A former cruise ship employee has revealed what she would never do while on a cruise. Tammy Barr spent three years working on cruises and now goes on cruises for fun. She explained that she would never wear her room key around her neck — and she doesn't think the dining room upgrades or drink packages are worth it. In a Business Insider article, she revealed that wearing your room key around your neck could make you a target, especially while in port.
"That room key bouncing off your chest looks like an invitation to be robbed," she explained.
Though safety is the most important reason, it's not the only one. Tammy also noted that wearing your room key around your neck "just looks pretentious."
To stay safe and healthy while on your trip, Tammy also recommends being careful about what you touch while on the ship. When it comes to touching frequently touched surfaces, Tammy is cautious and never touches those surfaces (like elevator buttons) with her fingertips.
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Though it might seem extreme to some, she noted that she would "definitely rather be safe than sorry" because of the risk of contracting norovirus on a cruise. Norovirus is highly contagious, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that hand sanitizer does not offer sufficient protection from norovirus.
Instead, the CDC recommends regular hand washing. Tammy wrote that she washes her hands frequently while on a cruise and also uses her elbow to touch frequently touched surfaces.
Another concern Tammy has is making it back to the ship on time on a port days. How can travelers avoid rushing back to the ship and stressing over it? Tammy suggests giving yourself extra time to make it back in case something unexpected happens.
Additionally, she cautions travelers against packing their schedules on port days. While it's understandable that you'd want to do and see as much as possible, Tammy pointed out how struggling to get back to the ship on time can be quite frustrating for everyone involved.
One time, Tammy was late because something unexpected happened: her taxi driver got lost. Getting lost made her extremely late and also cost her a decent amount of money: $8 per minute "to be connected with the ship," she wrote.
"I pleaded with them to wait for us," she wrote for Business Insider. "It was a sprint through the port to get back on and we received quite a scolding from the first officer."
Tammy also thinks paying for dining room upgrades and buying drink packages are "rookie mistakes." In her opinion, paying for drinks in advance isn't worth it when there are other drink specials available when you're actually on the ship.
Sometimes she even brings her own wine, depending on the cruise line's policies.
