Eat Sleep Cruise
#19 US
The 20 Biggest Time Wasters on a Cruise (And How to Avoid Them)
We've sailed nearly 100 cruises and wasted plenty of hours doing these exact things. Here are the 20 dumbest time-wasters on a cruise, plus what to do instead so you actually enjoy every day at sea. 🛳️ 💲Save BIG with MEI-Travel cruise deals: https://bookmeicruise.com/?apid=escy 🌎Save Up to 40% On Shore Excursions: https://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/?id=1603014 5 Cruise Lines TO Switch to In 2026: https://youtu.be/M-4eM2avmPU Subscribe to the Eat Sleep Cruise YouTube Channel if you love to travel and cruise the world! https://www.youtube.com/@Eatsleepcruise1 Every cruise is built to fill your time with lines and crowds, and most cruisers never notice how many hours slip away. The people who have the best trip aren't lucky, they just move opposite the crowd. We've made almost every mistake on this list, so here's the full rundown of cruise time-wasters and the simple fix for each one. 📱 BEFORE YOU SAIL The biggest cruise mistakes happen before you ever board. Download the cruise line app early to research ships, book add-ons, and check in, then complete your online check-in at home so you aren't stuck at the terminal. Don't arrive hours before your window; 30 to 60 minutes is plenty. Fly in a day early so one delayed flight can't cost you the whole cruise. And scan the prohibited items list so your bag doesn't get pulled and delayed. 🧳 EMBARKATION DAY Day one is where the crowds are worst. Skip the buffet at noon, since it's the most packed it'll be all week, and eat at a sit-down or quick-service spot instead. Walk the ship while it's quiet to learn the layout and save days of wrong turns. Unpack fully and slide your bags under the bed instead of living out of a suitcase. And book drink packages, Wi-Fi, and dining before your cruise for a better price and no lines onboard. 🏖️ ONCE YOU'RE ONBOARD This is where the sneaky sea day time-wasters add up. Skip the Guest Services line by using the app or your cabin phone. Reserve your dining times ahead, even with flexible "my time" dining. Ride the top attractions like go-karts and water slides on a port day or right at open, not on a crowded sea day. Wake early or scout the quiet decks to score a lounger. Beat elevator waits with the stairs or a different bank. Skip art auctions and port shopping talks, which are just sales pitches. And don't burn your whole trip in the casino when the ship has so much more to offer. ⚓ IN PORT Book shore excursions independently to save money and skip the cruise line bus wait. The exception is a tender port, where a cruise line tour earns you priority tendering ashore. 🧾 END OF THE CRUISE Review your onboard account a day or two early instead of fighting the Guest Services line on the last morning. And wait for your luggage tags to be called before disembarking, or choose self-assist only if you can carry all your own bags. Do these and you'll reclaim hours on every single sailing. Which one have you been guilty of? Drop us an anchor in the comments, and here's to making the most of your next cruise. ⚓ 0:00 How to Avoid the Sneakiest Wastes of Time on a Cruise 0:30 Mistakes You're Making Before You Board 5:23 Where Everyone Goes Wrong on Day One 8:02 The Onboard Traps Draining Your Wallet 9:21 What Nobody Tells You About Excursions 11:25 The Lines and Crowds You Can Skip 15:41 Don't Let the Last Morning Cost You #CruiseTips #CruiseMistakes #Cruising #CruiseHacks #SeaDay #FirstTimeCruiser #CruisePlanning #EatSleepCruise #CruiseTravel #CruiseLife ----TRENDING VIDEOS FROM EAT SLEEP CRUISE------ 40 Cruise Hacks We Swear by After 100 Cruises: https://youtu.be/ivvzrns5QOI 15 Things We Stopped Doing on Cruises: https://youtu.be/GtkBjn5GvJA Best Cruises for Couples: https://youtu.be/fenNj5GmLdM Join us on Social Media as we “Sea the World, One Port at a Time.” Instagram: https://instagram.com/EatSleepCruise Facebook: https://facebook.com/EatSleepCruise Twitter: https://twitter.com/EatSleepCruise TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatsleepcruise Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/EatSleepCruise