Do you ever stay on board during a port you aren't interested in?

[TexCruise371]

We stay on board lots of time. Maybe the port is not one of our favorites or just like the empty ship and relax, get a massage, take pictures of the ship or work out.

[2chiefs]

Solarium hot tub with a few beers is a nice relaxing port day!

[queeniemi]

Usually make plans for each port. Love going to the beaches everywhere. Stayed  on board for the first time this passed December. We pulled into St Martin and there were 6 big ships there. We looked at all the people walking down the pier and just smiled and went and ordered a drink!

[broadwaybaby123]

If it's a port I've been to several times recently, then yes, I stay onboard.

[westcoastvecs]

I love staying on board for all reasons mentioned.

[Joebucks]

If you have been a cruise so many times, that you are sick of common ports, I could only imagine how fresh the experience onboard must feel like.

 

I've been to my local downtown hundreds of times. That doesn't mean I can't enjoy it anymore. Maybe one day I will understand it more. I guess it makes a little more sense to me if you are trying to save money.

 

I get off the ship. No matter how many times I've been to places like Nassau, it has beautiful beaches which I am definitely not spending too much time at. Shops, bars, and restaurants are also fun to stop by. The variety of cruising is what makes it all so fun. There's a certain energy on port days that isn't matched (IMO) on back to back to back sea days. Seems like a boring cruise to me to stay onboard at ports. That's when they do a lot of maintenance. Few fun events are going on. There is also no shortage of time to lay around and relax.

[jean87510]

8 hours ago, island lady said:

 

We also grew very tired of the water taxis and their constant chatter for tip money, and over crowding.  It is so easy to just walk to town, which gives us exercise after breakfast.  Lots of restaurants for lunch there.  A stop at the Amsterdam cheese shop on the way back, to score a package of Gouda!  🙂 

 

In the past, we have done the 6-8 person food and history tour several times.  Takes you all around the island (both sides) with great little out of the way restaurant stops.  Wonderful!  Will do that again as long as Covid numbers and restrictions are down.  

never thought of the food tour.  We have done them in Europe and San Juan as well as some of the US cities that we are new to.  That's a nice idea especially on a port intensive cruise where you just need a non beach day.

[jean87510]

I find it interesting that people on here would not like to at least help support the local economy and go on a small tour or visit a restaurant.  I read tipping threads on this forum, gifts and supplies for the staff, worry about infecting the islands with our covid yet strangely all these concerns seem to disappear when its a port day at Nassau when you could get the whole ship to yourself.  

[AlohaLivin]

20 minutes ago, jean87510 said:

people on here 

I’m not sure what this comment is based on… lots of people on CC schedule independent tours (most of ours are) and eat at local restaurants.

 

Edited May 5, 2022 by AlohaLivin

[happyshelly]

If it is an island we have been to quite a few times I may get off the ship if it is a British Island just to get some British chocolate. Just love that chocolate.

 

Michele

[Painter4me]

I love to stay on board and the only port we got off on the last 2 cruises was Coco Cay. We had been to Nassau, St. Thomas and St Martin so many times that I had no desire to go again. I love the ship when the masses are off. Enjoy it!

[jeh10641]

13 hours ago, cementhands said:

Celebrity has a perk of getting to use spa on port day! We took advantage of the perk in St. Lucia!
Not a fan of that island, issues, usually not fearful but that crowd freaks me out. They are not happy with us visiting their island.

We had a great time in Saint Lucia in December, 2021. Took a ship excursion (HAL) which is a rarity for me. Had no problem with the locals on any island we visited.

 

Jim

[davekathy]

Now that most of you have shared your reasons for staying onboard at the different ports, your quiet alone time on the ship possibly will be shared with others.😉

[BobH5849]

Just cruised on Anthem.  Stayed onboard at PC and Miami.  Problem was that in those 2 ports.....we had plenty of company and chair hogs galore.  

[island lady]

12 hours ago, jean87510 said:

never thought of the food tour.  We have done them in Europe and San Juan as well as some of the US cities that we are new to.  That's a nice idea especially on a port intensive cruise where you just need a non beach day.

 

We do quite a few of them.  Opportunity to taste local flavors, a nice walk (or island tour), and lots of history.  Most of the tour leaders are obviously very proud of their City/Island.  🙂 

[island lady]

12 hours ago, jean87510 said:

I find it interesting that people on here would not like to at least help support the local economy and go on a small tour or visit a restaurant.  I read tipping threads on this forum, gifts and supplies for the staff, worry about infecting the islands with our covid yet strangely all these concerns seem to disappear when its a port day at Nassau when you could get the whole ship to yourself.  

 

Indeed, no problem spreading it around...share the love.  😄 $$

[jpcello]

That's our intent on our upcoming Oasis cruise next week. I may get off in Nassau so I can get conch fritters and possibly a brief beach visit on CocoCay, but otherwise will be spending the rest of the time onboard. We did this same cruise about 5 years ago and only got off in Nassau (again for conch fritters). 

[billslowsky]

12 hours ago, jean87510 said:

I find it interesting that people on here would not like to at least help support the local economy and go on a small tour or visit a restaurant.  I read tipping threads on this forum, gifts and supplies for the staff, worry about infecting the islands with our covid yet strangely all these concerns seem to disappear when its a port day at Nassau when you could get the whole ship to yourself.  

We went to Dairy Queen!  Prices were reasonable and soda was cheap.  I wanted to visit the distillery but we didn't get there.

[jean87510]

12 hours ago, AlohaLivin said:

I’m not sure what this comment is based on… lots of people on CC schedule independent tours (most of ours are) and eat at local restaurants.

 

and i do as well.  It was just an observation of the people who do choose to stay onboard.  Look, its up to each person how they do their vacation.  I personally don't care how people tip, leave things for staff, stay on ship, its your business.  But if people (not you) choose to stsy on board, then it seems at least to me hypocritical to comment about tipping or gift leaving, buying power ade for staff, wanting to be vaccinated to protect the poor island people we visit...etc...  Perhaps I opened a can of cruise critic worms.  I don't know.  Bottom line, its an observation of mine only.  

[jean87510]

21 minutes ago, billslowsky said:

We went to Dairy Queen!  Prices were reasonable and soda was cheap.  I wanted to visit the distillery but we didn't get there.

Hey, good choice!  I love getting ice cream at the ports.  We have pins all over the Caribbean of places.

[AlohaLivin]

18 minutes ago, jean87510 said:

and i do as well.  It was just an observation of the people who do choose to stay onboard.  Look, its up to each person how they do their vacation.  I personally don't care how people tip, leave things for staff, stay on ship, its your business.  But if people (not you) choose to stsy on board, then it seems at least to me hypocritical to comment about tipping or gift leaving, buying power ade for staff, wanting to be vaccinated to protect the poor island people we visit...etc...  Perhaps I opened a can of cruise critic worms.  I don't know.  Bottom line, its an observation of mine only.  

I just couldn’t figure out how you were coming up with a data that the same people staying onboard were primarily the same people commenting on tipping, etc. But I don’t necessarily think the two issues are related. There are a lot of people that go to these ports often, I don’t think that them failing to get off the ship is highly correlated witg their empathy for others in general  (some very generous people may stay on the ship while some very selfish people get off). I’m guessing maybe one or two specific people somehow set that off for you? I can understand that. I am just not sure that it is true for most people 😊

 

P.S. We did a great volunteer excursion in San Juan after the last major hurricane (actually sponsored through Royal). It was extremely hot and it was of course hard work, but it felt good to be able to do something (even if a tiny little thing). I don’t know if they still offer that. I do wish they had more of that kind of thing, but to be fair there would have to be an organized volunteer organizer that sets it up at each port and there’s probably not so many of those. * It would be a good thing to add to post-cruise reviews so they know there are people interested. 👍🏼

Edited May 5, 2022 by AlohaLivin

[AlohaLivin]

This is the food tour we have done - locals are the guides, but also the restaurants used are owned by all long-term residents. Everyone enjoyed this quite a lot, we will try more of their tours on our next visit - https://www.trubahamianfoodtours.com / Bites of Nassau Food Tasting & Cultural Walking Tour

Edited May 5, 2022 by AlohaLivin

[island lady]

1 hour ago, AlohaLivin said:

This is the food tour we have done - locals are the guides, but also the restaurants used are owned by all long-term residents. Everyone enjoyed this quite a lot, we will try more of their tours on our next visit  Bites of Nassau Food Tasting & Cultural Walking Tour

 

 

We did this one, also wonderful time and highly recommend.  We had "Captain Tony" for our tour, he was fantastic and sooo funny!   One of the restaurants we went to, we started revisiting for lunch when in town.  🙂    https://www.trubahamianfoodtours.com/

[CruisingWalter]

On 5/3/2022 at 11:30 AM, juanarcin said:

Will be on the Oasis soon and mostly decided on this cruise because I've always wanted to try an oasis (or larger) class ships, I've mostly done voyager class. However, I have very little interest in 2 of the stops (Nassau and Coco Cay). I'm just not a beach/pool person. I was interested in doing the hot air balloon in coco cay but it's sold out. So now I'm wondering if I'll be bored out of my mind or if they still have enough activities onboard during port stops. any one ever stayed on?

 

Oh man "Ship Days" are a must-do for us on just about every cruise. You have pretty much the entire ship to yourself and most of the on-board features and activities will still be in operation, albeit with more limited schedules. Most of the time we take advantage of the very quiet pool areas to just relax with the 'hordes.' 🙂  It's a great day to try out some activities that might be always booked or to do a spa day. Spa prices are always marked down during a port day. 

 

Once you do a Ship Day, you'll start planning them into your itinerary. Especially if you sail the Caribbean a lot as we have. The ports start to repeat, so you can decide to skip them from time to time.  

[sergeant655]

I like to stay on and enjoy the ship when people are off.  If they have a crew drill in which lifeboats air lowered I like to watch them from deck 12 .  I might get off at lunch if there is a bit of ships but definitely will if there is a senor frogs or Margaritaville by the dock or if it’s a tender port i’ll get off just to ride a tenders kind of like a lifeboat excursion as sometimes the ships tenders are used