Are we cruising the "wrong way"?

[Hello_World1]

Hi there, Me and the Husband did our first Cruise Feb 2023 and it seems that multiple people we spoke to were shocked that we had no plans to leave the ship until they Kicked us off on day 4. (Cali/Catalina Island/Ensenada/Cali Itinerary ). 

 

Last week we, by some stretch of luck and a neat travel agent, scored a balcony cabin on Icon of the Seas for 1/3 of the website price...and we still feel like we are going to skip all the ports and stay on the ship for all 7 days.

 

We figure that there are enough Western Caribbean sailings available that those ports "aren't going anywhere" and We'd have a hard time justifying a 9K balcony room under normal Website prices, so I doubt we will be seeing the ICON again for at least half a decade. Heck, even Coco Cay seems less worth getting off the ship for if Icon already has a smorgasbord of lounging areas and its OWN water park baked into the crust.

 

IDK are we making a mistake by skipping ports and soaking up as much of the "brand new ship smell" as possible? Are we "Cruising wrong"?

 

[not-enough-cruising]

You aren’t doing anything wrong at all. 

[firefly333]

I see you are new to post on cc, welcome.

 

If you are asking if people stay on the ship, of course all the time. If it's a port like cozumel or hot in sept, I stay on if it's the same ole ports I've seen a lot. 

[bethco]

Sounds good to me, especially on a new ship that will be packed to the gills with people. I love being on the ship on a port day when it's places I have been to a lot. 

 

[GetToLivin]

If I were paying 9k for a balcony I'd probably want to utilize every square inch of that ship, too 😆 On a serious note, so many of Royal's itineraries visit the same ports, so if you continue cruising once or twice a year, you'll quickly have opportunities to visit ports you might choose to miss while on Icon. Do what makes your vacation feel right to you and enjoy the new ship smell! 😁 

[OCSC Mike]

No such thing as "cruising wrong." Everyone has their own preferences.

 

Do whatever is appealing to you!

[shipgeeks]

I think we stay on the ship, which in our case is an OV cabin on a small ship, more than we go into ports any more.  We just love ship time.

[smokeybandit]

Lots of frequent cruisers never leave the ship. Not at all a rare thing

Edited September 6, 2023 by smokeybandit

[loman]

I dont cruise that much , and i still rarely get off the ship , having been to those stops often

[irishgal432]

I would get off at perfect day.  I view it as an extension of the ship.  Plenty of free things todo 

[Hello_World1]

1 hour ago, bethco said:

Sounds good to me, especially on a new ship that will be packed to the gills with people. I love being on the ship on a port day when it's places I have been to a lot. 

 

Might've been a coincidence, but we had amazing 110% service when the crew could BREATHE a little bit and it was less busy. It's like folks who stayed onboard were more relaxed and easygoing than the ppl rushing to hop on a tender boat. Even the kids seemed more chill. haha

[Hello_World1]

3 minutes ago, irishgal432 said:

I would get off at perfect day.  I view it as an extension of the ship.  Plenty of free things todo 

perhaps I should look more into the free stuff at CocoCay. It seemed that the only free stuff was: food, drink**, and beach chairs + ocean.  So i wrote it off. 🙂

 

**drink package willing

[Loracpin2]

11 minutes ago, irishgal432 said:

I would get off at perfect day.  I view it as an extension of the ship.  Plenty of free things todo 

Are you referring to a "perfect day at Cocoa Cay"? On our recent Oasis sailing, our perfect day was staying on the ship to avoid all the insanity of the over 6000 passngers on our ship plus the thousands of passengers on the Serenade docked next to us!!!! 

Edited September 6, 2023 by Loracpin2
spelling

[irishgal432]

Just now, Hello_World1 said:

perhaps I should look more into the free stuff at CocoCay. It seemed that the only free stuff was: food, drink**, and beach chairs + ocean.  So i wrote it off. 🙂

 

**drink package willing

 

Just now, Hello_World1 said:

perhaps I should look more into the free stuff at CocoCay. It seemed that the only free stuff was: food, drink**, and beach chairs + ocean.  So i wrote it off. 🙂

 

**drink package willing

They have a cute little welcome dance and band on the pier.  Also they have a little pirate show and a guitar player singing in the big cabana.  They also have some go to food at the shack shake.  Chicken sandwiches, burgers and Funnel cakes!  They are very tasty and I am not a fan of Royal's food.  They also have a huge swim up pool bar with music for a complete party experience.

[irishgal432]

1 minute ago, Loracpin2 said:

Are you referring to a "perfect day at Cocoa Cay"? On our recent Oasis sailing, our perfect day was staying on the ship to avoid all the insanity of the over 6000 passngers on our ship plus the thousands of passangers on the Serenade docked next to us!!!! 

We go down to South Beach for a quieter time.  We dont live near a beach and enjoy the clean beach with no obnoioux sales people at most of the Caribbean beaches.  That's the beauty of cruising, options for all.  

[OCSC Mike]

10 minutes ago, Hello_World1 said:

It seemed that the only free stuff was: food, drink**, and beach chairs + ocean.

 

That's mostly what an all inclusive beach resort (like the ones you go to for the day in Mexico) offers. If that's not appealing to you, don't get off.

 

You can snorkel for free with your own equipment and there's a giant pool with a DJ besides the beaches.

Edited September 6, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[goldfish65]

Many of us live near beaches, and by a certain age have seen various Caribbean ports. And given the brief time in port, how much do you see anyway? Meanwhile the ship has lots to see, you are a few steps away from food and drink, it is air conditioned, and uncrowded. 

[Fouremco]

Why make it a choice when you can do both? We've often gone ashore for an hour or two at ports we've visited multiple time previously, but spent the rest of the day aboard. 

[GimmeOcean]

As long as you are going in the same direction as the ship, it's the right way! 

[Hello_World1]

2 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Why make it a choice when you can do both? We've often gone ashore for an hour or two at ports we've visited multiple time previously, but spent the rest of the day aboard. 

 

 

 

No but in all Seriousness! You are right, I could definitely "sample" each port if it really came down to it.

[PompeySailor]

I say Enjoy the ship when it is empty utilize the solarium, pools and the tranquility.

We have just spent 4hrs in the Solarium on Wonder, adult milkshakes, hot tubs and soaking pool and AC with sun.

 

- Watched the madness as 6000 plus got off to go Q up on pier in intense heat for excursions 

 

But only you can decide

on the big shiny new ones so much to do, the ship sometimes is the destination 

 

Happy Days 🏝️🍸

Enjoy your cruise 

[neverbeenhere]

Cruise Laws and Regulations state that for the first ten cruises passengers are to get off the ship at every port. At least once during these first ten cruises, the passengers need to be late port runners subject to hoots and catcalls.

 

 

[soremekun]

Cruise the way that pleases you.

 

Try these for added enjoyment:

-Over tipping (or not at all)

-Not dressing up in formal night

-Bring your pet disguised as a service animal 

-Demand twice a day stateroom service

-See if there are any takers to the upside down pineapple on your door

-Each day, give a different stranger a free drink using your beverage package

-Prank call guest services from your stateroom 

Edited September 6, 2023 by soremekun

[neverbeenhere]

Sorry, we dumped the pineapple symbol. We are going with the gnomes now.

 

(Oops, I guess I shouldn't have written that here)

[TexasRon]

We met a guy on a cruise who was a truck driver.  We were on a Southern Caribbean cruise out of San Juan.  He never left the ship.  He just enjoyed the ship being empty most days on a port-intensive trip.  I think the number of ports was what drew him to that itinerary.

 

We skip Nassau for the most part.  It is a nice day with an emptier ship.  
 

Cruise your way.  Even if someone here gives you a hard time!  It is your $$$ and your vacation.