What is it about cruise ships that make people do weird things? Maybe it’s the freedom of the open seas, bottomless cocktails, or that cruising seems to suspend normal behavior rules. I thought I’d seen it all—people eating in hot tubs, hanging off balconies, and plates piled high like Mount Everest. Then I stumbled on cruise forums about what fellow cruisers have witnessed at sea. It turns out that people do the weirdest things on cruise ships.
Do you want to know the 40 funniest, weirdest, and craziest stories from cruise ships? Read on and prepare to cringe, laugh, and maybe even remember something funny that happened to you onboard.
Bizarre Buffet and Dining Room Antics
Serving spoons and sticky fingers
Cruise buffets are a feast for the senses—and sometimes, a test of your gag reflex. Picture this: I once saw a man in the buffet line munching with his bare hands, licking his fingers, then diving back for more. Totally against all cruise buffet etiquette.
Or the mom who used the serving spoon to feed her toddler, and casually returned it to the food station. Bon appétit? I don’t think so.
Egg-cellent feats and food towers
Cruise buffets aren’t just about variety—they’re about extremes. A commenter on a cruise Reddit forum shared how they watched a guest devour 24 boiled eggs in a single sitting. Or what about a woman eating 12 kiwifruits at once? Another said they saw a cruiser with a plate so high it looked like a Jenga tower. Needless to say, gravity won, and the food ended up on the floor.
Pocket salmon and napkin pepper
Cruise dining never disappoints—especially the people watching. I saw one woman casually grind black pepper into a napkin and then tuck it into her purse like a spice souvenir. Another weird thing? One cruiser told how a passenger slid a grilled salmon fillet straight into her pocket. After all, who doesn’t need a snack for later?
Thongs and buffet wardrobe wonders
The buffet is a feast for the eyes in more ways than one. Imagine the horror of one cruiser who described three “well-endowed” women in thongs with their um, assets just inches from their food. And then, their gravity-defying bikini holding up what can only be described as “watermelons” caused a stir in the dining room. Cruise fashion? Unmatched.
Dining companions: Soft toys and three-course meals
Cruise dining can get creative, but I read about one guest taking it to a whole new level. Traveling solo on a world cruise, she brought a collection of soft toys and dolls—each evening featuring one as her “guest.” Dressed to match (think Little Bo Peep for her sheep), she even ordered them their own three-course meal.
Shrimp heist: The buffet bandit strikes
Ever seen someone take “all-you-can-eat” literally? One woman grabbed the entire tray of shrimp—tongs, silver platter, and all—and hauled it to her table using a towel as an oven mitt. Cruisers just stood there, speechless, as the buffet turned into her personal seafood feast. Seconds anyone? Sorry, all gone.
Pajamas and bathrobe blunders
Cruise buffets may not have dress codes, but you cannot wear what you want. Obviously, some guests don’t realize this because I’ve seen people in their pajamas, bathrobes, and slippers at the breakfast buffet. On another cruise, a family of four showed up in matching pajamas, looking more ready for a bedtime story than breakfast service.
Unusual Happenings in Cabins, Balconies, and Private Areas
The bullet surprise
Imagine the shock of a passenger finding live .22 caliber bullets under their cabin bed. Reporting it to guest services led to a two-hour room search, sparking security concerns and leaving everyone wondering how it got there. Prank gone wrong? Who knows.
Dementia in the hallways
One forum contributor told about a heartbreaking yet bizarre moment when an older adult wandered the stateroom hallways holding what appeared to be a turd. Unfortunately, he seemed to be suffering from dementia. Thankfully, crew members quickly intervened to help.
Similarly, another passenger once found their elderly parent trying to use the minibar sink as a toilet, forcing an unexpected crash course in caregiving at sea.
Rowdy swingers next door
What starts as a neighbor’s lively party often escalates into something much more awkward. One passenger recounted discovering that their next-door cabin was hosting nightly swinger parties—yes, loud music and cringe-worthy gasping sounds making earplugs essential.
In another instance, a group of partygoers took their antics to the balcony, serenading the deck below with off-key karaoke at 2 a.m.
Related: The top balcony don’ts on a cruise ship.
Late-night hallway chaos
Hallways aren’t just for walking, apparently. One cruiser described waking up to the sound of a drunken conga line, complete with off-key singing and someone wearing a lampshade as a hat. Another time? An impromptu beer pong tournament erupted outside a cabin door. Who needs sleep on vacation, right?
The balcony water balloon launcher
Balconies are for relaxing—unless you’re the kind of cruiser who likes making a splash. I read about one passenger who thought it would be fun to turn their balcony into a water balloon launching pad, soaking sunbathers below. Security quickly found the culprit and dealt with them.
Gratuity drama over sunglasses and towel animals
Some guests take cabin service complaints to an extreme. One former crew member told me about a cruiser who demanded to remove all gratuities and even wanted compensation. Why? Because the cruise cabin steward dared to touch their sunglasses and place them on a towel animal. Unfortunately, some cruisers have no sense of humor.
Quirks and Shenanigans on Pool Decks and Outdoor Areas
Loungers and restroom chaos
A now-infamous video shared by the cruise community shows a woman on a lounger who drank so much she, well, turned the chair into her personal bathroom. The real kicker? The hilarious commentary from onlookers. Security eventually wheeled her off the Lido Deck. Whether she was banned is still a mystery, but the video lives on.
The dawn chair hoggers
What’s the #1 habit all obnoxious cruise passengers seem to have? Secure the pool lounger at all costs. One cruiser shared how he saw a few guests “booking” chairs with towels and shoes as he was jogging around the ship at 6 a.m! The sad thing about this is that many never return, leaving their “reserved” spots empty for hours.
Thankfully, I’ve noticed recently that cruise staff take a stronger line with chair hoggers and remove items after 30 minutes of inactivity.
Overboard diaper drama
One parent let their toddler toddle around the pool deck in an overfull diaper, leaving little “surprises” behind. It wasn’t until other guests pointed out the trail that they finally stepped in. Talk about a deck hazard no one signed up for.
Unforgettable “Speedo Man” drama
One fellow cruiser told about an earlier cruise where a guy wore a curly blue clown wig all the time. For the bellyflop contest, he emerged in a robe, wearing his wig and striped off, revealing his Speedos and a matching wig sticking out of them! Aargh. The cruiser said, “It wasn’t a Carnival Cruise Line, but it sure felt like it.”
Skinny dipping and exhibitionism
The weirdest antics on cruise ships usually involve some kind of stripping off. One cruiser told how they saw a woman dancing entirely in the buff on the neighboring ship when docked in port. Another guest told me that they went for a late-night swim only to find a couple skinny dipping in the pool.
Peculiar Performances in Entertainment Venues
Cross-dressing and karaoke chaos
Cruise shows are known for their creativity, but some adult game nights take things to the next level. One passenger told me that one Royal Caribbean’s Quest game show involved passengers crawling across the floor in their underwear and cross-dressing. It’s not Broadway—but it’s definitely memorable for many cruisers.
When lounge chairs turn into wrestling rings
Two cruise passengers nearly came to blows in the lounge over a pair of seats in the lounge. One scrambled over the chair’s back to claim it, only for the other to plop into his lap. It would have been comical if they hadn’t continued arguing, almost coming to blows.
The cruise quest that went too far
During an adult scavenger hunt, one woman whipped off her shirt and bra to win points, leaving the MC stunned (FYI, it wasn’t an adult-only cruise!). She got her prize, and the rest of the bar got a show they didn’t sign up for. I heard about another adult game night where a guy was crawling across the stage in his underwear to win free drinks.
Star-struck and semi-stalking
Some fans take their love for cruise performers a little too far. One couple attended every Beatles tribute show, waiting backstage to meet the cast. When they cornered “John Lennon” at the buffet, even his polite decline couldn’t stop their enthusiasm. Their attempts to socialize led to staff stepping in with a polite but firm “no guest interactions” policy.
Costume contest chaos: When losing gets loud
I read about one mom cruiser who wasn’t ready to accept the fact her kids lost the onboard costume contest. She confronted the cruise director with so much intensity that the moment went viral online. After reading the comments, it’s clear the internet wasn’t Team Mom.
Oddities in Common Indoor Spaces
Deck six: The hallway of horrors
Some cruise hallways are a little more memorable than others. I read about one Carnival cruise out of Charleston where a man wandered the hall wearing nothing but a towel—on his head. If that wasn’t enough, fellow passengers had to step over someone who passed out in the same hallway. Deck six on Carnival Cruise Lines? Proceed with caution.
Cabin door drama: From theft to cheeky pranks
Cabin doors can be a source of unexpected antics. One guest’s carefully decorated door with themed magnets mysteriously disappeared within hours. On another cruise, a group pranked their friend by decorating his door with upside-down pineapples. Confused by the knocks and grinning guests with drinks, he quickly learned the joke’s swinging implications.
Atrium antics that left cruisers speechless
The atrium often doubles as an unplanned stage. I heard about one cruise passenger who burst into an impromptu opera performance on the grand staircase. For another late-night surprise, one guest described how they saw a naked man getting escorted by security. The funniest part? They used the glass elevators!
Awkward Moments in Fitness and Spa Areas
When the whirlpool becomes a bathtub
I read about a gross thing that happened on one ship. A guest decided to turn the solarium whirlpool into their personal bathtub! Yep, they had a washcloth and bar of soap and were getting into the nitty-gritty of cleanliness. The rest of the guests? They quickly evacuated, leaving the bather to enjoy his unintentional spa takeover solo.
Sauna cocktails gone wrong
A guest thought a margarita was the perfect sauna accessory—until it spilled everywhere. Between the sticky mess and confused passengers, it’s safe to say drinks and steam rooms aren’t a winning combination. Another time, someone decided to take a swim with a piña colada, leaving behind coconut-scented chaos after a spill.
Treadmill streaker meets the sauna
One forum commentator wrote about a passenger who casually walked from the gym to the sauna with nothing but a towel around their shoulders. Fellow cruisers were unsure where to look—or whether to laugh.
However, a roar of laughter erupted in the gym when someone on the treadmill went flying while filming themselves for TikTok. Thankfully, there were no injuries apart from a bruised ego and a viral-worthy moment.
Dramatic Moments on the Open Water
A desperate search for a passenger overboard
A cruiser posted on a forum about a time when the ship suddenly slowed, and searchlights lit up the dark ocean. A man had gone overboard, and the ship was searching for him. For hours, the vessel circled, with passengers anxiously watching the water. The search was tense and haunting, a sobering reminder of the dangers at sea.
Unfortunately, the cruiser was never found.
Weird cruise ship fact: Did you know that most cruise ships have a morgue?
A rescue mission tangled in chaos
I read about this crazy rescue mission on a Cruise Critic cruise forum when the crew on a Holland America Line ship noticed a small fishing boat in distress. They tried to lower their rescue boat, but the lines got tangled. What happened next? The rescue boat was left swinging in midair for over 15 minutes. Onlookers watched as it became more of a Three Stooges act than a rescue attempt.
The Crown Princess heeling incident: A terrifying day at sea
One passenger described their horror when a severe heeling incident happened shortly after leaving Port Canaveral.
Passengers were scattered across the ship, many were injured, and a young girl had to be airlifted off. What’s an ironic fact to the story? They had planned to show Titanic on the outdoor movie screen that night. Who thought a film about a sinking ship was a good idea on a cruise?
Wacky Adventures During Shore Excursions
Souvenir blunders
Shore excursions are prime time for quirky behavior, and shopping trips are no exception. I read about one passenger who tried to smuggle a live animal onboard! Security caught them and fined them. Another cruiser had bought what they thought was a local artifact. The problem? It turned out to be stolen property, sparking a stern chat with port authorities.
Transportation trouble and timing fails
Getting around onshore can be unpredictable. One guest rented a scooter and promptly drove it into a planter, leaving bystanders both laughing and concerned. Meanwhile, a family underestimated how long it would take to return to the port, becoming infamous “pier runners” as they sprinted to catch the departing ship.
Lost in translation and more
On a recent cruise, a fellow passenger told me how a guest decided to explore a restricted area for the “perfect photo.” They ended up lost for over an hour, delaying the group while the guide went to look for them. The cruiser wasn’t popular on the bus returning to port. Another cruiser offended a vendor by haggling way too aggressively over a souvenir, leaving onlookers cringing.
Tender boat trouble: A beach day gone soggy
I saw this gem on a forum: During a Mexico shore excursion, a tender boat got stuck in the sand near the shore. Passengers had to rock the boat back and forth to free it. They still had to wade through four feet of water to reach the beach. Everything was soaked before the fun even began.
Weird Moments that Make Cruising Unforgettable
Thankfully, crazy, wild, scary, and weird things rarely happen on cruises. But when they do, they’re part of what makes every cruise vacation unique. From quirky poolside antics to unexpected adventures onshore, these moments add to the romance of life at sea. After all, cruising is about the stories you’ll never forget.
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