Riviera Caribbean Cruise with 4 Sea Days -- What to do onboard?

[caroak]

Our one cruise on O was on an R ship and was port intensive so we were not concerned with activities for our one sea day. I'm under the impression O doesn't offer a particularly wide range of on board activities but would appreciate some clarification. I know about the cooking classes but that would not be of interest to me. Would not want to get bored with 4 sea days. I enjoy relaxing by the pool but not so much for DH and since it's the Caribbean we probably won't be spending full days off the ship.

 

Carole

Edited September 1, 2016 by caroak

[JimandStan]

Encourage him to get involved in the Martini tastings-

They are fun, inexpensive and very social

You'll have LOTS of free time at the pool!

[LHT28]

Reading, ping pong, bingo, trivia, mini putt golf, shuffleboard, walking the track, spa treatments, wine, scotch & martini tastings are usually offered, artist loft have classes, lectures, bridge games, napping, afternoon tea

 

depends on where his interests lie

[Mura]

When we started cruising we didn't care for sea days. Now we love them.

 

Maybe the same will happen to you!

 

Another activity that can happen on sea days is cooking demos. If you aren't interested in the culinary classes maybe these won't appeal to you either, but they are well attended (come early if you want a good seat) and are entertaining. (I've seen enough of them that the chefs' "stick" is a bit overdone but it was fun the first few times! And I still go to them ... so far no recipes have been repeated and I've been on most of the ships.)

 

As a cook myself I always save the recipes, even if they are measured in grams and such.

 

Mura

[caroak]

DH would certainly enjoy the martini tasting!:D

 

We still do mostly land trips and all our cruises have been port intensive with only one sea day although after the last cruise we would have welcomed at least one more. I would imagine in the Caribbean a lot of people just stay on board and the pool lounge chairs would be a precious commodity especially with all the chair hogs.

 

Carole

Edited September 2, 2016 by caroak

[LHT28]

I would imagine in the Caribbean a lot of people just stay on board and the pool lounge chairs would be a precious commodity especially with all the chair hogs.

 

Carole

 

Lots of loungers available but maybe not in the location you want ;)

 

If people leave their belonging on the loungers for more than 30 mins & are not in the pool or hot tubs then report it to one of the deck boys they will remove the articles

I have not seen too many people reserving chairs but it does happen

[JimandStan]

There are a great many chaise longue, and even though people are less port obsessed in the Caribbean, most generally do at least a brief walk about on each island.

 

Unless you are a real stickler for a particular location, you should be fine.

 

Stan and I enjoy alternating between Sun and Shade and have never had an issue.

[ronrick1943]

For us now they are the best days---do what ever you want.

[janecambridge]

Just got off Riviera in a very hot Mediterranean and there was insufficient shade to sit round the pool.If you like all day sun,there are plenty of loungers and even sea days shouldn't be a problem.

I did found it annoying that whilst sailing we couldn't stand at the front of the ship anywhere without looking through glass/plastic.( probably our only big gripe with our cruise as the rest was great).

Lovely library, full of books..Quiz sessions...

Maybe change your dining habits each day whilst at sea,e.g.room service one day,grand dining room the next,No lunch but a full afternoon tea and so on...Its surprising how much there is to do outside the advertised stuff.

In fact next time we hope to book a cruise with a couple of sea days thrown in,just for the rest!

Either way,have a great trip....

[JimandStan]

Just got off Riviera in a very hot Mediterranean and there was insufficient shade to sit round the pool.

Shade is ephemeral, so your mileage is sure to vary insofar as insufficiency is concerned.

That said, there are literally hundreds of Chaise Longue under the deck 14 overhang, as well as table seating on the terrace of La Reserve, and in the smoking section.

[ORV]

Just got off Riviera in a very hot Mediterranean and there was insufficient shade to sit round the pool.If you like all day sun,there are plenty of loungers and even sea days shouldn't be a problem.

I did found it annoying that whilst sailing we couldn't stand at the front of the ship anywhere without looking through glass/plastic.( probably our only big gripe with our cruise as the rest was great).

Lovely library, full of books..Quiz sessions...

Maybe change your dining habits each day whilst at sea,e.g.room service one day,grand dining room the next,No lunch but a full afternoon tea and so on...Its surprising how much there is to do outside the advertised stuff.

In fact next time we hope to book a cruise with a couple of sea days thrown in,just for the rest!

Either way,have a great trip....

 

The Vista Suites 8, 9, 10, 12 and the B1 rooms between them on deck 8 would have an full frontal view sans glass or plastic.

 

Shade is ephemeral, so your mileage is sure to vary insofar as insufficiency is concerned.

That said, there are literally hundreds of Chaise Longue under the deck 14 overhang, as well as table seating on the terrace of La Reserve, and in the smoking section.

 

There are also the two areas on deck 14 above Waves bar and on the port side above the Artist area. I like both of these areas.

Edited September 2, 2016 by ORV

[Hawaiidan]

DH would certainly enjoy the martini tasting!:D

 

We still do mostly land trips and all our cruises have been port intensive with only one sea day although after the last cruise we would have welcomed at least one more. I would imagine in the Caribbean a lot of people just stay on board and the pool lounge chairs would be a precious commodity especially with all the chair hogs.

 

Carole

 

The artist loft has free daily classes...by very classy artists all material provided, Hands on cooking classes, Doing nothing but enjoying the ambiance, Liquor tasting Lectures , fantastic library...huge

 

No problem with chairs...plenty a different crowd that sails on O... little more well mannered and classy. people... Plus your not fighting with 2500-3000 the ship is 1200.... No lines, no shoving no kids...

 

Like others we crave sea days the more the better. For me even if we never stopped in a port and just cruised around I would love it... and O makes it an entirely different world than the mass market floating cities.

[caroak]

Thanks for all the suggestions and Jim and Stan for those gorgeous photos. We'll have to scope out some shade because we do very limited, if any, sun. We got a great deal with the Labor Day sale and went for a PH Suite:) so we'll have access to the Spa Lounge area and even time spent in the suite will be a treat.

 

Carole

Edited September 3, 2016 by caroak

[LHT28]

Thanks for all the suggestions and Jim and Stan for those gorgeous photos. We'll have to scope out some shade because we do very limited, if any, sun. We got a great deal with the Labor Day sale and went for a PH Suite:) so we'll have access to the Spa Lounge area and even time spent in the suite will be a treat.

 

Carole

There are some places in the shade but others like it also ;)

Try the Sanctuary & the Patio on deck 14 comfy loungers & chairs under cover

The Spa Terrace has no shade

 

Enjoy

[janecambridge]

There are some places in the shade but others like it also ;)

Try the Sanctuary & the Patio on deck 14 comfy loungers & chairs under cover

The Spa Terrace has no shade

 

Enjoy

 

 

Correct.No shade on spa terrace,no breeze as surrounded by glass and the pool/ jacuzzi was so hot,some days people couldn't get in..Shame as that is what I was really looking forward to in a PH.

[JimandStan]

There are also the two areas on deck 14 above Waves bar and on the port side above the Artist area. I like both of these areas.

I believe that I remember you sitting up there, on the Regatta!

((Deck 14 on Riviera corresponds to Deck 10 on the R ships.))

It was the Regatta, wasn't it?

Stan and I used to go up to the Sun Deck to sunbathe with Jerry Blaine, and you were always under a hat at the foot of the staircase which headed up there!

[ORV]

I believe that I remember you sitting up there, on the Regatta!

((Deck 14 on Riviera corresponds to Deck 10 on the R ships.))

It was the Regatta, wasn't it?

Stan and I used to go up to the Sun Deck to sunbathe with Jerry Blaine, and you were always under a hat at the foot of the staircase which headed up there!

 

I've been on the Regatta multiple times, but I don't think we've ever met. I occasionally frequent that area, but definitely not always.

 

Usually around 1-3 in the afternoon I'll be in the area below that, sometimes I do wear a hat, but not always.

 

I was on Regatta, last Aug Vancouver to SF, a couple of years ago, Apr 2014, Miami to Miami by way of Bermuda & Charleston, lot's of changes and bad weather and May 2012 from Tahiti to SF.

 

If it wasn't on one of those then it wasn't me. I have been on the Insignia twice, but not Nautica.