Verrry Interesting but Weird

[Fredr]

Hello,

 

Each time I show my DW a cruise that I am interested in, and it doesn't matter where the cruise is going, she looks a the number of sea days and rather forcefully announces...not enough sea days! So, I must go research a cruise that has as many sea days as possible.

 

We joke about this all the time, but usually I find a cruise that we both enjoy. For those of you who really enjoy sea days, transatlantics, and Hawaii round trip from California are highly recommended.

 

Fred

[caudel]

We booked the Connie for a TransAtlantic in April 2009. It has less days at sea than we found on any other line. Also more interesting ports. I guess we are spoiled since we like longer cruises 12+ days with a good mix of days at sea and ports. Celebrity fills the bill.

[blackerbys17]

Hello,

 

Each time I show my DW a cruise that I am interested in, and it doesn't matter where the cruise is going, she looks a the number of sea days and rather forcefully announces...not enough sea days! So, I must go research a cruise that has as many sea days as possible.

 

We joke about this all the time, but usually I find a cruise that we both enjoy. For those of you who really enjoy sea days, transatlantics, and Hawaii round trip from California are highly recommended.

 

Fred

 

I LOVE sea days, it is the main reason why I cruise! I just love sailing... :)

[gillianrose]

We enjoy ports of call, and when we don't like them, we stay on the ship. Anyone who wants to stay on the ship has the option to do that if it's a port day, but if it's just a bunch of sea days, then those who would rather be more active on shore don't have the option to do that.

 

If you make your own sea day by staying on the ship during a port of call day then you also have the advantage of a quieter ship with lots of loungers available.

 

We really hate crowded days around the pool.

 

More than that, we hate it when ports are scheduled and then cancelled by the cruise line for some reason other than weather.

[Ma Bell]

A sea day is not the same as staying on board when in port because the activities are completely different. Not much scheduled on port days.

[emptynest1]

I love sea days. Count me in for those who could do without crowded ports.

[garardo]

I just love cruises that are less port intensive. While I'm sure the cruise lines might have their motives, I am perfectly happy with my days at sea. I enjoy my fellow passengers and the ship board activities, and probably spend less on board than I would in port.

 

But we know the ships also make plenty of money selling excursions. I wonder what works out best for them?

 

 

Ciao Cruise Arizona,

 

I still remember the dessert wine you let us enjoy at the ss United States restaurant on the trip to Hawaii. It is good to see you still on the broards. Where are you heading next?

 

garardo

[Sky Sweet]

We enjoy ports of call, and when we don't like them, we stay on the ship. Anyone who wants to stay on the ship has the option to do that if it's a port day, but if it's just a bunch of sea days, then those who would rather be more active on shore don't have the option to do that.

 

If you make your own sea day by staying on the ship during a port of call day then you also have the advantage of a quieter ship with lots of loungers available.

 

We really hate crowded days around the pool.

 

More than that, we hate it when ports are scheduled and then cancelled by the cruise line for some reason other than weather.

 

Hi gillianrose :)

 

During our Caribbean Cruise on Millennium a few years ago, we met someone who took the same cruise every year and had spa treatments whenever the ship was in port. She said it was great because the spa had specials on port days which saved her a lot of money. In light of the fact that an upscale spa resort is considerably more expensive than a Caribbean Cruise on a Celebrity, I thought that was a wonderful idea.

[caliber35]

I don't know how many of you have noticed that with Celebrity's new ships as well as RCCL - many of the 7 night cruises feature 3 days or more at Sea.

I suppose cruising at 6 knots is a way to save fuel and port charges.

Any comments?

 

It is really more a matter of the ports chosen. San Juan is 1000 miles from Fort Lauderdale and therefore takes two full days cruising at 20 knots to reach. Likewise, the return from St. Kitts is even longer. So, it is a matter of reaching the deep Caribbean or just putzing around the Bahamas. Constellation does a similar cruise, but takes ten days instead of seven to do it, adding a couple more stops along the way. The ships do not cruise at 6 knots except for very short hops.

[Sky Sweet]

A sea day is not the same as staying on board when in port because the activities are completely different. Not much scheduled on port days.

 

 

On some cruise lines that is true, but Celebrity doesn't have many organized activities on either sea or port days. It was different when they had their bridge program because that was the best part of sea days.

[Karynanne]

On some cruise lines that is true, but Celebrity doesn't have many organized activities on either sea or port days. It was different when they had their bridge program because that was the best part of sea days.

 

This isn't true. Depending on the itinerary...and the Cruise Director, there are many activities planned for sea days. The Enrichment Series is one of them, and usually draws quite a large audience. I have also found that on cruises longer than 12 days, there are bridge programs in the Celebrity Daily.

 

You may not have been on a cruise where this occured.

[Sky Sweet]

This isn't true. Depending on the itinerary...and the Cruise Director, there are many activities planned for sea days. The Enrichment Series is one of them, and usually draws quite a large audience. I have also found that on cruises longer than 12 days, there are bridge programs in the Celebrity Daily.

 

You may not have been on a cruise where this occured.

 

We have been on a number of Celebrity Cruises that had an enrichment series, but they were at such a basic level that they were obviously designed for people who had no knowledge on the subject matter.

[FinelyCruising]

A sea day is not the same as staying on board when in port because the activities are completely different. Not much scheduled on port days.

 

I agree with that assessment.

[Karynanne]

We have been on a number of Celebrity Cruises that had an enrichment series, but they were at such a basic level that they were obviously designed for people who had no knowledge on the subject matter.

 

Again, it depends on the itinerary. On Transatlantic crossings, there is usually a speaker that does a series (2-3 days) of Enrichment programs. They are always related to the myths, legends and folklore of Transatlantic crossing, and Ocean Liners. I've never been to one, where there hasn't been Standing Room Only.

 

And there are always the various trivia games, etc. that are done throughout the day.

 

One of the main things I like about Celebrity, is that they don't bombard you with mundane activities...and annoying announcements throughout the day. It's a very leisurely approach to cruisng.

 

Also, if you're interested in Bridge, I'm sure there will be people on your particular Roll Call that would be happy to get a game together.

[Loki_77573]

I enjoy sea days but I really like seeing the different ports. I would like to see longer days in port or over night stays in port. I still like the exploring of the ship but many times I have looked over the map so much all it takes is one pass through and I've got it. To me the biggest drawback of increasing the days at sea is it takes away the choice of the cruiser, as some have stated there are certain ports they do not enjoy so voilà` another sea day but with much less a crowd. We almost never get off the ships in Cozumel.

[Denny01]

We have been on a number of Celebrity Cruises that had an enrichment series, but they were at such a basic level that they were obviously designed for people who had no knowledge on the subject matter.

 

We sailed on a Connie TA; Marlin Fitzwater (Bush and Reagan Press Secretary) and a former Soviet Union Ambassador gave us a number of excellent talks. Very enlightening and entertaining. On a Caribbean cruise, we had excellent talks on island formation and beach types given by a geologist - I have a background in geology and learned a good deal. Some talks were travel log types which I didn't find too interesting, but to each their own.

 

On another thread, I reported that one speaker gave a talk on Egyptian and New World pyramids - equating them to 'Atlantians' because they were so similar. The speaker was so offbase, it drove me nuts (ignoring the basic differences between the Egyptian and New World pyramids and the only 'similarity' was in basic shape!). She didn't allow any questions so it was a setup by a hack. I reported that on another thread about Celebrity enrichments, then realized later, it was on another cruise line! Oh well.

 

Denny

[FinelyCruising]

We have yet to stay on board at any port, even if we have been there multiple times, we always find something new. We may not be out all day in port, but we go get off and stretch our legs even if for a short time.

 

I think we as cruisers have a very large choice in selecting our itineraries and what we plan to do in the ports for the itinerary selected.

 

I too love sea days....soooo relaxing.:)

[FinelyCruising]

On a recent flight I enjoyed conversation with a Director for bridge who has been contracted on Celebrity and is now joining RCCL for Explorer in September our of NJ. (Ma Bell, I thought of you and wondered if the two of you had ever made acquaintance)

[Ma Bell]

Hi Cheryl,

I look forward to seeing you again on Equinox!:D

[FinelyCruising]

Hi Cheryl,

I look forward to seeing you again on Equinox!:D

 

Hi Joanie :)

 

Ditto, and we look forward to meeting George this cruise too!

[Host Anne]

I, too, think there are far more planned onboard activities on sea days than port days. We had many different things on sea days on our Connie cruise this year that weren't offered on port days. I love sea days for all the things there are to do on the ship. We've often even had trouble making up our mind what we wanted to do when there were several things planned at the same time.

[Sky Sweet]

It appears that they have more interesting activities on TA's which we have never done.

[Sky Sweet]

On some cruise lines that is true, but Celebrity doesn't have many organized activities on either sea or port days. It was different when they had their bridge program because that was the best part of sea days.

 

Just to clarify. While I loved the bridge program that use to exist on all Celebrity Cruises, without it I feel that Celebrity doesn't have much in the way of organized activities on most cruises, with the exception of trivia games, bingo, and auctions.

 

That doesn't mean that there is nothing to do. Even though there is no bridge program on most cruises, my husband and I manage to find bridge players and we organize our own game. I also enjoy spa treatments, reading on my private verandah, chatting with fellow passengers, working out at the gym, as well as other things we do on our own.

 

However, given the nature of how we spend our days on a Celebrity Cruise, it doesn't matter whether it is a sea day or a port day where we prefer not to get off the ship.

 

BTW, I feel Celebrity's elimination of the bridge program on most of its cruises is a perfect example of how when one mass market cruise line does away with something without serious consequences, most of the others follow suit. There was a tme when all of the mass market cruise lines had bridge programs because it was a tradition of cruising. I personally think that if Celebrity kept it they would be able to distinguish themselves from other mass market cruise lines.

[VicRock]

Never been on a cruise but hubby and I both wish we were going to be in port more than we are and chose the itinerary we did because it was spending overnight in Quebec City. It makes no sense to me to spend money to go somewhere and then not see it. Maybe a compromise would be for the cruise lines to have ships that make no or almost no stops (say less than 2-3) for longer trips 7+ or having 2-3(or longer if there's a market for them) day trips that are just on water. I'm not the "pampering type" and am actually dreading that part of the whole cruise. I am quite capable of turning down my own bed and don't like the idea of strangers in my room twice a day. The only thing I really need in my room daily are clean towels and apparently the daily schedule. Cruising, for us, is simply a vacation that is different and unique and for me, doesn't require flying.

 

Maybe I'll feel differently after our cruise but doubt it. If I like the sea days that much, I'll make a comment to the cruise line to do "sea day" only cruises.

[fendbass]

On a sea day, I don't go to the shops (too expensive) or buy a lot of drinks (I don't drink very much). I play trivia; maybe go to a lecture or a class; go by the pool, read my book; enjoy the restfulness

 

We've done Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Nassau to death, we don't even bother getting off the ship. St Thomas is catching up rapidly. Other places, we may go snorkling, walk around town a little bit. Last time we were in Ocho Rios, we spent the day at a Sandals All-Inclusive.. what a great day that was