What to do on days at sea?

[capncarp]

Sometimes you luck into things as a result of doing something else. DW and I went to see the Second City Improv group's show, and at the end of it, they announced that the troupe would be having classes in improv comedy the next 2 days. We took both classes and had a great time.

Take a pair of binoculars along, and watch for other vessels or aircraft, or sea birds or possibly dolphins, or maybe even a pod of whales if you are sailing in the right areas.

Hang out near the Windjammer drinking coffee or iced tea and strike up a conversation with a tablemate--I met several interesting people at breakfasts this way.

Someone already mentioned getting in touch with others from Cruise Critic on the Roll Call boards--maybe setting up a daily or sea-day conclave would be amenable to several sharing your cruise.

[irisdeane]

Post the "do not disturb" sign and snooze!!

 

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[Steviewonder1]

Take one of the cooking classes along with 20 others, Host the Meet & Greet (keep the tally of that and the Private Excursions on an Excel Spreadsheet posted on your Cruise Board), afternoon Tea and join the Balcony Club. If you don't know what that is there is a Board somewhere for that also......

[Cruisin' Chick]

There are hilarious and entertaining games and contests out by the pool (fortunately Princess does not have the crude pool games that can be found on a certain line), movie theater (usually on sea days, there may be a recent movie shown in the Princess Theater or another lounge), rock-climbing wall, basketball court, ping pong, flow-rider, shopping in the promenade, the spa (think massage), full gym, zumba (and other classes), art auctions (which I hate, but others don't), cupcake classes, wine tastings, zip-lines, hot tubs sitting over the ocean, ice skating rink, behind the scene tours, trivia contests, naps on the balcony or up on deck under the shade with a breeze blowing, internet cafe, live band playing by the pool, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some of the activities. We've never gotten to all the possibilities.

 

Since the OP will be on a Princess ship, I've highlighted the activities that would usually be found on this line. Some people also like to people watch. Princess also has variety and musical acts playing during afternoons in the Piazza (it's the area on the bottom deck -- Plaza -- of the grand atrium that's on most of the Princess ships now). Often there are also passengers playing board games (even they brought with or found in the library on board). The Movies Under the Stars screen (MUTS) will show movies, sporting events, concert movies from about 9am to midnight (some of the movies will also be shown on the in-cabin TV). Many of the cruises have a night time deck party with music and dancing.

 

Our last three cruises were the two-week Hawaiian ones with more sea days than port days, and we absolutely were never bored at all. The Hawaiian cruises (especially the sailings out of LA, but will be coming on the SF sailings too) on Princess have a wonderful cultural program with talks about the islands, classes in uke playing, lei making and hula, plenty of live Hawaiian music in the Piazza and up on deck. Every night while you are at dinner, your cabin steward will put a copy of the next day's Patters in your cabin when doing the turndown service. Some people will highlight activities of interest. My hubby brought his guitar on these cruises (helps we were within driving distance of this port) so he would find a lounge to play his music (he's also been joined by other guitarists for a jam session). I'll usually bring two or three paperback books and a word puzzle magazine.

 

I truly believe that if someone is bored on a Princess cruise, he or she may be a boring person.:rolleyes:

[mking8288]

Before leaving for a cruise, we always refresh the iPad (hers) and Nexus 7 tablet (prefer its smaller size) with movies and/or dvd's that we haven't watch (or favorite ones) plus good old MP3 music (plus those NC in-ear headphones) plus the netbook is usually alone on longer cruise - and Big Blue mini speaker from Brookstone for big sound in the cabin - and we are good on sea days, on any day - in the unlikely chance of running out of things to do.

 

Order Room Service Breakfast, eat light & go back to sleep - Snooze/DND (not DNR) sign on outside door handle or turn the knob/dial - ditto for the afternoon, cat napping with Room Service for PM snacks - and have a busy evening before/after dinner. Time flies - believe me.

[5326jan]

Before leaving for a cruise, we always refresh the iPad (hers) and Nexus 7 tablet (prefer its smaller size) with movies and/or dvd's that we haven't watch (or favorite ones) plus good old MP3 music (plus those NC in-ear headphones) plus the netbook is usually alone on longer cruise - and Big Blue mini speaker from Brookstone for big sound in the cabin - and we are good on sea days, on any day - in the unlikely chance of running out of things to do.

 

Order Room Service Breakfast, eat light & go back to sleep - Snooze/DND (not DNR) sign on outside door handle or turn the knob/dial - ditto for the afternoon, cat napping with Room Service for PM snacks - and have a busy evening before/after dinner. Time flies - believe me.

 

 

Our room steward warned us on a cruise that had a lot of kids, that they think its hilarious to flip them upside down to read "service please". :eek: Just thought I would pass along the warning. :)

[mking8288]

Our room steward warned us on a cruise that had a lot of kids, that they think its hilarious to flip them upside down to read "service please". :eek: Just thought I would pass along the warning. :)

 

Gotta, knew those kid's pranks - but thanks, FYI to others. When you are inside the cabin, always - ALWAYS double lock the door so that your steward won't see you (and anyone else) ..... after knocking cause when we are out, it can take a fire engine alarm to wake me.

 

With CCL - it's the hard paper cardboard sign, the trick is to put the edge between the door frame & door as you close it - so that nobody can flip it over. This is known to happen at kids-popular/friendly resort places a/k/a Six Flags & Disney m/hotels especially when they are out on recess.

 

Case in point - we order 8 AM Room Service Breakfast, dash out into hallway to get our bucket refilled with ice from Steward & tell him we will be sleeping in late till noon, so he won't be knocking & plan to clean our cabin at lunch time. Plus the "secured" DND sign - a peaceful morning on the balcony for me & DW with her iPad games.

[lady_cruiser]

On sea days we love to find a quiet spot and ready our Nooks. And if we aren't up to reading we participate in different activities around the ship; trivial contests, napkin folding demonstrations, towel folding demonstrations, etc.

[wrigley80]

We love days at sea. They are very relaxing...you can do as much as or as little as you want. You can decide where ya wanna go for breakfast and lunch. Our favorite sea day activity is playing trivia and sitting out on the Serenity Deck in a clamshell

[kcwingwalker]

We do think that Animal Toss is one of those "intellectual" HA games that helps pass the time of day. One of our tablemates (also a senior) really took the game seriously and managed to win a few prizes. I think it made his cruise :). The fact that is was a 62 day voyage that went to 13 countries did not excite him as much as that darn Animal Toss.

 

Hank

 

Gotta love those Animal Toss games!

[simplelife]

One of my favorite activities is the Afternnon Tea that some ships have on sea days. They serve serve tea and chocolates in an elegant style in one of the lounges, accompanied by classical music and olds standards on the piano. Very relaxing.

Special daytime events are planed for sea days - musical entertainment, contests, specials in the salon and spa. Your daily newsletter will explain all these. Sea days are great for checking out the ship's library and reading a good book or playing a board game. You can stay vey busy or do notning, as you wish.

[SunnySailor66]

We've sailed on many cruise lines (RCI my favorite) and have never had a minute to get bored. Sometimes you just want to take a short nap in your cabin or join in the trivia, and the other activities that have been mentioned. One of my favorite things is to explore the ship from top to bottom and port to stabbord. There's so much art, some you like, some you don't. It's all subjective. One thing you don't want to miss if you sail on RCI is the "Game ~ Quest". It's not like the other scavenger hunt games on other cruise lines. Just don't miss it. Just take a high lighter and mark what you're most interested in doing on at sea days and you'll have a great time. Bon Voyage :)

[paluni]

I had eight straight sea days on a recent Princess cruise. I did so much I got exhausted. I would pack every day with activities. My husband couldn't understand it. He would just chill by the pool. I think you will find lots to do. One of my favorite things was taking a nap - there's a small window in the afternoon with less scheduled! I often had to choose between activities - the times conflicted!

[Gunner22aa]

Your problem won't be finding things to do on sea days. Your problem will be trying to fit everything in you want to do without having the big one! Not everything will be something you want to do but there will be plenty for sure. DW reviews the schedule for the next day every evening and then makes a note of the activities she wants to attend with the place and time and carries that with her all day. I may or may not participate in some of them on any given day. She knows where to find me. I'm either on the balcony reading or snoozing or at my chosen watering hole having a libation.

 

Only one bit of advice. Don't try to do it all. Your going to come back from your vacation exhausted and in immediate need of another.

 

Have fun

[latitude918]

Many people on these boards love sea days & find them very relaxing. I hate them. I think they are boring & I just try to get through them.

Unless you are on an RCL ship that has things like zip lines, rock walls & flow riders, there isn't much to do on board. The ship will add extra activities but they are mostly sedentary: bingo, trivia, belly flop contests, art auctions, demonstrations etc. You can fill up your day. If your Princess ship has MUTTS you can watch movies outside.

We usually stay up late the night before, sleep in, read & hang out in the sun. It's almost impossible to get a chair by the pool & you will be packed in like sardines.

 

Agreed. I hate hate hate hate sea days. There are wayyy too many people around for my liking.

[michelle1836]

people watch!

[griffy116]

We only have one sea day on our next cruise and it's port intensive so we will use it to sleep in a bit later...maybe even until 8 or 8:30. Then we will have a leisurely breakfast in the MDR or windjammer. After strolling through the promenade to see what kind of sales they have going on, we will go back to the cabin, change into swimsuit and cover up and get a bit of fun and sun. I might have an ice cream, find a lounge in the shade and doze off for a few minutes. Have a leisurely lunch in the MDR (tutti salad on sea day) and then I might need to go by the library, pick up a book to read on my balcony or go by the internet cafe and see what's happening out in the cruel world to my friends who aren't on a cruise. Back to the pool or to the flowrider...just to watch, maybe a game of ping pong or miniature golf. We just look at the daily Compass (RCCL) to see what's happening and go with the flow. It's totally a day without a schedule and it's probably the only day we don't have any schedule whatsoever. We never get around to everything we plan and it's just a real treat for us...missing things (lol).

[wassup4565]

Don't forget things like eating in the MDR for breakfast or lunch. These take more time, and you're unlikely to do them if you have shore excursions lined up.

[Two Tumbleweeds]

absolutely nothing.. that requires rushing about or a timetable. I find a nice location for people watching, ipod listening and book reading. must be conformable enough for the occasional nap.

 

You are a true cruiser. We love days at sea above hitting a lot of ports. No time schedule, no rushing about trying to be on time for a tour, and eating meals whenever we dang well feel like it. We thoroughly enjoy strolling the promenade deck and stopping at the stern to study the wake. If you would rather be busy all day, don't cruise and go to Las Vegas!

Two Tumbleweeds:D:D

[Gunnerpup]

I find the first sea day is a chance to relax and survey the ship...even if I've been on it before.

 

After breakfast I like to wander and have a drink here or there...sit in the sun, go for a swim etc.,

 

Don't feel rushed...it's not a 100 yard dash. More of a marathon! Pace yourself and soak up the experience of the incredibly lavish trip you are taking.

 

You're in the middle of the ocean and would normally have drowned... but your not..your sipping champagne and being served on day and night!

 

Also, forget land lubbers rules. Grab a drink and go for a walk...you don't have to stay in the bar drinking...walk away with your drink...they don't mind! ;)

[!cocruising!]

I am going on my first cruise (Emerald Princess) to the Eastern Caribbean in March. There will be a total of 3 days at sea. What kind of activities are there to do during the day? I know that some people are content reading the day away and swimming/lounging by the pool but I like to have stuff to do. I usually go to islands for a week and I'm worried that I might be bored? Are there crafts or fun games people play together? Matinee shows?

 

 

I remember my 1st cruise. once we got into the cabin I fell on to the cabin all exhausted and thought - Oh golly, what am I going to do for the next 7 days? Then my eyes fell on the Patter (news letter) read thru some of that and then I thought Oh golly how am I going to find time to participate in all THAT fun. I had to prioritize and go with the flow. You are going to love Cruising and will be booking another one as soon as you land and get that laptop in your hand! :)

[anandaindonesia]

We don't drink, we don't gamble, and being from the tropic, we don't worship the sun.

 

In our previous cruises, sea days are ok as it is sandwiched between port calls. However, we are braving our first TA to see how 7 consecutive sea days will do for us. :cool: