Sea Days Vs. Port Days

[kroozerj]

Going on a 7 day Southern Caribbean cruise with 5 ports and 1 sea day ( last day). Do most of you prefer more sea days versus port days? I'm mixed, as i like to see as many islands as i can and explore them ,but i also like the relaxing days at sea. Just wanna see what everyone thinks

[caribill]

Going on a 7 day Southern Caribbean cruise with 5 ports and 1 sea day ( last day). Do most of you prefer more sea days versus port days? I'm mixed, as i like to see as many islands as i can and explore them ,but i also like the relaxing days at sea. Just wanna see what everyone thinks

 

You will find some who prefer sea days (with some who never get off the ship in a port) and some who travel for the port days.

 

Many will be like you, but the ship has enough activities on sea days that some people find sea days more exhausting than port days.

[Putterdude]

We enjoy both...about 50/50 is good with us...but some itineraries like the Caribbean area pretty port intensive.

[fairstars]

Going on a 7 day Southern Caribbean cruise with 5 ports and 1 sea day ( last day). Do most of you prefer more sea days versus port days? I'm mixed, as i like to see as many islands as i can and explore them ,but i also like the relaxing days at sea. Just wanna see what everyone thinks

 

Hi,

 

Love the sea days, that is why we usually take the longer cruises. For us it is a time of total relaxation, which is why we cruise. The ports are good and give you a chance to experience a location, but we would not have a problem with all sea days:)

 

Happy cruising

Chris

[argenta01]

I love the sea days, but especially love the port days when everyone else gets off the ship and I have it to myself. :D

[BigGuy25]

We love sea days too! At least two on a 7 day cruise and 3+ on longer voyages. Princess has a 9 night cruise out of NYC that ends with 2 days at sea which we think is a fabulous way to end a cruise!

[paul929207]

The more sea days the better. We go on longer cruises and rarely have less than half sea days

[rugbypopsie]

Absolutely love sea days...on the Diamond Princess from Singapore to Sydney leaving the 5th December....6 ports 11 sea days...perfect.

 

There is something about just lazing around, no need to hurry, or do anything but enjoy being on the sea, good book, cold drink....aaaah perfect.:)

[maxxedout2]

Hi,

 

I think, no, know it depends where you are from and if it is your

first time to the beautiful Caribbean islands.

 

If living in the vicinity of the Arctic Circle (or Vermont), your first view

of warm turquoise water and long stretches of inviting beach

will take your breath away. Did me. You think, "Paradise".

 

Living 30 years in S FL, we have enjoyed similar water/beaches all

the way through the FL Keys, to Key West.

 

The geography, climate and picturesque beauty of the Caribbean islands

still amazes me while vulture-like, endless sales-pitching to cruise ship

passengers at every port turns-me-off big time.

 

I enjoy the empty ship on port days. I am awestruck by the

view of the islands from the top deck, extra-cost-drink-in-hand,

contemplating the extra-cost-Crown-Grill-meal I will enjoy later, :).

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Maxx

:cool::cool:

[snowman]

We really enjoy sea days. We have been to the Caribbean and Mexico so many times that we never get off the ship. Think about it, when all the passengers get off the ship in port you will have the ship all to your self (almost)

[Druke I]

Sea day lover here!

[MadameButterfly]

I also enjoy Sea Days, but haven't in 15+ cruises worn out my interest in visitng the many lovely islands of the Caribbean. I contemplated not getting off in Cozumel last cruise - ever so tired of the tourist trap of a pier near Senor Frogs, but I just can't fight the feeling that I'll miss something or the "who knows when I'll be back?". I do love sea days for the ability to roll out of bed when I want, do what I want or nothing at all, and just lounge. I've got a pretty high-stress, high-energy career, so vacation = me and hubby time. I think more than anything I enjoy the itinerary most when there aren't too many ports back to back to back - I'd prefer them broken up by a sea day in between to relax before pounding the pavement. That Princess 9-day is the very itinerary my officemate went on for her Honeymoon - it was her first cruise ever and she remarked how nice it was for them to plan the relaxing days before coming back home... silly newbie! With 61 days to go before my next cruise, I'd have to say I'm still stuck on "on a cruise ship, in port or at sea - take me there, NOW!".

[PescadoAmarillo]

We done cruises with 5 port days on a 7 night Caribbean cruise. They're fairly intense, depending on how active you are in each port. That one sea day is welcome.

 

We prefer a mix of sea and port days...50/50 would be perfect, as long as they are alternated and not 4 or 5 sea days in a row. We've never done more than 5 sea days in a row, and I don't think we would like it.

[georoc01]

Ok, I prefer port days. Even if you stay on the ship, port days are much quieter and you as someone else said, you have the ship to yourself.

 

The only plus of sea days are there are more activities on board, so if you are into the pool games, bingo, etc then sea days are for you..But then you have to deal with the overcrowding at the pools also.

 

Plus the spa is cheaper on port days as they run in port discounts.

[mtaylor04]

Love the sea days :D but I also like staying on the ship when the majority of the people get off - on our last cruise - there was one port day when there was only about 5 of us at the pool. It felt like our own private ship :D

[CaliMar]

I love the sea days but also love the port days when everyone else leaves the ship to do their thing :)

 

For me, the best part is being able to relax and not have a set agenda. Too many port days too close together absolutely exhausts me. I recall our Mediterranean cruise... after flying from Los Angeles to Philadelphia to Venice boarding the Grand Princess for a 12 day cruise with 10 ports then flying from Rome to Frankfurt to Los Angeles... I was more exhausted when we got back home than I was before we ever left.

 

Our next cruise was a 15 day Los Angeles to Hawaii to Los Angeles. My favorite cruise to date and I'm sure it was because of more sea days than ports.

 

Give me sea days... the more the better :D

[OnVacation11]

We like a nice mix of both. Our Med cruises were mostly ports and very busy but we wanted to see and experience as much as we could so more ports the better.

On Caribbean cruises we enjoy sea days and virtual sea days (when everyone gets off and we stay on the ship). Our longest cruise so far was 14 days and I think that the longer the cruises, the more sea days or 50/50 mix is better.

[BalconyGal]

Sea days!!! Many times we don't even get off the ship while in port too!

[DiRon]

Definitely prefer more sea days than port days - 2 to 1 would be a good mix. Thinking about the 28 day cruise from Los Angeles to Hawaii to Tahiti and back to Los Angeles - LOTS of sea days, sounds wonderful!

[Whimsy]

I like them both. A good cruise for me has an equal number of both not counting getting on and off the ship. So a 7 day cruise would have 3 sea days and 3 port days. Ideally would be one port, one sea day, one port, one sea day, etc. The last day should be a sea day for rest and packing.

[wizard-of-roz]

I love the sea days, but especially love the port days when everyone else gets off the ship and I have it to myself. :D

 

Oh! Yeh! Love those port days, especially when it's a port that we've already been to and we can stay on the ship and enjoy all the amenities without waiting in line to eat, or for an elevator, or for a lounge chair.

The ship becomes a private yacht. How much fun is that!!!! ;)

 

Then you can go to Afternoon Tea and watch all the people come in who are exhausted and worn-out from their jaunt onto land.

[wizard-of-roz]

Absolutely love sea days...on the Diamond Princess from Singapore to Sydney leaving the 5th December....6 ports 11 sea days...perfect.

 

There is something about just lazing around, no need to hurry, or do anything but enjoy being on the sea, good book, cold drink....aaaah perfect.:)

 

This would drive me mad.....although there is a lot to do.....you can't do it without fighting the madening crowds...everywhere[especially, on sea days]! I find myself looking for a quiet lounge [usually Skywalkers to just read a book or gaze into the wake of the ship.] Until a large group comes up to shout at each other or smoke a cigarette.......

The wait for an elevator or just trying to find a seat in the Piazza is so frustrating.

I look for a seat in the Bar and there is none....I look for a lounge by the pool, they're all gone. I go to the back of the ship, through Horizon Court and if I'm lucky there will a seat [oh, not by the jacuzzi] but, under the roof, in the shade.....it's better for my skin, anyway!!!!

I find a seat outside the Explorer's Lounge. I get really comfortable and here comes the Auction crowd. Noisey bunch!

The answer.....get up really early, stake-out a lounge chair and never leave it!!!!!

Or, wait for a port day......I'm sorry to seem so "down" on the crowd thing.....but, it can be the most annoying part of close environments on a ship.

[jcscv]

I just came back from a 5 port cruise (in 7days) with the last day being a sea day, and have to say I'm exhausted! It would have been nice to have a sea day in between a couple of the ports to relax. Between being up late every night, and getting up early to go in the ports, it really does take it's toll on you after 3-4 days.

 

I choose my cruises by the ports I want to see, and since I'd never seen any of these places, I didn't want to miss them by staying on the ship, but it sure was tempting by mid week ;). And, as was mentioned, the ship was kind of a madhouse the one day we were at sea, and it was hard to find somewhere quiet to relax.

 

Next time, I don't think I would take such a port-intensive cruise...too tiring, and very little time to enjoy the ship and being at sea.

[wizard-of-roz]

To all new cruisers.......You MUST plan your days.... or, you will find yourselves being exhausted by the time you make it to the dinner table, theatre or the lounge, in the evening.

We have learned [it's taken some time and quite a few cruises] where we literally lost some of our days because we were so busy chasing our own tails......going "here"....going "there" and never really taking the time needed to truly enjoy it!!!!!!

It takes "time management" to it highest form! :cool: How to vacation and really feel like your on a "vacation!"

[aikensbest]

We prefer the port days. Although we have visited most of the islands more than once, there is always a part of each one we haven't visited before, and always think we may never have the opportunity to see again.