Never getting off at port?

Hi all, I'm interested to know if many have embarked on day one and only stepped off when you disembarked at the end of your cruise?

I mean the modern day cruise boat has heaps of things to see and do, plus if you want to relax by the pool when in port what better time to do it with no crowds.

With personal security now a big part when you go ashore and visit a city or country with higher risks than others, is there a trend in people staying aboard?

To me, that would kind of defeat the purpose of traveling. I could just drive a couple hundred miles to a nearby beach town and sit around, then go to the amusement area all in relative safety. I cruise for the itinerary.

We generally stay onboard the ship for the duration of the sailing. Cruising is a more superficial travel experience that we like when it comes to experiencing new places. However, it gives us the opportunity to get away, so the ship is our destination. For me, cruise holidays are the European equivalent to the AI resorts Mexico and Caribbean that I used to go to when I lived in the States. There are AIs in southern Europe, but we like table service dining and call brand liquor, and the best place to get that type of AI experience this side of the Atlantic is on a cruise ship. We quite like having the ship to ourselves on port days.

Hi all, I'm interested to know if many have embarked on day one and only stepped off when you disembarked at the end of your cruise?

 

I mean the modern day cruise boat has heaps of things to see and do, plus if you want to relax by the pool when in port what better time to do it with no crowds.

 

With personal security now a big part when you go ashore and visit a city or country with higher risks than others, is there a trend in people staying aboard?

I guess it's a personal choice. My wife and I have done both, sorta depends on the port. She's mostly like you said, she LOVES having the pool/hottub pretty much to herself, she doesn't mind doing a little shopping (near the ship) in secure areas but feels 'unsafe otherwise. So, usually it's the pool/hottub combo for her. I'm not a 'pool/laying out in the sun' person.I don't mind getting off and maybe walking around the ship's shopping area while she's enjoying the pool. But if I stay onboard (and I usually do) if I'm on the balcony enjoying it and I'll check out the daily ships paper, to see what's going on aboard and if I don't see anything there then I love just checking out every nook and cranny of an almost empty ship. To me (IMHO) they ARE beautiful! (both inside and out). So, I'll walk around the inside main deck public areas, then head outside and walk around the ship. So, no matter which you choose, there's always something to do or see, aboard the ship or in port. That's what is so wonderful about crusin' each and everybody doing whatever they please. :)

Mac

Hi all, I'm interested to know if many have embarked on day one and only stepped off when you disembarked at the end of your cruise?

 

I mean the modern day cruise boat has heaps of things to see and do, plus if you want to relax by the pool when in port what better time to do it with no crowds.

 

With personal security now a big part when you go ashore and visit a city or country with higher risks than others, is there a trend in people staying aboard?

Sometimes we just go to experience the ship. Specially in the Caribbean where we have sailed many times.

Cheers.

On our Feb cruise, we didn't get off the ship 'til we arrived back in Dubai. It suited us fine! We may stay on board for most of our upcoming Meravilia one as well as we've been to most of the ports several times already.

Cruising provides a more superficial travel experience that we like when it comes to experiencing new places.

I will agree that can be the case. We try to have some type of land tour before or after the cruise, then treat the cruise as a supplement visiting nearby areas. Looking at the new ships it does seem like the trend is that the ship is the focus, not the destination. I've eyed the Seaside transatlantic, ten sea days would probably be more bearable on a ship like that.

ETA: I guess we haven't gotten around to doing the same ports multiple times.

Absolutely!! We cruise the Caribbean frequently. The ship is lovely with 7/8 of all the passengers off enjoying the island/port. We refer to the cruise as our floating oceanfront condo.

We really love the seadays and are not interested in cruises without seadays.

On portdays we leave the ship in most ports but are back for lunch most of the days (if the ship is in port the whole day).

We normally book excursions so that we are back for lunch but since it seems impossible to know the time for the excursion earlier than the night before on MSC we might skip excursions and stay on the ship this summer.

I couldn't imagine not getting off in port. While I usually like the ship I'm on at the time, I'd have cabin fever if I never got off to experience the sights, sounds and delights of the itinerary I chose. I've been to the Caribbean a number of times, but I still find plenty of new things to do and see with every trip. Of course, its all subjective and everyone has their own opinion. We're just more activity focused I suppose.

In the Caribbean, both Eastern and Western, I've been to almost all the ports, so I may stay on, but it has nothing to do about safety. I've never felt unsafe at any of these ports.

Hi all, I'm interested to know if many have embarked on day one and only stepped off when you disembarked at the end of your cruise?

 

I mean the modern day cruise boat has heaps of things to see and do, plus if you want to relax by the pool when in port what better time to do it with no crowds.

 

With personal security now a big part when you go ashore and visit a city or country with higher risks than others, is there a trend in people staying aboard?

We stay on board in Jamaica, Dominican Rep, Beliz . We saw it once , not interested any more to go father than port shops.

We are on this weekend's Divina sailing and the only port we intend to get off the ship is in St. Maarten... My husband is an avgeek so we have to go watch the airplanes. I am to the point now with sailing, that I am only there for the ship and everything she has to offer. The ports are places we go to let people off for a few hours so that I can have more freedom and space on the ship :-)

Depends on the port .... but we usually get off if only to walk around for a bit.

Interesting responses thanks. We are interested in the stops on our Med itinerary so we will get off and explore the ports. I will want to get back on asap and enjoy the ships amenities and services.

Hi all, I'm interested to know if many have embarked on day one and only stepped off when you disembarked at the end of your cruise?

 

I mean the modern day cruise boat has heaps of things to see and do, plus if you want to relax by the pool when in port what better time to do it with no crowds.

 

With personal security now a big part when you go ashore and visit a city or country with higher risks than others, is there a trend in people staying aboard?

People cruise for different reasons. Some sail in order to visit the ports of call and others sail for the relaxation a cruise provides and some want to do a bit of both. My wife and I are in the relaxation group. We have visited most of these ports multiple times and we certainly enjoy having the ship to ourselves and others who feel the same. An added benefit is that there is no problem getting deck chairs on port days. :cool: One isn't better than another --- it's just personal preference. The key is to enjoy your vacation no matter how you do it.

We sail the carribean frequently. We have been to most ports. If its a new port then we get off and explore. We love being on the ship when everyone is in port. My kids also enjoy taking advantage of all the activities without lines.

I cruise for the ports. Though after my first cruise I do look for a ship that will make my son happy. We get off. Even a few hours at some of the amazing beaches is enough for us. I do look for itineraries that include places we haven't been yet, but even if we have been we like to get off. It's part of the adventure for my son. Of course we aren't as fond of sea days.

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I have done both, but find it generally better to be off the ship in the mornings when they are often running drills and tests of some sort.

We have been to Nassau and Cozumel many times, but there is generally some new thing to see or do.

People cruise for different reasons. Some sail in order to visit the ports of call and others sail for the relaxation a cruise provides and some want to do a bit of both. My wife and I are in the relaxation group. We have visited most of these ports multiple times and we certainly enjoy having the ship to ourselves and others who feel the same. An added benefit is that there is no problem getting deck chairs on port days. :cool: One isn't better than another --- it's just personal preference. The key is to enjoy your vacation no matter how you do it.

I am with you, too Danbee :-) I cruise to relax and have things taken care of for me! LOL! To me, it isn't the same as just "driving to a local beach" for a vacation. My local beach doesn't have excellent service. Or all of my meals included. It doesn't include fantastic entertainment and towel animals on my bed at night. It doesn't have the rocking motion when I sleep at night. So I love a cruise where I just stay on the ship. It is my happy place!

To me, that would kind of defeat the purpose of traveling. I could just drive a couple hundred miles to a nearby beach town and sit around, then go to the amusement area all in relative safety. I cruise for the itinerary.

You may be lucky, Ate. I don't have a nearby beach town that has that good of an amusement area. The beaches nearly don't have excellent service 24/7. Or all of my meals included. It also doesn't include fantastic entertainment and towel animals on my bed at night. It doesn't have the rocking motion when I sleep at night. So I love a cruise where I just stay on the ship. It is my happy place!

To me, that would kind of defeat the purpose of traveling. I could just drive a couple hundred miles to a nearby beach town and sit around, then go to the amusement area all in relative safety. I cruise for the itinerary.

Just goes to prove we all cruise for various and differing reasons. What appeals to some could not be contemplated by others. And yet we all enjoy cruising! (It's a bummer not having emojis - what's up with this site?)

(It's a bummer not having emojis - what's up with this site?)

So it's not just me? I got a new Macbook Air and thought it was my computer!

So it's not just me? I got a new Macbook Air and thought it was my computer!

Unless it's Macbooks as that's what I'm using LOL