5 day vs 7 day- Give Me Pros & Cons Please

[IMKTDQT810]

Hello All!!

 

Just some background on us- We are planning a July 2014 40th BD cruise for DH. It will be myself (42), DH (BD cruise) and our DS (9). I have been on mostly RCCL cruises 7 days (one b2b and one 9 day for honeymoon). DH has only ever been on one cruise (9 day honeymoon) and this will be the first cruise for DS.

 

We want to drive to the port so it was a toss up between Pride or Fantasy. Upon more discussion with DH (who again, has only cruised once on RCCL) he said he would not prefer to be on Pride due to a darker deco and the artwork. I agree on the artwork due to DS (please no negative feedback on this.....it's just our personal choice after doing our research). Anyway, it looks like we will book an Ocean View since I have always been booked on an interior and I think I want something more. I would LOVE a balcony (Thank you again Kelly for all your great pics and the Fantasy review) but I do not think the budget will allow a balcony. But again, for us...and to me who has cruised 7 times so far, having an ocean view would be considered an upgrade.

 

So, back to the subject line. What would you say are the pros and cons on a 5 day vs. a 7 day cruise. So far via the pricing (approx. 200.00 pp cheaper) the 5 day comes to about 500.00 less for the three of us. I do not plan on booking until Jan/Feb 2014 for the July sailing (long story). DH is more money motivated and said he thinks the 5 days would be fine (I think the 9 day for a first cruise was a little TOO long for him) so he doesn't know what a 7 day is like.

So...what is your take?

[Anyislandwilldo]

For my personal taste, the longer the better. I love spending my island days filled with activities and then spending my sea days taking a break before the hustle and bustle of getting back home.

[hayesktrm]

I have gone on 3, 4, 5 and 7 day cruises. Really, anything less than 7 days seems too short. I feel like you just got on and now you have to get off.

[Florings]

I have gone on 3, 4, 5 and 7 day cruises. Really, anything less than 7 days seems too short. I feel like you just got on and now you have to get off.

 

OH! I hope not....I have a 5-day coming up in September. My other 3 have been 7 days, but my daughter can't miss more than 3 days of lectures, so we couldn't pull off a full week this time....

[IMKTDQT810]

See, that is me...the longer the better. Or as I told DH..once you pack, and get there and unpack (yes, I unpack so I'm not living out of my suitcase) and THEN start to enjoy everything I think I would want the extra 2 days. But I get his point that the extra $500.00 is a major difference for 2 extra days. He is the dollars and sense kinda guy!!

But I wanted to be fair and find out what others think...since I have never been on a 5 day before.

[MCC retired]

Same anxieties & hassle getting to/from the port , embarkation, debarkation whether it is 3 night or 30 nights .

Take the 7 nights over the 5 .

[tkportersat]

7 days - Pro: It is 7 days

5 days - Con: It is only 5 days :D:D

 

I am always going to prefer a 7 day but sometimes due to life conflicts that is not possible. I think 7 days is the perfect amount of time for a cruise, I just feel more relaxed. 4/5 days are great too and certainly better than nothing, just don't feel quite long enough. 7 days in my experience is more families. 4/5 day crowds are more the single or party crowd. Again, just what I have experienced. I would recommend a 4/5 day though to anyone that isn't really sure about cruising; 7 days would be a long time to be stuck on a ship if you hate it.

 

We are going on a 5 day on the Triumph in October. At this point 5 days is too long to be away from our 3 year old but as of right now we are not planning on taking him this trip. That is why we chose the shorter one. If for some reason he does go along after all, 5 days is a good length of time because after the 7 day last year he was too tired and delirious.

[poptart]

personal experience, on a 5 day about the time you unwind it's time to get off.

 

We prefer 7 or 8 day cruises. We both love cruising and in a couple years when we retire we hope to go on a really long one!!! :D

 

Our very 1st cruise we just did 4 days (not knowing if we would like it) and spent another 5 days at Daytona Beach and that was nice too.

 

It actually cost us more for the beach time than it did for the cruise.

 

However we do have another couple we cruise with sometimes and they prefer 5 days, they just don't like to be away from home too long. :eek:

 

 

 

 

[poptart]

Hey, there are a few ships that do 6 days! Have you looked at those? Perfect compromise.

[Lovefuninthesun]

You don't begin to feel settled in and in relaxation mode until Day 3 or 4, so leaving the next day is a buzz-kill! On a 7-day you truly get to a good place, mentally. In fact, the entire ship is less manic on a longer cruise.

 

Often more/varied ports on a longer cruise.

 

Staff & creww are even more relaxed on the longer cruises, and get to know you and your preferences.

 

Usually an additional sea day for a 7-day, which is a double plus to me.

[WAHMto5]

We prefer the 7 day ones as well, the longer the better for us. We did take a 5 day during the summer and found it to be filled with lots of "just graduated" high school/college kids. Not a bad cruise (none are to us), just not what we prefer.

[JimAOk1945]

We had done two short cruises on the Carnival Ecstasy, but the rest were seven days. We prefer the longer cruises because . . . they are longer! :D

[cynt]

5 day is a long weekend. I would go with the 7 day especially since you're celebrating a birthday.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

The pro of the 7 day is the 2 extra days. The con of the 5 day is having 2 less days.

[nlktx49]

We have a 5 day booked for Feb 2014 - same cruise we did in Nov 2012. That was our first 5 day, and I thought it was the best cruise I've ever done. It was relaxing, and I felt like it was plenty of time. Besides the fare being cheaper than a 7 day, that's 2 days less of drinking and gambling - you'll be saving even more money.

[bktaylor30]

Most of the ships with longer itineraries offer better amenities (steakhouse, 2.0 upgrades, etc). :)

 

Sent via my Samsung Galaxy S4 using the Cruise Critic forums application.

[Amoré Familia]

On a 5 day 1 formal night and 7 day 2 formal nights. 5 day we are doing in Aug has 2 ports last years 7 day has private island HMC , which we loved and 2 other ports. Menus for 5 & 7 day are different . We are still going to be gone a week because on 7 day flew in day of and on 5 day must fly in day before due to flights. When you travel any where when is DH ready to go home 4, 5,6 or 7 days. Some people prefer home . Some people also like part of their time off home and not rushing home to go back directly to work. So I hope this gives you some insight instead of 7 days is always better than 5. But reality is that it is your preferences.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Jane2357]

Lets see - 5 nights of fun, fun, fun or 7 nights of fun, fun, fun - hmmmmm - guess I don't have to think too long - 7 NIGHTS!

[halos]

There is absolutely NO 'pro' to a 5 day sailing.

It's too dang short.

(heck...a 7 day is too short!)

[careycouponer]

For a July sailing especially I would choose the 7-day. The kids are out of school and I think the 5-day will be more of a party boat than the 7-day, personally.

[dulcimergirl]

I'm in the the-longer-the-better camp. That being said, I do take 5 days because the port is only 5 hours from here. I do'em as a B2B so its really a 10 day. don't love the Bahamas, but any port will do in a storm. Works for us.

[jwm51]

Go with 7 days...YOU KNOW YOU WANNA!!:D

 

On a 5-day, you really enjoy your vacation for 2 days!!!:eek:

[marshhawk]

I know you said you would be driving-take a look at the Fasciantion out of Jacksonville too. A 5 day is fine with me, especially from there, you get two sea days, a day on a beach,and a day in a town, where we choose to go to a beach:).

The Fantasy I think sails from Charleston, and since it is farther north, you dont get as exotic as Half Moon Cay. That said I think you will enjoy either, and as it is your sons first cruise, he may not like it and then if you are on a ship for seven days, you have an unhappy person for 7 days. Sail happy!

[mpcaruth]

We have taken 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 days cruises. The 4-day one was waaaayyyy too short, but we snuck it in with a Disney World trip.

 

We only book cruises less than 7 days IF we are going to combine another mini-vacation with it. I am considering a 5-day out of Florida next winter and combine it with Seaworld and Busch Gardens (we have 2 tweens).

 

Based on the ships you have narrowed it down to, it appears you may have limited yourself to the mid-Atlantic departure ports. I can only assume these are within driving distance to your home.

 

If you are concerned about 7 days being too long for your DH, might I suggest the 5-day combined with a couple of nights stay in Charleston, SC. I LOVE that city.

 

Have you considered a 6-night RCL cruise out of Baltimore to Bermuda?

[richstowe]

We just returned from a 5 day Glory cruise. Too short ! Actually it was OK as we also enjoyed time in Boston to make it a full 7 dayer.

 

As for "he said he would not prefer to be on Pride due to a darker deco and the artwork. I agree on the artwork due to DS ",

really and truly it's not a big deal. Yes the Pride's art contains nudes but they are kinda kitschy and in no way sexually explicit.

If you don't make a big deal of it I'm betting your son will not either. I hope you don't consider this to be negative feedback.