Considering booking my next cruise....is 7 nights TOO long...?

[dmdiver]

I prefer 7-8 night cruises.  Seems like any shorter, I am just getting used to finding my way around & it's time to leave.

[mnp75]

7 day cruises are great! Get the Spa package and relax. I went on the Vista before it moved out of Florida and had a great time. 

[1025cruise]

I won't fly for less than a 7 day cruise.

[Doggielover68]

Just got off of a 14 day cruise so I am going to say 7 days is not too long, but is long enough to feel like a satisfying vacation.

[Drose716]

I used to do shorter cruises because my kids were young so I cruised without them & couldn't be away too long. 3 is way too short. 4 days is also too short but it's doable if you go in looking for just a long weekend thing. I've done  a few 5 days too. They feel more like a vacation, but I still prefer longer. 

 

I usually sail with my kids now & can do longer trips. Their first was 4 days & they agreed it was too short. So we tried my first 6 day. Loved it & have since done 2 7-days & an 8-day. 7 days is perfect. 8 was amazing too. Our next is also an 8 day. 

 

 By the last night of the 8 day I still wasn't ready to go home & give up the fun & the cruise life. BUT I was sick of the food & booze & pretty exhausted. I still think 7/8 is a good sweet spot for me. 

[GUT2407]

Just home from 7 nights, waaaaay too short.

[Trueblueky]

We did a five-day once because we hadn't been to the Bahamas.  Otherwise, we take longer.  Less party atmosphere, more relaxed.

 

[matymil]

Our first one was 5 days in 2010 on the Destiny, since then weve done 3,7,8 and 12 day cruises. My least favorite cruise we went one was the 12 day cruise...by day 10 I was ready to strangle some of the people on board. I think if you've sailed before 7 or 8 days should be perfect.

[Moviela]

A seven day cruise is never too long. I wish I had the free time to take the 24 day cruise to Singapore. Book the seven day and you will be surprised how fast time flies when you are having fun.

[nessz79]

We once worried about the same thing as we were only doing 4 and 5 night cruises, but that all changed after our first 7 day cruise.  We *loved* it.  We even took an 8 day cruise a couple years ago and we *still* weren't ready to get off the ship at the end.  The only reason a long cruise can be too long is what you have to come back to- pile-ups from work and school.  Otherwise, definitely go for it!

[FSHLOT]

It takes seven days to finally navigate around the ship without back-tracking...lol

 

We never take less then seven, and did a 10 night once. Planning an 11 day January 2020. We absolutely love the sea days, so the more the merrier. 

[Slugsta]

Living in the UK, and being unable to fly, it takes several days to get anywhere interesting, so shorter cruises don't work well for us. I prefer 14+ so, for me, 7 days seems way too short.

[LuckyStar]

22 hours ago, gozagswoohoo said:

So my family and I have taken three cruises before.  We've done 4 nights, and all thought it was too short.  Then we did 5 nights, and thought it was just about right. 

 

We're seeing some pretty good prices on the Vista for a SEVEN night cruise.  I don't know, I just almost feel like that could be TOO long??  Has anyone done a 7 night cruise before and thought it was too much?

 

I appreciate any input.

The first time I cruised was with my three sisters.  We're adults and get along for short periods of time. LOL.  We took a 5 day and it worked out great.  We took a 7 day in 2017 and it was good too, for three of us.  One of my sisters has teenagers and whined every day about missing her babies, so for her it was too long.  I love a 7 day myself.  So I guess my take is it depends on who you are traveling with.  Just two of us cruised in April and we spent a lot of time doing our own thing and meeting up at dinner, so for the two of us, it was great. 

[evandbob]

Most of my 50 cruises have been 7 days, since I did many of them while I was still running a business.  Once I retired, I gravitated towards 8, 10 day cruises or longer.

 

I have great memories of a 21 day B2B on 2 Journey Glory cruises.  Some of my bucket list cruises are of the 2 week or longer variety.

[pacruise804]

23 hours ago, gozagswoohoo said:

So my family and I have taken three cruises before.  We've done 4 nights, and all thought it was too short.  Then we did 5 nights, and thought it was just about right. 

 

We're seeing some pretty good prices on the Vista for a SEVEN night cruise.  I don't know, I just almost feel like that could be TOO long??  Has anyone done a 7 night cruise before and thought it was too much?

 

I appreciate any input.

 

We have never found a 7 night to be too long, and look forward to when we will have enough time to take 12 night and longer (or B2B's).  I am usually ready to get back to real life and my own cooking by the end of the cruise (but that was true on our 5 night also - I have a nice home life and am a decent cook 😉 )

 

It looks like you probably have significant travel to get to the port, so a 7 night would stretch your travel value.  Some people don't have a ton of vacation time though, and if you are allowing an extra day to fly in, then a 7 night would easily be 8-9 days away from home.

 

The 7 nights do offer some different itineraries, so I think it is worth trying if you find a good deal.  Since you know you enjoy the 5, there really isn't a bad choice either way.

[candigirl41]

I have done 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 days.  The longer the better.  My last cruise was 9 days and it was nice after the first two days to realize we still had a week to go.  Next cruise is 8 days.  

 

Candi

[Joebucks]

We've done a few 4 days ones, and they are waaaay too short. However, when combined with a land trip, it's a fun vacation. We did 4 nights in Orlando, then a 4 night cruise. What a fun vacation!

 

The next trip will be 2 days on land and 7 on the sea. It's never enough!

[Anyislandwilldo]

I prefer longer cruises. We booked a back to back out of New Orleans because we didn't care for the other longer itineraries.  That means 2 weeks of no dishes, no cooking, no phone and no laundry for me.  One happy sailor!!

[MississippiMom]

It seems like most people are telling you that 7-8 days is about right.  I think it all depends on your personal situation.  We are scheduled to take a multi-generational cruise over Spring Break, and those of us with school aged children agreed that 5 nights was the maximum for us.  Not only did we not want the expense of more port days on a longer cruise, but we are all driving to/from the port, so needed the days around the cruise for road travel.

 

We have retired relatives who only take the longer cruise itineraries, because they have plenty of available time, and enjoy seeing new places.  Their last cruise was 16 days, and I think their longest was 30.

[jsglow]

We have to fly so won't consider anything less than a 7.  But if the ship was a 30 minute drive away, a 3-4 day weekender would be a nice taste. 

[GUT2407]

We live about 2 hours by car from port

 

we have done 

2

5

6

7 (just got home from one actually)

8

11

33

 

loved them all, was never ready to get kicked off on any of them.

 

2 was a bit short, but it was a weekend away for Mrs G’s birthday and cost less than a night in a hotel and a slap up dinner and breakfast.

[mexicobob]

On ‎12‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 12:15 PM, serene56 said:

we have taken the 4 day cruise a few weeks ago-  It will be our last.   No sooner did i get on and it was time to get off.    7 days is perfect    a sea day after leaving   a sea day before arriving back.    7 is just enough to relax and unwind

Agree.......but looking forward to trying a longer cruise.

[Rala]

We also  prefer longer cruises.  I would not do any cruise less than 7 days.  As far as the comment about food getting boring, there are so many options on most ships.  Some you may have to pay for (specialty restaurants), but most you do not.  We also opt to have a meal or two in port for a change of pace.  There are affordable options in most every port of call.  You can sometimes even  find a Mickey D's if you  are feeling homesick!   LOL  This is  all of course  JMO...hope your cruise is great whatever you choose to do.  :-)

[Shaded Lady]

I believe that a lot goes into determining how 'long' a cruise is... I've spent 7 day cruises with my hubby (who is truly my best friend) and cried when I had to get off the ship... on the other hand, I cruised with an elderly friend for 4 days that lasted about a month, that I was sure would never end!

 

So if you like the person you're traveling with (even if that's a solo cruise!) and you like the ports and you like the ship, 7 days is the sweet spot for cruising in my mind. More than that, I'm jonesing to get home, less than that, I feel like I haven't had a chance to relax.

 

BUT if you're stuck cruising with people you don't get along with, or where there are no activities or ports you enjoy, then almost any length of cruise is too long.

[ProgRockCruiser]

1 hour ago, Shaded Lady said:

I believe that a lot goes into determining how 'long' a cruise is... I've spent 7 day cruises with my hubby (who is truly my best friend) and cried when I had to get off the ship... on the other hand, I cruised with an elderly friend for 4 days that lasted about a month, that I was sure would never end!

 

So if you like the person you're traveling with (even if that's a solo cruise!) and you like the ports and you like the ship, 7 days is the sweet spot for cruising in my mind. More than that, I'm jonesing to get home, less than that, I feel like I haven't had a chance to relax.

 

BUT if you're stuck cruising with people you don't get along with, or where there are no activities or ports you enjoy, then almost any length of cruise is too long.

 

This is sound advice.  My wife and I are best friends, and we could spend 24 hrs a day with each other 365 days a year - in fact, we did until this fall when I changed jobs, since we worked together, in side-by-side offices, and have common hobbies, interests, etc.

 

On the other hand, there are friends and relatives who I would be quite happy to have some time apart from after just a day.

 

If you like your fellow travelers a whole lot, or you can separate into smaller rotating subgroups, go for 7 days.

Edited December 27, 2018 by ProgRockCruiser