Transatlantic Sea Day Activities

[Mystictraveler]

Considering a TA with Regent in November 2023. Would appreciate hearing from those of you who have done TA's with Regent about the types of activities they offer during sea days? We recently sailed on the Explorer for 14 nights but there was only one sea day so don't have much to go by.

[daetchief]

Haven't done a TA on Regent but did go on an 18 day Trans-Panama cruise where we had  - what seemed like 16 days at sea.

The CD and Social Hostess arranged games of skill, games of chance, and more than the expected number of Enlightenment Speakers. [Same speakers - different topics...]  

As mundane as it may sound, the days were wonderful and the activities enjoyable.

[PhD-iva]

How about bridge lessons and organized (non duplicate) bridge? Thx!

[papaflamingo]

We had multiple at sea days in 2018.  There's always some activity going on.  We had interesting lectures, the casinos were open, and they played various games around the ship as well as other get togethers like Trivia.    But for us, we would get up, have breakfast, sit by the pool, have lunch, take a nap, cocktails before dinner, dinner, show, after dinner drinks, then bed.  Repeat as necessary. 😎

[Boatmans Lady]

We had multiple sea days travelling to the South Seas and we had a fantastic lady who did crafts. 

We learnt ribbon braiding,  we made lei's and necklaces and bracelets. 

I dragged my husband along so we had enough for our granddaughters. 

[2012_Alaska_bound]

If you are on Explorer or Splendor, they offer Culinary Arts classes most days. On the other ships there are usually some cooking demos offered.

 

Usually a daily needlepoint get together is offered. Social host or hostess provides kits.

 

On our Splendor Transatlantic, a group of passengers got together with some of the performers and did a Flash Mob performance.

 

Also one day is usually a Country Fair where each department sponsors a game booth and you can compete for raffle tickets.

 

Sometimes other craft opportunities are offered. On Navigator the last 3 weeks, even though there were only 3 sea days, both card making and earring making were offered.

 

And special theme teas each afternoon at sea.

 

Usually see a Mah Jong group getting together each day as well as bridge.

Edited August 16, 2022 by 2012_Alaska_bound
updated info

[GOARMY]

As to more-relevant "recent" experiences:

 

TA, Explorer's October-November, 2021 Barcelona to Miami segment.  

 

As noted above:  Yes, as to organized Bridge Group on ship.  For those so-inclined, that took up most of their sea day time from morning until after dinner.  Actually, that would have included the few days we had doing shore excursions.  

 

Also, as noted above, always an organized onboard activity available--other than "grazing" at various food venues also always-available.  Just check "Passages".  

 

The days flew by. 

 

papaflamingo has the right idea as to planning how to spend one's at-sea cruise time.  

 

As we say in the Army:  No sweat.   

 

Regards,  

 

GOARMY!

 

 

 

[chuckw]

We've been on half dozen TA's, Regent and Celebrity.  We enjoy the ship's activities and find it very relaxing, A few years ago we did a Mediterranean followed by a crossing on the Voyager and much preferred the sea days.

[2012_Alaska_bound]

10 hours ago, GOARMY said:

As to more-relevant "recent" experiences:

 

My post was based on the TA on Splendor, April 2022. For some reason I can't edit the post to add that info.

[flossie009]

We enjoy the relaxing sea days on a TransAtlantic crossing. 

As others have said, there are plenty of indoor and outdoor events organised. We particularly like the daily officers v guests challenges (deck shuffleboard, baggo etc)

 

Note that on eastbound TransAtlantic cruises you lose time; westbound you gain time 🙂

 

[2012_Alaska_bound]

3 hours ago, flossie009 said:

Note that on eastbound TransAtlantic cruises you lose time; westbound you gain time 🙂

 

 

We took the TA Miami to Barcelona thinking it would be a gentler way to deal with the time change than flying.

 

Let's just say that Coffee Connection was more popular than usual with both Passengers and Crew in the mornings, especially by about the 4th time change! And yes, there are 7 I believe over the 2 week sailing.

 

Now not sure which is better! Get it over with (by flying) or deal with it on 7 days.

 

Do a westbound if you have the choice!

[GOARMY]

While slightly off-track, (one Ocean off) here is an even better way to deal with a Trans-ocean segment:  

 

Pacific Crossing.  New Zealand to LA.  How to deal with crossing the International Date Line?  Simple.  Live the same day--twice.  Quite unique to have the Captain make the daily "Noon" announcement as to time, position, sea conditions, impending weather--and so-on.

 

Then:  "By the way--how are you folks enjoying today?  Hope so, because we will do this same day tomorrow."  This limited need for daily time clock changes.  

 

Of course, it can work the other way (direction) which we will encounter next September.  Vancouver-Tokyo.  Oh well, while on Explorer, somehow we will deal with this. 

 

GOARMY!

 

[PhD-iva]

On 8/17/2022 at 8:47 PM, GOARMY said:

 

As noted above:  Yes, as to organized Bridge Group on ship.  For those so-inclined, that took up most of their sea day time from morning until after dinner.  Actually, that would have included the few days we had doing shore excursions.  

 

Regards,  

 

GOARMY!

 

 

 

I spent 9 of 10 sea days on my last transatlantic cruise playing bridge (v poorly). Had a blast! Looking forward to more of the same!

[Gilly]

@GOARMY on our Tokyo to Vancouver crossing on Mariner in 2019, we crossed the date line on May 4th.  The following day, it was "May the 4th be with you again!"   We found losing an hour a night pretty hard going and somehow, getting them all back in an extra day didn't seem to count. But you know, we managed...🤣

[ChatKat in Ca.]

13 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

I spent 9 of 10 sea days on my last transatlantic cruise playing bridge (v poorly). Had a blast! Looking forward to more of the same!

Regent brings ACBL instructors onboard to teach.  I learned to play on an Atlantic Crossing. 

 

There are also charter type sailings arranged by a travel group with well known to the bridge community instructors.  They do not allow anyone who are not in the chartered group to play.

[ronrick1943]

Cruise lines have lot’s of things to do on sea days—but what about a day or two doing nothing, just relax and take it easy.  Maybe a spa appointment after a late breakfast on your balcony.—-watch a movie.

[ToxM]

Are there poker tournaments in the casino? Does anyone know the buy in?

 

Love TA’s and we are on Capetown to Rio in 2024 so I can do one of my bucket list places - St Helena (I know it’s a risky tender, but just seeing I t will be enough, setting foot on it will be the icing). 

 

I enjoy a good poker tourney and Oceania did one every afternoon on a sea day - it would be even better if they did one every evening on Regent!

[irishwitchy]

Regent did have Texas hold ‘em tournaments on our cruise in July. Besides the rules   - watching one of the tournaments before you play is a good idea according to my husband.  I’m guessing some else here could comment on those strategies. 

[daetchief]

I am assuming that Regent would want to [or need to] control any gambling onboard, but I would enjoy participating in a 4 or 6 handed poker game in the card room where the buy-in would be maybe $10.00 or $20.00 and the chips would be depreciated 'two decimal points' [i.e. a green $25 chip would be $.25, a Black $100.00 chip would be $1.00, etc.].   That way even if you're a novice poker player you could get exposure and experience in the various poker games, hopefully be able to play for a while, have fun playing and even if you loose it all; it's no worse than sitting at the slot machine.  The BIG winner would have bragging rights and maybe a $100.00 in winnings.    Oh well, back to reality...

Edited September 2, 2022 by daetchief
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