I’ve got 18 tips of what you should or shouldn’t do on cruise ship days at sea to make the most out of them while recharging yourself.
Most cruises have scheduled days at sea in their itinerary. They’re scheduled to enable ships to travel long distances between ports of call. They’re common occurrences on megaship cruises because their size often limits the number of ports they can visit. Of course, megaships are filled with all kinds of shipboard activities and entertainment opportunities. Additionally, some cruises schedule days at sea for special at- sea viewing opportunities, such as Alaska cruises to visit glaciers up close.
I’ve got a list of 18 tips of what you should or should not do to enjoy cruise ships’ days at sea.
Taking time to recharge your body and mind while on a day at sea during your cruise is important, but it doesn’t mean doing nothing.
Do seize the chance to recharge your body and mind:
Take advantage of the more leisurely pace of a day at sea to refresh yourself. I’m in no way suggesting that you should do nothing. On the contrary, everyone should have a full day, but during days at sea consider pampering yourself and taking a more leisurely pace than on a typical cruise day in port.
Don’t forget to carefully check your itinerary for days at sea:
Carefully review your cruise itinerary before booking. Consider days at sea to be opportunities to book shipboard activity reservations for specialty restaurants, spa visits, etc. Reservations for sea day shipboard activities fill up fast, so book early. Some cruise lines have online reservation booking long before cruises start.
Sleep in, have breakfast in your cabin or on the veranda, but also make essential reservations to maximize your enjoyment during a day at sea.
Do consider getting some extra sleep, but not too much:
Sleeping-in can help you recharge, rejuvenate and prevent burnout for those who packed too much into days at port, but don’t sleep the day away. There’s much to do during days at sea that you normally can’t do on other days on cruises.
Don’t forget to check the daily schedule the night before your day at sea:
The daily schedule for the following day is usually dropped off to each cabin every evening. It will give you a full picture of the myriad of activities available to you. It will list the special activities rarely available when visiting a port of call. From it, you can determine what reservations you still need and what’s available without advanced reservations.
Do consider room service for a breakfast to your cabin:
A private breakfast in your cabin before you set out for the day can be a great start for a day at sea. My wife and I have enjoyed breakfasts on our cabin’s veranda on days at sea for years.
Don’t forget to make reservations for sea day activities:
Many special activities during days at sea require reservations. Some reservations can be made online long before the cruise starts, such as spa dates/times and specialty restaurants. Other reservations can be made at embarkation and the rest during the cruise. Reservations for popular activities fill up fast, so make your reservations as soon as permitted, if possible.
It’s often hard to plan group or family activities during port days, so do it while on a sea day.
Do plan some group activities if traveling as a family or in a group:
Sometimes people traveling together are off doing separate activities according to what each person wants to see and do on port days. Sea days offer a great time to do activities together.
Don’t fill your sea day with too many activities:
Sea days aren’t the time to run oneself ragged like often happens on port days. Make the day full, but not too full. Seriously consider a more leisurely pace than you normally would schedule.
Do consider taking a fitness class or do something in the spa:
I always make it to the fitness center on sea days, as I often don’t have time on port days. To change the pace of my workouts I take fitness classes on sea days. Time in the spa might be lots of fun too. Consider time in a thalassotherapy pool, a sauna or a massage.
Don’t stay inside during your days at sea. Get outside and have some fun in the sea air, but also don’t miss some of the best indoor activities during days at sea.
Don’t stay indoors the whole day:
I’ve seen cruise passengers head to the casino soon after breakfast and remain there until dinner on sea days, even eating lunch (of sorts) at the slot machines. With all the great outdoor activities available on modern cruise ships, don’t stay cooped up. Take part in some outdoor activities too. Breathe in some of that great sea air.
Do consider scheduling a tour of the ship:
The first time I toured a cruise ship’s “forbidden crew areas” on a day at sea, I found the bridge of the ship fascinating. That said, I’ve found tours of ships’ galleys even more interesting and never miss the opportunity to see one.
Don’t forget to use sunscreen:
When you’re lounging around the ship’s pool on a sea day, in the pool or hot tub, or just eating lunch outside, don’t forget to protect yourself from the sun with a high quality reef-safe sunscreen.
Do reserve a spot at one of the day at sea cooking demonstrations:
If you cook at all, why not get some tips and instructions from a professional. Every ship seems to have cooking demonstrations on days at sea. I still use recipes I got from these demonstrations. If they’re hands-on, so much the better.
Don’t have unreasonable expectations at the pool, consider an afternoon tea and try something you’ve considered in the past, but never did before.
Don’t have unreasonable pool chair expectations:
If you expect to show up at the pool around lunch time or early afternoon and expect to find a pool chair in a primo location, forget it. Either go early to get a chair and stay for a while, snag one a bit out of the way or go later when chairs become available.
Do consider an afternoon tea:
A friend I met on a cruise introduced me to afternoon tea. I never miss them now. I have a little tea, some pastry and/or scones, a little fresh fruit, maybe some chocolate, some quiet but delightful live music and of course, good conversation.
Don’t forget to try something you typically never do:
Take a chance. Consider doing something you’ve never done that you thought about doing or something that you typically don’t do. See if it might be fun in the future. If it’s not to your liking, you can walk away and choose something else.
Do consider booking dinner in a specialty restaurant:
Make your special sea day complete with a wonderful meal in a specialty restaurant. Then perhaps take a stroll and look at the stars or go dancing to end the day at sea.
Not everything is included on most cruise ships. Stay within your budget, as breaking it is never fun.
Don’t go beyond your budget:
Some activities aboard ships aren’t included and may be very expensive for some cruisers. To finish your special day at sea happy and refreshed, don’t exceed your budget, as that’s never fun.
I choose cruises to visit locations I wouldn’t normally see by air/land. While I try to book cruises with as few days at sea as possible, I do want to have a day at sea, each cruise, each week. Days at sea permit me to decompress and do many different activities that are lots of fun that I rarely, if ever, do when home.
After many years working in corporate America as a chemical engineer, executive and eventually CFO of a multinational manufacturer, Ned founded a tech consulting company and later restarted NSL Photography, his photography business. Before entering the corporate world, Ned worked as a Public Health Engineer for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. As a well known corporate, travel and wildlife photographer, Ned travels the world writing about travel and photography, as well as running photography workshops, seminars and photowalks. Visit Ned’s Photography Blog and Galleries.
