Book a cruise and you’re no doubt thinking about exploring exotic ports of call. But there’s a small — and seemingly growing — number of people that do the exact opposite. They elect to simply stay on the ship and have a dramatically different day than most passengers.
I’ve done it before, so what do I wish I knew before I tried it for the first time? I’ll tell you right now…
There Are Lots of Reasons to Stay on the Ship
Now I’m going to dive into all the ins and outs of staying onboard, but I think for some people the first thing they want to know is why stay on the ship? To most people, the ports are a major part of why they paid all that money to come on a cruise. It feels like shortchanging yourself to just skip one.
Well, there are actually a ton of reasons that people stay on the ship, and they vary a lot. Perhaps the biggest is that they are simply frequent cruisers and have visited a port multiple times before. In effect, they aren’t missing anything if they don’t get off the ship.
Other people want to enjoy the ship with fewer people onboard. Still others may have mobility issues and a day on the ship is much easier and less stressful than having to walk a ton. Or the weather may be bad, so going out doesn’t sound very appealing.
Bottom line is there are a lot of reasons for staying onboard, and while it might seem foreign to some, it’s definitely not uncommon.
The Atmosphere Onboard Is Completely Different
So say you’ve decided to stay onboard. The first thing you’re going to notice is that the atmosphere on the ship is completely different.
You know that sort of buzz around the ship when you’re at sea, people are going every direction, the pool is packed, and the music is bumping? Well, toss that out the window.
If you stay onboard while in port, you’ll likely find the cruise ship feels a bit odd at first. Sure, there are still people there but it’s significantly quieter, less busy, and less hectic. For some it might be a bit unnerving at first. But for many people it’s exactly the reason they want to stay onboard.
For instance, a spot by the pool? You don’t have to fight for it. There’s plenty of room and the pool won’t be packed with people — at least until passengers get back from port later in the day.
If you’ve ever been the sort of person that loves to cruise but gets worn out by the crowds, the atmosphere when staying on the ship might be exactly what you want.
There Are Far Fewer Crew-Led Activities
Now you know it’s quieter on a day at sea and the main reason is that there are fewer people on the ship. But there’s another factor in that calmness around the ship, and that’s because with fewer passengers, the crew is also putting on fewer activities.
First things first, there are still some activities going on. Typically it’s simple things like trivia or live music by the pool. But the number of things going on is far less than a day at sea.
If you’re someone that has to have a lot to do or you get bored… well, then prepare to be bored. But if you’re someone who wants to do your own thing without feeling like you’re missing out, then you’ll love it.
Most Things on the Ship Are Still Open
Despite there not being a ton going on as far as activities on the ship, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do. When in port the ship still runs for passengers. There are places to eat around the ship. The spa is open. Shops are open, but sometimes a few don’t open until later in the day.
Of course, the pool is ready for use and those marquee attractions like the waterpark or roller coaster or the go-kart track are all up and running.
In fact, if there’s something you’ve been wanting to do on the ship but the lines have been too long, this is a great time to do it.
There Can Be Discounts When Staying Onboard
Say you want to stay on the ship take advantage of the smaller crowds for things to do on board like visit the spa.
Well, there’s another benefit than just the fact there are fewer people around. On some cruise lines, you can often find discounts for the things to do on the ship just by booking on a day at port instead of a day at sea.
You see this most often with the spa. There are usually lower prices if you book a service for a day in port when things are slower than if you book for a day in port when everyone is on the ship. I’ve also seen them for things like the observation pod on Royal Caribbean, which was free if done in port, but a charge if done at sea.
Now, these discounts usually aren’t going to be huge but certainly better than nothing.
One Popular Area Is Likely Closed
I mentioned that most things around the ship are still open when you stay onboard in a port of call. But if you’re looking forward to one popular activity, then you’ll wish you knew that the casino is most likely going to be closed.
There are lots of laws that regulate gambling and whether or not they apply to a cruise ship depends on where the ship is located. As a general rule of thumb, however, if the ship is docked, then the casino is closed. It’s not every instance, but that’s usually the case.
The casino opens up once the ship gets out to international waters and the country’s rules on casino gaming no longer apply. That’s something to keep in mind if you’re wanting to stay on the ship in order to gamble.
There’s a Lot of Time On the Ship, So Be Sure You Want to Stay
Now, I personally don’t have a strong opinion on if you should stay on the ship or go into port. It’s your vacation and you can spend it how you want.
But I will say one thing about staying on the ship and that at least in my view, it is possible to have too much of a good thing.
On a 7-day cruise, you might have three ports of call. But those stops are typically for only about 8 hours. So of the 160+ hours you’re on vacation, a total of 24 hours is in port… and that’s if you spend every moment off the ship you can. When you skip a port and stay onboard, that’s even more time on the ship. And no matter how big the ship, after that much time aboard it can start to feel a little small.
So before you skip a port, just be sure that you’re fine with even more time on the ship.
Best of Both Worlds: Staying on the Ship in the Morning, but Leave in the Afternoon
Finally, when it comes to staying on the ship, it doesn’t mean that you have to literally not get off the ship at all. In fact, I’d suggest that staying on the ship is even more enjoyable if you still get off and at least stretch your legs.
When a ship ports, there’s usually a little bit of a lull at the start. After about 45 minutes the crowds start to ramp up, the ship empties out, and the port fills up. If you’re wanting to relax onboard, this is the perfect time to do so.
But as the day continues, people start to trickle back to the ship. By the mid or late afternoon, the pool deck can look as busy as a day at sea. That’s why even if you stay aboard, it’s often nice to at least go into port in the afternoon and stretch your legs a little and get a change of scenery.
That way you get the best part of being on the ship with fewer people while still seeing a port.
