You're bound to have lots of questions when you're new to a cruise vacation, and maybe a few of them are things a little awkward to ask.
I know I've been in situations where I'm new to something and I feel embarrassed to ask such a basic question to a group of people who know it all, especially when it seems like I probably should be able to figure it out.
The longer you cruise, the more questions you'll see, especially if you join a message board or group online. I try not to judge them, as I was a newbie also at one point.
I'm betting there are some people brand new to cruises that are curious for an answer to these questions they think are too dumb to ask, so we have the answers right here to make you more confident about your cruise.
Will I have to share a bathroom with other cruise ship passengers?
A room on a cruise ship is somewhat similar to a hotel, but it's definitely not like a hostel.
Rest assured, every stateroom comes with its own ensuite bathroom, so you don't have to leave your cabin to use the facilities.
Regardless of which type of cabin you book, every stateroom bathroom has a shower, toilet, sink, mirror, and some storage space. If you want a bathtub, you'll need to upgrade to at least a Junior Suite.
Of course, there are public bathrooms around the ship too in the public areas, such as the pool deck, Royal Promenade, and near restaurants.
I'm scared of falling off a cruise ship, should I be?
I can confidently assure you there's no risk of falling off a cruise ship if you follow the rules.
Stories of passengers going overboard perpetuate the myth you can fall off a cruise ship randomly and without any cause. The reality is that's simply not true.
There are two ways you can go overboard: you deliberately jump off the ship, or you go somewhere you're not supposed to go and then slip and fall off the ship.
Unfortunately, many cases of people that go overboard are the result of a suicide. Others are people doing things they're not supposed to do, like getting up on balcony railings.
All of the railings around the ship are about four feet tall, making it nearly impossible to accidentally fall off as the result of a slip and fall.
As for kids, all balcony doors have a manual lock located high on the door frame to prevent young children from being able to get out to the balcony. Of course, parental supervision is key to ensure they don't climb anything.
Can someone on another cruise ship see into my cabin when my ship is docked in port?
Absolutely, yes!
The windows on your suite, balcony, or oceanview are viewable through both sides of the glass. If you booked one of these rooms and you're in port, you'll want to be vigilant about what you do with the windows open.
If there's a cruise ship docked across from yours, yes, the passengers on that ship can see onto your balcony and, if your curtains are open, into your cabin!
And that goes also if you booked a Neighborhood cabin, such as a Central Park, Surfside, or Boardwalk room. There are other cabins (and passengers below) that could potentially have a line of sight right into your room.
Always check what's outside your window or balcony window before changing or getting in the shower. Or anything else you wouldn't want someone else to see.
Do crew members live on the ship?
Before you accuse me of making up this question, I promise you I have heard it asked many times.
Yes, the crew members on the ship live, work, and sleep on the same ship you sail on. They don't commute to it.
Below the passenger decks are a few additional decks where the crew members live. Most crew members share a cabin with other crew members, and they have cabins similar to passenger cabins, although crew cabins are smaller and lack the finishes that passengers have.
There are actually a crew-only buffet restaurant, crew gym, and crew bar also onboard.
Guests are never allowed into the crew areas, unless they book a Behind the Scenes tour.
Why do I hear a "whoosh" sound from the toilet?
Unlike your bathroom at home, the toilet is going to be quite louder and that's because it's a vacuum system.
Similar to the toilets on an airplane, when you flush, the vacuum system engages to make the toilet function.
It's also common to hear a few more thumps as the valves in the system close.
Don't worry, it's all normal.
Is the toilet water salt water?
I swear this question has been asked before, and the answer is no, it's not salt water.
Every Royal Caribbean cruise ship has its own desalination plant onboard that takes sea water, treats it, and converts it back to freshwater. They also can recycle freshwater to be re-used for things like the toilet.
Do I need to bring my own toilet paper?
Fear not, your stateroom attendant will provide as much toilet paper as you need during your cruise.
Cruise staterooms aren't like an Airbnb that provides one roll and the rest is on you.
Similarly, you don't need to worry about running out of clean towels, because each time your attendant services your cabin, they will replenish used towels with clean ones.
How do I dispose of used feminine hygiene products?
First, definitely do not flush it down the toilet. It will break the toilet for you and everyone around your room.
Royal Caribbean provides sanitary bags to use, and they're located underneath your sink.
Place the used sanitary bag in the garbage can below your sink. Sometimes it's an open metal container, and on newer ships, there's actually a garbage lid.
Can I be kicked off my ship if the cruise is overbooked?
Just like air lines, cruise lines oversell their ship because they know people cancel and don't show up all the time.
In very rare cases, a sailing approaches and Royal Caribbean sees there's an oversold problem and they'll take action. This is how the public becomes aware that a ship is oversold.
Some passengers get an email alerting them to the oversold nature of the sailing and the line asks for volunteers to change sail dates.
They don't actually bump anyone, they look for people with flexibility that want to save a ton of money to free up their cabin. There are a lot of people than you realize that wouldn't mind deferring their vacation and getting money back for it, such as people who live near the port or retired folks.
So while there is a theoretical possibility the cabins are oversold on your cruise sailing and you'd be denied boarding, it's very, very unlikely and not something you should worry about.
Is there a TV in my room and what channels does it get?
Yes, every cabin has its own television.
There's a limited subset of channels provided, and many are international feeds of well-known networks.
Channels you can expect include:
- ESPN
- CNN
- Fox News
- MSNBC
- BBC
- Sky News
There are also movie channels, kids channels, and some channels in Spanish, German, or Chinese.
Is a guaranteed cabin a bad choice?
Royal Caribbean offers the option to let them pick the room for you, known as a guarantee cabin.
There are plusses and minuses to a guarantee cabin. You could save a lot of money by allowing the cruise line to pick your room location, but the downside is you might end up with less desirable room.
A guaranteed cabin could result in a room with an obstructed view and/or in a "bad" location.
I wouldn't say a guaranteed cabin is a bad choice, because the money saving opportunity is often significant. Plus, you probably won't end up in a truly awful room.
A lot of people that cruise a lot opt for guaranteed cabins, but the key is to be aware of the potential downsides and be okay with it.
