How to Spend a Day at Sea
Beccy Miller
Sea days: some of us love them, others are all about the destinations! On most cruises, you will get a least one day where you are just at sea. But don't worry! There is so much to see and do onboard, you are going to be wishing you had more of them...
Learn Something New
Fancy learning a new skill? Learn to cook with Holland America and Oceania, find constellations at a Stargazing with Discovery at Sea event on Princess or nail the Cha-Cha at a dance class with Cunard.
Many cruise lines offer lecture programs with famous guests or subject matter experts, perfect for learning a little something on sea days.
Have a Pool Day
While every large cruise ship has a pool, hot tubs and rows of sun loungers, some take pool-time to another level. Royal Caribbean ships sport surf pools, interactive water parks for kids and splash pools. Carnival, MSC and NCL also compete on the water slide front, while the likes of Celebrity and Oceania go a more zen route with beautiful adult-only solariums that offer lap pools and retractable roofs.
Adventure junkies
Fancy skydiving on Royal Caribbean's Quantum-class ships? Ziplining several decks above sea level on its Oasis Class? Why not dangle from great heights on NCL's and Carnival's ropes courses? The choices are endless. Escape rooms, laser-tag, bumper cars, go-karts...we're going to need a lot of sea days!
Relax and unwind
We mentioned all the great spa options last week, but relaxation doesn't just happen at the spa. There are lots of wonderful nooks and crannies to sit and watch the world go by on a sea day, from the comfort of reading a book on your balcony with some complimentary room service to lazing on the grass with Celebrity on their lawn club. Rest and re-charge.
Eat, drink and be merry
On sea days, you’re not in rush to get off the cruise ship, so treat yourself to one of the alternative dining options. Be it sushi, a signature steak house, some classical french or something quirky, you can spend some time having a look and seeing what you fancy. Plus, cocktails just taste better by the pool so it would be rude not to indulge in those too.
We also can’t forget the soft ice cream, afternoon tea, poolside grill, taco bar and more - these will all need sampling, so there’s no better opportunity for a ‘foodie-tour’ than a sea day? A nice afternoon nap after your daytime treats will get you ready to do it all again in the evening.
We think transatlantic or even a world-cruise offer the best opportunities to make the most of sea-days, what's your favourite activity?
