carbon Posted July 5, 2023 #1 Share Posted July 5, 2023 We booked the 10 night Equinox cruise but have been to all the ports several times before. We have the bevarge package and we might decide to stay on the ship. Has anyone done that, just enjoy the almost empty ship? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Jim_Iain Posted July 5, 2023 #2 Share Posted July 5, 2023 We have stayed on-board at a number of stops but usually always get off at some of the ports. Even if just to spend an hour or so ashore. There are always a number of guest aboard and some do just what you are suggesting. Enjoy your cruise how ever you choose to enjoy. It is rather nice with much fewer passengers in port and he Spa offers special discounts on port days. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carried_Away Posted July 5, 2023 #3 Share Posted July 5, 2023 Yes, I enjoy staying on the ship on port days sometimes. As Jim said, if you're interested in spa treatments, look for or ask about discounts on port days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTShaker Posted July 5, 2023 #4 Share Posted July 5, 2023 14 minutes ago, carbon said: We booked the 10 night Equinox cruise but have been to all the ports several times before. We have the bevarge package and we might decide to stay on the ship. Has anyone done that, just enjoy the almost empty ship? I always enjoy a nearly empty ship in Grand Cayman. No problem getting a chair in the shade and beverages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare shipshape sam Posted July 5, 2023 #5 Share Posted July 5, 2023 Our last cruise on Celebrity we stayed on the ship and did not miss getting off for all ports of call other than getting off for a couple of hours in Grand Cayman. I wanted to walk around the downtown area to see how it had changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiserchuck Posted July 5, 2023 #6 Share Posted July 5, 2023 We have been on cruises before where we never got off the ship at any of the stops. It was nice being onboard without crowds. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmieg Posted July 5, 2023 #7 Share Posted July 5, 2023 After decades of cruises, we treat the ship as our destination. There are ports we have a favorite beach or tour, or a new destination at times. Sometimes we walk the port. But, we often happily enjoy the leisurely pace of a day onboard. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlutePrayer Posted July 5, 2023 #8 Share Posted July 5, 2023 We will be staying on the ship for our upcoming 7 night cruise to familiar ports. As others have said, the ship is our destination, and we are introverts. 🙂 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crumbled Posted July 5, 2023 #9 Share Posted July 5, 2023 Had a lovely relaxing day to myself in Ajaccio last month without stepping off the very quiet ship. So much so that I wouldn't mind a port like that (been before and didn't care for) in future itineraries. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3boyz2keep Posted July 5, 2023 #10 Share Posted July 5, 2023 We cruised on the Apex last year in Feb 2022. We stayed on board the entire 7 days. It was a time where certain ports were still requiring masks so we said to heck with it. We had a lovely time! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare horseymike Posted July 5, 2023 #11 Share Posted July 5, 2023 Staying onboard can be very enjoyable. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted July 5, 2023 #12 Share Posted July 5, 2023 We visit Athens later this month on Reflection and have been there loads of times. We'll stay on board. It's great as the ship is so quiet because Athens is so popular for excursions. We have the premium drinks package too so I will be "on it" all day! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Honolulu Blue Posted July 5, 2023 #13 Share Posted July 5, 2023 9 hours ago, carbon said: We booked the 10 night Equinox cruise but have been to all the ports several times before. We have the bevarge package and we might decide to stay on the ship. Has anyone done that, just enjoy the almost empty ship? I've stayed on in ports on multiple cruises, and on at least two cruises I didn't get off at all in any of our ports. The one downside of staying onboard is the amount of activities the ship hosts is cut down. The casino will almost certainly be closed, and there won't be as many enrichment lectures or trivia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beachin2 Posted July 5, 2023 #14 Share Posted July 5, 2023 There is just so many times you can visit a port - we do enjoy our personal "sea" days and take advantage of the less crowded ship. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WatchHill Posted July 5, 2023 #15 Share Posted July 5, 2023 We are doing a transatlantic in the fall, and the last port is Nassau which holds no interest for us. Been there many times; we plan to head to the Solarium to enjoy a bit of solitude, chat with crew and not spend time sesarching for unused lounge chairs. The best island is often the one you are floating on in the harbor! Darcy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tfred Posted July 5, 2023 #16 Share Posted July 5, 2023 In general 1/3 of the ship stays on board at any port so you won’t be alone. Pretty common for pax to use the ship as the destination especially in the Caribbean and not disembark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chromered7 Posted July 5, 2023 #17 Share Posted July 5, 2023 10 hours ago, carbon said: We booked the 10 night Equinox cruise but have been to all the ports several times before. We have the bevarge package and we might decide to stay on the ship. Has anyone done that, just enjoy the almost empty ship? You just go and enjoy yourselves with vast quantities of alcohol and have a great time. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeRick Posted July 5, 2023 #18 Share Posted July 5, 2023 11 hours ago, carbon said: We booked the 10 night Equinox cruise but have been to all the ports several times before. We have the bevarge package and we might decide to stay on the ship. Has anyone done that, just enjoy the almost empty ship? Are you stopping at Grand Cayman? If so, most of the bars on the ship will be closed - except the pool bar. But you can plan in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbon Posted July 5, 2023 Author #19 Share Posted July 5, 2023 1 minute ago, TeeRick said: Are you stopping at Grand Cayman? If so, most of the bars on the ship will be closed - except the pool bar. But you can plan in advance. Our stops are Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia, Martinique, and St Kitts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeRick Posted July 5, 2023 #20 Share Posted July 5, 2023 1 minute ago, carbon said: Our stops are Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia, Martinique, and St Kitts. Sounds like Eastern Caribbean and a great itinerary. Enjoy! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare chemmo Posted July 5, 2023 #21 Share Posted July 5, 2023 11 hours ago, carbon said: We booked the 10 night Equinox cruise but have been to all the ports several times before. We have the bevarge package and we might decide to stay on the ship. Has anyone done that, just enjoy the almost empty ship? We have never cruised and not got off the ship at all but in recent years we have seen more the ship as our destination and been selective where we get off for excursions or a walk… Some ports are great for a short walk at some point in the day, like Antigua. We love to visit the Cathedral, just a short walk uphill. Other ports like St Lucia are nice to view from. We loved to see the sea planes and light aircraft take off and land. When staying on board we love to just take the day slowly…We will usually have coffee and pastries in the room leaving the buffet and restaurants for those in a rush to get off. We will then make up for it by having an early lunch. We will enjoy a quiet buffet slowly ‘grazing’ from station to station. No rush, the unhurried bar staff will have time to bring you leisurely drinks… In the afternoon we will enjoy a prime position sun bed before the am excursions return and enjoy until the pool area starts to get busy… at about 2.30 - 3.00pm…Time then to take a drink back to your room for a siesta or to people watch from the veranda… Just as an aside. It was the point in our cruising lives when our cruises became more about rest and relaxation and less about exploring the world that we found it was worth paying a bit more for a better room as we were spending more time in it. Just as with the beverage package you definitely get more value from the $ spent the more time you spend on the ship… 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George C Posted July 5, 2023 #22 Share Posted July 5, 2023 We also stay on the ship for most Caribbean ports , have been on about 60 Caribbean cruises. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipsy252 Posted July 5, 2023 #23 Share Posted July 5, 2023 16 hours ago, carbon said: We booked the 10 night Equinox cruise but have been to all the ports several times before. We have the bevarge package and we might decide to stay on the ship. Has anyone done that, just enjoy the almost empty ship? We did exactly that on one of our 'Round UK' cruises in 2021. Stayed on board and had a really relaxing time. It was all about Rest, Relaxation and not being at home after COVID lockdowns! 🙂 Enjoy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike981 Posted July 5, 2023 #24 Share Posted July 5, 2023 We have a 10 day southern Caribbean winter cruise in six months and my wife and I are just planning to wing it. This will be our first cruise/travel in four years and we are looking forward to just relaxing and enjoying the ship. If we come across an idea to get off the ship, we will. Either way, we always have a great time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare keesar Posted July 5, 2023 #25 Share Posted July 5, 2023 On our cruise in the Caribbean, most people got off the ship in St. Thomas. However, this one group of 6 reserved these prime chairs with towels and colorful clips to hold the towels. They were set up at 8 am and no one sat there through 4 pm. So the chair hog people were in force. Good thing that there were plenty of open chairs available. Never a line at the pool bar. Same scenario when we were in St. Maarten and Puerto Plata. I was tempted to collect some colorful clips for my laundry line at home. 😀 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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