Too many sea days?

[dublell]

DCTravelinggirl, I'd say the Epic is perfect for what you want. The three sea days will give you time to learn about the ship and all it has to offer. And you'll have three days to explore ports. Because of the heat in the area, you'll probably appreciate the sea days to recover a bit, especially if you do a lot of walking in the ports. I've been on the Epic five times (four times in the solo studios) and I still feel I haven't had time to take advantage of all the ship has to offer. The entertainment is excellent, from the major shows such as Blue Man, Cirque, and Legends to the various bars with piano or guitar music. If you like a good music show, don't miss Howl at the Moon.

There are also other activities, including trivia, food demonstrations, port presentations, and parties. If you an enjoy an occasional libation, they also offer martini, beer, wine and other tastings on most sea days.

Another plus of the studios is that you can be alone or with others as much as you want. There's a representative of the cruise director's office that works with studio residents, setting up group dinners just about every evening and other things the people want, such as ice bar visits. Of course, you also have the opportunity to do those things by yourself or with small groups you meet and like to spend time with.

Conclusion: go for it, and come back to let us know what you thought afterwards.

Larry

[UPNYGuy]

Unfortunately, it isn't a simple as that. I am not fussed about Vegas style shows, don't use the spa, don't partake in any food related activities other than eating the meals, don't do the gameshows, only go in the pools when dragged there by family, hate dance parties and haven't seen a comedy show that I really enjoyed on a ship. I do like live music though.

 

Going by that you'd think I would hate sea days. In fact, I absolutely love them. A transatlantic with no stops is a great cruise for me.

 

It's difficult to tell how someone will get on with sea days until they try them.

 

 

EXACTLY!!!!

 

I prefer quiet and serene relaxation, and usually despise shows. In fact, the DW and my cruise line of choice for years has been Holland America. During sea days (and even port days), you could see us doing laps around the promenade deck. So Norwegian would be the LAST line that people would think we would be on going by stereotypes, ESPECIALLY a megaship like the Breakaway.

 

 

WRONG!!!!

 

After several less than enjoyable cruises (I'll leave it at that, don't feel like ranting) on Holland America, we decided to give the Breakaway a shot basically just for ****s and giggles. If we didn't like it, we weren't out any cash for airfare. To say that we were blown away would be an understatement... so much so that we took another cruise on her 3 mos. later.

 

There are plenty of spaces for serene relaxation, but at the same time you can be as busy an active as you wish. LOTS of little hidey-holes here.

 

What really sold us on the Breakaway was that on our return voyage 3 months later, we were immediately recognized by many staff members, and welcomed back "home", as if family, with arms open. Adrian Bica (The Haven concierge) recognized us as we were having a drink and was very determined to know why we didn't stop up and say hello to him, as he already heard we were on the ship (basically like an old friend that really cared). Sorry Adrian, but we are in a mini-suite this time, and no access to the Haven LOL.

 

 

So there are many more reasons to like a particular ship for sea days than vegas shows ;) The Breakaway feels more like "home" to us than ANY HAL ship EVER did, even with over 4,000 people on board.

[dctravelinggirl]

Wow, THANK YOU for all the replies! You've definitely given me a lot to think about, but I think you've pretty much convinced me that I should give this a try. Also, giving the itinerary a closer look, it seems there are only two sea days in a row - the third sea day is at the end, when I would (presumably) want to chill out and just enjoy the ship after being in ports for three days in a row.

 

Now, my big decision is whether to go in February or March. Both have their pros and cons for me. I will definitely stick around and join my roll call once I've actually booked my cruise - and I'm sure I'll have plenty more research to do about excursions and whether it's worth it to pay extra for things like unlimited drinks, specialty restaurants, the spa, etc. Again, thank you all!

[bearette]

To help you pick time, spring breaks starts around mid March and the president day holidays tend to be more expensive.

 

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[dctravelinggirl]

Thanks bearette! I am thinking about the week of Presidents' Day, mostly because I have that day off so I'd only have to take four vacation days instead of five. Prices are surprisingly the same as other weeks in February/March. My only hesitance with booking that week is that my company has a sales meeting every year the first week of February, and I'm unsure if I want to be away for a week, only to come back for five days and then fly out to Miami. Not that I mind being gone so much, particularly in the winter, but if I waited until March to go on my cruise then I'd have something to look forward to during those last few crappy weather weeks in February.

 

Good reminder that March will mean spring break - lots of families with kids as well as college students, I would assume.

[UPNYGuy]

February, May, and October tend to be quieter

Edited June 30, 2014 by UPNYGuy
typo lol

[lisakoivu]

Unfortunately, it isn't a simple as that. I am not fussed about Vegas style shows, don't use the spa, don't partake in any food related activities other than eating the meals, don't do the gameshows, only go in the pools when dragged there by family, hate dance parties and haven't seen a comedy show that I really enjoyed on a ship. I do like live music though.

 

Going by that you'd think I would hate sea days. In fact, I absolutely love them. A transatlantic with no stops is a great cruise for me.

 

It's difficult to tell how someone will get on with sea days until they try them.

 

I agree with you - but the OP said she liked to be "busy", so I listed the things she might be busy with. Like you, I don't partake in most of that stuff, and I just chilll. So I guess I should have clarified - if you like to relax and do nothing, you will like sea days. Granted. If you like to be go, go, go, as the OP suggested, these are the things you might be busy with. If you don't like to relax AND you don't like any of the things in the list, sea days might be a problem...

[KeithJenner]

I agree with you - but the OP said she liked to be "busy", so I listed the things she might be busy with. Like you, I don't partake in most of that stuff, and I just chilll. So I guess I should have clarified - if you like to relax and do nothing, you will like sea days. Granted. If you like to be go, go, go, as the OP suggested, these are the things you might be busy with. If you don't like to relax AND you don't like any of the things in the list, sea days might be a problem...

 

 

Yes, sorry in wasn't trying to criticise your list, just to demonstrate how hard it is to tell whether you will like them other than just to give it a go.

[SuiteCruiser]

Thanks bearette! I am thinking about the week of Presidents' Day, mostly because I have that day off so I'd only have to take four vacation days instead of five. Prices are surprisingly the same as other weeks in February/March. My only hesitance with booking that week is that my company has a sales meeting every year the first week of February, and I'm unsure if I want to be away for a week, only to come back for five days and then fly out to Miami. Not that I mind being gone so much, particularly in the winter, but if I waited until March to go on my cruise then I'd have something to look forward to during those last few crappy weather weeks in February.

 

Good reminder that March will mean spring break - lots of families with kids as well as college students, I would assume.

 

One other thing to consider is if you planned to by the Ultimate Beverage Package, there are blackout days that start with Spring Break, so you may want to go earlier.

[dalgirl]

For me, the perfect first time cruise is around 5 days. Enough time to feel like you have cruised, but short enough that if you hate it you are only "trapped" for 5 days:p For someone who decides cruising is not for them, 2 days at sea B2B would be excruciating. I know people who will only cruise if they have a port every day.

 

I love my sea days and next year we will have a 17 day cruise with 6 sea days - several back to back. But that is not for everyone.

 

You may want to try the Sky "4" day - Monday to Friday with a few days in Miami pre and/or post cruise. Not my favorite NCL ship but not a bad experiment for a beginner.

 

I really hope you love to cruise, it is a wonderful vacation for those who really do want to get away from it all and still have it all.

[Barb Nahoumi]

We have never taken any cruise shorter than 7 days, and now enjoy 10 days or longer. As far as I am concerned, sea days are the best part of cruises. Relaxiing and watching the sea are my favorite things to do. On the other hand, my husband prefers more ports.

 

You will receive a "Daily," every night which will describe the next day's activities. Read it, and you'll find plenty to do on sea days. If you choose to stay on board on port days,

there are things scheduled as well.

 

Before your cruise, find your roll call here on cc, and you can "Chat" with some of your cruise-mates ahead of time. Also, attend your Meet & Greet.

 

Happy Sailing

[Valen9]

Short version of my question: do you generally find that three port days on a seven-day cruise are enough? Are three days at sea good for you, or do you find yourself wishing that there was at least one more port?

 

Three ports on a seven day cruise is PLENTY. It is good to have a sea day right away so you have time to find stuff on the ship and learn your way around. You'll have more energy for the ports after relaxing on the ship.

 

I also find that after three busy port days, it's VERY nice to have a sea day to sleep in and relax. But then again, I cruise to relax and not be go-go-go all the time... but on Epic there is also plenty to DO on the ship so you can be as go-go as you want to be.

[wasiii]

.....were the 8 day cruises Carnival offers (I know, blasphemy)!

 

They were 2 sea days, 3 port days and 2 sea days. It was absolutely great to have 2 days to get worked up for the ports, then doing the things in port 3 days non-stop. The best was to have 2 relaxing days on the way back home.

 

wasiii

[genealogyfan]

Took the Epic to the Eastern Caribbean. On the positive side having 3 sea days we got to know the ship really well - we saw several shows - unlike on the Pride of America. On the Pride of America we were overnight in 2 ports, and stopped in 2 other ports and didn't have any sea days.

 

I was very happy to see land after two days in a row. One sea day wasn't bad but two was too many. We were able to take a behind the scenes tour, stay on the posh deck and I think you will be able to find enough activities on the ship though.

 

Personally I'd rather have more ports and less sea days.

[CanadaTraveller]

Three port days on the Epic was perfect. Most of our itineraries have been port intensive, but on the Epic, even with the sea days, we felt like we never saw all of what is available. If you like Spas, get a pass. It is incredible, and definitely played a part in our missing parts of the ship. It was so comfortable, it is one of the few places I have ever fallen asleep in public.

 

Vacations for me had become forced marches. Since cruising, I have learned to enjoy those sea days, as relaxation and connecting with people time.

 

 

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[dctravelinggirl]

UPNYGuy - I am leaning more towards going in February based on that being a quieter month than March. Good to know that May and October are quieter, too, in case I decide to go again at another time of year!

 

lisakoivu, your list of things to do on the ship was helpful - I do enjoy some of the things that you listed, so hopefully I wouldn't necessarily feel bored or trapped. And maybe I would even learn to chill out and relax for a little while!

 

KeithJenner, you're right that there's no real way for anyone to know if they'll enjoy a cruise/sea days until they go. After comparing the price of what it would cost me to go to a resort next February for a week, the cruise is so much cheaper. So this is a good chance for me to give it a try and not spend too much money - how could I not like it, really? Even if I end up not totally loving sea days, at the very least I'm on the ocean in 80 degree weather instead of at home freezing!

 

One other thing to consider is if you planned to by the Ultimate Beverage Package, there are blackout days that start with Spring Break, so you may want to go earlier.

Thanks for letting me know that - I don't know that I would buy it (I think I read that it's $60 a day?) if only because I'm not sure I'd drink enough. I do like to have a few drinks, but it seems like I'd need more than "a few" every day to get my money's worth. I guess I'd need to look at how much individual drinks are to figure out if it would make sense. I am leaning towards going in February now if only to beat the Spring Break crowds, though if I go the week of Presidents' Day I'm guessing it might be more crowded then (though probably not as bad as Spring Break).

 

For me, the perfect first time cruise is around 5 days. Enough time to feel like you have cruised, but short enough that if you hate it you are only "trapped" for 5 days For someone who decides cruising is not for them, 2 days at sea B2B would be excruciating. I know people who will only cruise if they have a port every day.

 

I love my sea days and next year we will have a 17 day cruise with 6 sea days - several back to back. But that is not for everyone.

 

You may want to try the Sky "4" day - Monday to Friday with a few days in Miami pre and/or post cruise. Not my favorite NCL ship but not a bad experiment for a beginner.

 

I really hope you love to cruise, it is a wonderful vacation for those who really do want to get away from it all and still have it all.

I would be tempted to take a shorter cruise, but you know what - it's more expensive for me (traveling solo) to go on the shorter cruises! I think the ships that NCL offers the Studios on only go on 7 day cruises, and when I've checked around to some other cruise lines, it seems I'd have to pay double for the 4 or 5 day cruises, making them more expensive than the 7 day on the Epic. :(

 

But thank you - I hope I love to cruise, too! I have a feeling I will and that I'm being worried about sea days for nothing. I have genuinely enjoyed just about every vacation/trip I've ever taken - I always feel so grateful to be able to have the opportunity to travel someplace new and see cool things and meet nice people.

 

Thanks for the tips Barb Nahoumi! I will be sure to do those things. The more I read, the more I realize that I definitely would have plenty of activities to choose from, should I want to do something besides lounge by the pool and read.

 

Valen9, yes, that last sea day seems like a perfect opportunity to relax and sleep in after three days in port, and you're right, that first sea day would be good for learning my way around the ship. So that just leaves one other day at sea, which like you said, would be good for resting up for the port days.

 

wasiii, I looked at some Carnival cruises, but I was looking at the near opposite of your favorite itinerary - I had been checking out the one that sounds like the one happy cruzin mentioned earlier in the thread. It was 6 ports in 7 days - only one sea day! It did go to some great islands in the Southern Caribbean but I could see how that might become a forced march of sorts after the first few days. I could see how two sea days at the beginning and end would be a nice chance to relax.

 

genealogyfan, that's how I'm afraid I will feel - that I'll be dying to get back to land. But, I guess I won't know until I give it a shot, and at least I'll be out of the frigid winter temperatures!

 

CanadaTraveller, I do love spas - is the one on the Epic a good one? I definitely like to treat myself occasionally and I can see the spa being a great way to spend at least part of my sea days. I hear you on the forced marches - I often travel alone, so I can at least dictate when I want to stop and relax or something, but I often force myself to "soldier on" when traveling because I'm never sure when I'll make it back and I want to see as much as possible. It might be nice/good for me to have a trip where I don't feel like I have a checklist of places to visit.

 

Thanks again everyone for your insights!

[fishin' musician]

I am more of a port person than a sea-day person. More than one sea-day in a row is a waste of my precious vacation time (the exception would be Alaska). You may want to consider a San Juan departure (CCL, RCL, X) as these are more port oriented cruises. If you take an eastern itinerary you hit some of the less touristy ports and these volcanic islands are beautiful. Also, prices from San Juan are typically substantially less $$$ than Miami, which may offset the additional $$$ for single travelers.

Edited July 2, 2014 by fishin' musician

[SASA13]

I love sea days. The more the better. On Port days, we normally come back to the ship early in the day, so that we can relax when most everyone is still in port.:p

[RCmommy]

Our first cruise we had only one sea day and the four of us came home feeling tired. At each port however, we were up and at'em each morning and took in a full day at each.

 

This next cruise we have three sea days and I plan on doing nothing for one of them!

[CanadaTraveller]

The spa is amazing. Large hydrotherapy pool, heated loungers, two saunas with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the sea, steam room, loungers everywhere, and outdoor balcony with loungers overlooking the wake of the boat. A great way to spend free time. When you get onboard, bolt to the spa to get a pass. They are limited, and you don't want to be left out.

 

 

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[untailored bostonian]

We like sea days as well, they give you some down time.

 

I love sea days! If there was a two week cruise to nowhere, I'd book it.

[SMerritt]

OP - I understand your concern. But 3 ports for 7 days is pretty standard.

 

We did a Southern Caribbean cruise years ago out of San Juan. It was 6 ports in 7 days - which turned out to be way to much.

 

We felt really rushed and tired as the week progressed. There was really no time to just relax without feeling that we should have been somewhere else. :/

 

 

Sent from my phone - using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Saved me a lot of typing (uhh keyboarding)....The Epic has a lot to do or not to do on sea days. I am now always relieved not to HAVE to get up and go somewhere, see something (ports).