5 day vs 7 day cruise

[marisr]

Okay we are trying to plan another cruise at the end of 2015. We have since relocated to Florida and of course that opens up the options for 3,4, or 5 day cruises. My father, who crusies CCL, says that 5 day cruises are not as exciting as a 7 day cruise. How does a shorter cruise compare to a 7 day cruise?

 

Rachel

[Clarea]

More days = better.

[cb at sea]

If you are within easy driving distance, a 5 nighter will be a nice break....a full week is always better, but if you don't incur airfare...I say, go for it! Heck...you can try them all!

[marisr]

More days = better.

 

I agree however our last RCL cruise was an 8 day and it wasn't as much fun as our 7 day cruises. We are in our mid 30's and late 40's and we enjoy meeting new people. although we meet some really nice people the night time energy was as great as our 7 day cruises (both RCL & NCL). Just trying to figure out how the 5 days are on RCL. There is a great deal for a 5 day cruise over New Years.

 

Rachel

[Badgertr]

Just remember that the first day is a half a day at most and unpacking, etc. the last day you pack and leave very early. The "real vacation" days are very few on shorter cruises. And fewer ports to see. Since you don't have to worry about flying cost or travel days it may be easier for you to take a couple long weekend cruises per year rather than 1 week. Personal preference.

 

Is there a bad cruise?

[ttnc4me]

More days = better.

What makes the shorter cruise less exciting is that you have to get off sooner.:D

[marisr]

What makes the shorter cruise less exciting is that you have to get off sooner.:D

 

We are also looking at a cruise over the NYE holiday so I think we should be fine for a lively group!

[orville99]

We also live in Florida, and are about an hour away from either Port Canaveral or Tampa. We usually do two five-night cruises out of Tampa every year - NYE and spring break, two three or four night quickies out of Port Canaveral - late summer and mid fall, and one seven-nighter on Freedom in mid May.

 

They're all good, and they're all different. The short ones are good to decompress, the five nighters are usually party till the wheels fall off, and the seven nighters are our veg out and read as many books as you can carry on board cruises.

[momofmab]

We recently did a 5-nighter after doing only 7-nighters (we travel with our two kids). On the 7-nighters it always seemed like everyone (in our group) was ready to be off the ship on day 6. The 5-nighter ended up being the perfect amount of time for us. We were getting off the ship before everyone started getting on each other's nerves :) My dh isn't a huge cruise fan and even he can do 5-nights. That's not to say we won't ever do a 7-nighter again, but I was happy that the 5-nighter ended up being a successful experiment for us.

[BillB48]

On the 5th evening when you are placing your luggage in the corridor... just think about it... isn't a 7 day better than a 5 day?:D I'll go on any length cruise... but as stated earlier more days = BETTER!!

[Toddcan]

The 5-6 day cruises often work better for us during Spring Break season - we live in Canada, and the 5-6 day cruises allow us time to drive down (we LOVE the drive - part of the vacation for us). I don't feel that the cruise is too short.

 

I have done a 4 day bahamas cruise - and that was too short, so I guess the fine line is somewhere around the 5 day mark.

 

My next cruise is a 7 day during spring break - so we will have to fly this time.

[ehfl]

We do lots of short cruises, and love a weekend getaway. One thing you'll notice is that the 5-day cruise is shorter than the 7-day cruise.

[marisr]

We booked a five day on the Brilliance of the seas for New years 2015. This cruise will allow us to enjoy a Christmas holiday and also do a cruise. As always thank you for the comments and maybe a 5 day cruise will give me some additional time to write up a review!

 

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[bigque]

I know we are going to hate the end of our 3 day Enchantment cruise. Haven't did that since our first cruise. We are sacrificing to go on this to go with a couple of friends going on their first cruise and wanted to try just the 3 day to see how they like it! Oh the sacrifices we make! They better like it! :cool:

[CruisinCadie]

It all depends on the size of the ship and how many ports. We did a 5-day on Princess last March, one of their largest ships, and after 5 days, I still hadn't learned my way around the ship. There were lots of areas, including the spa, that we never made it to. Also, with 3 ports, the only sea day was the last one, when we were busy packing. It wasn't as relaxing a vacation as I'd hoped, although we did get away from the miserable winter weather.

 

Kathy

[peteukmcr]

We flew from the UK to Florida to take a 5 night sailing out of Tampa on Brilliance and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves as it has stops in Key West which had the opportunity to visit for around 14 years and we also were visiting friends near Orlando.

 

We've done several closer to home in the Mediterranean and enjoyed those to, although will always say longer is better!

[geocruiser]

I have taken two four day cruise and all my other cruises have been seven, ten and fourteen days. But this Dec. we are taking a five night cruise on Explorer. I want to have a little get a way with a little less packing to do. I will see if two days less makes a big difference for me.

[George C]

I have not taken anything less than 7 days in over 30 years, perfer 10 or 11 days

[gjc1111]

I've never done a cruise less than 7 days and prefer 9+. For me, a cruise less than 7 days isn't quite as appealing but YMMV.

 

That said, any day on a cruise is a good day!!

[DonnaK]

I agree however our last RCL cruise was an 8 day and it wasn't as much fun as our 7 day cruises. We are in our mid 30's and late 40's and we enjoy meeting new people. although we meet some really nice people the night time energy was as great as our 7 day cruises (both RCL & NCL). Just trying to figure out how the 5 days are on RCL. There is a great deal for a 5 day cruise over New Years.

 

Rachel

If you found a great deal on a 5 day New Years cruise, then you should take it and not worry that the cruise isn't 7 days. Being on a ship for New Years is a very special experience - they throw an awesome party! That's why you'd be taking this cruise, for the deal you found and for the New Year's experience, not for the number of days.

[geocruiser]

Okay we are trying to plan another cruise at the end of 2015. We have since relocated to Florida and of course that opens up the options for 3,4, or 5 day cruises. My father, who crusies CCL, says that 5 day cruises are not as exciting as a 7 day cruise. How does a shorter cruise compare to a 7 day cruise?

 

Rachel

 

Like you we live close to a home port (at least in the winter we do). For us to take this five day cruise in Dec out of Port C. is easy. A half of a hour drive and I am on the ship. With less packing and a half hr. drive to the port makes is more doable for me then if I had a long drive or had to fly. If is great for a nice break. Being retired, it give us a change form the every day.

[mister windu]

More days means more fun. Always.

[homeschoolmama]

Five days are never worth it in my mind. The first day you are getting settled and half the last day you are preparing to leave. The result is 3 and a half days of actual cruise fun. The cost difference is usually minimal for 2 more days of vacation, food etc. If you go to the work of booking it and getting there then get the most vacation you can. The advertised number of cruise days is never the true amount of time you get to purely enjoy! Hope you have fun whatever you choose

 

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[molly361]

I also enjoy the 5 day trips. We are also retired and live within a couple of hours from several ports. I am leaning towards doing more 4 and 5 day cruises instead of the 7 day ones. More short ones vs. less longer ones :)

Edited June 5, 2014 by molly361

[cruiseapril]

When we do shorter cruises, we extend our vacation in Florida.

 

This year, we did a 4 day Enchantment cruise, with 3 days in Florida.

Next year we will do a 5 day Brilliance cruise with 3 days in Florida.