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Often times cruise ship passengers do things that many would consider rude.
A person who behaves foolishly on land is no more considerate of others when at sea. Some people use their vacation as an excuse for their terrible behavior.
Many of the careless behaviors of some passengers have become part of the cruise experience. Some always wake up early to get pool chairs and then leave them unused for hours.
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Cruise companies will never be able to create a completely fair elevator system where no bullies cut in line. (Royal Caribbean’s new elevator technology does a good job of curbing this behavior.) Plus, you’ll always find people smoking on their balconies and people who take huge plates of food from the buffet only to abandon them.
Some of these things, such as smoking in areas where you shouldn’t, may anger your chosen cruise company. Most other actions and behaviors go largely unpunished because their overall impact on others is minimal.
Yes, it’s annoying to have someone ahead of you in line, and it’s annoying to not be able to find a seat at the pool easily. But neither situation ruins your vacation.
There is one thing, however, that you should never do on a cruise ship, and it is something that many people do, even those who are not trying to be indifferent, and the effect can be disastrous.
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Photo Credit: Dan Klein/Come on a Cruise
Beware of the cruise ship toilet
Cruise ships have a shared plumbing system. This means that if you flush a banned substance down the toilet, it could cause problems not only for your space but for dozens, maybe hundreds, of other cabins.
It’s really important. Do not flush anything down the toilet except the toilet paper provided by the cruise company.
Carnival brand ambassador John Heald addressed the issue in a recent Facebook post.
“Yes, Luigi and all of our plumbers hate people bringing their own toilet paper and dirty wipes,” he wrote. “That’s because despite signs telling you not to flush them, they still do it.”
He urged passengers to be extra careful, as a clogged toilet could cause inconvenience to hundreds of passengers. Held explained that people should not bring their own toilet paper from home.
“This forces Luigi to put on a long glove and stick his arm into a tube filled with devil dumplings until the toilets in the cabin section start flushing again,” he added.
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Royal Caribbean shares a similar warning.
Royal Caribbean posts signs in its bathrooms and features a video on its in-house channel explaining all the things passengers shouldn’t flush down the toilet.
These items include some that you can clearly see being flushed down the toilet, such as diapers and sanitary products, as well as things you can’t imagine people flushing down the toilet, such as fruit and car keys.
The cruise company also makes it clear that you are not allowed to bring your own toilet paper from home. The company provides cheap toilet paper, or at least toilet paper that is thin and uncomfortable to use, for a very specific reason.
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“Cruise ships are required to use a thin toilet paper suitable for use in recreational vehicles, portable or marine toilets. It is specially designed to be easily and quickly flushed into holding tanks, preventing any nasty clogs,” according to Royal Caribbean Blog“Marine sewage systems are complex, and therefore unable to handle the thick, soft toilet paper you are used to in your home,”
Royal Caribbean will confiscate any toilet paper brought on board. Additionally, you are not supposed to flush tissues, even disposable ones, down your own toilet on a cruise ship.
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