some of the wild stories he’s heard from the boats, and in turn, hundreds of commenters have joined the conversation.
In her clip, Ilana says that many of the complaints from guests have to do with buffet etiquette, with some saying they’ve seen people “fart” while waiting in lines for their food.
Other complaints in the dining room included passengers cutting in line for the buffet, people eating from food stations or off their plates on the fly and others blowing their noses into cloth napkins.
One commenter revealed that his biggest mealtime pet peeve is “people not washing their hands when they enter the buffet,” while another said he doesn’t like young children serving themselves.
Cruise expert Ilana Schattauer posted a video on her YouTube channel, Life Well Cruised, detailing some of the wild stories she’s heard from ships.
In turn, hundreds of commentators have joined the conversation (stock image)
They explained: ‘Younger children don’t have the motor skills to choose and move on. Picking them up and holding them so they can choose is disrespectful to others who are waiting!
‘Your six-year-old with a plate full of food doesn’t need to grab nine INDIVIDUAL pieces of bacon for his plate.
‘Sit them down with someone else and bring them something to eat. This happens at home, so let it happen at the buffet during the holidays. Stop letting them touch all the plates, utensils, and serving tools! It’s maddening!’
Another viewer told a true horror story on her cruise that began at breakfast time.
They wrote: ‘(I encountered a) person who was so drunk that he vomited all over the floor in front of the buffet during breakfast.
‘On the same cruise, another man was so drunk that he pooped on the floor, on the carpet, and another woman was also so drunk that she was laughing and crying late at night and couldn’t walk. She thought it was hysterical until she fell down and couldn’t get up.
‘This all happened on NCL Prima in October 2023! NCL was amazing. Full hazmat response – they closed that buffet area and redirected passengers to another restaurant, threw out all the buffet food in that section, removed all the dishes, isolated them and transported them to the dish room to be rewashed and sterilized, cleaned and sanitized the floor, counter, etc. Very efficient and very thorough!’
In her clip, Ilana says that many of the complaints from guests have to do with buffet etiquette, with some saying they have seen people “farting” while waiting in lines for their food (file image)
Ilana says another thing she’s heard many cruise passengers complain about is “chair hogging.”
This, he says, can happen on the pool deck or in the theater and “people just don’t like this at all,” especially if “they’re saving chairs for an entire group or a family.”
One cruise ship passenger revealed that he also experienced a different kind of chair activity during a trip to Mexico.
They recalled: ‘I took a short walk around 9pm one night on my Mexico cruise. So many stars! Then as I was walking up the stairs to the bow of the ship, I heard and faintly saw two people having fun on a lounge chair.
‘As soon as I realized what was waiting for me, I turned around and hurried back to the busiest part of the ship and then to my room. HOW RUDE!!!’
Cruise ship elevators were another thing Ilana had on her bucket list.
She reveals in her video that they often get crowded and people forget to let people out before trying to get in.
The avid traveler adds: “The other thing, and I think it’s quite important, is if there’s a wheelchair user (or) a scooter user, let them in before you.”
One viewer, who recently started using a wheelchair and went on her first cruise, agreed with Ilana on this point.
They revealed: ‘My husband and I recently took our first cruise on NCL Encore to Alaska. It was also my first time traveling in a wheelchair.
‘The elevators were a challenge. I tried to be considerate and not force myself into a crowded carriage.
‘Some people were very kind and considerate, but others were extremely rude and pushed me to get on.
“I would also like to add that it felt like I was invisible as I was going around the boat, people would walk past me and block my way, I often had to stop quickly to avoid colliding with them. I will add that all the crew members were fantastic and went out of their way to help me!”
At the end of her video focusing on rude behavior on cruise ships, Ilana reminds viewers to be kind and considerate to the crew, and that “thank yous” are a good sign.
She says she has often seen passengers “behaving very arrogantly and being rude to the crew” which is “quite unacceptable”.