Fess Up! Share stories of mistakes you've made while cruising.

[alexspepa]

Our upcoming cruise leaves in a couple of weeks, and last week I discovered I had put the wrong passport issue date when doing the on-line registration. This caused Turkey to not issue my Visa - luckily the cruise line straightened it out quickly but I had a few nervous days.

 

that's really about the only I can think of...lucky I guess.

[MimiMia]

First cruise.....not planning well enough to have spending money. We went with just $100 a piece.

[fabby50]

Well, I forgot to bring any underwear one trip. Every port stop was a search. Did you know it's very hard to find underwear in small tourist stops? My husband's solution to turn them inside out every other day didn't help :)

[dainew]

I thought on our first cruise we was supposed to do everything that was in the Funtimes....and we was so tired and turn in early every night...Now we know better and I barely do he stuff in the Funtmes

[Andy]

Hi Gina,

 

On my first cruise, I booked an inside cabin. After a very long travel day, I woke up the next morning.... noticed it was dark, and went back to sleep. What I didn't realize... the room was dark because I was in an inside cabin :). I awoke again later that afternoon, and realized I missed a 1/2 day of my cruise !

 

Thankfully, it wasn't anything major, but as I look back to 20+ years ago, it always brings a chuckle. By the way... I've never booked an inside cabin since :)

Edited April 29, 2014 by Host Andy

[Dubsolute]

Arguing with the wife.

[CamCruiser]

When I booked our first cruise, I didn't realize that fares change. I booked it at the listed fare and never checked again for a reduction. I did pay more that I could have and wanted to give myselft a swift kick! Now I book early and check the fares often.

[soccersharon]

On our first cruise, we thought the drinks being offered at sailaway were complimentary...until we were asked for our S&S.

 

Sent from my mobile device. Typos are inevitable.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

On our first 2 or 3 cruises we waited until the time mentioned on the ticket for check-in. [we are slow learners! :o:p:D] Now we arrive as soon after we feel the departing cruisers will clear the ship.

[Esprit]

We packed beach towels on our first cruise. Doh!

 

What a waste of valuable luggage allowance.

[leaveitallbehind]

My wife is a teacher so we often look at her school spring break as a time to schedule some of our cruises.

 

A few years ago it was time to begin the process and look at spring options for a cruise. As part of my due diligence I went on line to her school calendar to check the dates for that year's spring break. In further checking with the RCI web site I found a Southern Caribbean itinerary that was priced surprisingly good for that time of year. I immediately picked up the phone and called our TA and made the executive decision to book it!

 

On a roll, I decided that I might as well book the flights as well since it was into Puerto Rico and I wanted to capture the best airfare for that week. After a few minutes of searching I found - again somewhat surprisingly - decent fares for that week and once again, made the executive decision to proceed.

 

I was just about ready to enter the credit card info on our non-refundable airfare for our surprisingly good cruise rate when - fortunately - in walks my better half. (Who clearly along with being better looking is smarter as well).

 

Upon excitingly reviewing my quest thus far with her, she just stopped me and gave me that "look" and quietly informed me that all would be great if we were planning to go last year! Huh? Yep! I had mistakenly looked at last year's school calendar and had come about 3 seconds away from buying airfare for the already booked wrong spring week's cruise!

 

Needless to say that was the last cruise I booked on my own......

 

(And BTW Ken - the forgotten suitcase still would have been my fault...)

Edited April 29, 2014 by leaveitallbehind

[coldinkansas]

It was at Dinner in the MDR last cruise. Ordered Chicken Breast and waiter ask "side", I said " RIGHT " :eek::eek: Cruise mates still laughing and telling this story on me.

[Potstech]

On our first cruise we ate every meal in the buffet. This caused us to miss out on many great meals and talking to a lot of other cruisers. Have since fixed that mistake.

[hosscow]

Attending a port shopping talk on my first cruise.

[Clydesmom7865]

Got half way to the airport before realizing the laptop bag with my computer, wallet and PASSPORT were at home on the sofa. :eek:

 

Had to break major laws to head home and get it and make my flight out. Learned ALWAYS check for the passport before pulling out of the driveway.

[seamanfs]

Many cruises and years ago I forgot my RX meds. Did not bring any I should have. Called the Med center and the Dr and staff fixed me up with all I needed. Because of me being an RN they did not charge me anything! Professional courtesy ?? . I was very grateful and impressed. Been traveling with Princess since then.

[dst87]

Mine was on my first cruise. I didn't realize that you were to give the cabin steward their tip the last night, I figured I would give it to him the next morning before I left for the ship. Well, much to my surprise, when I returned to my cabin that night, I had no towels or pillows. That was a hard lesson to learn, had to dry off with the sheet (thank goodness he did leave those on the bed).

 

If that was his attitude then it's probably just as well he didn't get his tip! I'd be appalled!

[Pete B]

First cruise on Voyager. Was waiting in the Theatre to go on an excursion when I realised I had forgot the camera. Dashed back to the cabin and then got lost on the way back to the theatre. (My sense of direction is legendary)

My wife told me off ( very loudly) in front of about 200 people.

 

Nice ! :rolleyes:

[icat2000]

Forgot to bring chargers all of them. No wifi. No happy snaps. Other than that nothing much much else.

[Ourusualbeach]

My wife is a teacher so we often look at her school spring break as a time to schedule some of our cruises.

 

A few years ago it was time to begin the process and look at spring options for a cruise. As part of my due diligence I went on line to her school calendar to check the dates for that year's spring break. In further checking with the RCI web site I found a Southern Caribbean itinerary that was priced surprisingly good for that time of year. I immediately picked up the phone and called our TA and made the executive decision to book it!

 

On a roll, I decided that I might as well book the flights as well since it was into Puerto Rico and I wanted to capture the best airfare for that week. After a few minutes of searching I found - again somewhat surprisingly - decent fares for that week and once again, made the executive decision to proceed.

 

I was just about ready to enter the credit card info on our non-refundable airfare for our surprisingly good cruise rate when - fortunately - in walks my better half. (Who clearly along with being better looking is smarter as well).

 

Upon excitingly reviewing my quest thus far with her, she just stopped me and gave me that "look" and quietly informed me that all would be great if we were planning to go last year! Huh? Yep! I had mistakenly looked at last year's school calendar and had come about 3 seconds away from buying airfare for the already booked wrong spring week's cruise!

 

Needless to say that was the last cruise I booked on my own......

 

(And BTW Ken - the forgotten suitcase still would have been my fault...)

 

 

LOL

 

Your spring break story hits home. Our Enchntment 2015 spring break cruise for March 16'th was booked for March 9'th for about 10 months before we realized that the March break weeks changed on us. Luckily we caught it early and the pricing was the same for both weeks.

[patty1955]

Our one and only Royal Caribbean cruise (we call if the cruise to hell) ended early when Hurricane Frances blew in. We rushed back to port a day early and were given a copy of a list of hotels and free internet to help with planning. Unfortunately, everyone on the ship was given free internet, so it was so slow we couldn't use it. We were given the opportunity to sail around and wait it out or to go ashore. Since we had hated the cruise, we opted to go ashore. What they neglected to tell us was the airport had closed. We made a couple of calls from the airport and lined up a hotel, where we spent the next 7 days while the hurricane spun off shore. We didn't realize that everything would close down, so we ended up shopping at Sam's Club at the last minute and spent the week eating canned tuna and trail mix. If someone had told us that Tampa was still open, we could have bussed over and gone home.

Lessons learned: be prepared before we board a cruise during hurricane season; change the cell phone and carry a charging cord; include laptop in carry on and research hotels (just in case).

[razzzbere]

Missing the boat! It was our honeymoon and there was a blizzard in Boston, missed our flight and then by the time we got to Ft. Lauderdale, we had missed the boat by about 30 mins! We had to pay extra to fly to Cozumel and the cruise line put us up at an all inclusive for 1 night. By the time we made it to the ship, we missed our excursions since we were still on our time, not on cruise time. :mad:

[jules815]

Arrived at the Residence Inn in Port Canaveral the day before sailing, ready to spend an afternoon poolside, when our 19 year old daughter informed us, in tears, that she'd forgotten to pack her bathing suits! Good thing we flew in the day before!

[Pam in CA]

My most recent cruise, I guess I took it a bit too casually since I didn't have to fly. Forgot my medications and my iPhone/iPad charger. I happened to find extra medications and when the ship stopped in San Diego, I borrowed a charger from a CC friend I was meeting in person for the first time.

 

My worst forgetful mistake was years ago when I lived in the Boston area and flew to LA for a cruise. Forgot all of my credit cards and didn't discover this until I went to the Hertz desk to get a rental. Tore my purse apart but no credit cards... except one I'd received, never activated and had tucked away in a pocket and forgotten. Called, activated and we were on our way. Phew!

[Caribbean Chris]

My husband once needed to have a pair of leather shoes shined and could only find a paper laundry bag to place them in to leave for our steward. He wrote on the bag in big letters "For shoe shine please," and the shoes disappeared.

 

Later that day, our steward knocked to advise that the laundry had called to say it was not possible to wash those shoes. Ny husband explained and the steward retrieved and returned his (shined) shoes.

 

Lesson learned: the bag is for laundry. Period.

 

(Our steward and the laundry man probably entertain friends with stories of the time the crazy people wanted to have their loafers washed.)