Small things can make a big difference on your cruise, including the role your stateroom attendant plays.
One of the things I try to do on the first day of the cruise is to meet my stateroom attendant so I can start things off on the right note. They are the crew member you're likely to interact with the most, and I think how your cabin is attended to matters to a lot of people.
No matter if your cabin is small or large, I think it's important to ensure you're happy with the experience in it.
On any cruise I go on, when I meet my stateroom attendant, I always ask them four important things. Sometimes there's more, but I think these four are the ones that can be substantive.
How to pronounce their name
I hate awkward interactions and in my early cruising career, I was too embarrassed to ask a crew member how to say their name and then for the rest of the cruise it became "Hey you...".
Crew members come from around the world, and most names are easy enough to know how to say without asking. But sometimes they can be difficult to know how to say it properly.
Even if the name appears like I'd know how to say it, they may say it differently. Or they may have a nickname they prefer to go by.
I'll usually greet them and the first thing I ask is how to pronounce their name, repeating it out loud to avoid the embarrassment of admitting I still don't know their name later.
Have the room cleaned at night
Ever since Royal Caribbean cut twice a day cabin service, there's been a debate as to when to have your room cleaned.
My preference is to have it cleaned in the evening so my room is nice and prepared when I return in the evening for bed.
I've tried the morning too, but I find I feel rushed to get out of the cabin in the morning so the cabin attendant can tidy it up. Since I work on a cruise ship, the morning is usually my busiest time of the day.
In addition, I prefer to have my bed made before I go to sleep. There's always a good chance I'll take a nap during the day, and then the sheets are messed up again before bed. I know, first world problem stuff.
Most importantly, I think it's just more convenient to have them clean the room in the evening because I'm almost always out and about the ship at dinner or at a show.
Extra towels in the bathroom
When I cruise with my family, having extra bath towels is a must-do.
By default, there's only two shower towels in a cabin. That's fine for a solo traveler, but two towels is not going to last 24 hours when someone is washing their hair too.
Asking for more towels up front ensures we don't run out later, and no arguments among the kids of "who hogged up all the towels".
Opening the connecting doors
I think one of the best family cruise tips out there is to book two connecting rooms.
Two rooms provides separation from the kids, adds an extra bathroom, and lots of living space too. Plus, it's probably cheaper than a suite.
It's usually the case that the connecting door between both rooms isn't unlocked when we get into the cabin on the first day, so I'll ask them to unlock it.
In addition, if I have connecting balcony rooms, I'll ask for the balcony divider to be unlocked.
Not all balcony dividers can be unlocked, but my experience has been new ships have no issues.
I'll never ask my cabin attendant to do anything beyond their normal duties
There are a wide range of reasonable requests to make of your cabin attendant, but it's important to respect their boundaries.
First and foremost, never ask them to cover for you breaking cruise line rules, such as smoking in the cabin or balcony.
They're also very busy people, so I'd never request them leave their post to go check on something. Many issues are for Guest Services, so if it's not a problem in my cabin, I'll seek assistance elsewhere.
Lastly, cabin attendants are some of the hardest working crew members onboard, and you should treat them with respect. Don't make demands or acting in a way that is disrespectful or inconsiderate.
