Setting off on an adventurous trip across the sea surely sounds thrilling and exotic. What probably comes to mind right away is the picturesque and breathtaking view of the clear vast sea and the calm sky. With such an idyllic image, there’s barely an individual who’d think twice about joining the ship crew on a spectacular and memorable cruise trip. Naturally, we usually consider such a cruise vacation an exceptional romantic trip, filled with entertainment, gourmet food, excellent music and lava-hot sun offering a great tanning experience. Of course, the repose and excitement are simple there. However, has it ever occurred to you that this whole ideal image is simply too good to be true? Much like in life, there’s always a drawback we often miss out on.

Sometimes, it even turns out that the downsides have been right there in front of our eyes. Ironically enough, we’ve been blind to see it all coming. Besides, even the top cruise lines don’t want any of you to read the fine print of a situation. This is why you’ve got just another well-founded reason to keep your eyes peeled for obvious travel scams. More often than not, there are various details that cruise companies wish you would never discover. With that in mind, let’s see a few examples of top travel scams that cruise lines keep hiding from you.

20. Shipboard Morgues And Jails

Well, let’s imagine a dreadful situation in which a passenger kicks the bucket. The body doesn’t get thrown away or dumped off the side, of course. No, this is hardly the case at all. Instead, the corpse gets interred into what’s called “a shipboard morgue.” A pretty curious fact is that the body is stored in a special “refrigerator,” the purpose of which is to keep the corpse from decaying and decomposing. Alongside this, there’s an improvised jail for criminals who must do time, as in this case, it happens to be on the cruise ship. It really sounds nastier than what we’ve thought. However, after all, the show must keep on going with or without you.

19. Poop Cruise: Waste Dumping Is Real

Here we go with a quite random thought nobody has ever reflected upon: what exactly happens to the toilet waste? Where does it go after miles of sailing the open sea? Alright, it’s certainly food for thought. According to a variety of statistics, a one-week-long maritime voyage is believed to generate about 200,000 gallons of toilet waste. Waste dumping is real, pals, and it certainly isn’t kept in tanks or elsewhere. With so many passengers on board, you can only imagine what’s going on with the waste dumping. The sole idea of it is pretty disgusting and totally stomach-turning, but there’s no escape from the genuine truth, is there?

18. Watch Out: NO Security Aboard (You’re On Your Own)

If you think that setting sail for the Caribbean is totally free of perils, you certainly have to catch up on your source of information. It’s not like boarding a ship is followed by kidnapping and death-threatening scenarios, but one thing is for sure – the law enforcement on the ship is ill-organized – and in some cases – simply missing. Regardless of how controlled cruise trips are presented to be in commercials and/or brochures, you should absolutely keep this in mind early on. After all, tomorrow is never promised. Nobody can guarantee that the criminal record of the passenger sitting across from you is clear, can they?

17. Enjoy The “Bunker Fuel”

Oh, dear Lord! Don’t tell us that you’ve been fixed on the idea of setting off by using modern fuel. If you’ve been thinking otherwise, it’s time for you to unmask the ugly truth of things. What is quite typical for most cruise trips is heavily known as “bunker fuel”. Besides, the total number of passengers on the ship surely goes beyond a couple of thousands. Perhaps you haven’t really considered this option, have you? After all, it can’t be easy to get the wheels turning. From the look of things, it seems like most of these top cruise lines rely on “contemporary and effective fuel” to get the ship started. Don’t be misled by it: this modern fuel is nothing but a thick and black as night bunker fuel.

16. Bacteria On Board: The Perfect Environment For Outbursts

After all, there’s probably no better place for bacteria outbursts than on an exciting cruise vacation. What’s so ideal about it is that people are within a close reach of one another. Furthermore, the ship buffet is held nearby as well. The best scenario for passengers is to catch some fast-spreading virus, stomach indisposition being the curse and plague in the cruise industry in general. With such a high probability of bacteria outbursts, don’t be shocked at the image of people struggling with nausea and other unpleasant experiences while sailing. It’s just what happens on these cruise trips. It seems like you’d better reconsider setting off, right?

15. Big Surcharges And Tax Dodging: You Didn’t See It Coming, Did You?

There’s no denying that ship cruises are quite accessible for the average tourist who’s in love with maritime adventures. Moreover, embarking on such a lovely sea voyage is thought to be considerably affordable given the flocks of tourists signing up for it. And in case you’re wondering how top cruise lines hold it together with such low prices, get ready to learn it all right away: the keyword is “tax dodging”. For the most part, cruise lines are linked and simply incorporated with low-standard countries featuring lax laws. A pretty good example would be Panama or the world-recognized islands named The Bahamas. As a result, such cruise companies bear the fruit from the whole game of tax dodging. When it comes to passengers, they often get trapped by hidden surcharges on basically everything. Besides, at least 25 % of the total profit comes from these extra big surcharges. Isn’t that sneaky?

14. Unregulated Ship Physicians: Seriously?!

Normally, you’d expect a medical staff aboard just in case you need a pill against the sea sickness for example, have or any other health-related issue. Of course, there’s no need to worry about any urgent situations when you know there are ship physicians aboard. But wait until you have a look at the regulations which usually govern them. Much to your surprise, most of these ship doctors don’t feel proud of their medical degree since they’re perfectly aware of the obvious lack of standards of the medical school they’ve graduated from. Crazy enough, this explains why those unregulated ship physicians are not really equipped accordingly.

13. Watch Your Plate: Nasty Food Is Coming

Boarding the ship goes hand in hand with your paradise-like picture in your head of having the best time of your life here. We’re really sorry to destroy this beautiful and almost perfect thought, but the chance of having a nasty dinner is higher than ever. Just reflect upon a few essential ideas we’ve got for you: You may not know this, but the crew members of the ship taking care of your breakfast and dinner are third-world labor. Don’t think of us as totally subjective humans, we simply present you with the whole picture regardless of how unsavory it truly is. Rumors have it that the ship personnel members are not only ill-mannered but hardly follow simple hygienic rules. So, what do you make of that, really?

12. High Risk Of Food Poisoning

Actually, there’s absolutely no scarcity of spooky and nasty stories about ship cruises and maritime adventures. From crazy bacteria outbursts to criminals aboard, the industry is full of surprises it can’t wait to show us! When you add the lack of professional medical help on the ship to the calculations, we’d be surprised if you manage to live it all through. All jokes aside, it’s hardly funny or thrilling to know that there’s a high chance of getting poisoned after dinnertime. But in truth, the third-world labor that is accountable for food provisions doesn’t seem much bothered by the low quality of food.

11. FIRE Alert!

There’s a saying that goes “the bigger the boat, the bigger the fire alert.” In our case, we’re talking about cruise ships, of course, but actually, the difference can’t be that big, can it? Ultimately, many are the stories of ships bursting in flames without explanation. Just to illustrate it all for you, there have been more than 70 cases of fires aboard, and all of them belong to the gap of years between 1999 and 2011. Spooky, right? Let’s do the count these days – since 2006 the number of fires has apparently tripled, especially in ship vacations. And note that these are not just words deprived of meaning or thoughts, we’re talking about authentic facts and real data.

10. Your Ship May “Pick Up” Refugees

Indeed, the open vast sea is considered to be filled with perils lurking onboard and offboard. When it comes to the ship, it may invite a few more random passengers while sailing in the open sea. Don’t get horrified by the sole idea of it, but there’s still a small chance of finding yourself in a middle of a refugee crisis. In truth, some regions are believed to be rich in refugees who won’t miss the opportunity to hop on board and reach the mainland, aka America. A great example would be the Cubans. The waters separating Cuba and Florida are the perfect spot for Cuban refugees to make the bold move and get going.

9. Cruise Life Insurance Doesn’t Cost A Thing

No law enforcement or regulated medical personnel. What else? The list just keeps on growing with another nasty and off-putting fact that will make you hate the cruise lines at once. While being at the office of your top cruise company, you’ll surely be offered the “necessary” and almost compulsory life insurance. Naturally, they will need your consent, but they usually present all of it as a mandatory process. Of course, embarking on a maritime voyage into the deep and unknown sea is quite adventurous for newcomers, so having life insurance is quite the bonus. This is how the logical side of things works. However, even if you invest a couple of dollars into getting life insurance for your cruise, it’s like throwing money out the window. It simply doesn’t cover anything for you in cases of an emergency. So, spare your cents and dollars and skip this fake step.

8. Welcome The PIRATES: It’s NOT A Joke!

Warning: PIRATES on board! It’s not a joke, pals. As real as life itself, keep your eyes peeled for anything that seems out of order and untypical in any way. Ultimately, if there’s a probability of refugees jumping on board, there’s surely a chance to encounter ship thieves as well. Don’t be mistaken, pirates exist. And even though they are not as ghost-like as in the movies, they still are monstrous beings who stop at nothing. Just as any criminals, they won’t lose sight of your belongings; and neither should you, of course. Follow this useful advice unless you want to be left with nothing on your back.

7. Awful, Smelly And Dirty Cabins!

Have you ever heard that cruise ships offer the ideal environment for viruses and bacteria? If not, then when you enter your own cabin, you’ll surely start thinking about this. The pretty stomach-turning view of the filthy and smelly cabin will absolutely make you wonder why on earth you’re still here. Frankly, you’ve got no other choice but to live it through until you set foot on the mainland. After all, there’s a reason for this “extraordinary” cruise trip to be so cheap and affordable for basically anyone. You don’t expect to encounter a lavish setting filled with modern amenities of high-class, do you? Tip: bring hand sanitizer with you before setting sail. You’ll surely need some, believe us.

6. Say Goodbye To Your ID Card

There’s a well-grounded reason why you should not trust anyone. Sometimes, the enemy has been right there in front of your eyes and you haven’t even noticed it. Don’t be naïve or foolish. The world is full of individuals who’d do anything for a valuable good. Not to mention a lavish bracelet, ring or even a fancy watch – some people don’t even mind doing time for this pricey accessory. Naturally, same applies to personal documents, such as ID, credit and debit cards. All of it can bite the dust as swiftly as an arrow, so keep this mind when unpacking your stuff.

5. Getting Kidnapped

Well, here we go with another terrifying scenario that isn’t only an imaginary one. Be careful when traveling on your own since crossing the wrong border may be quite perilous, to say the least. We’ve already mentioned the risk of refugees hoping on your ship. Don’t think that such situations only occur in the movies. Every inch of it is real, and it’s surely petrifying to hear such stories. However, there’s no better advice than being mindful of and looking out for untrustworthy passengers capable of evildoings. If you happen to come across an individual you consider really shady and suspicious, keep your distance and have a word with the crew, if necessary.

4. Disgusting Beds

Certainly, the idyllic image of going on a cruise vacation includes lovely sea scenery, exotic sunsets, and high-class menu. Now imagine running into a super dirty and nasty room with no furniture or basic amenities to the side. You would not be very thrilled to feel the old and filthy mattress underneath your gentle skin, would you? Well, we’re truly sorry to shatter your cruise dreams, but you’re very likely to encounter the latter depiction. It’s real and you won’t like any inch of it. The disgusting and smelly bed won’t match your heaven-like ideas of an exotic cruise trip to the Bahamas or the Caribbean for sure. Welcome to the real world of travel scams and misled travelers!

3. Say Hello To The Cruise Scams!

Well, if truth be told, it’s not rare to hear stories about people being misled by a cruise trip or a travel agency in general. This is what the cruise game was invented for at the end of the day. They need travelers more than travelers need them. And so, the free cruise scams are the perfect way to get the naïve people hooked eventually. As for the trivial cruise scam, it’s been circling around for what feels like centuries. The typical drill is a letter that offers a free or a super cheap cruise vacation for exotic destinations, such as the Bahamas. The ironic side of things here is that such exclusive travel packages are featured by “Caribbean-based companies.” As for that, we’re pretty sure that the Bahamas are certainly not located in the Caribbean.

2. Consider Your Beverages: “It’s NOT Sea Sickness”

Sea cruises often cause a feeling of queasiness. In case you suddenly start feeling ill or queasy, you can always ask the medical personnel for a pill to quell the dizziness you’re experiencing at the moment. However, if you’ve been on a cruise before without such side effects, then you’ve got the full right to be a bit suspicious. What have you eaten? What kinds of beverages have you enjoyed? Undoubtedly, it’s not the most pleasant experience. However, it hasn’t been caused by sea sickness either. Our advice is to simply seek help before things get out of control!

1. Crew Members Often Hook Up In The Cabins

Another quite interesting and mind-blowing fact is related to the “openness” of the crew members with one another. We don’t mean a true and loving friendship though. Apparently, all those long and lonely cruise trips are too much for some of the ship members. After all, all those romantic and simply sexual desires may explode eventually. According to many rumors spread by passengers themselves, there’s a high chance to run into a couple hooking up in some of the cabins. Be careful since they might not realize that you’ve come inside the cabin as well. As hilarious as it is, you should keep this in mind and just knock before entering a cabin.

Sources: msn.com, travelchannel.com, cracked.com, miaminewtimes.com