What is there to do during a transatlantic cruise?

[cricri7]

Hi guys....I am currently looking at a couple of cruises, including the repositioning cruises from Europe in October. The one I am looking at is the Nieuw Amsterdam for 14 days. I read a lot so I don't think I will be bored but I was wondering about the activities during those long sea days when there are no stops during at least 8 or 9 days, after stopping in the Azores.

 

Does someone have examples of what activities are offered during those days....are there lectures....cooking demonstrations....I was curious.

 

Thanks in advance for your answers!

[kazu]

Hi guys....I am currently looking at a couple of cruises, including the repositioning cruises from Europe in October. The one I am looking at is the Nieuw Amsterdam for 14 days. I read a lot so I don't think I will be bored but I was wondering about the activities during those long sea days when there are no stops during at least 8 or 9 days, after stopping in the Azores.

 

Does someone have examples of what activities are offered during those days....are there lectures....cooking demonstrations....I was curious.

 

Thanks in advance for your answers!

 

On our TA's there have been guest lecturers who were very interesting.

 

There are all the usual activities - bingo, trivia, craft sessions, food demonstrations, cooking classes, computer classes, movies, wine tastings, exercise sessions, etc.

 

You will be surprised how fast those 'long days' go by:D

 

I was very nervous for our first TA and now, it's one of our favourite way to travel - especially if there are some nice ports added on:D

[mamaofami]

I was originally scheduled to be on that cruise plus the 7 days prior on the N.Am. but had to cancel because we're moving. I love sea days and am happy to just sit on deck, read, and watch the ocean go by, but I was also worried that after 7 or 8 days of that I would go stir crazy.

[innlady1]

We're on that same cruise...we have a huge Roll Call here...over 60 so far! We're doing the 21 day Collectors Cruise and I've just booked shore excursions in every port...it is a very port intensive cruise. So I look forward to the sea days to recuperate...LOL!

On a "regular" cruise, there are never enough sea days, IMO, and I never seem to be able to enjoy all there is to do on board...so I am really looking forward to being on a cruise with so many.

I hope that you join us!

Thankfully, last night HAL switched Tunisia for Naples...we're thrilled!

[mamaofami]

Sheila, that's a great trade. You'll love Naples.

[jayjaycan]

Kazu provided you with a good list. You won't be bored and there is always deck time to enjoy.

 

If you are a card player join the Roll Call for your cruise and you are sure to find others who share your interest.

 

The lectures on board are always interesting and on our last cruise we attended a tryout/rehearsal (as spectators) for "Dancing with the Stars". DW doesn't always attend Trivia and sometimes I arrive a bit late but it is always fun to stay play along.

 

You will have fun......."Don't Worry Be Happy"

[cricri7]

Thanks for your answers!! I would be very surprised if I was bored because I often take 10 day vacations and always find something to do. I was curious mostly about the activities during the day.....I am not a card player and never go to the trivia but I was hoping for a couple of lectures. I heard that Cunard on transatlantics have a couple of them but it is more expensive than the Barcelone-Fort Lauderdale and Barcelone seems like a very nice city to visit.

 

If the price is right, I will be there also;)

[mamamzee]

We were so happy on our TA, we never got off the ship on port days!!!

[Typhoon1]

The same activities you would find on any cruse. Don't expect to spend much time in the sun, however.

[pris993]

We are booked on the TA going to Europe in the Spring. It will be our 4th, 5th... I lost count TA. Love them. Never get bored on sea days... love to go to the gym, walk the main deck, check out the library for books, watch the sea go bye, check out a dance class, play some cards, watch ice carvings, etc.

 

We usually get in a routine, have breafast in the cabin, lunch on our balcony from room service or items we pick up at the buffet, rest in the afternoon, go dancing early evening, take in a show... enjoy dinner in MDR or a speciality restaurant.

 

Arrive rest to enjoy ports in Europe.

[lazey1]

Veering a bit off subject. Our T/A was the northern route from the Baltic to New England. We have also done a Trans/Pacific with 8 sea days in a row. Both itens had all the activies mentioned by Kasu. Then there is the spa for massage,etc. The guest lecturers were always excellent.

I truly feel that the only way anyone could get bored on any cruise with multiple sea days is if they want to be bored. I believe it was Abe Lincoln that said most people are about as happy as they want to be.

[summersigh]

On our transatlantic cruise .... we turned lunch in the MDR into an leisurely art ... we requested a large table and enjoyed the unhurried time there to get to meet lots of new people and find out all about their assorted travels.

[RetiredMustang]

...

Thankfully' date=' last night HAL switched Tunisia for Naples...we're thrilled![/size']

 

Sheila,

 

Enjoy Naples (I lived there for 6 years)! I don't know what excursions you will be offered, but if you have the chance to go to Capri, take the chairlift to the top of Monte Solaro.

 

If you go to Pompei (which everyone should do once in their lives if they can), and you have time for lunch on your own, go to the main street, and find Zia Catarina (Aunt Catherine's). Across the street is an un-prepossessing trattoria (Mom and Pop style restaurant) called Di Mimi. Mimi is an old friend from nearly 40 years now; his sons and grandsons now run the place. It will not be fancy fare, but it will be totally authentic and delicious food. You will have a few choices, and your wine choices will be two -- red or white. Oh, what I would give to eat at Mimi's again! Zia Catarina is a fine place as well if you want to stick to places that cater to tourists.

 

If you go to Sorrento, eat at La Laterna or Perruchiano. Shop at La Bottaguccia (Jasmine's) for inlaid wood.

 

Dave

[barbarah33]

My first TA had 9 straight days at sea. Six of us went thinking by day 6 we would be a little bored so each couple was responsible for bringing along an activity that all 6 of us could do one day for at least two hours. Needless to say we never even considered giving one of them a try. The ship's staff did a great job filling the daily paper with a large variety of events from the funny

like trivia and elevator roulette, to dance lessons, lectures, classes on cooking, computers, cameras, or various crafts, cocktail mixing, etc. In fact, as we were eating lunch on the ninth day we suddenly realized that there were a few things we had said we would do and never got around to trying.

[innlady1]

Sheila,

 

Enjoy Naples (I lived there for 6 years)! I don't know what excursions you will be offered, but if you have the chance to go to Capri, take the chairlift to the top of Monte Solaro.

 

If you go to Pompei (which everyone should do once in their lives if they can), and you have time for lunch on your own, go to the main street, and find Zia Catarina (Aunt Catherine's). Across the street is an un-prepossessing trattoria (Mom and Pop style restaurant) called Di Mimi. Mimi is an old friend from nearly 40 years now; his sons and grandsons now run the place. It will not be fancy fare, but it will be totally authentic and delicious food. You will have a few choices, and your wine choices will be two -- red or white. Oh, what I would give to eat at Mimi's again! Zia Catarina is a fine place as well if you want to stick to places that cater to tourists.

 

If you go to Sorrento, eat at La Laterna or Perruchiano. Shop at La Bottaguccia (Jasmine's) for inlaid wood.

 

Dave

 

Thank you so much, Dave! I have made a note of all of these...Mimi's sounds like our kind of place! If you could do only one...would it be Capri or Pompei?

[kazu]

The same activities you would find on any cruse. Don't expect to spend much time in the sun, however.

 

:confused::confused: confused - yes, every TA may not be sunny but in all honesty our friends basked every day but one on our last TA (and remember the p'dam does not have a covered pool) and I regretted not bringing a bathing suit on the TA before that (and we were doing it very late in the season).

 

TA's are unpredictable but I think the ships take a longer path now to try to keep the seas smooth and the weather good. We've had 3 bad days out of probably 35 days on TA's.

 

Never say never - King Neptune rules - but we have very nice weather on our TA's and I would advise anyone packing to plan for everything - including a bathing suit:o;)

[CJcruzer]

Thank you so much, Dave! I have made a note of all of these...Mimi's sounds like our kind of place! If you could do only one...would it be Capri or Pompei?

 

on last tear fall cruise, we had overnight in Naples...we were going to go to Capri the first day ( this already was our 3 rd time in the area) - , the weather was terrible, seas rough, and ferry schedule was very limited/reduced. we headed i to Naples insteAd, Archaeological museum etc.

 

next day we went to Capri, pretty rough on the ferry, lots of pitching, tossing, and people rolling off their seats and sick bags handed out...People turning green all over the place.

 

you cannot go wrong with Pompeii, it is magical....we did that on our first trip...we have been to Herculaneum also....but Pompeii has beautiful setting and views........and of course, will not be affected by bad seas, only possibility of rain....

[OlsSalt]

I was also surprised how easy the week of sea days went too. We love the lecture series and they were all very good. Then sometime they have discussion groups that form after the lectures for more follow-up on the various topics.

 

We also enjoyed making the 3pm tea part of our daily ritual which we don't get to do on port days.

 

Not only were their cooking classes, on our last Rotterdam they had a lot of very funny cook-off contests and mystery box contests for the ship staff members to watch.

 

Plus time for interviews with various key officers in the showroom lounge so you can get great background info about how ship's operate. And if available they might also offer back of the house tours which should not be missed either.

[catl331]

TA problem~ why do they schedule the activities I am interested in at the same time!!:)

 

Barcelona has become my fav. city--just walking down the Ramblas is enough.

[RetiredMustang]

Thank you so much, Dave! I have made a note of all of these...Mimi's sounds like our kind of place! If you could do only one...would it be Capri or Pompei?

 

Sheila,

 

Sorry, I was busy over the weekend and did not get back to this thread until now. That's a tough call. If you never done either, I would say probably Pompei because it is so historic and impressive. If it were me personally, I would go back to Capri, because I went to Pompei a lot when I lived there (every family/fried that came to visit us wanted to go there. I usually tried also to get them to Capri if I could).

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Incredibly enough, Mimi not only has a web site, he has an English version (influence of grandsons, no doubt). He's changed the name slightly; it's now Trattoria Add'u Mimi. http://www.addumimi.it/

 

Dave

[connieandkiki]

In addition to the views in Capri, my fav was the lemoncello I brought home to sip during the cold winters. It is like liquid sunshine.