What to do on seas days!

[ski ww]

I love sea days the most. I'm taking a B2B on Carnival 10/16 (first part business seminar) then staying on for the next five-night cruise. I never leave the ship. Love the peace and quiet during POC days. Also am going solo. Have a huge family and am just one who needs to get away by myself at times. Have made a promise to myself that I will take at least one cruise solo a year for the rest of my life -- I'm a 67-year-old widow but still feel like I'm 40! LOL Eventually, I'll work my way to a Transatlantic. A little apprehensive of that one yet. And I'll try different lines each time. Only taking this one because of business. Any suggestions of the best cruise line for flying solo at my age? I'm female. Hard to know by my name. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

We cruise HAL mostly, the cruisers on HAL ships all seem to be of an age group in the 60 - 70. Have done four Trans Atlantic and love the sea days, to do as much or as little as we like. Attend lectures, I especially like the Digital Workshop by Micro Soft that is done on all HAL ships. Have never had a bad crossing.

Allan & Marlane

[satxdiver]

We love sea days as they are so casual and unhurried. We start with breakfast on the balcony, then off to the tread mills or walking areas, followed by shower, leisurely lunch usually in the MDR and then enjoy the sun, participate in some events (love trivia), take an afternoon nap and get ready for the evening activities. We love the marriage show, theater performances (no magicians/hypnotists please) and bands in the various lounges. Partner loves the evening movies on MUTS (Princess) while I like the disco bar on the top deck with the fantastic night time views.

 

We have not been to Hawaii or a TA but would love to do it as they all have a large number of sea days. Maybe next year!

[BillOh]

HUbby hates sea days....I don't mind sitting around the pool and reading!

 

I like 1 or 2 sea days on 7 day cruises. I look forward to both. On Royal's Oasis class there are 3 sea days which is one too many for me, but we keep going back! I really loved Jewel in the Southern Caribbean wiht 5 ports and one sea day.

[Markanddonna]

I always manage to wake up before DH, so I go out for a cup of coffee and enjoy the new day and sunrise by myself, walk around the decks to get a little cardio in and then bring DH a cup of tea. Best wife in the world.

 

Then we shower and go to breakfast and then usually go to some program/lecture or read. We workout before lunch or midday depending on what is going on. BTW- don't eat that farmer's breakfast unless you want to feel miserable or look forward to getting rid of those 10+ pounds after your cruise. My goal is to eat what I want (I have a dessert at lunch and dinner) and an appetizer too. We have learned to eat just enough to be hungry for the next meal. Sad when you go to lunch or dinner feeling like a stuffed pig.

 

The afternoon is spent with an activity that we find appealing, reading, maybe a nap and a card game. Tidy up for dinner and the evening of a show/dancing.

 

I love cruising because I feel like one of the Downton Abbey family- dressing up (at least getting out of workout clothes) for dinner. You just don't do that at home, do you?

[AZbeachboy]

Sea Days are our favorite. In some ports we don't even get off the ship. I can always fine things to do, we don't need a lot of activities. I strive to find a ship without port days.

[texastennis]

All of this sounds delightful! I am 25 days away from my first solo cruise and I can't wait. Just a question for those of you who are early risers and go to the fitness center. Are they usually crowded around 6:00 a.m.?

[AZbeachboy]

All of this sounds delightful! I am 25 days away from my first solo cruise and I can't wait. Just a question for those of you who are early risers and go to the fitness center. Are they usually crowded around 6:00 a.m.?

 

They can fill up fast, usually I have found 7-9 to be the busiest. The running tracks seems to start a 7 but go longer into the morning.

[texastennis]

They can fill up fast, usually I have found 7-9 to be the busiest. The running tracks seems to start a 7 but go longer into the morning.

 

Thanks for the response. Looks like I'll be up early to make sure I get a machine!

[WhiteWaves]

I want to plan a Christmas 2016 cruise - going solo - and am looking for a cruise line that has the best onboard activities for at-sea days. I would prefer to leave from a Gulf port - Galveston, New Orleans, Mobile as I really don't want the hassle of booking a flight to get to my departure port.

What lines do other 55+ cruiser recommend?

I'm not a first time cruiser - we cruised a lot, but haven't been aboard a ship in several years now.

 

Thanks all - I'm glad to be back on the forums!:)

[crystalspin]

Using the "Find A Cruise" button in the Cruise Critic header, I put in your departure ports of choice (in turn) and "December 2016". Then I scanned for what cruises would be sailing ON XMAS DAY. If you want just *near* Christmas, there would be more choices!

 

The three attached screenshots are from NOLA: NCL Dawn & CCL Dream, and from Galveston: CCL Breeze, Liberty & Freedom, plus Disney Wonder. Mobile has only CCL Fantasy sailing 4 and 5 day itineraries that didn't look very appealing.

 

I can't speak for activities... I did the Panama Canal on Norwegian Star (sister ship to Dawn) and spent the seadays knitting and reading!

 

I would look at the itineraries, and if one or more seem interesting, go to the Cruise Line specific 'board' or section of Cruise Critic for the line(s) -- and start a new thread to ask specific questions. Be sure to put a helpful title, if you don't it will use your screen-name.

 

ETA: the Find A Cruise utility of Cruise Critic does not necessarily find ALL the cruises that are sailing from a port -- I do not know why it misses some. So you might want to go to various lines' websites and plug in your dates and departure ports yourself.

Edited December 26, 2015 by crystalspin

[MarylandCruiseCouple]

Sea Days?

 

Early morning breakfast followed by an hour or so of reading then off to find some fun activity or two. A leisurely lunch followed by more activities. A late afternoon cocktail and then dinner in a specialty restaurant. Nighttime is a visit to the casino and off to dance and listen to music until the wee hours.

 

Can't think of a better way to spend a day at sea. :)

[nanwel]

I get up early - not planned, just how I am - go for a long fast walk around outside if possible - then back to my room for my pre ordered breakfast - sit on the balcony for a while, read,nap - especially if there is a good view - aft is great for that. (tell my cabinperson they can come in and clean so not to hold their time)

Finally shower and leave for another walk - late lunch in the dinning room or buffet - crowds are less then, and food still plenty. Check out my emails, and books others have dropped at the library.

Would love to swim, but hate people on top of me(not a great swimmer) - so often wait until 4ish by then a lot of people are back to their nap or shower for dinner.

Love to watch some of the game shows, but do not get involved - if they get to dumb - I move on - would love more things to learn at sea - not all ships do good lectures, but check out those that do.

Cocktail - on my balcony - maybe another shower and dress for dinner - look at shops eat and go to show.

Sounds boring when you put it down - but the days go very quickly.... too quickly and it is time to get off the ship - I do love port days, if I take a tour or not depends on whether I have been there 10 times before (like stMarten) or never - if I have been many times, I just walk walk walk - love seeing people go about their day in a different country so sometimes sit on a bench or at an outside bar and just watch the world go by.

[FireStation46]

Light breakfast

Walk after breakfast

Hit the pool

Modest lunch

Adult beverage(s) :D

Hit the pool

Walk after the pool

Take in the shops

Take in a movie or show

Adult Beverage(s):eek:

Modest snack

Find the music/dancing and have several (!) adult Beverages

 

Rinse, rise and repeat:o

Edited January 18, 2016 by FireStation46

[nursemom2]

What to do on sea days??? Take a look at my blog post to find out! As a veteran of 9 transatlantic cruises, I wrote a blog post on what we do! [emoji4]

 

http://karanandmichael.blogspot.com/2013/10/sea-days-adventures.html?m=1

 

 

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[ahl]

A much as I like the port calls, I enjoy sea days, too. Relaxing. Here is what I like to do.

Walking for exercise.

Taking photos of the ship.

Reading.

Playing Trivia.

Afternoon Tea.

On our latest cruise, I tried a Men's Spa treatment on the last sea day. I think I'll add that to the routine!

[susancruzs]

I love sea days! Leaving April 17th for a transatlantic, plus Baltic cruise! :) :D

 

For the solo traveler, unsure about the transatlantic, I say go for it. I took my first one in 1984 when I was 37, have taken many since always as a solo. I love long cruises and sea days. I won't get on a ship for less than 11 days, not happening.

 

I'm never bored, I do cross stitch, read, attend lectures, trivia, walk, visit with people, hit the casino before I know it, time to dress for dinner! :)

[arkiesgirl]

I get up early and have coffee and watch the sun rise, then sit on deck with a book. My husband sleeps late then we meet for breakfast. No definite plans other than relaxing.

[Yvonne]

We love sea days! My favorite thing to do on the cruise is have room service breakfast delivered and enjoy it and my morning coffee out on the balcony. My husband doesn't care to do that, so he goes up to the buffet. I usually join him there for lunch, but breakfast I want peace and quiet. :) Love starting my day that way.

 

After breakfast I enjoy reading for awhile on the balcony, then take a leisurely shower, maybe go shopping at the shops onboard, go for walks exploring the ship, maybe some trivia in the morning and/or afternoon, a nap in the afternoon, a lounger in the sun (on an upper deck, not right by the pool) for an hour or two in the afternoon, more reading on the balcony, maybe watch whatever they have going on in the theater (love & marriage show, or a dance class, etc.) and before we know it, it's time to get ready for the evening dinner and show, etc.

 

We make our own sea days sometimes too, and stay onboard in various ports that we've been to more than once. Always enjoy a more empty ship and being able to get a good spot at the serenity area. :)

[wishfulone]

Sea days are great fro recovering from very busy shore days ;) We don't like too many of them but enjoy port/enrichment lectures, love afternoon trivia and relax with pre dinner drinks on our balcony. And then there's the laundry, music interludes, a show after dinner.......

[beltane]

I LOVE sea days the best!

 

-- I love not being rushed to get out of bed.

 

-- I love finding a shady lounger near a pool with my books, magazines, and my ipod with earphones and my favourite music.

 

-- I love to people watch.

 

-- I love lunch in the MDR.

 

-- After all those exhausting morning activities I love an afternoon nap with my Hubby (and sometimes NOT sleep :eek::rolleyes:;) ).

 

-- We love to have happy hour out on the balcony with binoculars and see what we can see.

 

-- I love a full swim where I can get my hair wet because I know I will have plenty of time to blow it out for dinner. I don't usually have that kind of time to do my hair on a port day.

 

-- I love taking the time to have nice photos done before dinner. We don't always purchase, but if you don't have any done, you'll never know if there is a nice portrait there.

 

-- We have grown to love Celebrity, and they have a lot of small live music in nice areas here and there on board, we love sitting and listening to the live music here and there. Our last cruise had a young woman from Brazil who sang and played guitar... I could have listened to her all day. She was amazing. I was like a groupie watching for her to show up in the daily schedule and getting a good drink and chair in time to enjoy her talent.

 

-- We get the unlimited internet and I love to live face time and take my family and friends at home on "tours" of the ship.

 

-- We really love to simply sit at a bar and meet new and interesting people

[goldenrod]

Relax and drink! And nap, we love sea days especially in a suite !

 

 

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[GUT2407]

Whatever I feel like.

[bazbov]

Thanks for starting this OP.

 

I LOVE my days at sea,i could quite happily stay at sea for most of the time,especially if there's a ships choir to join,or other interesting things to do.

i also love to chat, so many people have so many interesting things to talk about. for me there's usually lots of choice and i usually can't fit everything i'd like to do in that day. Happy cruising:)

[preschool teacher]

Sea days are for fun and relaxing!!!get a chair in the adult pool area...love reading, talking to people we meet in the hot tub!

Love napping in the dark inside cabin we have....I joined the pop choir once and it was so much fun....sea days are great...rest up for the port days!

[lenquixote66]

I take 3 paperbook books and donate them to the library on the ship after I finish reading them.