Do you ever NOT go into a port?

[tip]

Haven't yet but if I cruise again and it include Jamaica, I'd probably just stay on the ship. Once is enough.

 

 

I would agree with the above. We have been on many cruises and have visited dozens of ports, but Jamaica is the only port where I have felt uncomfortable. We have avoided itineraries that have included Jamaica, but if we did land there again, I would certainly stay on the ship.

 

As for other ports, there is always something to see and do!!

[Kellie Poodle]

Cozumel! There is absolutely nothing there that I feel the need to see or do. My DH is so bored with the Caribbean that all future cruises will have to have to be other places.

[TeaBag]

We stayed on the ship the last time we were in Athens. Don't know what we'll do this time.

[SusieV]

We love "creating" extra sea days. The only (minor) annoyance is that there are fewer activities and the MDR isn't open. But it's so nice to relax by the pool with no one there and just enjoy the ship and doing absolutely nothing.

 

We go to the Caribbean for the weather now- we're not really interested in the ports. BTDT.

[hancock]

Love sea days! Should have stayed on ship in Colon, Panama. We just walked around the shops and got back on the ship. Had been there before. Didn't get off in Acapulco the last two times. Don't feel safe there! Also think it's 40 years past it's prime. Have a stop in San Juan coming up on our next cruise. Ship only in port til 1pm. May not bother getting off.

[drychi]

We stayed onboard in Cozumel, Mexico last week on the "Milli". Been there before and were not impressed.

[teajak]

Last September I sailed Solstice to the Caribbean and never got off

the ship. Did I feel like I missed anything? Nope, not in the least.

I have been to the ports many times and having the ship nearly

empty? Fine with me;)

I am going on Eclipse next month and don't plan to leave the ship

this trip either. A week of relaxtion.....ahhhhhhhh:)

Hey Lois you expressed our sentiments exactly,love those port days on the ship.:cool:

[Presto2]

On the Ocean Village 2 2 yrs ago we stayed on the ship when she was in Istanbul as we had no interest in the port and knew that we had quite a lot of port intensive days after. It was great to have the ship to ourselves for half a day.

 

Similarly we stayed on the Silouette this August when she was in Naples as it was our last day on the ship and we had had a really port intensive trip with 3 long days in Israel, Corinth, Santorini and Kusadasi. We have been to Sorrento 3 times in the past so felt like we could stay onboard and chill out in the peace and quiet on our last day before we flew home.

 

At the end of the day it is up to you what you do - it is your cruise so go and enjoy !!!

[Redtravel]

On my last cruise, we did not go into St. Lucia. Been there before and didn't want to see it again. We just walked around the shops at the port for an hour and then went back on board. Cozumel is also a place that I would skip.

[Cruising Forever!]

Some ports, especially in the Caribbean, we've been to so many times we're either sick of them or didn't care for them to begin with.

 

Do you still make an effort to at least walk around the town, or go to a beach, or are you perfectly happy just staying on board? Do you feel that you "missed" anything if you stay on board?

 

Is it like a sea day, just with fewer people?

 

It's usually like a sea day with almost NO other people! :D

 

My wife and I treasure them when we have a port we don't care about missing. The one that comes to mind for us is San Juan, PR. Now, before you CC'ers howl in protest, let me be clear: we LOVE San Juan, PR- gorgeous island, superb people... it's just that we've been there so many times that we usually want to just relax on our mobile resort. This is often the best time to catch sales on spa-treatments, btw.

 

Of course, there can be a downside to staying aboard. Many things on the ship, like the casino, are closed in port and the ship itself can feel like a ghost town. Still, the bars are open (woo-hoo!)

 

Again, if you've never been to Puerto Rico, please get out there and enjoy this beautiful destination. But know that just about every east caribbean itinerary will have a stop there if you miss out but plan to cruise often to this part of the world. ;)

[paulsang]

I never gt off in Belize. What an Armpit of a stop. Last time we went to Jamaica....was the last time I will set foot on Jamaica. I like Cozumel...so I will always get off the ship there...even to simply walk around. But, usually there is a bunch of booze involved....that's my 'party stop'. Love Playa Mia.

 

I alway get off on the private island stops. If we go to Bahamas, I will get off to stroll the waterfront for a while, maybe grab an icecream.

 

Sometimes we do an excursion if it is something that catches our fancy... But that is happeing less and less.

[excitedofharpenden]

On the Ocean Village 2 2 yrs ago we stayed on the ship when she was in Istanbul as we had no interest in the port and knew that we had quite a lot of port intensive days after.

I remember watching a travel documentary (it may well have been one of the Michael Palin ones) and not ever having wanted to go to Istanbul it completely changed my mind. That is an ancient city I would now definitely like to visit.

 

Phil

[Mcscotty]

My wife stocks up on cosmetics and just to look around.

 

Does this imply they are cheaper there? Would be good to know :)

[A1A]

We love our ship days! No crowds, no lines and lots of room at the pool! Plan on staying aboard at multiple repeat ports such as St. Kitts this year and perhaps St. Thomas.

[Irishwhiskey]

We will always get off the ship even for a short time.Gotta burn off the last meal so we can start on the next one.We also see people that we haven't seen in years from previous trips that we didn't know were on the ship!

[RuffinReady]

On our last two Caribbean cruises we choose one day to stay on the ship. I think we'll try and do that in the future as well especially on itineraries that are pretty busy and have several consecutive port days. It is a vacation and we need to relax a bit as this cruising stuff can be quite tiring!

 

Hey!, I've been retired for 11+ years and everything in life is a vacation, ESPECIALLY cruises. :):D

 

RuffinReady is my name and cruising is my game! :D

 

Bahama Star (long time ago, in the 50's!)

S.S. France (Transatlantic -1965)

S.S Atlantic (Transatlantic, Mediterranean - American Export Lines - 1966)

Europa (Caribbean - 1969 - North German Lloyd)

Statendam (Caribbean - 1973)

Sunward (Bahamas - c. 1980)

Song of America (Caribbean - 1988)

Crown Princess (Alaska - 1999)

Crown Princess (Baltic - 2001)

Royal Princess (B2B to South America - 2001)

Royal Princess (B2B2B; Transatlantic, France, Belgium, Holland; Gt.Britain-2002)

Celebrity Galaxy (Caribbean - 2003)

Prinsendam (B2B; Transatlantic NYC to Athens – May/June 2005)

Emerald Princess (Transatlantic, Denmark, Norway, Gt. Britain, Iceland, Greenland - 2009

Celebrity Mercury (Caribbean - October 2010)