Is a 3-day cruise worth it?

[Benita]

We do it often. Living 45 minutes from the Miami pier makes it so easy- we can even work Friday mornings and Monday afternoons. We made it to Diamond status on Royal Caribbean without ever taking a week's cruise with them. It is an inexpensive long weekend and we have even gone with large family groups- there were 12 of us to celebrate my 40th birthday and we have 18 booked for my mother's 90th. We love longer cruises - we leave next week for an 8 nighter, but these short ones are great supplements.

Carl - we are going with Oceania on a Mediterranian cruise in May. This is a 12 nighter, but they have 10, 14, and 16 night itineraries as well. We loved Renaissance, so we will give Oceania a chance. They have some great itineraries and fewer passengers that most of the cruise lines.

[Jandie]

We did a 3-night on Carnival several years ago over Super Bowl weekend and had a BLAST! We packed light, skipped formal night and wouldn't have changed a thing! We had such a fun weekend we're planning another in May!

 

Just go have fun!!!! J. :)

[Happy ks]

We live an hour from the Los Angeles port and have taken several 4 day and one 3 day cruise out of there. I have to say, it's different from a 7 day, but it's still fun! Since we are local and know the port stops well, we don't always bother to get off the ship, (especially Ensenada).

 

I'd have to say I think it's a bit much if you have to fly any distance, but if you attach it to a longer vacation, say 3 or 4 days in So. Cal., it could be a great vacation week.

 

We always eat in the dining room and would not consider foregoing formal night for the sake of lighter packing. I do have to say, though, I don't break out the long gowns for this type of cruise, I wear a shorter length dress and sometimes evening pants. Packing is almost as much for the shorter cruise as a longer one (for us) and I'm a light packer.

[BobbyK]

I live in southern California. I've cruised several times on the three and four night trips. First of all, at least on the Monarch, there is a difference between the three and four day cruises most of the year. The three day cruise, or the long weekend, is a party cruise. The four day cruise, unless holiday or spring break time, is much more relaxed, fewer kids, and more of an older group than the weekend party group (but this older group can be just as 'wild' as the 'party' group. The 3 day trip is great for cruising with a group (as it is much easier to miss two days of work than five). Many cruisers make it part of their trip to California while visiting relatives and/ or tourist attractions. I've met people who were able to get great flight deals and it really worked for them taking the shorter cruise.

Robin :cool:

[MszKitty]

Because I live 1 hour from the port of L.A. I've done the 3 night cruise about 10 times. Its a great weekend getaway. I even prefer it to a weekend in Vegas. That being said, however, I don't know if I would fly any long distance to do it unless I made it part of a longer vacation. For instance, I wouldn't fly from California to take a 3 night cruise from Miami.

[Merion_Mom]

For us, for now, a 3 day is perfect. We live about 4 hours from Miami, where my husband's family lives. They like to spend time with the kids, so we are making a long weekend out of it - they get the grandkids for a few days, we get a few days of quiet, and everybody's happy! I'm a little overprotective, so for me, 3 days is PLENTY away from the kiddos, since they're only 4 and 7!

If I were in your situation, I would do this once a month!!!!!! ;)

[jphc318]

Live 20 minutes from port canaveral we are going on our 12th 3 day cruise next weekend.Great quick getaways before the 7 day cruises in the summer and winter!Love them to be pampered for the 2and a half or whatever is well worth it for us no travel expense to get to port!:cool:

[Richard/Traci]

Skip school and do the back to back