is it me or does this bother anyone?

[paul929207]

Exactly.. and I agree its hard to explain.

 

It was fun reading what's on and deciding what to do. I was determined to try things I wouldn't normally have a chance to do.

 

On days there wasn't anything I was going to do I actually read a book. Unheard of, I sat on the balcony, feet up, watching the sea and reading.

 

I even had a nap on about two afternoons.

 

I did so much all the days got jumbled up. I couldn't tell you what I did on what day.

 

It was great, but I agree it is hard to explain.

To me, I am truely on vacation when I reach the point where I don't know the day of the week or the date, and I don't care.

[gilboman]

Well, although they may make more money on alcohol or casinos on sea days, I wonder if this is true. On sea days cruise ships do not get a part of the cut from excursions like on port days, and they have higher operating costs (more fuel, more engine time, more food). And people will still buy drinks and gamble in the evenings on port days.

Does anyone actually KNOW? Or I should ask: does anyone on these boards actually know?

 

food costs are minimal, most people eat breakfast and dinner on the ship on port days, they save a couple of bucks of food for lunch? why do you think seadays use more fuel? they just go slower between ports, saving even more fuel.

 

No doubt seaday maximizes opportunity for the cruise to not only sell you stuff in their shops, spas, alcohol and casino.

[Friend100]

I will be taking my 1st cruise in November.

i wanted to ship that stopped every day in port.

 

I would feel kind of cheated by a sea day, but I guess that is a part of the cruising culture.

 

I wanted the opportunity to see more and the choice to be able to get off the boat each day.

 

More port-intentive Caribbean cruises debarks from San Juan. Very often there are 5 ports in a 7-day cruise.

 

Eastern Canada/New England cruise is known to be quite port intensive. This one below has 5 ports in a 7-day cruise, plus the (dis)embarkations ports being Boston and Montreal are also nice places to stay for pre/post siteseeing.

 

 

Or what about 8 ports days and only 1 sea day in a 10-day cruise going from New York to Quebec City.

 

Many of the Mediterranean cruises are very port intensive too.

 

This one below has 5 ports (one being an overnight stay at Istanbul) in a 7-day cruise so technically no sea day.

 

 

Or like this one below ... 12-days going from Edinburgh (Leith)-Scotland to Southampton-England with 8 ports, but for 2 of them (Dublin-Ireland and Paris (Rouen)-France) the ship stays 2-extended overnight at both of the ports. Zero sea day.

 

 

One more: 12-days from Lisbon-Portugal to Monte Carlo-Monaco with 6 ports, but there are 2 overnights stay at Seville-Spain, 1 overnight stay at each of Ibiza-Spain, Barcelona-Spain, St.Tropez-France and Monte Carlo-Monaco. Zero sea day.

 

My point is: very port-intensive itineraries are available. It depends on the region of the itinerary whether a very-few sea day itinerary is even possible. I think it also depends on the business model of the cruiseline whether such port-intensive itineraries are profitable and operational.

[pdmlynek]

food costs are minimal, most people eat breakfast and dinner on the ship on port days, they save a couple of bucks of food for lunch? why do you think seadays use more fuel? they just go slower between ports, saving even more fuel.

 

The reason that I think that during seadays cruise ships use more fuel is because during sea days the engines are fully working for 24 hrs., and during port days they are fully working only half that time. It is my understanding that, during sea days the average ship does not simply slow down in order to make the same distance as during shore days, but that ships generally travel further on sea days then on port days.

 

No doubt seaday maximizes opportunity for the cruise to not only sell you stuff in their shops, spas, alcohol and casino.

 

 

I agree that the revenue during sea days from on board activities is greater than during port days, but I do not know if this is true when you account into it the increased fuel costs, engine maintenance, depreciation, no revenue from excursions, etc.

 

Fuel is actually pretty important. Carnival Corp., for example, received 12.2 B USD in ticket sales, 3.4 B USD from onboard revenue, but the cruise operating costs were 10.0 B USD (net cruise costs 8.8 B USD), with fuel taking up a fairly sizable portion of that: 2.2 B USD. Page 6 of Carnival Corp.’s 2011 AR.

 

Taking a look at it another way, the fuel costs run about $31 per ALBD, whereas the net onboard revenue yield is about $41 per ALBD. ibid, p 48.

 

But we are just arguing without facts. My original question thus remains: does anyone on these boards ACTUALLY KNOWS what the profitability of sea days compared to port days?

[jtaylor2]

I totally enjoy the sea days. The ports in the Caribbean start to look the same after a while. The ships should be viewed as a destination. The sea days are very relaxing. There is no pressure to get up and get going. The different decks have bands and games, the spa is fantastic, and you can just do nothing by a rail all by yourself if you so choose. Keep and open mind and relax on the sea days. Smooth sailing!