The ultimate etiquette guide to dating on a cruise ship

• From making the first move to meet up apps Nicole Carmicheal delves into the world of onboard dating
• From upside-down pineapple signs to singles nights, cruisers have their own way to romance
• It may not be love at first sight – but it will be love at sea.

Here’s the dating on a cruise ship dream: With a piña colada in your hand and looking out onto a picture-postcard sunset over the sea, your eyes meet across the top deck… The next thing you know, you’re together at the future cruise desk putting down a deposit for a world cruise.

What could possibly go wrong?

With a smiling crew to accommodate your every wish, no demands on your time and your real life on hold, it’s easy to get swept up in the belief that you’ve found “the one” while you’re on holiday – especially on a ship. There’s something about the lull of the sea, all that fresh air and those luxurious surroundings that makes dating on a cruise even more enticing than on dry land.

But even before you get back to the normality of the daily grind, how can you ensure you’re making the right dating decisions? Here’s a handy list of dos and don’ts to help steer your course towards finding true love aboard a cruise ship.

Go to meet-and-greet events for solo travellers

This is a great way to meet other travellers who are literally in the same boat. It’s a completely safe space with plenty of staff around, and you can always make a speedy exit if you decide that it’s not for you.

If nothing else, you might make some new friends you can chat to – and compare notes on who to avoid.

Keep conversation light

“Nerves can be a hard thing to control, especially when you are over 50 and on your first date after 20 years,” says Siobhan Wykes, presenter of Best magazine’s dating podcast Suddenly Single. “Trust me, I’ve worn that T-shirt.

“Steaming in with full disclosure of your personal details is a bit weird,” she adds. “Don’t start talking about your toxic ex and how you got your own back by cutting off all his trouser legs… but do take note of how many questions he asks you. All about him? He’s probably a narcissist.”

Be clear about what you want

Flirty fun or something more? Once you think you’ve clicked with another person and got to know them sufficiently well to “go for it”, be upfront about why you want to hook up. It might mean putting the brakes on your encounter, but it will avoid later complications. You don’t have to go in with a manifesto (see above), but it’s good to be on the same page.

Join in activities to meet like-minded people

Be it cookery or bridge, line dancing or yoga, a shared interest helps you get over the first conversational hurdle. Plus, you can learn a lot about a person by watching them chop an onion or whisk their batter.

Share your location

Just as you might on dry land, it’s a good idea to tell someone you trust the location of where your date is taking place. Chances are, there will always be plenty of other people around anyway, but wearable tech devices such as Princess Cruises’ Medallion and Virgin Voyages’ The Band enable others to be able to find you on the ship if needed. (You may, of course, choose to switch off this function.)

Be cautious about “meet-up” apps

Unlike dating apps (see below), meet-up apps are a way of connecting fellow travellers before cruising. The idea is that you make friends before your holiday, but there have been worrying reports of scam profiles phishing for personal data. You might be better off waiting until you can make new friends in person.

Share tables with others

He or she may have the flirty one-to-one conversation off pat, but seeing how they react with other guests and crew members will help you spot any red flags. Are they fun and outgoing? Reserved? Nice to crew members? Stingy? Weird?

Avoid upside-down pineapples

Unless, that is, partner-swapping is your thing. A picture of an upside-down pineapple on a cabin door is a not-so-secret signal that those inside like, ahem, to spread their love around. If that’s what floats your boat, fine, but perhaps not the best idea if you’re with a relative stranger on your first date.

Don’t hide away in your cabin

Be open about wanting to meet people. You don’t have to wear a sandwich board announcing your singleton status, but chatting to someone in the breakfast buffet queue or during an excursion at least shows you’re not a totally closed book. Even if you just meet other couples, they may have single friends.

Don’t worry about making the first move

It’s not the 1950s, it’s 2025. There are no rules about who calls the shots when it comes to initiating further dates. Lock in time together, or suggest trying a new activity – and if the cruise is coming to an end and dates have gone swimmingly, make plans about how you can meet up again back home.

Don’t go overboard with alcohol

“When you don’t need to worry about transport home, it’s easy to get carried away at the bar if you’ve got your eye on someone,” says Harriet Mallinson, editor of the cruise specialist website Sailawaze UK (sailawaze.com). “All-inclusive packages may cut you off at the 14 or 15 drink mark, but it’s surprising how many dirty vodka martinis one can consume – as I have found out the hard way.

“Just because you’re at sea doesn’t mean your self-control should be,” she adds. “And the chances are you’ll see the object of your affections the next day. So stay savvy.”

Don’t overshare financially

When you don’t have to face a bill at every turn, it’s easy to find yourself generously offering to put cocktails and other extras on your tab. The same goes for when you’re out on excursions. It’s one thing to pay your share, but if you keep hearing statements such as, “My credit card is damaged, can we settle up later?” it should ring warning bells.

Ditto if your new beau signs you up for a once-in-a-lifetime financial scheme. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Don’t rely on dating apps

Dating apps such as Tinder, Hinge and Bumble will work when you are docked on dry land, but don’t expect the ship’s wi-fi to help you find true love mere decks away. When you’re in the middle of the ocean, your geolocation, which is key to the way that these apps connect, may also be all at sea.

Meet up during the day

OK, so you might feel more confident when it’s not the glare of the midday sun and you can shroud your body in diaphanous fabrics, but try meeting up for a coffee and a chat rather than just smoochy soirées. Do you click as much in the daytime?

Don’t date the crew

There’s a reason that the crew is being so nice to you, maybe even a bit flirty: it’s their job. It is a sackable offence for crew members to have sexual relationships with guests. You may sense a frisson, but don’t go there.

Don’t give up

Accept rejection gracefully. You might be under the impression that you’ve found the perfect match, but he or she might have other ideas. If you have a date and for some reason it’s not hitting the right notes for one of you, put it down to experience and move on. Sulking for the rest of the cruise won’t do anyone any favours.