Suggestion..... If you want to try cruising then don't do it on a short cruise....

[Smokeyham]

We just finished two cruises on Princess.  One was a 7-day from Vancouver BC to Los Angeles and the second was a four-day from LA to Ensenada and back.  

 

We felt the difference in the atmosphere on board was very noticeable.  Of course, some of that had to do with the destinations and clientele who want the different experiences, but we felt that a lot of that had to do with the length of the cruise.  

 

For the 7-day cruise people people settled into the routine on board and the pace of the cruise was a lot more peaceful.   If you did not get to participate in one activity then it was likely to be offered again, so you didn't feel like you only had one chance to do something.

 

The shorter cruise was a lot more frantic.  At sail away people were pushing up to the bar to get drinks and it had a lot more of the "party-hearty" atmosphere.  The Cruise Director's staff seem to also pick up on this and the various games, etc. had much more of a let's get a little crazy atmosphere.  It also seemed that there were more drunk people on board.

 

Of course, it is fine if the party atmosphere is what you are looking for, but if you are wanting to try cruising because you have heard about the relaxing atmosphere, great shows, fun ports to visit, and elegant ambiance then I suggest you make your first cruise a week-long (or longer if you can) to give you a taste of that type of environment.

 

I think on a shorter cruise some people have the mindset that they have to "get their money's worth" by partying,  eating, and drinking, as much as they can for the limited amount of time they are on board.

I hope this perspective is helpful for those planning their first cruise.

[ldubs]

Good suggestion.  Atmosphere aside, IMO, a 4 day is just too short.  It would seem like time to repack just after you get there.   It might be OK if someone lived near the port and wanted a quick get-away or combined the cruise with a land vacation.  

[sparks1093]

I would say that if you do have to do a short cruise then keep your expectations reasonable. Our first 3 cruises were short, a 2 night CTN and two 4 dayers. On the 2 night people were telling us "this isn't this cruise line's best product" and our thought was "if this is them at their worst we can't wait to see them at their best" and on the 4 night people kept telling us that a 7 night cruise is very different. Yes, a 4 day cruise is not a 7 day cruise and it definitely has a different feel, but if it is all that one is able to do it's better than no cruise. In our case we had to drive to the port because we couldn't afford air so we spent 3 days on the road each way from Vermont to Miami. It all counted as part of the vacation and the kids got to see things they normally didn't.

[Joebucks]

I'm with you that if you want to give cruising a chance 7 or more days is the best way to truly experience it. Too many are worried "what if I'm trapped at sea" for xyz reasons. 

 

While I get your point about the 4 day cruise, I believe it is often overblown. Some people may actually enjoy the vibe.

[wowzz]

To my mind 7 days is just too short a cruise as well. Too much aggravation regarding packing, travelling to and from the port, booking a hotel for the night before the cruise, etc.

14 nights minimum for us.

[K32682]

I agree the shorter, low-price cruises tend to attract yahoos who just want an excuse to drink their face off.  Itinerary matters too. Four days on the California cost to Mexico or a similar trip to the Caribbean is a jerk magnet.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by K32682

[ontheweb]

Our first cruise was a 7 day cruise in the Western Mediterranean. By the last day, DW said she missed peanut butter and jelly.

 

Our second cruise was supposed to be a 5 day in the Western Caribbean with an emphasis on seeing Mayan ruins. Because of a hurricane, it turned into a 7 day cruise which was too long because school was about to start, and she needed to get back to set up her art room.

 

Our longest was 10 days, and that seemed to be about our maximum, but we have an 11 day booked for next summer.

[Markanddonna]

I agree with the OP. Anything less than a seven day tends to attract partiers who are often locals wanting catch a very cheap cruise last minute. Some pack 4 in a cabin, making the ship seem much busier than usual. 

 

For those who want to sample cruising this way, it might more turn you off to the nicer aspects of cruising. My longest cruise was a TP for 23 days- about two days too long.

[Schoifmom]

I agree that shorter cruises are more in the "booze cruise" category.  I will say, though, that our first cruise was a 4 day, but we made sure that it wasn't over a weekend or college break, which also colors the atmosphere on board.

[wowzz]

Lots of 35 day round trips from Southampton to the Caribbean/US and back. They sell out very quickly! 

[BklynBoy8]

First, I honestly think it depends on the Ship and Line you select that first matters.

 

Our choice is Cunard and we sail on the QM2 if it matters to the subject. 

 

We honestly never see this activity on board at anytime. 

 

Our first cruise on her was short 5 days to see if we would like her. Yes previous QE2 or HAL were longer cruises but we were looking at what she offered in food, activities and atmosphere. We knew longer days would also be different.

 

I remember the then Cruise Director on the First Night Intro in the theater stated this short sailing was used by many to see if they would like in the future for longer.

 

He also stated it would be a party type cruise since it was on 4th of July week but other sailings were more routine. But still without that crazy pushy atmosphere. 

 

PARTY AND MEGA SHIPS...are not for us.

 

[wowzz]

29 minutes ago, BklynBoy8 said:

First, I honestly think it depends on the Ship and Line you select that first matters.

 

Our choice is Cunard and we sail on the QM2 if it matters to the subject. 

 

We honestly never see this activity on board at anytime. 

 

Our first cruise on her was short 5 days to see if we would like her. Yes previous QE2 or HAL were longer cruises but we were looking at what she offered in food, activities and atmosphere. We knew longer days would also be different.

 

I remember the then Cruise Director on the First Night Intro in the theater stated this short sailing was used by many to see if they would like in the future for longer.

 

He also stated it would be a party type cruise since it was on 4th of July week but other sailings were more routine. But still without that crazy pushy atmosphere. 

 

PARTY AND MEGA SHIPS...are not for us.

 

Given the price of drinks on Cunard, it will never be a party cruise line !

[bonsai3s]

Agree with both Smokeyham and BklynBoy8.

 

Thinking back a few years and many different ships...I don't remember seeing this on Holland America. I remember, however, being introduced to the "ICU Section" in the main dining room on the Zuiderdam.

 

* Apoligies to HA cruisers...my attempt on humir. Merry Christmas to all.

[ldubs]

6 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

I would say that if you do have to do a short cruise then keep your expectations reasonable. Our first 3 cruises were short, a 2 night CTN and two 4 dayers. On the 2 night people were telling us "this isn't this cruise line's best product" and our thought was "if this is them at their worst we can't wait to see them at their best" and on the 4 night people kept telling us that a 7 night cruise is very different. Yes, a 4 day cruise is not a 7 day cruise and it definitely has a different feel, but if it is all that one is able to do it's better than no cruise. In our case we had to drive to the port because we couldn't afford air so we spent 3 days on the road each way from Vermont to Miami. It all counted as part of the vacation and the kids got to see things they normally didn't.

 

Good point about a short cruise being an inexpensive way to test the waters.  Our first couple cruises were the 3 and 4 day ones out of San Pedro mainly because they were dirt cheap and we could drive there. 

[Aquahound]

I don't totally agree with the op.  While the 3-night weekend cruises tend to be booze cruises, I've been on some really nice 4-5 night cruises that go through the weekdays.  I think the 4-5 night cruises are a great way to try cruising for a first cruise.  

[BklynBoy8]

1 hour ago, ldubs said:

 

Good point about a short cruise being an inexpensive way to test the waters.  Our first couple cruises were the 3 and 4 day ones out of San Pedro mainly because they were dirt cheap and we could drive there. 

 

Agree want to enjoy a cruise especially a first time or first time on a particular ship, you still want a good experience that inexpensive will not affect it.

 

We too live 12 minutes from my Terminal. 

 

 

 

[XBGuy]

I too, would hesitate to generalize.

 

For anybody who has any hesitation about cruising, specifically, anybody who thinks they might be prone to motion sickness, I think it would be prudent to start with a short cruise.

 

I do agree that short cruises do attract a party crowd.  Then, again, a Vancouver-Los Angeles repositioning cruise is going to attract a much more sedate group of passengers.  So, using that as a baseline might also be inaccurate,  

 

Also, any Mexico itinerary is going to attract more of a party hearty crowd--my experience includes 4-day. 5-day, 7-day and 10-day itineraries.  I agree that the short cruises are most noticeably raucous, but the difference between passenger behavior an a Mexico itinerary and, say, an Alaska itinerary is very apparent.

 

While I am done with the 4-day itineraries that seem to attract too many college age passengers I am also of the opinion that I can customize my cruise experience to my satisfaction.  One recommendation that I would have for any new cruiser is to enjoy doing what you want to do.

[slidergirl]

The short cruises to Mexico are kind of booze-intense.  But, the short ones that reposition LA-Vancouver and reverse are actually pretty calm.  I've done Princess & NCL in each direction and I was very relaxed.  Maybe because they are mostly "sea days" and not stops in Catalina and Ensenada.   Did enough of both of them growing up in So. CA so I have no need to go back!

[ldubs]

18 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

The short cruises to Mexico are kind of booze-intense.  But, the short ones that reposition LA-Vancouver and reverse are actually pretty calm.  I've done Princess & NCL in each direction and I was very relaxed.  Maybe because they are mostly "sea days" and not stops in Catalina and Ensenada.   Did enough of both of them growing up in So. CA so I have no need to go back!

 

We still enjoy them mainly as easy venues for family group get-aways.   The shore attractions are more for the youngsters than us oldies.  Haha.   

[MCC retired]

As a former TA FOR 17+ years booking only cruises , I can vouch that a short 3 or 4 nighter is a poor choice to recommend to a skeptical First Time Cruiser.

Learned that pretty quickly 🤔  when following up upon return.

[navybankerteacher]

A "short cruise" is a terrible way to try out "cruising".  They are entirely different activities.  They attract different demographics.  Taking a short cruise is a good way to see if you like short cruises.  Taking a week or longer is a good way to see if you like cruising.    

[sparks1093]

A short cruise is a good way to know if one can tolerate being at sea. That's one thing I hear frequently from non-cruisers- I don't know if I would like being at sea/I don't know if I would like the motion of the ship. A short cruise could be just what they need to answer those questions without committing to 7 days. 

[Z'Loth]

In my limited cruising experience, I have not done anything shorter than a seven day cruise. One of the factors is the travel time to the actual embarkation port which, in some cases, can be an entire day's journey in itself. For my last cruise in 2018, I had to travel from Sacramento to Washington DC to Miami as there are no non-stops to Miami. (I live in DFW now, so flight times are shorter), and airline travel can be stressful. For some people, they are working on a Friday, then flying out and boarding on a Saturday. You actually need several days to put work behind you, and start enjoying your vacation. That just isn't possible with a four day cruise. 

[Mary229]

I guess it depends on what you want.  In our 20s we enjoyed the short cruises for the nightlife.  We lived on the Gulf Coast and it was just another fun weekend trip.  We were not what you would call boozers but we did enjoy dancing all night and the club scene.  We then did 7 day cruises and today we don’t like to do anything less than 21 days much preferring at least 30 days.  
 

I am now not a fan of the 7 day cruise, they are usually cruisers for vacationers and families.   The short cruises are short getaways especially for those who lived near a home port.  The long cruises are for travelers mostly, people whose first criteria is destination and that is now what I cruise for. 

[George C]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I guess it depends on what you want.  In our 20s we enjoyed the short cruises for the nightlife.  We lived on the Gulf Coast and it was just another fun weekend trip.  We were not what you would call boozers but we did enjoy dancing all night and the club scene.  We then did 7 day cruises and today we don’t like to do anything less than 21 days much preferring at least 30 days.  
 

I am now not a fan of the 7 day cruise, they are usually cruisers for vacationers and families.   The short cruises are short getaways especially for those who lived near a home port.  The long cruises are for travelers mostly, people whose first criteria is destination and that is now what I cruise for. 

I did lots of very short cruises to nowhere when I was in my 20’s and living in New York City loved them , now I prefer 9 to 12 day cruises.