What is the general "feel" of a 4 or 5 day cruise vs. 7 days or longer?

[sprockie]

Over the years of reading here on CC, I have come to the conclusion that some lines have quite a different feel on a 5 day cruise vs. a 7 day cruise or longer. Some lines it seems are more of a party atmosphere and less formal on a shorter cruise. What is the general consensus on Celebrity - we've sailed mostly HAL and once on Carnival, so curious to hear what others think about Celebrity.

Another thread says there are no lobster to be had on a 5 day cruise - bummer:( We have just booked two shorter back to backs on Celebrity, so I am hoping there won't be much of a different "feel" to it than a 7+ nighter.

Can anyone outline any differences you see between the shorter vs. longer sailings?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[wallie5446]

It has been quite a few years since our last sailing shorter than 7 days, but it felt more rushed, never had time to slow down and smell the salt air! As far as older vs younger, to us, it was about the same, except for more children on the shorter sailing.

Edited April 4, 2014 by wallie5446

[sprockie]

I guess it would feel rushed if you were on and off in 4 or 5 days, but our B2B puts us on for 9 nights, which is a perfect amount of time for us.

[Phxazzcruisers]

We try not to do 5 day cruises. They seem to end brfore they start. We enjoy meeting people and the crew and on a 5 day cruise there is just not enough time

[helen haywood]

I have noticed on Carnival's shorter cruises a different sort of passenger than the 7 night cruises. I have sailed Mercury on a 4 night Pacific Northwest and Milly for a 5 night Caribbean and on those cruises I can't say I saw a different demographic than on my longer Celebrity cruises.

[sprockie]

I have noticed on Carnival's shorter cruises a different sort of passenger than the 7 night cruises. I have sailed Mercury on a 4 night Pacific Northwest and Milly for a 5 night Caribbean and on those cruises I can't say I saw a different demographic than on my longer Celebrity cruises.

That's good to know. I agree, I have read that Carnival's shorter cruises were really a younger demographic and a real party atmosphere.

[goodycruising]

I think the time I was on a five night cruise it seemed like there was many groups of people. There seemed to be bunches of ladies and larger family groups. We were not able to get in the Viking Sky Lounge on deck 13 on Radiance of the Seas a few times as groups had booked it for a function. Longer cruises of 14 plus nights seem to us to have an older demographic and a more relaxed atmosphere. In general though we didn't find it too different as many of the same things are available on the shorter cruises.

[tbmrt]

Over the years of reading here on CC, I have come to the conclusion that some lines have quite a different feel on a 5 day cruise vs. a 7 day cruise or longer. Some lines it seems are more of a party atmosphere and less formal on a shorter cruise. What is the general consensus on Celebrity - we've sailed mostly HAL and once on Carnival, so curious to hear what others think about Celebrity.

Another thread says there are no lobster to be had on a 5 day cruise - bummer:( We have just booked two shorter back to backs on Celebrity, so I am hoping there won't be much of a different "feel" to it than a 7+ nighter.

Can anyone outline any differences you see between the shorter vs. longer sailings?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

Just my two cents....

 

We are extremely active seniors and had great fun on the NCL Sky and even on the Bahamas Celebration...Both just a few nights. It seemed that the party atmosphere started as soon as we boarded with dancing, drinking, more people in their 20's and 30's looking to have a good time. More of a long weekend trip with the ports not really mattering (usually Bahamas)...

On longer cruises the atmosphere seems much more relaxed.

 

We went on one 5 day cruise and there were many "groups" and children.

The vibe isn't as crazy as the 2 - 3 night cruises. We live in FL and can drive to the port, but still thought a five day cruise wasn't work the effort it took to pack, unpack, make arrangements, etc. By the time our fun really started, I felt we had to think about getting off the ship.

 

A 7 night cruise is usually fun without feeling too rushed. Still alot of children though usually depending upon the time of year.

 

We prefer 9 - 11 day cruises so we can relax on the sea days, and enjoy the Southern Caribbean ports without flying into Puerto Rico first. Plus, the weather is usually better in the S. Caribbean than it is in the Western Caribbean in December when we usually cruise. Definitely feel the Bahamas could be too chilly for us at that time of year.

 

Barbara

[dgparent]

I find that in general 4 or 5 day cruises are shorter than 7 day cruises, but that may just be me.

 

Seriously though I think 7 days is just about right, by the end I am missing my cats just enough to want to go home.

[PinotBlanc]

We prefer the longer cruise rather than two short ones due to the turn around time when the ship is not in full activity; for example the pools are usually emptied for cleaning; the decks washed down and pesticides used; carpets may be cleaned; staff is generally rushed on disembark/embarkation days; the ship is just not in the usually daily mode and schedule on turn around days. All the above is just my opinion; but rather than two short cruises back to back 4 + 5= 9 days, we'd rather book a 10 night cruise and have the ship to ourselves a day or two while in port.

 

Penny

[wallie5446]

I find that in general 4 or 5 day cruises are shorter than 7 day cruises, but that may just be me.

 

.

 

No, we too find that 4-5 days are shorter than 7 days:D

[sprockie]

All good points. I booked this particular B2B because we were looking for something we haven't done in a while, and Nassau was one. We have been there a few times pre-kids, but would really like to take our kids (8 & 13) to Atlantis for the day. We also haven't been to Cozumel in ages and never at Key West. So to get those ports, it seems it's mostly shorter cruise itineraries, so I thought I'd put them back to back. 7 days doesn't quite seem long enough to me, but 9 or 10 is perfect. I am hoping we will enjoy the day of changeover when everyone else is bustling around and we are lounging. Draining the pools and deck areas off limits though would put a bit of a damper on things - I didn't think about that.

[dgparent]

I wonder how people that do those 100+ day cruises like them ? Personally to me that is way too long, I know they are rich and obviously have no home responsibilities , but 100 + days would drive me crazy, I would need really high speed internet + my pets, even in the lap of luxury.

[sprockie]

I wonder how people that do those 100+ day cruises like them ? Personally to me that is way too long, I know they are rich and obviously have no home responsibilities , but 100 + days would drive me crazy, I would need really high speed internet + my pets, even in the lap of luxury.

Not to mention I would have to bring wardrobes in a full range of sizes because I'd be sure to pack on 30 lb or so!

[cruisegirl1]

Over the years of reading here on CC, I have come to the conclusion that some lines have quite a different feel on a 5 day cruise vs. a 7 day cruise or longer. Some lines it seems are more of a party atmosphere and less formal on a shorter cruise. What is the general consensus on Celebrity - we've sailed mostly HAL and once on Carnival, so curious to hear what others think about Celebrity.

Another thread says there are no lobster to be had on a 5 day cruise - bummer:( We have just booked two shorter back to backs on Celebrity, so I am hoping there won't be much of a different "feel" to it than a 7+ nighter.

Can anyone outline any differences you see between the shorter vs. longer sailings?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

We’ve taken many 3,4,or 5 night cruises mostly on RCCL. The pace is fast as they cram many of the 7 night activities into a shorter cruise The pace will be the same on each leg of the B2B but you can pick and choose what you want to do each leg and have a bit of down time. The menu will likely be same, so if you go to a specialty restaurant you may want to vary it from say day 1 one the first cruise to say day 3 on the second. Also- you can find out if the headliner will be on for both cruises.

 

We’ve taken a few 4/5 night B2B and they did NOT have the same feel as a 9 night cruise. It definitely felt like two shorter cruises. We generally get off the ship at ports even if we have been there before, but on a recent 4/5 night B2B, we used the second stop at the repeated port as a relaxation spa type day with a lovely lunch at Bistro on 5. The ship was quiet and peaceful.

 

We have somewhat of a crazy schedule so sometimes we can take a two or three week cruise or land vacation and other times we can only steal a few days and take a 3 night cruise. Even with an 8 hour drive, we are happy to be able to take the shorter cruise.

 

We find that the staff is extra friendly when they learn you are B2B. We are often able to get the same general table location for the 2nd leg and have the same dining staff. We've often had to change cabins and don't find that a huge issue as we pack for a short cruise and wear many of the same outfits on each cruise.

 

Enjoy

M

Edited April 5, 2014 by cruisegirl1

[sprockie]

We’ve taken many 3,4,or 5 night cruises mostly on RCCL. The pace is fast as they cram many of the 7 night activities into a shorter cruise The pace will be the same on each leg of the B2B but you can pick and choose what you want to do each leg and have a bit of down time. The menu will likely be same, so if you go to a specialty restaurant you may want to vary it from say day 1 one the first cruise to say day 3 on the second. Also- you can find out if the headliner will be on for both cruises.

 

We’ve taken a few 4/5 night B2B and they did NOT have the same feel as a 9 night cruise. It definitely felt like two shorter cruises. We generally get off the ship at ports even if we have been there before, but on a recent 4/5 night B2B, we used the second stop at the repeated port as a relaxation spa type day with a lovely lunch at Bistro on 5. The ship was quiet and peaceful.

 

We have somewhat of a crazy schedule so sometimes we can take a two or three week cruise or land vacation and other times we can only steal a few days and take a 3 night cruise. Even with an 8 hour drive, we are happy to be able to take the shorter cruise.

 

We find that the staff is extra friendly when they learn you are B2B. We are often able to get the same general table location for the 2nd leg and have the same dining staff. We've often had to change cabins and don't find that a huge issue as we pack for a short cruise and wear many of the same outfits on each cruise.

 

Enjoy

M

Great, I think cramming in tons of activities and options in a day is a good thing for us - especially like you say you can catch them the second time around. I also like how the ports are a full day (8-5). It's really disappointing to be at a port where you are only there half a day.

If you decide to stay on board while in a repeated port, I bet the ship is almost empty because the 1 leggers will want to make the most of each stop.

Thank goodness we are in the same family balcony for both legs which we are very excited about.

[neeko]

We just got of the Connie on a 5 night cruise. Never felt rushed, never felt crowded and never noticed any rowdy behavior. We usually do a 7 night and have done some 14 night cruises we have found them all relaxing

[Oville]

We do a few 5 day cruises on the Constellation each but do it b2b and sometimes with another ship.

 

What's nice about the current 5 itinerary are the two sea days, plenty of time to relax.

 

The passengers are all over the place. This year in January we were with a rowdy group while in December it was a decidedly older group. Last month in the middle of college Spring Break the ship was really dead, the quietest Celebrity cruise ever. There is just no way to know what you are going to get.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Oville

[Pennstatedj]

We have 59 cruises of experience and 31 on Celebrity. We just completed btb on the constellation. We never liked short cruises but decided to try at the last minute. We had done 27 days on the Constellation in Nov/Dec and loved the ship. So we tried it. We loved it and was one of the best cruises we have ever done. Service, food and ship staff was a 10. Key West and Cozumel are fun places to visit. Entertainment on board was fantastic. If want to try a short cruise this is the on.

We have done RCCL and NCL short cruises and they are party cruises. Different than the Connie.

Have fun wherever you go.

[sprockie]

We have 59 cruises of experience and 31 on Celebrity. We just completed btb on the constellation. We never liked short cruises but decided to try at the last minute. We had done 27 days on the Constellation in Nov/Dec and loved the ship. So we tried it. We loved it and was one of the best cruises we have ever done. Service, food and ship staff was a 10. Key West and Cozumel are fun places to visit. Entertainment on board was fantastic. If want to try a short cruise this is the on.

We have done RCCL and NCL short cruises and they are party cruises. Different than the Connie.

Have fun wherever you go.

How great to hear. That reinforces that I made a good call. We have sailed many times on HAL, once on Carnival and now trying Celebrity. We are very excited to try Celebrity.

[richstowe]

We can get off a week at a time. 7 dayers are great but we really enjoyed a 5 day cruise on Connie.

It allowed us 3 days in Palm Beach prior to the cruise. Yes of course the cruise was shorter but somehow the vacation seemed longer.

 

The passengers are younger on shorter cruises but not that young on Celebrity.

I find that in general 4 or 5 day cruises are shorter than 7 day cruises, but that may just be me.

 

Seriously though I think 7 days is just about right, by the end I am missing my cats just enough to want to go home.

No, we too find that 4-5 days are shorter than 7 days:D

Snort. :D

[ghstudio]

We have taken a number of 4-5 day cruises as well as many 28 day B2B cruises. Generally we take the 4-5 day cruises when they are so cheap, it's almost less expensive to be on the cruise than stay at home...we live in florida so we drive to/from the port.

 

We actually enjoy both. Clearly on the longer cruises you have time to relax, learn the ship, try different things, relax... The shorter cruises do have more younger folks (younger is relative of course) as one would expect....they are less expensive and folks who are working have limited time off, so a 4-5 day cruise just works better. I'd say there is more of an upbeat vibe on shorter cruises...of course it's terrible to generalize though. To us, it's a get up and go...don't put off until tomorrow...go to every show type of cruise. It's not as relaxing, I'm not as rested when I get home...but it's actually a bit more fun. I think part of the fun is that we book them spontaneously....a deal comes, we book, we go, we have fun....all in just a few weeks time. Too much of life is spent planning, worrying about getting a lower fare, what will I wear....the short cruise is very different to us....and it's refreshing.

 

We've taken our family on 5 day cruises and they had a great time...they are younger, they work, it just was a good way to spend time together (and of course they liked it because they didn't pay for it ;) )

Edited April 5, 2014 by ghstudio

[wallie5446]

Snort. :D

Caught that one too did ya my sail away at the rail friend!:D

[PinotBlanc]

All good points. I booked this particular B2B because we were looking for something we haven't done in a while, and Nassau was one. We have been there a few times pre-kids, but would really like to take our kids (8 & 13) to Atlantis for the day. We also haven't been to Cozumel in ages and never at Key West. So to get those ports, it seems it's mostly shorter cruise itineraries, so I thought I'd put them back to back. 7 days doesn't quite seem long enough to me, but 9 or 10 is perfect. I am hoping we will enjoy the day of changeover when everyone else is bustling around and we are lounging. Draining the pools and deck areas off limits though would put a bit of a damper on things - I didn't think about that.

 

On the change over day, I'd suggest a grand tour of the Ft. Lauderdale waterways by water bus. It's a hop on hop off for one price for the whole day. You can see the beach, the mansions, Los Olas Blvd, plus lots more.

We take it to see the mansions and huge yachts.

 

Penny

[sprockie]

On the change over day, I'd suggest a grand tour of the Ft. Lauderdale waterways by water bus. It's a hop on hop off for one price for the whole day. You can see the beach, the mansions, Los Olas Blvd, plus lots more.

We take it to see the mansions and huge yachts.

 

Penny

I'd do that for sure if it were just the two of us, but do you think it would be fun for kids too? (8& 13) If it's a beautiful day, I suppose we could hop off at the beach.