First-time cruisers may be scared of falling overboard, but veteran cruisers know there are far more frightening (and plausible) things to be afraid of on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
We wanted to find out the biggest fears among cruisers, so we posed the question to members of the Royal Caribbean Blog message boards. Over 40 cruisers responded, sharing their biggest rational—and irrational—fears.
Some cruisers are panicked at the thought of getting left behind in port, while others are more concerned about what they would do if they forgot their underwear at home.
Forget falling off a cruise ship—these are the 11 things cruisers are actually scared of while onboard.
Leaving their passport at home
If there’s one thing that can ruin a cruise vacation before it even begins, it’s forgetting your passport at home.
Lost luggage? Forgot your sunscreen? These mishaps may be unfortunate, but at the end of the day, items like clothing and toiletries are easily replaceable. Your passport, on the other hand, is the single most important item you need for a cruise vacation.
Related: Can I cruise without a passport?
Message board member BXcruiser mentioned how forgetting their passport at home is their ultimate cruise fear; they constantly check to make sure the passport is packed before leaving home.
User loki007 added to the discussion by explaining what happened when they once forgot their passport. Fortunately, they realized their mistake while staying at a hotel the evening before embarkation, but the 7-hour round trip drive to retrieve the passport was far from enjoyable.
Evacuating the ship in an emergency
Every cruiser knows they must complete Royal Caribbean’s safety drill on embarkation day, but for most, the thought of a real emergency never crosses their mind. Cruise ships rarely encounter major issues at sea, after all, and emergency evacuations are largely unheard of.
Nonetheless, there’s a reason that millions of passengers complete safety drills each year—an emergency is always a possibility. Whether the ship is taking on water or a fire starts onboard, some cruisers stress about what an emergency evacuation could entail.
Message board member Geezer Of The Seas expressed his concerns, stating that “somehow, I don’t envision the real thing going as smoothly as the drills the crews perform periodically.”
Being left behind in port
We’ve all seen videos of frantic cruisers sprinting back to their cruise ship before it leaves port. Dubbed pier runners, these cruisers are frequently the target of jokes in the cruise industry. Several Royal Caribbean Blog message board members mentioned missing the ship as their biggest cruise fear.
It’s important to be cognizant of time while in port, as it’s crucial to return back to the ship in time. With the exception of those on shore excursions booked through Royal Caribbean, the cruise ship will not wait for late passengers. Those guests who miss the ship’s departure will need to make their own arrangements to meet up with the ship in the next port of call.
Related: What happens if you miss your cruise ship?
Moral of the story? Keep an eye on the time in port, and make note of whether your ship is following the port’s local time or ship time to ensure you get back onboard with plenty of time to spare.
Not making it to the embarkation city
Not getting back to your cruise ship before it leaves a port of call is a common cruise fear, but what about missing your cruise ship’s first departure altogether?
User smokeybandit explained how their biggest concern is getting to the port in the first place, particularly during the winter. User JimnKathy shared a similar remark, stating how “I never feel comfortable until the plane lands at our port of departure. Commercial air travel is SO unreliable these days.”
One of our most tried and true cruise tips at Royal Caribbean Blog is arriving at your embarkation city at least one day before your cruise begins. Even still, some veteran cruisers remain wary of travel delays that could cause them to miss the ship despite proper planning.
Something bad happening at home
Royal Caribbean Blog message board user RockerDom31 mentioned how their biggest cruise fear is something happening at home, such as an injury or death in the family. Many cruisers can relate to this fear, and it’s important to always be prepared for the worst case scenario.
No one wants to think of an emergency occurring at home while on a cruise, but it’s always a possibility. To be prepared for the worst, we recommend purchasing travel insurance before your cruise.
Related: Travel insurance for a cruise: Why you need it
Many travel insurance policies offer trip interruption coverage in case of the death of a family member back home, which may cover costs associated with an early departure from your ship when possible.
Plus, travel insurance will keep cruisers covered if something happens to themselves on a cruise, whether a sudden illness or emergency medical evacuation.
Losing luggage before (or after) boarding the ship
Frequent cruisers are meticulous when packing for a cruise, ensuring they pack the perfect outfit for each formal night or a day at the beach. Yet what if your luggage goes missing?
For several users on our message boards, losing luggage takes the top spot on their list of cruise fears.
Member asquared17 wrote how one of their biggest fears is watching their luggage float on the water as the ship pulls away from the cruise terminal. Traveling Mike shared similar sentiments, explaining how he would have trouble finding well-fitting clothing at the last minute if his luggage were to be lost.
Related: 6 tips to help keep a cruise line from losing your luggage
PhantomWolf shared a tip for those with luggage concerns, recommending that cruisers place AirTags in their luggage prior to leaving for a cruise. This way, cruisers can track down their bags on the chance they are misplaced.
Bad weather before, during, and after the cruise
Everyone wants a cool breeze and sunny skies when cruising, but weather will always be somewhat unpredictable regardless of where a cruise takes place.
From heat waves in the Mediterranean to hurricane season in the Caribbean, cruisers often express concern about encountering bad weather on a cruise.
Board user SPS explained how bad weather is his biggest fear on a cruise. Storms, winter travel, and cooler-than-expected weather can cause travel delays, missed ports of call, and miserably cold days at sea.
Royal Caribbean tries its best to complete every itinerary as scheduled, but out-of-the-ordinary weather patterns can occasionally put a damper on even the most anticipated cruise vacations.
The bar running out of a favorite drink
On a lighter note, what if your favorite beverage is out of stock on a Royal Caribbean cruise?
You can try dozens of unique drinks onboard a Royal Caribbean ship, whether a classic Cucumber Martini or tropical-inspired Parrot Punch. Some cruisers, though, prefer sticking to their favorites.
Related: 21 drinks to order if you have a cruise drink package
Message board user Ryan79 stated how the scariest thing that could happen on a cruise would be “the bar running out of Kraken for my lava flow!” and, after 55 cruises, Mike45orlando mentioned that “all the bars running out of your beer of choice is our biggest nightmare.”
Fortunately, even if the cruise ship does run out of your favorite drink, there are more than enough other intriguing choices available.
Getting food poisoning
There’s nothing glamorous about food poisoning—no one wants to spend their entire cruise in the bathroom! As expected, many cruisers are fearful of catching norovirus or another gastrointestinal illness onboard.
User Pattycruise said her biggest fear is learning about multiple cases of food poisoning through her sailing’s Facebook group.
“Reading in the Facebook group for your sailing that numerous people have food poisoning... I had the ‘joy’ of norovirus on disembarkation day on one of those sailings.”
Our advice? Make sure to wash your hands frequently while onboard. It’s a good idea to carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you, too, which you can use after handling commonly-touched items like buffet tongs and door handles.
Losing car keys for the way home
In all the excitement of embarkation day, some cruisers may toss their car keys into the first convenient place they find in their luggage. Come disembarkation day, however, remembering where they put their car keys can be challenging.
Member Auto mentioned losing his car keys as one of his biggest cruise fears, having experienced this himself after one sailing.
“We got to the parking garage to go home and I can’t find the keys anywhere,” he explained. “After about 10 minutes of searching, I finally found them in a pocket of a backpack I have never used before (or since). Not a great feeling.”
For those driving to the cruise port, make sure to put your keys in an easy-to-remember place.
Looking at your bill at the end of the cruise
Finally, one of the scariest moments all cruisers can relate to is looking at the final bill at the end of the cruise.
While onboard, it’s easy to swipe your SeaPass card without much thought. Another $15 cocktail? Sure, why not! The $200 spa treatment is only $150 today? What a steal!
Related: How much does a cruise cost?
After days of spending—and treating yourself—comes the dreaded moment of receiving your final bill.
To avoid intense sticker shock at the end of the cruise, keep an eye on your onboard charges via the Royal Caribbean app. If the number frightens you just halfway through the cruise, that’s a great reminder to cut back on your spending.
