Cruise passengers can spend hours talking about everything they love at sea.
The endless ocean views. Waking up somewhere new. Having dinner without cooking it yourself. Sea days when there’s absolutely nowhere you need to be.
Unpacking once and letting the ship carry you from destination to destination.
But ask experienced cruisers one slightly different question—
“If you could ban one thing from cruise ships, what would it be?”
—and suddenly everybody has an answer.
That’s what happened when cruise fans were asked that question on Facebook.
The responses came quickly, and while some were clearly meant to be funny, others touched on frustrations that cruisers have been arguing about for years.
Smoking.
Kids taking over hot tubs.
Passengers reserving pool loungers they aren’t actually using.
Drink-package rules that don’t work for everyone.
People who apparently forget that handwashing exists the moment they board.
And perhaps the most universally understandable complaint of all:
Having to get off the ship when the cruise ends.
What makes the conversation interesting isn’t that cruise passengers are miserable.
It’s almost the opposite.
These are people who enjoy cruising enough to know exactly which small annoyances can turn an otherwise relaxing vacation into something slightly less enjoyable.
So let’s look at some of the things cruisers would happily make disappear—and what you can realistically do about them when they aren’t going anywhere.
1. Kids Turning Hot Tubs Into Mini Swimming Pools
Few things divide cruise passengers faster than conversations about children.
Especially children in hot tubs.
One group sees a family cruise ship and thinks:
“Kids are supposed to be here. It’s a family vacation.”
Another group looks at a hot tub and thinks:
“Could I please have ten quiet minutes without someone cannonballing beside me?”
And that’s how another classic cruise debate begins.
The Problem Usually Isn’t Simply That Children Are Present
Most passengers choosing a family-oriented cruise line understand that families will be onboard.
That’s not exactly a surprise.
Ships can carry hundreds—or during school holidays, potentially far more—children and teenagers.
The frustration tends to be about how certain spaces are used.
A hot tub designed for sitting and relaxing can quickly feel very different when several excited kids start treating it like a swimming pool.
Splashing begins.
Someone starts jumping around.
The noise level rises.
More children join.
Suddenly the adults who were quietly soaking five minutes earlier are looking at each other, wondering whether it’s time to leave.
But Families Have a Fair Counterargument
If the hot tub is located in a family pool area and children are permitted to use it, parents can reasonably ask why their kids shouldn’t be there.
That’s the difficult part of this complaint.
Passengers sometimes expect an adult atmosphere in a space that isn’t actually designated for adults.
If the cruise line allows children in a particular hot tub, then the issue isn’t simply:
“Why are there kids here?”
The better question may be:
“Is there another space onboard that better matches the experience I want?”
Adult-Only Areas Can Be the Better Solution
If peace and quiet matter to you, research the ship before booking.
Look for:
- Adults-only pool areas
- Adult-only hot tubs
- Solariums
- Quiet outdoor decks
- Thermal suites
- Less crowded secondary pools
The exact rules vary by cruise line and ship.
And even when an adult-oriented area exists, check whether it is genuinely adults-only at all times or whether exceptions apply.
Timing helps too.
Hot tubs may be considerably quieter early in the morning, during port days, or around dinner when large numbers of passengers are elsewhere.
Choose the Cruise Experience That Matches You
This is one of those situations where choosing the right cruise line matters.
A family-heavy ship during summer vacation is going to feel different from an adults-focused sailing.
Neither is automatically better.
They’re serving different passengers.
If your ideal cruise involves water slides, kids’ clubs and family activities, choose accordingly.
If your dream is quiet pools, cocktails and adults-only relaxation, there are cruise experiences designed much more closely around that expectation.
Don’t book one style of vacation and spend the entire week angry that it isn’t another.
2. Smoking That Doesn’t Stay in the Smoking Area
Smoking remains one of those cruise topics capable of starting an argument almost immediately.
Most cruise ships already restrict where passengers can smoke, and designated smoking areas are common.
But that’s not necessarily the problem cruisers are complaining about.
The frustration is what happens when smoke doesn’t stay where it’s supposed to.
You’re outside because you want fresh ocean air.
You find a comfortable chair.
There’s a breeze.
The ship is moving through beautiful weather.
Then cigarette smoke drifts across from a nearby designated area.
For passengers who don’t smoke—or who are particularly sensitive to it—that can instantly change the experience.
Smoke Doesn’t Understand Deck Boundaries
A sign might say smoking is permitted on one section of deck and prohibited a short distance away.
The wind doesn’t care.
Smoke can travel.
That means someone following the rules in a designated area may still unintentionally affect passengers sitting nearby.
This is one reason the debate becomes complicated.
Smokers may reasonably argue:
“I’m using the area the cruise line specifically gave me.”
Non-smokers respond:
“That’s fine, but I’m still breathing it.”
Both experiences can be true at the same time.
Casinos Can Make the Issue Even More Complicated
Casino smoking policies are another major source of complaints.
Depending on the cruise line and ship, smoking may be permitted in designated portions of the casino or under certain circumstances.
For someone who enjoys gambling but hates cigarette smoke, that can make the casino much less appealing.
And because casinos are often positioned along interior passenger routes, the smell doesn’t necessarily remain neatly contained within the gaming area.
That’s why some cruisers aren’t simply asking for fewer smoking sections.
They want smoking removed from indoor public spaces entirely.
What Can You Actually Do About It?
You can’t redesign the ship after boarding.
But if smoke seriously affects your enjoyment of a vacation, research the policy before paying for the cruise.
Check:
- Where smoking is permitted.
- Whether casino smoking is allowed.
- Which outdoor decks contain smoking sections.
- Whether your preferred pool area is nearby.
- Where designated smoking spaces sit relative to other public areas.
Ship deck plans can be surprisingly helpful here.
Once onboard, explore early.
You may discover that one side or section of an outdoor deck is considerably more comfortable for you than another.
And if avoiding smoke is extremely important, cruise-line policies should become part of how you choose a ship—not something you investigate after embarkation.
3. Drink Packages That Force People Into an All-or-Nothing Decision
Interestingly, cruisers weren’t necessarily complaining about alcohol itself.
They were complaining about how beverage packages are structured.
Cruise drink packages can be extremely convenient for the right passenger.
You pay upfront and enjoy included beverages without thinking about the individual price every time you order.
But not everyone drinks enough to justify the cost.
And that’s where frustration starts.
“Why Do We Both Have to Buy It?”
One particularly unpopular rule involves multiple adults sharing the same cabin.
On some cruise lines or package structures, when one adult purchases an alcoholic beverage package, other eligible adults in the same stateroom may also be required to purchase a package.
Cruise lines have an obvious reason for these restrictions.
Without them, one passenger could buy the package and attempt to share drinks with someone who didn’t.
But from the passenger’s perspective, the policy can feel unfair when two people have completely different drinking habits.
Imagine one spouse enjoys several alcoholic drinks throughout the day.
The other barely drinks at all.
Buying two expensive packages may make absolutely no financial sense.
Yet purchasing only one may not always be straightforward under the applicable rules.
That’s exactly the kind of situation cruisers were complaining about.
Not Everyone Wants “Unlimited”
There’s another group caught in the middle.
Passengers who drink—but only occasionally.
Maybe you want:
- A mimosa at breakfast
- One frozen cocktail by the pool
- Wine with dinner
That’s it.
You don’t want to calculate how many drinks are required to “break even.”
You certainly don’t want to spend the entire cruise ordering alcohol simply because you’ve already paid for it.
Some cruisers would rather see more flexible options designed around moderate consumption.
Do the Math Before You Buy Anything
The easiest mistake is assuming:
Cruise + alcohol = drink package.
Not necessarily.
Estimate what you’d realistically order each day and compare that with the package price.
Include any nonalcoholic drinks that might also be covered, such as:
- Specialty coffee
- Soda
- Bottled water
- Mocktails
- Other premium nonalcoholic beverages
Then look at the total.
If individual purchases are cheaper, skip the package.
You’re not failing at cruising.
You’re saving money.
Watch for Pre-Cruise Pricing Too
Cruise lines sometimes offer different pricing before departure, so don’t assume the onboard price will necessarily be the best option.
Check your cruise planner or app periodically.
Also look at alternatives.
A nonalcoholic package may make more sense.
Perhaps no package at all is best.
The important thing is buying based on your actual habits, not because everyone in a Facebook group says a beverage package is essential.
4. Chair Hogs Who Reserve Loungers They Aren’t Using
Here we go.
The cruise complaint capable of uniting passengers who disagree about practically everything else.
Chair hogs.
You walk onto the pool deck looking for somewhere to sit.
It’s busy.
Every lounger near the pool appears occupied.
Except something looks strange.
There aren’t actually people in many of them.
Instead, you see:
A towel.
A paperback.
A hat.
One lonely flip-flop.
Maybe a beach bag.
The chair has apparently been claimed.
The passenger?
Nowhere to be found.
Some Loungers Spend More Time With Towels Than People
The classic chair-hog routine begins early.
Someone wakes up before breakfast and heads to the pool deck.
They place belongings across several desirable loungers.
Then they leave.
Maybe they go to breakfast.
Maybe they return to their cabin.
Maybe they head to the gym.
Maybe nobody sees them again until lunchtime.
Meanwhile, passengers who are actually ready to use the pool are walking around looking for somewhere to sit.
That’s why the behavior annoys people so much.
The chair isn’t being used.
It’s being stored for possible future use.
The Most Inconsiderate Passenger Ends Up With the Best Seat
That’s the part that makes chair saving especially frustrating.
Passengers who follow the rules can feel punished for being considerate.
You arrive at the pool when you’re actually ready to use it.
Someone else “reserved” a prime chair two hours earlier and disappeared.
Who gets the better location?
The person who wasn’t there.
That creates an incentive for everyone else to start doing the same thing.
Before long, the entire pool deck becomes a battlefield of towels and personal belongings.
Cruise Lines Do Have Policies
Many cruise lines have rules intended to prevent passengers from leaving loungers unattended indefinitely.
Depending on the ship, crew may monitor chairs and remove belongings after they’ve been vacant for a specified period—sometimes around 30 or 40 minutes.
But cruisers frequently complain that enforcement is inconsistent.
One sailing may have crew members actively managing loungers.
On another, apparently abandoned chairs remain “reserved” for hours.
That’s why passengers regularly ask cruise lines to enforce these rules more aggressively.
How to Deal With a Packed Pool Deck
If you want a good lounger without joining the 6 a.m. towel Olympics, try changing your strategy.
Go outside before or after peak hours.
Explore decks above the main pool.
Look toward the forward and aft sections of the ship.
Check secondary pool areas.
You may find plenty of chairs once you move away from the exact spot everybody else is fighting over.
And if dozens of loungers have clearly been abandoned for a long period, ask a crew member about the ship’s policy rather than starting an argument with another passenger.
Nobody needs a confrontation over a plastic chair on vacation.
And Don’t Become the Person You’re Complaining About
If you’re swimming, grabbing a drink, or using the restroom, obviously you don’t need to surrender your chair immediately.
But if you’re leaving the pool deck for an hour-long lunch?
Take your belongings.
Let someone else sit there.
When you return, find another spot.
The pool chair isn’t included in your cabin booking.
5. Passengers Who Don’t Wash Their Hands
Some complaints on this list are mostly about convenience.
This one is different.
Poor hygiene in a shared environment can affect everyone.
Cruisers specifically called out something nobody particularly enjoys witnessing:
Someone leaving a restroom without washing their hands.
It’s unpleasant anywhere.
On a cruise ship carrying thousands of people who touch the same surfaces and eat in shared venues, it becomes even more concerning.
Think About How Many Shared Surfaces You Touch
Within an hour aboard, you might touch:
- Elevator buttons
- Stair railings
- Door handles
- Buffet utensils
- Restaurant chairs
- Touchscreens
- Bar surfaces
- Casino machines
- Pool-area furniture
Then thousands of other passengers do exactly the same thing.
That’s simply the nature of cruise travel.
You’re living in a densely shared environment.
Basic hygiene therefore matters enormously.
Handwashing Is One of the Simplest Things You Can Control
You can’t control whether the person in the cabin down the hallway washes their hands.
You can control yourself.
Wash thoroughly with soap and water, especially:
- After using the restroom
- Before eating
- After returning from shore
- Whenever your hands are visibly dirty
Many ships also provide sanitizer around dining venues and other busy areas.
Use it where appropriate.
But don’t treat sanitizer as permission to stop washing your hands properly.
The Buffet Makes Hygiene Especially Important
Think about one serving spoon at a busy buffet.
Dozens of passengers may touch it within minutes.
Now multiply that across an entire buffet.
That’s why hand hygiene isn’t simply about protecting yourself.
You’re also reducing what you potentially pass to everybody who touches something after you.
It takes seconds.
On a weeklong vacation, that’s a pretty small investment.
6. Having to Leave the Ship on Disembarkation Morning
Finally, a proposal that may receive overwhelming support:
Ban disembarkation day.
Obviously, we’re joking.
Mostly.
There’s something uniquely unpleasant about the final morning of a cruise.
Twenty-four hours earlier, you were sitting beside the pool deciding where to eat dinner.
Now the cabin looks half-empty.
Your suitcase is packed.
The ship is back in port.
Announcements are playing.
Crew members are preparing everything for the next group.
And suddenly reality has returned.
Cruise Vacations End Abruptly
Hotels often allow you to wake up, have breakfast, and check out around late morning.
Cruise ships operate differently.
Thousands of passengers need to disembark.
Cabins need to be completely cleaned.
New luggage needs to arrive.
Fresh passengers may begin boarding only hours after you leave.
The turnaround is enormous.
That’s why the final morning can feel so rushed.
You’ve spent several days adapting to ship time, and then suddenly you’re carrying bags through a terminal wondering how vacation disappeared so quickly.
Make the Final Night Do the Work
The easiest way to make disembarkation less painful is to prepare before going to bed.
Pack most of your luggage.
Keep a smaller bag with essentials you’ll need overnight and the next morning.
Remember items such as:
- Travel documents
- Medication
- Phone charger
- Toiletries
- Change of clothes
- Wallet
- Keys
- Anything needed during your journey home
And please don’t pack the clothes you plan to wear off the ship.
It happens.
You don’t want your final cruise memory to involve explaining why you’re leaving the terminal in pajamas.
Don’t Book Impossible Travel Connections
One of the biggest mistakes passengers make is assuming:
“The ship arrives at 6 a.m., so I’ll be at the airport at 6:30.”
Not necessarily.
Arrival isn’t the same thing as immediate disembarkation.
The ship needs clearance.
Passengers need to get off.
Luggage needs to be collected.
There may be immigration or customs procedures.
Then you still need transportation to the airport.
Leave breathing room.
The final morning is already stressful enough without watching your flight’s boarding time get closer while you’re standing beside thousands of suitcases.
Consider Extending the Vacation by One Night
If your schedule and budget allow it, staying near the port after the cruise can make the transition much more pleasant.
Instead of racing directly from ship to airport, spend another day exploring the city.
Have dinner.
Sleep in a hotel.
Fly home the following day.
It doesn’t prevent the cruise from ending.
But it makes the return to normal life slightly less brutal.
What Do These Complaints Really Tell Us About Cruise Passengers?
The interesting thing about this entire discussion is what cruisers didn’t say.
They’re not saying cruise vacations are terrible.
They’re not saying ships are boring.
They’re not saying they’d rather stop cruising.
These complaints often come from experienced passengers who return to sea again and again.
That’s exactly why they have such strong opinions.
They know how relaxing cruising can be.
And they know how quickly small behaviors can interrupt that relaxation.
A towel left on a chair doesn’t ruin a cruise.
A noisy hot tub doesn’t ruin a cruise.
Walking past cigarette smoke doesn’t necessarily ruin a cruise.
An expensive drink package doesn’t ruin a cruise.
But repeat those little frustrations day after day and people remember them.
Most Cruise Frustrations Aren’t Really About the Ship
That’s probably the most revealing part of the conversation.
The ocean isn’t the problem.
The destination usually isn’t the problem.
And often, the ship itself isn’t the problem either.
Many of the biggest complaints come down to how thousands of people share one floating space.
One passenger wants to smoke.
Another wants fresh air.
One family wants their children to enjoy the pool.
Another passenger wants quiet.
One cruiser wants the best lounger later in the afternoon.
Someone else wants to use it right now.
One passenger drinks enough to love a beverage package.
Their cabinmate barely drinks at all.
Cruise lines are constantly trying to accommodate people who may have completely different definitions of a perfect vacation.
That’s never going to produce universal happiness.
Some “Bans” Are Really Requests for Better Enforcement
When cruisers say they want something banned, they don’t always literally mean:
“Remove this from every ship immediately.”
Sometimes they’re really saying:
“Please enforce the rules you already have.”
Chair saving is a perfect example.
Passengers don’t necessarily need loungers redesigned or pool decks rebuilt.
They want unattended-chair policies applied consistently.
The same applies to adult-only spaces.
If an area is designated for adults, passengers expect that rule to mean something.
Smoking areas work best when they’re positioned and managed in ways that reduce the impact on non-smokers.
Hygiene rules only help if passengers actually follow them.
Sometimes the answer isn’t another rule.
It’s making the existing one work.
The Perfect Cruise Ship Probably Doesn’t Exist
Imagine trying to design a cruise ship based entirely on passenger complaints.
No smoking anywhere.
No chair saving.
No kids in hot tubs.
More adults-only areas.
Cheaper drinks.
Flexible beverage packages.
Perfect hygiene.
And somehow nobody ever has to disembark.
That last requirement may cause some logistical problems.
But it demonstrates why these conversations are so entertaining.
Everybody has a slightly different version of the perfect cruise.
For some passengers, it’s a quiet balcony and a book.
For others, it’s a packed pool deck with music and frozen drinks.
Some want family activities from breakfast until bedtime.
Others deliberately choose cruises because they want to avoid children altogether.
There’s room in the cruise industry for all of them.
The trick is choosing the ship, cruise line, and itinerary that come closest to your version of a vacation.
